Heading North for even more romance, day 2

After 3. am I couldn’t sleep any more. My sleeping pill apparently didn’t help very much. At 6.15 I get dressed and walk to a window in a cafe. I knit and listen to an audiobook while watching the horizon. I can see lights and grey hills. In an hour its fully light, a beautiful coastline is in sight. I get us tea and croissants, all very expensive on board. I bring Klaas breakfast in bed. Suddenly I feel seasick. I haven’t had another travel illness pill and didn’t eat since last night. But after a nap next to Klaas I feel a bit better. We arrive in New Castle at 10.00 GMT, one hour time difference, still a bit confusing. We have to wait a long time to drive off the ship. There we got stopped by customs, a nice lady wanted to ask us some questions. Maybe an old red caddy is very suspicious. Klaas showed her his badge from work and that worked wonders. After a little chat and a view in the back she let us go. When she saw the wheelchair she was convinced we weren’t smuggling drugs and wapens.

Heading north for even more romance, day 1

A blog from Alba (Scotland)! Next to me, Klaas will be writing as well (in italic text).

22/04/2012 Roll on, roll off
After several months of counting down, today’s D-Day! Or better yet, S(cotland)-day. At about 11 AM Sophie and I head off for about 100 miles from her home to the boat. The night before we dropped Casper the poodle a.k.a. “steph dog” off at her parents. I hope he’ll be well and will not get into trouble with his “nephew” Dali, the dog of Sophies parents. For logistical reasons he couldn’t come with us, the ferry services require pets to stay down below in the cargo space without us being able to stay with him or comfort him. We don’t want him to experience that. Plus: most hotels abroad won’t allow dogs..

Things to Remember, week 15

1. Pake and Beppe. On monday (easter) we drove to my grandparents with Roodrunner. They looked forward to meet Klaas. Klaas doesn’t have grandparents anymore, and he misses his grandmother very much. So he looked forward to ‘get’ new grandparents. In Friesian is the name for grandparents Pake and Beppe. In Dutch Opa en Oma. So now are even my parents talk about Pake and Beppe. Very funny. He got a special tour through their house and they got along great. We had a nice easter brunch (way to much to eat) and I brought some monkey bread with me. At the end he asked if he could call them Opa and Oma instate of Mr and Mrs… And my grandparents loved that. I think that he is very welcome in our family. And we are convinced that he will like the rest of the bunch.

To much Care and Worry

Klaas and I are driving to my house in our car. I ask Klaas if he has news from his party from work, which comes up soon. And he explains that he signed in already. He tells me there will be a BBQ and music. So I ask him if only colleagues come or also their partners. Then he tells me it’s for partners too. But he didn’t know if they will come too or it will be mostly men. And he thought I wouldn’t be comfortable between rough men, who can make offensive jokes, be loud and drink. Also he is scared it would be too much for me and I wouldn’t physical be able to enjoy it. He means so well but the only thing I can think about is: he decided it for me. I didn’t had a choice. He fills in what I can and cannot do. And in the back of my mind I hear a little voice, is he ashamed of me?

Things to Remember, week 14

1. Last Minute to Klaas. On sunday, I couldn’t wait to see Klaas again. He had been working that day and was tired. So I tried to find a way to go to him. I cancelled Maria for the next day. I asked a neighbor to deliver a package and asked a friend to take me to the station. It was very hectic. And I had to take a lot with me because, I needed to finish some stuff. The train was delayed and busy. Suddenly I realised how tired I was and it was getting dark too. Maybe it wasn’t a smart move, but there was no way back. The platform was freezing and waiting for the bus it was the same. The last part of the journey it was completely dark and in a strange city. I didn’t feel comfortable. But when I got of the bus I saw a very happy Klaas crossing the bridge. Casper went wild, he loves Klaas too. I made it, and it was all worth it.

