Good evening at the 11th off March, 2023.

 Good evening everyone, 

This afternoon was pretty sunny, I had afternoon coffee in the sun. There's a forecast off more showers, whatsoever. The snow is gone so far. 

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This morning was for baking this forest fruit syrup waffle pie. We will have it at our afternoon coffee at de Boed, community centre in Zaandijk. Aside to berry sauce, I decided to adjust syrup waffles to the filling. I hope the combination will be a succes tomorrow. It's a try out, but people at de Boed already believe it's going to be great. All my bakings are beloved among them. The icing sugar hides the lack off eggwash, (I forgot) and the messed up checkers on top. I had the berry sauce left over in my freezer, and thought it would make the perfect pie filling. The receipe for the dough comes from 'Appeltaart bij Janneke thuis.' by Janneke Philippi, but I adjusted vanilla extract and my own selected cookie spices to it. 

And offcourse the filling is no appeltaart, but broken syrup waffles on the bottom, and home made berry sauce, thickened a bit with cornstarch on top. Actuall appeltaart will be next week, snow or not. (If I can afford, otherwise it's going to be something else.) 

Sometimes it's a good idea not to eat the entire package off syrup waffles when you allow yourself one at Friday night. 😉 The day is sunny, but there's a promise off even more snow in the air, but I'm doing well.   

Allright, that's about it for now - 

Thank you for reading. 

Good evening at the 10th off March, 2023.

 Good evening everyone,

Today the Netherlands was shook up by a blizzard. It's snowing and it has been snowing the entire afternoon. The streets where covered in a layer off snow this afternoon. As if something yells at us: 'IT'S STILL WINTER!!!!!'  

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This evening is for tea with a syrup waffle. It's snowing outside and ahead off me lays a weekend off doing little, except for baking a fruit pie, probably. I will do so on Saturday. I'm doubting wheter I will top it with checkers or do a pattern in the dough on top, with flowers done with a cookiecutter. The flowers will be a bit easier for me, since the checkers are always a little hard for me. I hope de Boed will enjoy my creation on Sunday. It's nasty weather this weekend, that simply asks for a baking. 

I decided, if next week will be snowy too, I will make de Boed a simple appeltaart (Dutch applepie) for next weekend. Nothing is as appreciated as that when the weather is bad. And practice a little with those checkers on top. Many a Dutch person can make it, I should be capable to do so too. Often I make myself away with it easy, by making apple crumble pie so no one will notice the lack off checkers. Next week I should owe up to it better, and simply give it a try. You never know. 

Somehow I expect the bad weather to last for some time. I'm thinking off not storing away my sweaters and goat wool socks untill I feel spring has truly started. Somehow untill after the first or second week off spring. 

Nothing is as sacred as my evening tea when the weather is all dreary like this. No matter how deep the crisis will be, I just have to have my tea in the evening. A simple heart enhancer, but it's good for mind, body and soul. And it's mind calming in the evening. 

Today was a bit boring. I had lunch with a left over off my mustard soup at de Boed, and I have been thinking out the Wednesday Soup for next week. Other than snow and seeking out soup receipes on the internet, little has happened. (Next week will be for creamy celeriac soup, with stripes off bacon.) 

Allright, that's about it for now- 

Thank you for reading.     

Good evening at the 9th off March, 2023.

 Good evening everyone, 

Today was cold, grey, dreary and gloomy. In the evening, there has been wet snow. As if something wishes to tell us: 'It's still winter, everyone.' 

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Today we had the alderman from social business for a visit for lunch at de Boed, community centre in Zaandijk. Guess what they served siding the sandwiches? Well, yes, my Zaanish mustard soup. The alderman and Leviaan's entire management (CEO, two managers) and staff from the alderman pretty much loved my soup. We had a lot off important people for lunch today, and I made the perfect impression on them with my Wednesday Soup, which they had shoven to Thursday for the occasion. The intention off all off that was to let the alderman meet de Boed, and Leviaan, and share ideas for participating more, and involving the neighbourhood and the government more into Leviaan business and activities. It was quite important, but it wasn't for my soup if it failed. 

Other than that, I wish to reccomend a book to my audience. 

And the Dutch version, which I actually read: 

The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse, by Charlie Mackesy. I had it as a present from my mother this week. I just love it. It's and image book for all ages, and I have been really touched by the images and the story off friendship and the beautifull life lessons they share with us. It's just perfect for any sensitive heart. If you're into loud popculture, it's not for you, probably. But if you are sensitive, mature, and strong- and looking for some wise words, I would definetely recommend it to you. It's a work off love which is very stirring in my opinion. Those images really do something to me. If you are looking for something with great emotional depth, look no further! You're going to love it.  

Allright, that's about it for now- 

Thank you for reading! 

