It has been one of those days where it appears that spring is not really coming. There were about 10 minutes of sunshine this morning and then it has been grey, rainy and as my weather app calls it “Mistflarden” all day. The boys are not fans of this weather, especially not when it means that they are going to get their nails trimmed. In a few minutes, I will put their gear on them and we will go take our evening walk.

I am off to the movies tonight. Beatrix is at the bike shop, her back tire is in need of replacement. I won’t get her back until Tuesday since they are closed Sunday and Monday. That puts a cramp in my shopping plans. I usually haul the cat litter, paper towel rolls and really bulky items with Beatrix. Instead today I was walking around wearing my enormous bike lock and buying only the bare necessities for today – things like baby avocados from Spain, croissants from the organic bakery, a big bottle of mineral water and a kitchen roll.

I have to say that the Within Temptation concert was incredible and I cannot wait to go again! The people watching was easily an 8. Haarlem is beautiful, especially in the old town. Seriously, I could live there. If I get tired of Amsterdam, I might. All day yesterday, I was at the office, headphones on and rocking out to Within Temptation all over again. Yesterday, there was a giant power failure here in the Netherlands. It made for an interesting couple of hours. And it turned the train system upside down. I did rather enjoy it but I didn’t have anywhere to be, I could run on battery power while sitting in the office with no lights on. Marianne left for Curacao yesterday morning and I think her plane made it out just before the power failed at the airport. She and Joris went to take a break from the cold, I think. They are not the only ones. Rupert and Meredith are apparently in Cancun, thawing from the Chicago winter. I am jealous of all of the guacamole they are eating and probably excellent tortillas.

Speaking of tortillas, we did get some FedEx’d to us through a connection of Marjo’s from the US. It fulfilled the emergency shortage and the boys are very grateful. However, longer term we need to find a better option. I am going to learn to make them myself. It cannot be that difficult and I know the boys will eat any practice tortillas that I make.

It has been a very busy week. I am still coughing. I have my voice back though which is helpful. I have seen a lot of people I don’t talk to regularly enough because they are always travelling. And Thursday evening, before the concert, the folks from my living room gave me a giant photo album full of pictures they had made of the Indonesian dinner we had in December together and of them clowning around in their various locales. And they adorned the pages with their thoughts and comments. I love it! I was so touched by it. It is sitting up on the book shelf so it doesn’t accidentally get splashed by cat barf. Chances are if you come to my house, I will show it to you before I serve you coffee. You know, like those neighbors that always want to show their vacation slides!

Okay, off to see how many raindrops I can dodge with two small dogs in tow! Tonight we go to Daylight Savings Time, so that’s an extra hour of sleep I will encourage myself to take to get prepared for the dramatic time change 😉 and that means much longer lit evenings – hurrah!