VISITORS

We are being honored with all sorts of visitors today. Belinda arrived on Sunday and Karen Jane and Andrew arrived this morning. I was trying to be nice and let them take a 3 hour nap but then dragged them out for a 3 hour walk. We have now returned, eaten and "chilling."

I think that we can officially say that we ARE in. I now have Netherland TV and a home phone. I will be emailing my phone number to those who want it, but Skype is still best. We finished furnishing the attic this last week so that Karen and Andrew would have a comfortable place to stay. What does that mean for all our family members? We now have plenty of space for visitors. We still only have one full bathroom but two toilets. What more do you need?

We are looking forward to all our plans for holiday while our visitors are here. It looks like Paris, Cologne, Amsterdam, Brussels and other places all over Holland. Now that I'm a little smarter with this blog (not much) I hope to add lots of pictures. Belle is here to help.

I sure enjoyed all the posts and calls. I love you, family. I miss you and am so thankful for wonderful memories, experiences and dreams of you all.

The pics are from May. Hope you enjoy them. We sure did.

mom

WE ARE IN!!!!!

The day finally arrived. The movers arrived today and brought all our stuff. All the furniture is placed and beds are made. Tonight will be our last night in the hotel. We are definitely hitting breakfast in the morning. David is taking tomorrow off to help with the house. We are going to Ikea and a light store. We need wardrobes and right now we have one light in the house. I think that we will also need some blinds in our bedroom. Anyone driving along the road can look right into our bedroom. (Maybe.......tickets?)jk We were given a temporary car to use for the next month of so. A Volvo. It's nice not having to buy tickets for the bus or tram. I still don't know when we will be getting our own internet hook-up. It takes so long. This may be the last post for awhile.
Speaking of posts: I have been checking all your blogs regularly and putting comments on. I have not seen this reciprocated. This was all your ideas, so you better be better on this. I need it and so does you dad. We do need feedback, just like you guys do. We enjoy so much reading about you, your activities and your families. Pictures are even better. Know that we love you all and miss you. Looking forward to turning on the picture frame.

Keukenhof Gardens 12 April 2008

The mid-April gardens were in their first glory. The tulip fields were still merely green, for the most part, awaiting the dazzle of colors to come. Yet the gardens carefully calibrated to fire off rows and pools of color regardless of whether there are yet leaves, or the week of springs transit, were a delight. The narcisus blazing in full yellow and white, were reinforced by the blue spears of fragrant hyacinths with crocus in well contoured beds, uniform; bold. They were surrounded by closely trimmed lawns of light green, bordered by darker lawn grass along the smooth and bricked walks.

The trees of the gardens, the unspoken giants, are the gaurdians of their floral glory, particularly the century and half towering beech trees in thick pillars of smooth gray sprayed with bright green moss. They stand ever in companioned rows watching over the strolling visitors as they
first did over us nearly thirty years ago, when they were only 120 years old.

The moody cloud banks of early morning with sudden bursts of wind, by mid-afternoon were replaced by brilliant sunshine from a blue heaven with a cool steady breeze. Only two arms of the garden's windmill were in reefed sail yet they rotated with impressive power in the relentless breeze. Beyond the windmill, and the Norddijk choir singing old favorites like "edelweiss," were less frequented walks, but the most sublime spectacle.

The old thick cherry trees, with dark satin bark trunks and double blossom abundance were in prime beauty. The pillowy blossoms bouncing easily in the sheltered breeze against the bold blue of the treasured rarity of clear sky. Near the old trunks sprang up small beds of delft blue hyacinths and red yellow tulips. After frustrating trains, stations, and standing room only buses, and then a long walk, resting beside these old cherry trees in their crowned glory, at the precise moment of their fullness, was to make a long, irritating journey against your own convenience, and then in a soft moment discovering you had been rewarded far better than if you had planned and executed perfectly. Sometimes undeserved grace is better than perfection.

5 April Update from the Flying Cloud Folks

Warick mentioned he wanted some pictures of Italy including Canae. Was that Cannae of Hannibal fame? I studied the battle and even made a presentation about it. But I understand that the river has shifted and rendered the sight different than the configuration in ancient times. Unfortunately, Cannae is in southern Italy and far from the beaten track. I have never seen it, at least up close, although have seen Lake Trasimeno the site of an earlier Hannibal battle.

Speaking as the Capitan, I have been to Italy already, and Spain, and France, and Switzerland. Didn't take any pictures though. I will be spending several days in Belgium beginning tomorrow. Brussels is not one of my favorite cities but it does have one of the loveliest central plazas or squares, consistent in a gothic renaisance style.

April Fools
This last Tuesday, 1 April, I met with my three new employees who were joining the team. After we sat down, I told them solemnly that I had an announcement. UBS had just announced another $18 billion writedown, the board had just announced a hiring freeze, but the concern about the condition of the markets had caused them to pause, and put our project on hold. As a result they would have to return to their old positions as we were not moving forward with our department and also their old departments needed them and they would not be able to hire new staff. It was very silent while I let all this out. Gradually, Ferry let a smile come through. Nonka and Marco got it and started laughing. "You really had me going for a while," Nonka said. "I said to myself, I am NOT going back." So far they don't hate me too much.

