I wondered down towards the Spaarne quite early. Sinterklaas was to arrive at 1pm by boat.

I started from the house and went to the Spaarne via the Grote Markt where there was much activity and many Zwarte Pieten. And there were excited children everywhere. I then wandered down to the Spaarne to pick a spot to stand and watch from and maybe get some reasonable pictures. The children everywhere were dressed either as Sinterklaas and mostly as Zwarte Piet.

It was really surround sound frivolity. The Zwarte Piet were riding many different sizes and styles of bicycles, a few skate boards, roller blades etc. There were boats on the river full of excited children and Zwarte Pieten. It is just as well everybody loves Zwarte Piet because there were so many of them.

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So it wasn’t a dismal day at all – it was wet, grey and colourful, and fun for everyone. And we wandered into Den Uiver to recover from the excitment and remained till the Jazz began. It was Sunday after all and jazz begins at 5pm.

Delighted to see a new shop in Haarlem with favourite foods from home. Home in this instance means Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Great Britain and Ireland.

so if you are looking for something from home try “A taste of Home” at Gedempte Oude Gracht 42, Haarlem. email for information at info@atasteofhome.nl.

If you are looking for New Zealand marmite – sadly they don’t have it. They do have the English version and it simply is not the same.

We will be watching the English / All Blacks Game at “The Tara” Irish Pub in Amsterdam on Saturday 6th November at 3.30pm. It is a great pub, no smoking, lots of screens and if we get there early enough will not have to damage our necks to view the screen.

It is not often that we benefit so much from being in the Northern Hemisphere, for to see this game New Zealanders need to be up at 3.30am. I love watching the All Blacks, but not at 3.30am in the morning.

I hope they do rather better than they did last week when they lost to the Wallabies. Best Beloved was almost in an apoplectic rage – so much so that I threatened to leave him there in the pub and go home. I am pleased to report his health is recovering slowly after this extremely negative health event.

I might have to take my knitting to keep me calm.

An interesting knitting group creating All Blacks sweaters for charity which culminated in a visit from some of the All Blacks, along with a cup of tea, cup cakes and the impromptu teaching of knitting. Maybe when their sports careers are done and dusted they may remember that they do know the knitting basics and start a new career.

Who knows

my knit site if curious

From Yahoo answers

Why is the BMW sometimes called Beamer/Bimmer?

The term “beemer” started as an acronym for the abbreviation “BMW,” adapted from the early-20th century British pronunciation of BSA (as “beeser” or “beezer”), whose motorcycles were often racing BMWs. Over time, the term became closely associated with BMW motorcycles.

The term “bimmer” was later coined to refer (exclusively) to BMW automobiles. As such, use of the word “beemer” to refer to a BMW automobile is frowned upon by some BMW enthusiasts, because it is the term used for motorcycles. Although the distinction is completely arbitrary, to this day, the media, movies, and most people still use the term “beemer” to refer to the automobiles. Interestingly, in the German language, the correct pronunciation of the term “bimmer” is “beemer.”

The initials BMW are pronounced “beh emm veh” in German.

BMW is also the abbreviation in the UK for a cocktail of Baileys, Malibu and Whisky.

1) An example of australian slang, ‘struth’ is used to denote an exclamation. 2) ‘my goodness’
“Struth! ‘e was a big bugger!”

2) Contraction of the words “God’s truth”; exclamation, mild oath frequently used by all dinky-di Aussies. Alternative spelling: strewth.
Strewth! That’s a bonza bush telly!

3) Aussie slang used by yobbos and broadmeadows bogans.
“mate, robbo just knocked off a slab!” “struth!!”

And I thought it was a general down under term – not a specifically Australian one. You learn something new everyday, Don’t you?

Urban Dictionary Link

or do we have a family of mice – I don’t know, I only see the evidence of their presence.

What to do????

We have 2 spunky mouse traps – that capture the offending bench crappers and kills them, neatly.

