January 2024; Big Birthday Celebrations

January 7th Rob and I flew back to Amsterdam and Rob continued to London. The night before we flew to the Netherlands, I got a serious stomach-ache. The next morning the pain was a bit less but not totally gone. I could exactly pinpoint the spot where it hurt. So long story short, Jack Noa Mahdi and I went to see opa Piet, Jack cooked dinner for us but I still didn’t feel well, as a matter of fact I felt worse. The children put me in bed, Jack called the GP (huisarts) post to see what he could give me. Instead, the assistant asked us to go to the hospital to see the GP there. Jack drove me and so 9pm we were there. The GP sent me to the ER because he didn’t trust things. There they put me on the heart monitor, I got a CT scan, had to let my urine checked and the hours past by, while Jack and I were playing little games to kill the time. 1am we were back home, in case the pain got worse I had to come back at 9am Monday morning. I could sleep till 5am but then the pain woke me up again. Jack drove me back to the hospital, they ran a few more test, conclusion; they had no idea where the pain came from, everything was alright. With painkillers they sent me back home.

That same Monday I had to go with Ayo to the vet to get his travel papers done.

On Tuesday night Jack, Noa, Ailsa, Mahdi and Sanneke we went out for dinner in Leiden at a cocktail bar. Great food, tapas from all over the world. We had a wonderful evening celebrating my upcoming 60th birthday because the children couldn’t come to London, so I thought, so they said..…

Hugo arrived on Monday 8th of January in London and visited a few friends.

Wednesday I took the day ferry home. It was pleasant because I had a cabin and could rest. However, with a heavy suitcase, a dog plus his bag, and a rug sack it made it tough with all the stairs at the underground and it’s time consuming to travel with the ferry.

Luckily Rob and Hugo were so sweet to pick me up from Liverpool station, that helped a lot. But at home in London in my own bed I was in a lot of pain again and did not sleep till 5 am. Thursday Hugo helped me clearing up all the Christmas decoration and emptying my suitcase. In the afternoon Rob and I paid a visit to the GP we have here in London because I still wasn’t feeling well. She gave me different medication, must say this helped better. At least I could sleep a bit better, not that strange since it was 2 tablets with codeine…..

On Friday January 12th the biggest surprise happened! I went out to the dry cleaner and when I came home, I passed our window, we are on the ground floor, the house was decorated! When I saw Rob in the living room, I said that he was 3 days too early with this and at that moment all the children and Ailsa jumped out of the kitchen with “surprise surprise”!!

I was in tears, it was so special. They gave me weird glasses to wear, and I got a ribbon wrapped around me.

This was so much fun! Armin had never been to the UK and decided to take a train out of London to see how country side looked like. He’s more of a nature man. He ran through London and saw all the high lights of London like, Westminster, the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and probably more things. Mahdi couldn’t come, because his paperwork wasn’t ready yet and Anna came in the evening, she’s working in Brussels.

We had lunch at our favourite pub around the corner, the Victoria. Rob joined us a bit later as he was working from home.

In the afternoon a few kids decided to go shopping and had a visit at Hamley’s too. This is more of a childhood remembrance, and the feedback was that it doesn’t look like how they remembered.

In the evening, we went to the Flight Club, to play social darts. Rob, Noa, and I have done this exactly a year ago with my birthday. Everyone had a great time. Anna arrived halfway the evening from Brussels. We had small snacks and cocktails and a lot of fun.

Afterwards we walked to the underground to get ourselves back home. Unfortunately, Jack stepped on Anna’s ankle. When we came home there was a beautiful cake and we ended this fantastic day with beautiful gifts. I was spoiled rotten and there was more to come!

In the middle of the night Hugo woke me up, saying that I needed to check on Anna. She was in a lot of pain with her ankle. I tried to touch it, but this was too painful. She could walk on it she said, but sleeping wasn’t possible. I gave her a bandage and elevated her foot and gave her ice and a painkiller. She then could sleep.

The next morning, we had a relaxed morning. Jack, Ailsa, Robin, and Armin were staying at the Hilton nearby, only a 10 minutes’ walk.  We saw each other at the Spitalfields Market, still I had no idea what the next two hours would bring until Hugo said that we would meet next to Flying Tiger, then I knew! We were going to an art café where you can make your own paintings.

Rob told everyone that the theme was me or 60 years. Everyone made something beautiful. Jack made a self portrait of me, Robin and Armin made a sailing boat, Noa made an abstract colourful painting, Ailsa made me skiing and Hugo made a big heart and Anna made with beautiful colours 60 and Rob finance man as he is, he made numbers 1-60, everyone was very original. The next day we could pick the paintings up when they were dry.

