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!]

 

Gorinchem's Citadel Walk with Hailey

 

First of all, when we babysit granddaughter Hailey, who is now 6 years old, it's usually on a Wednesday afternoon (a Dutch universal school break till age 12) when we take her to our Knitting Club and Astrid works on a crafty project with her.  The ladies absolutely love her...and she them.  They've all become g'mas to her.

This time (this past Wednesday), however, was a Teachers Day, giving the students the entire day off, and because Papa wasn't able to be home with her, we got to have her the full day for our first time ever.

And to make sure we took care of her energy factor (!), we made sure to take her outside for a Gorinchem citadel walk before lunch that morning.  We assumed we would NOT do the entire 3-mile walk, not because we/she couldn't do it but because we'd be stopping all along the way at every whip-stitch.  And we were right!

We had a blast:  

Most of you already know that we start the walk just a few feet from our back door.

In fact, that's one of our city's parking garages across the street from us. 

We always start with the war bunkers (from even Napoleonic times).

And as we guessed, Hailey had to climb up and down them all!

That little girl has no fear whatsoever.  A total dare-devil.

But, as Astrid says, she has learned to be cautious, calculating everything she can or can't do.

Right then, at the beginning of our walk, was the first of 3 cannons.

Hailey always knows a good photo-op when she sees one.

After the first bunkers is one of my favorite parts of the walk, under the humongous sycamore trees.

And yes, eagle-eye Hailey noticed the birdhouses on her own!

After the sycamores, we cross the street to a next set of bunkers by the outer harbor.

See the little, round brass medallion on the bricks?  That's a citadel marker for Gorinchem.

At this point, we're at the second cannon of our walk, atop a bunker

and pointing out to the Merwede river not far away.

See what I mean about our little dare-devil!

This is Gorinchem's outer harbor, beyond which is the Merwede river...

to which we're walking, but wait...another cannon!  

Can you see it in red, dead center?  Squint!

Our third and last cannon of the walk...in sight of the Merwede river!

Way out beyond the harbor (if you squint again) is one of the barges on the Merwede,

traveling either to Germany (left) or Rotterdam (right).

Since Astrid and Hailey were ahead of me, Astrid said "Let's wait here for Oma Ginnie."

To which Hailey said, "That's a good idea because I have tired legs."

Off we went again, of course, when Astrid noticed Hailey's snotty nose.

Each time Hailey blew, Astrid said, nog een keer (= again), to which Hailey counted with her fingers.

Don't you just love it!

As though anyone needed to be told, yes, here's another photo/foto-op,

this time of the Toll House from 1598.

It was exactly there that Hailey spontaneously said we needed to make a selfie.

As you'd guess, this girl lives and breathes photos being taken all the time, her entire life!

On that note, it was time to head home, halfway around the citadel.

But not before Oma Astrid treated us all to ice cream at the water port on the Merwede river!

Time now to head home past the inner harbor...

through town...

with a final "last-hurrah" of selfies.

Home to eat lunch and then Knitting Club.  HA!

Are we tired yet or what!

So, yes, it was only half the citadel, but as ex-Bill often said,

"Half a loaf is better than no vacation at all."

[Photo credit:  While most of these photos are from me, many are also from Astrid, all from our iPhone 15 Pro Max cameras.]

Texel Island, NL, 2024: Renovations (cont'd)

As they say, the third time is a charm, right?  So, yes, this was our last visit to the Texel bungalow for a minor renovation, again, like in March, without Jaap.  And this time it was a shorter stay, Monday to Thursday (May 6-9), for Astrid and me.

First of all, before even arriving on Texel island, we saw several tulip fields in various stages of bloom, giving us hope that we'd see some up close once at Texel:

[all photos are drive-by captures]

Also, this is the first time I caught 3 of the 5 floating/raft bridges on the North Holland Canal,

of which this is one, while passing by.  There are approx. 20 such bridges

in the world and the Netherlands has 5 of them!

In that same area, along the North Holland Canal, are these fabulous thatched houses.

They make the drive one of my favorites of all in this delightful country.

Once at the bungalow, this was the renovation:

Installing a corner cabinet in the kitchen to better utilize the much-needed space!

A father-son team on Texel did the custom-made honors (which we ordered in March).

You can see the before and after on the bottom row above.

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

The main goal was to get cups and glassware off of living-room shelves 

and provide empty space in the cabinets for Jaap to fill as he wants.

YAY.  Mission accomplished!

That happened on Tuesday morning, the day after we arrived.  The rest of the time was all play!

On Monday and Tuesday, as an unexpected plus, Jeroen and Hailey were able to stay over from their weekend with Marissa and Sem, while said M & S returned home for Sem's school.  [It's a crazy Dutch system when schools in a district have different vacation times, meaning that if you have kids in 2 different schools, they can have different dates for vacation!!!]

Thus, we had quality time with Jeroen and Hailey, fully utilized, as you see below.  The photos speak louder than a thousand words!

Fabulous walks are within walking distance from the bungalow.

And eating out on the beach at Paal 17 is always a must.

