Friday, December 16, 2005
Friday, December 09, 2005
We've moved AGAIN...
We are back in Amsterdam... actually we live in the coolest neighbourhood in town. The Helmersbuurt, or the Bosboom Toussaintstraat to be even more specific. For those of you familiar with A'dam, it's near the Leidseplein and the Overtoom. It's a nice apartment too, about 70 m2, which isn't big but big enough. Furnished, not exactly to our taste but it'll do and it has those cool high ceilings...
Other than the moving thing not much to report. Marina is in Mallorca on a course... public speaking!? :) And I'm pretty busy with work. I'm going to take a week off between X-mas and New Year's so Marina and I might just go someplace. Also, I'm going snowboarding for 10 days in France at the end of January so that should be pretty cool too...
Other than the moving thing not much to report. Marina is in Mallorca on a course... public speaking!? :) And I'm pretty busy with work. I'm going to take a week off between X-mas and New Year's so Marina and I might just go someplace. Also, I'm going snowboarding for 10 days in France at the end of January so that should be pretty cool too...
Monday, November 14, 2005
Vlieland
Family weekend... parents, sisters, brother-in-law, niece, Marina and me in a house on one of the 'Wadden-islands'... Vlieland. FYI - the Waddeneilanden are a string of islands on the northern Dutch coast.
We had a very good time. Walks on the beach, biking across the island, lots of food and LOTS of drinks and great company of course. Very nice.
We had a very good time. Walks on the beach, biking across the island, lots of food and LOTS of drinks and great company of course. Very nice.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Skydiving
Aaaaaah... I went skydiving again for the first time in ages. It was great to be up in the air again! The weather was pretty good, not too cold and only a short break due to clouds. Did 4 jumps, 3 of which were sit-fly's with a jumper from the States. Fun skydives, if not 100% successful.
Sunday, Marina and I went to the East of the NL (1 1/2 hour drive) and visited the monastery where my father's uncle used to live. We also went to the zoo and for dinner in Arnhem. Was ok but in the end zoos are pretty sad. The smaller animals are just funny, especially the penguins and the ... whatever they are called (see pics) but they also have tigers, elephants and monkeys and to keep those kinds of animals captive seems ... well, wrong. Anyway, we had a nice weekend.
Sunday, Marina and I went to the East of the NL (1 1/2 hour drive) and visited the monastery where my father's uncle used to live. We also went to the zoo and for dinner in Arnhem. Was ok but in the end zoos are pretty sad. The smaller animals are just funny, especially the penguins and the ... whatever they are called (see pics) but they also have tigers, elephants and monkeys and to keep those kinds of animals captive seems ... well, wrong. Anyway, we had a nice weekend.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
The beach
Marina came back from the UK, enlightened and ready to linguisticly program the universe :)
The weather's been amazing this weekend. So we went to the beach on Sunday. Living in Haarlem means it's a 10 minute ride to the coast. In true Dutch fashion it was busy as hell but still very nice. Check out the pics below...
The weather's been amazing this weekend. So we went to the beach on Sunday. Living in Haarlem means it's a 10 minute ride to the coast. In true Dutch fashion it was busy as hell but still very nice. Check out the pics below...
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Mom's Birthday
My mom had her birthday this weekend (the 16th of Oktober). She turned a certain round number that I am sure she would not like me to post on the net... Anyway we thought it'd be nice to give her a picture of her children in a nice frame. So we took a couple of pics ourselves (see below). Given the results we have decided to have them taken by a professional (no offence Roel :)
Anyway, the birthday was very nice. Just a small family affair as we had already celebrated the combined birthdays of both Mom and Dad earlier.
Anyway, the birthday was very nice. Just a small family affair as we had already celebrated the combined birthdays of both Mom and Dad earlier.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
A Poem!
Here's a novelty on this site!
A POEM! Hah...
Anyway, it's a poem about engineers (if you'll believe it!) I have no idea why I post it here because I'm hardly an engineer at all and I certainly do not fit the description in the poem. But it's the one and only poem that I know and I sort of like it.
So here you have it:
The Sons Of Marthaby Rudyard Kipling
The Sons of Mary seldom bother, for they have inherited that good part;
But the Sons of Martha favour their Mother of the careful soul and the troubled heart.
And because she lost her temper once, and because she was rude to the Lord her Guest,
Her Sons must wait upon Mary's Sons, world without end, reprieve, or rest.
It is their care in all the ages to take the buffet and cushion the shock.
It is their care that the gear engages; it is their care that the switches lock.
It is their care that the wheels run truly; it is their care to embark and entrain,
Tally, transport, and deliver duly the Sons of Mary by land and main.
They say to mountains ``Be ye removèd.'' They say to the lesser floods ``Be dry.''
Under their rods are the rocks reprovèd---they are not afraid of that which is high.
