Dutch Sjoelen Mania

 

First of all, it's pronounced SHOO-la and, translated into English, is "shuffleboard" for a table instead of the floor (as played in America).

And it really IS a Dutch game!  I first learned about it in 2013 (3 years after moving to the Netherlands from America)....

...while on our 15-day Viking River Cruise from Amsterdam, NL, to Budapest, Hungary.

Our first stop was at Kinderdijk, and because that's more-Dutch-you-cannot-get, they taught us Sjoelen.

Look at how young Astrid and I looked 12 years ago!

As you see, the game is played on a Sjoelbak (sjoelen board) which either comes with its own legs or, without legs, is set upon a table.  Each board has 4 slots at the end, into which the object is to get the most discs--30 in total--in three tries, for the highest score.

These are the 4 slots with their point values, shown by the brass tacks, totaling 10 points.

The goal is to get sets of 1-7 dics in all slots, with the score doubled for whatever you have.

So, 1 disc in all slots = 20 pts.;  2 discs = 40 pts.; 3 discs, as above =  60 pts., etc.

In the photo you see an extra disc in the 1-pt slot, which is counted as 1 pt. = 61 pts. total.

If the extra disc had been in the 4-pt. slot, it would be a total of 64 pts.

For extra credit:  With 30 discs, the high score would be 148 pts. (4 slots with 7 discs=140 pts., with 2 discs left over in the 4-pt slot = 8 pts.).  However, IF you get your 148 pts. in TWO tries, instead of the 3 allowed, you can take one of the discs from the 4-pt. slot and try playing it in the 4-pt slot again for the higher score of 152 pts.  OR if you get 148 pts. in your FIRST try, you get 2 more discs to try for 8 more pts. for the HIGHEST SCORE possible of 156 pts., which can happen in championship games!  

Are you ready to play?!

As you may remember, we spend each New Year's Eve day with dear friends, Jeannette and Femke,

who just happen to have their own sjoelbak.  This was in 2022.

Instead of playing separately we team up:  Jeannette and Astrid against Femke and moi.

This was in 2023.  Jeannette, bottom-right, is the pitbull.

She says she learned from her father.

In 2024 (barely 2 months ago!), I was doing my best....

And then THIS happened (which is where the "mania" part comes in):

A Sjoelen Club was started by one of our residents, Hans, here where we live and, when it became a weekly occurrence on Monday afternoons this year, in our recreation room, I decided to join.  I told them I want to learn better/more Dutch and they promised to help me.  Of course, I also want to play sjoelen, because I'm crazy about the game.

Hans sets up 4 sjoelbaks each week for the approximately 9-12 players thus far.

Standing up or sitting down, even in a wheelchair, anyone can play.

My high score thus far is 121 pts. (set of 6 = 120 pts. with 1-pt. extra),

but I've quickly discovered that was a miracle.  I'm happy if I'm between 90-100!

Sorry about the quality but you get the point (from this past Monday).

We each play 3 games, take a koffie break, and then play 3 more, totaling all our pts.

For my table, coming in second was just fine with me.  :)

Where's Astrid, you ask?  Because of her tinnitus, four boards with dics banging around is not a good idea!  Besides, we both want me to fend on my own to learn more Dutch.

However, Astrid CAN handle one board!  And that's why we decided to buy our own sjoelbak for our apartment, perfectly laid out on the work/play table behind our couch in front of the living-room window.  She, too, is crazy about the game, and we both want to get better for our New Year's Eve challenges with J & F.

And for granddaughter Hailey, age 6, to enjoy with us!

[photo credit:  Astrid]

Our sjoelbak arrived on Tuesday this week, and Hailey came the next day after school.

She already knew and played the game in after-school activities.

[video credit:  Astrid]

[photo credit:  Astrid]

Guess what!  Her high score was 102 pts. (set of 5 = 100 pts. + 2 pts.)!

That "little devil!"

So, there you have it.  Let the games begin!