Weekend Adventure

This last Saturday we went to Delft. This is the place where David bought the tile that was in the kitchen. This is the old church there. If is looks like it is leaning to the left, it is. We had a windy, but great day there. It was sunny so we had lunch in the square at one of the restaurants. We walked around looking at all the shops, went into one antique store. (Your dad has been doing this alot lately.) The man there had some great old Dutch tiles that where dated around 1600 to 1700. He was very friendly, spoke great English and pulled out his favorite bronze statue for David. It was very pretty and smaller than the ones in Paris. This one was only 20,000 Euros. I've always said that your dad has great taste. It was a fun trip seeing all the old, old buildings. It is close by and so expect a trip there when you all come.

This weekend we were hoping to go to Keukenhof Gardens. Kids do you remember anything at all about going there before? However, we looked at the weather and it looks like winter will still be with us this weekend. Sounds like it should be General Conference weekend. Oh, I forgot, it is. Yes there is daffodils with snow.
I lose the internet this afternoon so it will be hard to continue this great venue. I will do it again when I can. Send emails, please, to David. He forwards them on to me. d.pond@robeco.nl

Thanks for keeping up with your blogs. I enjoyed reading them last night. I will go back today and try to put comments on them. Thanks also for keeping close to each other.

Life in Rotterdam

Well, I have been here for two and a half weeks. I have learned to walk in every direction. The city of Rotterdam has great buildings, beautiful parks, a wonderful river to watch with traffic and a language that I will have a hard time learning. When we get some sun I will take some pictures and post them the next time online.

We took the train down to Paris for Easter weekend. It was great. We went first class. David is use to that but not me. They brought us breakfast and snacks and drinks. It took us 3 hours to get to Paris. David dropped me off at the hotel and took off for meetings. I immediately took advantage of the Gallerie Pintemps by the Opera House. Paris is still Paris.

We went down by the Louvre the next day and found an Antiquities Store that sold all sorts of old things. Dave found a bronze statue that we thought would look good (ok, not a rhino). It was only 50,000 Euros. We needed a reality check here.

That night we walked down to the Champs Ellyses. Full moon, lights on the Eiffel Tower, weird people everywhere.

Sunday we went to the Church. Sacrament meeting was in French but they performed "O Divine Redeemer" with three violins and piano. It was beautiful. It brought such a sweet spirit to the meeting. We followed this up with Notre Dame Cathedral. We were watching the Mass end. A priest walked by and David said, "A priest just walked by a High Priest." There was a different type of feeling than what w had experienced earlier.

We got the keys to the house in Hillegersberg. It will be a fun place to live. There is two large lakes, a walking forest and horse farms around. The canal across the street is higher than our second story. We are making arrangements to have someone clean and repaint. The former tenants were smokers. Dave wants to sorta reproduce the colors at Winginamen. We'll see how that works out. The household goods will be arriving in port on the 8th. We have been told that it takes 2-6 weeks to clear customs. Keep us in your prayers that its sooner than later. Hotel life is getting old.

We love you all. Miss you all terribly. Plans are: David is coming to New York/New Jersey around the 21st of April; Belinda in July; the two of us coming to the US in August. We hope to see you all during that month.

I'll try to post in a couple of weeks. The internet costs a bit much in the hotel. We are scheduling the installation at the house but it can also take 6 weeks. I'll keep in touch as much as possible. Keep happy and remember that we are always keeping you all in our prayers.

Echoes in Winginamen

The sounds are bouncing off the walls. Most of the furniture is gone. (OK, there is still a couch and chair, two desks and a hide-a-bed couch.) The movers came last week and got it all packed up in two days. It all got put into a 40-foot container and hopefully by now has left Hoboken and is somewhere on the seas going East.

Adriel came up this last weekend to go through her things and her and Belinda helped me organize and pack up the basement. There is still a Belinda's, Harland's, Warick's and Adriel's space downstairs. Someday you all get to come and get your stuff and as Adriel said: "I guess we'll get to go through your stuff after you die and then we'll get rid of it all." I guess that just about sums it all up.

Belinda came by tonight and took her last load to her apartment. She may be back to return some of her things and put them in the basement too. There are three girls in that two bedroom apartment. We'll see.

David went to the city of Rotterdam today to register and sign our new lease. It looks like its going through. He attended our new ward for the second time on Sunday, Rotterdam First, and found out that they have language classes on Tuesday and Thursday. That is where he is tonight. The house will be available on the first of April. Harland and David went and saw the house together a couple of weeks ago. This was from the bus stop.




As for me... Well, the house is very quite tonight. Belinda has taken Steiger to her place.
Adriel and I took Bingham over to Jennifer McClurg's place on Sunday. Jennifer informed me today that Bing has been meowing all over the place and actually woke up her son, Christopher. He is eating and gazing lovingly at the birds outside, so I am sure he will be fine.


So I guess I'll call it quits and begin to retire for the day. Tomorrow will come soon enough when I again will hear my footsteps echoing through the rooms. I think I realize now that I don't really like all this quiet.