Weekend in Julianadorp

We had a great time!
"Lekker uitwaaien" on the autumny sunny beach was still pleasant and Maarten had a blast of course. Having the sandy dunes and beach at your doorsteps like his uncle and auntie that really is something!










Though, after so many years it was rather sad to see the house and street where Rob spent first years of his life. Most of the houses, including the school, has been already demolished.

Healthy sentiment

Just learned that sentiment is heatlhy.

Nostalgia would be a good medicine against loneliness because it gives us the feeling of being amongst our loved ones again.
While we are feeling sentimental we recall people we love and also memories of events and places that are important to us.
(Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10/2008)

It's old news, but nevertheless interesting.

Open Scouting

So glad I 'discovered' this internationally oriented pluralistic scout!
Maarten seems so far to enjoy it very much.

Too bad I can't join them myself.

A crazy chestnut caterpillar,

a hedgehog, Ferda the Ant, and... Maarten.

A trip to the library

Biking against the merciless wind, backpack heavy with books and at least one kilo "unhatched" chestnuts for my little sweetheart, all sweaty but happy I made it...
just found out that the neighbouring street is lined with chestnut trees.

Would you call it love or stupidity?

Around D'Hoppe

Even the heavy rain in the morning couldn’t stop us getting outside. After a hectic week full of new activities Maarten insisted to head for the forest.

And you’ll never guess why!

He was traditionally chasing after grasshoppers and frogs and collecting nuts, acorns, chestnuts and other windfalls.
We may do some crafts together.




The cows and bleating sheep grazed in the pasture around the old “Ferme du Lieutenant”, a scenery as if the time has stopped here.





Too bad we had to share the country roads with the stinky and noisy groups on motorbikes.






PS: Isn't it nice to just go out in your back yard and pluck some mushrooms for dinner?

And they were yummy!

Mindfulness 1

I’m completely broken after my first training last night. Physically so far.
My low back is killing me.

Besides, after my first session I became a bit skeptical and I’m not entirely convinced this is going to work for me.

Yet, still wondering if I’m able to develop and adopt those “magical” mental skills I promised myself to give it a try.


To be continued.

PS: Some words of inspiration:

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Nothing is as pleasant as an autumn day..."

During our last walking trips we accidentally came across so many blackberries that after we filled our tummies we continued picking them in our empty water bottles.

There were loads of ripe elderberries too.

So we ended up coming home with really heavy backpacks.

This was my first time I made jam and elderberry syrup and both turned out to be quite a success.


Maarten was excited to decorate the homemade cake with fresh berries but, as you might suspect, he was not the one who picked them.





Chasing grasshoppers and froggies and comforting a lost birdie is way more fun!