Daughter Amy in the Netherlands, 2026

 

True, she was just here for New Year's, but in the larger scheme of things (because New Year's will probably never happen again), THIS is the 3rd Easter in a row that she's been with us, with plans already for next year.  THIS is the tradition!

And it never disappoints!

This time it was from Wednesday to Thursday (April 1-9), a full week of rest and relaxation with a few things mixed in to make it exciting.

Thursday, April 2, was a leisurely drive at lunch time, out on the back roads along the dijks to Fort Asperen, one of our new favorite cafés since she was last with us:

The fort wasn't yet open for the season (it's always closed while the bats hibernate there during winter),

but the door was "accidentally" open, so we peeked in so Amy could get a hint of it.

The lunch experience was exactly what we wanted and expected.

And because we had noticed some storks in nests on our way...

we drove a few miles away after lunch to visit the stork village in Herwijnen.

This is the time of the year the babies are being born, just like the lambs!

Friday, April 3, was our senior community's Easter luncheon, which Amy has now shared with us and our friends for the 3rd time.  It's a good way for her to she how we live here in community and they love seeing her with us:

I make the mutjes/little hats (green, yellow, pink and purple) for the soft-boiled eggs that Astrid cooks.

And this year the daughter of one of our residents catered the meal through her company.

It was a huge winner.

Saturday, April 4, was Amy's day out with our best friends, Jeannette and Femke (J&F), to explore Rotterdam...without us:  

We sent her off (left) to the ecstatic excitement of them all

and were very happy when Femke shared photos with us throughout the day (right).

Based on what we heard, it was a glorious day for like-minded friends!

Then it was Easter Sunday, April 5, when the goal was to just relax and BE:

This was Astrid's 3rd time to make the white asparagus meal for lunch,

a real winner for all of us!

And then, late afternoon, we walked the 10 minutes to the La Caponnière bunker café...

where once again we enjoyed a charcuterie platter.  

It's now a tradition that Amy loves, ending our Easter celebration.

That brings us to Easter Monday, April 6, when, believe it or not, WE STAYED AT HOME the entire day, eating and playing Five Crowns.  Actually, during all the in-between times, you can just assume we were playing Five Crowns:  a total of 19 games altogether!  And 4 movies plus a Repair Shop!

On Tuesday, April 7, we drove to Wijk bij Duurstede for Amy to see and drive through the only drive-through windmill in the Netherlands (and the world??): 

Yes, that's our car with her in it.

We ate lunch at our favorite restaurant there, De Engle (The Angel), on the town square...

followed by a short walk to the ruins of the medieval castle still used for wedding venues:

To be honest, it's one of our favorite places to take visitors,

especially on a gorgeous day!

The town is such a delight to visit, also because we take a ferry (bottom-right),

coming or going, which is another fun experience to share with our guests.

Our last full day was Wednesday, April 8, when we spent the afternoon and evening with Astrid's family here where we live in Gorinchem:

We first picked up Hailey and Sem at lunchtime (with Wednesday afternoons off from school),

and drove to Woudrichem, across the Merwerde river, to eat pannekoeken on a barge.

It actually was a first for Astrid and me there, which we loved sharing with the kids

...and Amy!

Astrid is a great Oma, as you can see!

How fun is that!

Woudrichem, too, is a delightful place to take guests,

unless you're plumb tuckered out, of course?!

But once back at Jeroen's and Marissa's, we were all wide awake,

even Nova, who is now 9 months old!

Jaap is a great Opa, as you can see!

We all dug in for the "last supper" of Amy's trip.

It made for a grand celebration and ending to another beautiful visit.

Besides, it's that time of the year.  Definitely a perfect time for traditions.

On Thursday, April 9, it was back to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport in the morning for her return to Atlanta.

THANK YOU, Amy, for yet another grand visit.

We LOVE this EASTER tradition!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026

 

Actually, let's start with a MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE dinner with Astrid's ex, Jaap, at our nearby Metropole restaurant...our 3rd year in a row!  It's a tradition now that keeps on giving, filling all 3 of us with joy:

Plus a meal to die for:  

Venison carpaccio, hare's-leg bitterballs, wild-duck rollade, and dessert.

All for the record, as I say!

Now to HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It started with daughter Amy's arrival at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, from Atlanta, on Monday, December 29.  It's a longer story than this but the flight had been planned long before any of us knew g'son Nicholas would move to Phoenix, AZ, to help open a new J Alexander's restaurant.  Amy changed things up to be with him for Christmas AND with us, with only 24 hours in between flights.  Like I said, a longer story than this.

But Amy's visit, however long/short (Monday to Friday, instead of Saturday to Friday), was an unexpected Christmas gift for us...and New Year's, all wrapped up in one.

After a day to settle in, doing nothing but BEING with each other (eating, catching up, and playing Five Crowns), we spent 10 hours on New Year's Eve, Wednesday, with our nearby dear friends, Jeannette and Femke (J&F), eating, catching up, playing Sjoelen, eating again, toasting in the new year...

and ending with an hour's worth of fireworks.

[video credit:  Astrid]

It was Amy's first experience with how Europe celebrates the New Year vs America.

(Our American fireworks happen country-wide on July 4th.)

The very next day, Thursday, on January 1st, we spent the afternoon at Jaap's with our immediate family here, including all 3 children from Jeroen (Hailey 7) and Marissa (Sem 7) and together (Nova, now 6 months).

