Friday, March 26, 2010

Spring has sprung

Eileen now knows more names for flowers than I thought possible. She doesn't always apply them correctly, but she knows: daffodils, crocus (crocii), tulips (of course), iris, hydrangea, rhododendron...you get the idea. She also has a true Jewish love of pigs. We went to visit a neighbor's farm this past week. Eileen was introduced to a pair of pigs about 3 weeks old. She tried to climb into their enclosure. Pretty cute!

As my thoughts turn to the longer days, I am starting to think about the move. Eileen keeps asking whether we are going to Texas tomorrow. She has started slipping it into most conversations...but I can tell that she misses her buddies who have left here and she worries about the ones she will leave behind.

Really, she and I are just wandering along playing a bunch. We have started preparing for Seder, but without a huge amount of enthusiasm. We are looking forward to being in the states for it next year. I will be buying my fish for the gefilte fish on Monday morning. We will be doing a bit of touring and visiting over the holiday. Mostly, though, we are just trying to keep her busy with friends. She needs preschool.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Some Eating Thoughts

Well, as you probably have read, I find the culture here in the Netherlands fascinating. But, of course we are returning to the US. Land of 24 hour food availability, where only rarely will we be in restaurants that take 2 hours for a single meal. So, looking back on our time here: the Dutch love all you can eat. They will enjoy a buffet for Chinese/Indonesian food, or will stop by your table for a marked menu in a Sushi or Tapas restaurant. The Dutch also admire French, Italian, and Greek food. Despite my cooking a traditional Dutch dish, and despite their love of pancakes, the Dutch really don't usually buy Dutch food out (except the pancakes and of course all things fried -- from fast food type places).

So, we have no TGIFridays (I am sure there is one in Amsterdam) type eating options, but it has been wonderful to get to know life here in a day to day way. In some ways we are more Dutch than many of the other people Eric works with, as we eat in most of the week (except a coffee out occasionally and our date night) and hardly travel (except to the US for weddings). And basically live at home. I get the feeling that if we lived in a city, where we had less living space and more options out, that my understanding of Dutch life would be different. So, take my understanding of it, as my understanding of American life might be after spending several years in a town of 40,000 people. The only difference, is that in the US, this would be a suburb of Eindhoven.

Friday, March 5, 2010

My life: bits of past present and future

Well, let's start with the news from the past. For those who don't remember, Eric and I left more than good friends and fond memories in Colorado Springs (and the remains of Samantha-cat). We left a home there. We left it in pretty good hands. Last month our tenants announced that they were purchasing a home and would be leaving at the end of February. We have new tenants starting by the end of this month. Once again, we are pretty happy with the whole situation. If we had to leave a property behind, best that we have good neighbor friends and a good property manager.

Now, here is the rest of the post: it is hard to keep your eyes on the present when 1) many of the folks who have been here and active are already either going or gone -- part of the joy of military life. I love the chance to meet the new folks and am always glad when I get to see my old friends or 'see' them via updated photos on facebook...and 2) for those who are not yet in the loop, Eric, Eileen, and I are planning on moving to Wichita Falls this summer to Sheppard Air Force Base, where Eric will again be a Squadron Commander. Eileen and I are planning on spending many happy hours at the YMCA and in other locations where toddler classes are available -- which of course means that I spend at least some of my day thinking about the next house, the move, a vacation between locations...and not about the shorter time frame stuff.