almost...

The petrol gauge turned red… the petrol is almost finished and I have to go throughout tomorrow … will somebody help me and tow me through the day… or will I find the petrol station in my dream...

Toscana part 2 – Books

Before we even went on holidays I have decided that I am going to read and rest. I did not want to have holidays like we had before: busy busy, busy … RELAX that was my motto. Every afternoon I was taking one hour nap and reading for a while…

“Afgunst” by Saskia Noort – Is a very short thriller about love, power, jalousie, sex life and dominant behavior. People say, typical Saskia story … so decided to read more of her in the future.

“People of the book” by Geraldine Brooks – The story has been inspired by the existing, mysterious codex known as the Sarajevo Haggadah. The book takes you from Nazi sacking of Sarajevo through Vienna, an inquisition era in Venice and Spain where the whole story actually begins. Written in such a perfect way that you cannot put he book down without knowing who, what and why…

“The wooden sea” by Jonathan Carroll – The book is crazy and mysterious as all books of Carroll. The tale of the Police Chief Frannie McCabe and the small Crane's View city begins as ordinary story but quickly changes in to unexplained, puzzling chain of happenings.

“Mijn leven als een hond” by Martin Bril – These are very nice and funny short stories about the animals and the every day life. It is kind of Blog on paper …

2 weeks, 4 books …still, I need quite a lot of free time and holidays to finish all my books standing and waiting to be read … some times I hear them whispering “take me, I have such a beautiful and interesting story to tell…”

www.my life.com

Have you ever thought how many people are actually having something to say on the websites, blogs, forums and other internet platforms… and there is quite good stuff on the net… but how to read all this, work, read the books, taking care of the house, your cat, dog, husband and the children? Prioritizing, balancing what important and what not important… what if someone want to have it all… mission impossible.

Second night I will sleep on the couch downstairs, listening to every breath and move of Fuyo. She had a sterilization surgery on Thursday and we want to keep good eye on her. Yesterday, she was still a bit weak and addled. Walking around, sleeping and wanting to cuddle and be close to us… my hard break when I see her like this, I am such a sissy. Today is much better; she drinks a lot, eats, walks faster and has the sparkling in the eyes back. We are on the good way ….

Toscana part 1 – Places

I was thinking what would be the best way to describe our Holiday in Toscana.
Still not sure but I will try, since 3 weeks passed and no word on my blog about this beautiful province in Italy.

This part will be about the places we have visited from our idyllic apartment which was in the middle of quiet hills, fields of grains and olives trees. Good for rest, reading and sleeping …a bit difficult for visiting the cities…but we did anyway: Volttera, Pisa, San Gimignano, Siena and in the Chianti region Greve, Radda, Castellina, Panzano and Montefioralle.

Voltera: our grocery shopping city, 24 km from the apartment but more than 30 minutes of drive. This city is known as Etruscan center and Alabaster craft. Voltera is small, cozy city with a lot of restaurants, small streets, the beautiful old roman theatre, squares and park perfect for the hanging around, read books or just sit and observe the life around.


San Gimignano: The Manhattan of the Toscana. In the old days the cities had 72 towers, now there are 15 left but still they make a wonderful sight. The main streets (no cars allowed) are filed with the wine shops, restaurants, boutiques, squares, markets and unfortunately tourists. The best time to visit the city is the morning. We were there in the afternoon because we have planned to walk around San Gimignano first. It was tough, because of the weather (full sun) and walking up the hills. Even thought we have made few stops to rest and give Fuyo water we were tired and deserved a big Ice cream at the end.

Montefioralle: It was the last city on our list of the Chianti region to visit. We started with Castellina where we bought some wine, went to Radda, and had real Italian lunch in Panzano. We didn’t want to miss the capital of the Chianti region, Greve, but actually we should. When we head for Montefioralle we were lucky that we did not pass it, so small is this village. There is one street making the circle, stairs going up to the church and parking lot situated 30% degree up. Tricky…. What an atmosphere, a paradise for taking the pictures, try different angles and settings…


Pisa and Siena were also nice but this you will find on every forum or website about Toscana.

Evening guest…

I wanted to write about the holidays but still thinking how to put two weeks on the piece of paper…well on the piece of screen.

So just to let everyone know that we are life and kicking…

Last night we were more alive than during the day.

All this because of 4 legs, a tail and the bell. At 2:45 we have been woken up by the cat, which seemed to come into our house and hide behind the bedroom curtains. We have been chasing the cat for 20min, listening to his bell and searching for his hiding place. He/She was sitting on the table on the attic. I could see the big eyes in the dark. When started to take stars up, the cat jumped through the window in to the dark… and I do not even like cats… that’s why they bother me.

I had still 3 hours before my alarm goes on… and I will jump in to the day light.

HOND, MAN EN NACHT...

