Time well spent with a good friend

Merrill came to visit over a long weekend. Woo hoo!

I met her at the airport Thursday night and spent Friday and Saturday showing her around Amsterdam. We went to the Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandthuis and Anne Frank House, and also just spent a lot of time hanging out, catching up, playing with Aldus and pondering why he occasionally makes himself gag. Aldus and Merrill even had a lovely duet on the Museumplein chimes:

As a bonus, Charles joined us on Saturday, hung out with us for a little while, and then took Aldus back home with him so that Merrill and I could enjoy a nice dinner out. (One more reason I love this man!) The food at Restaurant de Luwte was even better than when Charles and I were there last year. We didn't even mind the light rain as we sat outside, but maybe that was the biertjes and proseccos.

On Sunday we showed Merrill around Dwingeloo a little. It's too bad the wind and rain kept us from taking a good long bike ride. I really wanted to bike out to my new favorite spot for koffie en appeltaart: the theehuis in Dwingelderveld. Oh well.

Monday we went to the museum, WWII transit camp site and memorial and telescope at Westerbork, then up to Groningen for more pancakes and some shoe and dress shopping. Can I tell you how jealous I am of the three new pairs of shoes she bought? I'm daydreaming of a wardrobe revamp of my own.

I won't speak for Merrill, but I had a really great time and am sorry that it has taken so long for us to be able to spend so much time catching up with each other.

Merrill, good luck with the upcoming mini-tour (warning: music will start automatically), and best wishes to you and Brian on your move to the new house!

Comments

[Aldus's Grandmother]

Merrill can now add Museumplein to her list of instruments on Orpheum Bell's website. Was horn-blowing Aldus performing an audition as well? At the very end he was really getting into it. Loved it!

[Merrill]

Thanks for putting one of my favorite moments of the trip up on your site! Aldus is definitely a prodigy on the trumpety-kazoo-thingy.

I had such a WONDERFUL time and wish I could come rent a cottage in Dwingeloo for about a month where we'd meet up on our bikes for coffee. I'd even babysit your kid and pup! I can see why you are considering staying for longer. I can also see why hanging with your girlfriends is one of your incentives to return to the states. I loved just getting the chance to tool around Amsterdam and chat. And rest assured: should I be blessed with children, they will not be geniuses and will certainly be allowed to eat food off the floor.

The move is going great and we've got a guest-bed ready for whenever you next visit Michigan!

[Hillary]

Ha! That video is so great! I just played it and totally freaked out the dog. (Did I tell you we got a puppy in June? He's a puli named Zeppo. Love. Also lots of barking. We're working on it).
Glad you had such a great visit!
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