Eleven Eleven

I am not going to go into the reasons why, but 11/11 is a special day for J and me and so 11/11/11 could not be allowed to pass without something special to mark the day. We decided to go up to Portland to visit with friends and family members and take care of some errands as well.

It was such a fun day, filled with so many different experiences that it would be impossible to pick a favorite. We had lunch with my brother's family (minus my brother) and found it difficult to leave the cozy and welcoming atmosphere of their home. We visited both Rejuvenation and Hippo Hardware in search of a doorbell. I know Rejuvenation does lovely work and gets a ton of national press, but a visit to Hippo Hardware is an adventure in itself. By late afternoon we found our chilled and slightly damp selves ensconced at the bar of Huber's, warming up with the help of their Spanish coffee. This is something we never, ever do -- hang out at a bar, chatting and bothering the bartender -- but it was just the right thing that afternoon. If you like Spanish coffee (or any combination of coffee and booze) and you haven't been to Huber's, you are missing out.

Speaking of Distractions...

This may be the best apple pie I have made in my life. And I have made a lot of pie.



Why was it so good, you ask? Well, let me tell you.

I'm Ba-ack!

So the first thing that distracted me from the interwebs was our two-week trip to the Netherlands, 'way back in June. We (J, his mother, and I) were invited to celebrate an aunt's milestone birthday so we seized the opportunity to spend time with family members and friends, some of whom we hadn't seen since our last trip to NL. Which was... last century.

Here's J with just a few of his beautiful cousins. See the family resemblance?

And here's J's mom (second from right) with her sisters:

















We also visited with J's "second mom," a close family friend who aided and abetted their move to the USA in 1979. Thanks, Jolien!

















We walked around a number of fortified cities, including Gorinchem, Middelburgh, Heusden, and Zaltbommel. We crossed big rivers on little ferries.

















We ate. A lot. Including my first herring (gross!).







































It was cold and rainy almost the whole time, but it cleared up enough one day for a leisurely bike ride through the countryside.


















We spent the last three days in Haarlem, where we attended an organ concert at the cathedral and discovered the Teyler Museum. Most wonderful.







































And did I mention? There were a lot of lovely shoes.