tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45332283613145421792024-03-13T15:36:14.215+01:00Into the woodsSabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-69970747697234420552013-07-30T12:14:00.000+02:002013-07-30T12:14:49.962+02:00How I keep myself sane with an iPhone.
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was reading<a href="http://styleberryblog.com/gut-check-styleberryinspire" target="_blank"> this blogpost</a> from Styleberry blog and found
it very interesting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This blogger made some rules for herself, so that she would spend
more time with her kids without her phone. I was writing a comment with the
things I do, but it became such a long comment, that I decided to write some
more and turn it into a blogpost.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recognize myself in not wanting to use my phone every
second, especially when spending time with someone. Not
instagramming/facebooking/texting while you’re with friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Having an Iphone is great, but I always feel a lot of
pressure. "Did you see my text, why didn't you respond to my mail/text/fb
message, bla bla." </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then there’s our business. I don’t know why, but people
expect you to be available 24 hours a day. I run a business, but I’m a human
being too. I’ve got opening hours too. And even after the crazy hours, also a
life...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I won’t lose my mind over this. I refuse to. So I made
myself some rules.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. No notifications
of social media or anything else on my iPhone.</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I only see notifications when I open the apps, and it makes
it more fun (like opening a present haha).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Work emails do not come in on my
iPhone. I work every day in the office, so then I respond my work emails/calls
on my computer. And with that, I'm fast, making sure the communication is smooth. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. I do not respond
to texts from clients or employees.</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Call me or email me, texting is not done. Some things cán wait. Even if they
seem very important.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve heard this one a couple of times:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You have an
Iphone, so you got my email when I sent it, and you should respond
immediately!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
See rule nr 1.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. Texts come in
without sound or buzzing. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love this one. No annoying sounds. And I love the feeling of seeing new texts on the screen.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let's be honest, we check our phone so often, why the huge
alarm when getting a text? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I also respond when I have time. No pressure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4. No
instagramming/facebooking/texting when I'm with friends.</b> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We can do that later. Nothing is more stupid than having dinner with your friends,
and everyone is staring at their iPhones. Constantly reading the loudly incoming
messages. Responding while talking and eating. Big no no in my opinion.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sidenote: I make sure
people know how I communicate, so it’s always clear en not (too) frustrating. AND,
I don’t expect others to be available every minute and don’t expect people to
reply me immediately. Give to others what you'd like to receive from the world.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5C-5wLTtsqQ/UfeQCvhR5KI/AAAAAAAAAlg/dC5Qi53acV0/s1600/quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="314" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5C-5wLTtsqQ/UfeQCvhR5KI/AAAAAAAAAlg/dC5Qi53acV0/s320/quote.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/189995678002753283/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I realize that a lot of people don’t agree on all the things
above. Why have an iPhone, but not “use it properly”? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still an iPhone addict! I love
posting Instagrams, love reading Facebook timelines and call & text a lot with my friends and family. But I don’t
need the pressure of doing it NOW. I like to use my phone the way I want to, so
it keeps me sane. And keeping myself sane is more important to me, than responding
to every little thing as soon as possible.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>How do you use your phone? </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-32699071365488284472013-07-28T12:19:00.004+02:002013-07-28T12:20:03.902+02:00What I've been eating.In the series "No time, but keep the blog alive", here's number two : FOOD! (First part: <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/07/im-back.html" target="_blank">London pics</a>)<br />
<br />
Just a little peek at what I've been cooking and eating.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xiOSdsQJzMI/UfTr8SIYKmI/AAAAAAAAAlA/46xCcfaq0aY/s1600/foodfacts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xiOSdsQJzMI/UfTr8SIYKmI/AAAAAAAAAlA/46xCcfaq0aY/s640/foodfacts.jpg" width="548" /></a></div>
<br />
I know, I'm reminding you of this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Gx0Eoxymhc/UfTuvTP4QiI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/GyjbWKFJyvI/s1600/foodecard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Gx0Eoxymhc/UfTuvTP4QiI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/GyjbWKFJyvI/s400/foodecard.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMi05NmQ3NmVjZWVlMWQzM2M0" target="_blank">Source</a>, via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/189995678002739669/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
And you know what? It's true.<br />
<br />
<i>I am Sabrina and I post pictures of everything I eat on Instagram and Facebook.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-68450393873105819922013-07-27T15:59:00.000+02:002013-07-27T15:59:06.126+02:00I'm back...!
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know, I know. I didn’t write for a very long time,
but here I am!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I could go on and on about my busy life, what happened at
work (lots of good stuff, don’t worry), but it would be boring.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Instead, I’m giving you some fun Londonmoments and lots of good
food. ‘Cause it’s the only thing I photographed. With instagram.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No fancy camera involved, just me and my Iphone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v8LXPcHjoO4/UfPRm5DTqEI/AAAAAAAAAkw/Yv2D_HmCivc/s1600/Londonfacts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v8LXPcHjoO4/UfPRm5DTqEI/AAAAAAAAAkw/Yv2D_HmCivc/s640/Londonfacts.jpg" width="602" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In August I’m going again! So excited.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-91717542330000659922013-05-13T20:00:00.000+02:002013-05-13T22:18:38.391+02:00London favorites nr 3: Food<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
In these posts I’m taking you to London, telling about my
favorite places. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
For part one, about musicals, click <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/05/london-favorites-nr-1-musicals.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
For part two,
about shopping and sight seeing, click <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/05/london-favorites-nr-2-shopping-and.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Last but not least… food!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I eat a cupcake every day I’m there. Sometimes two. Or three.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
My favourite was the black bottom cupcake from the Hummingbird
bakery. Rich, dark chocolate cake, filled with cheesecake and topped with cream
cheese frosting. Read that sentence again. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I know. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
You want it.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I ate it so fast I forgot to take a picture.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oh_bfvl3sas/UY7AYiqjVJI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/Cb752G7LjO8/s1600/londonfavorites7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oh_bfvl3sas/UY7AYiqjVJI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/Cb752G7LjO8/s640/londonfavorites7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
We like traditional English food like pies and fish and chips,
so we eat that often. And last time we discovered Jamie’s Italian.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
We love to cook Jamie Olivers recipes and it was delightful to
eat it there. I highly recommend this restaurent! Go early or make a
reservation, ‘cause it can be pretty crowded.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
There’s so much more to discover…China town, lots of
Indian restaurants.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JHWh69xRLAg/UY7AZohoFiI/AAAAAAAAAkY/iKYG4AkFlCs/s1600/londonfavorites8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JHWh69xRLAg/UY7AZohoFiI/AAAAAAAAAkY/iKYG4AkFlCs/s640/londonfavorites8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The photo left with our friends is taken in Jamie's Italian.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Enough about my past trips… I can concentrate on our new trip
next week! Planning new musicals, where to shop, what to eat… exciting!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt;">
I’ll
keep you posted of course. London baby!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-17184286329725515202013-05-12T18:00:00.000+02:002013-05-12T18:00:04.447+02:00London favorites nr 2: Shopping and sightseeing.
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This is
part two of my London favorites. For part one, <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/05/london-favorites-nr-1-musicals.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.</div>
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In fabulous London, it’s all about shopping till you drop. The
huge stores on Oxford Street, the little shops in Covent Garden, the famous
Harrod’s. Shopping is great in London. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I visited the Primark last year. That one is always incredibly
crowded, so I went in at 10.00 AM sharp. And it was nice and quiet. By the time it got crowded, I decided to go fit.</div>
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Mistake. I took too much time collecting my stuff (it was just
15 minutes!), so there was already a line. </div>
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I waited for 45 minutes.</div>
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Forty-freakin-five minutes.</div>
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I was a little bit annoyed I didn’t get more items to fit.
I just had three. The good news? Two of the three items were good, so I bought
those. One was jeans, for ten English pounds. Ten pounds, can you believe it!
And I have been wearing them for one and a half year now. Great.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlZAHFt6MgE/UY6-YxsuEJI/AAAAAAAAAj4/77uX189jprc/s1600/shoesirregularchoice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a> One of my favourite items I bought in London are these heels. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlZAHFt6MgE/UY6-YxsuEJI/AAAAAAAAAj4/77uX189jprc/s1600/shoesirregularchoice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlZAHFt6MgE/UY6-YxsuEJI/AAAAAAAAAj4/77uX189jprc/s200/shoesirregularchoice.jpg" width="200" /></a>I have no pain when I wear these and they look great with a
lot of different looks. I’ve got no idea where I bought them, but the shoe box says
<a href="http://www.irregularchoice.com/" target="_blank">Irregular Choice</a>. Don’t you think the website looks like a candy store? If I
ever find the same shoes I’ll buy two more pairs. And I really hope they’re
available in purple :-) </div>
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<br /></div>
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The funniest store we ever went was the M&M Store. It was
quiet and 4 floors, so we spent a lot of time over there! </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bvToPhjbZU8/UY6-YAgbwhI/AAAAAAAAAjo/WFKY52lE6nM/s1600/londonfavorites5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bvToPhjbZU8/UY6-YAgbwhI/AAAAAAAAAjo/WFKY52lE6nM/s640/londonfavorites5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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We bought two t-shirts and a present for our nephew and
because we spent over fifty pounds, we got a M&M dispenser and two kilo’s
of M&M’s for free. We like crazy things!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pNMFiAlrUYs/UY6-ZtUTX5I/AAAAAAAAAkE/hJmWdpNT-ro/s1600/londonfavorites6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pNMFiAlrUYs/UY6-ZtUTX5I/AAAAAAAAAkE/hJmWdpNT-ro/s640/londonfavorites6.jpg" width="640" /></a></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now, about the sight seeing.</div>
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The thing is, most high schools in the Netherlands visit
London for a few days. So many 16–year-olds have seen a lot in London, like St.
