Although just a simple blue skirt, it has been on my wish list for ages. Last week, as I was going to fetch that lettuce, I strolled into the shop of Bellamy Gallery. I have been a fan of their clothes since they started. Perfect basics which sometimes don’t look exciting on the website or on the hanger, but they do look good on a person. It is because they are so well-made I think. And sustainable. The white shirt came with me as well.
I wore it immediately the next day when 4 of the 6 BVA friends were to meet. The fifth friend had a sick husband and the sixth friend was in Spain. Difficult to get them all together these days.
Below: Claudia was the hostess of the day so we all went to her house. She spends a lot of time on the water and tans easily as you can see. Unbelievable that she is 51.
Below: Marianne was present as well, cheerful as always. Claudia’s garden is beautiful.
Below: And here is Jilske, goofing around with Marianne.
Below: Jilske was kind enough to take some outfit photos.
Below: Indoors against a red background.
Below: Claudia’s garden borders a canal. I am joking with the neighbour across the water, pretending to take a dive. I am wearing much of my scarf knotted at the back. (Ron asked me whether I had a sore throat which isn’t helping me when trying to wear scarves more often.)
Below: The colours in this photo are terrible but you can see the gold-plated earrings. They are very different from my usual style, but also by Lara Design. They match the pattern of my scarf and that is not by accident.
We had a delicious lunch in Claudia’s garden and went on our usual shopping spree, this time in the old and pretty town of Zwolle.
Below: Claudia on an old bridge.
Below: I shot all of the scenery when we went back home.
Below: View to the left.
Below: Zwolle is so beautiful. I am showing you some randomly taken photos of the old town.
Below: Yes, built in 1685 and still standing.
Below: The old gate through which you got into the town in the old days, if you passed the guards. Usually the town was surrounded by water.
Below: I love terraces on squares with big trees and old buildings.
Below: We always use the net at the back of Marianne’s wheelchair, to put all our stuff in, like coats and purchases. Jilske (on the left) is striking a pose for me.
Below: One of the awesome buildings is this church, which has been converted into a café.
Below: And also converted into a bookstore.
Below: The organ is still there. Oh, that ceiling! Isn’t it magnificent?
Below: Different sections of books on different levels. At the top level is another café, called Reading heaven.
Below: Claudia and Jilske contemplating a dress.
Below: Yes, she bought it. It was too good on her to leave it in the shop. What a body. I wisely didn’t buy anything after my spending the day before and last week.
Below: Two more beautiful buildings.
Below: We finished the day with a dinner on a terrace.
Below: A matching cardigan (also from Bellamy Gallery) for the evening. As Jilske took this photo, people were having dinner on the left and right side of the road. We had quite an audience haha.
As always it was a very enjoyable day. Laughter and friends, it doesn’t get much better.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday was a nice day. Sunshine, easy living, some coffee and a chat in town with Karlijn.
Did I tell you, I didn’t buy two but three pairs from EIJK that Friday in Rotterdam? On the left, the champagne-coloured boots which I also bought. They arrived on Monday. Ron took the package from the DHL man and only raised one eyebrow.
Below: I saw this lady, looking like Frida Kahlo, in town and was in awe. How beautiful is she? She gave me permission to take her photo and post it on the blog. Beautiful, colourful people like this you don’t see every day and certainly not in Haarlem.
As I walked home I passed a girl on a terrace who was wearing the sandals I was looking for all summer. At first I walked on, but decided to ask her where she bought them anyway. She was very enthusiastic about them and gave me all the information plus the fact they were in the sale now. I felt terrible even thinking of ordering them because I had already bought so many shoes and boots. Then I decided to ignore the feeling and order them. After all (this is my excuse, one of thousands) the black pumps and champagne/golden boots were for autumn and winter.
Sunday Ron was walking the dog on the beach and called me to say he met our friends and neighbours, Froukje and Petro, walking along the shore. They were heading to the restaurant Beach Inn. “Would I like to join them?” I was in my car like a shot and had a very enjoyable lunch with them.
Monday my neighbour Monique and I went to the Rijksmuseum, preceded by lunch at Hans and Grietje. It is getting boring, isn’t it? Wonderful sunny day (it rained while we were in the museum). Those bread rolls were the best and crispiest I have ever eaten.
