The perfect gift for Christmas

Being Flemish, I speak more than one language. (This has grown out of necessity, as our poor country was occupied by many another one - France, Germany, Austria, Spain, ...)

I regularly watch BBC tv or the German channels. I've lived in Germany for four years when I was in my twenties and want to keep up speaking that language. So I sometimes visit a German forum for book lovers, Was Liest Du.

There was an article about a great gift for Christmas. It was about writing a sort of history of your life. Kids could do it, and then hand it on to their  parents (who could fill in many of the gaps left) - and perhaps later on pass it on to their children.

Well, I don't have kids, but I have been keeping a diary since I was 14. You can make the count, as I'm now 59... It keeps track of all the important things in my life (many of which I've forgotten) and makes a great read when you're feeling down. You'll discover there were days long ago when it was even worse!

I don't know who will read my diaries later on. I hope to live on for some time longer (well, I live in hope as I just learned that one of the pills I'm taking lenghtens your life!) but there's only my sister and I. I don't know if there is an organisation which will accept people's diaries. I gave away my original Barbie collection (dolls and clothes) from the 50's and 60's to the Toy Museum in Mechelen. They were thrilled and I'm happy that many others will be able to see those toys.