Update and PaganPages

I've been absent and I haven't even wished you a happy new year... Sorry! A lot has happened. I've had some issues with a new medicine for my blood pressure. I worked to lower the pressure, but I never felt worse! I tried it for a month, but we (GP and I) decided to stop. That was two weeks ago. Now I feel somewhat better, but my blood pressure is sky high again. So we'll continue to try and find new solutions to do something about it. All in all I've been out of the running for 4 to 6 weeks. Enough is enough. To be continued!

In between all this Ron is switching from paid employment to starting for himself. Same job though, transport guidance / pilot service. That way he can work more hours and hopefully make more money. :-) So this is an exciting but stressful time. Wish us luck!

~*~*~*~

PaganPages is an online magazine or e-zine about all things pagan. The February Issue is up now!

In my column I've shared some of my personal Imbolc traditions.
You can read it here: Tink About It: My Imbolc traditions

Meet & Greet with Robbie Williams

Some weeks ago I got an e-mail about Upfront with Robbie Williams, a paid membership section of his website to ‘accompany’ him on the Swings Both Ways tour. For just 3.99 pounds a month members are treated to phone calls from Robbie, regular text messages, online chats and access to exclusive photos, videos and audio clips that can’t be found anywhere else. I joined immediately. At first I didn't even notice the possibility of winning a meet & greet with Rob during the tour, but once I did I entered and forgot all about it…

Last Wednesday I got an e-mail that said: Congratulations - you'll be meeting Robbie in Amsterdam! I couldn't believe my eyes. Read it, and read it again, and again. Googled the name of the person I had to contact just to be sure. ‘Artist & Celebrity Security’, that sounds about right… And then it sunk in…. OMG OMG OMG OMG Oh My Gods OMG OMG OMG OMG, I won!! I’m going to meet Rob!!! And I won two tickets too. I had ordered tickets months ago. It was the first time that Ron would go with me to a Robbie concert. He likes Rob and his music too, especially the swing songs. We sold our tickets to friends. And then the waiting started… I wasn't really nervous, just very much looking forward to it. I didn't expect too much of it, but that was totally okay! Who cares if it doesn't mean to him what it means to me…? Even if it would be just 5 minutes, they are MY 5 minutes with Rob and 5 minutes more than a lot of other fans had!

So last Sunday was The Big Day! We left well on time, wouldn't want to get stuck in traffic! We arrived early and talked to some friends that were waiting in line. We collected our tickets at the box office and met the other winner and her friend. Around 6.30 pm two security guys came to pick us up and then suddenly I got really nervous. I was so glad Ron was there to keep me grounded! We walked through some corridors and were led into an empty dressing room to wait for Rob. The jitters worked overtime in my stomach, but I managed to calm myself down a bit.

Rob entered the room with Josie (his PA), security and a photographer. One of the security guys touched the light switch with his bum and the lights went out. We all laughed about it, especially when he seemed a bit awkward! At first Rob thought Ron and I were from the record company and just gave us a quick hand. Then he kissed and hugged the other girls. I was too flabbergasted to say anything, but when he was pointed out his mistake he more than made up for it! It sort of broke the ice though, and my nerves faded a bit. He kissed and hugged me real tight.

He asked all of us where we were from and how long it took to get to the Ziggo Dome. While chatting with us he was standing very close to me. Part of me couldn't believe this was really happening, so I consciously used all my senses to record this experience… When he heard what we had to do to win this meeting, he laughed and joked “What?? That’s all? Just click a button? That’s not much, is it?” He was relaxed and really took his time to talk with us. He radiated a general sense of happiness.

The photographer was taking pics all the time. The dressing room had a blue wall, in front of which she took the ‘official’ pictures. First with each of the other girls, and then it was my turn. Rob put his arms around me and pulled me close to him. I didn't resist, on the contrary, haha! He gave me a soft squeeze, whispered something in my ear and put his cheek to mine. He smelled intoxicatingly sexy…

Ron joined us for another picture. He bent his back and knees, but Rob still had to stand on tiptoes to get his arms over our shoulders. After the pic was taken he asked Ron “Man! How tall are you?” When Ron said he is 2.04m Rob grimaced impressed and shook his hand again.

