A gift of memories

Another birthday present that I received was a big package that I found in my mailbox. The box was big and heavy and had traveled all the way from the Netherlands. My lovely friend Ageeth had sent me a birthday box of memories!

Ageeth and I had become blog friends a few years back and, in 2018, we spent a fantastic weekend exploring Amsterdam together (see here). It is always a funny situation, to spend a weekend with someone that you have never met in person before, but I hit the jackpot with Ageeth! She was exactly who I thought she would be! We both loved to wander around, explore flea markets, enter every cool looking shop, drink rosé wine in cafés and spend some slow time enjoying the city. She treated me to a craft afternoon in a ceramic shop, making our very own works of "art" (hers was much more talented than mine!). Ageeth also patiently hung out while I bought way too many candies for the trip home 😉

Opening this big box from Ageeth brought me right back to our time in Amsterdam: the candies, the beautiful wrapping and details that always reminds me of Ageeth and the vase I had made during our ceramic adventure!

Thank you, Ageeth, for the beautiful gift of memories! Although I cannot physically travel at this time, your box brought me right back. A mini trip to Amsterdam! Let's do it again sometime xox

The vase I made during our ceramic class. OK, I know it is crooked but it takes me right back.... xox

YUM!

All works of art!

Postcards from a Pandemic: the birthday edition

Yesterday was my 50th birthday... I know, I can't believe it either 😉 I have never liked a lot of fuss on my birthday so a pandemic version suited me fine... Some of my dear friends stopped by my house during the day with very thoughtful gifts, which allowed me to have some time with each of them (except one... sorry that I missed you!).

Late afternoon, Andreas and I went downtown with our close friends (the W family parents) for a beautiful walk, appetizers at an oyster bar and dinner at a Portuguese restaurant. Good vibes, good wines, good food and good friends... I couldn't have asked for a better way to end the day. Downtown Montreal is still pretty quiet and the restaurants have only just opened... we could tell that everyone was still very respectful, yet appreciative of a bit of normal.

Here is the Montreal photo spam... birthday edition. As Andreas kindly reminded me yesterday, I am halfway to getting my birthday message from the Queen ;) Umm... thanks for that thought ;) Hope you all enjoy the view! xox

<3

I actually shared ;)

Biggest oysters I have ever seen... happiness in a shell ;)

Happy birthday to me! ;)

More postcards from a pandemic

Day seemingly 1,234,567 of this pandemic: Andreas and I are still going for our walks. The energy in the air seems to be changing though and, even though the government still has a lot of aspects of our society closed up, there is a definite trend towards a re-opening. The stillness on the streets is disappearing and we're seeing more and more traffic again. Shops (besides grocery/pharmacy) are starting to open up, as long as they are not in a mall. More of my friends are returning to work. Summer sports activities are planning for a return. While I am excited for a return to "normal", I really hope that we can hang on to a bit of the non-scheduling, a bit more of the calmness and a bit less of the stress. 

Happy weekend to you all xox

Another science geek

When I was about 9 or 10, I wanted a microscope... badly. I was totally obsessed over anything science-y and I dreamed about being able to view what we can't normally see. It also helped that my friend had Sea Monkeys (see here... the advert to buy them was on every 1970s/1980s comic book) and the ad said that you could see them under a microscope. Of course, I needed to do this!!
Anyway, someone in my family (maybe Santa? 😉) took pity on me and put a microscope under our tree... Yes, I got to raise brine shrimp and, yes, I got to see them with my microscope. That toy was well used and well loved. Maybe even a contributing factor to my current career 😉

Flash forward to Saturday and, in the process of cleaning, I pulled out my old microscope. I was lucky to have it because my grandmother was sentimental and had kept it for me (thank you, Oma, for your hoarding tendencies 😉). Oliver was as intrigued as I used to be... even down to the brine shrimp. Although the chances of hatching the the remaining eggs in the box (they are the original ones) are really low, I promised Oliver that we would find some new ones and grow them together. I showed him the slides that I had made many years ago and he was impressed.

Maybe we have another science geek in the family? 😉 Feast your eyes on some classic 1970s science 😉 xox

Love the 1970s turquoise!

It still has the original Consumer's Distributing label on it! ;)

This was the 1970s Sea Monkeys advert that I found on the net. Flashback!!!