EARLY CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOUSE

Eric and Becky bought a green shirt for George and he was so surprised, because the one he had, he just ripped at the pocket and even took my sewing machine to a repair shop so I could fix it. Not now George, you have a replacement.
Bill is also opening a gift from Eric and Becky. It is something a doctor uses for bad backs. Eric would have to explain it but Bill was pleased with it. They have doctors in the truck stops who use them to help the drivers. Bill is always putting his back out.
Becky is just starting to open. I think this one is a pair of jeans, can't remember.
this box is full of food items for Eric to take with him on his truck. I wrapped every item so he had to do a lot of unwrapping. He loved all of it though.
This is Sadie. She is really getting big, but she is a very good puppy. Very gentle.
Eric and Becky's dog not mine.

AN EARLY GIFT FOR ZOE

Aunt Kristy played Santa for me in Arizona. I asked her to get cowgirl boots for Zoe for Christmas. Zoe is spending the week with her. I said if they did anything she would need the boots to give them to her early.
I think she likes them. They look a lot like Haali's
I think I got the pictures out of order. Oh well
Mitchell helped her try them on, and I missed that picture. I can't win here. Any way, she looks great and I think Aunt Kristy did a very good job. Thank you.

HAPPY SINTERKLAUS DAY

My farm on Farmville has taken on the look of Christmas. I have many Dutch neighbors on my farm. Happy Sint Day to all of you.
December 5th is the day Sinterklaus gives gifts to the "children" (Okay Heidi, I know you are only 6). His helper is Piet and there are many of them running around Holland right now. Sint comes from Spain in a boat then gets on his white house to ride through Holland. Hope you were all good this year.
We were out shopping and along came a Piet band. Heidi got two Piets to stop to take a picture with me. They have little cookies in the bags and hand them out to the children wherever they go. They all look like they are having fun.

More of Holland

Heidi and me heading to downtown Amersfoort. This was last week, since then, we went to Germany.

This is an old walled city. Notice the cobblestones.

This building is made of containers from ships. They are apartments now. Want to find your bicycle. This is nothing, you should see them at the train station.


This is a closer view of the container apartments.

SINTERKLAUS AND PIET ARRIVED IN HOLLAND TODAY

Today, we went in to the city center and shopped for awhile and had lunch. These buildings became famous in an Anton Pieck painting.
I bought a little Sint gift for Heidi and she was checking it out on the down escalator. We had lunch in this store.
As we were getting ready to leave the city, we heard that Sint was coming. No, not by train, but by boat on the canal.
Piet comes on a few boats leading the one with Sint on it. Sint comes from Spain
and rides his white horse when he leaves the boat.
It is said if the children are bad, they will get the roe (like an old style broom) and put into a sack and taken to spain if you are really bad.
This Piet was hanging from the rigging on the way in. The Piets all run around give the children little ginger cookies called Peppernoten.

OFF TO VISIT HEIDI AND JOS

On Friday, I will be traveling to Holland via Washington DC on United Airlines. I hope the flight is as good as it sounds. My travel time is not bad at all. I arrive very early Sat. morning which will be right after midnight for me.
It says welcome in front of the new front door they added to their new house. You can visit Heidi's blog to see all the trials they have gone through. She posted on her Cranberry Cronicle.
You can click on it from my friends list.
This is the front of the house. They have a beautiful backyard area and Heidi has
a wall of windows and a door leading out to it from her quilt studio. The light will be great to work with.
Here is my little Grandkitty who is missing his (my) bed to relax on. It has already been moved to the other house. At least he still has Heidi and Jos's bed
to sleep on while they are off working, and boy have they ever been working. I look
forward to seeing the new home. My suitcase, and yes only one plus a carry on is zipped and ready. See you soon Heidi, Jos and Dagi.

WAITING PATIENTLY

Yep, Zoe is waiting, and that is Haali back there getting her horse ready to ride. Haali volunteers are the stable on post, and got permission for Zoe to ride the trail without her parent along.
Ready to go Haali and thank you. Zoe reallllllllllllly loves Haali and Mitchell.
Haali leads the way, and off we go.
On another trail ride, the Hale family is going out. Needless to say, Kristy is taking the pictures so can't see her. Your new boots look nice Haali. Bet you had fun with the Haunted Trail Ride yesterday too. Hope you took pictures.