Christmas List - For those who dono what to get me, but want to

- Ugg like slippers, dont have to be uggs, I just need something to slip on after going out in the snow and need to take my boots off.

- Robe (silky, something light I can just wear to the toilet in the middle of the night)

- Light V-neck or slope neck sweaters (I need to put my snow jacket over them, so not too heavy) Any color and cute styles.

- Ski/wool socks (ITS COLD HERE!!!)

- Toms Shoes

- 8 gb CF card

- Fitted Black Snow Jacket with Fur hood (not slick but slightly waterproof), like a down

jacket.... Large I think...

- Leather Jackie-O style gloves, size 8.5

- Yoga Pants

- Yoga mat

- Snow boots --- WANT THESE!!! Click on the underlined link to see them.

- Thick, wide cable scarf , 1 foot wide.

- Black low top converse

- White girly beanie

Ill think of more if this doesn't help. Love and Thanks. xoxox

Update -- Fuckh8 t-shirt. Maybe the "some girls f* girls" t-shirt. $20 dollars on fuckh8.com

http://fckh8.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/womens-fitted-black-american-apparel-tri-blend-fckh8-1 - Large Please!!

European Plug Chi Hair Straightener

Pair of Skull Candy Headphones (The over the ear type, not ear buds) ....Red Green or Blue please! Pink is okay too!

Last Day Alone, Vrijdag

So they are coming home today. Bryan, Arie and Lora that is. I have been alone at the house since tuesday and still didnt find time to write even short blogs.... Or I was just being L.A.Z.Y (shhhhh....).

I put up the Christmas Tree...

Which I was bummed about but now like seeing it every morning.

And today I scanned a bunch of photos of Bryan when he was a baby. So adorable!

Het Sneuwt

The first frost of the season occurred yesterday.


I woke up to see almost everything frozen, but still no snow. Though, in some locations (heading towards Tiel) It appeared that it had snowed (a mere 5 miles from our house). It was freezing though. Like just a blast of coldness that makes your skin instantly dry. I’ve been itching for 2 days now. But I got a new coat, that when paired with a sweater, keeps me amazingly warm. It was well worth the €7,-- I paid for it. I think it was lightly used.

Then today happened. I diligently called all the people I needed to, including the IND and found out that my ID card was ready to be picked up. 20 minutes later, the power went out. Since neither of us could work with the power out, I asked Bryan to drive me to ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Which I learned to spell properly today!) to pick up my card. YAY!!

Then this afternoon Bryan called me up, while he was working in the back of the building and asked “have you looked outside?” I said no as I walked to the living room to peak outside. It was snowing and sticking. The ground was lightly dusted with white. As it got dark the house lights shined on the snowflakes like glitter falling from the sky.

A lot of little things have happened since I wrote last, but the first snow of the season and my ID is way worth mentioning. Unfortunately the internet is being fidgety, but I am going to try to write a short blurb everyday from now on. I don’t get out of the house much for some reason though…maybe its because im afraid to drive here…dono.

OH! We had a Thanksgiving party. All our friends were there Hanneke’s family, Arno’s Family, William, Irene, Mandy and Sauna. Jorit helped me wrap up the cooking, which made their kitchen look like a tornado went through it and then all the guys helped Mandy and Sauna do the first clean up. It was really adorable! I was so pooped though by the time dinner was over, and didn’t really enjoy eating because I had stressed myself out so much that eating made me feel sick. I made all the food and threw in some last minute Hors d’oeuvres. There is a recipe on my GFKB site for my new GF Spinach dip, which is really good with gluten free white bread. The GF rendition of my moms Pomegranate Cheese Cake was a HUGE hit, though the Gluten Free Goddess’ Vegan pumpkin pies weren’t a big hit, even with me, and I LOVE PUMPKIN PIE.

Bryan and I visited Germany for a week and I found a new Sushi Restaurant that is Gluten free Savvy! The only restaurant we went to where they didn’t look at me crossed eyed at the mention of GF, he even told me that they had Tamari “So I could enjoy my sushi there, too” lol. The Guy behind the bar was so sweet and kept watching to make sure I was okay. Bryan and I REALLY enjoyed it (Bryan even ate 3 rolls!! ...though they were California and shrimp rolls….)

If I get this online, Ill post the photos tomorrow, but Bryan is heading off to Germany without me in the morning, so ill be alone for 3 days….just me and the animals. I get to decorate for Christmas though….alone…WOOO HOOOO….not really. Oh well.

In Germany...

No Halloween?

Okay, So there is no Halloween here in Holland. What the hell? I thought that earth based religions were started in Europe...

*Rant*

(I mean wasnt that the reason the whole witch hunts here started?...Which is a whole other story for American history...Weren't the pilgrims running from religious persecution when they went to the states....and then they had the gaul to persecute men and women believed to be practicing witchcraft, which btw still hasnt changed and never has been worship of the devil.)

