joy and heartache

I am up here with the little boys filling in our last few days of summer holidays.Next week it is back to school-new grades,new uniforms and no more little ones at home.Oliver is shiny shooed and ready to embark on full time big kid education.Bye bye baby......

In stark contrast to the weather so many of you have been experiencing, and until a week ago we were rather enjoying,here it has been unbearably hot.We are here to visit family,primarily my Grandfather who was knocked over by the heat and does not seem to be recovering terribly well.He completely forgot my name today.Not that I am his grand daughter but the simple statement of my name.Quite confronting but it was only a moment.I can only imagine how devastating it must be for those with beloved relatives who suffer conditions that render their memory unreliable.

Trying to keep this a happy place, I will leave that where it is and show you something gorgeous.I'm sure Grampa would completely agree.

Amsterdam was heaven.I loved it.The only trouble we had was crossing the road.I know! I'm fussy-I like to get to the other side in one piece rather than being skittled by bicycles and trams.Obviously we survived,and a good thing we did,because we went here...

Wandering around we discovered this fantastic basement store of Sissy Boy.We agreed we could simply move in! Clothes for all of us,those cool new swivel skate boards(happy boys were allowed to play on them thanks to very friendly staff!),a cafe,books,home wares.It was all there and it was yummy!!

I want these tea lights! They were like sparkling jewels on the table.

On many wanderings along streets and over bridges we walked passed this little shop.It was closed and in my rush to take a photo and catch up I neglected to write down the name of it.As such I don't know the name of the artist who made these characters (or this shop !) I love the saucy mask wearing femme fatale particularly!

And a little romance.

On my 'to do' list for this brand new year is 'make olie bollen'.Dutch donuts are incredible and I suspect that really I would not be doing myself any favours by mastering the frying of them.Perhaps if I were a gym junkie but I'm not.Did I mention that they are dusted in a thick layer of icing sugar and everyone knows you have devoured one because you are wearing most of it down your front?!

From Amsterdam we took the train to Lille.At first we weren't sure why we had chosen to go there but once we discovered the old part of town we were hooked.And we ate lots of cheese.Really really good cheese!!

We were well and truly spoiled with some Christmas magic.Markets and music and fairy lights.Oh....and we went on this ENORMOUS ferris wheel.Husband did quip that we might be on the late night news but get in a tin spinning bucket we did.

I admit to staring longingly at the horizon as looking at the Christmas scenes spread out below me was not doing anyone any favours.Husband used the term 'hysterical'.Sweet huh?The buckets were attached via a pole to a bracket above.Some insane people were spinning their buckets of terror.Spinning them!.

Isn't it so very beautiful though??

And now we are eating French donuts.Very different-small and soft and they come in a large paper cone!I'll fight you for the last one...........

Our breakfast staple.Mmmmmmmmm.Notice they are both staring off to the side?A very tall very very cold model was shooting a commercial for a handbag company.They were fascinated by the number of bulldog clips she had down her back pulling in the tops for a better shape.Once we pointed out the woman doing ,on a tiny scale, what I used to do (looking after the costumes-new bag new outfit )they were hooked.I must admit it was nice sitting back with my family and watching from a distance.

I am off to wash my hair.The beach was closed today due to a huge amount of bluebottles(stinging jellyfish).The lifeguard told us that over 150 people had been stung in between the flags alone!Taking his advice and staying out of the water we went to the local pool-with everyone else mind you! My hair is feeling skanky.Chlorine is nasty stuff.xxx

Comments

[Kari]

So nice to see you back and posting again! I'm itching to travel, so I'm enjoying your trip vicariously!

[Jurga]

That cat from the unnamed little shop looks like these kitties from "Penquin and fish" - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5098432

[Irene]

So glad you had such a nice time! I loved the pictures (and is that a Cath Kidston bag? Santa brought me one in blue!).

[Bianca]

Willing, ready and able to assist you with the consumption of excess Ollie Bollen! We LOVED it when we were there. Would even settle for the recipe if you don't want to share finished product!

[byPetra]

Wow, you've bin in Amsterdam, and I didn't know ;-) Nice shop is 'De sprookjeswinkel' isn't it? Did you buy anything there?

xx Petra

[kitschen pink]

Oh my goodness! Shopping heaven! I am amazed to find I understand Dutch; "klik hier voor de webshop" Yes please!
Just LOOK at your beautiful darling boys! And you put them in a tin bucket hanging from a piece of steel and let them fly through the air - I feel nauseous just looking at those fairground rides! No, decidedly not pretty - pass me a sick bag!
Sorry about your grandpa. On the upside, we have family with alzheimers and whilst it causes heartache, the one blessing is that, with the right routines, the sufferer suffers least. You just have to keep smiling for them! t.xx