Dear old Mr Adam

I received a email of reunion site of one of my schools I've been to. It seemed my math teacher and principal Mr Fred Adam has passed away. This was, as I have been thinking about him today, a figure I had a lot of respect for. It was a kind man, survived a japanese war camp and told us stories about the time he spent there. One of his stories was about him arriving at the camp and that he was asked what he was good at. He replied that he could cook which was in fact the opposite but it gave him the opportunity to have relatively enough food and survive the ordeal. He also told about how they baked bread without yeast making them tough as brick. He then took the inside out and used them as shoes.. He also made me come back on a saturday morning as a sort of punishment for pooring itching powder in a classmate's t-shirt during his math lesson. I had to make a drawing for him and later I found out he had a hobby painting. I can remember he was actually quite a good painter. That explained why I had to make a drawing.. The time I had to spent at school on that saturday moring was not long but I needed to find an excuse to explain to my parents why I had to get up early on a saturday morning and take the bus to The Hague.. I always wondered if he was still alive and how he was doing.. Now I know.. Selamat Djalan

700 km's in 1 weekend

This weekend we went first to grandpa and grandma in Hulst (on friday) and then on saturday we all (including the caravan) set out to drive to Germany.
We drove all the way to a place called St Goar where the campsite is directly at the river called the Rhein. We set up the caravan and found out that there was a better spot where they had a better view at the river and away from other campers. So, legs in and disconnected the power again, caravan behind the car and on to the other spot. After that was done we went to the hotel we were to stay the night and checked in. The room was at the top floor and ofcourse, no elevator! 5 bags and a baby bed later dad was exhausted.. The dinner was in St Goar itself where mom and dad spent a night in the very same place durig their honeymoon. Some things had changed but mostly it all was the same as when they were there. Unfortunately we did not have a very relaxed dinner with 2 kids and a baby who needed a lot of attention. But is was worth the trouble. After dinner we went to bed, yes to bed not a sleep! Due to trains on both sides of the river and the busy road just outside of the hotel.. Lisette slept like a baby but not me.. Sunday morning we picked up grandpa and grandma to have breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we hurried back to the campsite to set up the tent that neede to be set up. It is a horrible tent to put up as it just doesn't make sense! The poles don't make sense, the pins didn't want to go into the ground.. A real bugger. Then the sattelite dish.. GRRrrrrrr But we succeeded, more or less. A quick sandwich and then it was time for us to say goodbye to grandma and grandpa, they are going to stay there for 2 weeks, let's just hope the weather stayes okay.

Great great Grandpa Leusden

My father showed me pictures of a streamlined steam engine his grandfather designed (the plating). It is believed that this train is still at the Utrecht railway museum so we'll plan a visit there soon..

Nils's first swimming progress overview

Today we were given an overview of Nils's progress of the last 5 weeks and he's doing great. Always enthusiastic during the lessons and more important, having fun! When the top list has crosses all over (from left to right) then Nils is allowed to step up a level. He's now still in Kikker (frog) level 1..

And then there was sunday, what to do? not much

So, sunday passed slowly and we took things easy, the sun was shining and not much wind. In the morning dad went to the swimming pool with Nils and Wende. After lunch Lindsey, one of Nils's friends came over to play with Nils and Wende. Dad installed a bigger bed in Wende's room because Ingmar needed Wende's bed. Wende is now going to sleep in a bed Nils used before he had his high bed. When dad finally was able to put this ikea bed for Wende together (again), he suddenly realized that the crib Nils and Wende and finally Ingmar slept in as a baby will probably no longer be used by us... All three of our babies slept in this crib, The very crib dad himself slept in as a baby as well as his brother and sister, so he had a emotional moment there..

Lisette, Tom, Milan and Laurens visit

Our friends from Italy are now back in Holland again and they paid us a visit. We first had a few drinks in the garden because the weather was great and then we went to Nederhemert Zuid the outdoor playground..

A moped race, fairground, pigs and dinner with friends, what a weekend

Saturday morning we went to Giessen to the festivities that they have every year. A moped race where the youth is allowed to race their juiced up mopeds. (Like we did in the old days...) After that we went to see what the fairground was like, same as last year... A carousell, another one for bigger kids and a shooting gallery and ofcourse the bumping carts. Last year Nils loved that one and Wende was a bit too young. This year Nils and I bumped a bit too hard and that was it for Nils, no second ride.. Wende was till too young, maybe next year. In the afternoon we went to meet up with Mellanie and Peter with their kids Duncan and Jason at a pig farm in Oirschot. There was an open day where you get the chance to see what a pig farm looks from the inside, mostly pigs inside.. To finish a great day we went to our house and together with Peter and Mellanie had a simple but cosy italian dinner. Sunday we went to the swimming pool and Nils dared to jump from the elastic board and Wende went together with dad from the board. Nils is improving so much since he has swimming lessons.

Let's have some fun with dad's stereo and Ikea

Dad bought a new (or extra) stereo for the extension we did on the ground floor. So he and mom can practise their music with music to go with it. But some (read a lot) times we just cranck up the volume to have our own little dance party. This time with music of Roy Gaines.

Last Friday we stayed over at grandma and grandpa's house in De lier for the birthday party of our friend Peter and when mom and dad scrambled out of the caravan they were sleeping in on the drive way, we found Nils and Wende watching kids tele in grandpa and grandma's bed.. On sunday we went to Ikea in Utrecht to look for new curtains and seats for the extension but we did not succeed (yet). After that we went to a shop called the cabinet where they had much nicer furniture but (a lot) more expensive ofcourse.. So maybe better to save up a bit and buy there..