Pauls Cathedral, changing of the guards, the Big Ben and more.</div>
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So did my hubs and I... and so we don’t do a lot of
sightseeing! Weird right? But we always try to see one thing. Last time it was
the Tower Bridge. As you can see, they were busy with the Olympic thing!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_oWPPCQvec/UY6-YbYQ49I/AAAAAAAAAjw/6gFCfvkjTQE/s1600/londonfavorites3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W_oWPPCQvec/UY6-YbYQ49I/AAAAAAAAAjw/6gFCfvkjTQE/s640/londonfavorites3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vSFs1_5Wha4/UY6-XvSLaBI/AAAAAAAAAjk/6pgovw8hk6U/s1600/londonfavorites4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vSFs1_5Wha4/UY6-XvSLaBI/AAAAAAAAAjk/6pgovw8hk6U/s640/londonfavorites4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Hope to see you tomorrow for my final post in my London
Favorites, about food!</div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-9354468683828954682013-05-11T23:47:00.000+02:002013-05-11T23:47:25.456+02:00London favorites nr 1: musicals!
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My husband and I try to go to London every year in February. We love
to see new musicals and to shop and eat there. This year was a bit more difficult, so we didn’t
visit this year.</div>
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But… I wanted to go soooo bad, so we saved some money, we found a tiny hole in our busy schedule and I booked us a last minute 2 day trip to London.</div>
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Yay!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Normally we go four days. And then we like to see two
musicals a day. (I know, we’re nuts, but we love it. And in a way, it’s a
business trip too!)</div>
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So this time, we’re trying to squeeze in three musicals in two
days.</div>
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We’re going just after Whitsun, so I can’t write about this
trip, but I will tell you some of my highlights over the past few years!</div>
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<br /></div>
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This post is about musicals, musicals, musicals…</div>
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<b>Singin' in the rain</b> was one of my favorites. I loved the
dancers. The old fashioned musical jazzdance and tapdance were gorgeous and it’s such a
shame it’s not a part of many modern musicals.</div>
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We were in the front row and got wet… But it was totally worth
it!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Matilda</b> was also awesome.</div>
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As a musicaltheatre teacher it’s so great to see lots of
talented kids on one stage. This is not a musical where there’s also a kid
(like Miss Saigon), it’s a musical done by kids and supported by some adults.</div>
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Absolutely fantastic and my dream for our musicalschool.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ycQG-IbGYc0/UY67flV5dlI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/EcSbvetpYPE/s1600/londenfavorites1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ycQG-IbGYc0/UY67flV5dlI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/EcSbvetpYPE/s640/londenfavorites1.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">The photo under Singin' in the rain was the stage of Matilda.</td></tr>
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</o:p><b>Avenue Q</b> is one the first musicals I saw in London. </div>
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I was with
two friends and we also visited a lot of shows. </div>
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The last night, I decided to go to Avenue Q. Again. Second
time that week. I was sitting in the second row and one of the actors
winked at me, obviously recognizing me from a few nights ago. Awkward. I love musicals, I
love to see a lot of them, but I am not a girly fan who asks for autographs and
stuff. Again, awkward. Thankfully, the next time I saw the show was two years later. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>We will
rock you!</b> I can see this one over and over again.</div>
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In
fact, I’ve seen it twice in London, once in Cologne (Germany) and once in the
Netherlands. And it doesn’t get boring. I love the Queen music, the weird story
(which is the worst actually), the great singers and the Bohemian Rhapsody in
the end. </div>
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Nice
little story:</div>
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A couple
of years ago I was auditioning for a show (can’t remember which one). The
pianist asked me what I was going to sing and when I said: “Somebody to love”,
he was soooo excited.</div>
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He had
been playing piano in the We Will Rock You orchestra for three years and totally
missed that show. When I
finished, he complimented me and told me how well I sang it. Cool! I've never sung that song better than that time. He was fantastic.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHg8AV92wFw/UY67gKrYvJI/AAAAAAAAAjU/DWa-VVV0FMc/s1600/londonfavorites2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xHg8AV92wFw/UY67gKrYvJI/AAAAAAAAAjU/DWa-VVV0FMc/s640/londonfavorites2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the right we were visiting Shrek (loved it too).</td></tr>
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The worst show I’ve ever seen in London?</div>
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There are two. One was Dirty Dancing. Great singers, great
dancers.</div>
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But nobody puts Patrick Swayze in a corner. </div>
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It wasn’t the real stuff. </div>
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The second awful show was a play. Can’t remember the name. It
was so dull.</div>
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My two friends went with me, because it was cheap. Why I went? Orlando Bloom was in it.</div>
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But listen to me my friend: Don’t ever let that be a reason to go to a play.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m so excited. Next week London!</div>
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Check back tomorrow for my favorite shopping and sightseeing
in London!</div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-2461195601638870262013-05-03T09:00:00.000+02:002013-05-03T09:00:07.186+02:00Happy high five!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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It’s a miracle. I’ve discovered there’s a DIY-er inside of me.
One that actually finishes stuff. </div>
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Did some awesome things this week!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2cihafSmJmA/UYLLTsf0DSI/AAAAAAAAAi4/TZncAK4cNwU/s1600/Happy+Friday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2cihafSmJmA/UYLLTsf0DSI/AAAAAAAAAi4/TZncAK4cNwU/s640/Happy+Friday.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
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1. Photoshoot.</div>
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I’m a terrible photographer, but a while ago I decided for my
blog to take better pics. I’ve learned a lot since then. And now… I did a
photoshoot of my beautiful pregnant friend! I’m still not very good, but I was
pretty surprised how good it turned out.</div>
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2. Bear.</div>
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Made a bear cake for my pregnant friend (who is really not me! But I’m respecting her privacy, so am not showing a full picture of her). The cake is not that special, ‘cause I bake more often than I DIY, but I like the colours and flavours. There’s vanilla cake, cinnamon cake and chocolate cake.</div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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3. Owl pillow.</div>
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I wanted to do something cute with a pillow and my cute
fabric, so I made an owl! I made it! By myself! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">It just took me five hours…</span></div>
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4. Garden.</div>
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I spiced up our ugly garden by throwing colour in it. </div>
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Not there yet, but it definitely looks better than before.
Almost summer ready. I love the cute lights (they’re from Ikea). A before and
after post is coming soon!</div>
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<br /></div>
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5. Sprinkled popcorn.</div>
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Okay, the green looks weird, it was supposed to be emerald green.
(As in Emerald City. It was for our musicalkids who played The wiz of Oz)</div>
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But the idea is cute right? Salty popcorn, white chocolate
(coloured green for the occasion) and sprinkles. Tasted good too.<br />
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/search/label/high%20five%20for%20friday" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=" photo H54Fbutton-triangle_zps678b65ba.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd361/lauren_FMGD/H54Fbutton-triangle_zps678b65ba.jpg" /></a>
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Happy weekend everyone!</div>
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Thanks <a href="http://www.thelaurenelizabeth.com/" target="_blank">Lauren Elizabeth</a> for the weekly fun.</div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-14963405709689386062013-04-19T10:58:00.002+02:002013-04-19T11:20:13.934+02:00High five!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I’m busy preparing everything for our musical The Wiz of Oz
this weekend, so it’s a quick high five today!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Five top things:</div>
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<br /></div>
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1. Seeing my cute neeces again. </div>
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Don’t we look a lot like each other?!</div>
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2. Icecream!</div>
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Cinnamon icecream with sugared pieces of cinnamon inside. Yum!</div>
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<br /></div>
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3. More icecream!</div>
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My birthday was Sunday and my friends and hubs took me to my
fave restaurant. This was dessert :-)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KiXiHDSxy8M/UXEGAg9fWkI/AAAAAAAAAik/H94rnv2ngmw/s1600/friday+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KiXiHDSxy8M/UXEGAg9fWkI/AAAAAAAAAik/H94rnv2ngmw/s640/friday+19.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
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4. Cute notebook.</div>
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The same friends gave me this cute notebook! Handmade by her
sister, I totally love it! (and do you recognize our logo on it? Cool!)</div>
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5. Flowers.</div>
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Bought myself some flowers! And yes, one vase is a Coca cola glass and the other one's a wine bottle.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PDmizvlsvN8/UXEGAr7Eo6I/AAAAAAAAAig/jx67beUTQx0/s1600/Friday+19+april.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PDmizvlsvN8/UXEGAr7Eo6I/AAAAAAAAAig/jx67beUTQx0/s640/Friday+19+april.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Linking up with <a href="http://www.thelaurenelizabeth.com/" target="_blank">Lauren Elizabeth</a>!</div>
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Happy weekend!</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-61907272664304720622013-04-12T09:00:00.000+02:002013-04-12T09:00:15.876+02:00Friday.
