Bubbles & Family

Christmas 2006 @ Bubbles' & Arnie's

2007-07-29T23:17:00.000+02:00

Every holiday throughout all of my years, since childhood, has been special in many ways - every Christmas is unique, filled with many fond memories and loved ones. Just before Xmas, I was surprised by the arrival of a package from Canada from my dear friend Karen in TO. She sent me the most adorable PJs from one of my favourite stores back home - La Vie en Rose. Thank you very much for such a thoughtful surprise. :-) I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM! xoxo
One of the things I love most about the winter, are the numerous candles that are spread out around our little home. Christmas is even more lit up with our tree and candles of every colour.
Here are some candles with some our snowball collection which come from everywhere.
One of the BEST traditions of New Year's Eve in Holland is the fireworks display put on by EVERYONE!! Basically, Dutch people buy fireworks in the days leading up to Dec 31st (usually pre-ordered & reserved in advance - long lines & chaos) so that at midnight all you can see in every direction is the beautiful display of fireworks with rumbling explosions till the wee hours of the night. Since we live on the 4th floor, we have an incredible view - if you are ever in The Netherlands on New Year's Eve, it is a experience to remember.

Christmas 2006 @ Pa & Ma

2007-07-29T22:48:00.001+02:00

Here is our family tree - hier is onze boom van de familie :)Jaimy's first Christmas sitting with a proud Grandma - Jaimy's eerst Kerst met een trots Oma:)

Jaimy and his dad, Michael, looking facinated by his new colourful toy from China. Jaimy en zijn vader, Michael, kijkt zo gefacineerd over zijn new speltje met veel kleur uit China. Dessert was too cute ... a snowman made of ice cream. Dessert was te lieve ... een snieeuw mannatje van ijs!

Honden Poep (Dog Poop): Part IV

2007-07-27T22:24:00.000+02:00

During another trip to Schoorlen aan Zee in April 2007, with Pa & Ma, we had a good chuckle over the above photo that was beside the cafe that is at the halfway point between the village of Schoorlen and the beach - again ... a clear message dontcha think?
This is another one ... this time from Western Canada. I think the sign speaks for itself.
Lastly, we took this picture during our visit to Prague. I have no idea what it says but I think the images are clear enough despite my inability to read Czech. :)

Arnie's Birthday in Zandvoort

2007-02-18T23:36:00.000+01:00

On an amazingly, unseasonably warm fall day, we celebrated Arnie's birthday with the family on a magnificent Saturday afternoon - Sep 9th to be precise - we drove to Zandvoort to enjoy the extended summer.

Voor een ogelooflijk warme dalingsdag, vieden wij de verjaardag van Arnie met de familie met en prachtige Zaterdag middag - 9 Sep om nauwkeurig te zijn - wij reden aan Zandvoort om van de uitgebreide zomer te genieten.

Zandvoort was my first beach experience in Holland & is still a favourite spot for me!

Zandvoort was mijn eerste strandervaring in Nederland & is nog een favoriete plaats voor me!
The Dutch coastline is incredible, with a sandy beach that runs from North till South. Below is Bubbles with Pa & Ma.

De Nederlandse kustlijn is ongelooflijk, met een zandig strand dat van het Noorden tot Zuiden loopt. Hieronder is Bubbles met Pa & Ma.

Along the way, we came across some of the North Sea's inhabitants - a colourful jellyfish.

Langs de weg, kwamen wij over de inwoners van de Noordzee - een kleurrijke kwal. Seagulls ... scavenging for food: Like the 'gulls in "Finding Nemo" .... miiine miiine miine miine :)

Zeemeeuwen die... voor voedsel reinigen: Zoals de vogels in de film "Finding Nemo"... miijn miijn miijn miijn:)

We photographed 2 gorgeous black Labs who were jumping, playing & chasing sticks in the surf.

Wij fotografeerden 2 schitterende zwarte Lab honden die sprongen, speelden & rennen achter stokken.OOOH how I want a black Lab called BOB! - OOOH hoe ik een zwart Lab wil met de naam BOB!This is such a charming photo of Ma, enjoying the day & radiating with calming peace. I have so few photos of Ma - this is one of my favourites.

Dit is een super leuk photo van Ma, van de dag geniet & met kalmerende vrede uitstraalt. Ik heb zo weinig foto's van Ma - dit is één van mijn favorieten.

Next, is Pa beaming contently with delight while gazing off in the distance.

Daarna, is Pa dat verrukking kikt terwijl het staren weg in de afstand.

This is the patio where we all sat, enjoying a refreshing beverage. The entire coast is bursting with these character-filled, seaside restaurants/bars.

Dit is de patio waar wij gezaten, genietend van een verfrissende drank. De volledige kust is full met karakter-gevuld kustrestaurants/bars.

Hiking in Schoorl aan Zee

2007-02-18T21:15:00.000+01:00

On an amazingly unseasonably warm fall day, we drove to Schoorl aan Zee to enjoy the extended summer and hike in the dunes of the Dutch coast. I have written this post so that I could share another side of Holland with my friends because there is more to enjoy than just the "famous Amsterdam" : a picturesque landscape with undisturbed wooded areas within a traquil setting. While we were driving along the panoramic countryside, surrounded by farms with frolicking horses and ponies, we could not resist to pull over to admire them up close.
It was a matter of seconds before their curiosity brought them to the edge of the fence to greet us with playful interest. We stroked them and took plenty of photos before we parted ways.
Before we started off on our journey through the the dunes, in the direction of the sea (or so we thought), we always start off at one of the village cafes for a refreshing smoothie and a toetje (that is Dutch for a dessert, such as an apple pie or pudding). The start of our hike always begins at the bottom of this massive dune, disguised as a harmless hill of sand :)
Once we reach the top we used the time to catch our breath and look behind us - there is that cafe I told ya about in the quaint village of Schoorl. At the top of the hill are sandy walking trails basking in the shadow of soaring trees. After an hour and a half of hiking and taking photos of the scenic views, we stopped at the top of the hill for our scrumptious private picnic (of Mediterranean tapas, fresh OJ & a bottle of our favourite Italian Rose wine), along with EVERY ant within a 5 metre radius! We continued along the trail for another 30 minutes till we came across the bicycle trail that leads to the sea. This particular beach is only accessible via this bicycle path (or of course, by walking along from the neighbouring beaches since the entire western coastline is one extensive beach). Above is the beach in the far ... FAR distance, making it painfully clear that we were NOT going to reach our planned destination :( Further along the bicycle path, we discovered a charming cafe, located at precisely the mid-point between Schoorl and the beach, where we stopped for an ice cream. (FYI for those non-Dutch readers: strand = beach). Due to my sore feet, we reluctantly decided to head back to Schoorl.At the end of the bicycle path, we were eventually reunited with our car."LIFE LESSON FOR THE DAY": instead of getting lost in the woods for HALF A DAY, we would have a better chance of actually reaching the beach, IF WE FOLLOWED THE SIGNS where the bicycle path begins instead of climbing up the giant hill of sand!

