It feels like forever since I posted! And that is because I have been on the move for weeks. Well, things are slowing down now, but for a while there wasn’t a dull moment. All good things! I also didn’t have internet for a few weeks after we moved into our new house. I was going to the town library to get necessary online tasks completed, but didn’t take the time to post a blog update. But today is the day!
Iowa Visit
On April 25 we flew to our Iowa home for a visit. We enjoyed Tulip Time and just being in our home. Tulip Time was extra special this year because my niece was on the Tulip Court. The grandpas escorted her to the Tulip Toren one evening, so my dad got to wear the costume my mom made for him years ago. He had a good time.
I very much enjoyed cleaning up my flower beds while I was home. I weeded, planted some new flowers, and got out some outdoor summer decor.
Jeremy stayed in Iowa for two weeks, but I stayed for three. I waited for my daughter to get done with her college finals so she could fly back to Goes with me for a European visit.
My Daughter in the Netherlands
On May 17, my daughter and I flew to my second home, Goes! She stayed with us in our Centrum apartment for a little over two weeks. Mostly we spent time in Goes, but I also took her to Middelburg and Giethoorn. It was so good to spend a good week with her, catching up on her life and plans for the future.
Ready to Fly
Lunch in Middelburg
On the canal tour in Giethoorn
Beautiful Giethoorn. Much of it you can only get to by canals. No road access.
The Gals Hit Europe
My sister in law and her two daughters arrived in Goes on May 26! We had a girls’ trip planned and all of it went off without a major hitch. We went to the Netherlands towns of Utrecht and Amsterdam, the Belgian town of Bruges, and ended with a London adventure.
Lunch in Utrecht. We all had Pannekoeken with various toppings.
Amsteram- waiting for our boat tour.
Amsterdam- Anne Frank House.
Amsterdam- on the canal tour.
Amsterdam- Maggie wanted to try poffertjes in the Netherlands.
Amsterdam- the Anne Frank statue.
Goes- Of course we had to take them all to our favorite restaurant, Slot Oostende. It was a gorgeous night to sit outside. Great food, drink and company.
Goes- I took the ladies to some of my favorite spots in my home town. This cool house has the traditional doors, shutters, and hook on the front of the house.
Bruges- waiting for our canal tour. Our guide told us this is the most photographed spot in Bruges. I can see why!
Bruges- On the boat tour.
Bruges- enjoying the ride.
Bruges- Chocolate making class.
London
London gets it’s own section heading because it was my first time in this famous city. I loved it! My sis-in-law found a wonderful place to stay in Notting Hill, where we found an outdoor market. On our main day in London, we took a tour of Westminster Abbey and saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace in the morning. In the afternoon we walked the city and found some unique points of interest. In the evening we enjoyed Mama Mia at a local theater. Oh the memories…
Our place to sleep in Notting Hill. It was a gorgeous old place of residence!
Livingroom and impressive staircase in the Air BnB
Notting Hill is known for its colorful houses. We loved walking around and taking them in.
Westminster Abbey
More exterior of Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben, the booming bell tower.
The gorgeous inside of the Abbey.
Changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. This is actually a marching band.
Had to have my own pic with Buckingham Palace.
This is where King Charles currently lives- Clarence House.
This lunch was fabulous! Such good food at EL&N!
Mary Poppins is one of my fond childhood memories. Anyone else want to sing when they see this picture?
This is one of my nieces’ past times, chasing the perfect photo. They always get good ones too!
The Big Move
Early this year our landlord told us he needed to sell the apartment we lived in. The Dutch Government had changed some ownership laws, making it difficult for people to own property and rent it out. I was bummed at the time because I really liked our apartment in the Center of Goes. But an expat service found this house for us right away and urged us to take it due to the shortage of furnished residences.
So we moved the weekend of June 1. We were surprised at the “stuff” we had accumulated since moving to Goes just 10 months before! Such is life. Our new house has three bedrooms, 2 bath and a back yard (a garden to the Dutch). It is a 5 minute bike ride to the Center. Our new location is much quieter than in the Center. Some days that is good and some days not so good. But I am loving the back yard, filling it with colorful blooms. And I do enjoy the roomier house now that I am in it. I have options as to where to sit. 🙂
By the way, the “house” we live in is attached to the residences on either side. In America we would probably call it a condo, but the Dutch call it a house, so we do too.
Front entryway
Kitchen
Living Area
Jeremy putting away clothes in the Master Bedroom
Standing in the back of the house, looking out at the back yard
Standing in the back of the yard, looking at the back of the house.
And that is my big long post to catch up on the last few months. Life is good. I continue to be thankful for this opportunity to spend time in a different continent. I am to the point where some days just feel like normal every day life, which is good, but I really want to appreciate every moment. I try often to remind myself where I am at and how amazing this place is. Thank you all for your support and kind words here and there. I love hearing from you.