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<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
So after the very sad news my aunt had passed away, I was
going through a lot of crazy things.</div>
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One moment so <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/04/life.html" target="_blank">mad at myself</a> for being too busy to visit her,
other moments feeling better. Feeling guilty for feeling better.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Feeling joy seeing my students, who gave a lot of love this
week. Most of them not knowing I was so sad.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
So, here we are at the end of the week. The beginning of a
weekend I do not want to start. Tomorrow is the funeral. But this is life. And
we better celebrate it, than sit on our sad butts.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
And because life always has a bright side, I better look at it
today :-)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
My five top things:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
1. A nice present.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Our intern is leaving us and gave me two sorts of tea,
chocolate and a box for tea. She is so sweet.</div>
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<br /></div>
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2. Villeroy and boch.</div>
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We have very expensive mugs, but we love to use them everyday.
Why wait for special occasions? These are the espresso cup, the coffee mug and
the tea mug (which I used for my cappuccino that morning).</div>
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<br /></div>
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3. Dinner date.</div>
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I saw my sweet and funny friend (and niece) Latoya and her boyfriend again, after
months of not seeing her. She cooked us a delicious pasta and a Salad Caprese.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> I will leave out the part where we watched old videotapes of us lip syncing to the Backstreet Boys.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lLmb4MWBlhw/UWclCBk9AlI/AAAAAAAAAiA/tw83wfFGI4k/s1600/fridaypost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lLmb4MWBlhw/UWclCBk9AlI/AAAAAAAAAiA/tw83wfFGI4k/s640/fridaypost.jpg" width="634" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oops, sorry for the weird iPhone-is-taking-a-picture-shadow. <br />And btw, the strawberry mint tea is great!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> <a name='more'></a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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4. Argento Shiraz.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Love it. I like to enjoy a good glass of wine after a day of hard work. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b8P4ZgaRYKY/UWclKqlG2vI/AAAAAAAAAiI/20gq1pFJd_s/s1600/IMG_2346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b8P4ZgaRYKY/UWclKqlG2vI/AAAAAAAAAiI/20gq1pFJd_s/s640/IMG_2346.JPG" width="475" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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5. Group hug.</div>
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We were sitting in a circle with our youngest students. 5 and
6 years old. They were being a bit naughty by hitting Frank on his legs, belly
and chest. “Enough!”, I said, “You can choose: Give him a hug ór don’t touch him.”</div>
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They smiled at me and immediately jumped on him for a hug. All
twelve of them.</div>
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That one made my whole week.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_-ET3XCXNME/UWclLUbrBHI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/DZQg9w1Bpyk/s1600/IMG_2338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_-ET3XCXNME/UWclLUbrBHI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/DZQg9w1Bpyk/s640/IMG_2338.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Linking up with <a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/" target="_blank">Lauren</a>.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p> </div>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-88223274316843937002013-04-09T01:30:00.001+02:002013-04-09T01:30:33.965+02:00Life.So we run a business.<br />
It's succesfull, it makes me happy, it makes other people smile and it's full of love. Lots and lots of love. <br />
<br />
But running a business is also very hard work. <br />
People always say how you can manage your own time, that you can take the day off when you want to. That's not true of course. Who is going to teach when we take a day off? Who will be answering all the emails? Who will do my work? Exactly, no one will. So I have to do it myself. If I decide to get up two hours late, I'll go to bed two hours late too. <br />
But yes, this business is our choice, so I'm not complaining.<br />
<br />
Except today. <br />
I have been working for 5 weeks in a row now. Not a single day off. I counted my working hours one week and decided never to count it again. Insane. But still, not complaining.<br />
So let me tell you about the part I hate.<br />
You can't see your friends and family often and run a business at the same time.<br />
And I missed some important stuff. <br />
I couldn't see our nephew eating his cake on his first birthday.<br />
I couldn't play silly games at the babyshower of my very dear friend.<br />
I couldn't visit my sick aunt in the hospital.<br />
And she died today. <br />
She. Died. Today.<br />
<br />
You can probably imagine how I feel.<br />
And you may ask, is it all worth it? Well, the answer is probably yes. Some kid will say something sweet to me tomorrow and I will smile, thinking this is just life.<br />
And life is not supposed to be easy. And though bad things happened, lots of good stuff happened too. Lots!<br />
It is just called life.<br />
<br />
But today, life sucks.<br />
Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-40178935650323294542013-04-05T09:00:00.000+02:002013-04-05T09:00:12.955+02:00High five for Friday!
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<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Can’t say I’ve had an interesting, inspiring week.</div>
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Can’t name five highs. So I’ll just post a pics of something
pretty i found this week. And the five things I love about it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VXBLlNWzvHo/UV3eSbaPNJI/AAAAAAAAAhw/me-Rc2KGUWU/s1600/Iphone.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VXBLlNWzvHo/UV3eSbaPNJI/AAAAAAAAAhw/me-Rc2KGUWU/s640/Iphone.PNG" width="425" /></a></div>
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1. There are soooo many cute icons to choose from. I change
them constantly ‘cause I’m not satisfied yet.</div>
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2. It’s mostly pink.</div>
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3. There are lots of dots.</div>
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4. I get very happy when I look at my iPhone.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
5. I have an icon that calls my hubs when I tap it. It’s a picture
of an apple. Because he’s an <s>AppleFrank</s> Applefreak.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Linking up with <a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/" target="_blank">Lauren</a>. Happy weekend!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>The app is called Cocoppa. Have fun ;-) </i></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-5697158531506591122013-03-22T17:11:00.000+01:002013-03-22T17:11:32.450+01:00High five for Friday!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Let’s share our five highlights of the week! I'm linking up with Lauren as usual.<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/search/label/high%20five%20for%20friday" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=" photo H54Fbutton-triangle_zps678b65ba.jpg" border="0" src="http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd361/lauren_FMGD/H54Fbutton-triangle_zps678b65ba.jpg" /></a></div>
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These are my highlights:</div>
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<br /></div>
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1. Birthday of a dear friend.</div>
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He invited us to go to a lovely Italian restaurant. I ordered
the Calzone pizza and it was delicious! </div>
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My hubs ordered "something with pineapple" for dessert. They took it
very seriously.</div>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YSeepX9DTlI/UUyBjmZuF_I/AAAAAAAAAhY/dHykMoaQiDo/s1600/Fridaypostitsfood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YSeepX9DTlI/UUyBjmZuF_I/AAAAAAAAAhY/dHykMoaQiDo/s640/Fridaypostitsfood.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
2. Mini cupcakes</div>
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Made them for our great musicians who are going to play
the musical Chicago with us.</div>
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<br /></div>
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3. Post its</div>
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I’m such a nerd. I got this cute little book, filled with post
its.</div>
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I fell in love. Why? Because the little coloured ones matched
my big ones I already had!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NBx5Lhr6xR0/UUyBijgLSfI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/85XWHCWbZMk/s1600/fridaypostits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NBx5Lhr6xR0/UUyBijgLSfI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/85XWHCWbZMk/s640/fridaypostits.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colours are off, but the big ones are exactly the same colours as the mini post its.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a>4. Our mug</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]-->It’s just a logo on a mug.</div>
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But it’s our logo. </div>
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:-)</div>
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<br /></div>
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5. Pictapgo</div>
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A new photo app for the Iphone. You should try it!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
For example, I made a grainy, old photo from one of our wedding pics:<br />
<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IuAnGrFY-Tg/UUyBkIGUbHI/AAAAAAAAAhg/ZOTPA57mqIM/s1600/fridaypostitspictapgo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="475" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IuAnGrFY-Tg/UUyBkIGUbHI/AAAAAAAAAhg/ZOTPA57mqIM/s640/fridaypostitspictapgo.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original photo by Erick Kicken,<a href="http://www.kvx.nl/" target="_blank"> KVX Photography</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
So, what have you been up to?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Happy weekend!</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-21711415892325969152013-03-15T11:00:00.000+01:002013-03-15T11:00:10.067+01:00High five for Friday!
