December | 2007 | A Zestful Quest

I got a letter in last week from the NHS, the National Health Service. I’ll have to make an appointment with the nurse to have another screening done. Ever since I had surgery in March this year, I slightly dread these regular letters but I was fine in August so I’m sure I’ll be fine in January. I should be positive, not worry too much and instead appreciate those precious gifts in life. Gifts that come in all sorts of shapes and colours and most of the time when you least expect it.

I’ve been given a most intriguing gift this year from a special person, it’s like unwrapping layers of shiny, glittery paper, to find another one underneath and I feel like a little girl eager to get to the soul of the present enjoying each moment of unwrapping. I received another one in the shape of an email from a reader a few weeks ago when I wrote a somewhat personal post, a gift that left such an impression on me, I have been speechless for some time thinking about her touching words. She is one beautiful colourful inspiring person.

Then there are: ex-colleagues who became friends over the years, new friends and friends that have been in my life for some time giving me their unconditional gifts in the shape of trust, love, patience and comfort. And let’s not forget the wonderful blog readers and writers out there who leave their gifts on each post that I write. Sharing their thoughts with me, saying hi or reading quietly in the background. Offering me help, comforting words and showing me their amazing support when I need it most.

I believe I have crossed paths with these people for a reason and my life has enriched in many ways by getting to know them each in their own shimmering rainbow coloured way… This morning when I woke up the city was covered with a soft fluffy blanket of fog. And I just stood there for a while enjoying the mesmerising view and let my mind drift away. I counted my blessings. Yes, life can be good and it doesn’t have to be xmas to find gifts: for those who wish to see there is a gift each day of the year…

Happy birthday dad…

© Zesty Gal, A stroll, Lowlands 1998

I went to an amazing place last Sunday: the British Library, near St Pancras tube station. I wanted to see a temporary exhibition called ‘The Printed Face of the European Avant Garde 1900-1937’. It was nice but I guess I have seen most of the printed books, posters, record covers and brochures at exhibitions in the Lowlands already. One thing was quite funny: ‘de Stijl’ was one of the subjects of the exhibition as part of the Avant Garde. Each subject was linked to the city of origin. So the first thing I noticed when I walked in was my own place of birth ‘Leiden’ printed in huge block capitals followed by ‘Amsterdam’. I have to admit I had this funny feeling all of a sudden. It’s just weird to see such a familiar name in such an unfamiliar place.

The other section is a permanent exhibition where you can find books, manuscripts, maps, sound recordings, photographs and stamps. Examples are the Magna Carta, Alice’s Adventures Under Ground by Lewis Carroll, Shakespeare’s First Folio of works, the Gutenberg Bible and Mozart’s music scores along with some other scores of great composers. I was sneaking a few pictures when I was told off by the security guard so my camera ended up in my handbag. I think this part of the British Library was the most interesting part to be honest. I love to see all the old handwritten books, the thick paper, the beautiful bright colour illustrations in the bibles and manuscripts. It’s a shame that I wasn’t allowed to take pictures because these really are wonderful treasures.

Another part that caught my eye was the King’s Library: a glass tower of books at the heart of the British Library. The private collection of George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1760 to 1820. The Tower is designed by Colin St John Wilson, architect of the St Pancras building. Possibly inspired by a similar tower at Yale University in the United States. It has six levels all linked by one internal staircase and two lifts. All book cases are on rollers so they can easily be pulled back to allow access. The books are kept in a controlled environment with a temperature of 16º C [61º F] and 50% relative humidity. The Tower houses the King’s Library and the private library of the politician Thomas Grenville, about 105000 volumes in total.

The King’s Library Collection compromises around 85000 volumes, mostly books and pamphlets with smaller numbers of periodicals, maps and atlases some of which are manuscript dated from the 1450s to the 1830s. Almost all printed in Europe or America. Much of the material is in English or Latin, but many other languages are well represented especially Greek, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish.