A new business. With bonus material and bloopers and all. And you're right, I changed the title. Bit too presumptious. But if you want to find out more, got to learn Dutch first. Coz I tried in English, i really did, and it's just too much struggle. And hey i am lot smarter and wittier in my own language. So what i'll do; i'll just give it a go and juice it up with some Dutch whenever i am stuck. K?

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

New au pair?

After some discussion Austin has decided to move to another family after the Xmas break.
A family with older children of which the youngest is in Morten's class.

So...
anyone interested?

Starting any time between now and somewhere in January.
Up at least till August 2007.
But persons looking to stay longer are welcome too.

Looking forward to reply's !!!

Thursday, November 23, 2006

random conversation

Yesterday; election day

Timo and I walk towards the voting booth which is in the building near the playground next to the school.
Just before we went i had done a test on a specified website from which i learned that i should vote either VVD or CDA.
That's what i told Timo.
Why don't you vote 1/2 A he said?
Coz that is the number of his class.

No, i said we're not talking about a school here, you vote on a group of people who call themselves a party.
But do you know all these people then?
Well I know some of them. For instance some people say they want to build more roads because there are too many traffic jams and the cars need more roads.
But others think that there will be too much asphalt then and they encourage people to take the train.
Yeah, he said, i still need some space to scooter so i won't be voting for more roads.
You know what i would vote for?
No, i didn't
I would vote for someone who said; let's build more comic bookstores

it was rather a dissappointment none of the persons electable had that as their Unique Selling Point.

Caroline wanted to go play at Marijke's and had made a special drawing for her.
So the 2 of us go over to their house, but no one answers the door.
Back at home, she says; I could also go play at Emma's.
Sure i said, do you want us to go over?
Yes she says.
Do you take the picture with you for Emma now I ask?
Yes she says.
And then in a whisper: but don't make a joke to Emma about it being for Marijke first.
No honey.

Is she ready for politics or what?

Later that afternoon, i walk outside with her.
Mommy you break my heart she says.
What ??? Why, what do you mean by that?
I don't know she said.
Only heard it on the tv.

This morning at breakfast; Morten is crying because of the last one of his front teeth is very loose and it hurts when he eats.
Morten she says.
Breath, breath.
(with accompanying arm gestures)

Even Morten had to laugh.
Then he started to cry again.

Pff. she says.
He gives me a headache.

Barely 4 yrs old.

Monday, November 20, 2006

So, you know the joke of the 2 sick children and 1 throwing up au-pair?

Probably not, coz it's not a joke.
C. started last Friday night and threw up 10 (I swear) times.
I had been out with Annemarie & Inge (2 friends from college) and came in at 23.30, so to put it mildly was a bit tired after that night.

Next morning Austin and I headed for museum Boymans for an art history lesson (she mainly explained the symbolism in some of the standard collection of Dutch and Belgian painters) and afterwards biked towards the arrival of Sinterklaas.
We were a bit late and while the kids and R. stood in front of the podium, Austin and I were more at the side and back and saw Sinterklaas trying to mount his horse.
Don't know why, you would expect the horse to be used to lots of shouting children and bright colors, but for some reason it wasn't his day.
I kid you not, at one point I saw Sinterklaas clinging onto his saddle and being swirled around by Americo.
I guess that's when Sinterklaas decided to go by foot and when we met up with the rest of the Haas'bunch.

After that we had drinks and bitterballen and as C. still wasn't feeling too great, R. went to fetch the car.
Now just when the whole room was admiring the view or something C. burped like only she can.
Some of you may have the unforgettable experience of witnessing this, the people in there had not.
So while I was holding my empty tea glass under her mouth (coz I though it was the announcement of more err. vomit) all heads turned and everyone looked like; this cannot possible have come out of her mouth.

The rest of the day passed relatively quiet and Sunday morning R. took the boys swimming.
In the afternoon we decided to go to the Kralingse Bos and eat something at a Bear restaurant.
C. hardly ate her fries, let alone her kroket and didn't have an ice cream.
T. on the other hand, ate spareribs, fries, had 2 cokes and an ice cream.
And then threw up last night.

But only after Austin had already been doing the same too.

So, if you want to see 2 pale looking parents squinting their eyes looking at their screen, come on over to R. and I.