Silly Season #2 The All-you-can-eat Pancake Boat

We had a suprise invitation to Renee's yearly Kabuki day: In spirit, kind of like Festivus - an event invented by one family and really only fully understood by that one family! I understand the concept. You do something you've never done before (and never will do again?): Pannenkoekenboot (Pancake Boat)
and playing cheesy party games in a cafe.

Us and Captain Pancake

All you can eat pancakes with a multitude of toppings while the boat chugs along the river for 1 hour. I'm ashamed all I could eat was 3.

Silly Season #1 Christmas Tiramisu in November? Ridicuros!

I Love silly season. It's not really that much of a recognised phenomenon in my orbit, and I miss it so I'm doing my best to foster its growth. Excess, indulgence, luxury, decadence, hedonism, it's all welcome for a period until the New Year.
Here's the opening event: Delectable whole egg and mascarpone Christmas Tiramisu (traditional Vellinga Christmas Day Dessert) in November on a regular night dinner? A modest but definite start. Message for Dirk: that piece was for you, too bad you weren't here to claim it, enjoy hawaii :P.

It's a planetoid, doesn't fit on the screen anymore!

We (I) couldn't resist the temptation to take another look at douwe's work. Just trying to get insight into the thing that has been kicking me awake early every morning, kicking Douwe in the guts when we hug (it's still nearly possible).

It's getting too big for the screen, that's why the videos will be a little myterious (vague) and you need lots of imagination! Here, you can catch a glimpse of the facial profile (near top right) after 10 secs or so.

Here, a nice view of baby back ribs and spine.

That's a noggin! It's a virtual planetoid. If you squint, there's eye sockets (left) in the very begnning and the 2 brain halves at the very end.

Hooray! There's a doctor in the house

Samir officially became Dr Samir yesterday...I'm not going to be too mushy, but we're so happy for him, his parents, elles... Samir's extra special, for other reasons, but this is a guy that gave me Boney M, Abba, Britney CDs and made me feel extra welcome from the beginning!

Smoke-Free Restaurants in Nederland PLEASE!!!

Imagine not having to swallow the cigarette smoke from the next table while you are enjoying your soy latte/carpaccio/tiramisu....this is the easiest thing to do: sign the electronic form here to send a message the parliament...

I'm a card-carrying wife

I'm now officially an import wife: I cost €830 for one year which is actually a bargain considering my bells and whistles!
My visa is for "verblijf bij echtgenoot D Vellinga*" (literal translation with artistic license: stay by real enjoyment. Yes, i guess that is accurate). Unlike Australia where you have to prove to the immigration department a case of "real love" to bring in a spouse, here, Douwe had to prove he could provide me with a credit card. Who's to say what's real love?



*Previously I was indepently sponsored by my employer, but since I'll be unemployed in the near future my visa would have been not valid.

Weekend in Guildford with Reuben

We had a fabulous long weekend in the UK staying with Lisa, Matt and Rueben. It was heaps of fun, meeting up with old rellies (Ann, Vanessa + Chris, Jamie + Ying-ley) in London and Oxford, meeting new rellies Reuben en John, eating duck duck and more duck, doing a bit of baby practise, shopping and just hanging out.

Vanessa, Lisa & Me @ YUMMMMMMMM-cha
With Ann and Vanessa, weapons ready

Practising, practising...

...and more practising. Reuben was so good, he let us try out our baby names on him (when his parents weren't looking).

The Cottage @ Guilford (Lisa and Matt confusing explaining to Reuben, "the sound is there but the plane is there because....")

Reuben's first birthday

Jamie and Ying-ley's John skillfully eating one noodle at a time.

definitely no camera or posing tricks- this is real!

How I look today

How big is my belly? This is the view from my vantage point.

Just kidding! This (below) is more realistic. I can barely see my toes.

Yesterday had the monthly check-up: baby heart beat, my blood pressure everything is fine, growing at a normal pace and so am I. I'm not camera shy, I'm just too vain to show my face without good lighting! Just enjoy my colour coordination: it's coming up to my 4th winter in the Netherlands and I'm just starting to get the hang of layering and coordinating one's wardrobe but throw in pregnancy clothing and all the extra layers it entails, makes for long toilet visits with all that rearranging of the multiple layers.

Aloha-óe Dirk

This week, Dirk leaves for 6 months for an overseas work internship. All alone, spending christmas without family, New Year's without friends and missing the birth of his first niece/nephew
..........in Hawaii. Living on Waikiki beach. So no sympathy, just jealousy! Ok grudgingly, we'll miss you.
He's also the Dutch CHAMPION of Karate (all-round Prize).....isn't that amazing?!

Dagje uit/Activity Day

1500 hours: It started out like this, expectations of a a) genteel b) pleasant or c) stately canoe trip.
1505 hours: there was clearly a) capsizing danger b) lack of faith in the paddlers or c) a mutiny aboard the Captain's canoe, Akemi saying "I WANT OUT OF THIS BOAT!"
1510 hours : After 10 minutes of strenuous paddling, a tea break was needed to soothe frayed nerves....
....and positions were changed
There was racing and sabotage, but (for some) it took a while to get the hang of paddling in a straight line.

Chasing the roast duck

This was the highlight of my week...chasing this roast duck from the exposed shop window in Amsterdam into the safety of my takeaway bag and taking him home for a nostalgic meal with friends: green vegs and ex-melbournites renee and martijn who appreciate and understand the duck too. In the photo are Dorien and Joris who kindly followed my stomach to the restaurant!

Beating heart

Secret life of baby- sometimes sleeping peacefully like this, sometimes doing Tae-bo

Happy 20th Week Birthday Baby!!

We had the top to toe check up: Brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, bladder, stomach, spine, umbilical cord, all present and accounted for! Only thing we didn't see was the pp or vv.......but that was intentional. In this picture, our baby is THUMB SUCKING!!! Is that super-advanced development or what??! The feeling that everything is ok (and that it is terribly cute already) is wonderful :D Two of us with Big smiles all day :D

Reliving 16th september 2005

One year joined in legally binding matrimony! We had an excellent dinner at Oortjeshekken in the Ooij polder, we love it there. We agreed, no presents/gifts but Douwe broke the promise. One can only hope for such a naughty husband :D

Onde é o lavabo, faz favor?

"Where is the toilet, please?"


This was our holiday in Portugal- That's a good representation of Douwe and I. (Knee operation coming up for Douwe to fix a torn meniscus)
We still saw lots of fabulous things, with the help of a car, a suitcase on wheels, funiculars, trams

and metro. Also ate a LOT, but don't need any help for that!
From Porto to Lisbon we were lucky to see the rural Tras-ós-Montes with Luisa (ex-colleague in Wageningen) and Rob and relax in resort-feel Cascais with Alex (ditto). Loved the whimsical romantic palaces (more Hansel and Gretel than Sleeping Beauty), intriguing influence of Moorish/Arabic architecture, coffee, wine, generous food, friendly people, abundant and free public toilets (more important now than ever).
For the full-blown affair visit the photo album by clicking on this link.



Did you know?.... Douwe is an international man of mystery? He has been spoken to by locals wherever he goes in Malay, Chinese, Tamil, Italian, Arabic, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese.