Almost on my own..

The moonlight softens
Her wrinkled face
I watch her 
Hidden in the grass
Admire her grace
She dances on music
That I can't hear
She swirls around
Like a young maiden
Lifts her head
A Laugh, pure joy
And while the stars are fading
I watch her disappear
Into the morning mist
I will have to come back tomorrow night
She is me
In a hundred years
So how can I....
Resist

Good morning my dear friends

It's still early, monday morning and May 4.
For most of this world that means, May the forth (force) be with you but for my country it means, remembering all the people that died in world war 2 all over the world.
Military but also alot of civilians, in camps, bombings, executed, mines, starvation.
Normally the King will lay flowers at the national monument in Amsterdam across from the royal Palace with people gathered around it. Tonight he will have to do it also but with no public.
I was blessed to be present as a guest one year, the ceremony in the church and outside was very impressive and it made me humble and thankful for all those that gave their life so i can live this life.

Tomorrow is May 5th when we celebrated the end of the war on may 5 1945 when the allies liberated Holland after being occupied for 5 years.

It's been a busy time since last blog but i got so much done.
This coming wednesday i will hear from the company that rents out our houses here when i will get my key, hopefully i won't have to wait till june 1. It all depends on how much needs to be done in the house.
I had a meeting with the family of the lady that passed away, she lived there, died march 24 from corona at the age of 96.
I know her daughters from way back, we agreed on everything i could take, beautiful floors, curtains. They will leave couch and chairs, also dining table and 4 chairs, all oak. They will leave all light fixtures, ceiling and walls, several little cabinets that i like, dishwasher and a almost brand new cooker/stove hood for above the stove.

The house is perfect for me in every way.
I will have a decent size living room. Kitchen is separate and has door but they took it out and i will keep it that way. Kitchen would be big enough to put in a table and chair but i rather spend that space to something else. Kitchen has a window, living room a big window and a door to go outside into the backyard.
My downstairs bedroom has one window, is not super big but a queen size bed and a wardrobe should fit nicely. No walk in closet there.
From the living room and from the bed room i can step into the bathroom with shower and toilet. When i go from the living room, there is a little corridor with space under that stairs with shelves to store things like groceries but also for instance a vacuum cleaner
When coming in through the front door there is a little hallway with a room to put a washer etc. Also there is room to stall my bike.

Then there are stairs leading up to the attic which contains two spaces, a second bedroom which is spacey, if not for the stairs, i would sleep there but my knees aren't always willing. Then there is enough space to store things with a big wardrobe for clothes.
Outside the back yard isn't big, mainly covered with pebbles, how appropriate (for those who wonder, my nickname in chat when i met Martin was pebble) and a little terrace. On the side there is also a garden that i want to make a little prettier, i am thinking roses, lavender and hosta's but probably that will be a project for next spring.

about ten of these houses, especially for seniors, are gathered in a circle, just around the corner from my brother Martin, 5 minutes walk to the local foodstore and also 5 minutes from the center of town and the river...i love it.

Next step was furniture and appliances, since i don't have that much to spend, my social security here might take till june/july to start being paid, i put a shout out on facebook and i was blown away by responses, within 24 hours i had everything i needed.

An old friend offered, his father going to a facility and the family was clearing out the house so we already picked up a stove with oven, both on gas, a fridge with a separate freezer unit, iron board with iron, cooking and baking stuff and all kinds of kitchen utensils, a beautiful big pan that i already used this weekend to make split pea soup.

Then i got offered a washer and microwave from another friend.

I also visited a cousin, her inlaws were selling the apartment and oh boy did they have beautiful stuff. From there i will get a wardrobe for my bedroom, coffee table and two leather chairs to relax in, also all the silverware, glasses, more cooking pans and pots, a big mirror for my hallway, too much to mention, needs to be picked up by june 1 which i hope by then i will have my keys for sure.

I got more offers, earth ware, porcelain, i am  so grateful for all these people that share.

My best friend's son will get a new box spring, i can pick up the old one which old is not really true, maybe a few years in it.

The weather these last days made me stay in alot, no biking, it's cold and saturday we had hail. Yesterday the wind was blowing much less so i took a walk to get some groceries, i can ask my brother and the car but i love the outside here, everything is so green.

Today should be the start to warmer and better weather but its very clouded outside and rained very early this morning so i might not get that bike ride i wanted to do today, maybe this afternoon.

My brother is back to work today after being off for a week, we have so much fun together, i haven't laughed this loud in ages. He has this weird humor that i like, i will miss that when i am back on my own but he promised me that he will come to dinner at least once a week.
This house, his house, takes me back to so many memories, we moved here when i was 12 and i left here when i was 21 and getting married. I spent my teenager years in here, little bedroom upstairs, my folks spirits are still here, i am listening for my father's voice and the smell of fresh apple pie from my mother's kitchen

Life is treating me kind, people care and help in anyway they can, i am blessed...

Love, Mariet