And then it was time to say goodbye. I thanked him from the bottom of my heart, we all did, for this wonderful and intimate meet and greet. It was fabulous and I enjoyed every single second of it for 100%! Wow, just wow….

Security escorted us back to the general corridor. I asked about the pictures. We will get them emailed later. Josie had made a few pics with her mobile phone for Upfront, so at least we have that one already. We talked about this unique shared experience, cried out happily and bounced around. I was quiet though, had a bit of trouble landing. I went to the bathroom and just sat there for a while, silently enjoying reliving that 15 minutes. Then I put a happy status on Facebook and went out again.

In the corridors Ron and I met our friends, who of course were very curious. We drank something and went to our seats. We had great view from second row. Around us were mostly English people, behind us sat the choreographer of the show. A man next to us made a picture of Ron and me and we made ‘selfies’. Just before 8 pm the speaker announced two minutes silence. May 4^th is our national Remembrance Day and at 8 pm two minutes of silence are observed throughout the country. It was very impressive to witness complete silence in a venue filled with thousands of people.

And then…. The concert!!! I won’t write a minute-to-minute report of that, you can find those anywhere. I very very much enjoyed it. Loved the sets, loved the outfits (esp. the captain’s jacket), loved the songs… Opening with ‘Shine My Shoes’ is a great choice, as it does for a swing concert what LMEY does for a pop concert.

Although I missed some of my favourites from the swing albums I really liked the medleys (the one with ‘Shout’ was awesome!!). The swing versions of some of his pop hits were wonderful, although for some songs it worked better than for others.

‘That’s Amore’ was great; I’m a Dean Martin fan and hope Rob will do ‘Sway’ too one day… The whole wedding scene was very funny. He said he couldn't kiss a random fan on stage anymore, being 40 and a daddy and all… So he proposed to a fan,  married her on stage and then kissed her full on the mouth. J

I wasn't too impressed by the female singer that did ‘Empire State Of Mind’ (too piercing and shrill to my liking), but loved Rob’s  ‘New York New York’. Wouldn't it be awesome to have a Next Generation Rat Pack with at least Rob and Michael Bublé doing the old songs…? The close harmony part with Guy Chambers and the others was sensational too. I want more of that!

Together with his dad he sang ‘Do Nothing Till You Here From Me’. He looked so adorably proud when his dad walked on stage, aww… It’s no mystery where he got the entertainment genes! I really like those personal touches in Rob’s concerts.

I understand why Rob felt he had to do ‘Angels’ and although I like it a lot, it felt a bit out of place for me. A well-known and powerful swing ballad would have been better, but I’m afraid a lot of people wouldn't put up with missing ‘Angels’…

From time to time while I was enjoying the concert it suddenly hit me: hey, I talked to that man! Our bodies touched. We kissed and hugged, and there are pics to prove it. As if I’d ever forget…

I want to thank RobbieWilliams.com / Upfront, the crew, security and of course Rob himself for an incredible night to remember….!

Who do you love?

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Kickin'It Old Skool, Day 15
"We'd love to see your loved ones! Your cats, your kids, your loves, your sisters, your brothers, your friends, your visitors, your elders, your neighbours, your besties. Who do you love?"

~*~*~*~

First and foremost I ask you to click on this picture to open a new window with a post I made yesterday to celebrate the love of my life, my husband Ron. Cliche as it may be, it's the truth!

