Our final days in The Netherlands

Thursday, August 18 was our last full day in Holland.  It poured most of the day and the weather was coolish but yesterday was perfect biking weather and so we spent our time doing just that in the Veluwe nearby Apeldoorn where our cottage was located.    In total, we covered 30 kilometers.  The surroundings were gorgeous with lush plant life, streams, fields of heather and lots of people on their bikes!
The following day we went to Mudorodam near The Hague.  Here, we visited a site that contained a miniature scale of The Netherlands with boats, canals, cities, some rural areas, an airport, bridges, locks and even a stadium conducting a rock concert with people waving and moving their bodies to the beat of the music.  Willem was fascinated.  We had taken Cameron there when he was a few years younger than Willem is now and he was equally mesmerized by this incredible structure of The Netherlands.
Before our flight left for Rome, on Friday, we had time to take in the open air museum in Arnhem.  That, too,  held fascination for Willem as he watched one the of workers do a demonstration on the method onced used for making paper.  The Dutch used strips of cloth in the process and demonstrated a variety of stages employed to get the end result.
We are now in Rome in 40 degree weather.  Not a cloud in the sky and boy is it hot!!  It's quite a change from the weather and culture experienced during the past week and Willem is taking this all in with much pleasure and appreciation as we are as well and in particular, enjoying this holiday with him.  He has been a constant source of delight for his grandparents!

Willem enjoying his daily dessert while pondering his next question.

Willem is deep in thought about our next topic of discussion.   "Do you think there are any positive things about communism?"  he asks. "Have you been to Cuba?"  "Never mind---there aren't!"   "So, what's for supper, Grandma.?"

So, Grandma---what will we talk about while we wait for Grandpa? How about the counter culture of the 60's?

Off to Amsterdam and a visit to the Anne Frank house

Willem, being the history buff that he is, was anxious to see the house where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis for two years.   In her diary, Anne said that she had hoped to be a writer when she grew up.  Willem remarked that she really was a writer because everyone knew her story everywhere because of the diaries she wrote during the period from 1942 - 1944.  "It was really too bad that she never learned that she had become what she wanted to be---a writer---she became a famous writer but never knew it," said Willem. 
On Monday, we visited Delft where we toured the two churches where the kings were buried but first went to Kinderdijk to see the 10 or so windmills---a few of them functioning.  We didn't take a tour as it was extremely busy plus the rains were heavy and we weren't prepared with umbrellas.  However, the day was interesting for Willem and he enjoyed every minute despite the downpours.  Willem brought about four or five books with him to read and although we have only been here five days---he's read them all.  So, he has started to re-read them as he says he  never tires of them.  He loves to read---that's evident!

Yes!! I like this!!!

We are finally in The Netherlands!

Willem feels right at home, here, in Holland; afterall, he came equiped with a name which is the same as the crown prince of the Netherlands---Willem Alexander---his favorite color is orange (Willem of Orange), and he is WEARING orange with Holland patriotically emblazened across his chest!  So far, he is enjoying the Dutch cuisine, doesn't mind the cool rainy weather and his favorite (so far)has been the plane ride (he watched 3, approved of by Grandma, movies).  Today, the weather continues to be rainy and cool so we are taking a drive to show him various points of interest here.  Oh---he's totally impressed with Landal, the  place where we are staying until next Thurs.  There's mini putt, a play village with a castle. and a great restaurant where he enjoyed his first glass of sinas (a favorite of his father's when he was a boy visiting Holland.)

Celebrating with my family

The day couldn't have been better what with having lunch with Shirley, Jennifer and Carly.  We all met at the restaurant across the street from the Burlington Art Center---a place that's become a favorite of Shirley and mine.  The time went by way to fast and before you knew it---we were saying our good-byes.  It was short but truly sweet!

A birthday lunch in Burlington with my sister Shirley and great nieces Carly and Jennifer

Golf anyone??

Being diehard golfers come rain, tornadoes, snow, sleet and HEAT, our enthusiasm can't be BEAT! 

With temps. and humidity factored in, it had to be 38 deg.!   Twelve of us began our golf game at Redcrest with the first group teeing off at 1 p.m.  The last group consisting of Wilma, Gracie, Teresa and Claudia stagggerd across the green,  for our last putt of the day, around 6 p.m.  "Do you want water or wine"? someone  hollered from our table of players who had long finished before our foursome.  I won't say who had what but it helped cheer us as we added up our score cards.  (Just for the record---everyone knows I don't play in any of the above conditions with the exception of heat, but those other guys---they are truly the diehard golfers!

A Weekend on the Rideau Canal and River System

The Civic holiday weekend was full of promise with clear skies and no forecast of rain.  The tire on our trailer that blew out last weekend on the 400,  as we headed north to Lake of Bays,  was replaced with a new one plus a spare---just in case.  Chuck and I planned to meet Cameron and family in Ottawa.   All was well.  The traffic wasn't too heavy for a Friday departure.  We reached our first destination, Smiths Falls, and found that  Roger's Motel was  the only vacancy in town.  I can only say that it was clean and absent of  bed bugs.  That was all good!   On Sat. we set out about 8:30 a.m. after launching our boat.   Heading toward Merrickville, we were told by the first lockmaster that the boat traffic waiting for the  next lock to free up was a one  hour wait.  No problem for us---we had all weekend. 
It was 10:30 a.m. on Sat. when we arrived at the marina in  Merrickville.   It was to be our first and last stop of the day. We didn't quite make it  to the locks before we hit a rock that damaged our propeller so badly that we had to replace it.  It took five hours for Mr. Marina Man to do what he needed to do which included a 23 kilometer trip to another marina elsewhere, for a propeller,  as he didn't have one  that would fit our  boat.  Four hundred and fifty dollars later we were on our way again.  We went  through the Merrickville locks finally and because they were expecting us that morning Chuck had to explain the whole ordeal and everyone had a chuckle---even Chuck.  (It was a beautiful  sunny day-- everyone HAD to be happy!)  As we pulled into the dock where we planned to leave our boat for the night, the motor started to spit and spew.  The boat stalled.  Chuck started it again.  It stalled.  When he went to the back of the boat to check on the propeller, I hadn't brought the rope  that secures the boat to the dock all the way into the boat and it had blown into the water and  then wrapped itself around the propeller.   Fortunately, the new prop hadn't been damaged and with some help Chuck untangled it.  However, he had jumped into the water with the dress watch I gave him for an anniversary gift many years ago.  It wasn't waterproof!  Yup---we had a real adventurous weekend but we kept our cool and remembered who we were in Christ!