Drieske stories

Alien on a bike

2010-07-27T00:26:00.005+02:00

July 2010. The month where a weird virus took hold of me and changed me into something new. Nope, not someone, something! Combine swollen feet with restless legs, a wooden butt, an obstinate spine, sweaty clothes, red rimmed eyes, messy wet sticky hair and creased infected ears. What will you get? Right, an alien. But then add sparkles and a big grin. Suddenly the 'something' will change into a 'someone', a very happy person. And that person would be me.

Vman and me took a two-weeks flight away from daily life. A flight not by plane but by bike. The holiday started for real when we left on a Monday morning at 6.30 AM and I took my place on the back of our Harley, holding on tight. All we needed was stowed safely in two saddle bags and in a big bag behind me. Needless to say that luggage was limited.

Our trip took us through Belgium into Germany, where we sailed over the magnificent Schwarzwald Hochstraße. During a short stop I called my dad (on his birthday!) and he laughed out loud when I shouted that it was soooo beautiful. My family used to travel here with our Citroën Dyane, top off, and we share so many fond memories about that time. The green trees, curved roads, blues skies with sailing white fluffy clouds.

The roads led us to Lugano and onwards to the Italian Rivièra. Temperatures went wild - up to 40 Celsius - and I was in serious danger of massive meltdown. As long as the bike is rolling, the wind will at least cool you down a bit, but it was hell in towns with traffic jams and stop lights. At that point nobody could stop me from tearing loose my jacket and getting rid of the ever present helmet. Whole rivers of water gushed down our throats to keep from dehydrating. Oh yes, plus ice tea, beer and wine.

After Italy we slowly traveled to the north and made our way through France. We found our lodgings in hotels, agriturismo and chambres d'hôtes: idyllic, romantic, unforgettable experiences. The one room that had air conditioning was too cold by now and we turned it off.

We spoke Dutch, English, German, French and even Italian in various stages of competence and almost always got what we wanted. Almost. Did you know that 'mixed grilled fish' contains no fish at all, but is mainly shell 'fish' with little eyes, legs, claws, pincers, tentacles and suckers? *shudders* But Vman came to the rescue and exchanged our plates. He's my hero! But no more kisses, 'cause those slimy molluscs tend to crawl back up towards the light...

So what makes people go on holiday by bike? Why not take the car, of catch a train? It's much more comfortable and relaxed, with room to spare for anything you like to take with you?

Feel the freedom with me, the wind on your face, magical deserted roads with u-turns and steep slopes, while the beast beneath you effortlessly growls on in a staccato rhythm. Look through my eyes and see birds of prey soaring in blue skies. Pull over on the side of the road and turn off the engine. Listen to the silence and let the sun set everything aglow in a golden light. Enjoy the unwritten pact between bikers, your family on the road. Dream away while the miles roll on, and forget all your worries. Let inspiration fill your mind and make room for new fresh ideas.

Aye, feel the power of your bike, arms wrapped around your love, let him take you away into the unknown...

Four rings to rule them all!

2010-07-27T00:25:00.000+02:00

Juny 20th, 2010

Since last weekend, four rings bejewel my fingers. And each has a story to tell about my life.

… friendship ring to rule my heart …
It all started with my beloved white gold friendship ring. The relationship between Vman and me has been so very special, right from the beginning. To honor our half-year anniversary – yes, we grab every opportunity to celebrate – we decided to exchange silver rings. Not just mere silver bands, but special ones. Not the normal friendship kind of ring, but a ring with character. So we strolled around town, stepping into a jewelry shop to see what they had to sell, but we found nothing to our liking: we needed another shop. And another. And yet another. But no ring called out to us. We broadened our horizon and started visiting goldsmiths, even started drawing our own design. Until, one day, we came upon Zuni. The window looked very promising so in we went. The shop is owned by a lovely eccentric woman, who immediately grasped the ideas we had. After a short tour she showed me a ring… and I fell in love right there and then. White gold, tiny diamonds, an irregular shape and feel. Vman also found the male companion to this ring and stared at it. Alas the price for white gold was a 'tiny bit' over our budget. We thanked Zuni and walked out with the promise to think on it. In a daze I felt Vman’s hand close over mine. I looked up at him, smiled and walked on without saying anything… for at least 10 seconds. Then I told him I wanted to go back and put the ring back on my finger. I was lost and so was he. After a week we had discussed all reasons why we should not do it. And then we went ahead and did it anyway. Away with caution and doubt ‘because it has only been six months’, we raced back to Zuni and told her we wanted these rings and no other. There hasn’t been a single day that I haven’t fondly stared at my friendship ring and softly stroked it. I’m still smitten with it : white gold ring, token of our love.

… wedding band to rule my soul …
Next on my finger is a Harley wedding band, symbolizing freedom of my soul. ‘Freedom?’, you might ask. Aye, without a doubt this wedding ring symbolizes freedom. Last year, Vman and me were wed in a very special ceremony. Not by an official, no, but by the Director of our chapter. We had rented an old monastery in the south of Holland and guess what: there was a beautiful chapel, just begging to be used. Before our gathered friends, we said our vows – not the usual wedding vows, but more like ‘Hereby I solemnly swear that Vman will always be allowed to ride his bike.’, and stuff like that. It was heartwarming, funny, impressive, and yet also so very real. No pressure by officials, but the pure sentiment and feelings between the two of us, witnessed by people who are dear to us. When the time came to exchange the rings, our best man came up with a different set of rings: polished screw-nuts with our initials engraved plus the date: July 12^th, 2009. Vman jumped up, exclaiming ‘Those are NOT our rings!’, and everybody roared with laughter at his surprised distress. After that, we exchanged our real rings and were biker hubby and wife. There were even tin cans dangling behind our bike. A husband to share so many things with, who stimulates me to do whatever I want and need to do, to take adventurous trips into the wide unknown, to seek new horizons: Harley ring, token of our bond in freedom.

… elven ring to rule my spirit …
Another special ring around my finger is an elven ring, a little female figure with silver wings of lace. By wearing this I’m connected to the fantasy world. Fantasy which opened so many new worlds when I was sad and frustrated in this one. Fantasy that inspired me to create, to write, to venture into stories of my own. Fantasy movies, Lord of the Rings, bringing together a group of very special people who met online but became best friends in real life. Fantasy that changed my life, gave back meaning and showed new ways of thinking and living. So many fantasy books fill my book shelves, they also fill my mind and carry me along whenever I want or need to. For 30 years this creative and original genre enlightens my days and even nights, often not able to stop following the author on his wild dreams. Tolkien’s magic introduced me to a way of writing that was totally enchanting, and by reading his words, he lifted my spirit. Since then I’ve read many fantasy books, some awesome, others nice but not truly special or new. Even my youngest son was gripped by the fever, especially since I read ‘The Hobbit’ to him when he was small. The minute I saw this silver ring when we were on a long weekend in Luxembourg, I was lost. This little elf would find a new home around my finger, so I could carry her with me where ever I go. Elven ring, embracing my spirit.

