Ups and downs…

I was running, I was running quite often but then the winter came. Cold, wet, snowy, icy weather and darkness … so I stopped just like this … the warm home, the couch and the remote control won the battle over the evenings after work. Unfortunately, it does not help, sitting and moving nothing but your fingers. The energy left me so I decided, enough is enough and signed for a free introduction lesson at the fitness close by. I was planning this for a long time. Every time when I was driving A12 home, the blue letters of the logo were blinking at inviting me to try.
Since that day (last Sunday) I am a proud member of the fitness Westvliet in the Hague.. Good place to do all kind of group sports, racket sports and fitness. Spinning, Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, Xco, Body mind, Body pump, squash, tennis, badminton … I will not get bored, I hope ;).
Everything is pretty Hi-tech, I got the special key (key to my success) with the training program on in. I just need to insert it in every machine I will use and the screen will tell me welcome Iza, you have to do 2x 10 abdomen exercise, use 15 KG and the next exercise will be biceps on the machine number 16. How easy can it get… now I just need to sweat and that’s it…piece of cake… or maybe no cake for me, thank you.

Nespresso …

Yesterday we have celebrated A. birthday, 32… very serious age. One of the presents he got was a Nespresso Aeroccino and I LIKE IT… Now we can make cappuccino, coffee macchiato, ice coffee, actually any coffee with milk so incredibly easy that our (my) daily consumption will significantly increase ;)) Coincidently, I have read in today’s newspaper (those that know me , know also that I am not reading news in general so it was very big coincident) about the secrets behind the success of Nespresso. There are couple and I have put them in the priority I think plays most important role:
 George Clooney and good ads ;)
 Very good coffee
 Easy use, take the capsule, put in to machine and press the button
 Well design and reasonable priced coffee machines
 Chic Nespresso shops where you are welcomed to drink your favorite coffee (Paris, Antwerp, Amsterdam….)
 Nespresso club………
In numbers:
1986 – introduction of Nespresso (Nestle), 1% of the world coffee production, 7 million members of Nespresso Club, 2001 – first shop in Paris, 2006 - George Clooney and “Nespresso what else” slogan, 1700 patents to protect the product ….
I love it from 2000… it was a good year by the way…

The salt is finished or maybe not…

Three weeks ago the weather changed and the real winter has begun. A lot of snow has fallen and everything stopped for a while, the white duvet covered the world. Everyone went crazy, some people because of the freshness of the snow, some others because there was no public transportation whatsoever.

On Monday the story continued… no trains, delays, slippery streets …again The Netherlands has been surprised by the weather conditions. Last week we were informed about the shortage of the salt used to cover the ice on the streets. Every municipality has started panicking and searching for the new solutions …hebes… bath salt (at least has nice color and smells good). Outside still cold and slippery, traffic, long hours spend in the cars on the way to work and way back.

Television and radio stations are reporting bed situation on the roads and no salt. There are two big producers in NL, the warehouses are empty, it will be enough for one time to cover all the main highways and then… ANWB and NS advise to stay at home …
Today the big news, yes, yes, yes Akzo Nobel can produce enough salt to the end of the winter, no need to worry, we are rescued Hiep, hiep hoera!!! Belachelijk!

Cold...

Winter is testing my level of acceptance… In my work performance appraisals I get flexibility and openness to changes as my prime strengths. However, in some cases I am NOT. Let’s take the weather outside… I am not open to cold and darkness, not flexible at all and I WANT SPRING and THE GREEN GRASS!!! I was thinking to go on strike or at least as grizzly or ice bears do, go to the winter sleep and wake up somewhere in March. I have not asked A. neither Fuyo about their opinion and permission. Only the thought of warm bed in this cold circumstances put smile on my face and make me sleepy.

I remember when I was 8-12 years old, willing to be outside the whole day when the first snow has fallen. The wet shoes, jacket and glows were not the problem to spend hours playing with my friends. Sliding, skiing, skating, igloo building, snowball fights and many other activities until our lips went blue from the cold… it was great fun. Nowadays walk with Fuyo is the only thing I can convince myself to do when the temperature drops below 0 ºC. Unfortunately, I have to get to work, do the shoping walking, waiting, train and metro… cold, cold, cold… feeling frozen waiting for spring.