Then do the hill-tops shake to the summit---then is the bed of the deep laid bare,
That the Sons of Mary may overcome it, pleasantly sleeping and unaware.
They finger Death at their gloves' end where they piece and repiece the living wires.
He rears against the gates they tend: they feed him hungry behind their fires.
Early at dawn, ere men see clear, they stumble into his terrible stall,
and hale him forth like a haltered steer, and goad and turn him till evenfall.
To these from birth is Belief forbidden; from these till death is Relief afar.
They are concerned with matters hidden---under the earthline their altars are---
The secret fountains to follow up, waters withdrawn to restore to the mouth,
And gather the floods as in a cup, and pour them again at a city's drouth.
They do not preach that their God will rouse them a little before the nuts work loose.
They do not preach that His Pity allows them to drop their job when they damn-well choose.
As in the thronged and the lighted ways, so in the dark and the desert they stand,
Wary and watchful all their days that their brethren's ways may be long in the land.
Raise ye the stone or cleave the wood to make a path more fair or flat;
Lo, it is black already with the blood some Son of Martha spilled for that!
Not as a ladder from earth to Heaven, not as a witness to any creed,
But simple service simply given to his own kind in their common need.
And the Sons of Mary smile and are blessèd---they know the Angels are on their side.
They know in them is the Grace confessèd, and for them are the Mercies multiplied.
They sit at the feet---they hear the Word---they see how truly the Promise runs.
They have cast their burden upon the Lord, and---the Lord He lays it on Martha's Sons!
A POEM! Hah...
Anyway, it's a poem about engineers (if you'll believe it!) I have no idea why I post it here because I'm hardly an engineer at all and I certainly do not fit the description in the poem. But it's the one and only poem that I know and I sort of like it.
So here you have it:
The Sons Of Marthaby Rudyard Kipling
The Sons of Mary seldom bother, for they have inherited that good part;
But the Sons of Martha favour their Mother of the careful soul and the troubled heart.
And because she lost her temper once, and because she was rude to the Lord her Guest,
Her Sons must wait upon Mary's Sons, world without end, reprieve, or rest.
It is their care in all the ages to take the buffet and cushion the shock.
It is their care that the gear engages; it is their care that the switches lock.
It is their care that the wheels run truly; it is their care to embark and entrain,
Tally, transport, and deliver duly the Sons of Mary by land and main.
They say to mountains ``Be ye removèd.'' They say to the lesser floods ``Be dry.''
Under their rods are the rocks reprovèd---they are not afraid of that which is high.
Then do the hill-tops shake to the summit---then is the bed of the deep laid bare,
That the Sons of Mary may overcome it, pleasantly sleeping and unaware.
They finger Death at their gloves' end where they piece and repiece the living wires.
He rears against the gates they tend: they feed him hungry behind their fires.
Early at dawn, ere men see clear, they stumble into his terrible stall,
and hale him forth like a haltered steer, and goad and turn him till evenfall.
To these from birth is Belief forbidden; from these till death is Relief afar.
They are concerned with matters hidden---under the earthline their altars are---
The secret fountains to follow up, waters withdrawn to restore to the mouth,
And gather the floods as in a cup, and pour them again at a city's drouth.
They do not preach that their God will rouse them a little before the nuts work loose.
They do not preach that His Pity allows them to drop their job when they damn-well choose.
As in the thronged and the lighted ways, so in the dark and the desert they stand,
Wary and watchful all their days that their brethren's ways may be long in the land.
Raise ye the stone or cleave the wood to make a path more fair or flat;
Lo, it is black already with the blood some Son of Martha spilled for that!
Not as a ladder from earth to Heaven, not as a witness to any creed,
But simple service simply given to his own kind in their common need.
And the Sons of Mary smile and are blessèd---they know the Angels are on their side.
They know in them is the Grace confessèd, and for them are the Mercies multiplied.
They sit at the feet---they hear the Word---they see how truly the Promise runs.
They have cast their burden upon the Lord, and---the Lord He lays it on Martha's Sons!
Monday, October 03, 2005
London
And another weekend well spent! This time I went to London... Marina is doing a course there and I went to visit and celebrate her birthday (September 30th). I took the Friday off and flew to London in the morning. We spent the day looking around a bit, went to the London aquarium, took a ride on the Eye and had a dinner cruise on the Thames :)
Saturday we spent walking around the city, checking the sights and went to see a movie in the evening (Pride and Prejudice - ok, but absolute chick flick). Sunday we took it slow and just went to a pub for lunch before I had to fly back home.
Irina (classmate from the MBA) was kind enough to invite us to sleep at her place, really cool! Thanks Irina!
Saturday we spent walking around the city, checking the sights and went to see a movie in the evening (Pride and Prejudice - ok, but absolute chick flick). Sunday we took it slow and just went to a pub for lunch before I had to fly back home.
Irina (classmate from the MBA) was kind enough to invite us to sleep at her place, really cool! Thanks Irina!
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