Meanwhile in Holland...

Leaving Holland was difficult for a lot of reasons, including having to say good-bye to sweet 11-year-old Kati who had lived with us for over 10 years. She hates loud noises, so bringing her to London would have been a nightmare for all of us. I tried to find someone to adopt her through a website that Sally found through a colleague to match pets with new owners. It was a fascinating process, especially meeting a woman blinded as a teenager during World War II that held my arm instead of using her cane as she led Kati and I on a walk around Clingendael Park. She liked Kati, but really wanted a long-haired dog instead. We were running out of options and were worried we would have to drop her off at a animal shelter (luckily Holland only has no-kill shelters), when Terri saved the day. She told my story at the AWC Book Club and one of the new members, whom I’ve never met, said she thought she knew the perfect couple. Muge had to leave her dog behind in Turkey when she got divorced and moved to Holland. Now she is engaged to Ejal and ready to love another dog. They came to meet Kati and wanted her, but were getting ready to go on holiday. I was so relieved when Suzanne, another AWC Member, came to the rescue to bridge that gap and took Kati just before our movers came. It’s clear from the photos that Muge has sent that they are now a happy family.