Monday 9 April 2012
No, say it wasn't so! We had to pack up for an early departure the following morning. We had been spoiled (again) by Roos and Henri. Dian, Charles and Nicole put souvenirs in boxes to leave in the guest house and take back to Santa Monica at the end of the trip, when they would again swing by good old Neerkant NL, thereby freeing up some valuable space in the van. The morning had begun with Charles making Dian breakfast in bed (the birthday gala continued!) and we all had cappuccinos made by Henri on their new foam machine, with chocolate dust sprinkled over a template of a happy face, a heart or stars.
In the afternoon we skyped with niece/cousin Amelia in Texas who held up a fuzzy B&W photo and asked us what we thought it was... an ultrasound! YES!!! There will be a new addition to the Byars/Penoli/Michell clan in October 2012!!! We were so happy for her and husband Jason. We couldn't believe Monica (Dian's sister) and Grandmother (her mom) had kept the secret so well. It turns out Dian had bought a little yellow hand knit jacket and cap from a camp store in Spain, saying at the time, This is for.... whoever's next with a baby. Yes, we were psychically on to it before they were. We of course had to call the proud grandmother-to-be, then the proud great grandmother and great granddad-to-bes. Everyone was overjoyed.
We went over to the neighbors house and brought some bread to feed their tame deer. Harrie and Ietje were very kind to invite us in and allowed us to take lots of photos of the deer and the striking plump black and white-feathered chickens in their yard.
When we came back to the house, Roos and Henri were serving up mashed potatoes and beef stew, just the thing for a drizzly grey Monday (and a national holiday). We finished the dinner with fruit dipped in yogurt that had been drained over a cheese cloth and seasoned with ginger and lime.
After watching "Benjamin Button" with Roos and Henri and catching up on the blog we went to bed knowing there was a seven hour drive to Paris ahead of us the next day.
No, say it wasn't so! We had to pack up for an early departure the following morning. We had been spoiled (again) by Roos and Henri. Dian, Charles and Nicole put souvenirs in boxes to leave in the guest house and take back to Santa Monica at the end of the trip, when they would again swing by good old Neerkant NL, thereby freeing up some valuable space in the van. The morning had begun with Charles making Dian breakfast in bed (the birthday gala continued!) and we all had cappuccinos made by Henri on their new foam machine, with chocolate dust sprinkled over a template of a happy face, a heart or stars.
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| Skype session with Amelia |
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| Photo by Dian |
We went over to the neighbors house and brought some bread to feed their tame deer. Harrie and Ietje were very kind to invite us in and allowed us to take lots of photos of the deer and the striking plump black and white-feathered chickens in their yard.
When we came back to the house, Roos and Henri were serving up mashed potatoes and beef stew, just the thing for a drizzly grey Monday (and a national holiday). We finished the dinner with fruit dipped in yogurt that had been drained over a cheese cloth and seasoned with ginger and lime.
After watching "Benjamin Button" with Roos and Henri and catching up on the blog we went to bed knowing there was a seven hour drive to Paris ahead of us the next day.
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