:-) :-) :-)

Hunebedden In Emmen

2007-02-09T22:00:00.000+01:00

After my long-awaited introduction to Jaimy, we drove to the historical Hunebedden in Emmen. For those non-Dutch readers in Bubblesland, you might need an online translator to read all about the historical burial grounds of our ancestors from the stone age as the link is in Dutch only.

These burial rocks are found tucked in the serene forests in the province of Drenthe, the home of 52 out of 54 hunebeds - 10 of which can be found in the city of Emmen.A hunebed is a prehistoric skeleton of a burial chamber dating back over 5.500 years. It is an ancient construction consisting of large boulders of around 25.000 KG and, in the past, covered by earth. These massive boulders were transported from Scandinavia by the glaciers, in the ice-period, over 200.000 years ago. Above is Bubbles in one of the Hunebed clusters. What a lovely place to lay at rest for all eternity.

World Cup Fever: It Is All OVER in NL

2006-06-30T22:47:00.000+02:00

Here is Arnie with his Wuppie and his miniature World Cup trophy. This picture was taken after the Dutch lost against the Portuguese (which was more about putting on a theatrical performance than football - I am not bitter at ALL). He was a bit tense, as was the match, so I tried to help by making him double ... or perhaps triple vodkas (with bitter lemon) which might have something to do with why he looks so happy in this photo DESPITE the recent loss. :) We have packed up all our ORANGE stuff into boxes for the next WC in South Africa. It was a sad day in Holland ... but at least they went home with a BANG and put up a good fight - literally - it was truly an awesome game.

Congratulations - Gefeliciteerde Michael & Chantal

2006-06-30T18:19:00.000+02:00

We have a new baby boy in our family!

Wij hebben een nieuwe babyjongen in onze familie!

To see the FIRST official photos of Jaimy click here

Om de EERSTE officiële foto's van Jaimy te zien klik hier.

June 27th 2006 @ 16:00, Jaimy was born
27 juni 2006 @ 16:00, Jaimy was geboren
Weight: 3.2 kg
Gewicht: 3,2 Kg
Length: 50 cm
Lengte: 50 cm

This is excellent news - Jaimy was born happy, healthy and cute as ever. Above is the wooden stork and carriage that Pa made to announce the baby's arrival - a unique tradition in Holland so all the neighbours are informed about the arrival of a new baby. It looks like he had a busy summer with various woodwork projects.

Dit is uitstekend nieuws - Jaimy was geboren gelukkig, gezond en leuk zoals ooit. Hierboven zijn de houten ooievaar en het vervoer dat Pa maakte om de aankomst van de baby aan te kondigen - een unieke traditie in Holland zodat alle buren zijn geïnformeerd over de aankomst van een nieuwe baby. Het kijkt als hij had de bezige zomer met diverse houtbewerkingsprojecten.

World Cup Fever: We Present the FIFA Cup

2006-06-18T22:39:00.000+02:00

First, a bit of FIFA World Cup history ...

The real WC trophy is NEVER permitted to leave the FIFA headquarters in Switzerland. It is 36 cm high, made of solid 18-carat gold , with a base containing 2 layers of semi-precious malachite. There are 2 official REPLICAS that are gold plated: the first is awarded temporarily to the winning team until the next tournament begins and the second is used for various events, interviews or photo shoots around the world.

In the fall of 2004, Arnie picked up one of these famous REPLICAS in Geneva at the FIFA Headquarters, for a long flight to Brazil where it was presented in one of his organised events. You could say it was the highlight of this occasion with a huge line up of participants waiting to have their photo taken with this spectacular trophy. Everywhere he went, he was accompanied by armed guards: to the event, in the hotel and at the airport until he boarded his flight. He even had an armed convoy that escorted him to and from the airport to ensure it was safely transported.

THESE pictures, in THIS posting are dedicated to the fine memory of a fun-filled weekend spent with this world famous trophy - it stood proudly in OUR living room for a solid weekend and we had great fun pretending it was ours. For all of you MAJOR World Cup fans out there, these are AUTHENTIC pictures of one of the two REPLICA World Cups ... the very same one that is kissed and hugged by football heroes from around the world.

The following pictures come to you live ... FROM OUR LIVING ROOM!!!!

World Cup Fever: Behind & Inside Our Place

2006-06-18T22:37:00.000+02:00

Holland has WORLD CUP fever - the country is covered in ORANGE - the colour of our Dutch team. Below are some examples, close to home to give you a taste of the FEVER!

Here is a neighbour, in our shared parking lot, who proudly displays this G-I-A-N-T ORANGE cow on his car.

This just cracked us up - don't the pictures just speak for themselves.

Next in the FEVER is the WUPPIE craze which started at the local super market - when you get 3 little wuppies, you can exchange them for 1 giant ORANGE wuppie. They were sold out within the first week. Wuppies are now on the internet at extortionate prices, being stolen from cars and you could hear the heart-breaking sobs of children who missed out on their wuppies - UNBELIEVABLE!! We scored ourselves 2 - one for each of us so there would be NO fighting (we are small children at heart). Our wuppies are well-trained and seemed to really enjoy football (soccer for my North American viewers).

Don't believe me, have a look: above I have captured our wuppies watching their favourite team (the ORANGE guy flying across the TV screen is a Dutch player)Here is Arnie giving the thumbs up after our 1st goal.

Here I am above in my green & ORANGE Heineken hat that doubles for a bullhorn (very useful for during the game when you want to shout at the referee - WHICH WAS OFTEN). Lastly, is Arnie dressed in ORANGE (in support of his team) and drinking his sangria (which might explain the face and our lively wuppies). We were in Barcelona a few weeks earlier and were still drinking/craving sangria in memory of our FAB-UU-LOUS sangria-filled weekend. Those pics will be up when I catch up on stuff.