"Ik liet de hond uit, of andersom: de hond liet mij uit. Het was een opmerkelijk stille avond. We liepen niet oons vaste rondje. Dit was een initiatief van de hond.

We kwamen langs het water te lopen. Het lag er roerloos en donker als een verweerde spiegel bij. Op de kade achter was geen verkeer. Er hing een geheimzinnige stilte over de stad en de dingen. Zelfs de hond was er beduusd van.

Zij trok mij zachtjes voort, en draaide kek met haar heupen. Af en toe keek ze om. Ze wist naturulijk dat ik er was, ik had haar aan de lijn tenslotte, maar kennelijk wilde ze af en toe toch even checken hoe het met mij ging.

Alles was in orde (...)"

This piece is from the book “My life as a dog” written by Martin Bril. He was a Dutch poet, novelist and columnist that died few months ago on the cancer. I did not know him before. Now, when finally I got in touch with his work I want to have all of his books, poems and read articles that has been published weekly in the Dutch newspaper.

Luckily on his website I can find most of the work … and my first two books I will take on holiday …

Memories come with the smell…

There is an Asian fair in The Hague. The big tent has been placed on the Malieveld and the “other” world has been build. Invitation is simple “If you don't have the time or money to travel all the way to South-East Asia, come to the Tong Tong Fair in The Hague and imagine that you are in the East.”

For me it was more like going back to my time in Thailand: Chatuchak market (จตุจักร), MBK center (มาบุญครอง), Damnoen Saduak floating market(ดำเนินสะดวก) or Khao San Road (ถนน ข้าวสาร). The atmosphere, the crowd, the smell, the feeling, and plastic tablecloth in the eating places (calling those the restaurant would be a bit to much) … almost the same,only the prices in Euro instead of Thai bath….One day I will go back...for holiday ofcourse.

Sdu The Hague Royal Ten...

Finally, I did it…my first 10K in 1:00:51. The run was very close by, in the park where I walk and run with Fuyo. I was nervous like a child before the first day of school… It was heavy, warm and very sunny. Last 2K I thought “why am I doing that, I am dying…” but what a satisfaction afterwards… searching for new runs and now the goal is not only to finish but do it within 1h …

Fuyo’s day…

What a day, what a day…

God said that the Sunday should be the day to rest, well this was not a case today…I feel as I have created the whole world just today.

Morning, around 7:00 o’clock I have waked up before the alarm went off…nervous before EG exam (Elementaire Gehoorzaamheid – Elementary Obedience) for Fuyo which was scheduled at 8:30. The exam went good. Not perfect, but come on, both Fuyo and me are note the “morning people”. The exam is build from 12 parts (see below, with the star obligatory part) and I think Fuyo’s score will be as follow:

1. Greetings * => 5,5 points ;(
2. Standing, being checked and showing the teeth * => 6 points
3. Walking on the lash* => 6 points
4. Sit and wait (at 5 meter distance) 30 seconds => 10 points ;))
5. Down and wait (at 5 meter distance) 1 minute* => 10 points ;))
6. Coming and sitting in front* => 10 points ;))
7. Sit next the foot from sitting in front => 10 points ;))
8. Attention exercise down/sit on the hand signal => 9 points
9. Bringing the toy and lay in hand => 9 points
10. Sending forward => 10 points ;))
11. Running the triangle => 7 points (I hope)
12. Total picture of all => 8 points (I wish)

10 minutes went fast, no time for corrections but as far as I know we have passed the exam. Fuyo’s diploma will be sent home and she is first on the list for the next curse which starts in September.

(Source: KC de Hofstad in Den Haag)

We had to hurry home because at 10:00 need to start our trip to Drenthe for Fuyo’s version of Sensation White.
Location: Forest in Drenthe
Dress code: White
Doors open: 13:00
Entrée: Free

There ware approximately 15 white shepherds, running freely and playing with each other. Most of the owners and breeders were from the northern part of Holland, we had to drive 2, 5 hours to get there but it was worth. First 15 minutes Fuyo was nervous, a bit disoriented, not knowing what to do with all this dogs running around. Eventually, she has relaxed, started to play, snuffle around, run with the other dogs and even participated in stealing the sticks and swimming. We came back at 6:00 p.m. after the whole day of excitements …

Some pictures below…

Crisis…

You can feel it in the air but even more see in the work environment. I am not going to talk about people that got laid off but about something else…As you might know I am in the container biz. and has got a pretty unusual request. “Are we able to ship a dead person in a reefer container?”
First of all, I thought my colleague was making fun of me. I am not working that long so I start laughing saying “come on, be serious” Actually, she was. Because, of the crisis and high flight rates the company was searching for an option to transport their dead employee from UK to Australia, where the man come from.
I was shocked. I do not know if this would be even possible…we declined the request but…I am curious if one of other shipping company has agreed.


http://www.menkent.dk/lexapics/lexa_sternview.jpg