Saturday, September 24, 2011

Lazy, lazy, lazy buns are mine.

Today is Saturday. And it is GORGEOUS, I say, simply GORGEOUS! It's sunny and warm, light breeze, tank tops and sun glasses.




The ride over to the Kulbe's today was lovely. Until my back tire buckled benieth the weight of my newly acquired cellulite...With a loud "pop" and then a long "HISS" it gave up the ghost about 1/2 way to my destination.

  



CURSE YOU STROOPWAFFLES!!!!!

I probably had 72 people snicker and sneer at me as I shame-faced-ly walked my bike back.


As you may (or probably may not have) noticed, one of my trips goals was to learn a Dutch phrase. After being in Holland for about 2 hours, and hearing the dialect, I realized that the ONLY Dutch phrase I was scholastically capable of learning was, "I don't speak Dutch." To be said with a VERY apologetic face and tone.

I asked Brenda, who knows something about everything, how I say, "I don't speak Dutch." She said some jibber jabber at a rapid speed.

I give up.

Then she said it slower. I don't know how to spell it out, but it sounds like, "Eat hen neat sprackin' nederlands." HEEEEEY! Not so bad when you slow it down to such a childish speed. Eat hen neat sprackin' nederlands. Eat hen neat sprackin' nederlands. I tried saying it faster. I got better and better. EAT HEN NEAT SPRACKIN' NEDERLANDS! Wow, this is WONDERFUL! I feel like I can do anything! I said it myself, over and over and over again. I said it in different tones, adding the emphasis to each different word to see which sounded better. I was aching for a Dutch person to ask me something, so I could pounce on them with my impressive rhetoric.

That night, I went home and was chatting with Marieke about my day and everything I did and saw. Then I told her that I had learned a new Dutch phrase! "Oh, that's wonderful! Can I hear it?" (She has a wonderful British accent even though she is Dutch)
I gathered my words mentally, and slowly, with confidence proceeded:

"Eat hen neat sprackin' nederlands."

Victoriously, I gazed on at her, she was smiling with pride. Beaming at my brilliance. I had MASTERED it. I was on top of the world.

"That's lovely, dear!

.........what did you say?" still smiling.

Not smiling anymore......"well.....I THOUGHT I said, I don't speak Dutch."
She is a kind, kind woman. And it was all she could do not to laugh in my face. Point and me and shout insults about my intelligence. "HAHAH! What a silly little fool you are! Ha. HA! HAH! What a laugh. You are such a funny little thing." But she did nothing of the sort. She just kindly corrected me. It was unrecognizable.

Shamefully, I headed to bed.

She's quizzed me on it a few times, and I'm proud to say she's told me that "I've done it now!" But now I approach the whole thing which much more humility and grace.

For dinner tonight, we're trying to find a shwanky restaurant to go throw money at.

I know my posts are long, and contain very little actual info. Sorry bout, that. I'll sign off now though, before I've gone on too long.

Enjoy your Saturday! I hope it's restful and rejuvenating. Be good.


~Gracie


P.S. a piece of soul dies with each week that goes by and I can't watch my favorite TV shows. STUPID Holland that wont play Hulu.

And here are a few pics that I don't wish to "Blog" about but that I wanted to add in. So this post wont be as boring.











4 comments:

  1. It's just wrong of you to think your posts are either long or boring! I wake each day and race to the computer in hopes of being regaled another one of your modestly sized and tantalizing tales.

    Did you buy wooden shoes? I thought that would be too "touristy" for you! They look beautiful!!!

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  2. Thanks dad, I'm glad you're happy with it! And no, I didn't buy wooden shoes, those were about a size 90. I'm doing really, really well dad! Aaron and Brenda are taking really good care of me, and Im really having a great time! Don't spend too much time worrying about me!

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  3. A) Love that panorama! It would make a good google homepage header.

    B) That wooden guy is freakish/fascinating!

    Missed you at the party today. Amara loved her aprons, dishes and kitchen :) I'll try and get my pictures and video together soon.

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  4. Grace: truth be told, I am spending almost zero time worrying about you. I'm totally comfortable with the company you are keeping, and completely at peace about the place you are at in your life.

    All of my notes have been in direct response to what you have written.

    Take care - have fun - and know that we are happy with you and unconcerned about you.

    In fact, I hardly think about you at all!

    Dad

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