As you can see from our itinerary, it's a busy day.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Auf Wiedersehen
Kids and I are rolling back to Amsterdam on the train. Hopefully we'll arrive in time for a birthday party and some trick r treating.
As you can see from our itinerary, it's a busy day.
As you can see from our itinerary, it's a busy day.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Run With Me in Germany
Pretty forrest, colorful leaves, houseboats, rainbow, crisp air, good running.
Funny Confession #239
Hello from Germany. We are having fun and I should have many good posts soon. Until then, I am this immature. Excuse me.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Suddenly I Want to Make a Terrarium
Spotted this here. Which reminded me about this place. Now I'm on the lookout for a similar place in AMS. Or, I could probably just make one on my own...
Monday, October 21, 2013
DIFM? (Do It For Me?)
If there are any DIYers out there looking for a cool project, you should try one of these amazing objet trouve mirrors. I'd like mine to be red...just sayin'.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Funny Confession #238
It wasn't my fastest half, but it was rock solid. Adorable fans always help! I really need to stop with finish line selfies...it's never pretty. But at the same time, I wanna remember those moments. Plus, if I ever look good at the end it would mean I shoulda run faster, right?
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Finish Line Prep
Tomorrow I will run 13.1. I look forward to seeing these flags and bananas at the end of the course.
My training has lacked intensity (speed), but I feel ready to go the distance with a smile.
Of course I am hoping my legs find a new gear for race day, but I'm mentally prepared to have an average performance.
My training has lacked intensity (speed), but I feel ready to go the distance with a smile.
Of course I am hoping my legs find a new gear for race day, but I'm mentally prepared to have an average performance.
Funny Confession #237
It's crazy that I don't even know this guy and yet it felt as if he knew me so well.
How To Walk A Dog In Holland
There is never much walking involved.
This post is for dog lovers like you Lisa. I'm thoughtful like that, even if I don't love dogs.
This post is for dog lovers like you Lisa. I'm thoughtful like that, even if I don't love dogs.
Friday, October 18, 2013
A Happy Story
Did you guys see this ad, based on this story? Wow wow wow, technology is amazing. I love that his mom prayed and he used google maps...and both worked.
A Heavy One
I'm no history buff. But you cannot live (or visit) Amsterdam and not got pulled into the WWII stories. I blame Anne and my fascination with the WWII parts of this cycling book. Or should I say that I give them the credit? Whatever it is I am thirsty for more. The Verzetsmuseum yesterday really got me spinning. So today, when taking out my garbage, I just had to ask my neighbor, a woman in her 70s, where she was and what she remembered from the 40s.
I am still processing the stories she shared. I need to get to know her more and convince her to do a guest post.
She was born in Utrecht in May of 1940....exactly as the Germans were invading Holland. They had just bombed Rotterdam and were threatening to bomb Utrecht next if the Dutch did not surrender. All of Utrecht had evacuated. All of Utrecht except for my neighbor's mother and father. They could not leave because her mother was 9 months pregnant (with her) and went into labor. Alone (no doctors could be reached or would come over) in their home, under the threat of a bomb attack, her father delivered her into this world. The Dutch surrendered to the Germans. Utrecht was not bombed. She was born into chaos and lived in it (hungry, poor, scared) for her first 5 years. She has a lot of memories (Nazis, fear, evacuations, deportations).
A few days a week she watches her grand kids (both under 5) and almost daily she interacts with my kids (5, 3.5). I cannot begin to imagine how different her young life was from theirs. I am sure she is well aware and grateful of those differences.
She also told me about our street in Amsterdam. I had heard this before, but she confirmed, it was full of Jews. She was pretty sure that most of them were deported to Sobibor. Google is an amazing thing. Google tells me that she is right, and that the people at my exact address were among those deported to Sobibor. Many others on the block also ended at Sobibor, several from the block went to Auschwitz.
All those lives ruined then lost, it is impossible to accept. I don't even know that it is process-able.
This weekend we are going to ride our bikes up and down the block a jillion times, because that is what 3 and 5 year olds on a block like this should do, as their parents look on smiling.
The photo above, from here, offers a view of Rotterdam after the German bombing in May 1940.
The map above, from here, commissioned by the German occupiers, has black dots for every ten Jewish people.
I am still processing the stories she shared. I need to get to know her more and convince her to do a guest post.
She was born in Utrecht in May of 1940....exactly as the Germans were invading Holland. They had just bombed Rotterdam and were threatening to bomb Utrecht next if the Dutch did not surrender. All of Utrecht had evacuated. All of Utrecht except for my neighbor's mother and father. They could not leave because her mother was 9 months pregnant (with her) and went into labor. Alone (no doctors could be reached or would come over) in their home, under the threat of a bomb attack, her father delivered her into this world. The Dutch surrendered to the Germans. Utrecht was not bombed. She was born into chaos and lived in it (hungry, poor, scared) for her first 5 years. She has a lot of memories (Nazis, fear, evacuations, deportations).
A few days a week she watches her grand kids (both under 5) and almost daily she interacts with my kids (5, 3.5). I cannot begin to imagine how different her young life was from theirs. I am sure she is well aware and grateful of those differences.
She also told me about our street in Amsterdam. I had heard this before, but she confirmed, it was full of Jews. She was pretty sure that most of them were deported to Sobibor. Google is an amazing thing. Google tells me that she is right, and that the people at my exact address were among those deported to Sobibor. Many others on the block also ended at Sobibor, several from the block went to Auschwitz.
All those lives ruined then lost, it is impossible to accept. I don't even know that it is process-able.
This weekend we are going to ride our bikes up and down the block a jillion times, because that is what 3 and 5 year olds on a block like this should do, as their parents look on smiling.
The photo above, from here, offers a view of Rotterdam after the German bombing in May 1940.
The map above, from here, commissioned by the German occupiers, has black dots for every ten Jewish people.
Oh for the love of f&*%
I am sooo digging life over here lately. But that doesn't mean I don't soooo miss Portland. One of the things I really miss, is when Portland makes fun of Portland. Thankfully blogs and news keep me in that loop. This post is hilarious, the whole blog is pretty good. But this post, esp the caption, made me lol. So Portland.
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