Good afternoon at the 7th off March, 2023.

 Good afternoon everyone, 

Today is cold, grey and it has snowed this morning while I was in the city centre. 

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Today I went to Action's to purchase a cake stand. It's just that they have already been sold out and I didn't have much luck with it. I had lunch at the small shopping centre's lunch corner, and I decided I wanted a slice off applepie and a cappuccino after that. So I did. I know prices are high, and the restaurant was almost empty. But the applepie was still a bit warm and I haven't had something that good in a while. 

Action's was out off cake stands. You know, a fancy glass plate on a pedestal. I thought it would be the perfect adjustment to my collection off tableware in case I wanted to serve something on it. On the internet, you pay quite a lot for these. I hope Action's will come back permanently with them. They seemed like quite a succes to me. I can price myself lucky I wasn't tempted to purchase anything else from Action's than what I came for. 

And my transport card had expired. I took a walk to the station to buy a new one, and charge it. At home I filled in a form on the internet to re-claim the money that's been on my old one. And that's been my morning. 

Edit: Some awesome music to end this blog with, otherwise you might think I might just have had a boring day. 😉

Jan Hammer- Crockett's Theme 

Allright, that's about it for now- 

Thank you for reading. 

Good evening at the 5th off March, 2023.

Good evening everyone, 

The sky was all cloudy and dreary. It's been cold and I'm thankfull for the invention off sweaters today. 

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What to fill this weblog up with? Probably the same stuff I fill 'em up with all the time! 

What have I done today? 

 

I started off the late morning with fresh coffee, with a splash off milk and a cookie I had left from a neighbour visit yesterday. Yesterday I had a neighbour visiting me, we had coffee with these scrumptuous peanut cookies covered in milk chocolate, and I had one left for myself for today. Coffee with a sweet treat, or at least a cookie, is part off classic Dutch culture. We know how to visit people for coffee, and having them over for a cup off coffee. It's habit that you chat along about life when you do so. It's merely something from the older generation, (You know, these young ones don't take their time for it often.) but since my neighbour is in her 70's, she's common with it and I'm surrounded by elderly people. I do well in having coffee with them at times. I think coffee with neighbours is a good thing. It was a cozy visit, and she's about to invite me to her place the next time. Elderly people like her are awesome. 

Today was for doing dishes and cleaning out my kitchen after coffee. I have been hoarding fancy lemonade glasses. I have been storing them in my cupboard. They are suitable to have wine without alcohol in it, too, and if I was allowed to do alcohol, these sort off drinks like whiskey would have suited them well too. It's perfect for an apperitif at my birthday. Despite me having my birthday in August. I purchased them a bit early on. But it's been a good purchase for that price. Good quality for cheap, I love it. 

My kitchen is glad with me. I have been leaving those lemonade glasses for a while on the counter. I have been lazy with them, but today finally felt like removing their stickers and storing them. I even have been cleaning my coffee maker. I have been in an uplifiting mood this entire weekend. 

I wish to end this weblog with good music, a timeless piece from Booker T. & The M.G's - Green Onions. 

It's the perfect classic to overcome a dreary Sunday evening with. 

Allright, that's about it for now- 

Thank you for reading. 

 

 

Good evening at the 2nd off March, 2023.

 Good evening everyone, 

Today the weather was clear and cold. There is a forecast for snow next week, so I suppose the rest off the weekend will be cold. 

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Today the bus held a strike, so it has been a bit boring. Except for lunch at Spar's and a small walk in the neighbourhood, I did pretty little except for having coffee with the last off my fancy cookies at home. I can't afford them anymore since they have increased in price. I had three left and I had some coffee for myself this afternoon. 

I took a coffee picture off it. I'm the last one who they should allow to complain. I have nice cookies on stock despite them not being these lemon cookies. But it's fine either. 

I have been hamstering clothes yesterday. Somehow I feel clothes getting more expensive this year, so I have been purchasing some items for spring and summer. And I'm wearing nailpolish I purchased this week. Blue Papagayo by IsaDora. A shiny, purpleish dark blue. It arrived this evening. 

Usually these polishes sell pretty expensive, but I purchased them on a discount. I'm not poor. Far from. Poverty is having nothing to eat and freezing when there is snow outside. I'm one off the few lucky people these years who can manage themselves and who get by thanks to the government. No, I'm the last one on earth they should allow to complain about wealth. Usually I keep my look a bit modest to not to look too rich for most people. So no make-up and hairdye in a very natural shade, and I haven't dyed and cut my hair since November. Most off the time I don't wear nailpolish. But this discount was almost too good to be true. Just like purchasing clothes. I said I didn't want to do so untill Spring. But something in me told me to be ahead to even more price increasing. So it failed. But who knows- maybe next year I'm not capable to purchase them at all. It's good to have stocks off items on the shelves during wartime. Be prepared for anything, folks! You never know and this situation might even last about three good years. 

