the winter jacket. By that I mean my Columbia parka that I bought for the Yukon adventure that Mom and I went on. This morning, I had to take Astrid to the garage so she could pass her yearly inspection known as the APK. I could hear the rain coming down from my bedroom and it is also dark until 845AM right now. Oh yes, and it is cold. Still above freezing, which will change this weekend, but the real feel temperature is below freezing.

All told, powerful motivation for getting out the parka. Yet I feel like if I do that, I am really giving into the idea of winter 😉 I did dig out the boys winter coats, the ones with the fleece lining and the water proof exterior. Henry just looks at me like “Why bother with a jacket for me? I will just stay inside, thanks.” Who can blame them really? Especially since I feel the same way. I think this means that the new house finally is beginning to feel like home, since I don’t really want to leave it.

Turns out Astrid needs four new tires. Ugh. I can’t complain really since I can’t remember the last time she got new tires. I think it must have been sometime in 2011 or so. I guess she is overdue 🙂 And we have driven quite a bit since then. I think I am going to pick her up tomorrow, hoping that the weather might be better. She’s in good hands with the guys at 900 Classic in Haarlem. I think they find my literal translations of needs quite funny. I mean, I already struggle with Dutch. Automotive Dutch is a whole other language! Next week I have presentations in Groningen and Venlo. This means I will be going to the top of the Netherlands to the far east of it, border to border basically. Probably a good time for new tires…

I’ve been invited to a 50th birthday party on Saturday. However, since that is the day that marks 3 years without Mom, I am definitely not going to go. I won’t be able to channel enough Sparkle and Light energy to pull off a party with alot of strangers. Turning 50 is a major milestone here. I feel slightly guilty about not going but I know that I will not feel like having the conversations over and over again about “How did you come to the Netherlands?” While it is tempting to come up with a supremely outlandish story like I was hired to manage a troupe of rebellious circus acrobats and sword swallowers, I think it is probably wiser not to.

Okay, two more conference calls to go today.Benefit is that I don’t have to go back out in the chill 🙂