Boxing Day

was spent first at the stables in Eemnes where Julia had a jumping competition and then on the houseboat in Baarn. Hadn't yet worked out how to take action pictures at the stables, so it looks like a ghost horse doing the jumping... Sproet was very laid back about the whole thing, even when Julia was leaping about being as macho as the moustache she got in her Christmas cracker he just stayed lying on the cushion wagging his tail.

Christmas Present

I'd set the alarm for 7.30 but was up at 7 anyway. Opened a few presents and the first one was a Jethro Tull Christmas Album so put that on while getting dressed to go out for a










run with Sproet. Can't quite remember why Tanya is wearing the reindeer antlers in the photo as I'm sure it was in the October holidays that she and Rory came to visit in Doorn but this picture has become part of my standard Christmas decorations box now anyway. When I came back had a good hot shower and then hot chocolate and a Festive Bakewell Tart for breakfast while opening more parcels.

Christmas Eve Supper

Parcel arrived from Fife this afternoon containing various wrapped
presents for tomorrow but also some edible nonsense, including Marmite breadsticks, which I had with soup after a walk in the snow with Sproet. Followed by Marmite Cheddar Bites which are the most wondrous things imaginable. Whilst the Cambridge Choral Choir sang Christmas Carols on Radio 4 I cleared the table of the junk it somehow aquires and replaced it with candles and cards and presents. Off to read the last chapter of The Christmas Mystery and eat the last chocolate in my Advent Calendar now.

Snowman

In Utrecht yesterday I had to clear a path to the door. I piled the snow I was clearing up against the wall and one of the neighbours asked if I was making a snowman. Which seemed like a good idea. Yesterday he had a cap and sunglasses but this morning I gave him Christmas Chocolate eyes, earrings and buttons. By the time I came back from the shops the buttons had gone so I replaced them. Wonder how long it'll take the Kersstraat Kids before they dare to eat the eyes and earrings...

Scrooge

Finally discovered where the Idea theatre in Soest is this evening after a friend of Diet's who I met this afternoon when collecting Sproet asked if I wanted to come along to a performance of Scrooge someone she knew was giving there.
Turns out it's the place I played my saxophone in during the Lorca play, The House of Alberta Albi, about 10 years ago. One man show (with one woman musical accompaniament). Really well done by both of them. Made me feel like getting out my own Christmas Carol to re-read. But since I'm still re-reading A Christmas Mystery at the moment I may save Dickens for next year.

B-where.

Last night B-where were playing in de Wieke in Houten so I enjoyed having a jump around there.


There was another band on later whose name I've forgotten, but which contained this father and son duo.

Dusty Snow

Today's plans had to be changed due to the ridiculous amount of snow that kept falling out of the sky.
Dusty enjoyed jumping about in the strange white stuff. Walking in it is certainly better than driving through it...

Cyclops Puppy

Anita's got a canine asylum seeker...
This 10 week old Rottweiler pup was bitten by an adult dog in her new home and had to have one of her eyes removed. Till a safer permanent place can be found for her she's being taken care of in Houten.

Music in Maarssen

Rianne and her cello had a concert this afternoon and after a lot of arm twisting she finally got Janneke and I tickets for it. Amateur orchetstras are known to have a habit of lapsing into being 'charming' now and then and so it was with this one too occasionally but nevertheless a good time was had by all.

Blade the English Bull Terrier

Nee, dit is géén pitbull, en ook geen Staffie, dit is een EBT, een
English Bull Terrier, de grappigste speelste honden die er zijn. Je (nou ik dan) word er vrolijk van als je zo'n prachtig hond in aktie ziet. Ik ging dus vanavond even kennismaken met Blade, die heel misschien af en toe een oppas nodig zal hebben. Maar vooral om een beetje van dichtbij zo'n hond te kunnen zien. Ze zijn toch massiever dan ik dacht - ik zie me deze niet zo heel makkelijk in een kano tillen... Toch een keer naar een ietsje kleiner teefje op zoek gaan?
Er is ook een strandwandeling in januari met een hele kudde van zulke honden - lijkt me ook heel leuk om wat verschillende 'modellen' te zien. De vrolijke uitstraling bevalt me in ieder geval wel.