Just like today applying nailpolish, I also wore make-up today. Which should be in the headlines off the news since I barely do so. I have been right about Yves Rocher increasing prices, so at the very beginning off this year I purchased make-up on a massive discount from them, joking that I would make it my summer make-up if needed. Sometimes it's not funny being capable to foresee what's going to happen and being sarcastic. But I was right. And so am I probably with clothes. 

Instead off going for loud and bold fashion, I decided to go for more timeless items which could withstand a change in fashion for a while. (If I'm correct.) It's too expensive to follow the latest trends. So I'm not into the 00's girl who went to the bahama's kind off trend. I did purchase some items in red and yellow, however, since these colours make me happy. It's good to still wear clothes that make you happy somehow these days. And which suit your personal style. 

It's not been handy off me not to care about my clothes at all last year, and go by in weird items that looked a bit frumpy and very outdated. In my defence: I was depressed about it and I simply didn't have the prescence off mind to prepare for a crisis, and purchase items before the increasement off prices would hit in so hard. As long as my clothes where clean and comfy, I didn't care last year.  I went by as pale and weird as some psychiatric granny ghost. This year I want to do it diffrent since I snapped out off my depression, but it may seem a bit unthoughtfull in these expensive times. If I look at all those cute Bahama items you where supposed to wear last year... Really, what was I thinking? It may be a bit unthoughtfull, but maybe I'm just in time to purchase items before we get even more screwed and it will be even more expensive. Well, at least I was washed and clean last year in summer. But my looks made no sense. And I purchased some summer nailpolish ahead. Which is a cool thing for this summer. Nail polish stays good for a while, so chances are I'm going to wear it again next year, and the year after that. 

If you wish to withstand bad times, think ahead and make plans. What are you going to do when NATO is really going to send troops to Ukraine, and they will mobilize, and they will ask you and your beloveds to truly fight? It's good to overthink that as a possibility. I'm not telling you this as a joke. I'm downright serious when it comes to this. And better to have stuff on your shelves, than being empty handed. So I cheer for people who invest in multipacks off as much as possible for the best price they can find. It's not a bad idea to fill 'em up with showergel, shampoo, conditioner, bodybutter, toothpaste, toothbrushes, laundry wash, laundry softner and so on. I'm jealouse off people with regulair body sizes who can fill their closets with multipacks off underwear and plain t-shirts these days. It's a good idea to be prepared. And be well prepared as this might take a while. 

Allright, that's about it for now- 

Thank you for reading.       

Good evening at the 1st off March, 2023.

 Good evening everyone, 

This morning was misty and cold, as the banks off the river Thames in London according to the rumors. It's been that typicall. Cold, grey and misty. But the mist made place for a cold yet sunny day. 

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Today was for dessert making instead off soup making. They asked me for a dessert instead off soup, like usuall. It was a nice set off off the usuall. I decided I wanted to make apple cherry crumble. And it was a succes. The receipe came from the dessert bible by Rutger van den Broek, my baking hero. The dinning room was pretty crowded today. And I'm so proud off myself it was a big succes again this evening. People loved their dessert tonight. It's been something diffrent than the usuall, depressing bowl off vla we usually eat. 

We had it served on a pastry plate with a scoop off cinnamon ice cream. I could harvest compliments all over. It's been perfect for after dinner tonight.

And it's been easy to make. De Boed is struggling with being short on staff, but an apple crumble is so easy for me to make, I don't need help from anyone with it. Soup is a bit off work on the other hand, which requires a bit off help sometimes. I told them if they are short on staff again, they can let me make this on Wednesday and it's cool with me either. Apple crumble with cherries sure has been the high point off our day. It's been a good idea. Today we where not as poor as the streetbricks for once with this as our dessert. 

Warning: Something medical. 

I also had my psychiatric health nurse visiting me. They don't have the results to my bloodtest yet. She told me we would discuss them today wheter they where good or bad, but there is nothing so far. I would not be suprised if there was something, to be honest. On the other hand, they would have contacted me if there was something wrong. But maybe it's a bit early on for results. 

Tomorrow I will have a day off from swimming. But the bus company holds a strike so I can't visit the market in Zaandam. I have to come up with something diffrent to fill my day. Otherwise I will have a pretty boring day tomorrow. I got the money from my hospital adventure back, so I have a little more space for spending, though I have the feeling it's not a bad idea to be a bit sober with money these weeks. It can come in handy to have it when it's needed. You never know. I'm thinking about spending my thursday either cookie baking, or reading. 

Allright, that's about it for now- 

Thank you for reading.