Merry Christmas

Christmas in India is definitely happening - amongst the expats but also amongst the numerous Christian Indians. We put up our American christmas tree, the Dick Bruna nativity scene, had a christmas party at the compound, the kids had christmas parties at school before the holiday started, gave all the staff and their kids some fabulous presents (received with happy tears!) and the malls & big hotels are decorated American style and play christmas music most of the day.

I promised Rick we would go buy some big paper christmas stars together. We had seen them last year but back then we lived in a hotel. So we went to a tiny roadside shop and bought a big beautiful shiny christmas star for everyone in the family and then some. We also bought a dozen santa hats. After that I asked Anbu to get some lights, lightbulbs & cable to string up the stars. He came back 15 min later having spend 240 rupees - not even 4 USD - so I was getting a little worried.

Once home I had a million other things to do and I left the Christmas stars to Rick, Sarala and Anbu......oops! When I returned later that night one of the moms texted me to tell me all the kids at Windmills thought we had the best house ever. Once at home I understood why. All stars where up, with max voltage lighting, all within 2 - 3 m of one another. Also in every color of the rainbow almost....

Don't think the picture does it much justice but we officially live now in the Windmills Nightclub I think - most other moms look at me with empathy or pity -;)

The hats also got quite a lot of wear - all over Bangalore and Windmills and Kaat even used them as socks. 

 The kids also had Santa come and visit them at School. It made a big impression on Rick as that day he had a field trip to the Areospace museum and they saw military helicopters land and take off and they saw a fighter yet and still he talked about Santa first. I did not hear Kaat about him but got this picture from Santa - a.k.a. my team lead in training for an iron man and hence super fit & lean - bet he was wearing padding ALL over to fill up that suit!

We will spend Christmas is a Muslim country so the day we flew out of Bangalore (21st) was also the day we were done x-mas-ing. Nevertheless we wish you all a very very merry Christmas with lots of joy, happiness and good company.

Cheeky

Little Duuk is VERY cheeky. The Dutch expression 'als de kat van huis is' (when the cat leaves the house...the mice dance at the table). He has some very very funny facial expressions and is definitely very aware of what is happening around him. Herewith the evidence:

Crawling towards me whilst I am trying to take pictures. Trying to grab my phone or the iPad

Watching the morning proceedings from one of his thrones - "How do you mean the world evolves around me as I am too cute, I don't do anything!"

 The royal bath & spa - on the sun deck with private attendant Chandramma catering to his every whim.

"Do you here that? That is the blender......"

"It means that one of the ladies, mom or dad understood 

it has been at least 60 minutes since I last ate!"

 "See - starting to screem and have yourself picked out of bed 15 min after Rick & Kaat are done eating is great timing"

"I am so lucky Kaat never finishes her corn and Rick leaves his Paneer"

"How do you mean this is not baby food? I am the Maharaja off Windmills and can do whatever I like."

 "Look how brave I am  - I even dare to take big brother Rick de Ridder's sword and am ready to fight anyone who contests my rulership"

So yes - Chandramma is quite right every morning - when she arrives at the house she salutes Duuk with a 'Good Morning Boss'.

Incredible India

In the fanciest mall in this city, owned by the Kingfisher family, with shops like Versace, Louis Vuitton etc there is a roof terrace with several restaurants. If you have no money to spend you will not come inside this mall. Still this is the sign in the roof terrace water fountain feature: 

Thor Gala

After the game it was time for the big celebration. It was a superb evening, with lots of fun, and traditional Delft & Thor style partying. The dress I had especially made in the Thor colors & pattern, by a lady here in Bangalore who also shows at Mumbai Fashion Week. We had a fabulous evening and a somewhat tough flight back to India the next day with 3 kids and the after effects (including our rental car being locked in at the party venue.....not practical!)

With Elsbeth - who was there the memorable first evening / night Eelco and I met somewhere early June 1998.

 With Bernadette - my Sister in Law

Eelco being declared 'Man of the Match' - with the kiwi in teh middle being the same for the current/young team and the guy with the blue face either being club president or president of the organizing committee.

 Somewhere later on on the evening

and later

With the Thor Ladies

 no signs of the muscle pain just yet

 With my Rugby partner in crime and ex flat mate Eva

and well....probably very very late. Something for the family album. No idea who's helmet I stole but I must have given it back as I have not seen Rick walk around with it -;)

Next one in 5 or 10 years?

