Hello everyone,

I figured it was time again to write in my blog, since a lot has happened since i wrote last time.

In case you wonder what that is, nothing too shocking mostly work or school related. I have been working overtime a couple of nights and had two evening classes/courses the last couple of weeks. besides that i went to see Beth Hart, who absolutely rocked in Paradiso. One of her best concerts i have been too. But i kinda had to apologize to some people that were standing around me, i sort of went in overdrive while singing along with Beth, i over shouted her voice while “singing” along with her. I got some complaints that people heard me better than Beth….SORRY PEOPLE!!!!

What else i have been doing, well my parents decided to buy a new kitchen and honestly that was a really good idea since the old kitchen was just done for.  The bad thing about it is that my dad wanted to lower the ceiling a little bit and some other changes. Me trying to be the good son helped out a bit the last two weekends…..i kinda underestimated how much work it would be…It took all of last weekend and the better part of yesterday. Good thing is that its for 99% done now and that the new kitchen is coming next Tuesday. So next time I’ll be here it will be all done, very curious how it will turn out.

So basically the last two weeks i hardly saw my own place. Next week i promised to work to more evenings and thats it then for me. I need to work on my social life and my body. Believe it or not but I’m growing a little tummy, and that needs to be halted. I’m thinking about swimming once or twice a week, i like to swim and its good exercise. I just need someone to kick me in the butt every now and then. Determination is not always my strongest point.  Any volunteers?

But besides all this I’m doing good, i just need to get out more. Sometimes I feel the walls of my apartment getting closer and thats not a good sign. Hopefully i will find a new place in a little while. I need more space!

Well thats it for now, my dad will be back in a half a hour or so from fishing, he got up at 06.00 this morning..), so when he does we probably are going to eat lunch.

Bye for now,

Love, Mark

Yesterday i went to Utrecht to see a long time friend, we figured that would be a good place to hang around for a day. Central to both of us and ,since its the 4th city of the Netherlands, there must a good movie theater or snooker place to hang out for a little while. How wrong could we be! We have been in in the city for almost 10 hours and walked at least 5 of them. What a dull city if you not into shopping.

There are tons of shops there, some of them we both wondered how it stayed in business, but no good movie during the day in the 4 movie theaters that we saw. Not to mention the snooker places that seemed to have been evaporated. I think its save to say that we saw every street of “downtown” Utrecht but nothing! How weird is that?

So after seeing almost everything 2 or 3 times we decided to have a drink somewhere, our feet had gone tired of walking. We ended up in a place called ” The winkel van Sinkel”. I have been there before but always outside on the terras, this was the first time i went inside and it must be a building with a lot of history. Especially if you go down to the toilet, it seems like you entering the old dungeon.

Since we both wanted to have “foreign” food for diner we ended up in a Italian place and settled for a pizza. I think i can speak for both of us in saying that we enjoyed it. Deciding that we still wanted to see a movie, we went to see: “The kingdom”.

I read about it last Friday and it seemed like a good movie. Now that i saw it, I’m definitely not disappointed. Ok, the plot was a little bit straight forward (people that can’t stand each other in the beginning end up being friends in the end) but it wasn’t bothering me in the slightest bit. What was a bit strange to me that in a Islamic country Jennifer Cartner could walk around in a t-shirt ,boobs clearly present, in- and outside of the American compound. Only having to cover it up a bit if the prince was around, but I’m not complaining, I have feelings too!

Anyway to get back to the movie, it showed the differences in culture and the problems that rise with that, only to realize in the end that we aren’t that different at all. Of course it was the American blockbuster, so the day was saved by American guns blazing, but the director did a good job here. Its a movie i would recommend.

So although Utrecht was dull, it was fun catching up again and i enjoyed my day. I just have to have a good word with the Supreme weather goddess next Monday, she promised us sun but I never saw it!

Thats all for now,

Much love,

Mark.

So its has been another month and a half so i guess a post is once again long overdue.

As you all know i had a amazing trip to the USA, a eventful, but amazing trip. I met the most wonderful people there and felt right at home. Florida was hot, very hot at times but also cool to do Disneyland and Sea world. It was a blast meeting Susan twice and seeing more of the USA then most tourists do. I would almost say, see the USA from the inside out, although there is so much more to the country. Although i also realized I’m not going to life there unless i have a couple of millions on the bank. The country is great and most people are very friendly and “normal”, but in the short time i was there i really appreciated the Dutch social system and labor laws. I wouldn’t survive on a week paid vacation a year. I know the Dutch system is far from perfect, but i’ll tell you all, we should stop complaining and be happy with what we have!

