The Joby Story Part 2 and the Birthday Weekend

That was a lovely weekend! It started hectic, and a few times I just wanted to give up all plans and sleep, but I'm glad I didn't.

Friday I went to the Scuba Center's swimming pool (Floraparkbad) and had a great time! It took the whole evening to logistically fit in 55 minutes in the pool. But I think I'll be doing that a lot of Thursday/Friday nights over the summer and fall. The pool is really nice and big, and fully 3.5m deep. There's room for more than one class at a time and still some left over for people to practice and play.

I've already got it planned out that I'm going to teach a refresher course to my friend Adam, and a bouyancy course to Carlos from work. Then they are both interested in a Rescue Diver course which I can teach including the CPR. Even if that takes the whole summer, afterwards I'll have two enthusiastic divers who may make good divemaster candidates. They'll thus be able to help out with courses I teach in the fall.

And I met some nice divers, at least one of whom was positively thrilled by the skills practices we did underwater. He hasn't had dive gear on for three years and now feels way more confident about taking up the sport again.

So after a lot of walking around town lugging my dive gear Friday night, it was easy to sleep in Saturday. And good thing too, since I ended up not getting home until 4am Saturday night.

I met up with Joby about 9pm Saturday. I waited at Centraal Station while his train came in from the airport then we went down the street (just a little) to his new apartment in Dam square. The heart of Amsterdam!

As we walked, I couldn't get a clear understanding of how close his apartment was to the square. Was it one street away? Two? Down which side alley? But when I saw it I understood. His living room is looking directly out onto the square. He's RIGHT there.

A few years ago such a place (fully furnished) would have bankrupted small countries. Some how his wife (C.) managed to negotiate a rent only a bit higher than what I'm paying out in the 'burbs. Their place small, but not tiny. The ceilings are high, the moldings are all finely detailed and the finishes (paint, wallpaper, marble surfaces) are all excellent. Nice!

So I met up with Joby and C. in their new place. C.'s resume was on her laptop. She's currently looking for work to avoid going crazy sitting in a small apartment waiting for Joby to come back. We went out (along with my friend Humaira) and drank for what became hours. We closed a patio at 2am, and a bar at 3am. I think C. was happy to get out, talk to people, and get a feel for her new town. And I *think* Joby was chomping at the bit to party. But C. holds his leash well. Hopefully this means no more earth shaking hangovers just 'cause Joby's in town.

Sunday was more mellow. I didn't really even start my day until 5pm. I met up with friends in town (they twisted my arm) and had a much more mellow and slower evening than Saturday night. Gezellig.

I didn't feel the energy to do anything, when I got a call Sunday afternoon to go out, but I'm glad I got up and went. Sometimes special moments can make your whole weekend, and this weekend I had three such examples.