Man of the Match

On Nov 16th we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of our old Rugbyclub Thor from Delft. Special to us as we sort of hooked up at the 35th Anniversary of the same club. Eelco has not been playing any Rugby nor Touch Rugby since we left the US, which was exactly a year from the date of the event. So he was a little nervous but really wanted to play so did some extra weight training in the gym as well as additional pull ups on the seldom used Abdominator (door frame fitted pull up rack) -;)

Excited & nervous as ever before the game we showed up in Delft late afternoon on a chilly & windy and drafty sports pitch. The kids did not have much fun, despite the bouncy castle there. Eelco however was beaming 

and despite the fact that the Old Engineers (the ex-players) had more then enough people to fill 2 teams Eelco was allowed to start, in his favorite position, and never left the pitch for the full game.  The current team is pretty good and VERY fit. Eelco managed to challenge them though.

All the running training was paying off, and the upper body training had been enough to give him the confidence to make some decent tackles - like the example - executed as by the book - by both Eelco and the ball handler.

The guy who got the ball after that then had to deal with the 2nd Jorritsma brother on the pitch.

The game went on a while and towards the end it got too dark & loomy & gloomy for decent pictures. Looking good though that #12 right -;)

As soon as the game was over Rick joined dad on the pitch.

Proud but tentative (and he had not watched more then 5 min of the game!)

Unfortunately for 5 min after was also the only time we had with Hans, who was unable to join the evening festivities. Nice to see the old friends together though with their little boys.

We would later find out that Eelco had won 'Man of the Match'. So he was very happy and very proud.  At least 2 friends declared that they had wanted to go home because of the cold etc and had decided to stay to let Eelco entertain them - seeing his joy & skills - that was an extra bonus of course. 

Which one is from the milkman?

We are going through a phase of change with all 3 kids again and at the moment they appear to be more alike then ever.

 The 3 above obviously all came from the same place and since some are clearly Eelco's 'mini-me'....Eelco either once secretly was a milkman or the answer is none -;)

Rick de ridder (the knight)

Once again we had left Rick's shield in the Netherlands and he was not pleased about it. This was mainly because the sword that goes with it was lost & found parked behind Opa & Oma's toilet and then lost again. But as Rick's Dutch was progressing so well and as he was talking about being 'Rick de Ridder' a lot I started to feel guilty. So with some masking (paint) tape and some 2nd hand moving boxes from the new neighbors I sorted Rick out in under 20 min.

Everyone happy all sorted....right? Nope! Then Kaat found a piece of fabric and brought it over with the role of tape and instructed me to make her a princess dress. And then for 60 min (it stopped by me going out for the evening), she asked me every 1-2 minutes why I was not finished yet.....and again the next day -:) I still have not taped a dress together but I made her some in a more conventional manner nevertheless.

IELC Sports day

Somewhere between all the xmas parties & the associated mass exodus from Bangalore we also have the kids sports day at school this time of year. For us a big deal as last year I vividly remember the sports day at day 3 or so at school for the kids. What a difference a year makes!

I attended Kaat's sports day and much unlike her (although we appear to have a bit of a 'don't leave me phase') she would not let go of me for the first 20 min or so. Instead of her normal bouncy & happy self we got a clingy & sad Kaat.

After a lot of coaxing and repeating I would stay to watch - really - she finally immersed herself. Kaat had done a lot of practicing and is quite fast and well coordinated

Physically she is quite advanced for her age and was showing off hula-hooping and how to stack some blocks - super precisely.

By the last event of the circuit - the decorate a xmas tree relay - Kaat was doing much better. And have even forgotten I MADE her wear trousers for the day (in the prescribed colors and still with lots of frills)

Kaat is always happy to celebrate her own success so no need to await the medals to cheer for herself.

The next day it was Rick's turn and Eelco went along to support him. He was sooo excited and very much into it. The event kicked off with a parade.

With this age group, Rick is one of the youngest, discipline & order appeared to be much easier.

 After the parade was a yoga demonstration - yes Rick has yoga at school.

 And the downward dog (I think -;)

 Eyes closed, breathing regulated, all relaxed.

Then followed a car race (or taxi race) in which the kids had to run and pick up pictures of passengers.

 With an orderly audience awaiting its turn.

Rick now has a secret club at school - with the 2 other kids that speak Dutch. They finally realize they have something cool in comon (wel Coen has only been here weeks) and are really happy together. Sticking together a lot.

 After a short break followed the big circuit

Rick is still absolutely useless at the Moped. And it was clear that everyone at school also knew so he got special assistance. (Kaat is much better)

It is fun to see the kids interact as friends and comment on everything going on.

 And then there were medals.

To wrap it all up there was 'musical chairs' with the parents and hula hoops instead of chairs. Kaat and I only ever managed to last to the 'semi's' - considering we lacked the fanaticism displayed by some parents. Rick and Eelco came in 2nd so did very well - and Rick then had no problem talking that up as if he finished the winner. Must be the American training -;)