Walking Down Memory Lane

10/01/21

A slow morning unwound itself, landing on us all enjoying a breakfast together.

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Later on, we all walked the almost 3 or so km. into Doesburg together, desiring to go to ‘Ferry Snacks’ once again 😉

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Filling up on nasi balls and fries.

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And ice cream. 
Like, really filling up… to the point that even the thought of them right now, isn’t all that amazingly appealing. Meaning we did our job of filling up on what we could, while we could, rather well I suppose 🙈

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We meandered around town, popping into a couple shops, and simply enjoying the time together.

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Pictured here, you can see chestnuts lining the street.

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There are many of them around, and their dangerously spiked chestnuts, lay in loads upon the ground around them, piercing unassuming shoes now and again 🤪

It wouldn’t have been a trip into Doesburg on a chilly day, without having gotten hot chocolate from ‘De Waag’  😉🖤

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The pub/café/restaurant that lays claim to being the oldest in The Netherlands.

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It was just as delicious as we remembered, and we enjoyed it as we began our walk back towards the house.

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We took a different route home from the one John and Inge took.

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Mike deciding to show me the paths he used to walk, the soccer field he’d played on. The school that he once attended.

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The pond where he’d feed the ducks with scrap bread from the store.

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Where friends had lived, the house where he’d been born and lived his first few years in.

It really was a walk full of historical monuments and information 😉

Evening brought with it some preparations for the next day, as Mike and I would be taking the father-in-laws RV for a ‘ Tour de France ‘ minus the cycling and whatnot 🤪

Young At Heart…If Not In Our Senses


09/24/21

Oma Inge took Lake for a bike ride, so that I could have a child free morning to get myself and our things together, as we were once again bound for Germany for the weekend.

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Before heading there though, we were stopping in at a cousin’s home.

And before getting to the cousin’s home, we stopped at one of the few Starbucks scattered across The Netherlands.

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I was so looking forward to a coffee like I’d have at home annnnd they messed it up because I forgot they don’t do cream here 🙄 It’s milk or nothing, so instead they tried a cloud foam on top, and it just turned out to be a very strong, mostly black iced coffee, which had a weird flavour once the foam settled. Needless to say, it was disappointing 🙈

Being served traditional and delicious Norwegian waffles made by our cousins Norwegian wife, lifted my spirits 🤪  (yes it is probably somewhat obvious that she’d be Norwegian, but just in case there was a question as to why the waffles would be ‘authentic’ I thought I’d clarify 😜 ).

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After we’d eaten, we headed to go bowling. 

Which turned into mini golf, some air hockey, and a roller coaster simulator… as well as some bowling 🤪
The glow golf was a bit over stimulating at times and I felt horrible that Lake had to come along on the roller coaster simulator, but he hardly complained and really was a little champ 😉💗👍🏻

We had fun being kids though and truly enjoyed our afternoon together ☺️
Even though all of the noise, dim and or flashing lights, really made us feel a little old, once we excited out into the now, seemingly ‘serene’ out of doors 🤪

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Sadly, Lake had begun to feel a little under the weather the day before and thus, he was pretty subdued for all the above activities, and this is how he sadly looked during the remaining drive to Aunties.

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Judith’s was gotten to nearer bedtime than not, so once the kids had gotten in their hellos, it was also time for them to say goodnight, and we adults followed not long after.

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Grands, Greek And Good Times

09/23/21

A pretty sunrise and macarons for breakfast, meant that the day began on a good note 😉

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We made arrangements to go and visit with Lake’s great Oma and Opa at their home during that afternoon, where Mike and I were served some hot chocolate and Lake was given a cookie to gnaw on for a while, as he’s still only got two teeth 🤪

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The toy trunk was opened and all kinds of goodies were taken out and examined.

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Daddy and Opa had to help show some of the toys and their uses 😉

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Among the things that were brought out for Lake’s entertainment were some traditional Dutch clogs.
We didn’t expect to get as much laughter out of them as we did, but I’m so happy this happened 🙈

Once he realized it was his feet making the noise, he definitely added some extra gusto into his kicks 😂  The other pair of clogs they had, which fit him better, came home with us 😜👌🏼

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Time came for us to end our visit there and drop Lake off at his Aunty’s, so we could go out and enjoy the Greek restaurant in Germany, without him 🤪
Needing to put our full attention on the food 😉
Syrtaki, the place we’d frequent now and then while living in The Netherlands, welcomed us once again.

The complimentary starters of a very heavily dressed yet somehow still tasty salad, little toasted bread slices with two type of butters came out and this time we added a cheese stuffed pepper to go with as well 😅
We got our regular two dishes, planning to share, as we so often tend to do.
It was good, and we overestimated our capabilities as to how much we could eat, but that’s what to go containers are for 🤪

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Taking that route along the Rhine river back to the car, we enjoyed the setting sun and Mike pointed out an overlooking apartment he’d once looked at getting for us before our wedding. Due to how far away it was from work and being in Germany where there’s even less English spoken, it had turned into a no go. But it’s interesting to think how things COULD have been in a way.

