Crunch Time

And other assorted things occupying my mind...

We are just back from a super weekend in Amsterdam. Might not have seen many sites, but it was relaxing and we got cultured. A visit to the VanGogh museum did that for us. Brought home some prints from that too! Got to see the Anne Frank House. Wanted to go to Haarlem to see the Corrie Ten Boom house (recommended by someone at the gun club), but we didn't have the time to make it there. The Anne Frank house was definitely worth doing anyways. It definitely moved me to tears while reading the info of dates the annex inhabitants died and where, and seeing their pictures again. And to see the actual diary in a case in another room. To feel so enclosed if only for a few moments while walking thru the rooms they lived in for so many months. The picture is of me next to the statue of Anne Frank, that is just a minute or two walk from her hiding place.

We stayed in the town of Soestduenin, or something similiar in spelling. :D Several little villages with the Soest part are in the neighborhood of the hotel. It's a resort of sorts. 9 hole golf course, indoor pool, trails to bike and walk. Kind of pricey but beautiful scenery. It's just moments from the Dutch airbase that our folks do altitude chamber stuff in. Not sure if we'll go, but David has to do his chamber next month. I might have to go back up with him so I can see a few more things in Amsterdam! The houses are beautiful! The streets remind me so much of America vs Germany. It's the drive to and from that kills you. It wasn't bad: give or take 4-5 hours depending on where you're going. We went to the Hague first to see the miniature city of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madurodam That is a cool place to explore for a couple of hours. It's like Legoland but more grown up in the presentation of buildings! Here's another link for more info. http://www.hollandvoice.net/madurodam2.html

Well, it's another busy week in my life. CG is going Scout camping this weekend. Waiting on the part for the van STILL to come in so it's legal to drive and then we can ship it eventually back home in a few weeks. Still NO ORDERS. I just can see me being stuck in Germany til sometime next fall waiting to get packed out. Wouldn't that be a kick in the pants. After trying to get out of here so we could get housing in Minot then get screwed about orders. It never ends.

Here's to a good Tuesday! It's a holiday shortened week so we'll be busy this weekend.