After the painting session we went back home before we went to China Town for dinner. Jack and Ailsa made a quick visit at their friends Sully and Meda. Sully and Meda have wedding plans; it was nice for them to catch up. We saw Jack and Ailsa in front of the theatre where we were going to see the Choir of Man. They positioned me on the left side of the row, this means there’s a big chance you’ll get picked out to get on stage, something I do not envy. Jack and Hugo were on stage before the show started, this is allowed only when you order beer at the bar, the pub’s called the Jungle. (this is the stage). The Choir of Man is not a traditional musical; it doesn’t have a plot. Instead, it’s a musical performance starring an eight-strong cast of men, all of differing heights, weights, age and personas, who each get to tell their story by singing cover songs relevant to their lives.

Jack and Ailsa, Rob and I had seen it before, but this is absolutely a brilliant 90 minutes show! The whole family enjoyed it. Afterwards we had to say goodbye to Robin and Armin, they were flying back to Austria extremely early in the morning from Gatwick airport. The changed hotel, they stayed near Victoria station where the train leaves for Gatwick airport. Then Hugo and Jack were so sweet to take Anna on their backs, her ankle was still painful. This way she didn’t have to walk all the way to the underground.

Jack thought I can do this faster and started running with her, until he tripped over a curb. We were a bit behind them but when we came close it didn’t look well at all. Especially Jack was bleeding badly from his forehead. Noa rushed inside a small theatre to ask for help. They had a paramedic on sight, a very kind young lady, who straight away said that Jack needed stitches. Anna was a bit in shock, her cheek was bruised, and her ribs ached. All in all, not a great ending of the evening. Rob took Jack Ailsa Anna and Hugo in a black cap to the first aid at the nearest hospital. Noa and I went home together. I stayed close to the phone. Rob’s phone was dead, we communicated with Hugo’s phone. Obviously Jack was an emergency, Anna not so much unfortunately. Jack needed a head scan, to see if there was nothing wrong. Hugo said, it turned out, Jack has brains! ;-) True brother love! Anna was also checked, also her ankle, her ribs and cheek. After spending 4,5 hours at the hospital they came back home.

02:30am Rob and the children stepped in their beds.

The next morning, we could see them both, Jack with 7 stitches in his forehead and a big bandage around it. Anna with a black eye and painful ribs and a sprained ankle.

Noa, Jack and Ailsa left Sunday. Hugo and Anna left Hyde Park Gardens Monday morning very early.  

It was an unforgettable weekend.

On Monday it was my actual birthday, 60 winters young! You know how they call January 15th when it's on a Monday? Blue Monday; the most depressing day of the year, but this will never count for me though.

On Tuesday Rob discovered a rash on my back, also a bit on my tummy. He checked the internet, and it looked really that I got shingles. The doctors also had me checked on it but didn’t see anything. Rob read out loud that I met the criteria; 60 plus people are most likely to get it! Here I was in a lot of pain, first not knowing what I had, checked by three doctors, I had shingles with 60 years and one day. I must say it felt like a big relieve at least knowing what I had.

On January 19th Shelley and Gary came all the way from Cornwall. I organised a party at Hyde Park Gardens for our British friends. In total about 14 people came which is a nice number. Shelley and Gary helped us so well. Shelley made two cakes and together we made a bit of finger food. Rob ordered in December lots of drinks already. So, it was a simple but lovely evening where we were all standing in the dining room.

I made lots of paintings over the last few months. One painting I made specifically for Shelley and Gary. They are happy with it and it’s already hanging in their living room.

Also, Lindsey and John took a painting home.

On Sunday Shelley and Gary left again and took the train back to Cornwall.

On Friday night January 26th Rob and I took the night ferry to the Netherlands from Harwich. We were enroute to Austria but stayed one day in the Netherlands to see Piet. Saturday morning, we arrived at 8am at Hoek van Holland. Jack picked us up and together we went to see Piet. For a few weeks already he’s not feeling so well. It was good to see him.

When we arrived at our own house in Zoeterwoude the whole place was decorated with balloons, and I saw a few party tables. I had suggested to do a game night all together, so the answers of the children and Rob was that they made space for game night.

In the afternoon Rob sent me to bed, and I wasn’t allowed to come downstairs before 6:30pm. When I came downstairs our friends came in, one after the other. What a surprise!!!! Frank had a lovely speech for me. Three weekends in a row of celebrating my 60th birthday, just amazing!! Now I’m panicking what to do for Rob’s 60th end of July….

The morning after my last party in the Netherlands we flew to Austria to our lovely house. Many things have been done in the first weeks of January, it was fun to see all the improvements.

 Stay safe and healthy everyone.