Dessert awaited us at the sister-in-law’s and little did I know, but she’d made one especially for me😉

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A lemon meringue tart!

I felt very honoured, and we enjoyed it very much, though we were very, very full at that point 😅
Lake had benefited from some personal bonding and we also, but then came the dessert and visiting with family thrown in, so it was a win-win all around in our books 😉

I Say Pancake, You Say Pannenkoek

09/22/21

1 week and 5 days in, I got my first day at the house to do nothing but unpack, tidy up, shower, laundry (though my kind mother-in-law did most of the laundry during our stay 🙈) etc.

12 days of being on the go, visiting people, and being out and about amidst other humans in some form or another, is, as some may know if they  know my personality, A. LOT. 😅🥴

I was so ready for a chill day. Meanwhile, Mike was not capable of relaxing in the day, wanting to know what we could do, or where we could go and when I stated no where and nothing, he managed to go out multiple times alone for different things, but that didn’t totally satisfy him 😏

He got us kibbeling and loempia’s for lunch.

Kibbeling being a delicious freshly fried fish with tartar sauce. The man even told Mike that the fish they use for it comes from Canada 🤔
But the seasoning and crunchy batter is 👌🏻

Lake decided to walk that afternoon!  As we were sitting in our various spots, he suddenly stood by a chair, turned and walked to Mike with no cajoling. From there he walked to me and then so on and so forth until Opa came downstairs to witness it and the game continued.

He walked between us all for some distance and time, and we figured our days of having a crawler were no more.

Opa offered to babysit Lake, while we were allowed to take out his Porsche for a ride 😎

The Pannenkoekhuis Strijland in Velp ended up as our destination.
A fairly renowned restaurant which we had never actually been to together/Mike hadn’t been for to years.

One sweet and one savoury were ordered to share, peaches with sugar and Italian.

The pancakes are a little tricky to explain, as they aren’t as thin and light as crêpes, nor are the as thick and fluffy as some North American pancakes. They are on the thinner side, but also more dense, bordering on a heavier, custard like texture.
We were without a doubt the youngest couple in there 🙈
It appeared to be ‘the’ spot for those who are let’s say…of a wiser and more learned place in having lived a more substantial amount of life 😜
The flavours on the Italian one were very nice, and the peach one was good as well, I’d just expected a little more than it came with topping wise 🤪
All in all, it was nice to try, we checked that attraction off of our list, and we probably won’t be headed back overly soon, but that’s just because we’re not huge Dutch pancake fans to begin with ☺️

John, Inge and Lake were met back in Doesburg, as they were finishing up a little snack at a restaurant there, and we didn’t have keys for the house.

Lake may have had a look of slight confusion for a fleeting moment, not understanding how mom and dad were suddenly on the path where he was after not having seen us for a while 🤪

We all headed back to the house then and later that evening, our delivery from Tout Pâtisserie arrived 🤤

The best macarons we’ve found in our European travels thus far 💗
The taste, the texture, the crunchy chewiness, the thick, creamy filling. They are amazing.

We always try to get them, but they are in some out of the way spots for us, so it gets tricky. Thinking of having them deliver, worked out perfectly 👌🏻

Lake showed his newly rekindled talent for walking once we got back to the house as well, getting giddier and picking up speed as well as some extra swaying, the more praise he received 🙈

(I say newly rekindled, because over a month ago, he was walking between us and from furniture and whatnot for a couple of days and then just stopped until now 🤪)

The Sunday Rhythm

09/19/21

An early Sunday morning greeted us.

Once again, preparing of myself, the son, the diaper bag etc. took way, and then we joined the family for breakfast. 
Adorning the table before us, were baskets holding different varieties of breads, various spreads, sprinkles and butter, cheeses, meats, juice and coffee.
A classic Dutch breakfast 😉🥐🥖🧀🥨☕️

It was a one-hour drive to church, which we experienced in the company of our hosts, as we rode together with them since we’d be returning to their house again afterwards.

We then rode back with another couple (Mikes cousin and his wife), since they’d be headed back to the house sooner and that’s always a plus where taking care of Lake is concerned, and when my having to mingle with fewer people is concerned as well 🙈

Some McDonald’s was grabbed on the drive back and for the most part, we discussed food. Which when you write that maybe it sounds a little sad, but it seems to always be a satisfying topic if the people you’re with, are like-minded food consumers 🤪

We got to tour some of their newly renovated home and loved what we saw.

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Black kitchen cabinets, high ceilings with beams for added texture and some really unique, window style room dividers which gave the space some boundaries, while also keeping it feeling open.

They live right beside the home we stayed at, so we eventually crossed the yard and relocated over there for the meal of Dutch snacks that had been picked up.

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Our evening was then spent visiting and playing a game.

Amidst trying to get Lake to sleep, which he wasn’t so willing to do as the night before. This time being awake enough to realize he was in a different surrounding than usual.