Although they are no longer with us in this world, I will always love my mum and dad. Dad died in 1996 and mum in 2006, but I still miss them every day... Here they are opening christmas-presents at our home somewhere in the 90's:

I love my sister Joke. She is 10 years older, but at our current ages of 45 and 55 that's no issue anymore. We've had our ups and downs like all sisters have, but we both know we can unconditionally count on each other whenever needed. Her husband Leo came into my life when I was 8. I love him too, but sadly we lost him on my birthday in 2009. Here are Joke and I in Disneyland Paris in 2010:

And of course our pets belong here too. Although I won't share pics of all that went before, they all are still in my heart too. I'll see them at the rainbow bridge... Here are the beloved ones that share our home today:

Foofur, Welsh Corgi / Jack Russell, 14

Arwen, Bernese Mountain Dog, 4

Freyja, silver/white Balinese, 7

Bastet, tortoise European Shorthair, 7

Maia, white/grey European Shorthair, 6

~*~

18th anniversary

Today is our 18th wedding anniversary...

Together for 25+ years...

True love...

And he still gives me butterflies...    

(I just found out the 18th anniversary is called the turquoise anniversary - a beautiful gem!)

10 Things About Me

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Kickin'It Old Skool, Day 5
Today's idea is a classic, simple as that: "Tell Us 10 Things About You". Sounds easy peasy, but is it? What to tell? Try not to state the obvious, or perhaps I should exactly do that. 10 things, pfew... Let me think...

~*~*~*~

If you don't know me yet, I'll share 10 things you should at least know about me...

If you do know me, can you predict which things I'm going to share in this list? Stop reading, make a list and tell me afterwards how many you had correct. :)

1. I'm married to the love of my life, Ron. Next Saturday is our 18th wedding anniversary, but we are together for more than 25 years. We met at a local marching band: he was on drums, I was a majorette/twirler. And the rest as they say is history... and present, and future! :)
2. I'm pagan, more precisely I call myself an eclectic heathen witch. Interested why or what that means to me? Read more here and of course you'll find lots of pagan stuff on this blog.
3. I'm a Robbie Williams fan ever since he left Take That back in the day. I have all his albums, dvd's and more. I've been to several concerts. This year I went to his Take The Crown Tour and just yesterday I scored tickets for his Swings Both Ways Tour next year. Woohoo! :) Read my posts about him here.
4. I love reading, I love books. I have a lot of books; you can see a small portion (appr. 1200 of them...) in my LibraryThing. I breathe books, like the smell, sound, feel, etc. of real books. My all time favourite book is The Lord Of The Rings, but there's so much more...
5. I'm a Trekkie! Love, love, love Star Trek. I like The Original Series and love the rest. I have all seasons of The Next Generation, Voyager and Deep Space Nine and all movies on dvd. I would love to have Enterprise too. Years ago I've been on television talking about Star Trek. That same day I've met Patrick Stewart, my favourite actor (not only as Capt. Picard).
6. I'm very fond of (all!) animals. I'm a cat-lover and a dog-lover. Some say you can't be both, but I am. We share our home with 3 cats (Freyja, Bastet & Maia - goddess names) and two dogs (Foofur, a crossbreed Welsh Corgi / Jack Russell, and Arwen, a Bernese Mountaindog). Read and see more of them here on my blog.
7. In the past I have been struggling with eating disorders and depression. For some years now I use my experience to help others. I tell my story, educate and give information to different groups of people: teenagers, students, fellow-sufferers, nurses, etc. I coach social workers and medical professionals in how to be of real help to a patient on the way to recovery by showing them a different point of view. 
8. I'm a computer-addict. :) Internet, social media, downloading, digital photography and lots, lots more. I like to learn and try out new things. It's my window to the world.
9. I love all seasons, but especially winter. Snow, ice, cold sunny weather... I've written about that yesterday, so I'll leave it at that here.
10. I like to make herbal home remedies. I'm a reiki master. I make my own candles. Ron and I brew mead. I collect Dutch stamps. I miss my mum and dad. I'm a hobby-genealogist. There's always more to know... And yes, I know this is cheating. ;-))

Pedigree

Pedigree?? Noooo, not the dog food, hahaha! My family tree...
I've taken up an old hobby, that I once started but never followed through: genealogy! A few years ago I downloaded MyHeritage, free genealogy software.

Lately I've been digging around the WWW. I'm trying to go back in time with both my family line (Van der Heijden and Slotemaker) and Ron's (Van Leeuwen and Verdikt).
I found out someone had already done the research for the Slotemaker family (my mother's family). I imported it in my files and shared some new info from our branch.

