We finally got together again, Anke, Sabine and me. Shopping Saturday in Alkmaar this time. Great old city which has been featured on my blog many times. They’ve got everything; canals, old buildings, little streets, independent little shops, vintage clothes, terraces, great coffee and lunch places and of course, the famous cheese market.

Below: A photo of the cheese market in summer (stolen from another blogger, vrijemeid.nl; she has a lot of information about this market but it is in Dutch).

We were lucky that day as it was dry with a reasonable temperature and even some sunshine now and then.

Below: Of course, we started with cappuccino and chatting. At a place where I have been before with Ron, De Koffiemolen. It was very busy, mostly women talking. What a noise.

Let me reacquaint you with my friends. Here they are.

Below: Anke.

Below: Sabine.

Sabine recently got a puppy and was interested in Anke’s coat as it is practical and still looks good. If you go dog walking you need to be practical. I know all about it.

Below: Sabine trying on Anke’s coat.

Below: Yes, this one will do fine. As soon as she got home, she ordered it in green.

Below: Sabine and I went outside after finishing the coffee to take a few outfit photos. We started with this mural. It is after a Dutch cartoon series called Olivier B. Bommel. (Here is a link, but it is in Dutch.)

Below: Perfect background for a photo. Sabine ordered me to stand on the bench.

Below: We then went around the corner for the sitting-down pose. I am wearing my old leather jogging trousers which always need something to cover my behind as I have no bum and the leather has stretched. That makes my bum look very saggy in these trousers. The blazer is by Joseph, a great sale item (50% off) two years ago when I did my challenge of only buying 10 items that year. The top is old and by FilippaK, a great Swedish brand striving for Effortless Minimalism. I bought this top in the sale many years ago and got one in off-white too. I should buy more of this brand. It is timeless yet modern and good quality. The cowboy boots you have seen quite a bit last summer and with thick socks they are also good with a winter outfit. The yellow bag is Coach. Bought it about 10 years ago.

Below: Oh good, I like myself again in this photo. I think nearly every woman has these moments when you look in the mirror and think “God, I am ugly”. Even the prettiest of us. I certainly have many of these moments. And it is silly, it is all in the mind. Put on a smile and be merry and everybody will think you are great.
I wish I had more of such modern statement earrings.

Below: Sabine saw another chair across the road and we took a second sitting-down pose photo. Totally otiose.

Below: We walked further down the street towards the church and totally forgot about Anke. Isn’t that terrible?

Below: Part of the church you see in the distance in the photo above.

Below: Overview of the canal where the first photo of this post was taken.

Below: Anke, tired of waiting, had grabbed all our gear (bags, coat, hat) and had followed us. There she stood as an avenging angel. But she was sweet and didn’t reproach us.

Below: Enough photos taken; onwards with the shopping. I tried on this rather expensive blue and white striped shirt which I thought is not really my style; too elegant and not a novelty although the double cuffs were nice.

Then we hit the jackpot at Twenty one Wood, a small boutique with so many good clothes.

Below: Sabine, trying on a shiny jacket that didn’t make it.

Below: But both of them bought the jeans they are wearing in this photo. Sabine and I bought the cardigan (Anke did not, although I still think it looked terrific on her too). Then Anke and I both tried on a leather jacket. I bought it, Anke did not.
It is the first time that we covet what one of us is trying on.

Below: I also bought a long and wide neon yellow shirt just to show a bit of colour at the neck and at the waist when I am wearing the cardigan. You will see it next week. As the neck was quite tight, I used one of these net things that shops provide, hoping you will use it to prevent make-up rubbing off on the garment. Hilarious sight.

Below: Anke in the blouse and trousers she bought at our previous Shopping Saturday spree in October in Den Bosch. In that post I wasn’t able to show her outfit other than flat on the table.

Below: She added a snuggly warm pink jumper to the outfit. The trainers (sneakers) are a great match.

From a boutique to a second-hand shop or vintage shop as they are called these days. The name is Mevrouw Jansen (Mrs. Jansen). She sells good stuff. Sabine bought a coat and a scarf, Anke bought…..??? I bought a short, boxy blue and white striped shirt with a marvellous collar to be used underneath many items.

Of course we had lunch and chats and coffee etc. It was, as always, a happy day.

Below: Walking back to the car, I photographed two buildings for you. If you want to see more of Alkmaar, check this post and this post.

What happened in my life this week

Below: One of my outfits I had on only for a couple of hours last week. Not an outfit to wear when you walk a dog.

Below: I met up with Marita again. She had already invested in a spring/summer wardrobe. Lovely.

I did a lot of cooking last week, also for daughter and SIL as Ron always does. Giving them a break from cooking for one day. Mostly hotpots. Ron gives me many compliments also about my cooking. Well, well, well. I hope he keeps this up after the plaster is removed next week.

Marjolein was kind enough to come to Haarlem again for a photo shoot. We thought it would be a good day, a bit cloudy but no rain. Tough. There was a nasty drizzle. When we had finished it changed to better weather. Of course.

Below: Then the Wednesday came. Great temperatures, warm and sunny. We immediately went to the beach with the dog (we weren’t the only ones). Watson loves the beach and so do we. We had cappuccino and cheese cake. I felt sooo much better again.

The beach we go to (IJmuiden) allows dogs the whole year round and is big, so it is never crowded.

Below: Watson wasn’t interested in these snake kites. One was 50 metres long and the other one 100 metres. Impressive.

Below: I took a short video of the kite snakes moving.

Seeing some sunshine again plus Ron being up and about, give me the feeling that life is slowly getting back to normal. My mood improved a great deal by that day.

Till next week.

Greetje