[BTW, our senior-living community here, of 151 apartments, is still in renovation, which explains why stuff is in boxes in the bookcase.  But that's a story for another day!]

 

FIVE Fisherman Sweaters

 

ONE would be amazing.  But F I V E?  Yes.  Count them!

When I first arrived in the Netherlands (from the USA) to marry Astrid, 15 years ago, I discovered her artwork portfolio from her NIMETO creative and technical school years (age 16-20) and immediately knew I needed to digitize all of it for posterity.  You can see it at 'A' is for Astrid of All Trades, which I posted in November 2011.

Of all the things included in her creative repertoire is the first fisherman sweater she made long before I knew her, about 30 years ago. 

She made it [#1] from sheep's wool on Texel island and wears it like an everyday sweater in winter.

I didn't see Astrid make that sweater of course, but I DID see her make the next four...with my own eyes!

In 2018 she made this teal sweater [#2] for me... 

which I wore alongside hers in 2020 for our Christmas photo.

Just 2 days after her cataract surgery in January, 2023, she finished her red sweater [#3],

when she was still looking pitiful.  By Valentine's Day, a month later, she was her delightful self.

At the end of the summer last year, she completed her mustard-yellow sweater [#4],

in plenty of time for this winter's unusually cold weather.

And soon thereafter, this past November, she started this burnt-orange sweater [#5] for me, which she finished a week ago today.  I've already worn it 3 times!

If you have a retina screen, it may look red to you, but it isn't.  To be honest, I don't do red!

The burnt-orange is MY color for red and is just gorgeous.

From 2018 and 2025, basically 6 years apart!

So, of course, I asked Astrid if she plans to ever knit another FISHERMAN sweater (she has knit 3 other non-fisherman sweaters for herself), to which she said probably not...except that she has always had a navy-blue fisherman sweater in the back of her mind.  HA!  I'll keep you posted!

But like I said, ONE would be amazing enough, right!!!  But FIVE?!?  I know.  Count them!

[P.S.  And, in case you wonder, she says she's not taking any orders!]  :)

 

End-of-Life Legalities

 

Or a word to the wise (and for the record)!

After Sander died in April, 2023...without a Will, remember?...and our tax accountant retired, our first order of business was to find an accountant to help Astrid through the morass and utter confusion of what confronted her, the only heir. 

Throughout that process until now, when the estate is now finally on its last leg (thanks to Canada finally figuring out the tax owed!), two very important decisions have been made and finalized:

1.  Our Marriage Post-nup

Bottom line, it's only and all about DUTCH TAX LAWS.  If our now 15-year marriage had continued as the common 50-50 option, any monies designated to our heirs would first have a percentage going to me (on Astrid's death) or to her on mine.  Because that's not our wish, we'd then give the money back to the heirs and pay a tax on our gift back to them.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????  THAT'S DUTCH TAX LAW!

So, because we didn't know better when we married 15 years ago, we now have signed a post-nup that declares "what's mine is mine, what's yours is yours and what's ours is ours."  PERIOD.

KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS!

2.  Dutch Wills and Last Testaments

I already have an American Will and Last Testament, of course, but because I'm a resident of the Netherlands, DUTCH TAX LAW applies to me without regard to my American Will, unless I have a Dutch Will, totally apart from the marriage post-nup.  Astrid already had a Dutch Will but needed it updated, so this past Tuesday we spent an hour with the notary who will now finalize everything for our signatures this next week.

In the notary's office, this was on the table in front of me, giving me a sense of calm.

I realize this is all very personal (and for our record), but I'm taking my duty seriously to urge you to pay attention to your country's TAX LAWS if you haven't already done so.  It took Sander's death (without a Will...I'm repeating myself!) to make us aware of what WE needed to do to minimize DUTCH TAX LAW.

You have no idea of the weight that falls off your shoulders when you pick up that pen and sign on the dotted line (with or without koffie)!