(click on the pic to visit the Slotemaker website)

Luckily a lot of archives are accessible online these days. That makes things a lot easier. First I added what I knew myself, then asked family members around me. The Van der Heijden family had been researched already and I got copies. I found the Verdikt family through 'smart matches', a very handy feature of the MyHeritage software. Facebook, Google, specialized genealogy websites and tips & tricks from people who are more experienced in this help me to get further, step by step.

Above is a print-screen image of the MyHeritage software. This is the main part, the tree itself. It is easy to work with, but I haven't discovered all of its possibilities yet. Practice makes perfect. Genealogy is sooooo addictive! Before I realize it I've spent hours searching, digging, asking, etc. And it's never done; there's always more to explore and find out!
If you want to take a look at the "Van Leeuwen - Van der Heijden Stamboom", follow this link.

A little update

I've been wanting to write a post almost every day in the last two weeks, but somehow every time something got in the way. A little update...

The finances for Ron's business are finally done. The normal banks weren't interested, didn't even take a look at the businessplan. We don't have personal money to invest, so the verdict was an established fact: not interested. We didn't give up and turned to Qredits, the only nationwide operating microfinance institution in The Netherlands. We got a visit of one of their business advisors and he liked the idea and plans. Finally, after almost a year of pursuing this goal, the business can really start.
Sounds good, huh? It is, really! But from that moment on eveything seemed to be doomed. Whatever we did, it all backfired. Whatever we started went wrong. It would be too much to spell it all out, but man... it was exhausting and undermining our motivation. But again... we won't give up! Things can only get better... Luctor et Emergo! ;-)

I haven't been feeling very well the past weeks. Something went wrong with my heart and blood pressure medication (my fault). Last week after I went countrydancing I collapsed at home. My heart rate and blood pressure were skyhigh. I really felt very bad. My medication is okay again, but still my heart is racing regularly and my blood pressure is too high even in rest. I'll have to make a doctor's appointment next week. Perhaps my medications have to be adapted; they all interact. We'll see.

Last saturday we went to the Elf Fantasy Fair in Haarzuilens, a festival for fantasylovers, pagans, live action role play (larp), re-enactment, etc. with great music, stands, workshops, lectures and more on the grounds of Castle De Haar. We had a great time! You can see our pictures in my Picasa webalbum:

Elf Fantasy Fair

Relaxing yurt weekend

I got to know the yurts in Otterlo when I spent two weekends there with the Lowland Systers last year in March and November. When Ron heard my stories and saw the pics he said he would like to go there too!

So last weekend we stayed in a yurt with 3 friends and we had a great time. We all needed the peace and quiet after days/weeks/months of stress and other stuff. The weather cooperated nicely, it was dry and sunny. Ron and I drove to the yurt friday afternoon, the others arrived in the evening.

Saturday we woke up slowly and spent the day doing whatever we felt like! The men did some archery, I went for a walk in the woods, we all relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. In the afternoon the hottub was fired up. The men tried it first (very hot!), later in the evening the ladies joined them. In between we had a barbecue! After soaking and relaxing in the hottub we went back into the yurt. I slept a lot and very well!

On Sunday we had another quiet morning. Slowly we started packing and clearing out stuff. In the afternoon we drove home after a wonderful weekend with friends, fun and relaxation. Just what the doctor ordered! ;-)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ron and I never really do something special for Valentine's Day. It's nice to celebrate love, but you should do that every day of the year! It has become a very commercial day: 'buy her this', 'buy him that', etc. I don't want anyone to buy me flowers too. Don't get me wrong... I love flowers, but alive in nature where they belong! They don't have to slowly die for me in a vase, that just makes me sad. Ron gets me presents quite often, so I really don't mind if he forgets all about this Valentine's Day.

Having said all that..... Sometimes you have to set aside your principles and surprise your loved one with an unexpected move... So tonight we are going out for a Valentine's Dinner Date that I secretly booked two weeks ago! He was surprised indeed when he opened the card I made with the image above (Love is... going out for dinner together).

