Tues. Aug. 13 d

We stopped at Rembrandt's house.


And then walked through the Red Light district. Most of the windows were closed, but this young lady was trying to drum up business.


If anyone is interested, there are rooms available (and from what we saw - young and attractive is not a requirement - but big busts are a help.)


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Tues. Aug 13 c

It started raining again (never, never, leave home sans raincoat!).

We took shelter in a shop with a delightful garden. All of the furniture and accessories were made with bent chicken wire.


Toes, I will never do this to you!


This is Ana (for those who don't know her) in front of the statues in Rembrandt Plaza.


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Tues Aug. 13, b

After the rain, we visited the Purse museum. 4 floors of exquisite purses both old and new.


For lunch we bought prepared food and ate by the side of a canal. I have frisée with figs, dates and feta. We also had a lovely fruit salad.

Tues. Aug. 13 a

I am making small posts because It doesn't like to upload many pictures at a time.

Passing up the 20 euro breakfast, Ana and I headed out to find something to eat and do some more exploring.

This is a mall right next to our hotel. A converted Heineken plant.


I had chocolate dipped waffle and Ana had sausage roll.





As we were walking along, it started to pour. (Last time I don't wear my raincoat.
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Aug. 12 après nap

Much revived, we organized ourselves for dinner and a "stitch and bitch" meeting. Yes, there is a group of international knitters who meet every Monday in a local cafe.

I had looked them up and posted that we would be coming. It was fun to meet them and see what they were making.






The woman sitting next to me is another knitting cruiser. She is traveling with her husband.


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August 12 Amsterdam day 1

A, J, B & C took me to the airport. It was a last minute decision, but really lovely. We had sandwich hugs at my house before we left.

Ana and I flew separately, but had no trouble meeting up in the baggage area. The hotel shuttle worked great, but our room wasn't ready so we went out for a walk.

Why would there be Russian souvenirs in Amsterdam.



Everywhere I look there are great buildings.


This is the back of the floating flower market. The front of the stalls are open so you can walk right in to buy your tulip bulbs, cannabis seeds, etc.


We went back to our hotel and took a nap.

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August 30 My first house guests

My friend Gabi, from Geneva, and her family came for a short visit. Gabi and Bernd christened the wall bed. Carolin and Tim used folding mats.

I met them about 19 years ago when Carolin was a toddler. She was the first to call me "Oma Joan ".

The first day we went to Venice Beach.


Day 2 we went to Hollywood, lunch in Thai Town, the observatory, drove down Sunset to the beach and then dinner at Duke's on the water in Malibu.



Day 3 we went to the La Brea Tar Pits, the Santa Monica Pier, walked along the palisade, then walked the 3rd street promenade and through the mall. We went to Alec and Jef's for a barbecue.




I said that this was getting me in shape for my trip.

Day 4 Jef and I took them to the airport. They were going to Hawaii.

Short but fun.

Mon. Feb. 25, 2013. I'M HOME part 3

I have new hardwood floors in the kitchen and bedroom. All of the other floors have been refinished to a lighter shade.





My new front door is a pretty blue and has a large mail slot. This means that when I go on trips, everything can just be shoved into the house.



It leads into a foyer created by installing a closet with shelves on the end to hold Indian pottery.



Some other views





The living room now has display boxes for more pottery.



The main bathroom is now a "guest" bath.






Notice that both toilets come out from the wall. This takes much less space in small areas.

My guest room now has a wall bed.



Knitting books and hedgehogs were in the first boxes available. Notice the desk on the wall bed. When it opens, the desk stays parallel to the floor, so nothing needs to be moved


I have lots of new gates.


A new hearth.


And, maybe best of all, I now have HEAT and air conditioning.


That's all for now, folks.

I am doing jury duty and they are staring to call a panel.

I'm Home Part 2

I have started to put things into my new kitchen.  This

Has turned into this glorious space:

This is really cool. I have an ironing board built into a drawer.

Monday, 2/25/2013 I'M HOME part 1

Hip Hip Hooray.  Friday night I slept in my own bed.
This:

Is now this:

I used my new bathroom.  This:

Is now this:

I started to hang up my clothes.

I read on my new couch.  This:

 Is now this: