Shopping spree

So, I finally have money for the first time in months! Well, 2 months :p And of course there was some stuff I really needed,  like a nice big fluffy towel and some more underwear and those Intuition razors so I bought those right away.

But I also needed some shopping therapy ;) I think I told before that I am not much of a shopper. I especially HATE buying clothes or shoes! But I love to go grocery shopping, that really boosts my mood. And sometimes, when I am really sad or like now, when I have been without money for quite a while and then finally have some, I get bitten by the spending bug ;)

Of course I also know that, even if I have money, I can't spend loads and loads of it. I am in fact still kinda poor! So I have learned to be careful on my shopping therapy sessions ;) I usually go to the Action, they have nice and cheap stuff so I can get a big bag full for almost nothing.

Yesterday I asked Andrea for directions and as most things here in town, the Action is quite easy to find. I am getting good at getting around here! But of course, on my way to the Action, I got sidetracked. A shop called 'So Low'! So I went in and found they have even cheaper stuff! And to make things even harder for me, lots of crafting materials too!

 I wasn't really planning on buying anything so I went in without a shopping basket. Big mistake...had to go back to get me one ;) And yes, I got a lot of beads, little boxes, earring hooks, pretty ribbon...and even 4 Betty Boop lighters! Big bag, hardly any money spent, happy girl!

Still, I was going for the Action and so I just had to go there too! This time I got wise and took a shopping trolley. And I started walking around the store...finding nothing to my fancy. So I started walking towards the exit when I finally found...the crafts department! And they had some things I really really NEEDED and couldn't find so far. So yeah, another bag full for hardly any money!

I am soooo happy now! On the way back I sat down outside on the terrace of the restaurant I went for my birthday and had a latte macchiato...sun was shining, I had 2 bags of stuff...what else could a girl want? Mission accomplished!

So now I just put away everything and am thinking about some new projects...something with beads, or greeting cards...*sigh*

Have a wonderful day you all, may you be as happy as I am now ;)

Hugz, Anna

Exciting times...part 3

Yay, I was going to write about my 'adventures' with the Enkhuizen municipality, employment office, Social Services and everything...but I went to empty the mailbox before starting and found a 'good news' letter! My 'dole' application has been accepted so no more worries about money anymore!

I think I have told you all before that I really hate to be dependent on Social Services. As a single woman I only get 50% of the minimum wages, but the worst thing is: I want to work. And I'd do anything, really! I even want to work here in the cookie factory :p (Preferably as cookie taster, hahahaha!)

Oh well, but to start the real story...

Luckily, the day I fell off the stairs, I registered online as inhabitant of Enkhuizen. (That was before my fall of course, when I could still type :p) I also registered online at the employment office UWV in Hoorn, a nearby city. The only place I couldn't register online for was Social Services. One has to register in person at the UWV, they send the application to Social Services and they invite you then for an application for the dole.

So on June 22nd, I had healed enough to be somewhat able to ride my scooter again, I took the train to Hoorn to visit the UWV. Still with my arm in a sling and slightly limping. Had to fill out a load of forms and wait for someone to talk with me and fill out the application. I was really lucky because the lady that helped me was really sympathetic and even though it was 11 days after my registration in Enkhuizen she'd try to make it all work retroactively.

In the meantime Social Services in Leiden wanted me to send them my rent contract and registration for Enkhuizen. They would end everything there then and send me the money they still owed me. But that was taking loads of time.

I complained about my terrible lack of money to Dan. Just to get it off my chest, you know, nothing else! And that super sweet caring idiot sent me money via PayPal :p

Several days after I went to Hoorn I got a letter from Enkhuizen Municipality with an invitation for the 3rd of July and another load of papers to fill out. I was rather nervous because my dealings with Leiden Social Services hadn't always been too...nice.

The day I went was a nice sunny day. And the lady I had to deal with, was a VERY nice sunny lady :D Of course she wanted to know why I had come to Enkhuizen and how I lost my last job, she wanted bank statements for the last 3 months and she promised me that because my needs were rather urgent, that she would work as hard as possible to get everything in order.

And she sure did! The letter I got today was signed July 17 so only 2 weeks after our conversation! I was really amazed...Again, Leiden took a LOT more time for that :p

So finally my biggest money worries are over ;) And now the time has come to go out and explore Enkhuizen...I have seen some things already of course on my birthday and with Andrea but there is so much more to discover in this lovely old town :)

So, I promise to keep you all informed of my 'adventures'! Maybe not every day but a lot more regular than I have been blogging lately ;)

I wish you all as good a day as I am having ;)

Hugz, Anna

Exciting times...part 2

So there I am, in my lovely room, with my new computer and my books and arts&crafts stuff surrounding me...and a lame arm. Well, lame-ish :p There go my plans for venturing out to see Enkhuizen and get all my stuff done, like applying for Social Services.

And of course: my birthday is coming close too: the Big Five Oh! It's on a Monday this year so I know the kids are all off work and they promised they'd come. And, big surprise: Willem -my stepdad- and my little sister Nienke are coming too! Willem sent me an e-mail saying they wanna come by to congratulate me or offer their condolences on 'meeting Sarah' :') ('meeting Sarah' or 'meeting Abraham' is a Dutch thing when you turn 50, and refers to the biblical Abraham and his wife Sarah. The custom stems from verse 57 where the Jews sarcastically tell Jesus, “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham!”)

Usually a big lifesize doll is placed in front of the house to mark the event but since I've been saying I'll just turn 49 for the second time and miraculously turn 51 next year... I guess that saved me from that ;) Andrea and her friend Yvonne were teasing me relentlessly though in the days before. And Andrea's sons didn't make it much better because they warned me to brace myself because they know those ladies and what they can do ;)

But midnight arrives and we're sitting in the living room. Suddenly they get up and bring me a big, beautiful box. With the warning of Alwyn and Raynor in mind I expect anything can happen so I open the box pointing away from me, scared of stuff 'jumping' out of it. But...it is filled with loads of individually packed little pink glacé cakes 'the real ones from Enkhuizen' :) (I must have mentioned I LOVE pink glacé cakes, haha!)

And after that lovely surprise I get a beautifully wrapped black basket filled to the brim with...pink stuff! Soap roses, foaming bath salt, a shower puff, a pink dotted fan, razors and shaving cream, (for my legs of course, dôh) shower gel and deodorant...all nice things! Recurrent theme was pink and polkadots :)

The day of my birthday itself was lovely too. Willem and Nienke were gonna be here in the late morning, we were going to lunch together so I had a table reserved at a very nice restaurant here in town, with some difficulty because it was 'Lappendag' or 'rag day' in Enkhuizen, that is the last day of the big yearly fair and that means the whole old centre is one big market.

So we had a nice lunch and a walk through the old centre afterwards. Willem knows Enkhuizen quite well, much to the surprise of me and Nienke. We had a drink at the canal near the 'Drom', a historical landmark. And after that another walk back to the car. Alas it was time to go home for Nienke but Willem wanted to see little Layla and had some prezzies for her.

A little later in the afternoon my kids, kid-in-law and grandbaby arrived and Yvonne came back too. Willem got to see his step-greatgrandchild ;) It was really nice to see everyone chat and get along, Andrea and Yvonne were talking with Willem outside and told me later they think he's a really charming man :)

But it was time to start dinner...Andrea's sons and daughter in law were coming too and we made roasted chickens and potatoes and salad, and fruitsalad and icecream for dessert. I was so happy to see all those kids eating and talking and having fun together! So for me that was a perfect birthday!!!

Long story again and still not done...I'll just save the rest for next time :)

Have a great day y'all!

Hugz, Anna

Exciting times...

Been a while since I last blogged...but as an excuse? I had some really exciting times and lots and lots to do!

First of all, I've been to Chicago. A bit over 2 weeks. Weather was kinda sucky and Dan had to work the first days of our vacation but we had loads of fun anyway. I stayed at the Best Western O'Hare, close to the airport (so any chance to ruuuun....hahahaha). Was a lovely hotel, free breakfast bar every morning but the most fun there was Shoeless Joe's, a sportsbar where they served great food and great drinks :) 

Although we both don't really like shopping, we used all of the 3 days Dan had set aside for that. Nina wanted something from Victoria's Secret and I have to say: thanks to the girl that helped me I got her a pretty bra and didn't run out screaming! Got some lovely stuff for little Layla too and sports jerseys for the boys, Bulls for Erik and Bears for Evan. And for myself: a new Betty Boop bag and wallet :) Dan and his mom got me materials for a new hobby: making jewelry.

The last 3 days of our vacation we went to Sybaris. We had a lovely cottage with a swimming pool and a waterfall, steamroom, whirlpool...the works! When we came in there was a rose on my pillow, a big bunch of balloons on the bed and rose petals, a bouquet on my nightstand and champagne and chocolate kisses... Dan says he's not romantic, but he could have fooled me ;)

My vacation ended with a delicious Mothers Day lunch at Dan's house, all made by his mom :) And then it was time to go home again...

And there waited my next challenge: the move to Enkhuizen to live with my soul sister Andrea! Incredible how much stuff I collected ever since the divorce 2 and a half years ago. Evan fixed me a nice, working computer before I went and I packed loads and loads of boxes...

Both Nina and Evan helped me move most of my stuff, in a big rented van. We passed by Ikea first to get me some stuff. And once in Enkhuizen everybody helped to get my things in the house. I have a lovely room now, with my antique bed and a desk, a commode and a bookcase...and loads of boxes still ;)

We still have to empty out a room to set up my wardrobes so I can unpack my clothes, I am literally living 'out of a suitcase' now. But after a few days I was here I had an accident: I fell off the stairs and hurt my left arm and leg, I couldn't move my arm at all and it hurt like hell. Andrea used to be a nurse and has a friend that still is, and the girls gave me one week to recover or visit the doctor.

Well, the doctor it was...although my arm functioned a lot better already :p Doctor thought I may have torn my rotator cuff and I have to go to hospital next week to get it checked.

Pooh, I wrote quite a bit already! And nothing about my 50th birthday or my adventures with Social Services yet! But I promise to write about that in a few days, okay?

Good to be back! Cya all soon again :)

Hugz, Anna