Dank Je Wel Voor Mijn Bureau - Thank You For My Desk

2006-06-18T22:33:00.000+02:00

Arnie and I have been desperately searching for a modern desk for our living room so Bubbles would have a place to put her ever-growing piles of "stuff". We have explored every furniture place within a 1 hour radius and came up empty handed, with the exception of one designer store which had a VERY chique, but very unaffordable desk. We took photos and some general measurements so Arnie could create some rough designs. Then one amazing afternoon, during a visit with Pa & Ma these designs were exchanged, followed by the generous offer from Pa to build it for me. Below ... I present ... MY NEW DESK!!!!

Arnie en ik heb gezocht naar een modern bureau voor onze woonkamer zodat Bubbles een plaats hebben om haar altijd groeiende stapels van "materiaal" te zetten. Wij hebben elke meubilairplaats binnen een 1 uurstraal onderzocht en op lege overhandigd, met uitzondering van één ontwerperopslag gekomen die ZEER chique, maar zeer onbetaalbaar bureau had. Wij namen foto's en sommige algemene metingen zodat kon Arnie tot sommige ruwe ontwerpen leiden. Dan één verbazende middag, tijdens een bezoek met Pa & Ma werden deze ontwerpen geruild, gevolgd door de grootmoedige aanbieding van Pa om het voor me te bouwen. Hieronder... ik stel... MIJN NIEUW BUREAU!!!!

This is a special posting to thank Pa for all this hard work for my much treasured desk which I proudly display above (and everyday in our home). It is gorgeous and shiny with loads of cute cubby holes for my laptop and papers ... oh ya ... it also has PLENTY of drawers. I was truly speechless when I first laid my eyes on my new desk. It is by far, much more beautiful than the model we saw in the designer store. It even has a built in hydraulic system so the desk cover slowly descends without any assistance - tres cool!! I JUST LOVE IT and it looks awesome in our living room! Thank you so very VERY much - I simply cannot express the depth of my gratitude.

Dit is een speciale posten om Pa te danken want al dit hard werk voor mijn bureau dat ik trots hierboven toon (en dagelijks in ons huis). Het is schitterend en glanzend met ladingen van leuke cubby gaten voor mijn laptop en documenten... oh ya... heeft het ook OVERVLOED van laden. Ik was echt speechless toen ik eerst mijn ogen op mijn nieuw bureau legde. Het is veruit, veel mooier dan het model dat wij in de ontwerperopslag hebben gezien. Het heeft zelfs gebouwd in hydraulisch systeem zodat daalt de bureaudekking langzaam zonder enige hulp - tres koele. Ik vind het heel erg mooie en het is SUPER mooie in onze woonkamer! Dank u ZEER zeer veel - ik kan eenvoudig niet de diepte van mijn dankbaarheid uitdrukken.

Dutch Sunsets, Clouds & Skies: Part III

2006-06-18T22:32:00.000+02:00

Also, I must share this stunning sunset which is an awesome example of those famous Dutch sunsets that I mentioned in combination with the clouds. I just love the above cloud formations in combination with the descending sun - I wanna hear from Paul and your expert photographer's eye.

Honden Poep (Dog Poop): Part III

2006-06-18T22:22:00.000+02:00

In continuation of my honden poep signage series (dog poop) - above is a contribution to my collection from my friends on the other side of the Atlantic. Looks like NYC is trying to get a similar message out to dog owners but with slightly more direct approach than the Dutch version.

Irene & Aurel have Dutch Tulips

2006-05-13T18:06:00.000+02:00

During our visit to Canada in May 2005, we stopped in Thurso, Quebec to visit my Mom & Dad. Since I am not able to easily visit my parents because I live so far away, I try to make them a priority on every visit to Canada so they are never forgotten & their importance in my heart is always remembered. The local church & cemetery in Thurso are very peaceful - they have a lovely view on a hill, overlooking the lake. Below are my parents (lying with my Ma Tante Simon on the Lecompte side of the family). Arnie came up with the brilliant idea to bring Dutch tulips from Holland for us to plant around their resting place so that every spring they would be surrounded lovingly by beautiful Dutch tulips. So once we arrived, we dug up the surrounding area & planted our tulip bulbs.

As a test, we planted one of these bulbs in Ma & Pa’s garden in the Northern part of Holland which has a similar climate to Thurso. I received word last week from Pa & Ma that the tulip is blooming marvelously which brought a grand smile to my face knowing that my parent’s are surrounded by this treasured flower from Holland & feel the love that we left them.

Als een test, planten wij één van deze bollen in Ma & Pa's tuin in het Noordelijke deel van Holland dat een gelijkaardig klimaat aan Thurso heeft. Ik ontving woord vorige week van Pa & Ma dat de tulp prachtig bloeiend is - wat een grote glimlach aan mijn gezicht wetend bracht dat mijn ouder door dit wordt omringd bloem van Holland & voelt de liefde dat wij hen verlieten.

I also received an email the other day from an excited Linda (a very dear friend in Ottawa) who also received one of our handmade basket of tulips during the same trip (we brought some for everyone). She planted them into her garden and was thrilled to share with me that her tulips are also blooming & gorgeous!

Many thanks to Pa & Ma for sharing the below photo. This brings tears of joy to my eyes that my Mom & Dad are are not forgotten & have bursts of colours to greet them at the start of every new day along with our love from across the world.

Veel bedanken aan Pa & Ma voor het delen van de onderstaande foto. Dit brengt scheuren van vreugde aan mijn ogen dat mijn Mom & Papa zijn niet vergeten & hebben uitbarstingen van kleuren zijn om hen bij het begin van elke nieuwe dag samen met onze liefde te begroeten van over de wereld.

Introducing Chopper

2006-04-15T18:33:00.000+02:00

After the big party, we went back to Luc's to play some pool - or I TRIED to play pool. It seems that I am in need of MAJOR practise. Or I can just blame my inability to connect with the pockets on too much Bacardi. Yeah - I think that is the story I will stick with so that I can hold onto my reputation as "pool shark" for just a short while longer.

Back to the topic ... after we arrived, we were greeted by a super excited Chopper who was thrilled by all the visitors to play with & give him extra attention. Below he is barking playfully - his only way to communicate the fact that he is thrilled.