Below: There were so many wonderful things to see in the Rijksmuseum, but I won’t show them all. If you are interested, check out this blog post about the “yellow skirt” in the Rijksmuseum.
Monique and I both loved this painting called Forest View near Barbizon by Johan Hendrik Weissenbruch.
Below: As we ordered coffee during a little break, we couldn’t resist ordering meringue with whipped cream and strawberries. Monique didn’t finish hers but I did. And the scales prove it.
While in the morning the champagne coloured boots had arrived, in the evening the summer sandals came. Again, Ron opened the door to accept the package. After that he put a note on the little window in the front door. It says: “Please no more shoes today!”. Ha ha ha.
Tuesday started with a photo shoot with Loes. So glad she is back. (I felt really guilty having to ask Kitty so many times.) We did it quite quickly and you will see the result of our cooperation next week. After the shoot we headed to a terrace for coffee. We were glad that they had thick screens out as some heavy rain was coming down. No problem underneath the screens. We waited out the sun and strolled home.
In the afternoon I went to visit Helga and we talked about her new house (moving somewhere in the beginning of next year) and her decoration plans. Always nice to see her.
Wednesday Marcella arrived quite early and we created a video of her while demonstrating three pairs of tortoise print earrings. We had a lot of fun (and struggle) to get it on IGTV but we did it. We will be creating more of them, so I have to develop some new skills. In video creating, video editing and Instagram. Keeps the mind young.
In the afternoon I started this blog post, which is rather late for me.
Thursday I visited Katrien in Leiden and we went to Museum De Lakenhal. I have never been to museums as often as this summer. I find it very educational and it doesn’t cost me anything as I have a year subscription.
Apart from having lunch in a café (a girl has got to eat) and the museum visit, we just chatted. OK, we did see her friend Antoinette in her vintage shop. I took photos with my iPhone 12 and the colours are pretty ugly. Nevertheless, you might find yourself seeing them in a blog post in two weeks.
Friday morning was busy with gardening and all sorts of things. At noon, Ron’s brother and his wife visited us and (you guessed it…) we went out for lunch. All lovely weather and sunshine until half an hour after we were seated. When we finished our lunch, Ron walked home when it was a little bit dryer and fetched the car to get us home without getting wet. Such a chivalrous man.
That’s it for this week. Really busy. Next week I am trying to slow down a bit as I have to learn my Photoshop Elements program. Oops, already three days with appointments.
Greetje
Lots of wonderful things to look at in this post – the architecture, especially the church that has been converted to a cafe, is magnificent. I would love to have a coffee in Reading Heaven!
I have always admired your friend Marianne’s outfits. I know a couple of people who use wheelchairs and it is difficult to find nice clothing that doesn’t bunch up and is easy to get into that still looks good. She always looks beautifully put together. The woman with the Frida Kahlo vibes is very striking!
I have purchased two pairs of shoes in the past week, so I would definitely not chastise anyone for buying multiple pairs of shoes. Your purchases are much more elegant looking than mine, which are both flat heeled.
Marianne is sooo stylish. It is indeed quite difficult to find nice clothes when you are in a wheelchair, but she always looks terrific. You will see her again next week. Marianne’s daughter is a stylist by profession and a bloody good one too. Guess she inherited it from her mum.
I think I would have bought flat heeled shoes too if I hadn’t known about this brand EIJK. I know how comfortable they are. For me, these shoes are a perfect compromise.
What a fun post! I like your navy blue skirt, but I’m not in love with it – my own Perfect Blue Skirt is a tulle one, so there goes that difference in our tastes! Ha!
That’s a lot of shoes – Ron has been very good about them!
I love all your pictures with your friends (all so beautiful and chic), and that very dressed up woman is to be commended – what a gorgeous ensemble!
Have a good week, Greetje!
Oh I hear you. And I agree about the skirt. It is an easy peasy thing, nice and airy and a bit conservative. Not what you want. It is even a little conservative for me (I love your tulle one). But for certain occasions it is perfect. Sometimes I just want to dress uncomplicated.
My friends dress nicely because they know I will feature them on my blog haha. I said to the Frida Kahlo woman: “thank you for bringing colour to this dull town. So nice that you dress this way.”
