Sunny and Unseasonably Hot...

...was the forecast for this weekend.

Even though some friends from Europe expressed some jealousy about our current weather I would suggest to change the 's' for 'r' in the word 'unseasonably'.


Likewise our unreasonable hope to cool down on the other side of the bay.
The temperature difference was very slight or none at all.
And we were really sweating while playing soccer at Dejda's birthday party.

In the summerly bay the coolest place is usually the beach.

But not today!
Exceptionally for the season also the coast is struck by the heat wave.
Yet thanks to the ocean breeze the heat is more bearable there than in our valley.
Maarten was traditionally 'hunting' for starfishes and even 'swimming' in the icy water!

San Mateo

Instead of enjoying my favorite Crow Canyon Road I get tailgated by an annoying platinum blond woman in a huge SUV. I still maintain the speed limit. You never know if there is a hidden police officer with his laser speed gun. And the fines are here painfully high.
Anyway, the lady finally gets her own lane and passes at race tempo. I’m relieved and can enjoy the scenery again...
But there is a motorcyclist behind a tree along the way. It could indeed be a police officer but I don’t see any radar gun. Slowly he puts his helmet on. He seems to be very relaxed. I’m relieved it’s not the police since I may also drive a little above the required speed thanks to the lady that was behind me. I see him again speeding next to me and I see those two red and blue lights turning on along with the siren.
At first it looks like it’s me who has to pull over. But the blond lady is the less lucky one for today. And she was in such hurry...

I guess this is my lucky day anyway. I'am supposes to get my passport within 3 weeks! The lady at the consulate is not as unfriendly as the rumors go. It’s true her manners are quite ‘special’ but even we had a nice chat afterwards and she took Maarten to explore ‘the secrets’ behind the next office door.
By the way, she reminds me a lot of my favorite professor Lis in Brussels. Also Prof. Lis was not beloved but rather frightened most of her students yet I never had problems getting along with her.
Speaking of that, how I do miss my studies!!!

PS: The house has been shaking already since the afternoon and we hear the Melusina crying again. There is another stormy night ahead (60 mph, locally even 80 mph).

Bad Start to 2008? / Preschool 'Promotion'

The year 2008 hasn’t started very optimistic for me. I hope I have already collected all this year's troubles in advance.
My car was broken down and it looked pretty innocent. At first they had to replace some quite important part. And the importance equals the price, huh?
There was another much more significant issue which made this year’s first weeks to be almost unbearable to me...uhmm...I hope this was the last pregnancy test in my life.

I was planning to visit Europe in February. Unfortunately my passport is expiring soon. I was pleased to hear I do not need to travel all the way to the Dutch Embassy in Los Angeles. There is actually a Consular Office in San Mateo just across the bridge. But here in San Mateo there may be another problem, I've already been warned about. The manners of the executive lady at this office are not particularly friendly. No questions were allowed on the phone and she simply refuses to add Maarten into my passport. And will she like my passport pictures?!

O.K. Enough of my pathetic and self-involved whining.


Maarten is doing so wonderful in the prep class (which means children ages 2 through 3.5 years old). He has been recently recommended to be ‘promoted’ to the ‘real’ preschool. The preschool is for children ages 3 through 5. I was really surprised that the teachers consider him able to move up even before his 3rd birthday. Not that I do have so little confidence in Maarten but rather considering his English language needs. That's why I would never expect they would made this suggestion so soon.
According to the teacher he is ready to be more stimulated and to do more-advanced activities. Great!
I’m sure he will miss his beloved Miss Robin and Miss Irma but it’s time to move on for our little boy.
And we are very proud of him!