beyond gorgeous really. But you can see that for yourself.

In English, her paint color is “Edwardian Grey”. In Dutch it is “Advocaat Grijs” or literally Lawyer Grey. I wanted to keep driving for hours but I had a one o’clock meeting with my manager and so I went to the office. I am ready to throw the dogs in the car, some clean clothes and head for vacation. 10 dollar a gallon gas be damned! But tomorrow I have a full day meeting with three of my coworkers so I carefully drove her back to the parking garage.

Robert took me out to lunch by the river in Haarlem before he gave me back the keys. I guess considering that he’s been working on my car for almost a month and we’ve had many conversations, lunch was a normal next step. We ate at what used to be an old ship building yard.

I went by Patisserie Tout today. I needed to get macaroons as a goodbye gift for someone in my group at work. And I am also giving her a copy of “Lean In”. She’s been helping us with a project and her contract is up since it is the end of our year. We have had a lot of good conversations.She’s taking a job in the Bahamas and everyone thinks she’s nuts. Except me. I think she will be great at it. Unfortunately, Ramadan starts Monday so I should give her the macaroons before then. Tout is a very, very delicious patisserie. I like to give gifts from there. It is kind of like buying cheese from the farmer’s market to give as a gift, I get a thrill from it.

I just heard one of my neighbors say to her child “Zeg ben je helemaal betoeterd?” It is from a children’s song apparently. I remember my mom saying it to us. It roughly translates to “Now have you gone completely out of your mind?” I catch myself saying this to the dogs sometimes. But it is not rude. If you really want to be rude to someone in Dutch, you use a disease as an adjective to describe them or you wish it on them.

We picked up our prescriptions today. I took the dogs with me since we use the same pharmacy. I don’t have to pay for mine. But George had to pay for his. However, he forget his debit card so I ended up paying for it as usual. It is pretty handy that we can use the same pharmacy. I wonder if we can also use the same dentist? That’s the next thing I need to experience. It works the same way as the doctor, you go to one in the neighborhood. Our vet was in the paper this week for his 40 years of work with animals. He still works one day a week at the zoo. I think I am probably sharing all these little random details with you so that I can feel like you are in my neighborhood.

I am bringing cake tomorrow to the offsite meeting. Because to face a whole day of planning, you should have strong coffee and good pastry. Also from Tout. And I chose four small things since everyone has different taste. One coworker is gluten free, one hates cheese, the other eats everything and then there’s me. Also so we can celebrate the year coming to a close.

Next week is the 4th of July already. Also known as Mom’s chosen birthday. I think I will be eating dinner outside on the terrace at Frankendael’s Merkelbach in her honor. I don’t think there will be fireworks so I will have to see about getting some sparklers to set off in her honor. They probably don’t want you doing that at the table but I will figure something out.