For Ron

Our love started off on rocky ground

But together we stood tall

Because the love we found

Can really conquer all!

If it wasn’t for you

I wouldn’t be here

The reverse is also true

We just need each other near

Together we are strong

Two halves of one heart

Friends, lovers, soul mates all along

A bond never to fall apart

All the words in all the books can not describe my love for you

So it will take all of my life and more to prove you that it’s true


~*~*~*~

Today is our wedding anniversary, we got married 15 years ago. We are together for 24 years though. I remember that beautiful day back in 1995. Very cliche perhaps, but it really was the happiest day of my life...

Each day I love you more

I love you more than I did yesterday

But less than I will do tomorrow

Forever!

Disneyland Paris

Thursday Ron, Joke and I returned from a 4-day/3-night stay in Disneyland Paris. We had a fabulous time! Because of the snow and x-mas decorations it was a true winter wonderland. So beautiful... We stayed in the Santa Fe Hotel in a simple but well-equipped room with double beds, decorated in Cars-style. A shuttlebus service was available to go to the parks.

The first day we left early, because it was a 500 km (310 mi) drive. When we arrived we moved into the room, unpacked and rested for a while. We decided to take the bus to the parks to look around a bit. Joke had been there before with Leo, so she knew where to go. The parks were covered with snow. Around 5pm the Once Upon a Dream Parade started, my absolute favourite thing to do (watch). Main Street looked wonderful. A few times my eyes filled with tears of sheer happiness. Finally there, as I've always wanted ever since the opening in 1992... My inner child enjoyed herself to her heart's content!

After an early night and deep sleep we had an early breakfast, so we could leave for the parks early too. Guests of the Disney hotels are allowed early access before opening hour. The first thing we did was Space Mountain. Holy moly, that was quite a ride! I loved it, although I was a bit unstable when I got out. Some attractions were closed because of the weather and/or refurbishing. We did all we could and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. From thrills to wonderful attractions like "It's a Small World" and "Peter Pan's Flight". It was very tiring but I walked on adrenalin! We never had long waiting times; that's the benefit of going on weekdays outside holidays. For dinner we had booked the Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Great entertainment and the food was good (except for the cold potatoes).

Wednesday we 'did' the Walt Disney Studios Park. That one is smaller but also great in a different way.The absolute tophit was The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror! Woohoo! Inside it looked spooky and the ride was awesome. The Moteurs... Action! Stunt Show Spectacular was abridged because of the snow, but still spectacular. It was very cold on the grandstand, so after the show we had some hot chocolate and went into the theatre to get warm again. When we had seen what we wanted, we walked to the other park again to shop and of course watch the Parade again. I bought and got some wonderful Tink-stuff! We had dinner in The Steakhouse about which I can be brief: a big disappointment, not something I'd recommend. But we didn't let that spoil our fun too much! We returned to the hotel, very tired (and Ron with painful knees) but very satisfied after another great day.

Thursday we decided to skip the parks and drive home early because the weather forecast was bad. The homeward journey was long. In France and Belgium it wasn't that bad, but in the Netherlands we fell into an early traffic rush hour. We were home around 6pm. First we picked up the dogs at Ron's sister; they were so happy to see us! I had missed them a lot, and the cats too. We ordered dinner in and talked about our adventures. What an experience, what an amazing time...

A selection of our (800+) photos are in my Facebook album "Eurodisney December 2010".

Catching up

The last few weeks have been very busy. First Ron had a very nasty flu. Just when he was recovering he got an acute cystitis, which is very painful especially for a man. On top of that his knees are aching again. In between all of that Ron is working hard to get his own business going.

A friend invited Ron and me to celebrate Samhain with a group we know from a pagan forum and former meetings. First it wasn't possible because I had a ritual planned with my coven on Saturdaynight, but that was delayed. In the evening we did a beautiful ritual and afterwards there was a Halloween party in the big hall. Everything was decrated and looked great. I wore a Caspar the Friendly Ghost mask and a witches' hat. Ron stayed up late, but I went to bed earlier because I was very tired.