… Celtic ring to rule my dreams …
The last circle is brand new, a silver band with a bat and Celtic signs engraved. Yes I’m batwoman ;-) For me this ring symbolizes all things invisible, unknown, mystic; it represents nature and the need for balance, the part of this world that we can only feel with our intuition, hope and trust. Druids dancing under moonlight in a silent forest, rangers roaming the wilds, a holy man who spends years in meditation, contemplating the folly of mankind.
My nickname in role playing games (RPG) is Green Sorceress, also know as Greeny. A nickname give to me by my best friend Maeglin, because I love the outside, the woods, have a deep respect for nature and the balance of things. A balance that is disturbed on great scale daily. Environmental disasters pollute our earth and we are on a collision course, heading towards… I truly don’t know how we can turn this tide. But we are in grave danger and need to change our ways in a hurry. Treasure white witches, who have knowledge of plants, herbs and old lore. Honor our elders who have a profound knowledge of life and its ways, who know simple solutions to everyday problems. Solutions that don’t weigh down on the environment. But that is a subject for another post.
Back to the mysticism: look beyond the world you can see, and feel the other dimension that is out there. There’s more to our existence than what our eyes behold. Where do dreams go when we wake up. Where do the spirits of our forefathers rest when they leave us in death. Open your senses and dare to feel. Celtic ring, dreams of a world in harmony.

Lost on highway

2010-07-27T00:23:00.003+02:00

April 24th, 2010

The miracle finally happened: I’m alone! Alone in my back yard at least. In my head there’s Intwine, in my neighbor’s backyard there is a group of workmen tearing up the roof to build a dormer. Every now and then the tree hovering over me sends a shower of dried little somethings down, landing in most peculiar places. Think I’ll have to find the latent tree kids later on in my dress.

These last weeks have been busy. Let’s see what is entertaining to share hmmm…

Ah right, the encounter with the policeman. Or was that more about getting lost on the highway? Anyway, here I was, getting up at 6.40 AM as usual. First thing to do is feed the cats. Yes, the same cats that have been mewing at my door in the middle of a nice sleep. Cats that get you to open the back door, only to close it again after the wannabe tigers slink back indoors again, afraid of the light. Repeat this three times. While drinking fresh orange juice, I then check my online game and mail, plus Twitter. Aye, I’m a Twittering tweet and I like it!

Of course time flies when you don’t have it, so off to the shower. There even more time flies, down the drain this time, but I really couldn’t care less. The shower is my hero, my savior, my life giver, returner of energy and creativity. Don’t even mentioning the way it brings my totally unruly bunch of silly sticking-to-all-sides thin hair back in line (read: downwards) in 2 seconds.

On to getting dressed. Pulling open the wardrobe door is easy. Trying to decide what to wear is a whole different matter. I sit on my bed, stare and dream. One ensemble after the other races through my brains. A dress it will be, with boots. Downstairs for two breakfast chocolate cookies and warm milk, while preparing a lunch bag. Dutchies eat bread, in case you didn’t know that. Preferably whole wheat bread with cheese. But I prefer herb cream cheese with smoked salmon any time! Sometimes you simply have to spoil yourself.

As if feeding the cats isn’t enough, there are two cat toilets claiming the attention of my nose. I won’t go into that, as I don’t know if you had breakfast yet. But years and years of daily practice make this an easy chore. What’s next? Getting the hell out of the door, since I’m already late of course. My little green car practically jumps onto the street, eager to get some exercise. One street, the roundabout, onto the highway…

Weird, all signs are on, maximum speed 50 kilometers. I’m already rolling my eyes, expecting the worst but hoping for the best. Please, PLEASE no traffic jam. It’s 10 kilometers to my work by the way. By what way? By the fastest way. I keep to the left side of the highway and nimbly dodge the first exit. The second one is mine, not even 1,5 kilometers from my house. Well no bloody way. There’s a big red X above the lane to the exit I need to take. I mean, I really need to take it, ‘cause I haven't the foggiest idea how to get to work in another high-way. The routes that lead through the city are totally jammed in the mornings.

Stay calm Mar, I whisper to myself. This is so silly that I turn up the volume so I won’t hear my own whispering. Ever so slowly I pass the cars that are waiting on the long exit, wondering what to do. They seem to be moving. That is, if you watch long enough. Two policemen on motor bike in neat but blinding yellow outfits are chatting on the lane next to the line. Nearing the end of the exit I see an opening and dive in. Alright, reached second base and want to get to work. So drive argh. One meter into the right direction, my singing gets louder.

What’s that? What now? What?? One of the policemen decides to finally do something. There are a lot of practical and sensible things a police officer can do you know. Catching thieves, saving helpless maidens in distress, or being an endless source of entertainment for cats-in-trees. But noooo, this one decides to maneuver his bike right in front of my car! With big blue eyes I stare through the window. One hand stretched out, palm towards me, the other points back to the highway. Meanwhile the car in front of me sneaks a bit further down the exit. Shit! The expression on my face gets blonder and blonder by sheer concentration. I don’t WANT to go back on the highway man, I need this exit! The man stares at me and points a second time. I start to shake my head, lifting my hands in a helpless gesture. Third time he points and starts glaring. Well mister, I’m glaring back and point to the exit. If this doesn’t help, I shout that I don’t know the way. Do I need to tell that three seconds later I’m pulling up the highway again, muttering and cursing? A whole line of cars waiting and the man decides to jump in front of MY car? Hmmm I must be really special In the rear view mirrow I see more cars pulling out the exit.

Cruising the highway once again, I realize I’m driving down the same road I take when visiting my parents in the south-east of the Netherlands. Time for louder music. Nice blue road signs tell me I’m on my way to Eindhoven. Pardon me? I don’t want to go to Eindhoven! I need to get back to my own town for Pete’s sake. And my own sake. Plus my coworkers’ sake! Damn. 16 kilometers and another little traffic jam later I see a sign with the name of the desired destination on it. Down the exit I go again, straight into another traffic jam. But that’s good, I tell myself. Where the hell am I?

I stealthily take out my cell phone while keeping an eye out for stray police officers, and punch in the number of the university. Karen answers the phone. ‘Karen,’ I yell, ‘I have no idea where I am!’. Laughter greets me from the other side. ‘Well, I don’t know either,’ she says calm, ‘what happened?’. So I give her the nasty policeman story. Seems a truck had decided to take a break and get some rest on its side. That particular road was totally blocked. Why didn’t the police take action sooner then, in stead of waiting for a line of 1 kilometer of cars getting stuck on the exit? Not my problem at that moment, bigger problem was to reach my destination. ‘What do you see Mar, describe the buildings to me?’, Karen’s voice interfered with my logistic solutions for the area. So I told her names of firms, waiting cars (just to annoy her a bit), and finally I spotted yet another big building to the left. In fact it looked kind of familiar! She started laughing and said ‘If I’m not mistaken, you are very near to the uni!’. Well hurrah, that would be marvelous.

The line of cars reaches the traffic light and, following Karen's orders, I take a left turn onto a wide road with people who all want to go to work; or at least need to. My lips curl into a big smile when indeed I see familiar surroundings. Singing loudly I proceed and park my car in the uni’s parking lot. Safe at last. And it wasn’t even 9 AM. On my way in I bump into René and pull his long black pony tail. He's growling about traffic and we exchange our stories. Seems he had been waiting in the long line on the exit I was chased off for over half an hour. In the end I was the lucky one!