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<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Happy Friday everyone!</div>
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How was your week?</div>
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<br /></div>
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My highlights of the past few weeks:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
1. Premiere Sister Act</div>
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My friend Mark got tickets from a friend and asked me to go
with him. This show is a must see, so hilarious and the music is great! </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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2. Seeing Les Miserables</div>
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A friend of ours, a great theatre teacher, directed Les Mis on
the high school where he teaches. It was great.</div>
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And the best part? My husband, in a spot in the back, conducting the whole piece. And wearing a bow :-) </div>
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<br /></div>
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3. Home made Dutch pea soup</div>
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I don’t think I can explain this Dutch soup. It probably
doesn’t seem that good if you see the pic. But it’s delicious. A thick soup,
made of green peas. Yum.</div>
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<br /></div>
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4. A little break.</div>
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We had half an hour left before work so my intern and I got us
a nice McDonalds burger. Did anyone read my <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/03/le-macdo-fast-food-french-style.html" target="_blank">Le MacDo post</a>? I’m very curious what a American Macmenu looks like :-) </div>
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<o:p> </o:p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QpwY1UMWaZA/UUJOe0D1h3I/AAAAAAAAAg4/MEZtOVcLnTE/s1600/friday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QpwY1UMWaZA/UUJOe0D1h3I/AAAAAAAAAg4/MEZtOVcLnTE/s640/friday.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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5. Watching Sex and the City.</div>
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While I was watching a rerun on tv, my hubs was playing with
his Ipad. He overheard some whining from Carrie and immediately said: “Is she
breaking up with the jazz musician?” I laughed and kissed him. Because he was
right. That means I watched this show way too many times.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Happy weekend!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p>Linking up with Lauren from <a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/">www.frommygreydeskblog.com</a>.</o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-70492848461934583772013-03-03T12:00:00.000+01:002013-03-06T15:05:51.961+01:00Le MacDo. Fast food French style.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Or MacDonalds as we usually call it. In France, its nickname
is Le Macdo. <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/03/high-five-for-france.html" target="_blank">Yesterday</a> I told you my MacDo experience deserved a post. Well,
here it is.</div>
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We were on vacation in France last week. And hungry, but
didn’t know where to find a restaurant nearby. And the supermarket wasn’t open
on Sunday. Good thing we remembered the MacDonalds!</div>
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We never drove in the dark before, so it was kinda exciting.
The road was very, very dark… and about 15 kilometres long, going up and down
with many turns. But we made it! Yay, there’s the Macdo! </div>
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Let’s go through the McDrive. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Holy sh*t. This menu
seems different. Do they have the same? Oh thank goodness, I see a Big Mac.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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“Jejajieblableebleu le MacDonalds, blableebleu blieblaaaa s’il
vous plait?” </div>
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“Uhmmm…. Parlez vous Anglais?”, I tried. (“Do you speak
English?”)</div>
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“Blablibleublaaablie ”</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Damn. Ok. Let’s just try
in French. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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“Je voudrais….. (“I’d like”)…. A menu Big Mac.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That’s not how I learned this language. Why
did I forgot these basic things? Yep, I just called ordering at MacDonalds a
basic thing. I can do it in Dutch, English and German. So French should be in
my head somewhere.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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“blabliebloujejajeja”, she answered.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I turned to my hubs and said I don’t understand her. He didn’t
either.</div>
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“I don’t… Je ne comprends pas!” (“I don’t understand”)</div>
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Lightly irritated she continues, a bit slower, but still in
bliebluebla. She repeats it a couple of times and finally says slowly:</div>
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“ blablieblue Anglais: medium ou large!” </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oooooohhhh, do I want a
medium or large menu! She could have said that right away, jeezzzzz. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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“Medium!”, I yell back.</div>
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“Coca?” </div>
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“Oui” </div>
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Then she says something which I think it means, “Anything
else?”</div>
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So I order a second menu for the hubs. I recognize the medium
or large question this time. But it’s not fair. Medium sounds like “maydeehume”
and large like “larch” (ch as in the word French).</div>
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I’m not even hesitating about asking something else than a
coke or asking for sauce. This will have to do.</div>
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“And… uh… et… une royal cheese, mais non menu!”</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh my goodness, it’s a good
thing my French teachers aren’t there. They would hit me in the face for such
bad French speaking.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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I do know, somewhere in a little corner of my head, that I
should have said something like “A royal cheeseburger, mais pas de menu. S’il
vous plait.” Or something. I’m not sure.</div>
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What I’m sure of, you say “s’il vous plait” all the time. I
didn’t say it enough at the McDrive. </div>
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<br /></div>
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And we were being punished for it.</div>
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‘Cause when we got back at the cottage, we noticed the fries
were cold. Like really, really cold. And they couldn’t have gotten that cold. I
suddenly remembered being surprised to see that we could immediately drive away
from the Macdo, ‘cause there were at least three cars waiting for their order. </div>
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Guess they wanted the stupid Dutch one to go. Give the cold
fries to that car. To the woman who didn’t say s’il vous plait enough.</div>
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Oh well.</div>
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It tasted good anyway!</div>
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I find it funny how other countries have slightly differerent
MacDonalds menu’s. This French “pommes frites sauce” was like a mustard mayonaise.
Much better than the ordinairy mayonaise, but also a lot different from the
yellow sauce we get in Holland. Also, we got ketchup too. The size of the fries
and drinks were the same.</div>
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People who’ve been to the USA always tell how big a Mac menu
is over there. I’m very curious.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Who wants to take a pic of an American medium Mac menu and
show it to me? How large are the drinks?</div>
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<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Anyway, I’m ending this post with one of my favorite moments
in Friends: Phoebe teaching Joey how to speak French.</div>
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You suddenly know why I write “bleebluebla” when I’m referring
to French talk.</div>
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Au revoir!</div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-88401329983636974832013-03-02T11:00:00.000+01:002013-03-02T11:00:00.053+01:00Sabrina's Seven Sins - SLOTH
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The seven sins. Yep, I found a new project. When I blogged a
couple of years ago, I had this idea. To link my blogging life to the sins.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Seven posts, seven stories, seven sins of my life.</div>
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But I didn’t know where to begin. What are my sins? And do I
want to tell about them? Well, as you may guessed I put the idea of these seven
posts in a little corner in my head where I couldn’t see it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I quite forgot about it, until my hubs mentioned the sins last
week. And I remembered my idea. And I thought, let’s give it a try.</div>
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So here’s the first one (not in any particular order), Acedia.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Acedia is the Latin name for sloth.</div>
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Laziness.</div>
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I can tell ya, between the busy hours of work, I am very good
at laziness.</div>
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Like
today. Remember my first <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2012/08/high-five-for-friday.html" target="_blank">Fridaypost</a>? I went to France with my husband. Friends
or ours have a lovely little cottage in Normandy, and we got to spend a week
there, as a gift for our wedding.</div>
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We
loved it so much, they said we could go more often if we wanted. </div>
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And so
it happened that our friends didn’t go to their cottage last week (during
springbreak) and they invited us to go instead. Yes please!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
But
it’s a dangerous thing.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Because,
what can you do in a little cottage? Exactly, nothing. And even more dangerous,
we even planned to do nothing. Not a single thing. We were there to get some
rest, to get well (I had nasty cold) and to get a big break from working.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
The
little plans we had were visiting Caen, getting us some good Calvados (the
apple drink of this area) and eating many, many, MANY delicious things. (and
there’s sin number two, gluttony. Very good at that too.)</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
So there
we were. Day 1. It’s cold. I feel sick-ish. Hubs is relaxing. There are warm
blankets. There’s a bath tub. French food.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
I’m
reading my latest Cosmopolitan. Got lots of e-books. We took our laptops with
us to play stupid games en to write blogposts. To make this laziness even
worse, I brought dvd’s of Grey’s Anatomy, and my hubs brought a lot of movies. Thank
goodness there’s no internet here. I’d be on Pinterest all day. We got a lot of “doing nothing” ahead of us.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<o:p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w8JkcyjVRzA/UTEZLnzXyrI/AAAAAAAAAgo/CQKN87wYlY0/s1600/bonjour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="534" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w8JkcyjVRzA/UTEZLnzXyrI/AAAAAAAAAgo/CQKN87wYlY0/s640/bonjour.jpg" width="640" /></a></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
And
because it’s Sunday and the supermarket is closed and we don’t know any
restaurants here (and it’s at least 45 minutes driving on dark roads), we went
to get us some fast food. I’m getting more ashamed of ourselves as I’m writing
this. We’re in freaking France. And we went to McDonalds. In our comfy clothes.
We went through the McDrive of course.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
That
McDonalds in France deserves another blogpost by the way, ‘cause I totally made
myself look stupid. Ever tried to order a menu in French? Go on. Try it. Not
that hard? And then imagine someone talking back in French. In like,
very-fast-train-French. Ahaa. Didn’t go so well, did it? I know all about it.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Anyway.
Enough blogging for today. Hubs is waiting for me. Grey’s anatomy is starting.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And now… what’s your definition of being
lazy?</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-6252069685298731722013-03-01T19:03:00.001+01:002013-03-01T19:03:16.521+01:00High five for France!