November 16th I went to the first viewing of the Take That documentary "Look Back Don't Stare" in Theater Tuschinski in Amsterdam. It's about Rob's return to the boy... eh... manband. I had won tickets! If you're interested in Ron and Take That I can recommend it. At times I was surprised there eventually came a cd. :) I understand why Rob has so much fun being back with the boys. If this is the way for him I'm okay with it. I already bought a ticket for the concert in the Amsterdam Arena on July 18th next year and I'm looking forward to it!

Last weekend I spent another weekend in a yurt with the Lowland Systers. This time it wasn't as cold as early this year. We had a wonderful time! The first day we used to catch up with each other and make plans for the weekend. Saturday we slept in. I woke up at half past 10! The last weeks had asked a lot of my energy, so I had to use the weekend to recharge my battery. In the afternoon we did some magical groupwork and when it was dark we walked into the woods to do our ritual. We found a stump that was perfect to use as an altar. Afterwards we had dinner in the yurt. It's such a great accomodation! It has a lovely atmosphere, especially by candlelight. Sunday morning we packed our bags and said our goodbyes. We already have plans to return there next year. :) You can see my pics in my Facebook album "Yurt 2".

Back from Lier

We're back from a two weeks vacation in Lier, Belgium. We stayed at a private paradise of friends in the middle of nature and had a great time. The weather was very hot, but we also had some cooler (well, less hot...) days with an occasional shower. This was our third year there, but it will never become boring.

The dogs had a great time too, living outdoors most of the time. Foofur knew it, but it was Arwen's first time there. She enjoyed it fully, and so did Foof! Running free, rolling in the grass, dozing in the sun... On our walks along the river Nete they met horses, donkeys, cows, rabbits, birds... Arwen went swimming in the river. I panicked a bit when she went into the flow, but she is a great swimmer. She dawdled to come back. :)

We  buried Boris' ashes on a partly hidden spot on the property. He enjoyed it there sooo much and it was the last place where he was happy. We made a circle of stones to mark it. He's at a good place. We buried his ashes, but Boris will always live in our hearts.

We visited the famous Zimmer Tower in Lier for the first time. Of course we had made pics before on the outside, but we decided to do the complete tour and it was very interesting! We also did some shopping and sightseeing. Lier is a beautiful old city.

We like flea markets and the like a lot. It is always nice to visit one outside our own area. In Belgium we visited one jumble sale around a church and two huge car boot sales. Our last full vacation day was the Belgian National Holiday, so we could choose which one to visit!

There was a lot of chamomile in the meadows nearby, so Ron sneaked behind the fences and picked a big bunch (see picture on top of this post). I infused the chamomile flowers in oil and put it in the sun. It's sitting in the kitchen windowsill at home now.

All in all we had a wonderful time, our batteries are recharged!

Busy(ness)

The last months have been tough. Ron officially lost his job on May 1st. We knew that beforehand, so we acted early to get all the paperwork and applications done in time. To cut a long story short: we did the right thing but the social security authority made a mess of it and sent us from pillar to post. I'll spare you the details, but it was very frustrating. We've had quite some weeks... Both depressed and desperate, but somewhere deep within determined to overcome this. And it looks like we are finally on a winning streak. We aren't there yet, not by a long shot, but I'm moderately positive.

Despite his qualifications and experience it isn't easy for Ron to find another job, because he is too old at 45. Unbelievable, isn't it? He had to think about what he would want to do first. That took a while to figure out. Some time ago we talked with my brother and he suggested that Ron would start his own business. Ron worked out the idea and we did some research. The social security authority agrees the plan is good enough to give it a try! So now we are at the beginning of a new path. It will take time to bring it about, but that's okay. At least we can work towards a positive future again!

Passport

Today we finally applied for new passports. They expired in September 2009, but first we didn't have the money (2x €50,90) and then we couldn't find them... They have a fixed place, but somehow weren't there anymore. We searched the house several times, but alas... This week we decided to report them missing. That would have meant extra costs, but we really didn't know where else to look. Before we did inform the police we decided to search one more time. And o wonder... we found them, in Ron's photography bag! At first we wondered why, but suddenly we knew. Ah well, they have been found.