In no particular order, let the photos speak for themselves!

[photo credit:  Jaap]

Speaking of Jaap, he's the best Opa ever!

[photo credit:  Jaap]

It was my first time to see Amy holding a baby since her son (Nicholas) was born 25+ years ago!

Talk about warming the cockles of my heart!

[photo credit:  Jeroen]

The very next morning, Friday, at 6:45 am, we drove Amy back to Schiphol for her 10:45 flight back to Atlanta.  

We had a thin layer of snow that Friday morning (top image),

followed by more snow a day later (bottom image) and more snow today, Sunday.

And just like that we've entered the new year, 2026!  Who knows what this year will bring (with the noise of Venezuela, Epstein, Ukraine, Epstein, Greenland, Epstein, and, and, and...ringing in our ears)!  Who knows, indeed!

And yet we all repeat, from the depths of our hearts and souls....

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Daughter Amy in the Netherlands, 2025

 

The fourth year now since 2019 and we're loving it!  Last year was the first year she came apart from a business trip, as with this year, making it even more special!

And for some reason, this was our best time ever, from Thursday-Saturday, April 17-27, for ten days! 

We made the most of Thursday's arrival in Amsterdam by eating lunch at Wagamama,

after walking through the bike/pedestrian passageway at the Rijksmuseum.

The photo of the peeing-in-public poster is Amy's!  Only in Amsterdam!

Good sport that she is, Amy joined us for our senior-community's Easter lunch on Good Friday.

Astrid, btw, always makes the soft-boiled eggs (for 40 people) and I make the mutsjes egg-warmers.

The next day, Saturday, was spent with dear friends, Femke & Jeannette, just a wee walk away.

Oh, and don't forget Prince Finn, the ragdoll cat, who "gets" Amy.  They get each other!

By now we're at Easter Sunday, April 20, staying at home for Astrid's very Dutch white-asparagus with potatoes, ham and boiled eggs with Hollandaise sauce for lunch...of which no one took a photo!  😕

But later that early evening at the La Caponnière wine bunker, I remembered.

Amy loved it when we were there last year, another wee walk away.

Once at home, I couldn't resist this, not noticing I had also included me.

Happy Campers!

Monday, April 21, 2nd Easter Day, was a day of rest here at home.  We all needed it, before the big day on Tuesday at Keukenhof, the largest tourist attraction in the Netherlands, for which Astrid had obtained tickets months ago.

We did teach her Sjoelen (hand shuffleboard), which she picked up quickly,

but had to stop because of the number it did on her back.

Did I mention that she's a good sport?!

Tuesday, April 22, we left at 9am for the 1½-hour drive to Keukenhof for our 11am ticket arrival (yes, they do that to help pace their 18K-people limit for the day).  We were glad to arrive early.

It was quite chilly but at least without rain!  Just a bit of sun towards mid-afternoon was most welcome.

Not too chilly for ice cream, as you see (at 11-ish a.m., as I recall)!

Happy Campers!

I overheard a lady saying "I've seen enough tulips to last the rest of my life!"  HA!

We even visited the Beatrix Pavilion to see the orchids, and were glad we did.

Wednesday morning, April 23, was time to rest before we spent the afternoon and evening, first with Hailey and Sem, followed by the rest of the family.

Astrid and I first picked up Hailey at the house they're renovating for their new July baby,

before then picking up Sem for lunch at our favorite pannenkoeken restaurant out in the polder.

Talk about a sugar-bomb pannenkoek for the kids!  And the healthy uitsmijter for the adults.

The kids, who are a month apart in age (almost 7), play well together.

See what I mean?

They even enjoyed helping each other "grab" their freebie gifts afterwards.

Then it was hunting with Amy, during a brief walk in the Lingebos before going home to our house.

Our Sjoelbak (shuffleboard) kept them occupied for the duration,

playing 6 games each before it was time to leave again.

In between games, Amy entertained them with cat videos!

Then it was time to meet up with Jeroen and very-pregnant Marissa at her parents' home, where they're staying during their house renovation.

Tom and Jetty, Marissa's parents, were with us for a happy hour, joined by Jaap (Astrid's ex),

before they left for a movie date, leaving us to ourselves.

That's when they taught Amy a new game, with her and Hailey teamed up against Jeroen and Sem.

To be honest, I have no clue who won or even what the game was called, but they had fun.

With no school the next day (Spring vacation) the kids stayed up late for our pizza supper.

How's that for one day...pannenkoeken and pizza!

After all that, we deserved to stay home on Thursday, April 24!  On Friday, Amy was again a good sport, joining us at our weekly Happy Hour from 2-4.

She and I played a nice, long game of Five Crowns, while enjoying our beer/wine,

followed by my favorite, frikandel speciaal.  Kees, bottom-right, who was at our table

for our Easter lunch the previous Friday, made sure he gave her a sweet goodbye.

Then it was Saturday, April 26, when we left for Amsterdam at 9am for Amy's flight back to Atlanta!

What I didn't mention is that all the time in between our out-n-abouts we were eating, playing Five Crowns (a great game for interspersed conversation!), or watching 2 movies ("Wicked" and "A Time to Kill").  Totally relaxed and the best time ever!  

Three Happy Campers!

As a child, Amy would say "We should do this more often!"

We totally agree...and can hardly wait till she comes back next year!

[Note:  all the above photos are from one or the other of us.  As they say in Dutch, "maak niet uit," which means "it doesn't matter!"]