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Oh what a lovely week it has been. We’ve been
spending a couple of days in Normandy, France. It was cold, but we enjoyed our
days with some shopping, cooking, eating and watching movies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
My five faves of this week:</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">1. Driving to France</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">It took about six hours to get to Normandy. My
hubs drove the whole way, singing all the time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><o:p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U-3qvvM1WzE/UTDsJx3-7JI/AAAAAAAAAgA/IANDwCtP1VI/s1600/high+five+france+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U-3qvvM1WzE/UTDsJx3-7JI/AAAAAAAAAgA/IANDwCtP1VI/s640/high+five+france+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">2. Basilique in Lisieux</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">It was peaceful and quiet, because of so little
tourists in this time of year. So we got to take pics without other people on
it and walk slowly through the basilique.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6kJC64B2cpk/UTDsIZhPzOI/AAAAAAAAAfs/zYjHuL1fgq0/s1600/High+five+france.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6kJC64B2cpk/UTDsIZhPzOI/AAAAAAAAAfs/zYjHuL1fgq0/s640/High+five+france.jpg" width="460" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O76isvRUzLM/UTDsInuwqdI/AAAAAAAAAfw/15Od741i5Sc/s1600/high+five+for+france.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O76isvRUzLM/UTDsInuwqdI/AAAAAAAAAfw/15Od741i5Sc/s640/high+five+for+france.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">3. Les macarons</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">First time I tried it. Delicious! And now I know
how they’re supposed to taste, I want to try making them sometime. Have you
tried it? It seems to be not that easy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">4. Wine and food.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Lots. Of. Wine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">The French are serious about it. This is my hubs
in the supermarket. So much too choose from! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">And food... well, what's not to love about food. Hubs tried some new recipes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><o:p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dn8Jd8o52-A/UTDsIYY754I/AAAAAAAAAfo/8AUU-NUldc8/s1600/High+five+france+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dn8Jd8o52-A/UTDsIYY754I/AAAAAAAAAfo/8AUU-NUldc8/s640/High+five+france+4.jpg" width="422" /></a></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">5. Le MacDo </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">And yes, we went to the McDonalds one time! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">French McDonalds is just like Dutch McDonalds.
Except when you have to order. Stay tuned for my Macdo-post this week! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RpnGRNpX-m8/UTDsLHMDpsI/AAAAAAAAAgI/HvO83Wqedbk/s1600/high+fve+france+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="370" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RpnGRNpX-m8/UTDsLHMDpsI/AAAAAAAAAgI/HvO83Wqedbk/s640/high+fve+france+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hubs made pacmans from the French cheese. Not kidding.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Have a great weekend!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Linking up with <a href="http://www.frommygreydesk.com/" target="_blank">Lauren</a>!</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-68451360991201530342013-02-22T23:46:00.000+01:002013-02-22T23:46:43.863+01:00High five for Friday... or Saturday<br />
<div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
After weeks of being silent on the blog, I
decided to push myself, make some pics and write that Fridaypost. Well, at
least, if it were still Friday.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Here in Holland, it’s almost midnight, so
technically almost Saturday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">But over there where you are, I still have time
:-) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">So here we go!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">My faves of this week:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">1. My hubs buys me the Cosmopolitan every month.
:-)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">2. Morning cappuccino’s are the best when I
can’t seem to wake up!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xlKLsEBsQnc/USfzZ4-Xm1I/AAAAAAAAAfE/KwD0C4T6kT8/s1600/highfive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xlKLsEBsQnc/USfzZ4-Xm1I/AAAAAAAAAfE/KwD0C4T6kT8/s640/highfive.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
3. I got a little flower from a student. It was
for Valentine’s day. And to let you see how little it is, I put my Iphone next
to it. So darn cute!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">4. Which brings me to my new Iphone case! I use
to have a Kate Spade one for my old Iphone, with lovely colourful stripes, but
my wallet can’t handle a Kate Spade right now. So I bought the next best thing.
Which was this cute pink polka dotted case! And because I couldn’t choose which
colour I wanted, I decided to buy the green one as well. They were 2 English
pounds each. My wallet smiled at me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">5. New boots! I really, really, really needed
new ones. The old ones were dying. Holes in the bottom, broken heels, a thousand
fixes to keep them alive. I love them, I’ve been wearing them for years. But
then, these new ones yelled at me. “Buy me, buy me, buy me!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">So I did. My wallet didn’t smile this time. But
she won’t be seeing new boots in a long time now. She’ll come around.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAcaoC_UPOc/USfzaCI2IwI/AAAAAAAAAfI/Uy69c2NMzoo/s1600/highfive2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAcaoC_UPOc/USfzaCI2IwI/AAAAAAAAAfI/Uy69c2NMzoo/s640/highfive2.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Off to bed… We’re getting up early for a nice
trip to France! Drinking wine, eating French cheese and just enjoying a nice
and quiet time in a cute cottage of friends of ours. In my <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2012/08/high-five-for-friday.html" target="_blank">first High five for Friday</a>, you can read where I’m going!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I'm linking up with <a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/" target="_blank">Lauren</a> as usual.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Have a great weekend!</div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-47903210869645389502013-01-28T21:55:00.004+01:002013-01-28T21:56:56.918+01:00Sex and the city. Or what's left of it.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Tonight I was watching Sex and the city. Good
old Sex and the city. Carrie being hurt by mr. Big, parties and cosmopolitans,
girltalk, gorgeous women and handsome men.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">The last time I saw it was years ago.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="NL">But as I watched the episode where Carrie speeches on a wedding and mr.
Big walks out to answer his phone, I wondered … <i>(imagine a zoomed in shot of a computerscreen
where a sentence appears while typing) </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">… where is my Sex and the city life?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Do not get me wrong, I am very happy where I am
right now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">But this good old Carrie-life had something…
exciting. </span>(And depressing, I admit.)</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><!--[endif]--><span lang="NL">We’ve all been
the girls lying in bed, crying night after night, ‘cause of some stupid guy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Having so many great high heels, in different
colours, and still never having the right pair to match.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Dressing up to get to a party or just to go out and have fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Having drinks with your girlfriends. In my case, mostly gay friends. Try being a dancer without having gay friends! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Chasing your own mr. Big. And marrying him.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I even blogged back then, about men. About al those
stupid men.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">At nights where I stayed in, I watched my DVD
box of Sex and the city. Glass of wine, texting with my friends and relaxing on
the couch.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">But when I watched it tonight, I wasn’t
relaxing. I was multitasking. After a day of hard work for our own business, I
was doing – lots of – laundry, the dishwasher, cleaning, cooking… and… I still
had Christmas decoration in our living room, so I packed it up and stored it in
the attic. I even redecorated the toilet. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">And no, I didn't do it during this one episode. It took me three hours. But the point is, things changed around here.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I do not miss the stupid men or the endless
cocktails though. I love my life. But what is this feeling? I don’t know.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Guess I’m just in the next chapter of my life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">The one of the Desperate Housewives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I’m lucky I love that show too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9GTfdAnnFJk/UQbkjbxjyFI/AAAAAAAAAeo/QiRIQNItjzI/s1600/IMG_2137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9GTfdAnnFJk/UQbkjbxjyFI/AAAAAAAAAeo/QiRIQNItjzI/s400/IMG_2137.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From a sex and the city girl to a desperate housewive. <br />
But always in company of good glass of wine. Cheers.<br />
(Picture taken in Rome, Italy)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-83735616816205692282013-01-28T12:00:00.000+01:002013-01-28T12:00:00.805+01:00Dare to fail!
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Ok, stay
calm. Relax. Go with it. Breathe, for goodness sake. I can do this. Go. Don’t
think about, just take a deep breath and gó.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">I. Can.
Do. This. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Recognize this speech? It’s the peptalkspeech I
say to myself all the time. Do you have a peptalk for yourself too?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Life is full of chances, risks and challenges.