And now ladies and gents, it’s time for lunch. Soon there will be a new Drieskes story.

Coming back to life

2010-07-27T00:22:00.001+02:00

March 18th, 2010

Is this real? Is this really happening? Wrapped in a warm coat, fake fur snuggled up my neck, I’m sitting in my favorite spot of the back yard: my porch swing. Laptop’s where it’s supposed to be, my two cats exploring the outside after a long and cold winter. Of course they know every inch of the garden, having lived with me for over 5 years now. Still they jump at sudden movements, act like sneaking tigers with imaginary preys. Then suddenly they throw themselves down onto the warm pebbles to make funny noises with their paws in the air.

The sun hasn’t reached the swing yet, but is warming my legs in a wonderful way. Do the plants need trimming? I have no idea, they hide in their sticklike form since the fall stole away all their greens. Next to me is a lilac tree, that I planted myself as a wee young sibling. Reaching over two meters now, it dwarfs it mistress. Buds are swelling on the slender branches, a promise of life prolonged and new life coming into existence.

What a glorious feeling, being outside. Have been locked up in my house for almost two weeks now. Sensitive is my middle name. Sensitive for lots of things, like perfume, preservatives, for leather paint, glue. And once a year my body decides to develop a respiratory infection. I have no idea why it does that. Perhaps to make me aware of my mortality? Or to see me gasp for air in the middle of sleepless nights? I don’t know and I don’t care. I only want it to go away, and soon too. Codeine pills are the only thing that help against the wish of my lungs to turn inside out over a longer period of time. My head feels like a cotton ball, lazily suppressing concern over the work piling up.

Intermezzo: Ninja is making weird sounds and tries to get rid of something. Luckily he’s outside. Bandit is checking him out now… seems his friend is OK. Perhaps Ninja also has a cotton ball, but not in his head. A butterfly flutters its wings past my hands on the keyboard.

If it weren’t for a friend's text message, I’d be still inside with the heater on. She wrote that she was basking in the sun, gathering energy and didn’t want to do anything else anymore. Thanks Sandra, for sharing this with me. I wouldn’t want to miss this for the world: the first spring day. Yes ladies and gents, spring is back! Is it true what they say, that the sun gives vitamines to us? If so, then how many inches of skin must be touched by the golden light? Well, there's no room for scientific approach of this matter today. Armed with my notebook I simply have to be outside and feel the gentle breeze caressing my cheeks. The back door is wide open to let in oxygen and get rid of the winter’s dust. I don’t need music out here. The birds are singing, spreading the message of a world that’s about to blossom. Time for laughter, time for love, time for spring.

ID on a broken bike

2010-07-27T00:20:00.003+02:00

February 18th, 2010. What a day this turned out to be!

Any thoughts of going to work dissolved into thin air when I felt the cold on my skin this morning. Vman left early and I turned around, searching for his warm spot in bed. Nope, the uni would have to wait another day. Since nobody else is at our academy, I had already doubts if I would make it this week. Carnival in the south of the Netherlands.

Around noon I asked my eldest son to function as wake-up call for youngest one. Of course he obliged happily. Nothing more fun than teasing a younger brother. Whacking poor sleeping Sean over the head, he stamped upwards to the attic, leaving a slightly rumpled young man who was trying to open his eyes. A shower helped.

After his breakfast and my lunch we set out to first take Sean's bike for repairs to the bicycle shop. It was better to say what still worked than what did not. Then we would order a new passport plus ID, after which Sean was due at the hairdresser's. His wild manes reached halfway his nose. Plus I had fullfilled my earlier threat of making him a pony tail. Then he suddenly agreed to the hair cutting operation.

We were nearing the shop, when suddenly I thought of the paperwork needed for the new identification documents. We had taken the necessary snapshots, but totally forgot to take the papers and his old ID. Setback number one. Marching on we came upon a closed door: lunch break. Sean and me stared at each other and I let out a scream which made him chuckle. There we were with the non-working bike.

Alright, nothing is unsolvable. Just a quick stop at the postoffice to get money. Bzzz bzzz did the machine, but all seemed to be functioning normal. It seemed. The damn thing ate my card! I could see the edge and tried to pry it out but to no avail. Scream number two started to rise. Then the postoffice manager came out to see what the ruckus was about. With the words "Whatever you do, stay calm," he disappeared back in. A small crowd was forming behind my back. After 5 minutes he came out with my card, hurrah.

From that point on things went smoother. We did some grocery shopping and decided on pizza. Plus cookies. Half an hour early we reached the hairdresser. And guess what, Sean could sit down immediately. I got some tea and read a magazine. It's so nice hearing his 15-year old voice go down all the time, turning into a man's voice. I kept far from the cutting business. He's old enough to tell Daniëlle what he wants. Result: slightly shorter hair with wax, but still it was messy enough for him to like it.

On our way home we stopped at the bakery to buy bread and some rolls. Things went rather smoothly after all. Tomorrow morning it's back to passport business for Sean.

Dentist

2010-02-10T14:18:00.005+01:00

Every half year a colorful card falls on my doormat. It always lands so the merry image shows and the text is hidden. Whenever I pick up the little card, my happy surprise soon changes in abhorrence. Yes, the dentist check up.

Today was the set date. The dentist's office is about 200 meters from my house, so I leave at the latest possible moment. Armed with my book, chin up, eyes determined, I stepped into the room, where Anja, his (very nice and friendly) assistant was already waiting. Small talk, lots of small talk to divert the nerves.

"Marion, you may step through," the Man-In-White says with a smile. "Right," I mutter, and slide into the chair. Blue rubber gloves and special magnifying glasses that could easily be used as a super lens for a camera, suddenly appear in my visual. The comfortable chair changes with a soft buzzing into a miniature operating table. Horizontally stretched out, I obediently open my mouth in the sunny light of a huge lamp. Here we go.

Carefully he checks every tooth with hammer and drill... uhm I mean with a little mirror and hook. No matter what he does, I won't move a muscle. Tip: never give away if something hurts by grimacing, because then your fate is sealed. Left under inside, front, right under inside, back along the outside. Then up, up, up the teeth he goes. Meanwhile he's talking to Anja about another client. "Keep talking man," I think, "keep talking and don't mind me!".

Suddenly he stretches, nods and then tells me everything is fine. I can't believe my ears but won't take any chances on a sudden change of mind. Nimbly I hop from the chair, almost getting myself hooked around the arm rest. At safe distance from the dentist, my joking abilities suddenly return. Pfew, what a relief!

Safe for another six months...

Wee lil' thing

2010-02-07T17:21:00.002+01:00

Ready to upload my new design to the server, I needed to do 'a wee lil' thing': set a password. Well, after succeeding in adding the password, the access to my database has flown out of the closed window.
Even a system recovery to yesterday's dates wasn't fixing the problem. Am at a loss for ideas right now.

Damn.

Evening at the uni

2010-02-04T19:50:00.001+01:00

Thursday, it's Thursday. This means working 'till 9 PM at the Academy. Does that sound bad?