When he wasn't barking, he was dancing with joy which made it a bit of a challenge to get a cute photograph - but this one is really great.

Eventually, Chopper calmed down ... briefly ... and put his cute puppy head on the edge of my chair so he could say hello to me.

Luc's SURPRISE Birthday Party

2006-04-15T18:32:00.000+02:00

This is the largest post EVER on all of Bubblesland - took me an entire day to upload photos & write this posting. Here you will find a collection of photos from the BIG party. If case of any comments or photos that may not agree with you or if you have been a victim of my BAD humour, I apologise in advance - hee hee. But in all fairness, you were all sufficiently warned, at the time these photos, were taken of the likelihood that they would end up on this forum.

As I explained in Bubbles in Europe, I went to Canada as part of conspiracy for a surprise birthday party for my brother, Luc. It is not possible to explain the look of shocked surprise on his face. Julie had been working SUPER hard for more than 6 months to prepare for this party & leading up to this precise moment. Above is a photo with Luc & Julie where he might be feeling a little nervous under the spotlight. We had some difficulties getting him to the hall but eventually, he arrived to greet all his eagerly awaiting friends - some of which travelled 2 hours or longer to celebrate his birthday. Now that is what I call REAL friends & they were all there to celebrate this important birthday.

Above we have a suspicious looking Easter bunny that hopped & wiggled down the room to offer Luc Easter eggs. At first, he was apprehensive & god only knows what he must have been thinking. One thing for sure - THIS BUNNY WAS NOT A STRIPPER - just thought I'd clear that up straight away!! He got one look at the Easter bunny's face & broke out into an enormous smile which, I believe, we captured nicely above. For some strange reason, my bunny face jumped from me to Luc. I don't remember doing that but it might have been a nervous reaction on my part because so many pairs of eyes were on me, watching me tear up as I looked into my brother's joyful eyes. Looks like this surprise birthday party was starting to liven up. This is an extraordinary cookie (koekje in Dutch) called an Abraham koekje that travelled all the way from Holland - thanks to Chris & Ria for the superb idea (bedankt naar pa en ma for het uitsteken idee). This cookie is a Dutch tradition for those celebrating a 50th birthday: it is a speculas cookie (this is a typical cookie eaten during holidays such as Christmas) which is comparable to a gingerbread cookie only slightly richer and much tastier AND has a colourful marsepein trim (this is a sugar and almond based substance that is soft & mushy - make sure that you never eat too much of this stuff at one time ... or else you might have a sore tummy). If you are a man, you will receive an Abraham, if you are a woman it is a Sarah. Abraham has to be pre-ordered and are freshly baked on request so our cookie was ordered on Saturday morning and ready to be picked up on Monday. Our bakery was thrilled with the fact that her cookie would travel all the way to Canada so she made it extra special. Now for the Canadian-style birthday cake which was also specially ordered as well & gigantic in size. I just love this photo of Luc with his 2 kids Kevin & Julie - it displays a unique bond & closeness that the 3 of them share. This is a fabulous shot of the 'boys' & their "Canadian beers". For those NON-Canadian viewers out there - this is not us being patriotic. It is just a really terrific beer that just happens to be called "Canadian". Coincidence - perhaps ......This is such sweet photo of Luc & Julie - love the blue 50th pins. Luc was an awesome sport & wore these throughout the evening - one was from Holland & the other Canada. Next in the family shots is Bubbles & Julie - at this point in the evening, I switched from Canadian beer to double Bacardi & diet coke. This might play a MINOR role in why I felt so unproductive the following day.Luc was positioned at a special head table as the guest of honour and he had a steady flood of visitors always at his side, throughout the evening. On the table is the cool digital photo frame that also came from Holland - thanks to Arnie.This is Malcom, a friend of Luc's that goes way back through the years. Later on we played the longest game of pool in the history of man. I still say that you & Luc were toying with me and could have cleared the table of it's balls at ANY time. Next time I am going to womp your behinds & clear the table. This is the famous Brad who makes me smile when I think about how happy he is 24 - 7 with a little help, of course. In the background is a poster with some historical family photos, this is the first of 2, prepared by Julie (thanks to Carmen who shared the family collection). On the right, we have our Mom & Dad's wedding photo. On the left is Luc at Christmas with his new skidoo suit (and a construction hat in lieu of a skidoo helmet) pretending he is on a skidoo - awesome photo that just oozes with our family humour!This is Terry, another of Luc's friends from many years earlier. This was our temporary solution to prevent Terry from talking but it was not effective for long :) In this photo, is Suzanne & Paulette who were both just amazing from the beginning to end. They helped us with the balloons, the door, the tickets, the food & so much more - plus they were the first on the dance floor. Thank you both very much for all your help.Here is Kevin with his Aunt Suzanne - again, I can't thank you enough for all your contributions to the success of the evening.While I am on the subject of appreciation - another thank you for Darren's parents who were most helpful on Friday night with food preparations for the the party. I had to run out to meet friends for dinner and did not have time to help. Darren's mom was invaluable in the kitchen (more so that I would have ever been cuz I would have likely burned down the house).Here is my final thank you for the evening. As I mentioned in Bubbles in Europe, Megan was instrumental in our BIG, BAD, SECRET plan. Thanks Megan for bringing Luc to the party & it was a pleasure to meet you. Also, thank you for that REALLY big ceasar at the end of the night at Luc's place - that must have been the biggest drink in history of Bubbles World! This is one of many shots from the dance floor - the DJ played some really excellent tunes. Not quite sure how to explain this one. Darren's Dad & Max are having some fun with the photo frame that was sent around for signing. Turns out this will be a momento in more ways than one. Julie & Max are quite a sight in this shot - one of Julie's favourite pictures. Max is such a character - full of energy, hilarious & always interested in talking with everyone. Max's beard also has some serious history--> for all YOU BBQ lovers out there, this a story for you. I was told that when Max stores away his BBQ at the end of the season he starts to grow his beard & it will remain with him throughout the winter until he reunites with his BBQ again in the spring - a distinctively Max tradition. This is a group photo of the night - unfortunately about 10 people had already left due to the long drive home but we did photograph a majority of the group. I could not resist to point out the extracurricular activities of Angie in the centre of this shot. Angie, what are you doing to that balloon? She is so cute & and I sincerely hope she will continue to be cute when she reviews this posting and photo. Angie was such an enormous support & applied her artistic talents on all the posters in the hall. I look forward to meeting you again at Julie & Darren's wedding.Looks like we are witnessing the beginning of Angie's addiction for blue balloons. Earlier she was kissing one & now she is in the process of becoming friends with this one. Actually, a little birdie told me she was sucking the helium out of this poor balloon. Beside her is her mother, most-likely shocked by the strange sounds escaping from Angie's mouth - hee hee. I don't actually know this for a fact but I am trying my best to recreate this particular moment - not the easiest task.Speaking of Angie - here we are at the end of the night- just before we made the move to Luc's place.This was the last dance of the night - following DJ tradition, it was a slow song. At the end of the party, we had to share a warm farewell with the bartenders to took such EXCELLENT care of myself & all our guests.