Of course we needed passport photo's. I never like pictures of myself, but the requirements for a passport made it even worse: ears visible, 100% front view, no smile. Ron had to take his glasses off. The photographer made an extra set of 'normal' pictures. Mine are both horrible, on the 'normal' pic I have slit-eyes because he made me laugh. At least Ron's pics are nice. :-)
Since a short time there are fingerprints on the Dutch passports. I thought about ink, the old-fashioned way, but none of that! It worked with a scanner, nice and clean. Next Friday we can pick up our new passports!

New Year

We had a very quiet New Year's Eve, just the two of us and the pets. Foofur is scared to death of fireworks since some brat threw a squib after him in his first year. The cats don't pay much attention to the fireworks. Arwen noticed it but wasn't afraid during the day, just when it all started together at midnight she squeaked a bit. We turned the music on TV louder when we went out to watch the fireworks.

So... the New Year has started. I don't like looking back on 2009, too much painful memories. I hope 2010 will be better in every way. My biggest wish is for Ron to find the right job soon. It's about time and he really needs and deserves it: a new challenge, an ego boost and a nice paycheck.

In the new year I'm taking up a whole new challenge on my path. After the letdown with the Temple of Ara I needed a new perspective. I found it thanks to our Lowland Systers fairy goddess mother. She brought me into contact with a friend of hers, who'll be the teacher and mentor in my training of Alexandrian Wicca. It feels very good and I'm really looking forward to it!

Holidays

Christmas is over. Finally a bit of a white christmas this year. All the snow is gone now, but the weatherpeople say 2010 will start very cold in The Netherlands. There is even talk about an Elfstedentocht soon. I hope so. We'll see!

We tried to put up a tree. Normally we put it up and decorate it immediately. This time we put the tree up in the evening with the intent to decorate the next day. When we got up the next morning the cats (Freyja in the lead I'm sure) had ruined the tree. By a miracle Arwen wasn't very interested in the tree. We didn't have time to decorate unfortunately, so we patched up the tree as much as possible. The next morning Freyja & Co did it again... Enough is enough; we decided to clear away the tree until next year!

A week before christmas Ron got sick again. Not really a flu or something, but he had headaches, stomach- and intestines trouble. Only on christmas day he felt a bit better. Just in time, because we had invited Joke to come over for boxing day. Needless to say we missed Leo a lot, but still we spent a lovely day together.

Now we just have New Year's Eve and then the holidays are over. In Dutch we call it Oudejaarsavond (Old Year's Eve); strange huh? January 1st is New Year's Day here too.
Ron and I will stay home for the pets. It's Arwen first New Year's Eve. Although she doesn't overreact at fireworks when we hear it now and then, we aren't sure how she will react to a lot of fireworks at once. The cats aren't really interested. Foofur is afraid, but as long as he is near me he is okay. I'll give him Reiki like I did last year; it helped calm him down.

I'm back!

Foofur and Boris walking along the river Nete

We are back from a wonderful vacation in Lier, Belgium. We stayed on the private property of friends, a lovely cottage surrounded by nature in the middle of nowhere. The river Nete was around the corner. Foofur and Boris could come with us and they had the time of their lives. Outdoors all day, watching the beautiful trees, birds, waters, etc. The weather was very good, although towards the end it was a bit too hot for me. I've slept a lot, read a pile of books, walked with the dogs... We have enjoyed ourselves very much. We relaxed and charged up our batteries in a way only nature, peace and quiet can provide!

Work Ron

Yesterday we went to Ron's work. We hadn't heard from them in a long time, so some weeks ago Ron had called the medical officer. He sent Ron's employer a report with the advice to call and talk with Ron. It took 2 weeks before the call finally came. Because we couldn't make an appointment right away, the man from the personnel department promised to call back that same afternoon. He didn't, and after two weeks Ron decided to call the medical officer again. He was surprised that there had been no other contact. He called the personnel department and urged them to call us. And then finally we could make an appointment, for yesterday.