Fun post again!! I love that you and your friends dress up (relative to our southern CA overly casual) for your visits. It adds a lovely element and makes outings that much more special. Your blue skirt is a great classic, but I would long for pockets. Can you imagine a manufacturer making men’s pants with no pockets?
The “Frida woman” was indeed gorgeous.
And Ron’s “no more shoes” sign was a good chuckle.
Have a wonderful week!
My friends dress up (I think) because they know I always carry my camera and am going to put them on my blog haha. Annoying that must be.
My blue skirt has pockets Sarah. Now it is perfect, right?
Ron always makes me laugh.
Right, perfection achieved!! You fooled me by not stuffing your hands in the pockets, as mine would have no doubt been (inelegant as that may be, lol).😉
I love stuffing my hands in the pockets, but Kitty, my professional photographer, taught me always to show hands when being photographed. Not that I always comply haha.
Greetje
Did I imagine a couple of years ago, that you said in one blog post, pre-retirement, that you did not know how you would fill your time, when retired.
Your very busy life, lunches out, the shoe shopping, and meeting friends looks wonderful.
Oh yes, you remembered well. I was very uncertain how to fill my time when retired. Covid forced me to seek entertainment closer to home and indeed I like it a lot. I am trying to do promotional stuff with friends who are in fashion as I do want to keep on challenging myself and keep on learning technical stuff. I am still not doing much in this department but it is the direction I want to go. Only coffee, lunches and dinners might get boring.
Lovely to see Zwolle. I don’t think I’ve ever been there… Must visit some day. I love the idea of turning that church into a book store. They should do that with more churches! Fabulous skirt too.
Zwolle is definitely worth a visit. They have a very good museum as well in a building with great architecture (Museum de Fundatie).
There is a similar book store in a church in Maastricht, also breathtaking.
Thanks for the compliments.
I like this skirt. I like the length and also the color. White and blue is one of my favorite combinations, and I also like this sporty and casual style. The scarf on the neck is a perfect detail. Thank you, as always, for the beautiful photos of your country.
It was my pleasure entirely Joseph-Maria. Thank you for reading it and paying me compliments.
Love the skirt, white top, and matching cardigan. I think the cardigan really sets it off! Nice. How fun to go shopping with your dear friends. I enjoy all of the photos. The multi-purposed church looks beautiful. Ron’s note is priceless.
I agree with you, the cardigan does set the outfit off. It adds shape by going in at the waist, more so than the shirt. By the sound of your reply, you enjoyed this post, so, for me, mission accomplished.
Another lovely post, Greetje! I love seeing all your friends as well as the scenery. Ron has a great sense of humour!
Another week in which I succeeded to please you. YAY. And you are right, Ron does have a great sense of humour.
Lovely pretty post – I love how you celebrate your friendships too, and you all look wonderful
My friends mean the world to me. I love each and every one of them so much, couldn’t do without them. Isn’t it wonderful that your heart can love more and new friends, without ever taking any love away from the friends you already have?
I always love to see your adventures with your friends. What a lovely garden your friend Claudia has, and yes, I am glad she bought the dress. It looked fabulous on her. I love your blue skirt with the white top. It is perfect for a summer day of visiting and shopping. Thanks for sharing your pictures! – Amy
https://stylingrannymama.com/
Thanks for all the compliments Amy. It was such a pleasure to sit in Claudia’s garden with friends, having coffee and cake. An then lunch in the shade of the trees. I felt like a million dollars.
The blue skirt and white top are easy peasy. Sometimes that is just what you want.
What a fun post! I think you’ll get a lot of wear from that skirt, and it looks really good on you too.
How fun to be able to get out with friends! That church/cafe/bookstore looks amazing…what a lovely space. I wonder if anyone still plays the organ.
Glad you enjoyed the post. I am always in doubt whether it isn’t too long. So I am hoping my readers have lots of time.
I bet the organ is still in use. It would be a shame not to.
Hey, you
What a week you’ve had! Loved all of it: your new navy skirt and white top, Claudia’s new dress, Mariann’s boho dress and Frida Kahlo II. Spectacular! Must put Zwolle on my visit list next time if only to go into that heavenly bookshop, and also to go and see Weissenbruch’s lovely picture. I’m afraid my week was nothing as exciting as yours – no shoe deliveries, for example – but I did paint my nails turquoise and silver. Does that count for something?