When you wait for food, you play games, of course,

for which Jeroen always comes prepared.

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

Hailey's menu choice is almost always a Dutch pannenkoek!

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

Hailey is a certified dare-devil, unafraid of just about anything.

She wants to do it herself, and Papa lets her, because she calculates her chances.

If she thinks she can't do it, she doesn't try.

[video credit:  Astrid]

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

I have never seen a father more hands-on than Jeroen.

Or an oma more hands-on than Astrid!

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

I'm usually watching and praising...and sometimes "contributing."

[Emulating my Mom's field-hockey prowess from Smith/Columbia days back in the late 1930s.  HA!]

Once Jeroen and Hailey left on Tuesday afternoon, Astrid and I enjoyed "us" time.

The tulip fields on Texel were still in bloom, as we had hoped,

so we went to see them up close and personal.

And, yes, we enjoyed our daily latte macchiatos and 2 more meals out!

So, 3 times at Texel already in 2024!  We have no idea when we'll be back but, for now, our thoughts are 100% on our upcoming 3-week drive to Brittany, France, from May 26-June 14, similar to our 3-week Denmark trip at this time last year.

As brother Nelson would say, onwards and upwards! 

Daughter Amy in the Netherlands, 2022

 

Similar to her first trip in 2019, when she visited us in-between 2 jobs, daughter Amy this time had a business trip to Stuttgart, Germany, for her Mercedes-Benz company, after which she stopped off on her way back to Atlanta for a few days with us here in Gorinchem.

Last time, it was a Friday-Wednesday visit, when we packed in all kinds of trips out-n-about, even to Antwerp, Belgium.  THIS time it was a Friday-Thursday trip with only a one-trip outing, and the rest of the time just sitting around, playing games, eating and BEING.  

These are the highlights:

Friday's Amsterdam Airport Pickup and Happy Hour,  October 21:

Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam is only a one-hour drive from Gorinchem.  Easy-peasy.

A business friend with her husband arrived at the same time and went on their own way.

Then we, too, headed our own way home for lunch...

...and made it in time for our Lindeborg Happy Hour that afternoon.

Just like in 2019, we enjoyed a Dutch favorite of mine, Frikandel Speciaal.

Amy is such a good sport!

Saturday's Eat Fest with Jeannette and Femke, October 22:  

This is what J&F love to do...fixing good food and sharing it with friends, like they did back in 2019.

Even Prince Finn, the ragdoll cat, got Amy's attention, again!  It just might be a tradition.

Sunday's Get-Together with Extended Family Here in Gorinchem, October 23:

First of all, it's finally sinking in that my children, Amy and Mark, are step-siblings of Astrid's son Jeroen!  So I made a special point of getting a photo of Amy and Jeroen together:

Who says there can't be 16 years between them, right?!

And you have no idea how much they have in common, seriously.  Don't you love it!

[collage credit:  Astrid]

Amy was a huge hit with Hailey and Sem.

(Sem, a month older than Hailey, is the child of Marissa, Jeroen's girlfriend.)

[collage credit:  Astrid]

Look at how much Hailey loved being with Amy, trying on her glasses even.

[collage credit:  Astrid]

All 8 of us just BEING and eating together, including Astrid's ex-husband Jaap!

Jeroen loves putting this kind of happy-hour spread together.

[collage credit:  Astrid]

And guess what Hailey now can pinpoint with her finger on the world-wide map!

Yup.  Atlanta GA, where Amy lives and from where Oma Ginnie comes!

That weekend was enough excitement to last Amy's entire trip, but, WAIT, there's more.

Monday's Outing to Amsterdam, October 24:

It had been planned and all arranged (and paid for!) that the 3 of us would have a 1.5-hour personal cruise of the Amsterdam canals, with lunch and drinks included.  It would be similar to something Donica and I did for her back in 2007, many moons ago.

After a nice koffie/tea break while we waited, since we were early, we found out

that the skipper had been double-booked and missed OUR appointment with him.

The good news (along with a total refund and a free voucher for the next time Amy visits), is that

we made the best of the day walking around the floating-market area and eating at Wagamama.

No complaints after all was said and done.  There will be a next time!

The rest of our time, before taking Amy back to Amsterdam on Thursday morning for her 1:15 p.m. flight back to Atlanta, was "Us Time" here at the apartment, playing games/cards (Carcassonne, Qwirkle and Five Crowns)...and eating, of course.  Our last night we even drove to nearby Leerdam for a nice dinner out on the Linge river.

Astrid was fighting one of her worst sinus infections ever throughout all of this,

which made staying at home a good choice.  But none of us gave a hoot.

It was a great memory!

And now, believe it or not, a week from tomorrow we make our annual trip back to Atlanta to spend our usual time, first at Amy's, then at the cabin in the North Georgia Mountains, followed by our time at Mark's, before returning home on December 2.  This will be my first Thanksgiving in America since I moved in 2009.  Astrid and I are so excited...like little kids!

In the meantime, we're still basking in Amy's time with us HERE where WE live.  It doesn't happen very often!