Well don't worry, actually it's quite nice! The kids like it 'cause that means it's pizza and fries night. The students like it because they can ask me silly, sweet and complicated questions. The professors like it too as they can also ask my advice.

Then how about me?

Soft music, being able to work in peace and quiet most times. Outside it's dark but inside the lamps envelop me with a clear light. Mails disappear as fingers fly over the keyboard. Sometimes all pieces of the puzzle come together in a brilliant idea, converting that idea to an Excel document. Yes, I love my Thursday evenings...

But it's even better when I finally come home and put my feet up.

Winter fairy land

2010-01-04T19:54:00.003+01:00

No words needed...

Iriani

2009-12-10T23:17:00.002+01:00

Yesterday a day with mild setbacks all over the place

Sean sick
keys to the car without a trace in the early morning - not the best time for them to play with me
woman on a bike in front of me on a road where no bikers are allowed, very dangerous situation
lots of students with sign on exam-laziness
left eye got worse, need stronger contacts
left leg stopped functioning as it should: deaf feeling, plus stabs of pain in the right

On the other hand

finished building website for conference, everybody was happy about it
the new contacts might chase my head aches away
kids ate well: white rice with Indonesian shoarma dish (my own recipe) and mixed stir-fried vegetables, Vman like it too
had a nice talk with former brother-in-law
was so tired that I slept throughout the night

On top of that today had a real surprise in store: at Sean's school, where I was with him and my ex, I met an old friend, whom I lost sight of years ago. Her name is Iriani and she's a great small wonderful kind and gentle woman. It was so nice catching up with her, that we decided to get back in touch. Gave her my email-address, hopefully she'll contact me soon.

Outline

2009-12-07T23:39:00.000+01:00

Am reading blogs about writing and one of the main things is that you need to write every day. Having no time, no inspiration is no excuse. Simply sit down and get to it. Write, make your fingers move and words will come. It's not a hobby, it's work, driven by the need to express thoughts.
And I must say it's working. The outlining is getting better, the story is starting to gain shape. How I love this.
But now it's time to close this notebook and get some sleep. Will see you tomorrow.

Punch

2009-11-30T23:00:00.002+01:00

Whom did I punch? ;-) Well nobody. Us HD girls made punch, while the mensies made paintings for a Christmas auction.

^^ painted by my Vman

There was egg nog on the menu, fruit punch and Christmas punch. The experiment with the egg nog didn't turn out that well. On first try we used flour in stead of flour sugar. The result isn't even worth mentioning. On the second try the ingredients were all right, but the sauce shifted. Down the drain all went.

Onwards to the fruit punch. With bananas, oranges, kiwi's, orange juice and vodka not much can go wrong haha. Tasted good.

Last but not least: the Christmas punch: pine apple juice, whiskey, orange juice, honey, a bit more whiskey, ice cream and ginger ale. The stirring resulted in wonderful creamy substance that asked for more. Even the men liked this one. We will definitely make it at the Christmas party.

Dutch

2009-11-26T23:11:00.000+01:00

Restless for days, not finding the time to let thoughts develop inside so I can pour them out. Work is demanding to the extreme, dusty rooms and laundry scream in silent words, kids and Vman want to be near. There's always something that needs to be done first. Staying up late won't solve anything, because I'll be too tired the day after.

Dragon Age is enchanting, at times I get lost in that game. Reading my beloved books is alluring. Still that means absorbing words and images. I need solitude to be able to create phrases and stories myself. Another goal to find time for writing. No use in fretting over it, but time to act. I need time! More time! Or do I want too much? Do I have to accept... naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah no way, that's not my style.

Started a story anew in Dutch, the idea for it has been spooking around in my mind for months. Let's find out if writing in my native language is as rich as writing in English. Should be, since my vocabulary in Dutch is better than in English.

Guest Blogger: Gloria Weber

2009-11-06T07:02:00.002+01:00

Welcome to launch of the Gaslight Demons Virtual Book Tour! I’m your hostess, Gloria Weber, author of Gaslight Demons, published by Morbidgames Publishing. Don’t be alarmed! Marion is quite aware of the fact I’m here. And, once again, I would like to say thanks to Marion for allowing me to guest post here.

Now that the shock has worn off, you might be asking yourself, “What is a virtual book tour?” Well, that’s what I plan on explaining today.

Let us get the obvious out of the way first: the goal of a virtual book tour is to get word out to people about a book. In this case, Gaslight Demons, published by Morbidgames Publishing, written by me, Gloria Weber. And yes, shameless plugging is also a part of it.

Now most of you might be familiar with the traditional book tours, where an author goes from book to bookstore, maybe even visiting a library or two. A virtual book tour is somewhat like that, but instead of bookstores the author pops up on other people’s blogs or websites. The author then spews some bit of wisdom and, when appropriate, shamelessly plugs her book.

No, I’m not doing it again. I know you got the idea by now.

So, why would any sane person do this? Generally, it is done as a form of cross promotion. I’m not just writing this post and forgetting about it. Everyone I know is hearing about me being here on this blog. And you, Marion’s faithful followers, are getting to hear about the Gaslight Demons Virtual Book Tour.

Quite simple, isn’t it?

With the explanation done, I must now return to shameless plugging. If you would like to know more about me, where I’ll be virtually book touring next, or where to buy Gaslight Demons visit: http://gloriaweber.wordpress.com If you are into pen and paper role playing games, you may also want to check out my publisher, Morbidgames Publishing: http://www.morbidgames.com/ Thank you, for your time.

© Gloria Weber

Drieske's house rules

2009-10-27T11:56:00.006+01:00

Finally my patience was devoured by all these little stupid tiny unimportant incidents, but the combination of it irritates the hell out of me. Hence I wrote a mail to my sons. Yes a mail. Both are gone today, one to work, one to his dad. I made a list with house rules to make our lives easier and less stressful.

What? You want an example? Well let me name some:

shoes: when you come in, leave them in the hallway, and not where ever your feet land;
school bags: take them up with you to your room where you should be studying, and not drop it on your way to the fridge;
laundry: guess what: there are three baskets in the attic that were made especially for that use... how convenient;
dishes: put them in the dish washer and not in your bedroom, or on the living room table: they'll never get clean over there;
PC/notebook: using it for school work is excellent, to game great... but not this often. Take a board game downstairs and let's play!

Enough examples? Just tell me, I thought of more. Well they haven't reacted yet, so let's see what they have to say about all of this when they come home later on.

Reflection

2009-09-29T21:08:00.003+02:00

Today was not a good day. If I keep up this pace, it's going to overtake me and I will go down. Don't be mistaken: I love my work and many tasks, but it can be too much at some point. Unfortunately my boss can't do anything about it yet. But one day our team will get reinforcements and we have to hang on 'till then.
On top of that the irritation and emotional effects caused by the never ending comments of my ex *stares*. He isn't mean or anything, but we have a different way of interacting. Me as little as possible, only for the kids. He as often as possible for anything.
Ah well, writing this down helps me to calm down, put it off my mind for the day. It's after 9 pm and that's time for relaxing, not fretting over things that can't be changed.