Have a good week.
Gee
PS How can that skirt be cotton yet not crease?
Putting Zwolle on your list is a good idea. As long as Haarlem is on it as well ha ha. The Weissenbruch’s painting is in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. But nothing is really far away in the Netherlands.
Painting your nails turquoise and silver certainly counts as this is a very daring combination.
The skirt creases but not really that noticable. No idea how they do that, but I am enjoying it.
Greetje – I want to live in the church/cafe/bookstore. The stained glass is gorgeous. Since I’m a librarian, I’ve always wanted to end up in a Reading heaven, so it’s perfect for me.
I love your pictures of the old buildings. We’re thinking of repainting our house, and the red shutters in your pictures are very inspiring.
Your blue skirt is very pretty and classic.
Have a good week.
Anne
Thanks for the compliments Anne. In the south of the country, in Maastricht, is another church converted into a book store. Equally beautiful, so you can choose where to live in the Netherlands haha.
Usually I do not “go” for classic, but I agree the skirt is classic.
I just looked up the book store in Maastricht – wow. So imposing, but I think my heart belongs to Reading Heaven and the stained glass window. It just means that I will have to visit both to compare. Thanks.
Both are beautiful cities too. Only they are 230 kilometres apart, which is a 2 hrs and 25 minutes drive (the speed limit on all roads in the Netherlands is 100 km).
Your wonderful posts make me feel like I am getting out with friends….soon. It is such fun to hear of your travels each week and fun tidbits about Ron. I have been wearing skirts that length alot this past month and they feel so good in the heat. Those boots are gorgeous, but I do have trouble getting footwear on line and when I find a brand that I know the size that is perfect, will stick with that. The sign Ron put out is rather funny. Oh how I am looking forward to a shopping day with friends if we can get everyone to agree. Have a wonderful week.
Yes, these skirts are really airy, aren’t they? I agree that it is virtually impossible to order shoes online. I rarely do that. With these boots and pumps I went to the store and tried several sizes. My right foot is larger than my left foot, so I am always having trouble.
Sometimes I feel I am taking risks going out with friends and shopping. But they were all vacinated and we did keep our distance as much as possible from other. But whether we were successful all the time? Hmm.
Wishing you the same joy soon.
A beautiful post : it quite transported me.
Gosh, thank you very much. This is a big compliment. I am chuffed.
Super blog!! Your companions, the locales, gardens, etc… a lot of fun. We have plenty of sunshine and very little rain. I can take your climate anytime as I’m struggling with a very large garden dying of thirst!!!
i have seen you in many different outfits that compliment your figure and style. This one is covering a lot unnecessarily, a little too conservative, perhaps in twenty years would be more appropriate. I always say it as i see it, and would also inform you if a piece of lettuce caught in your teeth!!!!! I have been in that situation once, and nobody said a thing!!!!!! Shame on them!
I’m with you when you like something badly, you get it. I waited too long to order a certain top I loved, and it sold out. i spent an inordinate amount of time searching online and finally found it on Poshmark. Who knew? For a sweater??!! its not like trying to save somebody’s life working in ER!! Nevertheless…………addicted!
Ron never ceases to amaze!! Definitely a KEEPER!!
Hi Daniella. The underground water has only reached its proper level again this week. It was too low for 2 years. I found out what that does to the country and it is terrible. Salt water is trying to get into the canals with fresh water, the building foundation of many houses were affected, trees died of thirst. Since I know that, I do not grumble anymore when it rains. We need rain. (Although I think that the people in the areas that were flooded will think quite differently about it.)
I agree with you that this outfit is a little conservative, but it is so easy to wear and so airy. Sometimes there are days you just don’t want to bother with clothes and still look good. Outfits that compliment my figure are usually outfits which are less comfortable. So yes I agree with you but I still think it is a good buy.
I know about the online searching thing after the one piece you let get away. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. (Which reminds me to pull out that lime duster coat before autumn arrives.)
Ron makes me laugh so often; I love that.
I really like that skirt!
It is not only sustainble and free of child abuse, it is also 100% cotton but hardly creases. Terrific.