This pretty much shows you what happens when you let Bubbles drink too much - take the camera way NOW!This is all that was left of Bubbles by the end of the night - the rest of her can be found somewhere underneath the couch!!!!

Dutch Sunsets, Clouds & Skies: Part II

2006-04-15T17:53:00.000+02:00

As promised in my previous posting of Dutch Sunsets, Clouds & Skies, I have uploaded a few more shots. Paul, I am eager to hear your valued professional opinion. Please note, these photos are taken only using a Canon digital compact camera (so no fancy lenses - that's Arnold's department cuz I am just beginning).

Below, I was drawn to the fire behind the dark clouds that were creeping up on the horizon.

I think I was excited about this shot because we had not seen a blue sky for a long LONG period so please forgive me for my sentimental and somewhat desperate behavior :) but I really love the pure white clouds. When I am alone at the beach I like to stare up at the clouds and look for hidden shapes and figures. These nice white ones are the best for this favourite pastime of mine:) What can I say - I gotta an active imagination!?!?

This one is kind of neat - there are tiny fluffy clouds that are baby pink from the sunset and a blazing fire in the middle of the sky as the sun descends against the horizon. Simple but pretty. That's all for now :)

Amsterdam's Famous Houses

2006-02-05T23:32:00.000+01:00

Next in our introduction to Amsterdam are the stylish houses that go wayyyy back in history. Along with the narrow streets ... busy with pigeons.Or in this case ... people & bikes, although the bikes seem to be missing in this particular shot - odd and rare.These houses are stunningly typical AMSTERDAM! Another of the same. I would like to point out that for such a busy, populated city, there are quite a few large trees. Also, since grey skies are so common I took advantage of the opportunity to photograph the glorious blue skies against the spectacular Dutch architecture.This is Arnie's impressive photo with a brilliant collection of Dutch canal houses - he is able to catch images on a larger scale with his 350D.

Lastly, one of our prized photos due to the significant historical meaning, rather than the images themselves. The Anne Frank house, Prinsengracht 267, is the well-known home of a young girl & her world famous diary. It is the building with the pine green doors on ground level.

I have read the biography and seen the movie version, so when I approached this house I was in awe and speechless when I was flooded by the powerful memories of what such a young girl and her family had to endure during WWII.

Amsterdam's Canals & Bridges

2006-02-01T22:24:00.000+01:00

We started our walk at Amstel Station and followed the Amstel River into the heart of Amsterdam. Along the way we saw many landmark bridges, distinctively "Amsterdam" canals, uniquely Dutch houses and more. Some of you have not yet had the opportunity to visit my home so below is a taste of, what I feel to be, one of the most picturesque cities in the world. Perhaps these might temp you to book a flight today! All of these bridges and canals are named but I do not remember them all ... sorry I am a bad tour guide.

The canals wind their way throughout the city and are dazzling to see at night (sorry - don't have any night shots but you CAN take my word for it - been there, seen it, done it).

De Munt Tower (the mint tower) was build in 1512 and was part of the ancient defense wall of Amsterdam.

Above is a boat along the Brouwersgracht - this is the straat (straat = street & gracht = canal - simple Dutch lesson) that our dentist is on. Usually, on a trip to the dentist, I am scared CRAPLESS, so I am not always in the spirit of mind to appreciate such scenic moments!

This is another type of bridge which is common to Amsterdam urban planning. This canal & bridge are surrounded by modern architecture rather than the typical Amsterdam houses. This shows the diversity of Amsterdam: a mix of past & present which is why I have added this one it - the contrast of the white against the usual shades of brown . I know ... yet another canal with buildings but I just LOVE this shot. Small, narrow, single canals are found mixed in the variety. What inspired me to share this one was the crisp, cool, inviting, blue sky against the assorted browns & twisting leafless branches of winter.

This is one of Arnie's photos with the 350D & I just love it. I was somewhat indecisive about which collection this photo would fit: channel, houses (both in the channel and alongside) or bridges (there is one in the far distance if you look carefully). The reason I am so fond of this shot is because it captures many of the distinguishing aspects of Amsterdam.

Windmills of Holland

2006-02-01T20:50:00.000+01:00

Many of you know that Holland is associated with many things: wooden shoes, gorgeous flowers, delicious cheese and ... windmills. On our drive home from Amsterdam, we decided to take a side trip down a winding road that leads to some farms and this spectacular windmill, which is 1 of many that are scattered throughout the Dutch countryside. The end of the day was slowly approaching and we absolutely had to capture the below photos to share.

Below is from another angle - standing there taking this photo felt like I could reach out and touch the windmill blades as they would spin towards me.

This one is Arnie's from further down-field - it has a powerful presence when you stand at its base as well as from a distance.

Ouderkerk aan de Amstel

2006-01-30T22:57:00.000+01:00

Ouderkerk aan de Amstel is a small village between Amstelveen & Amsterdam. It is one of our favourite places to bike to during the summer with charming outdoor patios and superb restaurants. It has a tiny winding road that takes you back in time.

Above is the bridge of Ouderkerk - a very hectic intersection, especially when a boat comes along and blocks traffic. Along the left side are some of our fave beer drinking places on a HOT summer day.

On the right hand side of the bridge (above & below) are houses, that we often like to imagine or dream to be our future home. Imagine living in such a pristine place.

To be surrounded by pure simplicity and live on nature's door step with swans & ducks & more ... isn't she just gorgeous - I assume it is a she because of her beauty? Below photo is Arnie's with his new Canon 350D :) - the other's are mine taken with my little IXUS 50.

