Bits-n-Pieces

Believe it or not, I just finished an easy week by my standards...not working all day long every day on getting images processed for a new post.

Just bits-n-pieces of this, that, and the other...as you'll soon see!

Promise not to laugh...but this past summer during the Olympics, our nearby Aldi grocery store brought in pallets of goodies from England, to celebrate the festivities.  One of the goodies I latched onto was Ginger Bier (= beer).

The 6-packs started out at €3.49.  "I can afford that," I said.

We're not beer drinkers, to be honest, but there's something about ginger, right?

And when Astrid said she liked it, I took her inch and ran it for a mile.

After a couple months, the price was reduced to €2 per 6-pack.

When it was then reduced to €1 per 6-pack, I bought the remaining 13 packs!

Thankfully the expiration date is next April because we drink only 4 bottles total/weekend.  HA!

So, speaking of ginger, which is gember in Dutch....

I really am a glutton for it!

I love the lemongrass & ginger oil I use for our Sunday-night homemade popcorn.

And when I saw it as a jam (extra jam!), I jumped for joy!

It doesn't take much to make me happy.  But you know that by now.

Backtrack now to Adrie Bezemer, the wood turner.  When we were at his shop 2 weeks ago, he told us about the exhibition where he would be this past weekend...in nearby Nieuwpoort.

It so happens that Nieuwpoort is a tiny town we like to visit

twice a year or so for their spareribs.  Another small pleasure.

And see, it's even ready for the season.

Within a one-block area, we went to the exposition and afterwards ate our spareribs.

It was fun to see Adrie again doing his thing, which he does so well.

We feel like we have a new friend!

And, as luck would have it, we found a new friend...Jan Scheffe.

Making bronzes is just one of his hobbies!  He also paints.

We had fun getting to know him better as he explained the art of making a bronze.

Aren't we lucky?!?!?!
(Maybe we can talk him into making a website?!)

Now, to fill in some more bits...

 Did I ever mention that Astrid and I have a chess game going all the time...

...and all year 'round!

This is the chess set Donica and I bought in Barcelona years ago, with the Gaudí flavor. 

And lest I forget (which I did!), we always have a jigsaw puzzel going!

These are ones we've finished since the last time I mentioned it...all from Jan van Haasteren: 

(in no particular order)

 

At the Gym (In de Fitness)--1000 pcs.

 

Castle Conflict (De Middeleeuwen)--1000 pcs.

 

Christmas (Kerstmis)--1000 pcs.

 

Departure Hall (Vertrekhal)--1000 pcs.

The Golf Course (De Golfbaan)--1500 pcs.

 

 

In the Car Respraying Shop (In de Autospuiterij)--1000 pcs.

 

Some like it Hot--1000 pcs.

 

The Playground (De Speeltuin)--1000 pcs.

 

United Europe--750 pcs.

The Kitchen (De Keuken)--1000 pcs.

Dat was it!  That's it.  Just a whole bunch of this, that, and the other.  Bit's-n-pieces.

For all my American friends, HAPPY THANKSGIVING this week!  It's the one American holiday I miss more than all the others put together.  (sigh)  I'm at least thankful for all the memories....

Adrie Bezemer: The Wood Turner

When I stop to think about it, Astrid and I are so darn lucky!

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I told you about the wood turner we saw in our nearby Grote Kerk at the end of our Summer Festival here in Gorinchem: 

His name is Adrie Bezemer and this is his hobby after retirement.  He's 72.

After that post, Astrid sent him the link to these above collages.

He responded by inviting us to visit him at his home shop for a personal demonstration.

WE ARE NOT DUMB!  We did it a week ago, on November 3, 2012!

Adrie and his wife bought a huge farmhouse 30 years ago 

and remodeled it themselves over 16 years in the evenings and weekends.

In the back of the house, the former cow stable, is now Adrie's display studio and workshop.

Because we arrived by 10 a.m., and true to Dutch custom, we first had koffie break.

Adrie's lovely wife made sure we had plenty to eat and drink.

More Dutch you cannot get!

The wood-turning shop, adjacent to the studio, was a photo op for both of us!

You know how they say it's all about having the right tools!

When Astrid strings tennis rackets, she says she goes into her own zone.

Adrie said the same thing!  He truly was in his own zone.

And what did he make, you might ask?

