Yesterday was beautiful weatherwise so I popped the boys into Beatrix’s basket and we rode off through the city and then took the ferry over to Amsterdam Noord and met a friend and her daughters in big park. Sunshine, feeding the ducks, running loose in the fields and then stopping for ice cream on the way back made it feel like a getaway. George and Henry’s favorite part was being secretly fed french fries with oorlog (war) saus on them by the twins (they’re not quite three). Oorlog saus is a combination of sate (spicy peanut) sauce and mayonaise. It is actually really good especially when you throw raw onions on it. However, for dogs, it has some unfortunate effects!

Of course, they also got quite alot of attention on the ferry since they were in the basket and shamelessly looking at all of our fellow passengers for attention. And they did enjoy barking at passing dogs as I did all the hard work of pedaling us through the city while they sat on their blanket in the basket. When we got home, we were exhausted, just like coming home from a real vacation!

I bought my ticket today to go to Chicago. I am waiting for the weather to get a bit warmer there to go and visit Rupert and Meredith. I am looking forward to seeing them and practicing the important art of “chillaxation”that they are so good at. I also want to see them because being around them makes me happy and grateful that they are my family. Of course it helps that both of them are always game for walking around so I can collect steps on my Fitbit and having good conversations. That’s how you know people love you, when they go walking with you so you can get the 20K steps badge in a day!

Last night I got a call to come to my Living Room because someone was looking for me. It was someone I had spoken with a couple of times and really enjoyed talking to. We had another good conversation last night, more about the US since she really wants to go there. I guess I am doing my part to provide cultural differences lessons 🙂 She reminds me a bit of Eliza in terms of conversation, wine goes with. Some people are not conversation with wine but rather conversation with coffee people. Mario is a wine person.

Friday night I was out far too late for a ten am appointment on Saturday. I walked home from the last cafe and it was 4AM when I walked in the door. Important lesson learned – all Saturday appointments are now booked for noon or later. It was a really nice evening. It was warm enough to sit outside under the heat lamps and talk and laugh with a bunch of people. It is also a pretty great benefit to be able to walk home through your city by yourself around 4AM without worrying about anything.

Tomorrow is my intake interview for my second week with the nuns. I didn’t finish the pretest which should tell them enough about how far behind I am with my writing 😉