We were awestruck by the elegance of the swans in the Amstel and took numerous photos (but uploaded only a few to avoid boring you to tears). Below is my photo of a young swan - you can see he/she still has some brown feathers.

Below he/she (duuuh - don't know) is putting on a show with their wings.

Since we did not have any more bread for them, they quickly lost interest in us ... and turned their backs to swim away. Some long-term friendships just can't be bought.

Now for a photo along the Amstel - love this one because I captured the wind which I think illustrates how cold we felt. And just in case it DOESN'T, let me tell you ... it was -4 freeken degrees during our 4 hour "photo-taking" tour. Plus add the wind and it was MUCH colder. Yep ... I hear you folks in the snowbelt just-a-weepin' for my pain - NOT!

Have you gotten a taste of why we enjoy this tiny village so much. Now for the last photo ... of the countryside. Above was my viewpoint of the area and below was Arnie's - 2 totally different pictures, with different cameras, both in the same area.

No. 1 Transportantion in Amsterdam: BIKES

2006-01-29T23:30:00.000+01:00

Cycling is the most convenient method of transportation in Amsterdam, with over half a million bicycles. There is a very well developed web of bike roads complete with special street signs and stoplights, and everything within the canal belt is within 10 minutes by bike (often it is faster by bike than by car). The bikes in Amsterdam come in all shapes, sizes, types and colours. Below are just a few that we found during our sunny Saturday afternoon in Amsterdam.

You can conveniently park & lock your bike anywhere and ... hopefully it will still be waiting when you return.

See what I mean ... virtually anywhere such as the below pileup!

These seem to be quite popular to transport kids and dogs.

Or crates of beer ...

We love this photo & requires some explanation!!! At Central Station, there is a huge parking space and I mean HUGE for thousands and thousands of bikes. Don't believe me ... we took the below photo and zoomed in.

Below is a close up so you can see how many bikes are actually there. In case you STILL don't believe me (because I might not believe me either), click on it to get an enlarged version. This just amazes the HELL out of me.

Honden Poep (Dog Poop): Part II

2006-01-29T22:59:00.000+01:00

We simply could not help ourselves when we saw these signs. We thought these were perfect to further explain how much effort is made here to keep the ground "shit-free". These signs are found in various places, posted on special garbage containers.

In translation: CLEANUP BAGS, for the dog (or whomever has made the mess). Prevent aggravation and cleanup (not kidding). Baggies in garbage after use (duuuuuuh).

Below the I LOVE MY DOG - it explains it in many languages followed by helpful pictures that smartly outline how it works ..... Then it says "Take your bag here".

Second sign takes the time to politely thank those who have been considerate enough to pick up their dogs precious brownies.

Dutch Sunsets, Clouds & Skies

2006-01-21T23:12:00.000+01:00

I was inspired by Paul to upload the above photo after viewing the Manhattan version. Nature's glory is always free of charge & for everyone's enjoyment.

Expats often comment about the dull Dutch scenery because of all the clouds. I strongly disagree because the sky can still be beautiful ... even when filled with clouds. Everyday the sky takes on a unique personality ... with expressions that our imaginations can appreciate if we only take the time. Sunsets tend to be the favourite but I love it ALL. Blue skies are the obvious favourite because they are associated with the warm weather.

Sunsets from my balcony are simply amazing!

See what I mean, below is an example of exploding clouds with colour and power. But fluffy clouds ... with faces ... 100 shades of white - grey - blue (sometime pink - but not in this example) ... are truly nature's miracle. I will try to get more diversity to add to this post in the future so you can see the clouds through my eyes.

Finally ... A Snow Storm

2005-12-31T17:33:00.000+01:00

Yesterday, there were weather warnings in effect for the late afternoon and evening in various parts of Holland. I am not sure how much of the European news is mentioned on local CNN in your areas, but there has been extreme weather across most of Europe with snow storms that have been causing massive disturbances to travel & traffic. Our part of Holland got hit early in the evening but to me as a Canadian who has experienced MAJOR snow, this was not the drama that the weather reports made it out to be. In Amstelveen, we get milder weather than other areas, so the storm was not as severe but according to NOS Nieuws, other parts of Holland got hit hard. Click the above NOS link to see a filmshow of photos they collected from around the country. For those of you living in the Canadian snowbelt, I know what you are thinking ...

Throughout the day we have been warned to stay home and avoid any unnecessary travel during the late afternoon. Bus service might be stopped due to icy road conditions & the trains might not be able to operate because of ice rain. Of course, I find this mildly amusing considering the amount of snow Toronto or other cities receive during a "normal" winter day.

But in all fairness, the roads in The Netherlands are made differently, with special pores to absorb the rain water (since it rains so frequently here) to improve visibility when driving. So you can only imagine how these pores behave when ice rain shoots down. Basically, the roads & highways turn into a never-ending skating rink and all the salt in the world will not solve the problem.

But if you don't have to drive, the snow is beautiful & takes me back in time. Before the ice rain started, we bundled up, grabbed our cameras & ran out the door like excited children. First, we went behind our house to the frozen pond to feed some bread to the ducks since food is limited during the cold months. Unfortunately, I do not have any photos to share of the ducks because it was too dark & flash created balls of light from the snow so ... I will try to get these photos up another time. It is soooooo entertaining to see the ducks run across the ice and slide on their bums when the try to stop - it just cracks me up! We go out every Saturday with our left over bread just so we can watch these cute, waddling birds slip and slide on their giant webbed feet. Each and every time, we laugh till our stomachs ache.

These are some shots in our neighbourhood - below is our street (our apartment building is to the left).

Below is my tiny putt-putt buried under the snow - identifiable by my trademark happy face.

Arnie below in front of our building - we were getting cold at this point (only 20 minutes into our walk). What can I say ... we are a bunch of wimps!

Wherever there is Arnie, there is Bubbles ...

Christmas Dinner with the Family

2005-12-29T17:57:00.000+01:00

Christmas Day, Arnie & Bubbles got in the car & traveled up to the Northern part of Holland for a superb day with Ma & Pa N. A day with Mom & Dad involves a variety of activities - starting with EATING homemade treats, soup and other delicious food! We enjoy each other's company while sharing our various hobbies, watching something light on the television, updating each other on our everyday lives (since we only have the opportunity to do this 7 or 8 times a year - in person), and quality time.