He actually made TWO different goblets out of goudenregen (golden rain) wood.

The one on the right is mine, of which the Vimeo video below is made.

The one on the left is Astrid's, who chose the same wood but different design.

After the demonstration, Adrie burned the name of the wood 

and his signature into the bottoms of both goblets.

See the A3?  That's his signature.  A (ah) plus Drie (Dutch word for 3) = Adrie.

But A3 also looks like AB for Adrie Bezemer.  How clever is that!

Those 2 goblets were gratis, by the way!

My gift to Adrie in return is the following video, which he plans to add to his website.

Adrie Bezemer: The Wood Turner from Ginnie Hart on Vimeo.

And just before we left, after all our oohs and aahs, I bought a wood ballpoint pen that Adrie had on display in his studio.  Just call me a sucker for any writing utensils! Totally worth €15.

And yes, Adrie inscribed my name on the pen!

I picked out the pen that looked the most like oak wood, my favorite.

Guess what wood it was:  goudenregen.  Golden Rain.

The same wood as our goblets!

THANK YOU, Adrie Bezemer.  THANK YOU.

A Neighbor Day in the Netherlands

In between our heres-n-theres, visitors, and this-and-that-there are the little gems that just seem to happen here where we live.  They may not be big in the total scheme of things but they're memorable nonetheless.

Like, for instance, the annual Burendag (= Neighbor Day) that has happened each September now for 7 years.  It was first initiated by the Douwe Egberts coffee company in 2006 and then picked up by the Oranje Fonds, a national charity for social initiative amongst different groups of people.  In the Netherlands, a cuppa koffie is the symbol of getting together with people you don't know.

For us here at our De Lindeborg retirement complex, and for the first time ever, our Poort6 landlord company sponsored a BBQ here in our courtyard.  It was our 2012 Neighbor Day BBQ.  Time for everyone to come out of hiding to meet each other.

The Poort6 men came out en force to set up and serve us.

Floor (bottom right above) is our huismaster (house master).

What a spread!  This is the Dutch BBQ way with 4 different meats:

bratwoorst, chicken saté (3 sticks), hamburger and slice of ham.

As we were served each meat, the server signed his initials on our tiny menu slip.

White/red wine and/or beer to drink.

And all for €5 per person!

In the end, there were only 40 of us who showed up of around 200 potential people.

Many were the regulars who always show up at our gatherings throughout the year,

but the one new neighbor who sat at our table was Wim (bottom left above).

And as luck would have it, Astrid had connections with him because of their tennis years in the area.

That means we got to know one new neighbor that day!  It's a start.

And while we're at it, these are the ones of my Friday's Rummikub group who were there!

Top:  Lena, Meindert, Moi and Sophie (in early Alzheimer's)

Center:  Gonnie and Blanche.

Bottom:  Jouke Our leader), Gerrie and...Elt (husband of Sophie who joins us after Rummikub for drinks).
Two were missing:  Frida and Henk. 

Can you tell who my favorite is?  

Dear, dear Meindert...always speaking English phrases whenever they fit.

"You are my sunshine!" And always with that smile.

A little wobbly on his feet but do I care???

For 2 hours, from beginning to end, we truly embraced being neighbors!

I think even "the help" totally enjoyed being with us old geezers.

Here's to next year being even bigger and better!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

A month earlier, back in August, while out-n-about in our city center on the last day of the week's Summer Festival, we visited the wood-carving exhibition of Adrie Bezemer inside our Grote Kerk :

 His carvings were lined up all around the inside of the church.

I hate that I didn't take more pictures of his handiwork but you can see it here. 

He's been doing this as a hobby since 1999...and he's from Goudriaan, just 6 miles away.
We met another neighbor!

 It's such a treat to meet and interact with such artisans.

Remember when Astrid got to learn how to blow glass from Mart Martorell?  

THIS is what I would want to learn:  how to turn wood.  So the demonstration was wonderful.

 The day reminded me of a painting Dad had in our house growing up...

of Jesus as a young carpenter.

I'd love to find it....

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

When we walked out of the church that day, the stage was set up in the city square, highlighting the end of the musical festival.  And there he was, Barry...

   ...the friend and neighbor of Astrid's son whom we've met several times.

Everyone that day was a neighbor.  Everyone.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Would you be my neighbor?