All in all, though we were away from our home, and our home away from home, the Sunday rhythm changes little. Arise early, prepare for church, attend, a decent chunk of driving, afternoon lazing about, eating and so on and so forth 😉

 

* I ask that you do your best to ignore any spelling mistakes, as on my iPad the set up is different, and I can’t find an easy way to do a spelling / grammar check. Thank you for your understanding 🤪

 
 

 

The Last Hurrah…

Day 5 – July 27th, 2020

 

Mike had told me to sleep in and rest up and I figured that wouldn’t happen, as 6/6:30 had been my usual wake up time.
I did wake up around 5:30 and told myself I MUST sleep… which I then did, until 9 🤪🙈
Which was maybe a little excessive for the plans for our day ahead but Mike said he didn’t dare wake me since I’m never usually able to sleep in 😏

Because of covid our hotel wasn’t serving the usual breakfast, so we had to head out to find substance.
‘Graze’ was where we settled in at and we got the Farm Fresh Eggs Benedict to share.

A few more little shops were entered as we meandered back to the vehicle and then we drove to find one or two more sights to let our eyes feast on, before leaving for Calgary and eventually, home.

We drove up to this view and I’m not sure of what it was called but we sat with our feet in the fresh water for a few moments while coming up with a game plan for where to go next.

I wanted to see Grassi Lakes but the only way we could see to get to them, posed a lot more steep, loose stone lined paths then I felt comfortable attempting to undertake.

So, we waved farewell to Canmore and drove on to Calgary, needing to make it in time to eat at ‘Monki Bistro’ before it closed 🤓

From mountain ranges and lakes, to roadways, vehicles and cityscapes… both unique and enjoyable to gaze upon in their own way… neither my favourite 😉😜

If you’re in Calgary, PLEASE go eat at ‘Monki Bistro’ and think of us 🙌🏻🤤
I ordered the reverse French toast and Mike got the brisket poutine.

They were both potentially flavourful but in the best way possible.

I’m the type of person that if a dish is supposed to have sauce, I want it to be swimming in it and these were both capable of being afloat 😉👌🏻

Leaving a restaurant utterly satisfied and pleased is such a good feeling. Like when you find something on a super sale or feast your eyes on an unexpected beauty.
Think I’m being dramatic? Maybe… but I don’t think I  am and we really, REALLY like food 😁

We needed to stop at IKEA to get blackout blind for the babes room, so we did a decently fast walk through of the whole place.
I found some smaller sized plates I wanted (been searching for probably a year, no joke 🙄) but of course, they were out of stock 😏
Nordstrom Rack and Homesense were also pursued and finally, we left the city.

Much later than planned… our estimated home time being in the wee AM hours and we still had ‘Drumheller’ to stop at… (but we’re young and free so that wasn’t a problem… right?) 😅

I’d told Mike we should really stop there. I’d been years ago and figured I could use a refresher but I thought he would think it was pretty interesting.
Turns out he took it on faith and didn’t look up a thing about it, so he was pretty shocked when suddenly we descended down into a totally different terrain than moments before😜

On our way to Horse Thief Canyon, we drove by ‘The Little Church’.

Which was much littler than I’d even expected😅
Surprisingly, Mike actually fit inside and it was a fun little stop… the slogan of the church being, ‘Seating ten thousand people – six at a time‘… literally, as it had six mini pews inside.

Horse thief canyon certainly evokes images to match its name… making it easily imaginable to visualize herds of horses racing through the valleys, cowboys with lassos overhead, thundering behind them 😉

Driving quickly because of the soon setting sun, we went to find the Hoodoos.

‘A hoodoo (also called a tent rock, fairy chimney, or earth pyramid) is a tall, thin spire of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin or badland. Hoodoostypically consist of relatively soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone that protects each column from the elements.’

The earthy tones and warm weather, making for perfect exploration inducing conditions…but we had McDonald’s to eat back in the truck and home to return to, so we didn’t take that exploration vibe too seriously 🤪

 

I made up my mind to stay awake with the husband until we arrived home and besides some slow/heavy eye blinks around Saskatoon, (1hr away from home) I did it 🤓

We never solidified a name for the child but we did narrow the list from three, to two 🤪
Not my favoured outcome but better than zero progress made I suppose 😏

In the end, it was a great trip ☺️💗

The driving having been so broken up for the most part, that I never endured THAT much discomfort, we had mostly beautiful weather, a lot of good food and for the most part, pleasant company* 😉

*I’m referring to myself and my husband for those who could think I was making mention of the friends/family we met up with as perhaps unpleasant, which was not the case 🤪

The time allotment was good too… we aren’t usually super slow lookers/observers etc. so we got to see a lot, in a semi short amount of time and also get a good idea of what we’d want to see again, if ever.
I’d say Jasper and the drive from Jasper to Banff, was our favourite part.
I’m sure there is much to explore around Banff itself but by that time we were fading a little and it was also so busy with people, it lost the allure a little, same to be said for Canmore.
Though we had much less time in Banff/Canmore so maybe we just needed a little more time to find their Jems 😉

We pulled up to our little home around 3:00 am, crawled into bed post haste and awoke to a sunshine filled +22 by 8:00 am.
The official end of the ‘babymoon’ and the start of unpacking, yard upkeep and checking off the rest of the ‘pre-babe to-do’s’ 😉

 

 

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