Christmas in Holland is generally not celebrated on the same excessive scale as in Canada or America. Mainly because we have Sinterklaas on Dec. 5th as I explained in my previous posting SINTERKLAAS: Celebrated Dec 5th. So Christmas is usually kept simple ... but NOT in Arnie's family. The house is always filled with unique Christmas decorations - collected from various places & many hand made treasures. The house always has a very festive feeling with lots of effort made to make me feel at home, right from our very first Christmas together in 1999.

During previous Christmas celebrations, our dinner consisted of a "goumet" which is totally awesome! I must admit that I totally love this family tradition. Each person at the dinner table has a little pan on top of small flame. You have a selection of food to put in your pan: various wild & traditional meats, fish, veggies, sauces, spices and much more. This is so cool because it enables you to prepare your food the way you want, when you want and in the flavours of your choice, while socialising and enjoying everyone's company.

This year was totally different - since it has been close to 10 years since I have had my senses tickled by the aromas of roasted turkey escaping from the oven. I was ecstatic with the idea of experiencing a traditional turkey - it took me back to my childhood & Christmas in Canada. Mom has the most amazing recipe for turkey stuffing - it is just to die for!

Dit jaar was totaal verschillend - aangezien het bijna 10 jaar is geweest aangezien ik mijn betekenissen tickled door de aroma's van geroosterd Turkije gehad heb dat van de oven ontsnapt. Ik was extatisch met het idee van het ervaren van traditioneel Turkije - het nam me terug naar mijn kinderjaren & Kerstmis in Canada. Mom heeft het meest verbazende recept voor het vullen van Turkije - het moet enkel sterven voor!

Below is a photo of all of us enjoying our Christmas dinner together.

Hieronder is een foto van wij allemaal die van ons diner van Kerstmis samen genieten.

We had lots of fun with our camera timer & after a few tries, we perfected the process. I love both of these photos that I simply could not decide which one to share - so I will post them both.

Wij hadden veel plazier met onze cameratijdopnemer & na een paar pogingen, perfectioneerden wij het proces. Ik houd van beide foto's dat ik eenvoudig niet kon beslissen welke aan aandeel - zal ik hen zo allebei posten.

In the middle of the dinner, we realised that we forgot to take a photo of our turkey in its virgin, uncarved form. So then at the end we took a picture of the "turkey & Bubbles" a super special reunion to remember. Mom & Dad sent us home with a care package with leftover turkey which I ate for the next 3 days - there's nothing like leftover turkey - yummmmmy!

In het midden van het diner, realiseerden wij dat wij vergaten om een foto van ons Turkije in zijn Virgin te nemen, uncarved vorm. Zo toen namen wij aan het eind een beeld van "Turkije & Borrelen" een super speciale te herinneren bijeenkomst zich. Mom & de Papa verzonden ons huis met een zorgpakket met resterend Turkije dat ik voor de volgende 3 dagen - daar niets zoals resterend yummmmmy Turkije - at!

Christmas with Bubbles & Arnie

2005-12-27T23:05:00.000+01:00

My last working day was Wednesday, December 21st so we have been busy preparing for Christmas weekend. We needed numerous shopping trips for goodies, wine and seasonal holiday delicacies. At last, we were able to do the final touches on our home to give it a festive look. Just thought we would share some of the highlights of our festive little apartment.

Above is a wreath that I personally created during our first Christmas together. Every year it comes out in memory of our first holidays together in 1999. In the lower corner, is one of our annual fresh centre pieces with candles that Arnold lovingly selects every year.

Above, is another annual fresh piece - red & white poinsettias - with our holiday candles that brighten up our living room during the holiday season and throughout the dark winter months. Also, there is our swinging Santa - he wiggles his hips to Jingle Bell Rock. Beside rockin' Santa is a rather sad miniature tree with lights that I actually bought for my desk at work.

Here is our Christmas snow ball collection - each one of these balls has major history or comes from a special place.

Lastly, is our sweet little Christmas tree. We have an artificial tree which is 2 or 3 times bigger but we just do not have the space for it anymore. So till we move to a house, we have decided to buy a real tree but in a smaller size - absolutely adorable.

Just for the sake of setting the scale - here is Bubbles with the tree on Christmas Eve.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE & ALL THE BEST FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!

Bubbles & Arnie

XXOO

Taking A Walk - Honden Poep (Dog Poop): Part I

2005-12-27T22:12:00.000+01:00

In the intro for this page, I indicated that I would also share details about life in Netherlands. Since there is so much ground to cover, I haven't a clue where to begin, so I thought I would start with something simple.

A couple of days before Christmas Eve, Arnie & I took a refreshing walk to the city centre to finish the last of our shopping - or in reality to start it (in my case) since I am terrible with personal time management (but a genious with my time at work - go figure). Enroute, we come across this park where children play and there is a famous sign that CRACKS ME UP, each and every time I see it.

First, a bit a history: Holland is heavily populated with 16,407,491 people in a total land area of 33, 883 sq km. If you could see the geographical area up close, you would discover that open land is quite a rare luxury (unless you move up North or to other less populated areas). There are many dog owners here, many in small apartments and those in houses have yards far too small for real "dog use". Therefore, it is quite common to walk your dog wherever you can so he/she can relieve themselves, when the need arises - without picking it up, I might add, SO I CAN STEP IN IT :).

Also, there is a shortage of places for children to play so there are special places, "dog-free" places, that children can run, play and do whatever without the worry of stepping in dog CRAP. At one of these places, I found this picture. Yep, these actually need to be posted to ensure that dog owners do not to take their dogs in this area. I absolutely love this sign. Have a look and tell me if this is not the funniest thing you have ever seen??!!. Just to be clear, the red outline around the sign signifies that it is forbidden. Doesn't he look like such a happy dog - not sure if he is smiling or if it his ear! What do you think?

SINTERKLAAS: Celebrated Dec 5th

2005-12-11T14:05:00.000+01:00

Last week, I received an email from Lori asking if I was ready for Christmas CUZ she is ready - inside and outside of her house are all done & I received your Xmas card, with a gorgeous family photo - VERY ORGANIZED! To answer your question, we celebrated Sinterklaas on December 5th, and only after Sinterklaas is over do the Dutch prepare for Christmas or bring out the trees & start decorating. Unfortunately, this Saturday, I was in bed recovering from the flu so we did not get around to creating Christmas cheer ... yet. Arnie did bring a few or our "famous" Christmas pieces out:

Such as our Bubbles & Arnie cups which we made ourselves at Colour Me Mine in Amsterdam. What might these fine looking cups be used for, you might ask? These are our traditional eggnog drinking cups.

