Tuesday - Netherlands

It was a rather quiet day today: I made arrangements for visits with friends for next week. Reinie and I spent some time in the kitchen in the morning to prepare for dinner later. I made my mother's recipe for a Belgian Andive casserole dish, and Reinie made an awesome Tiramisu for dessert. I am taking that recipe with me for later use! Reinie and I also went on a walk in the town and enjoyed the narrow streets with beautifully maintained small old homes. We also ran into the most colorful parade of school children... Queen's Day was celebrated 3 days early for them because of vacation starting on Wednesday... I was so sorry that I had left my camera at home because it was quite a sight to behold: adults and children in red, white and blue outfits, orange hair, orange pants, orange shirts, (did I say orange hair?), lots of orange... it was great!

I was expecting two of my girlfriends for a visit this afternoon, and they will stay for dinner. Both these women I have known for a long time... I first met Jacqueline (on the left in the picture)when her dad came to the small town where I lived as the new head master of the elementary school I went to. My dad was on the school board at the time and the new head master came to introduce his family. I was 11 and Jacqueline was 9 at the time...

The other Jacqueline (right in the picture) I met when I went to an orientation meeting for a school/college in Amsterdam. I wanted to become a book publisher and this was the only school in The Netherlands that would train young people in that particular trade. So I went to the orientation meeting with my sister Klasien and met Jacqueline who was there to check out the school with her mother. She was more interested in the bookstore aspect of the school. We talked and both of us thought: well, she could be my friend if I get admitted to this school! I was 17 at the time and she was 18.


The Jacquelines only got to know each other because I was friends with both and when Bob and I got married in January of 2006, they contacted each other and decided to come to California to celebrate with us.


It was great to see them both and catch up on each other's lives and family event. I have known these women for a long time, and I am very grateful for their friendship!