Eternal Beau: Suddenly it's nearly New Year.

I realise it has been a while but I have an excuse...I've been working five days a week for the past term, and quite frankly keeping up to date on Facebook has been all I've been able to achieve. Coming home tired, having a social life out of school, and generally keeping everything together has kept me well and truly occupied. I haven't even mentioned the emails that I respond to almost daily...therefore I hope you understand.

I'm going to post some pictures and use them to fill in the past two months or so - when you see what's been happening you'll soon agree that a blog update would have been the least important thing on my mind (not that I don't love all my readers).

Kitchen extension finally finished so furniture was rearranged and placed appropriately around the apartment. The CD collection plus vinyl albums at last in their correct places.

Office finished with two comfortable chairs.

Even now we have to finish the tiling of splashbacks and the dining table lights. The tiles were selected yesterday (27/12/12) and will arrive soon (we hope). I want to pick the light/s for the dining room by the end of next week ready for our Australia Day party.

Office is very comfortable and is where I spend a lot of time at home.

At the end of October the family came for Rene's birthday. Sister in law Svetlana's mother (beside my niece Anneke) was visiting from Belarus. As usual, they come with their dogs, so in the late afternoon we all went to walk the beach - twelve people and three dogs. That evening we had dinner in Kijkduin after walking from home (3km along the beach). Great family!

Apartment swallows up visitors easily.

Rene received lots of beers from the Brabant region...and they were all delicious!

Alkmaar - we visited for the day by train. This 16thC building has had many uses in it's life and in the summer it features famous cheese sales in the square. Plan on going there with our Australian visitors next spring.

Only beer museum in the country - and entry was free with our Museum Card.

Many hofjes are found in The Netherlands. This one was open to visitors during certain hours. Had a lovely chat with two ladies taking tea in the beautiful garden. One had lived there for nine years, the other fifteen.A hofje is a Dutch word for a courtyard with almshouses around it. They have existed since the Middle Ages.
A hofje provided housing for elderly people (mostly women). They were privately funded, and served as a form of social security. In the Netherlands there are still a number of hofjes in use.
Hofjes are usually built in a U-shape with a yard or garden in the middle, and a gate as entrance.

This is the view that greets you walking through the main gate. This is in Alkmaar, but the most are found in Utrecht.

Autumn was colourful, and this Alkmaar windmill shows off this seasonal phenomenon.

That day, after returning from the day in Alkmaar, we met up with Utrecht friends who work in Den Haag for drinks and dinner. Rene has many friends from his university days. Sonje is a charming and energetic mother of two boys and has just changed jobs (still with the government). Lots to chat about.

Wouter, Sonje's husband, was also at uni with Rene. He works with an aid agency and is often overseas as well as in The Netherlands. I think I'm looking a bit tired, but my excuse is that it was late, had been a big day and was several drinks into the night.

One Sunday we visited the tram museum, met a Dutchman - an ex Brisbane tram driver (he left in 1969) - and among the old transport items saw the mock up of the new narrow trams coming from Siemens in 2014. The low floor trams will replace old rolling stock on our #11 and #17 tram routes from middle of 2014. This will enhance the city's already impressive transport network.

One Sunday we were in the south visiting the Family Dings and after snacks and drinks we walked in the forst with the dogs and when we returned the cafe had food and drinks for us plus bowls of fresh water for the dogs and their own sealed fresh containers of dog biscuits for the hunds. Nice thoughtful touch - although we are talking about a nation serious about their love of dogs.

Recently took this photo of the low sun streaming across the house. This 'cruel' sun also shows up any lapses in house cleaning, but luckily the sun rarely stays all day so once the dull grey skies reappear all is forgotten - although the worst dustball culprits get short shrift from the 'Swiffer'.

Sint arrives at one of my schools astride a white horse. He had arrievd from Spain earlier on a steamboat at the harbour.

A huge assembly for Sint's arrival - lots of community singing and speeches.

Rene's youngest brother, Jack, turned 50. This was in his garden near Eindhoven. Family decorated it with pictures of significant events in Jack's life.

Claartje and Jan hang up decorations in the freezing cold. Luckily we weren't out there for very long.

Jack's main gift/s were sewn into this giant fish (he adores fishing).

Following more snacks the family played the annual Sint game of passing around and opening presents which we had all brought along - you roll a die and according to the number you move , swap or select presents until 30 minutes is up. Rene and I have been showering with our Nivea Mens Pack toiletries for a while now and we've enjoyed the litre stone bottle of spiced liquor from Brabant (delicious over ice). It's only 13%.

Late November saw Sinterklaas appear and so we participated in all sorts of fun things to keep the excitement just below boiling point - this Monday morning He had visited over the weekend and his offsider Zwarte Piet had exhibited his mischievious side by messing up the room whilst Sint had placed a mandarine and chocolate Sinterklaas in each and every shoe left by the children.

This was my version of shepherd's pie made with Dutch minced lamb and leeks in the potato on top - it was really delicious and illustrates the fact that I can cook, but prefer not to.