There are still some things that shock me every now and then

Last week two things actually kinda surprised me. Now, I'm not easily surprised by anything here anymore, being used to the Dutch way and all...but here are two different things but equally shocking:

Last week when walking to the train station- I saw little flower buds peeking up from the grass-- the crocuses are out - ALREADY! its was mid- January last week! Man, that is pretty darn early if you ask me! What is going on here?

Also- I know the Dutch are rather direct and practical and all-- but last week, i saw a bunch of new advertisements up on the wall of the underground passage way. At least 5 signs (of maybe 10) were about a divorce -'beurs' (like a trade show or conference) in Utrecht in February! "Thinking about getting a divorce? Then come to the trade show in Utrecht on Feb 6th and meet with....etcetc". You would go to a trade show for that? This just strikes me as odd. Isn't it sort of a more personal matter and you'd want to find a lawyer or someone to talk to in private? Weird. I just can't believe that there's this whole industry based on divorce that they'd have a trade show for it. And everyone says the US is the divorce capital of the world...well I suppose they aren't too far behind here (but I don't have any statistics on this though!). And like walking through a train station after a hard day of work at your crappy job on your way back home to your wife...you see these signs, and think, "yeah, i want to get some information on this thing called divorce....hmmm."

Ah, I think the flowers were a nicer surprise last week! :)