Evening

2009-09-25T23:06:00.002+02:00

Work was uneventful after the bank experiment earlier today. Came home, made pizza for the boys and a left-over rice-dish for myself. After that Nick and me raced to town for a visit to the PC-shop. Unfortunately the insurance company hadn't verified their approval to the shop yet, so we have to wait 'till next week. Administration stuff ya know ;)

Nick did order a great notebook with special adjustments for movies and photographs (wirefire). We'll call back on Tuesday to find out when the laptop is expected to arrive.

After that driving home to get the boys packed. Of course that took ages haha. Game consoles are far more important than mere clothes, right? ;) They went by bike to my ex, while I took the various items and bags by car.

So now I'm home, waiting for my Vman to arrive. A bottle of Spanish rose wine is cooled, bit of chips and rice snacks on the table, book within reach and my little notebook resting comfortably on my lap. Nice and warm. Candles spread their golden light, while Alanis Morissette sings softly. I'm simply happy.

Bank

2009-09-25T15:22:00.007+02:00

By the time I'm writing this, an hour has passed and I'm still grinning.

This year a part of the students of our academy had to pay € 10,- for their Academy guide plus another booklet. They all brought cash, so we had around € 4.000,- on our hands. That didn't feel safe, so my co-worker Sandra and me decided to deposit the cash at a bank.
Driving through our town in search of a bank was the first fun. It's great to be outside while everyone else is working.

We parked the car in front of the bank, where miraculously a free spot appeared. A euro was enough for 15 minutes.

Inside Sandra pointed me to a deposit machine. I was delighted, never used one before. So we inserted the card, hit the code and then poured in the coins. Kling klang kloink in they went, with the machine neatly counting. Hey, that's FUN!!

Then a voice behind us said "Ladies, how does that thing work? Do you have to use a card? Do you have to punch in a code? Then what? What should I do? When are you ready?" There was a man in line who wasn't too bright, asking questions constantly in a staccato tone, coming nearer all the time.

Meanwhile the coins were ready, onwards with the paper money. Only a very fine slit, so one by one we fed the notes to the machine, one by one, 10's, 20's, 50's, 5's... the minutes passed by and Sandra and me changed positions. The line behind us got longer and longer and the man kept asking silly questions. Sandra and me got warmer and warmer. She whispered "I'm soooo glad you're with me here, couldn't do this alone, don't feel secure brrr.". So I replied that I was wearing a black long leather coat, so nobody would dare to intervene. We started giggling while more notes and minutes passed through our hands.

When I was almost done, a voice sounded near my shoulder. I jumped up and looked straight into the face of a bank employee. "Ladies," he asked, "do you realize there's a BUNDLE deposit machine around the corner?". I stared at the man, stared at Sandra, then looked back again and told the man "Of course we "knew" that, that's why we're already going crazy here for the last HALF HOUR!!!!!".

Then I started laughing, the people behind us were rolling their eyes, and we even laughed harder. We pushed in the last bank notes in a hurry and ran out of the bank, half an hour had passed.

Yes it's great to work at our university \o/

Writing

2009-09-24T23:01:00.003+02:00

And then it's already 11 PM. Don't think Thursday is a good day to plan writing, since I work 'till 9 PM, then home where kids, cats and dishes are waiting. Started up my notebook anyway and edited my story about Ness a bit. The start is made, the road where I want to lead the story too, but can't think of a jump from the first to the latter yet. Brain too fuzzy and tired. Must wait until a new dawn, or dusk, whatever ;-)
Good news on my son's laptop by the way: the PC insurance allows us to buy a new one, since the motherboard is totally RIP. Tomorrow after work Nick and me will drive to the shop. He's all excited about it. Hopefully his design work can be saved from the old disk.
More good news: the guy who sold me the Dungeons & Dragons table top game has found the missing figurines and dice. He's sending them over by post, so soon the game will be complete.
Signing off for now...

DDO

2009-09-17T23:04:00.007+02:00

Installed Dungeons & Dragons Online (DDO - a free game) this morning before I went to work, even made two characters and played a bit. When I drove to work I had been running the last 15 minutes to get everything done, was already lost in the story hehe.

Work was busy, with a nice break for supper. Worked 'till 9 PM and then drove home to my kids. Had a long talk with my mom, family troubles which can't be solved. We need to go with the flow, can't change a thing, only give support as much as possible. Divorce can be harsh on all involved. And I know what I'm talking about.

Dentist

2009-09-16T23:01:00.004+02:00

Busy day. Worked 'till 1 pm, then raced home to be on my way again to the dentist. He did unkind things to my front tooth, bleaching it from the back, filling it with a temporary filling and then making 3 follow-up appointments. My tooth is aching to the beat of my heart. Not nice I tell ya, not nice at all!

After that driving into town to deliver my son's deceased notebook to the PC-shop for either reparations or replacement. Let's hope the guarantee will cover it. Money is flying out the door into oblivion.

Bought supper ingredients at the supermarket, which resulted in white rice, with a chicken-mushroom-garlic-leek-cream cheese-mushroom soup oven dish. Something else!

The Vman is fixing my dish washer, and the sound of the merry splish splashing is lovely to hear. Let's hope the thing will get the hang of it again after having holiday for 7 years. Don't even ask ;)

Our Dungeon & Dragons tabletop game arrived by mail. And though there are 5 figurines and 2 dice missing, we still think it's going to be awesome. Introducing my sons to this great game in an easy (and Dutch) way, so they'll get used to a bit of role-playing.

Mr. Sandman is calling... ah no, it's the Vman. I'm out of here ;-)

Allergic to Merlijn?

2009-09-15T23:50:00.004+02:00

Today the results of the contact-allergy test. Nine reactions, three of them severe. Got the list with the specifics of each and that's it. Have to check every new product I buy to see if there's something in it. And the compositions tend to change. Have bought some products totally fragrance free now. I still have no idea what to do with leather: shoes, bike pants, gloves. The specialist said I have to avoid all these substances. Hell, some are even in cookies. And I love cookies! Also something about bee-products: propolis.

Work was busy but fun. And after, I drove home to make the boys pasta. No macaroni for me though: went out to dinner with my friend Meggelien. She had lobster, I had tomato soup. After that tender meat with mushroom sauce and a grand dessert. Plus decaf. We talked a lot, drank Prosecco and talked some more. Couldn't eat another bite.

Back home a short chat with my sons and then to bed. But no sleep without adding my (hopefully) daily contribute to this blog. Good night.

Neverwinter nights 2

2009-09-14T20:41:00.003+02:00

What a bummer :( Was looking forward to playing Neverwinter Nights 2 with my friend Maeglin so much. Started with the normal NWN2 game, but we are stuck in a big battle that we just can't win. Got a little bit further and then decided to continue with the expansion Zehir. Here I got stuck, walking in circles in one spot. I was almost jumping off my chair. Frustrated I decided to quit the game. Too many bugs... and I hate insects!

So now I have unexpectedly time to write a bit, sitting on the couch with my notebook on my lap. Making tea in a minute, then hanging laundry and returning to this magical new digital baby.

A month flew by

2009-09-13T21:47:00.006+02:00

And then suddenly it's a month later. Too much happening to recall in this blog, but can think of a few highlights.