*Rant complete*

But anyways I was extremely disappointed to find that all hallows eve was not celebrated. Nor was halloween. Then I started noticing Jack-o-Lanterns. I asked everyone, why are there those if you dont celebrate. "Well, I dont know" was the common response. Ive seen signs for Halloween parties and Bryan has heard event promos on the radio for Halloween eve parties. "Must have some American influence..." - That I dont believe, I think there are people out there who just know what the holiday is, American influence or not. I mean Halloween doesnt have to be kids running around in costume, that I think is the American part. But why not freak yourself out? Why not indulge in scary movies? tours or haunted houses?

Well the haunted house bit is exactly what I plan to do, and guess what I found in my research. THERE ARE HAUNTED TOURS and SCARY STORIES through this ONE CASTLE, and not only in ONE PLACE, but multiple are doing it. Strange for a country who doesnt celebrate halloween huh? or maybe its that American influence.

So the question is; what am I going to do?

There is a castle 1/2 hour from us in Waardenberg.

Photo credit to Waardenburg Castle Website

This place has been around since the 1200 and though it was owned by multiple owners and has seen 2 wars, both of which lead to major reconstruction, it also housed a famous sorcerer, Dr. Johann Georg Faust. Evidentially he sold his soul to the devil and for some reason the Devil severed him for 7 years as a servant. Weather Faust was aware that his servant was in fact the devil or not, was not told in the story I read. Faust was very awful to this servant, Joost and made him do things like build a road only to tear it up again or dump a bag of bird seed into thorn bushes to make him refill the bag.

After 7 years, evidentially the Devil took what was due. He grabbed faust by the ankle, threw him against the stone wall of his study, splattering his brains across the walls, only to drag his body through barred windows and "drag his soul to hell."

Note* Do I believe this? No. I don't believe in the Devil, but I do believe in Evil, and I think his servant was fed up and murdered his master. Legends are made out of the unexplainable evil one person can conjure up.

Unfortunately this castle is not open to public inspection, but does have A LOT of ghostly activity, evidently.

Second Choice

Museum De Heksenwaag

I may be able to do this, on the way to another place, but its something I want to do regardless of Halloween. There is a museum in Oudewater (my friend Alicia found it first...but I think its awesome) where you can be weighed as a test of witchery or not.

This was an actual test during the witch hunts in the 17th century given to the town by the Emperor Karel V. This was the only fair weighing process given to any european city. Luckily, it was fair because no one was ever convicted.

I want my certificate.

Third Choice

Photo Compliments of Google Search of Maastricht Underground.

Maastricht; Mergelmaand

This is an underground tour, starting at 7:30 or 9:00 pm. They will be telling a ghost story about "The lost girl" while giving a tour of this castles underground tunnels. The city was attacked so many times through seven centuries that there was constant reconstruction and better tactics laid out. Eventually this underground system was developed to surprise attack the enemy. The underground passages were build to house 5000 military men.

Later the cities underground system was used as air-raid shelters to protect the cities peoples during World War II and the Cold War.

I have found a few other haunted castles, their tour-ability, unknown. Their spookiness...not as thrilling as the one that is not too far from us. One even has a ghost horse that supposedly took a hunter who tried to kill him to hell. OOoooOOoooOOO....

This is my, Im not impressed face....

Meeting Willie and Klaus

Purple Beans?? yes its true! I have some!! =)



Long awaited by grandma bev. - Photos of Klaus and Willie's house.

Bryan, Arie and I all went to have lunch with grandma bev's friend who lives here in Holland. They are Lilac farmers, the only ones that do winter blooms for Lilacs. Willie is a dear friend to my grandma and my step-father. She took care of my step-dad and his brothers when they were kids.

The Business end of the house.






The Three of us.
This is worth going back to this resturant for. Ginger balls in syrup with vanilla ijs and slagroom. (ice cream and whipped cream) =)
Willies House, Inside

HAS INTERNET

I can proudly say, I have internet in my bedroom!

Though this may entice some of my family and friends to skype me (all night long) please try to remember the time difference and refrain from calling me at 3am....unless its a dire emergency. =)

I also will be able to post more. YAY!! its too cold to go downstairs and I dont like dragging my laptop around all over. Unfortunately this also means Bryan will be gaming....but atleast we will be together (in the room) while I work on my stuff and he games.

happy happy joy joy.

lot of new stuff to come!

Wort Wakker

So, I got up this morning at 5:30 to go for a run, but....because its now October, the sun wont be rising until 7:50. Now Im stuck with a dilemma... Go out in the dark and run? or wait until there is a glint of light, at which case everyone else may be starting to wake up? Maybe Ill go when Bryan wakes up.