April 2014

We bought a couple of Sesame Street DVDs this weekend and tonight we watched on my laptop for a few minutes.

When I told Nora that she should go play now, she started pointing to the underside of the laptop. At first I didn't pay much attention but she was very persistent. She said: "knoopje, knoopje" (button, button). She does have a loose button on her clothes so I was thinking that perhaps she had put something in the laptop, but the grills at the underside of the laptop looked too small for that.

She kept insisting, but I told her that it's impossible to put anything in through those vents. Then, it dawned on me, and I opened the DVD player: "Wil je de DVD hebben?" (Do you want the DVD?)

And she answered: "Oooooh!" (which means, "yes", in her language).

Then she said that the DVD was a "zing-knoopje!" (a "button for singing"). Our little poet.

Today we received a wonderful present from Oma: a handmade Nijntje. It is an exact replica of the Nijntje Oma made for me 30 years ago and it is beautiful.

We told Nora Nijntje arrived by plane and we showed her Jaap's photo to explain.

This morning we went to the flea market at the Dutch school in Bethesda. It's King's Day today.

We bought a big pile of books and a couple of DVDs and CDs. It's a luxury to be able to buy them and not having to pay for international shipping!

On Saturday we painted several eggs in beautiful colors. On Sunday morning we went outside, and met Ginny at the taverne. The kids were driving their scooters on the street and we drew with chalk on the street. The weather was gorgeous.

For lunch I made a chicken stuffed with lemon and garlic, with potatoes and carrots on the side. Came out very nicely. We spent the rest of the day on the deck.

The Zane family arrived on Friday night and we're spending a nice Easter weekend together.

The weather was excellent yesterday and we went for a walk to the Italian Store. On our way back we stopped at the Hayes Park where the kids played and we all had a picnic together.

Rob and Jerry attended Gerlof's wedding where they were served various cheeses -- including the excellent Bergense Blonde.

Last Sunday night we were having dinner outside -- the first time this year -- when we saw and heard a firetruck on Kirkwood, down the hill. Then another one, and a third, and even more... I went to take a look.

There apparently was a report of a bush fire near one of the houses opposites 14th Street, maybe the result of a BBQ and strong wind. The Arlington County fire department and police came out in full force and there were some 15 vehicles. Thankfully the fire was out very quickly.

The fire brigade opened two fire hydrants on the street. Later in the evening we had brown water -- we noticed when starting a bath for Nora. After flushing the house for 20 minutes the dirty water was gone. The next days Nora was asking a few times: "water vies?"