Like the allergy test I'm in the middle of. Over 70 substances were applied to my shoulders and upper arms. To two of those I reacted violently, to about ten others more mild. The ones that are developing on my arms since this weekend weren't even registered during the control visits. Day after tomorrow I will go back to the dermatology specialist for the results.

Also had an MRI-scan plus X-rays of my back. A possible solution could be an injection in my spine, to soften the irritation. Not looking forward to that, but something has to be done about the pain or I'll end up sitting at home.

Have been working many hours like a lunatic, days of 12 hours and more. Kids have gone back to school after a long summer holiday. Sean's already doing home word for hours each day. Nick starting on his internship tomorrow. Proud of my sons.

To balance all of this, there's always the Vman, holding my spirits up, luring me outside with his bike, taking hikes in the woods,

making dinners for friends, sitting side-by-side (like we're doing at this very moment), he sweating over a sudoku puzzle while I'm playing around with my new notebook. Yes, life is good. He's the light of my life.

Free as a bird

2009-08-20T12:49:00.002+02:00

Visited the Vman's dad yesterday, we went by bike. It was awesome to cruise the green scenery, lovely temperature, cows, horses, birds. Had tea with Dad, talked a bit and then rode back again where a glass of wine was waiting. Spicy green olives simply begged to be eaten.

Lois Lane

2009-08-19T10:32:00.001+02:00

Yesterday evening we went on our bikes to a free park concert of Lois Lane, strolling through the greenery, wrestling with the crowds to pass. The Vman and me ended up on a wooden bench watching the people that were passing. Lots to see.

Bad sad news

2009-08-06T13:14:00.003+02:00

Yesterday finally the diagnosis was made for Jo, my boss: he's got Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After months, and especially the last weeks, of weight loss and unexplainable fevers, we now know the reason. Chemotherapy starts today, eight treatments, two weeks apart.
A nice, amiable and kind man who does not deserve this. He's already lost a lot of his strength battling the fever, let us hope and pray he has enough left to fight back.
Michele and me will visit him next week.

Relaxing

2009-08-04T22:58:00.003+02:00

Today was a real sunny day here in the Netherlands. Blue skies, white puffy clouds, a light breeze, perfect for a day outside. Since my sons didn't want to go to a swimming pool resort, we stayed home. Spent the day sunbathing, checking online for a bit, have been reading in my porch swing and had dinner outside. The grapes screamed for attention too, growing all over my garden and hiding the green small fruits. I love this time of year, makes me feel alive.

Back and ears

2009-08-03T23:00:00.007+02:00

Today I saw the specialist at the hospital about my lingering back problems and as a result I'm scheduled to an MRI-scan plus X-ray in two weeks. That way we can find out if there's a nerve crying for help. Want to live my life, doing simple things like going shopping, visiting a town, go to a concert without the never-ending knives in my lower back, plus the numb feeling in my left leg and foot.

After that I bought new earrings, dangling titanium hoops, made a lovely Italian dinner for my three men and then spent the evening chatting with the Vman, watching Collateral damage and reading in Soul of the Fire, 5th book in the Sword of Truth series.

Last Saturday M&M celebrated their birthdays in a grande way. The garden looked magnificent, drinks, cocktails, food, nice people. We really enjoyed being together for the party.

The day before that the Vman and me took test rides to decide on what kind of motor he would buy. We still haven't worked it out, but the Roadking is out of the question: it vibrates too much for my back. Although it has tremendous power. Alas. But there are other options left.

Karate barbecue

2009-07-19T10:05:00.002+02:00

This year the karate barbecue wasn't as much fun as other years. Perhaps the concept isn't working anymore, because there weren't many present.
Due to the Dutch music I stayed on my seat in stead of dancing. Plus a friend of mine got called away because of illness of his mother. All in all not a big success.
The moment that it was fun, was when a woman got hold of the microphone and started singing along with much enthusiasm, she simply didn't stop anymore ROFL.

But today we had another barbecue to eat the left-overs. That was nice! Lots of laughing, talking and relaxing.

Came home and am reading ever since: Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind.

Sleepless nights

2009-07-17T07:00:00.014+02:00

Plagued by an allergic skin reaction to nickel and (something in) leather (as well as many others, but they didn't bother me now) the nights are long and itchy. It takes all my self control to refrain myself from scratching until it bleeds. Seems I'm extremely sensitive in more than one way ;-) But there are plenty of things to dream about... see my previous post.

Harley wedding July 12th 2009

2009-07-17T07:00:00.009+02:00

Our Harley wedding was just a fairytale. In the presence of around 100 biker-friends, we said our vows and were wed in Harley fashion.

It was all part of a biker weekend in Simpelveld because our Chapter exists 15 years. First the ride towards the south of the Netherlands by beautiful roads. One almost didn't feel the rain that was pouring down. Almost... ;-) Then Friday evening a karaoke spectacle. It was so spectacular that I fled outside and stayed there until things were safe (and quiet) again.

Saturday the ride out to Belgium with the Sittard Chapter, grand views, S-turns, some rain drops and great sandwiches made it unforgettable. In the evening a performance of Shake the Snake which rocked!

Then Sunday morning arrived and at 10 am we were in the chapel, me in leather and lace. See the pictures below for a visual story... a fairytale wedding. I love my hubby the Vman.

After the ceremony we drove over to my parents, shared stories and laughs and had a tasty dinner. Finally we rode back home in sunlight and rain showers. What a weekend...

Update part 2

2009-06-29T22:14:00.001+02:00

June 14th: 60 years anniversary aunt of the Vman

Tuesday June 16th: eating asparagus at Nicolette

Wednesday June 17th: 50 years anniversary of my parents

Saturday/Sunday June 20/21st: Villa Augustus

Saturday June 27th: out into town for some music and booze.

Update

2009-06-26T14:04:00.015+02:00

As usual I'm behind on schedule. It's better to write a bit each day, than wait too long and have no idea what has happened in the last month. Checking my notes as we speak. Hmmm seems writing activates a craving for salted popcorn, plus tea of course *rushes off to her microwave and returns with a bowl of creamy crunchies a few minutes later* This is much better.

Okay, where was I? Ah yes, our birthday party on May 23rd. The day started sunny so the Vman readied the garden, chairs, parasol, while I continued the cooking I started the day before. Since we invited our guests for a snack-kind-of supper, we had to make sure there was enough. My fridge was loaded and winking at me, so I dove in.

Made a huge pan of fresh tomato soup, accompanied by Italian bread in garlic and tomato taste plus bread sticks; two bowls of pasta-pesto-chicken-salad; an Indonesian chicken dish called "saté ajam" with hot peanut butter sauce and French baguettes and garlic butter. The Vman made a creamy filling from tuna, crème fraiche and whiskey and stuffed that in lots of tomatoes. To complete it all we made a big bowl of green salad with fresh herbs and a dressing of yogurt, honey and a bit of mayo. The result of this all was finger licking good.

