Happy 4th of July!!!

Happy glorious fourth to all fellow Americans!

What a beauteous summer day we are having! The sun is shining brilliantly, and white fluffy clouds are drifting lazily in the clear blue sky. Half the population of Holland has left the country for Spain, so it’s wonderfully quiet and peaceful. We live by a school, which means we get to listen to demoniac kids screaming all day long; I can’t tell you how nice it is to be able to hear myself think for a change! (contented sigh)

I woke up at 7:30 this morning remembering that today is the 4th of July. It’s so weird to celebrate when nobody else is doing anything special. Makes it a little less fun. I vaguely remember the parades and picnics we enjoyed when living in the States. I was so little then that it didn’t really register. Having Mommy and Daddy excited was good enough reason for me to be happy. I didn’t enjoy the festivities as much as I would now. If you’re living in the States be sure and have some good fun for me, okay? =)

Anyway, we are planning to have our own little party with Miss Elles, an old friend of ours. We used to have mini church services with Miss Elles when we first arrived in Holland, and she taught me how to play the piano. She isn’t an American, but she speaks perfect English, loves America, and lived there for 8 years. On top of all that she loves burgers, so we are going to have a good ol’ barbeque in the backyard later this evening.

After waking up (that always helps get the day moving=) and having my personal devotions, I went outside and fed/played around with our baby bunnies on the patio. They are so cute, and SO squirmy! They don’t seem to like being petted too much, but I could sit and watch them all day long. They are so personable. Whenever we go outside they immediately leave their relaxed position and begin climbing all over the bars like, “We’re here! Come give us attention!” As I ate my breakfast I sat on the window ledge overlooking their playpen. Peanut noticed me, and she began climbing up the bars, looking at me as if to say, “Help! I want out of here! Don’t you have a key, or somethin’?” Both Peanut and Pumpkin stand up on their hind legs very often and look up the cage bars as if they’re measuring the distance it would take to hop over them. Poor things. Lydia read that baby bunnies are worse than puppies. That’s an understatement! =D

Simon, our little 5-year-old neighbor boy heard me outside talking to the bunnies, and he called his usual greeting. “Hallo, buurmeisje! (Hello, neighbor girl!)” If we are within sight or hearing distance, you can be sure Simon will discover us. He’s like a little hound dog! =D “I can’t see you!” was the next thing I heard. That’s essential, you know! =) So, we both peeked through the fence at each other, and then he was satisfied. Cutie! =D

After enjoying the bunnies for a while I got myself ready for the day and then began preparing the rest of the potato salad for dinner and cleaning up the kitchen. I was craving peanut butter cookies yesterday, so I made a big batch. In case you don’t know, I have this love affair with peanut butter. =D When I was a little girl I called it “butterfly.” It’s so yummy! Bananas with peanut butter are my favorite snack.

Mom and Josiah just left for the grocery store on their bikes. It’s going on 1:00 p.m. now, and Dad is still gone. He left the house at 9:30 a.m. to meet two of our guys from church. I hope everything goes well. We’ve been dealing with some ministerial issues, which I can’t go into much detail about right now. I’d better be moving along for now. I’ll write more later! =)

LATER (1:30 p.m.): Mom and Josiah got home, and we unpacked the groceries. Mom started the burgers, and Lydia and I were cutting up vegetables when the phone rang. Papa called. Lydia had hung up the phone on him earlier, because she didn’t hear anything, so he called back. This time I answered it. He said Lydia and her two bunnies are on his hit list, and then when I gave the phone to Mom he said Lydia is on his spit list. Ha, ha! The whole family is going to Papa’s cottage on Keuka Lake for a picnic. (sad moaning) I have a fleeting feeling of homesickness. That doesn’t happen like it used to, except on special occasions…holidays and such. The time of crying for loved ones who can’t be reached from across the span of an ocean is past. I’m thankful for that.

LATER: At 5:00 Miss Elles arrived…with her American shirt on!!! =) Mom and I were both wearing ours too. Dad and Josiah had to run to the store to get some mayonnaise, so in the meantime the four of us girl tried to figure out how to work Miss Elles’s bird leash. We got a Beanie Baby to try it out on, because we couldn’t follow the directions. Once we tried it out on the stuffed animal it made sense, although I must say I feel sorry for the poor victim, I mean bird who’ll be wearing it. =D

The guys got home with the stuff and soon we began bringing the food out to the patio and Dad started the grill. Then the grill ran out of gas. This happens every time we have Miss Elles over for a barbeque; it’s a tradition. =D (sigh) It’s either laugh or cry. So, then Dad went out to get gas for the grill, and we waited around, feeling very hungry, I might add. I didn’t have much of anything for lunch.

Soon Dad was back and we were able to sit down to dinner. Yum! The food---burgers, potato salad, chips, carrot sticks, and dill pickles---tasted GREAT! I pigged out and ate one-and-a-half burgers ~ something I never do! During dinner we talked about many things from Miss Elles’s surgeries (yuck! I felt weak, and Lydia was plugging her ears---ha!) to burgers with grizzle. Mom buys tartar, which is meat with the least amount of fat and grizzle. I love her burgers! (I don’t miss you at all, McDonald’s!) Anyway, the talk of grizzle caused Josiah to share his great secret for why he is never bothered by grizzle. His solution is this: Just don’t chew your burger too well! We all laughed and moaned at the same time, and then Mom scolded Josiah. Ha, ha! My brother is such a sicko! Ha, ha! =D

Friday night is what we call “guy night,” when the guys get the privilege of cleaning up dinner. I just love Fridays for this reason! =D So, anyway, after the guys did the cleaning we sat down and I played a piano piece I composed for Miss Elles. She said I play better than she did (she can’t play anymore due to her reumatoide arthritis), but I don’t believe a word of it! Miss Elles used to play for concerts and stuff like that, which is something I could never do!!! I’m so thankful for all she’s taught me. Miss Elles is a blessing to be sure! =)

After talking some, we watched 30 minutes of---don’t laugh now---Nemo. Yes, Nemo, the adorable fish movie. Oh, I think it’s so cute! There’s only a 2 minute part where the music needs to be turned down, because it’s rocky. Besides that I think the movie is too cute. I love the bright colors. Miss Elles like it, as we thought she would. We ate peanut butter cookies; boy, they tasted delicious! I’ve gotta get that peanut butter fix! =D

Well, this is getting long. We just got back from a nice bike ride through the new housing area they are building near us. I enjoyed that! The sunset was beautiful!
It’s 10:30 p.m. now, so I’ll be saying good night, and God bless! We had a very happy 4th of July! Hope you did too! =)