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

Queens Day / Koninginnedag : or is it Orange Crazy Day – for the House of Orange.

The shops are full of Orange merchandise right from 1st April – not just for the week prior to the big day. My memory from last year is obviously a bit out of tune. Is that short term or long term memory loss? (just checking being of the older age spectrum).

I have seen – Orange Stetsons, Orange boa, Orange eye lashes, Orange G Strings, so totally Orange sunglasses (worthy of Elton John), Orange pendants, flags, balloons, candles, Orange hats with Orange flowers, T-shirts, belts, Orange wigs (2 types even), Orange gumboots, aprons, Orange socks, and clogs, Orange crepe paper, Orange origami cranes, Orange bunting, posters, skirts, flowers including tulips, Orange Chefs Hats. In fact one could be forgiven for thinking one is in a vast stand of heavily laden Valencia orange trees and a mighty wind just blew all the oranges down to the ground and we are to be lost and swallowed under a mountain of Oranges or should that be under a mountain of things Orange. I think the later is kinder, a mountain of Oranges may not be so good for the bones.

Orange is so important, that if it can be made, it can be made in orange.

All these photos were taken on Sunday afternoon in Haarlem

I have bought myself the perfect Orange hat with Orange flowers on it and when I have a photograph taken of it with me wearing it, I shall post it here. I am really not sure if silver grey hair and an orange hat will go well together or not. You can let me know later.

We have bought a couple Orange glass candle holders with candles. We did use them last evening, just testing the effect of Orange ambient light – and it was okay. We have not bought 3 foot high candles designed to be pushed into the ground and lit at the right time as we have absolutely no ground in which to put them.

I have bought Orange acrylic yarn – and if I can get it done in time I will create something knitted in Orange for out there in the world – for a small Orange yarn bombing, graffiti art knit (maybe not art) thing or two. trouble with Orange yarnbombing is that it may never ever be noticed amongst all that floaty, floating, flowing, flowering, flimsy, fragrant, fragile, and fresh Orange everywhere on April 30th.

On the day – there will be Orange food, not just Oranges – but food with Orange colouring, Orange cakes, Orange icing, Orange marzipan, Orange names of menu items, Orange menus, Orange boats, people wearing all sorts of Orange items (not all could really be called clothing, especially as this event is also part of the gay festival season as well as the celebration of the Queens birthday). It will be the Orange Party of the year – as of course every year it is the Orange Party of the year and the party will continue over the weekend.

This year we have noted that the Amsterdam railway station is having issues with its cleaners and the cleaners are on strike. The station is an absolute shambles.

Last year the day after Queens Day we were in Amsterdam and it was one largely orange covered place. I hope the cleaners will not be on strike in the streets of Amsterdam as well as those on strike at the station because then Amsterdam could be Orange for many many days – because Orange Day and the amazing party that happens creates soooo much Orange litter.

Which is of course why every year there is new mechandise to be purchased for this amazing event and celebration.

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

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.

Queen’s Day is also world famous (in the Netherlands?) for the Orange Craze.

These pictures are from “About.com” Take a look to see more.

People wear orange clothing, hats, orange boas and other quite interesting creative orange accessories. The Royal household is the House of Orange so there will be orange banners, orange coloured foods & drinks, orange cards, orange everywhere. So if you will be in the Netherlands on April 30th do bring at the very least your orange t-shirt. If you should forget there will many orange offerings for sale on the street from g-strings, to cowboy hats and everything between.

On Queen’s Day there is also a “freemarket” (Dutch: vrijmarkt) all over the country, where everybody is allowed to sell anything they wish in the streets. Last year the streets of Haarlem were lined with stalls and groundsheets and tables laden with everything and anything that you could imagine for sale somewhere. Children selling toys they have outgrown, people baked cakes and sold them, oranges, orange juice, clothing, books, records, videos, cd’s, tapes, car bits, tv’s, kitchen stuff, jewellery, junk – absolutely anything can be sold on this day. There were miles and miles of sellers.

They do not allow garage sales here – so they have this free market day once a year as well as other fleamarkets where you can sell your surplus whatever that might be. Queens Day was great and this year I am really looking forward to it. Last year we didn’t know quite what to expect – even though we had seen people preparing for it for the week before by starting to wear orange items and many shops had wonderful orange displays.

If you come to the Netherlands at the time of any one of their amazing celebrations – check out the shop windows, they make such an effort and the art and design of them is quite incredible. We had been told the Dutch are stoic and do not know how to celebrate – that is a serious lie. I have never seen so much celebration.

Maybe this is just not the right day for a Knit art Graffitti installation on a Ball in Haarlem.

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.

I nearly forgot – 6 Nations Rugby tomorrow at the Cafe Pitcher. Best Beloved will not forget and I hope you don’t either. We will be in the Netherlands for about another 18 months or so and there will be more Rugby to see like the Rugby World Cup – I hope we will still be able to see it here in Haarlem.

So there you have it – Cafe Pitcher has a bar, Dart boards, interesting photographs, interesting art directly on the walls, well labelled toilets, my table, my knitting and I understand they also hold jam sessions on Sundays, and wait for it – they currently show Rugby Football on a very big screen.

Come and check it out tomorrow – Wales against Italy at 3.30 local Haarlem time. The Cafe Pitcher in English and in Dutch. Unfortunately the website does not mention the rugby.

But believe me it is on. See you there.

We have taken down the scarf – it took longer than our estimated 5 seconds and we left the scarf hanging over the tree supports for someone who needs a newish scarf. There are spring bulbs showing their new leaves already, and some are in flower. I don’t know the flower and have taken a photo – so will post the photo and name when I know what it is.