As on all birthdays, the hosts don't get a chance to talk to everyone, running around with drinks, snacks and food. But it was good to see that everyone could get along fine. My parents were sitting in the same porch swing as I'm sitting in now, and I don't think my dad left it at all that afternoon. No one was taking that seat away from him haha. My mom tried to stop his swinging because she would get nauseated. Then after a while he would start again. All the grandchildren would come and sit next to them, one after another. Endearing :D

The weekend after that was a relaxing one with a some fun hours of gaming. Maeglin and me are playing Neverwinter Nights 2 online, this beautiful but buggy game is keeping us busy for months. Love it!

And then my fist Biker Weekend. Boy oh boy, I was so excited. We were leaving on Friday June 5th and got together with a small group of our Chapter. The ride to Leersum was beautiful. We crossed three rivers by small "pontjes", looking like this:

Seems there was no route to Leersum without this means of transportation. After a healthy lunch we continued our trip, to arrive at the site, that was bustling with bikers, noise and people with cowboy hats. We got ours too. We shared the holiday house with two brothers, picked our bedroom, settled in and soon the first bottles of whiskey appeared on the table. I didn't know whiskey smelled that strong, for within minutes our friends from the neighbouring house appeared too. Let's say all were thirsty ;-)

In the evening our stomachs started grumbling, so we headed towards the party tent, grabbed French fries and waited for the band "Pluis en de struikrovers" to play. And what a band. Soon the women were dancing while the men watched. And even those couldn't resist the beat.
Saturday walked around on the site, and then I went back to bed, could hardly walk because of the previous evening: my hernia was having a good time. My back wasn't. In the afternoon we took a ride and had a late lunch at a cafe. Later that evening barbecue plus another band. The singer played guitar with his mouth. Amazing.

On Sunday a ride-out to Amersfoort: over 800 bikers in a long winding column. There were people waving everywhere, and we blocked villages and half of Amersfoort. It was awesome. We visited the dealer in Amersfoort and then flew home. Just in time, the first rain drops fell when we were back home.

Birthday schtuffs ;-)

2009-05-22T10:18:00.011+02:00

And then another week has passed... I just KNEW this blog would help remembering things :D

Monday a day of training in giving and gracefully receiving feedback with my co-workers. Let's say it was interesting, sometimes great, sometimes irritating and annoying. In the evening out for dinner with the board of participation, we had the chef's table. The food was great, the company refreshing.

Tuesday work and in the evening to Sean's school: parent information evening. Apart from having a non-knowing mentor, things were okay ;)

Again working overtime on Wednesday. After that surprising my love with a bouquet of lovely purple wild flowers, which was waiting for him on his table when he came home. That evening I drove back to the Vman and we spent a romantic evening. He liked my present: a magnetic stainless steel knife rack.

His kitchen is really beautiful. And that's exactly what we were doing on Thursday, me on the roof, him in the kitchen, trying to connect a pipe for the cooker hood haha, that was fun. After that on the Harley to a meeting and having tea with a friend. On top of that we were expected at a birthday party, which was nice.

Today it's grocery shopping, hairdresser and catering time: tomorrow the Vman and me are celebrating our birthdays. Around 26 people are joining us and the weather will be fine hurrah \o/

Anniversary dinner

2009-05-17T12:17:00.004+02:00

A year and a day ago, the Vman and me first met, and from that moment on we've been inseparably connected in heart and soul.

Back then we had dinner in a Spanish restaurant La Iguana. Yesterday we took our boys, all four of them plus a friend, to Rhodos. No, not the island, but a Greek restaurant.

The two eldest were allowed to drink a glass of ouzo haha, that was fun. Tasted like "gestampte muisjes" according to Nick, aniseed. We all took starters, main dish and some even desserts... let's say the food was plenty ;-)

Have laughed a lot, silly male teens say the weirdest stuff! Try to be romantic with 5 adolescents about :D

Then we went our separate ways again, but not before the Vman surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of orange flowers. Drove home with a big smile on my face.

Waiting for him now...

Anniversary weekend

2009-05-11T22:06:00.010+02:00

Impressions of our weekend in Brugge, Belgium:

The Vman kidnapped me to celebrate our first anniversary on May 16th: destination unknown. Our route took us to the south, passing the border. Of course I kept track of the road signs, and rather soon a big smile appeared on my face: we were heading straight towards Brugge, one of the most charming and authentic villages I have ever been to. If you ever have the change to drop by there, DO so, by all means.

The weather was fine, dry and even sunny! The hotel magnificent! Our mood lively and happy! Into town, enjoying the many sights (churches, market places, little shops, other tourists) and of course a double Trappist in honor of this great beer country. All around us English, French, German, even Spanish words caressed our ears. A bit of Dutch too ;-)

We strolled around town, had a romantic dinner (except the Vman's eel, yikes) and the next day again visiting beautiful places. Thank you my Vman, for making this a special weekend to remember, and for making me the happiest woman on earth.

*kisses*

Pan's Labyrinth

2009-05-03T13:27:00.005+02:00

Yesterday evening my son and me watched the dvd Pan's Labyrinth. It left a big impression on my soul. This is not a regular fantasy movie, this is reality mixed with fantasy elements, that leaves you wondering what was real and what was not. I do hope Ofelia's fantasy was true. Harsh scenes of war's cruelty, or a man's cruelty. But also bravery, courage, love and standing up for each other. Beautiful movie.

A bleak day

2009-05-02T13:23:00.011+02:00

And now it's Saturday, and much has happened in these few days.

Quiet Wednesday evening, sharing thoughts with my Vman. Then on Thursday having an ample breakfast and driving over to his place. The kitchen really is coming around very nice, it's beautiful... just a bit more work and it will shine in its simplicity: black and white tiles on the floor, dark grey cupboards, a deep black granite working top, with stainless steel accents. Imagine a summer's day, preparing supper, glass of wine or cool beer, outside the sun, filtered by a parasol... *happy sigh* Life can be wonderful.

Then back to reality: later that Thursday we drove over to the Harley happening in Valkenswaard with Mc&Mt. Second year this is organized. Parked our bikes (I'm double riding with my Vman), watched this man perform a daring act with chain saws, drank something, ate a Subway droolin' delicious bread roll and then strolled back, watching the stands with lots of biker stuff. Back with the bikes something was missing: Mt's Fatboy Harley was stolen, gone, including motor bags with two jackets, Mt's helmet, motor papers, keys, a cell phone, my kidney belt and gloves. That beautiful Harley, twin to Mc's one, simply gone. We were devastated, glaring around at every passing biker. Nobody had seen anything. We notified the police but they wouldn't even come, although they would be on the lookout. The ride home with borrowed jackets and helmet was a bleak one.

When we came home, we heard about the attack on the Royal Family, who was cruising Apeldoorn in a bus in honor of Queen's Day. A madman drove his car straight through the crowd to get to the bus, landing on a memorial monument. Six people died, eleven severely injured, and yesterday the attacker died himself. This brought the theft of the bike back in perspective... what a day. Later that evening the Vman and me strolled into town to drink a glass of Trappist beer and see my village by night. That was nice.

Yesterday I bought new leather motor gloves and a belt to replace the old ones, went to the car wash with my youngest son... well with my car of course, but you know what I mean ;) Made an oven dish with onions, garlic, courgette, tomatoes, herbes de Provence, pepper, salt, crème fraîche and Parmesan cheese, plus mashed potatoes. Boy oh boy, that was fingerlickin' good. We ended the day by driving to the Chapter evening. Mt had made a test ride on a Dyna and was laughing again. Perhaps things will turn out alright after all.