Getting back on the trip, after 10 days in Florida and the motel, which was fun and interesting at the same time we moved up the map to the “Gateway city” of St. Louis. There is a lot of history over there, more than i was expecting to see, it was awesome seeing that they preserved so much of times gone. Also it was obvious that people are proud of there city and the role it played in the history of the USA. I really loved being there, and i touched the waters of the famous Mississippi -river.

As with Susan it was a blast spending time with Jackie and her family. I have never met people that welcomed me with such open arms. I felt right at home both in Florida as St. Louis, like we have been living around the corner for decades. Its pretty amazing since we all have such different backgrounds.

Ok the animals, Elly i miss that dog! she is a attention craver to the max, but so sweet, you gotta love her. Shadow and Murphy are just two old men that must be the happiest dogs out there (until you take them to the vet!). I haven’t seen much other dogs that were so at ease. Sleep, eat and poop, everything else was not important! Annie, the shy but totally cute doggie. You just can’t help loving her! Lets not forget Ramon, that horse is…beyond proper words to describe, he loves attention so much that he would run through bushes just to get Jackie to make him pretty again…And last but not least the cats…as you all know I’m not the biggest cat lover out there. But i got along just fine with them all, even Fenster liked me and let me touch him, which is pretty rare according to the stories. But having this said, i have seen enough cats for another year! I’ll be and always will be a dog kinda guy!

Ok there is one thing i have to set straight. Chantal, you mentioned a spider in your blog, i remember the spider a tiny bit smaller than you said! About halve the size as you described, but other wise it was fun! Each of us minding our of stuff and all of a sudden there is a big scream from the couch! Thinking about it, i still get a huge smile on my face. That look on Chantal her face, as they say in the Master card commercial, priceless!

Oh man there are some many fun stories to tell about this vacation, i wish i could write them all down but i have neither the time to do it or want to bother you all with page filling posts. It was truly one of my best vacations ever!

Before i sign off i must tell you all a tiny bit about the Original Oldies show. If you like music from the last century (up until the early 90’s) and happen to be in St. Louis you really should check them out. I’m not saying this because i know Jackie but its just fun, if only to watch people (and the gorgeous waitresses). I much warn you that you will encounter some “interesting” people but especially the Wednesday’s are fun! Really check it out if you find yourself a couple of thousand miles from home and don’t know what to do!

I probably remember a couple of thousand other things i wanted to write about as soon as I hit publish but I have to same something for next time, don’t i?

Take care everyone!

Love, Mark

Right now its 16,5 hours until our plane takes off into the big blue sky and takes us to Florida.

I’m sooo excited about the trip, our bags are (as good as) packed and we are virtually ready to go. Its going to be one amazing vacation: we have a little camping thing to look forward to, maybe a ride in a limousine, a show I’m not sure what to expect from and lets not forget Disney, sea world and who knows what else. What I do know is that we’re going to have one amazing vacation. Oh man, i’m so glad i’m tired and can get some sleep. Dunno what i would do if it was morning and I had to wait all day to be on my way.

Not much to talk about besides the trip, basically I have been looking forward to it and doing the work thing. When I’m back i probably need a week to get everything back on the road but thats something i worry about on September 24. First the US of A

All i have left to say is, that I’ll do my best to post a blog entry every now and then.

Greetings to you all!

Love Mark

Hey everyone,

Its a surprise that Chantal isn’t couching her lungs out. Since yesterday I’m having a huge cold and my nose is all filled up. I can tell you that its no fun! Oh well, a few days at home with a lot of rest should get over it. I just hope i won’t infect Chantal.

But its just 18 days until the USA-trip and we are as good as ready for it! We bought the suitcases we needed (with a 30 Euro discount, because the shop assistant scanned the wrong tag. YAY! :D) and last week we got a great deal on a place to stay and Disney tickets, together with discount coupons (up to $1000!!) and free entry to the Universal walk. It sounds really exciting and soon I’m going to count the hours until we are there. hehe.

Last weekend i once again lost my confidence in our public transport, Chantal and I decided to go to Westzaan to check up on my aunts and uncles house. They were on vacation and asked me to do the mail and such. All went well for the first part of the trip but when we were half way, we heard air escaping somewhere. It turned out that the bus got a flat tire.. And because it was Sunday, all we could do was wait a HOUR! until the next bus arrived. For some reason it was impossible to help 6 people further, so we were stranded in the hot sun. It wasn’t all that bad, but we didn’t have fun especially after someone did show up to pick up the bus driver.

Last Saturday i took Chantal for a trip to Amsterdam, it was loaded with people but it was fun. Chantal never went to our Capital so i showed her around a bit. Took her to a Gay-lesbian bookstore called “Vrolijk” (meaning happy) and of course into the red-light district. I think we had a pretty good day.

Oh well thats it for now, I’m going to bug Chantal too also write a blog entry and take it easy for the rest of the day. Until soon everyone!

Much love and a big HATSJOE!!!

Mark