Best Beloved did take a video – but the camera locked somehow and the video didn’t process so no video recording. He really did do a great dramatic rave as I snipped the threads to remove the scarf. We have learned something from our previous videos. It is a shame it will not be heard.

So you will just have to imagine it – 2 oldies marching across the park, a tree wearing a fashion scarf, a tiny pair of very sharp scissors, a sunny day, a park with quite a few people in it and we just calmly snipped the threads and removed the scarf – no reaction.

Next winter we will need something bigger if we wish to attract any sort of attention, but then I am not sure that was the intention. I think I was concerned we would attract attention and have to explain ourselves to some authoritative figure. How do you explain this activity. I really don’t know.

I was sent an email about knit art graffiti,

I saw several cold trees in a park on a bitterly cold day, with much snow on the ground.

I had a number of scarves

2 and 2 make scarves on trees. HHHmmmmm don’t know how we would have managed any authoritative attention.

I do hope someone likes the scarf and wears it.

Our tree in Kenaupark in Haarlem, on installation day on January 10th 2010. A beautiful cold crisp day and a beautiful young tree.

Best Beloved and I have been several times over these weeks to check the tree, and to check for the continuing presence of the scarf. As late as yesterday (Saturday 6th March in Haarlem), the scarf was still there. Now we think we should disrobe the tree. (or is that dis scarf, or descarf? probably not)

We have seen the tree in its scarf – in many conditions – very wet, covered in snow, bright against the snow and frosty. Today it is in bright bright sunshine on a gorgeous Sunday in Haarlem, the temperature being around 1 degree according to Accuweather

Wet Tree & Scarf in Haarlem Park

The canals are hovering towards freezing again and for a brief time this morning the bird restaurant was in the sun.

We have had a lot of fun with the tree and scarf. It is interesting that we have received helpful comments from all over the world regarding our exploits here. But there has only been one direct comment from a Dutch person about this tree and its scarf. Thank you Camiel

So in the early afternoon we shall take our tools – (one pair of scissors) and snip the single thread that keeps the scarf from sagging unfashionably down the trunk, and then a couple of snips along the length of the scarf and it will be over. It might take 5 seconds maybe, and maybe our camera will manage the shortest video ever taken in the world.

I don’t know what we will do next winter to brighten our days as we will have to think of something else, because the Great Balls of Haarlem have been removed, and we do not know if they will return, and I am not planning to knit scarves for trees next year. So it will have to be something absolutely new and different.

We wandered into Cafe Pitcher on Saturday 27th – to see the 6 nations Rugby battle continue and to grab our table, the one where I could knit as well as watch the screen should I wish to. There were a couple of young men already at the bar. I pulled out my knitting and one of them said “I see you have your knitting”, What? and then he said “I read your blog”. What – you read my blog?

“Yes”, he said – in a perfect English accent, “that is why we are here” and the other young man spoke with a perfect Irish brogue. Okay – it turns out that they know Camiel, who originally commented on the blog. And Camiel arrived – perfect Irish brogue, what else. They were an interesting group – nattering away to the barman in perfect Dutch without the English or Irish accents. Silly me – I said “where did you learn to speak Dutch so well”? – answer of course – “here, and we are Dutch”. Wow.

I am glad it was dark, although I am no longer easily embarrassed, age helps that. These three with perfect English and Irish accents are actually Dutchmen. They have lived in Ireland or in England and are all passionate about rugby and it seems Irish rugby most of all, and just maybe, particularly passionate, when it is the Irish against the English.

During the first game there was a lot of enthusiastic calling for the Italians – and it turns out one of these young men has a sister who lives and works in Italy. I guess he might some issues when Italy played Ireland, but then again, maybe not.

It was brilliant – they sang the Irish Rugby Anthem – Ireland’s Call with such power and passion, we were all mesmerized. I wish I had recorded the singing – it really was fantastic.

Others came into the bar, and just sat silent, maybe they were nervous about being English, this being a very passionate afternoon.

It was a great being there, watching the rugby, knitting and listening. I do hope we all meet again.

Now I do think there will be many of you who have seen some of this activity – because I keep telling you all about it.

Read all about it

Headline in the paper (well on a website)

Read all about it

There is a tree – it has a scarf, it has now had that scarf along its slender trunk since Sunday the 10th January. I have visited it several times since and Best Beloved has as well. The tree looks great, the scarf is perfect for it – little flashes of colour surrounded by pristine white snow.

Well spring is coming, and we have lived in this little house for a year almost exactly. Our stuff was moved in on Feb 15th 2009, and by the 17th we were living here. We still had to bring stuff on foot and by bus over the next week or so, from our wonderful apartment – so I am calling today our 1st anniversary in this house.

With spring on its way – the last snow was last night, and we are sure there will not be any more – and it was such a gentle, soft dusting of snow. We are now very suddenly in plus temperatures – even up to 8 – positively balmy, wouldn’t you say?

So we are going to disrobe the tree very soon, in preparation for spring warmth, birds and bees and all that stuff. So I thought that I should show the collection of photos that are on flickr – from the original event.

You can click on the photos in the slideshow to view them and if you then click on the all sizes tab above the photo – you will get great detail.

If you prefer you can click here to see them as well. Then you could see our Haarlem Ball Warmer photos as well.

We hope that the tree will not be disrobed by someone else now that it has been clothed for so long. Originally we thought someone might need a scarf themselves, and we would not have minded at all. After all it has been a beastly winter although extraordinarily beautiful, and just so cold. So had the scarf gone, that would have been fine, but it has been there now for nearly 7 weeks. I want to take it down myself now. Should we video the event – what do you think?

I’ll keep you posted.

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.