With the wind blowing from behind, my wide linen trousers look like billowing sails on a ship. I thought it was funny.
The BVA girlfriends were visiting me and the day went almost like always. Only after lunch, Marianna went home and Claudia stayed behind to talk to my husband Ron as the rest of us embarked on the shopping expedition. Which means I have only got photos of Marianne, Marijke and Jilske.
Below: As we arrived in town, we thought these chairs looked so inviting. The shop behind me is called Ariane & Madeleine. They serve coffee and tea and…madeleines, the best French biscuit in the world.
Below: I took a peek at the back of the shop where the kitchen is situated. They have a little seating area to enjoy your tea or coffee, between the front and the back of the shop.
Below: At the front of the shop is the atelier of jewellery designer Ariane Medze (here at work).
Below: We continued at the market (similar photo as the top one).
The top is actually a dress. You can see it as a dress in this post; if you scroll down that post, you can see me wearing the dress with high heels. My blog logo was created after that image. Because there is so much room in these wide trousers, I had no trouble tucking in the bottom half of the dress and wear it as a top.
Below: Marianne and Marijke. Marianne is letting her hair grow longer to change up her hairstyle.
Below: Jilske was already in a shop but came rushing back as she saw I was taking photos of the other two.
Below: Look how good these black trousers are on Jilske! She bought them. Fab trousers.
Below: Back to the market, we saw a stall selling colourful rugs and chairs. Makes a nice picture.
Below: I was contemplating buying one of these wicker bags. They look so cheerful.
Below: I fear though that the material, which is rougher than leather, might damage my clothes.
Below: I found this lady, happily eating a herring sitting on the ground in front of the market fish stall. I said “You are kind of a dare devil, sitting on the ground with your white trousers”. She wasn’t worried as they were to be washed that evening anyway. A very relaxed woman.
Below: We stopped at one of my favourite shops, kpa.haarlem. Poor Marianne got my camera tote dumped on her lap.
Below: Here she is, the charming owner of kpa.haarlem, the gorgeous Karlijn.
Below: Further into town we decided to do another sitting down pose with that mannequin behind me. The blue bag is not a conscious decision. I just grabbed it as it was ready.
Below: I am wearing a jewellery set, gold with hematite. The set belonged to my mother and my brother and SIL agreed that I should have it. So beautiful.
Below: A little side street was overgrown with green bushes which I love as background. A bit of a strange pose but one has to try new things. My hair was slowly collapsing.
Below: This couple lives in the smallest house in Haarlem. They often sit in front of it when the weather allows. They are very good-humoured and laughed out loud as I passed them for the third time in search of my bag with French cheese and peanuts. I had hung it on a bicycle handlebar when having the photo above taken.
Below: We ended up at Zara and tired as I was, I sat down next to Marianne, Marijke joined me and we looked at all the women passing us by. It was like a catwalk, great fun.
Below: Oh and Errol has moved to Jilske’s house. Ron tried to make a casserole with him, putting him in an oven dish, but I rescued him.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday Ron took me into town for a drink on a terrace. It was great, watching people and commenting on them (very softly) as they were walking by. The place had iced coffee with real ice cream and they also had piña colada. Heaven. I felt the weight increasing.
Below: I wore this but took the belt off later on. I have gained weight and need to lose it.
Below: Ron and me and the piña colada.
Below: And who was to pass but “our” policeman Nico (the one on the right). Full story in this post. I had to say hi. Such a nice man.
Below: I saw Sara and her husband Herman who were over from the USA for a couple of weeks. We had lunch at Het Wapen van Kennemerland (Crest of Kennemerland – the area where we live).
Delicious food and great cappuccino. (Link to original post with my outfit, just different shoes.)
Below: Sara with her sun hat. I know Sara from when we both lived in The Hague, I was about 24. We were both friends of Pat, my dear departed friend; Sara and I always kept in touch. She is educated, worked her whole life, got two beautiful daughters with Herman and brought them up well. But even more important, she is really nice.
Below: Two photos to show you the view from our terrace. It is very close to town but just in this little quiet rural piece of land.
Below: We started to walk down a little path after lunch and when I looked back, I photographed the restaurant’s terrace.
Below: We came across this totem pole and it wasn’t until I put the photo in this post that I recognised the carving. It is a woman, standing on top of a pile of buckets with fish. The story goes that in the old days, women would bring the freshly caught fish from Zandvoort to the market in Haarlem to sell. On their way back, they would have a drink at Het Wapen van Kennemerland and put their empty buckets outside. These buckets smelled badly after fish, which gave the restaurant a nickname, Stinkende Emmer (Smelly Bucket). Most people know it better by the nickname. Fantastic totem pole.
Ron surprised me with a photo shoot at the Zaanse Schans, a historic village with many windmills. Ron is being extra sweet to me, to console me after my mum’s death. Doing a photo shoot is one of those things as he doesn’t really like that. He even made me Brussels sprouts (which disgusts him so he had a salad).
I bought fabric and took it to my new tailors who are going to copy a favourite top with the material.
My hairdresser worked her magic again, making me look fab (within limits of course LOL). As I was waiting at the hairdressers I saw many women coming in and I noticed they were all good-looking. So I said to a woman next to me “I think they only allow good-looking women to come in”. And then realised I was complimenting myself haha.
Did another photo shoot with Marjolein at an exhibition/museum which was fun. It was supposed to rain all day and we didn’t get a drop. Those weather apps are worthless sometimes.
Below: Friday, my granddaughter started walking backwards because the wind was fierce. Clever girl.
(The sound you here, is wind not rain.)
Greetje
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