And to achieve all those things, you have to try to be the winning team. Always
go for more, peptalk yourself, go for the gold. Never quit. Believe in
yourself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="NL">I believe in myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">But yesterday*, I failed. And I was so mad at
myself, so pissed and incredibly disappointed. Really, am I quitting?! Yes, I
was.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="NL">My name
is Sabrina and I quit diving. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">My hubs and I are in <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/01/egypt-flying-to-sun-part-1.html" target="_blank">Egypt</a> as I’m writing this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">We’ve been here a couple of times before, so
we’ve seen some things. Snorkeling in the Blue Hole (that’s like swimming in
Finding Nemo), riding camels, meeting Bedouines, a jeepsafari in the desert.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_e7atL0CJs0/UQVgzUb_iMI/AAAAAAAAAeE/dBfqTbVNgBU/s1600/Vakantie+egypte+2008+(720).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_e7atL0CJs0/UQVgzUb_iMI/AAAAAAAAAeE/dBfqTbVNgBU/s640/Vakantie+egypte+2008+(720).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, on a camel in the desert in 2008. Ain't I charming.<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Visiting Caïro (the pyramids) is high on our
list, but it involves a night in a bus on the bumpy roads of Egypt, a lot of
money, and the 8 hour bumpy ride back to Sharm El Sheikh. I probaby won’t sleep
the two busnights, so we haven’t done that yet. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">But what else could we do?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Hubs knew immediately. “Let’s do an introduction
dive!” Uhmmm, really? Me? I’m the cocktail at the pool girl. Diving is not on
my bucket list.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">The excursion was a boattrip to Ras Mohammed, a beautiful
piece of nature in the Red Sea. And it involved three stops where we could
snorkel. For a few Egyptian pounds more, you could do an introduction dive
during one of the stops. And so I said to my hubs:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“Ok. Let’s do it. If I get scared, I’ll just
climb back on board. But I think I won’t.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Except… I did. I totally freaked out and the
diving instructor Alladin had to swim me back to the boat. (Want to read the
whole diving disaster? Read it <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/01/disaster-dive.html" target="_blank">here</a>)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Back there, everybody was asking me how it was. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I told them how exciting it was, but that I got
scared. But at least I tried it and it was worth trying. I even smiled telling thay.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I just didn’t buy my own story. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I failed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I failed big time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I wasn’t even 5 metres under water. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I couldn’t enjoy one second of it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Everyone was telling stories about the beautiful
fish they’d seen during the snorkeling. I hadn’t seen one fish. Ok, I saw a
couple of fish, but I did not really look at them. I was scared to death and I
felt like a big loser. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I lost this one. Period.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">People told me they watched us dive, that it was
going pretty fast. Some were inspired to try it too. That’s cool. But the only
thing I thought was:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Don’t do
it. It’s awful.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">A little boy shouted out he had been waving at
me the whole time while he was snorkeling. Why didn’t I wave back?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Sorry fella. I was too busy freaking out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">My hubs came back so excited, good-excited,
about all the things he had seen. He sat on the bottom. He had pics of him
diving. He saw incredible things in the water. I’m happy for him. We bought a
dvd with the adventure, and it was funny to see him dive. But then there’s the
painful and only shot where I’m in. My fourth time trying to dive. You see me
freak out and tell Alladin to go up. Go up! Now! You can see me making big hand
gestures and shaking my head. I wasn’t even a metre under water when I got
crazy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">So there it is. I was pissed and mad and sad and
very disappointed in myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">When we went to bed that night, I turned to my
hubs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“I’m kinda sad I couldn’t do it”, I said. He
gave me a big hug and a kiss.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“I thought it was very brave. I didn’t think
you’d go so far and do it. I thought you might even quit when you were in the
suit with the tanks and everything.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“I know, I didn’t expect to actually jump in and
go.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“And when you realised you didn’t like the
diving, you tried it again. So you were very brave.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">The next day I was a bit hung over from all the
angry feelings towards myself. I opened my Cosmopolitan and the first article I
read, was titled: Dare to fail. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with
the rain” was a quote in it. Make mistakes, lose with pride and never let your
head down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">So after reading that, I relaxed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">And took a zip of my cocktail. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">There, safe at the pool in Egypt.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="NL">I’m
Sabrina and I quit diving.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="NL">And
that’s OK.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-X5EQSKuOg/UQVg65aSxBI/AAAAAAAAAeM/vZxc2p4ihyQ/s1600/cocktailOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-X5EQSKuOg/UQVg65aSxBI/AAAAAAAAAeM/vZxc2p4ihyQ/s640/cocktailOK.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><i>* I wrote this during the Christmasbreak.</i></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-53540144416682569632013-01-27T17:27:00.000+01:002013-01-27T17:27:46.004+01:00Disaster dive
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">So we went diving in <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/01/egypt-flying-to-sun-part-2.html" target="_blank">Egypt</a>. It wasn’t my idea, but after
seeing so much in Egypt, this was one of the things left. Let’s try!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">We got picked up at the hotel and survived a
ride in a small bus with too many people in it, in the Egyptian traffic (the
rules? There are no rules. Like our travel agent said, it makes calling while
driving a lot easier. I like to close my eyes in those busses).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">At the diving center, we signed a contract saying
nobody there would be responsible for my death, and we got a wetsuit and
flippers. The rest would be on board. Everything went in Egyptian style. Very
slow and very unefficient. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">When we finally got on the boat, we met Alladin,
who’d be our dive instructor that day. Yep, his name is Alladin!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">So here we are and Alladin shows us the tank.
How to breathe, what to do, what not to do, the signs. It seemed very simple,
just breathe through your mouth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">I can do
that.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">He’ll do the rest, he says. He shows two buttons
he’ll press. One for going up, and one for going down. “If you want to sit on
the sand, you only sit like this.” (imagine a Arabic accent). He shows a
position on his knees. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">The sand?
Like, in the bottom? As if I’m going to the bottom, are you out of your mind?!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“If you have a problem, do this (he does a
horizontal jazz hand next to his face) and show me where the problem is.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Problem?
What problem?</span></i></div>
<a name='more'></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i><br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“If you have water in your mouth, don’t panic,
just press this button.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Water in
my mouth? How am I supposed to breathe through my mouth with water in it?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Alladin tells more about water in your diving
glasses and about popping your ears when they hurt.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Damn,
always the ears. In planes they hurt too.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“But the most important thing is to be happy.
I’m happy if you happy!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">There’s my
goal. Be happy. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">And there’s the first stop. Hubs and I go first.
Alladin puts weights on us, and the whole thing with a vest and a tank. You’ve
probably seen it in movies. It’s heavy. Just the tank weighs 12 kilos. I put on
the glasses and flippers and we practice the breathing through the pipe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Ooh, scary.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Another instructor helps me get up. “On three,
stand up. One, two, three.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">OMG!!!!!
HEAVY!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">He helps me walk to the back of the boat.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“Now jump.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Jump?! I
will immediately sink to the bottom wearing this!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“Come on, jump in!” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">My head is shaking a big no. Two men are holding
my arms. Scared that they’ll push me in, I take off the breathing thing and say
I’m scared. Please gimme a minute. “Ok, no problem.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I say my peptalkspeech to myself three times.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I can do it, I can do it, I can do it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I close my eyes… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">And jump.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Oh my God,
I’m not going up! I’m too heavy! I knew it! I will sink and die right here!!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Oh wait, I’m up. I didn’t drown. Alladin makes
the OK-sign and I OK back at him. But I have too many things on my body. The
tanks, the stupid weighs, the flippers. Not to mention the breathing pipe and
the glasses. I do not like this. At all. Why did I want to dive again?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">My hubs jumps in the water too en Alladin swims
us away from the boat. He OKs and we OK back. (By OK-ing I mean the
handsign)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“OK, first I want you to just look in the water
and breathe calm.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Just look.
I can do that.</span></i><span lang="NL"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I inhale, put my face down in the water. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Oh, wait, I
have to exhale too.</span></i><span lang="NL"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I breathe out bubbles. Weird. I carefully
breathe in again. This is exciting. I can’t yet decide if it’s good-excited or
scared-excited. My heart is pounding!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">I hate
water in my ears. Scary. But this is not too hard.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“OK?”, gestures Alladin. OK.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“Now we go under water and we breathe.” He goes
first and presses his downbutton (the one which deflates, so he’ll sink. Or
something).<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Without coming up first, he sinks both of us
under water. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Wtf! I’m
sinking!! I can’t breathe! Oh, wait, I can. Come on. Breathe.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">He does an OK again. My pounding heart and I OK
back. He lets us look around us. I’m not looking. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Oh my
gosh, I’m under water. I’m breathing. I can do it. Relax. We’re just under the
surface. I’m not being dragged to the bottom because of the weight. Oh
goodness, this is so scary. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Alladin asks for another OK. Hubs does an OK
back. Alladin specifically asks me again. I answer that I want to go up. He
pushes the buttons and we go up. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“What’s the problem?” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“Nothing, I’m just a bit scared, I find it very
exciting.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“No being scared. Only breathe. We go again. OK?”
I OK at him. He gives me my breathing thing. ”You have to hold on to this, it’s
important!!”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Did he
just get a bit mad at me?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">We go again. I try to relax, say the
peptalkspeech a dozen times to myself and let Alladin drag me with him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Look
around Sabrina. There are colorful fish here. And beautiful corals. Enjoy. Be
happy.</span></i><span lang="NL"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh
goodness, I’m not freaking enjoying this. I’m under water, my heart is pounding
and do not feel a tiny bit of joy. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">I want to
get out!</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I put my thumb up to Alladin. That’s the sign
for going up, the sign I memorized first.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“You OK?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“No, I’m scared! Give me a minute.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“Only breathe! No being scared! We go down and
I’ll show you all the fish and coral, it’s no problem!” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">My hubs asks if I’m ok. Yeah. I’m trying again.
Third time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">If you
don’t enjoy it this time, you can go back to the boat. But try it first.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Ok. Try.
Relax. Look at the nice fish. Oh wow, it’s actually beautiful down here.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">After a couple OK’s, Alladin puts his thumb
down. My heart jumps. We’re going down. “OK?” We OK back. We sink a metre. I
really don’t like the sinking thing. I makes me so nervous. It’s like an
elevator under water. We swim a bit and he points his finger to colorful fishes.