Next we have our famous stockings that came all the way from Macy's in New York City - one of our favourite cities.

Now back to the topic in my title: Sinterklaas celebrations and its traditions. I have had the pleasure of dressing up 3 times as his helper for the children's Sinterklaas party at work & then made a "surprise" visit to some of our friends with young children - really FUN as you can see below! I caught the girls by surprise in the pjs when I skipped through their back yard & into their back door with gifts, cholocate letters, snoopjes (little candies) & addressed them by their first names: Aleande, the youngest, was in a mild form of shock, as you can see from the photo. Her face lit with excitement because THERE WAS A REAL ZWARTE PIET IN HER GARDEN!!!!

These helpers are called "Zwarte Pieten" -> translates to "Black Peter", black due to smoke from chimneys and NOT because they are slaves - this is a controversial subject amongst expats and various other non-sense groups who like to argue for the sake of arguing rather than enjoying the simplicity & innocence in the spirit that it is intended - for the children.

Sinterklaas & his Zwarte Pieten arrives each year in the Netherlands around mid November & it is a big, BIG, MAJOR event! Click here to see some pictures of Sinterklaas in Amsterdam. The saint, who travels from Spain by steamboat, is accompanied by his white horse and his knight, Black Peter (Zwarte Piet), as well as several "help" Peters. Legend goes that Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet travel over the roofs of the Dutch houses at night. The Dutch children put their shoes (used to be wooden shoes) in front of the fire place. They sing songs and provide a carrot for the horse. At night Zwarte Piet puts gifts and candy in it. This is sooooo cute :) I have added a link in my additional link list that you can check out for more info on food, songs, and generally anything about its festivities.

On the evening of December 5th, Dutch families celebrate Sinterklaas' birthday. For the smallest children, who still believe, a LOUD, heart-stopping knock on the door signifies the arrival of Sinterklaas. Simultaneously, candy is thrown from upstairs by Zwarte Piet. When the door is opened, a large bag full of gifts awaits on the front step. Every year I learn something new about this tradition & this year it was the LOUD bang on the door & then ... I found 2 big bags of gifts on the door step. Guess who?

This year, I bought a new cheese fondu set with special Swiss cheese blends. I left work early so I could prepare the bread into bite size pieces, cut up different veggies & arrange the table. When Arnie came home, we started our evening by opening our white wine & lighting the fondu. I was so excited about this idea & I wanted to make this evening special for Arnie with a new Bubbles tradition. It was special alright but not like I anticipated. You see ... I had one of my "bubbles moments". It seems that in my "excitement" I sent up the fondu base upside down - dumb - dumb - dumb and basically BLEW UP OUR FONDU PAN!!! Yep ... not one of my proudest moments. Don't believe me ... look for yourself - this is all that is left of it.

We salvaged what we could by transferring it to a mental pan and tried to make the best of it. Luckily, we had more cheese and there was not too much of it all the walls. Poor bubbles, she really blew it - pardon the pun.

Gefeliciteerd - Congratulations Michael & Chantal

2005-11-20T20:40:00.000+01:00

Next MAJOR news to share ... Arnie's brother, Michael and his partner Chantal have recently shared with us the exciting news that 2006 will bring an addition to our family. Michael & Chantal are expecting a bouncing little baby. We would like to share this exciting news with everyone. Click here for early baby pictures.

Volgende nieuws... Arnold's broer, Michael en zijn vriendin Chantal hebben bijzonder nieuws: er komt in 2006 een nieuw lid van onze familie erbij. Michael en Chantal verwachten volgend jaar een baby. Amber krijgt er dan een zusje of broertje bij. Wij willen jullie hartelijk feliciteren. Click hier voor het eerst photos van hun babytje.

Congratulations to Julie & Darren

2005-11-04T19:56:00.000+01:00

My "little" niece is GETTING MARRIED! This is so exciting that I want to share this message with everyone. CONGRATULATIONS to Julie & Darren on your recent engagement & upcoming wedding. I am positive that you will both be very happy together. I adored Darren from the very first time we met and I am very excited & honoured to have him as a new addition to our family. Although, I already consider him as family - congratulations again to you both.

Lots of love,
Bubbles

Bubbles Family: Canada & Holland

2005-10-15T18:58:00.000+02:00

Life in Holland has been a real life experience, with a few challenges, but for the most part a really unique period of my life. We live in Amstelveen, a suburb of Amsterdam.

As you all know, Canada was my home for 28 years & always will be considered my home. I was born & raised in Sudbury, Ontario, then moved to Ottawa, the Nations Capital, for College where I studied Hotel Management & Tourism - Ottawa is a small city with a big heart AND LOTS OF SNOW. Eventually, I transferred to Toronto & was captivated by this big, bustling city that never seemed to sleep. But enough about the past already...

I hope to bridge the gap between my 2 homes & families by sharing my life between the different worlds. I have been asked on numerous occasions to explain "life in Holland" or "what do I miss about Canada"? But these are not easy questions because, at times, the 2 countries are like night & day. I will post some VERY amusing photos of things that I found absolutely rib-cracking funny along with some everyday stuff, like where we live, our apartment, some of the local sights, some pictures of our everyday lives: goofy photos, so that I maintain the “entertainment value”.

As you all know, I studied Dutch (and lost my French - poor me). It is really amusing to listen to my French when in Brussels – 1 word French (usually off to a good start), then a pause, then perhaps another French word (if I am lucky) followed by a Dutch word then another French (on a good day), then a blank-out where an English word is stuffed in (hoping nobody will notice but they always do) & at long last, the closing with a few more Dutch words. Well, you can only image what kind of messed up, laughable “what-is-this-idiot-trying-to-prove” look I receive. Please believe me when I say that I am not exaggerating in the slightest. Arnie & many strangers roaming around in various parts of Belgium will vouch for me – I swear. In celebration of my new LANGUAGE SKILLS, I thought this would be a cool place to teach some basic Dutch, for those who are interested. Languages have never been my strongest attribute (as many of you might know all to well) but I did manage to achieve a level 2 after 1 school period.

So, in summary, please stay tuned & I will have some funny photos up in no time. In the meantime, if you have any questions or request for pictures, please add a comment or send me an email!