Fun-on-Wheels Skating on Queen's Day

Saturday, 30-April-2011 - Veghel - Sunny and windy. Ine joined us today. The route today came right by our house. The fire department was busy clearing the bike path of a blown-over willow tree. My flag wasn't the only causulty today. Five skaters--good for 16 km. pics (62)

Windy Queen's Day

Saturday, 30-April-2011 - Thorn/Weert/Veghel - It was Koninginnedag! Put out the flag, but wasn't sure if the flagstaff holder could take the wind today. Watched the Queen go to Thorn and Weert. Our neighbor Tineke came to tell us that the flag had broken loose. Took it down, and finished a second screen for Katherine. Pics (27)

Just Wed--Wil and Kate

Friday, 29-April-2011 - London - Watched Wil and Kate get married on BBC 1. Afterwards while making an insect screen for Katherine's house in Rotterdam, saw a pair of pigeons on my backyard fence. Will Wil and Kate (now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge) stay together as long as these two love birds?
pics (72)
JU5T WED

Dinther Skating

Thursday, 28-April-2011 - Dinther - Got some very welcome rain, just enough to cover the bottom of the rain barrel. Did some errands around the house, before biking to Dinther to go skating. I kept checking the weather radar to see if rain coming from the east would go around us--it did. turned out to be a wonderful sunny evening. Rita joined us at the de Toren meeting place. Eight skaters--good for 24 km.
pics (42)

Boekel Skating

Tuesday, 26-April-2011 - Boekel - Rode to Jan's place on my bike. Took some pictures while Jan was getting ready. 25 skaters--good for 22 km. pics (58)

Easter Barbecue

Monday, 25-April-2011 - Veghel - Rosan fired up the barbecue while I did some last-minute shopping. Today is the second day of Easter. Chris and Marit were coming over for the first time. Earlier in the day, I looked through historic Dutch publications we got from Katherine for safe keeping. These were things that Grandma van Elswijk had collected and kept over the years. pics (18)

Easter with Katherine

Sunday, 24-April-2011 - Rotterdam - Marij and I rented a trailer to move a kabinet and table and went to Rotterdam to visit Katherine. Before we left for home, Katherine gave us a box with historic Dutch publications for safe keeping. These were things that Grandma van Elswijk had collected and kept over the years. blog and pics .

Fun-on-Wheels Saturday

Saturday, 23-April-2011 - Veghel - We headed in the direction of Erp. Stopped at the Antonius Chapel, and skated over the new fish ladder (foto) between Veghel and Keldonk. Five skaters--good for 16 km. pics (75)

Thursday Inline Skating in Dinther

Thursday, 21-April-2011 - Dinther - Perfect weather for skating. This evening, I rode my bike to Dinther for an evening skate. At the café de Toren, I met Ad, Berry, Gaby, Johanna, Loret, Magda, Margret and Monique. We left shortly after 1900, got back around 2100--the street lights were on. I felt right at home with this group. Fun is an important ingredient in the Dinther skating recipe. Along the way, we took a break at a café terrace, and when we returned to de Toren, we sat outside enjoying each others' company. Nine skaters--good for 24 km. pics (52)

Inline Skating Boekel

Tuesday, 19-April-2011 - Boekel - We've been without rain for a long time, but it was perfect weather for skating. Thirty skaters gathered in Boekel for the weekly Tuesday Evening Skate--good for 21 km. The sun went under on the way home. pics (51)

Fishing with Dale

Tuesday, 19-April-2011 - Veghel - Marij joined me to go fishing today--only 75 meters from our front door! Caught 16 small roach (voorn). pics (48)
tackle box cleanup

First Tuesday Evening Inline Skating in Boekel

Tuesday, 12-April-2011 - Boekel - We had 28 skaters for the first Tuesday evening skate in Boekel. Cool, windy, but lots of fun. pics (44)

Walk Around the Church with Hella

Sunday, 10-April-2011 - Veghel - Marij and I rode our bikes to the Sint Lambertus Church to join Hella van der Wijst, best known for her weekly telvision program de Wandeling (the Walk), and participate in the fund-raising event Rondje om de Kerk to help raise money for the restoration of the church roof. Hella was baptized in this church. We walked the 1 km route with Gerard and Bep. Met another Gerard and Mieke along the way. The route passed through the church cemetery and the beautiful and peaceful gardens of the adjacent convent. These gardens are normally closed for the public. I took a guided tour along the rafters under the roof to see the progress being made. I was too scared to stand up behind the concrete railing to look down at the crowd. When I got back down, Hella and Pastor Smulders were calling out numbers for lottery winners (photo). pics (223), music, under church roof, descending church stairs, lottery