BUT what does one use to attract these mice. Nothing according to the mouse trap literature (in Dutch), but it isn’t working. So we have added peanut butter to the trap – they don’t like peanut butter these Dutch mice. I added some shaved ham today, they don’t seem to like that either.

Maybe, just maybe Dutch mice like cheese!!!!

Tomorrow we will replace the peanut butter and the ham with cheese.

The reason I know we have mice is because they shit all over the bench top. The other reason I know we have mice is because Best Beloved has sat silently at our dinner table and observed the mice, duh!@#$#, more than once.

He didn’t rush with swords blazing to eliminate these little furry pests. He quietly watched them and he thinks they meander along and across and over everything on our bench top with such style and charm.

I don’t think mice have charm and style. I think they should leave because surely I will eliminate them even though Best Beloved likes watching them.

Please don’t tell grandson, he will be looking for mice to observe in New Zealand if he knows his grandad observes them here. He might even take up a mouse or two as a pet, heaven forbid.

Horrors in my house

Mouse horrors in my house.

I want them to leave – and so far only one mouse has suffered the indignity of being caught. Fortunately Best Beloved didn’t bring it to me, he disposed of it. He didn’t try to convince me that it was sweet and alluring and gentle and……

But the shit goes on

Please free my house of mice

It was last Sunday. We were well rested, and the effects of this spring seemed to have lessened a bit for us both.

It was nearly a great day – this Bison hunting day.

We left home reasonably early, and as we always do we took clothes for the rain, and clothes for the wind. We had to stop about 1k from home to add clothes to protect from the wind.

Now Morgan has given us both a special Swiss bag for carrying across the body over one shoulder and it has pockets for everything. It is a great thing for hiking as they do in Switzerland and for cycling as we do here in the Netherlands.

Mine contained my little Samsung camera to take those all important Bison photos, my puffer for my asthma, my strepsils for my sore throat, and my sun tan lotion for the sun, tissues for you know what, and did I say it already; probably, but I also took my little Samsung camera to take the all important Bison photos.

I know you are saying out there – what am I on about.

Well, I added a sleeveless sweater vest thing to stop the wind. I took off the wonderful Swiss bag, the gift from Morgan, put on my Vest thing, and reduced the affect of the wind. I rode off happily without my Swiss bag, my camera, my puffer, my suntan lotion, my strepsils, my tissues, and oh dear, my camera.

We rode for nearly 5k’s before we realised. That is we rode to our destination – the Bison Park, well it isn’t called the Bison Park, but just now I cannot remember what it is called. But we rode there all the same, stopped the bikes, started to lock them up and I realised I didn’t have the bag, the wonderful Swiss bag from Morgan.

and that Best Beloved rode gallantly back to see if he could find the bag – not a hope.

But the best thing that happened on this day is that there were no Bison to be seen anywhere. So the camera wasn’t needed.

But I would like 4gb memory card back

So if you found the bag – you can have it, I just want the photos I have not downloaded from our boat day the day before.

So if you have the bag and camera and all the other bits and pieces in it – we can swap – I will give you the charger for the camera battery and you will give me the 4gb card with the photos on it still.

Message for Morgan don’t buy us another bag. We can replace it ourselves, as well as the camera. I just hope we get the memory card back.

I was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday so Best Beloved took a bike ride out towards Parnassia alone – looking for the entry to the Downs where there is a walk to “MAYBE” see the bison in the park. He did find the entry after riding past it and back again, and then he did walk into the park a bit to check it out for us.

BUT

it was raining so much that he gave up and came home. That is okay because when we next go to check out the Bison on a good fine day, we will know exactly where to go.

But

the reason for the title of this wee rave – is that Best Beloved rode across a main road – on the green light for the bikes; as you should, and as you do, and a young woman with flowing flaxen hair rode by him. It started to rain and she continued to ride and nonchalently took our her umbrella, unfurled it and continued to ride on in the rain with the umbrella protecting her.

Now Best Beloved has a widget – and this flaxen haired young woman rode by at over 21k’s per hour.

He came home feeling tired, less fit than he had when he left, and just a bit wet.