Come weekend, let me embrace you...

New Zealand journal

2009-04-29T00:36:00.009+02:00

Tonight the karate meeting went well, as always we were business and fun. The sweet cookies, chips and nuts made it all the more enjoyable. Thanks mr. J, for your hospitality.

Just finished reading and adjusting the journey report my partner wrote about his three-week trip to New Zealand. He and his friend had a wonderful time on their Harleys in an amazing country, where nature changes within a few miles. Breathtaking sceneries, friendly people and of course beer and whiskey. How I would have loved to go with him. Will drag him back there!

Bowling dragons in dungeon?

2009-04-28T00:01:00.013+02:00

Already midnight, the end of the first day of my week's holiday. See, I told you: time flies. Life tries to rush by, so make sure you grab its tail and keep up. Don't let it get away from you, but take a firm grip and make it your own. Only you can make your own destiny, nobody else...

Having said this, my thoughts return to the weekend, to last week. So filled with things to do, appointments to keep, work to be done, training to enjoy. And then spending some hours with my Vman on Friday evening late after taking the kids to their father. Hours to be treasured. Saturday morning helping out a friend to take long-kept-but-no-longer-needed stuff to the garbage dump. Strange how one town charges money for that, while as an inhabitant of my own town, there's no need. Saved him mucho dineros ;-)

Then back home to clean my house for my four guests who would arrive around 1 pm. Since my eldest son apparently has a strong attachment to rubbish, I decided to sleep in his room myself, while letting my friend Maeglin and his gf sleep in my bed. No need for them to witness the mess in some parts of my house :P Changed beddings like a whirlwind and vacuumed downstairs. Then the D&D invasion swept in, bringing in laughter, jokes, pokes and anticipation. Like always the first issue was food: what will we eat this weekend? All four insisted on my (by now obviously famous) nasi goreng with lots of small dishes. Mmmm. The second day Aglanor would make a pasta salad. That was awesome by the way, tasty and good for two plates in stead of my usual one.

The D&D started, we relived our former adventures of this campaign and settled in a fighting routine. Two halflings as monk and ninja, a gnome cleric and me as a human paladin, what an odd sight for the eye. I simply love this game, it's funny, even hilarious at times, exciting, inventive and creative. All is done in English so Amarie can understand and participate. Gonadan is keeping a website where all our Dungeons & Dragons adventures are documented.

In the evening I left the four to a DVD with George Clooney *drools* and went to pick up my Vman for an evening out with the karate gang: it was bowling time! For two hours we rolled balls, aimed at the pins with varying results. I was terrible at it but laughed a lot.
I drove my love home and let him leave my car only after some serious huggin' & kissin'. Then back to my house for another episode of D&D.

The next day we continued playing 'till 7 pm, after which Gonadan dragged his companions to his big car to start the journey northwards again. Then I picked up my bf and my kids. By then I was in need of some relaxed couching and cuddling. So we did ;-)

Today a day of laundry and lots and lots of reading. Finished The Stone of Tears, now onwards to an intermezzo with Salvatore. Also reading, or better, studying the 7 habits of highly effective people by Stephen R. Covey. That man really makes you think on your own habits and behavior.
In the evening I finished the karate minutes, action list and other documents. Tomorrow evening will be the next committee meeting. Why do I always do that at the last possible instance? Do you have anything effective to say about that mr. Covey?

Nighty night, my eyes won't cooperate any longer now.

Puff

2009-04-23T08:57:00.004+02:00

What a night, luckily the clock kept me company each hour hehehe.
At 7.30 am Sean and me were waiting in the doctor's office. We both got allergy tablets, plus I have to start using Symbicort again, an inhaler, to ease my lungs.
Now racing towards the training, last day. Will miss a part of the morning program, but health goes before knowledge... or not? ;-) *grin*

Hay fever

2009-04-21T18:33:00.004+02:00

Sean is attacked by hay fever for the first time in his life. Attacked yes, for his nose is totally blocked, his eyes are red and watery and he's feeling tired.
I'm affected by this in another way: my bronchial tubes are ticklish all the time, and I'm doing my best not to cough too much, since this will result in more irritation. Asthma kicking in again.
But dinner is on its way, after that doing groceries and then preparing for the two-days' training that's starting tomorrow: organizing processes in our uni.

Swing

2009-04-20T19:07:00.005+02:00

Today another spring day. How I wished the 'weather' at work had this light sunny quality too.
Things are happening and I don't have any influence on them. How I hate seeing people being broken by insensitive words. I wonder if I should smack my fist on the table and demand another approach. Seems the management's mind is set on their opinion and nothing can change that.
My killer headache returned and I took two hours off to go home early, dress in a summer's dress and sit on my new swinging couch in the gentle sun with a book to forget all for a while.
Spoiling my youngest son who's on the couch after a nap, not feeling well also.
Waiting for my eldest son who's having trouble with public transportation.
Think I'll go back to swing a bit...

Cloudy Sunday

2009-04-19T16:30:00.003+02:00

My eldest son Nick is 18 years old, an adult, or so it the law says. Made an Indonesian dish with a tasty omelet, but he preferred fries haha. Luckily my other son Sean, my partner and his son liked the 'real' food I made. Everybody loved the chocolate pie and apple muffins though.
In the evening we went to the cinema to watch "Fast and furious". A nice action movie actually, great stunts.
Today working in the garden plus the kids' dad came over to celebrate Nick's birthday. Although the day started with sun, now it's cold, cloudy and I've turned on the heater.

Kitchen

2009-04-16T22:09:00.003+02:00

Barbecue I wrote last night? Well, the first hamburgers were just done when fat raindrops started to fall, followed by thunder and lightning. Or would that be lightning and thunder? ;-)
We rushed inside to save the food and continued in the kitchen, where I heated up a grill pan. It tasted good anyway.
Today a long day again at work 'till 9 pm. The dishes are still waiting for me, and I have to get up at 5.30 am because Sean is going to France, Lille, in the early morning.

Barbecue

2009-04-15T15:39:00.000+02:00

Worked half a day while staring outside where the sun is shining down with a summer's quality, and decided we're going to have a barbecue tonight!
Bought lots of meat, sauces, green stuff and fresh bread. Garlic butter and fruit will complete the dinner, plus a bottle of cold rosé. How I love spring!
But first domestic cleaning and laundry, hurrah \o/ *whistles*

Spring run

2009-04-15T07:58:00.000+02:00

After a cattish morning serenade, I got up at 6 am, slipped into my running outfit, drank some orange juice and then headed out into the awakening village.
It was lovely, horses, sheep, a stray cat roamed about, some cars passing me by and my favorite music softly in my ear.
Every time I can run a little bit further before I have to start walking, interval training works for me ;-)
Okay, work is calling me, have to go...

Just for starters...

2009-04-14T18:15:00.000+02:00

These days so much is happening in my life, that it's hard to keep up. Perhaps this blog can help me remember and share the little stories of my life.
Let's see, where to start...