He OKs a lot and we OK back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">See, I’m fine.
I can do it. Now stop being so nervous and start enjoying. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Alladin puts his thumb down again and OKs at us.
OK, we answer. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Oh God.
We’re going down.</span></i><span lang="NL"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">He does it again and we go another metre down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">My ears!!
Ouch! I have to pop! Why do I still feel pain?!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I put my jazzhand next to my face (the
problemsign) and point to my ear. Hubs and Alladin show me how to pop my ears.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">I freaking
know! But it won’t work!!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I try it again. Pop. Thank goodness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Allading shows the downsign again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">NO! <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I shake my head and try to say I don’t want to
go further down. I think it worked. We swim a bit further. Again, the stupid
ears!! I do the thing and they pop. But it happens again. Pop. And again. Pop. As
I look to the surface I see that Alladin has brought us even more down. Damn,
how did I buy that pointing to fish thing! I’m never coming up again if he
keeps dragging me! My heart starts to pound faster and my ears are killing me.
I am so scared. I want to cry. That’s enough, I’m going up. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“What’s the problem??” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“It’s just, I’m still scared and I freak out
under water! My body is ok, I can do the breathing, but in my mind I’m going
crazy! I can do it, but I… I freak out a little.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Again, he answers the same thing. Breathe, no
being scared blah blah. He is annoyed. But I’m scared. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“Do we go again?” he asks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“Yes. But it’s the last time I’m trying!” I hear
him say an annoyed OK.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Last time. We go down. I’m not having crazy
thoughts. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">What is
that water doing in my mouth? WATER IN MY MOUTH?!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="NL">Where was
that freaking button? How do I… Oh goodness, get me out! I don’t want this
anymore! Get me out NOW!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">I start to do the stupid jazzhand, and the
upsign. Maybe it’s my crazy imagination in this panic attack, but I really
think I’m seeing Alladin roll his eyes. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“I had water in my mouth!”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“I told you! If you have water in your mouth,
push this button!”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“I know, but I paniced and I forgot!”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“You OK now?”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“Yes.”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“OK, let’s go.”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“No, I don’t think I’m going again. I’m too
scared, I’m sorry. I can’t.”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">He looks at me for a second and says to my hubs:<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I
will bring her back to the boat and come back for you.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">Annoyed Alladin swims me back to the boat while
hubs stays with the photographing diver. I’m so relieved, but can’t help feel a
bit sorry for Alladin. Egyptian men don’t like to fail. They get very annoyed
by these things.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“I’m sorry, Alladin.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“It’s OK.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“No really, I’m sorry. It’s not you. You are
doing it right.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">He smiles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“It’s OK. You have a bit stress.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">We don’t speak as we swim to the boat. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“I’m still happy. You wanted us to be happy,
right? I’m very happy.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">He starts to laugh, the loud laugh that’s so
typical for Egyptian men. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL">“That’s right, when you happy, I’m happy. It’s
OK.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UYriJ8R1Zyg/UQVUqm5c_7I/AAAAAAAAAdo/otloWvoCEzU/s1600/diving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UYriJ8R1Zyg/UQVUqm5c_7I/AAAAAAAAAdo/otloWvoCEzU/s640/diving.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="NL"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-9137952064020243622013-01-26T15:58:00.001+01:002013-01-26T15:58:21.919+01:00Ducks and snowNot sure why I am posting this.<br />
I don't like ducks and I don't like snow.<br />
But here it is anyway!<br />
<br />
#lazysaturdayafternoonpost<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3IFwFSYpSWc/UQPuu43XKTI/AAAAAAAAAdM/lBjZnvdmUis/s1600/snowducks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3IFwFSYpSWc/UQPuu43XKTI/AAAAAAAAAdM/lBjZnvdmUis/s640/snowducks.jpg" width="474" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've also found footsteps of a cat. We don't have one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My sunny post about my diving adventure in Egypt will be online this week! Stay tuned!Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-60611727053215397702013-01-04T15:27:00.000+01:002013-01-04T15:30:04.977+01:00High five for holidays!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Back with a <a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/" target="_blank">High five</a> post!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
What a lovely Christmasbreak it has been. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
As I told you in my previous <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/01/egypt-flying-to-sun-part-1.html" target="_blank">posts</a>, hubs and I went to Egypt
on vacation. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JmAXtQhG288/UObkehDU4dI/AAAAAAAAAbY/XcmSkFwT6zQ/s1600/Egyptianxmas2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JmAXtQhG288/UObkehDU4dI/AAAAAAAAAbY/XcmSkFwT6zQ/s640/Egyptianxmas2.jpg" width="640" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"> </span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br />
These are my holiday high fives:</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
1. Presents!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
We celebrate Christmas with our family earlier. We got awesome
gifts!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I got the dvd boxes of Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy. Not
a surprise, ‘cause I ask for the new season of Grey’s Anatomy every year with
Christmas. But I'm happy with it!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
And my hubs gave me a fantastic Ipad Mini. I LOVE that thing!
It fits in my<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>purse :-) </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
2. Our Christmastree.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
We didn’t have a real tree this year, but I made it comfy
anyway with a small fake tree and decorations. Cute, right?</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0cm;">
3. Mini Santa.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0cm;">
Our nephew. We bought him a mini Santa pajama.</div>
Cutenessssss!<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0cm;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3dE6Tg8t3S8/UObkeTh9uCI/AAAAAAAAAbU/-FpXEHsaY3I/s1600/kerstboom+en+kerstman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3dE6Tg8t3S8/UObkeTh9uCI/AAAAAAAAAbU/-FpXEHsaY3I/s640/kerstboom+en+kerstman.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0cm;">
4. Egyptian Christmas.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
This is always a big event! Music, dancing, lots of people in
a huge tent. And an incredible dinner…</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Not to mention the cocktails at the pool, and being in the sun
all day long.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TLsvd2SsSD8/UObke14babI/AAAAAAAAAbc/Nf5lcNMW0gw/s1600/Egyptianxmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="436" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TLsvd2SsSD8/UObke14babI/AAAAAAAAAbc/Nf5lcNMW0gw/s640/Egyptianxmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know, I'm obsessed with taking pictures of food...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
5. New Years Eve.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
We celebrated it with some dear friends. And there was fooood!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Bruschetta, spinach quiche, home made herb butter, fish and
lots of other good stuff. And of course a lot of wine, prosecco, champagne and
white chocolate liquor…</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Hope you had wonderful holidays too!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I wish you all the best for 2013 and hope you keep following
my little blog.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Happy new year!!</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-73345371594357029322013-01-04T10:00:00.000+01:002013-01-04T10:00:13.584+01:00Egypt: flying to the sun, part 2.
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I’m always excited when we fly. Not good-excited.
Scared-excited.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
This Christmasbreak we went to Egypt. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Want to read part one first? Click <a href="http://sprookjesboss.blogspot.nl/2013/01/egypt-flying-to-sun-part-1.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
So, we’re in the plane. People behind me push while I can’t
move forward, because of the people who are standing in the aisle to put their
bags away. And they are taking their time. Like, really. First their own bag.
Then the bag of the partner. Then 3 minibags from three minipeople. Then the
coats. Then one mini person forgot something in his minibag. No, not thàt bag,
mum. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Finally we reach our seats. I saw it immediately, these are
small seats. I have to push my handbag through the hole between my chair and
the chair in front of it. The same hole where my legs will go in a minute. For
5 hours. Oh gosh.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
After
putting our coats above our heads, we try to sit. My knees are kissing the
front seat. I’m not big, so these seats are really small…</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
But
hey, I’m going to sunny Egypt!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
I prep
myself by putting in the earplugs, putting gum in my mouth and getting a book
out of my bag. I have to bend in a very awkward position to get something out
of my bag. But I’m going to Egypt.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
The purser is telling something we can’t understand and I feel
the plane taxiing. I watch the safety instructions.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
And we take off. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Not sitting comfortable, not seeing ground under us, feeling
like we’re going to fall. I feel nervous and scared combined with the joy of
finally flying to the sun. Just relax.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
I’m
wondering what movie they will play today. There are nice big screens hanging
in the aisle. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
“Ladies
and gentlemen, the tv doesn’t work in this plane, but you can hire an Ipad for
5 euro’s. You can play a couple of games and you can watch Mr. Bean.” Really?
Mr. Bean?? </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Thank
goodness my hubs brought his Ipad with movies and I was so clever to put a few
episodes of Private Practice on my laptop.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Wait a
minute. Why isn’t it playing? Oh no! It’s not working. And the dvdbox is in my
suitcase… </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Ouch!!!!