If you have enjoyed visiting this site Old Fart Expats – which has the stories of our adventures as two older people working, living and travelling in the Netherlands, and in Europe, then please consider checking my other site which is about my designer and knitter life.

I know I have mentioned such things as ball warmers and trees with scarves – so you do have some idea of my other life. But that is the outrageous nearly knit art graffiti life – oh and we are planning an installation maybe on April 1st – April Fools Day. I don’t know if that is a term used here in the Netherlands so the installation may not benefit from that as it might in New Zealand or in the UK. It does depend on completing the piece and it will not be in Haarlem. Just in case I forgot to mention this – the Haarlem Balls are nearly back. They are waiting to be installed once more. So maybe on Queens Day – will that be a good day for an installation here in Haarlem? Will keep you posted on that one.

But I am also a bona fide knit designer and I am also thinking of a sculpture – metal piece with knitted wire (thin wire). The creation of it could be very hard on the hands – but I have discovered of late that anything is achievable should you think of it then you can do it.

I digress again.

If you are a knitter, or want to be a knitter. If you love colour work, or just love colour – maybe exploring my designer knit site Connielene Knit Designer will stir in you the need to knit again or to learn to knit if you do not yet, or just might enjoy some of the stories there as well. I do also have 2 etsy shops which I add patterns and pieces to as I am able to. There are a few beret and cape patterns should you be interested. The links to Connielene Etsy shop is here as well as the link to Unique Boutique Knits where my patterns and other pieces are available.

Oh and if you also use Facebook then I would love it if you would “like” my page there as well ConnieLene Unique Designs & Knits

We all need fans in our lives, I hope you will “like” my facebook page there enough to be a fan – the old Facebook parlance – they do keep on changing things. But if you like it please tick it – Thanks

Queens Day / Koninginnedag : or is it Orange Crazy Day?

Orange Boat - orange guests

April 30th – Queen’s Day is a national holiday here in the Netherlands. It is a celebration for the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands (Queen Juliana’s birthday). The date has been retained as Queen Beatrix birthday is in January – not good weather for a party in all the streets of the Netherlands.

And it is a big street party, everything is Orange for the House of Orange, and everyone can sell anything they wish to anyone else.

So it is a birthday celebration, a freemarket, street party, costume party, Orange Fest. Bring something orange to wear if you are here on April 30th, or buy something orange to remember the day with.

Yesterday – we went for a bit of walk to the old Irish Pub in Houtplein in Haarlem, to discover a revamped, modern club like pub where they were playing vinyl records of Hammond Organ pieces from the 50s, believe it or not.

And no television in sight so no more football.

They very generously told us that football, that is Rugby football can be viewed at the Café Pitcher, in Koningstraat Haarlem. Now of course I didn’t know 6 nations rugby is currently being played. I do now.

As it happens we didn’t know where Koningstraat was, but did happen upon it simply walking home down one of roads while avoiding the Grote Markt – where a market was on. Café Pitcher was closed so we had no idea what was in store for us. But helpfully the sign outside said that they open at 2 and rugby would be on.

We went home, off loaded our shopping and wandered back – planning to be there around 2 to be certain of a seat. Seating was no problem – we sat at a table positioned well for the huge screen. There was the barman, and a young man from Fiji, who plays rugby for an expat team in Den Haag. So we four watched the rugby together. Several times I lamented that I didn’t have my knitting with me, which you might think odd, but I am a serious knitter just as the blokes around me are serious rugby commentators.

We watched the Welsh / Scottish game and what a game it turned out to be. We walked home between games and I collected my knitting – which right now is a black ball warmer for a cold ball in Haarlem – and just as well because the French / Irish game was not so interesting. Our huge audience of 4 became 5 with the addition of a Frenchman. We were all very generous in our praise of the activities in the games. The commentary was very refined – I think that it helped that there were no Fijians, no All Blacks, no Aussies, and no South Africans teams playing.

Knitting black yarn in a dark pub is not easy – but I managed.

If you want a great little pub with a great big screen, it is here in Haarlem at the Café Pitcher in Koningstraat.