We didn't know exactly what to expect, but Ron really wants to move on. If this employer hasn't got work for him, then another company! When we arrived the man from the personnel department told us we had to wait for the manager after-sales. That was a surprise, because he told Ronbefore that we would have a talk with him alone.
It would soon be clear why that boss was there too. The tone of the talk and the whole atmosphere were ice-cold, blunt and very unpleasant! Other talks they said things like "win-win-situation" and "we'll do our best", but that turned out to be b******t!
Perhaps they had expected the Ron from before, but he's much better now. He was assertive and clear without being rude or impolite. I said some things too. When the tone became almost aggressive, Ron stopped them and said he wanted to end the conversation before he'd say something he'd later regret. They made very clear they want to get rid of Ron as soon as they can...

Ron will look for another outplacement bureau himself and make an appointment a.s.a.p. We'll contact a legal specialist to see what our rights and duties are. They said things that aren't completely legal in our opinion. It's a real pity it came to this, but if this is what they want, they'll get it..!

TT #98: random stuff

Thirteen random things It has been a while since I did a TT, so here's a new one. Just some random stuff I'd like to share with you. Today is Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) in The Netherlands. You can read more about it here. Queen Beatrix and her family will visit Apeldoorn, but there are activities throughout the country. I especially like the freemarkets on the streets in almost every town or village, where mostly children (or so it should be...) sell old toys, books, stuff! Last weekend Ron and I went to the Elf Fantasy Fair in Haarzuilens, a medieval / gothic / fantasy / pagan festival on the grounds around Castle "De Haar". I'll post about it later and add my pictures. Ron is still recovering from his surgery. The pain afterwards is worse than expected; they really should have told us about it. It's slowly getting better and his armpits and hands are still dry. He is a happy man! The last few weeks I was a member of the application committee that was interviewing people for the job of coordinator of the pool of voluntary people helping others with their own experience. As a member of the pool I was added to the committee. It was very interesting work! Maia has been neutered today. She is still a bit woozy, but everything's okay. She is almost two years old now, but she remains very little. That poor little body with a big cut on her tummy... I spoil her rotten! ;-) This is my 98th Thursday Thirteen. I want to do 100 and then it's time to quit. Time for a new meme, a new challenge. Do you have a tip? Let me know! This coming weekend Ron and I will go to a pagan forum meeting in Hengelo to celebrate Beltane. I hope the weather will be nice, so we can have the ritual outside and make some great fires! I have finished the fifth and last book in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles. I simply love this series and now it has ended... The heroine can be described as "Buffy in regency-era London", a brilliant setting with unexpected plots. Don't know it? Lucky you, because you have 5 great books to read! Colleen Gleason is an amazing author; on her website you can read all about her and the series. Around this time I would have been initiated with the other Ara-girls, but it wasn't meant to be (yet?)... We are very disappointed and consider our possibilities. I'd still love to be initiated in the Ara tradition, but there are some issues that have to be solved first. This year around Midsummer Ron and I will go back on vacation to the lovely cottage near Lier in Belgium where we stayed last year. We are invited to stay there for two weeks while our friends (the owners) are away. Although I'll miss the cats very much, I really look forward to spend time in this little paradise again! I am busy organising a walk in the dunes near IJmuiden with a guide that has been a ranger there for years. He knows a lot about everything that grows and lives in the dune area. The walk will have the focus on herbs. Have you seen the video of Susan Boyle in Britains Got Talent? She has a fabulous voice. Looks can deceive... Everyone was laughing at her, until she opened her mouth. Wow!! I hope her dream comes true, she deserves no less. A new Star Trek movie is coming! I have to see it of course. I'll have to get used to new faces with familiar names, but that doesn't have to be a problem. Did you watch the trailer already? The release date is May 7. ~*~*~*~ The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted Unfortunately the original TT website doesn't exist anymore. There's a new hub : Thursday-13!