Things to Remember, week 13

1. Strawberry Spider medication. I went to my therapist Johan for a chat. The last couple of weeks I feel really haunted. So many feelings and emotions, it’s hard to work with or around them. Johan is also a homeopathic therapist and most of the time we where finding the proper medication for me. At the end of the session we still didn’t know which one I needed. It’s a very funny process, you have to tell your feelings by using metaphors. Like there are monsters under my bed, I can’t see them, but feel them breathing in my nek. He called me later that day that he found the right one, medication of the strawberry spider. A week later and had sent it to me, see if it works. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araneus_alsine

Citytrip Goningen

Friday 30 March. After a hectic morning of making packages and packing my stuff for the citytrip, came Albert at 11.00 He invited me on a 2 day citytrip to Groningen, a big city in the north of the Netherlands. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groningen. Albert hasn’t been working for the last couple of weeks. He has a auto-immune illness since he was 17 and it’s flaring up again. But we want to take a trip to set our minds on different things. We both take a little break and then hit the road. It’s about an hour drive. The weather is fine, but way colder than the last couple of days. We need to wear our winterjackets again. We arrive in the centre of the city at the de Ville NH hotel. http://www.nh-hotels.com/nh/en/hotels/the-netherlands/groningen/nh-hotel-de-ville.html. The hotel is beautiful and we have a room downstairs. Casper normally don’t like hotels very much, so we wait and see. After Albert has parked the car, very expensive business here, we walk into town. The are next to one of the old university buildings, very beautiful. There are loads of old buildings and churches and warehouses. We eat a sandwich and burger in a Jugendstil house. Then it’s time for a nap. I’m tired today and at my surprise I fall asleep. The we walk into town again, drink something in a cafe and look at the shops. Looking, but no buying. We find a 60, 70 and 90 shop with second-hand clothing. Boo, you could life there! I can still feel the money run out my pocket of the car yesterday, so I contain myself.

Roodrunner

28 march 2012. At the end of the day I was waiting for Klaas to arrive on his bike. I know he is off work on 16.30 but he is often late. But at 18.15 I start a bit to worry. It’s only a 40 minute drive and accidents with motorcycles happen often. But the weather is beautiful, maybe he is sight-seeing. At 18.30 I make myself a grilled cheese sandwich because I have to leave at 19.00. Finally Klaas arrived. He is a bit flustered, yes, he was late from work, but the drive to my house didn’t went very well. We both have a cold since last week and it’s a heavy one. I had a super headache today. But he feels awful and has a fever. Quick I make him dinner and go to the neighborhood meeting. But at 20.30 my head is hurting like hell and the spasms are coming every few minutes. Time to head home. Through the curtain I see Klaas watching cartoons, it makes me smile. It’s the first time I have someone to come home too! We go to bed early, Klaas fever gets worse. We both need sleep. Instead I got nightmares. But after a good sweat-attack Klaas feels a lot better.

Things to remember, week 12

1. Not the monday I planned. I woke up then the alarm clock was ringing at 6.00. Both groggy Klaas and I got up. When we had breakfast Klaas looked in his agenda and found out he had to start at 9.00 and not at 8.00. Oke not a good start. 9.30 I wait for Maria, which is supposed to work till 11.30. But 10.00 still no Maria, so I call her. She completely forgot she had to work. Lucky for me she came that afternoon, but it not good for the things I planned. To finish this weird the I was to cook for friends. But a hospital visit was more painful than they thought so it was cancelled. I hope the rest of the week goes better.

Things to Remember, week 11

1. Kim is back. After 4 months, Kim is back. She has a baby boy now, but starts working again. We have lots to discuss, especially about Klaas. My finances will changes a lot especially if Klaas and I will live together ever. So she is going to help me with that. But I don’t need her any more as a social worker. The last months went fine without her.  Going to therapist Johan seems to be enough for me now.

2. Chocolate chip cookies. I got bored monday night and found some chocolate chips. Suddenly I was making a lot of cookies. The next couple of days every body got cookies from me. Even my physiotherapist likes them very much. And of course Klaas got a big box full of cookies. There where very addictive.