Let me say first off that the most strenuous thing I have done to today is take a long walk with the dogs today where I let them direct the pace and not the Fitbit. It is just after 7PM and I have made and eaten my salad for dinner (minimal work) and am sitting down now with a cup of coffee. I think I actually took two naps today. It was a late night last night, cycling home around 3 so my schedule is a little off.

 

This past week has been a particularly busy one. It is near the end of our fiscal year so from now until about the 30th of June, everyone is in “this must be done” mode. In addition to Monday’s daylong customer event, I had another one Wednesday where the folks didn’t leave the building until 830PM. Plus here when it is your birthday, it is expected that you will bring some cake or something to work. So Wednesday was also the day that I brought three cakes into work. This would have been an occasion where a Costco would have come in handy. Instead I went to the bakery and picked out three cakes under the guidance of the counterwoman. The cakes here are not large, smaller than your regular pie just so you know. Apparently, they were good because one person came back four times!

 

Quite a birthday week. On Tuesday itself, I celebrated by going to my banjo lesson and then later on to the community yoga class that I participate in. And the boys each got a whole egg to themselves as their birthday treat. On Thursday, I met up with Eliza because her birthday was Friday so we sat on a terrace and drank fancy gin and tonics. On Friday, I escaped north to the peace and quiet of Pieter and Jo’s garden in Schagen. It was so calm and nice to be out of the city for a bit. The boys worked on their tans while we sat around the table drinking very good white wines and eating super aromatic and yummy Moroccan food. Technically, Schagen is about 40 miles from Amsterdam but it feels like another world.

 

It is starting to get very busy here, with the tourist season and it seems that everywhere you go there are massive groups of people and big double decker busses full. Not to mention all the people on rented bikes. It is good that people want to come and see the city but I really wanted to be out of the way, so that you don’t feel like people are waiting for you to leave your terrace table so they can grab it (which they usually are). Hence sitting in the garden in Schagen felt like a holiday.

 

Marianne’s birthday is Tuesday and she always celebrates at the same place. She asked me if I wanted to come and we could jointly celebrate our birthdays. What a great idea! A party that all I have to do is show up with a gift! That was last night and we managed to stay outside for most of it, the weather held. I met a lot of her friends and family. One of her friends that I had met once before and had a long talk about organic gardening brought me a tomato plant that he had started from seed. It is the Pomodori variety and I have it on the terrace in the sun. I will have to stake it this week. I thought that was such a cool gift. And in honor of the giver, it is a Weibe-dori tomato plant instead of the Pomodori.

 

Now you know why it was 3AM and I was cycling home earlier this morning. It is really great to be able to do that. One of my coworkers came last night and she brought us each a bouquet of flowers so there I am, with my Weibe-dori plant and my bouquet and gift in the basket, with my purse wedged in along side in my party clothes on the bike. It is so much nicer than having to worry about taking a taxi or driving. As long as you can find a place to lock up your bike, it is all good.

 

I biked twice last week to work. The second time I had a headwind. Which I told myself would give me an extra boost on the way home. Instead the wind changed direction so in the afternoon I had a headwind as well. With this warm sunny weather, it is hard to find more time on the bike a bad thing.

 

I know it is Memorial Day weekend in the US. And of course, I can’t help but notice people walking around with white shoes. Even though those rules don’t apply here. I have also noticed the white pants coming out. For the life of me, I have nothing but sincere respect for those people that can wear white pants without getting any dirt on them at all. I don’t know how they do it and I do know that I can’t. I’ve also noticed that there is a peculiar color here that seems to be a cross between a red and a fluorescent orange making it a kind of coral for lack of a better term. It is a very popular color for men’s shorts and pants. I have noticed a definite trend in the number of men wearing these color shorts. I will have to ask Sjoerd if he has a pair, he’s not afraid of bright colors!

 

Next weekend is a four day weekend for most people. Hemelvaart is Thursday so then most people have Friday off. My only grand plans include renewing my museum card and maybe taking a day trip to the beach with the boys. It will depend on the weather. Oh yeah and going to the Rolling Kitchens festival for a day. That would be basically a food truck festival. I am curious to see the differences.

 

Thanks to my dedicated reader who collected a few hotel toiletries on my behalf during their recent jaunt to France! I can now keep a set in my locker at work and have an effective shower 🙂