The man in front of me puts his chair down roughly. In a reflex I move my legs
a bit to the side and he puts it down even more. The top of the chair is now
four inches away from my face. Are you kidding me?!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
I’d
never tell him not to put his chair down, but you can at least warn me that
you’re going to put the chair in my face and hit my legs with it, right? </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Thank
goodness for snacks and drinks. I brought snacks from home and bought drinks in
the airport. A small can is € 2,50 euro’s in the plane and I got two cans for €
3,00 euro. Still overpriced, but hey, I’m going to sunny Egypt.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Trying
Private Practice again. Still nothing.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
The man
in front of me is quite a dancer. He keeps moving, so I get hit by the chair all
- the - time. My hubs is smarter. When the 8-year-old of moving man tries to
put his chair down, my hubs doesn’t move an inch. “Sorry man. I can’t move
anymore, I’m stuck”. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Let’s
try sleeping. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
I know
it won’t work, ‘cause I never sleep on flights. But since I’m here, I’ve gotta
try. I close my eyes.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Minutes
fly by. Two minutes, to be exact. Ok, tried it. Not working.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Starting
my laptop again. I’m sorting out some pics. Listening to music.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
But the
chair in front of me is now hitting mr. Apple instead of me, and that makes me
even more annoyed!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Sunny Egypt, sunny Egypt, sunny Egypt…</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Three
hours later.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I’m so pissed!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
No tv, no Private Practice, out of snacks, a chair in my face,
moving man in it, can’t sleep, it’s a freaking two hours left flying and I can’t
move an inch!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Keep. Breathing.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Just relax. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
My hubs hugs me and turns on Annie for me on the Ipad. I love Annie. I used to watch it every week when I was little. “The
sun’ll come out, tomorrow…”, she sings.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
She’s right. The sun will be coming out tomorrow! </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I will be in sunny Egypt!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I’m already feeling better.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-oOcM0pM9k/UOWCsRQ5YCI/AAAAAAAAAa4/T3a47XJ26aI/s1600/IMG_1944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-oOcM0pM9k/UOWCsRQ5YCI/AAAAAAAAAa4/T3a47XJ26aI/s640/IMG_1944.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my sunbed. It's a hard knock life.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-41406520441093827792013-01-03T13:59:00.000+01:002013-01-03T13:59:26.554+01:00Egypt: flying to the sun, part 1
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i>(The next couple of blogposts are written over the past few
weeks. So I’m back as I post these, but wrote it over there.)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
It’s 18.52 PM, about 16 degrees (celsius). I’m sitting in a
comfortable chair on the balcony. Not wearing a wintercoat. I can hear the ocean,
I can smell it. It’s dark, so I can’t see it. But at daytime, the ocean is my
view. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I’m on vacation in lovely Egypt. Hal-le-luja.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
My hubs and I try to go to a sunny place every Christmasbreak.
We are not good winterpeople. I hate rain, cold, storms… Snow? Like it one day.
After that day, get the hell outta here!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
But the wheather doesn’t do as you say.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
So I get outta here. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
With my lovely husband. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Packing my bikini.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Enjoying the sun.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Getting a tan in December.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Christmas in a sundress.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
No work, no emails, no stress.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
What’s not to love?</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Oh right. The plane.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p> </o:p>I HATE flying. Not more than I hate rain, so I do it every
time. But boy, do I hate it.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
It begins with the check in. Lines and lines of angry people,
‘cause it’s not going fast enough. Every minute we move an inch closer to each
other. As if it helps. And if you don’t move that inch, there’s always someone
behind you pushing his suitcase against you ankles. Little kids are yelling and
crying. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
At the counter, there’s the new girl, who doesn’t know how to
put the labels on right. The annoyed stewardess next to her chews gum and (sort
of) helps. Little kids are yelling.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Frank and I can, luckily, always see the humour of everything.
If you’re going on vacation, why be annoyed all the time? All those cranky
couples and families… lighten up! You’re on your way to sunny Egypt for heavens
sake!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Then comes the fun part. Shopping and eating! We usually fly
from Schiphol Amsterdam, which is a very large airport. Lots of nice shops and
you can eat everything you like! We chose a freshly made pasta pesto.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
And then we moved to the gate. Where we discover that our flight
is delayed for 45 minutes. Ok. More shopping. Some Starbucks.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uRUZCDOIopc/UOV-6Du4oZI/AAAAAAAAAaU/FHBVUOO6rgs/s1600/Schipholfood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="451" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uRUZCDOIopc/UOV-6Du4oZI/AAAAAAAAAaU/FHBVUOO6rgs/s640/Schipholfood.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Second time we moved to the gate. Where are all the people…? Gate
change. And another hour of delay. Kids scream and yell.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I’m starting to get annoyed, but I refuse to. More shopping
and sitting on colourful benches with integrated Ipads to listen to music helps.
</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lq1b1z_TPl8/UOV-8cY-CdI/AAAAAAAAAac/OhjQqc2vUJM/s1600/Schipholwachten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lq1b1z_TPl8/UOV-8cY-CdI/AAAAAAAAAac/OhjQqc2vUJM/s640/Schipholwachten.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p> </o:p>And then we finally get to the plane.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Well, if you don’t count the handbagcheck. Everybody coats
off, jewelry off, shawl off, liquids in a sealed bag on top, laptops out of the
bag (which kinda freaks me out. What if someone on the other side takes my
Apple?). Kids are yelling and screaming. If you’re lucky, you don’t have to put
off your shoes and have to be body searched. I’m not lucky.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Ok, onto the boarding. “First row 33 to 28”, says a womens
voice through the speaker. A minute later she calls the next rows. And two
minutes later the next. Everybody is again in a line of angry people. This is
not really efficient, is it? </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Anyway, so after a half an hour we finally get to the plane. Kids
are yelling.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
My husband prefers to sit by the window, and I don’t want to
look outside, so that’s fine. But that always makes me the one sitting between
him and another person. The other person is usually a large guy. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Men don’t sit still. And they usually take a bit of my chair
too. </div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I prep myself with earplugs and chewing gum. Everybody
struggles with the bags and coats. Kids scream. I leave my bag under the chair
in front of me, so I don’t have to get up all the time.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
And finally, after a short, but never understandable chat from
the purser and the safety instructions (done by bored stewardesses), we’re on
our way.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
Let’s fly.</div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Curious how my flight
went? Read it tomorrow</i>!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533228361314542179.post-54512645451740921282012-11-30T09:00:00.000+01:002012-11-30T09:00:09.796+01:00High five for Friday!
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<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
I’ll stop counting the Friday posts. It annoys me I can’t do this
every Friday, so I don’t like counting it anymore. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Anyway, how was your week?</div>
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These are my highlights from the past two weeks:</div>
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1. Beauty and the beast.</div>
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I saw
this performance by kids we used to teach. So proud of how good they’ve become! Don't have a pic, sorry!</div>
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<br /></div>
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2.
Christmas decoration.</div>
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It’s a bit
early for the Dutch, but I’m so in love with al those Pinterest ideas that I
got the boxes from the attic and started decorating.</div>
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Don’t
you just love it?</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9NLSC2xKquI/ULf-U8n7MTI/AAAAAAAAAYg/PVjt9a--4Y8/s1600/xmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="289" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9NLSC2xKquI/ULf-U8n7MTI/AAAAAAAAAYg/PVjt9a--4Y8/s640/xmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At daytime.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hneqMEFgFLg/ULf-XwI2ytI/AAAAAAAAAYo/LypZ7NmYkmo/s1600/xmas2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hneqMEFgFLg/ULf-XwI2ytI/AAAAAAAAAYo/LypZ7NmYkmo/s640/xmas2.jpg" width="416" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At night, standing on my piano.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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3. Aqua
di gio essenza.</div>
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My
husband likes to have different kind of perfumes. He’s a Boss fan, but now he
found this one from Armani. It. Smells. Goooood.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NS2fDJZZ8i0/ULgBU8QtvpI/AAAAAAAAAY4/GAKtHj3f7p8/s1600/Armani_9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="449" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NS2fDJZZ8i0/ULgBU8QtvpI/AAAAAAAAAY4/GAKtHj3f7p8/s640/Armani_9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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4. Food!</div>
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This was
something Frank cooked me. </div>
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It’s a pepper
with goat’s cheese, yummm. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">And behind it a pizza. From the supermarket.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0QAaBUpxy8/ULgBiAtpI6I/AAAAAAAAAZA/576AIqlXZTo/s1600/paprika.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0QAaBUpxy8/ULgBiAtpI6I/AAAAAAAAAZA/576AIqlXZTo/s640/paprika.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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5.
Dinner with friends.</div>
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Again,
lovely dinner with a lovely friend.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_tuk1qCSrZY/ULgCTXAvqLI/AAAAAAAAAZI/tkHBD8g6hhc/s1600/foodmbd_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_tuk1qCSrZY/ULgCTXAvqLI/AAAAAAAAAZI/tkHBD8g6hhc/s320/foodmbd_2.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Appetizer: Tomato basil bruschetta and<br />eggplant bruschetta. Again, hubs made it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: 35.4pt;">
Linking up with <a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/" target="_blank">Lauren</a>!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p>Have a happy weekend everybody! </o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Sabrinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058764456318381297noreply@blogger.com7