LIfe is an adventure
After a long day at work, I talked Marinus into going out for a meal at an actual restaurant in Den Haag. He suggested a lonely Iranian restaurant, Setare, on Bierkade and I now know why. Not only was the food amazing, but it was served by the owner with pride and a happy smile.
Be kind. Stay safe.
We decided to break away for the long weekend and head up north to Julianadorp and Den Helder.
On our way we had the customary stop at KuierKos for coffee, cake and a taste of home. Filled up on biltong and other goodies, and made our way up north.
On arrival we took Rufus for a long beach walk, and we were blown away by the wind. Luckily it was a weekend affair, so we could go back the next day
The We even giggled at the sign and wondered if that means horses without riders are allowed or if no horsing around is allowed whatsoever.
The beaches really go on forever and on the beach the next day it was, as always, a pleasure to see Rufus playing with the other dogs and running for the pure joy.
After the long walk it was around lunch anyway, and what better way to enjoy it than with a coffee and appelgebak?
After recovering our strength, we ventured to nearby Den Helder and had a walk around the old harbour. The area feels like a working living museum where the old buildings are still in use and some beautiful ships are visible up close.
One of the old buildings is now an ice cream shop, and although Marinus ordered a coffee, he got a mini ice-cream too!
Be kind. Stay safe.
With spring in full swing there really is new life everywhere I look. See for example this little family of geese that I saw on my dog walk today.
Fortunately the dog in question is really scared of geese, so when he sees them he gives it a wide berth.
Be kind. Stay safe
Everywhere I look there’s beautiful new life. The park near my house, Meer and Bos, is an absolute beauty and it’s gorgeous seeing nature come to life
Be kind. Stay safe.
Last year I posted about traveling on my birthday but never shared the pics, so here’s a selection of some pictures of past birthdays:
This year was the second Corona birthday and I was again in the Netherlands, however I still had an amazing time. The authorities are testing the opportunity of opening attractions for a limited number of persons with a negative covid tests, and as such, I managed to get tickets for a once in a lifetime experience: seeing Keukenhof with a limit to the amount of visitors. It was incredible to see the amazing gardens without busloads of tourists and just take in the beauty of it all. We could even take Rufus with us, and the weather was gorgeous for a fun day out!
The festivities didn’t end there, however, as the weather continued to be beautiful for an afternoon braai with some amazing people. And of course, no birthday is complete without tea and cake, like we had on Sunday with Marinus’s sweet family.
To top it all off, I was given the most amazing present by Marinus; a hand restored sewing table with a steam punk dynamo light!
Be kind. Stay safe.
A year in and it still hasn’t ended. We are still in various forms of lockdowns around the world.
In the Netherlands you can now barely shop by appointment, still only eat at a restaurant and we have a curfew in place. We are still working from home and wondering when vaccinations will get underway…
Life will continue, in one way or another and so will this blog, but this captain will stop counting days, as it’s just making me sad.
Be kind. Stay safe.
I just had to celebrate my beautiful new dining room. Finally it’s all done. No more fridge in the corner, brand new floor, and a lamp that isn’t a makeshift plan (I’ve had a few, including standing lamps and a temporary fitting.)
So I made a quiche, for the first time ever, and I couldn’t be prouder!
Be kind. Stay safe.
I believe its been a year since the first case of Corona was diagnosed in the Netherlands. I remember back then people were still attending Carnival in the South and others returned from ski trips etc. What a different time that has been!
Over here we continued with the near impossible task of DIY during lockdown. At least we can click and collect things at a hardware store, but how do you order something online, (in Dutch) when you really need to go in and tell the guy in the hardware store that you need a thingy to do so-and-so and fit in with the what-che-callit.
Thankfully I have Marinus who is a very handy guy who knows even handier guys, and between them (with some assistance and many sandwiches from me) they put down my beautiful new laminate floor and hung my stunning dining room lamp!
Be kind. Stay safe
The ‘balmy’ weather (compared to the frost the week before) has brought the world to life around me. Rufus and I had a gorgeous morning walk taking in all that nature has to offer.
Rufus wasn’t quite sure what to make of the sheep. Perhaps he thought it’s just a very big fluffy dog.
Be kind. Stay safe.
The early spring weather continues into the week and Rufus and I made the best of it to visit Marinus and enjoy his pretty garden. He has started cleaning it up and the first shoots of springs are coming out. It is so exciting to see the seasons change.
We enjoyed an incredible bottle of wine that was received as a gift months ago. Rufus enjoyed roaming around the garden and is getting the hang of playing fetch with the ball.
It took some convincing, but I managed to explain to Marinus that it is OK to have a braai, even if it’s after dark. I might have to get him a braai light for future, but we did have our first braai of the year and hopefully there will be many more to come.
Be kind. Stay safe.
