Anyway ...

... the day before last we were invited to celebrate Franscico's birthday via BBQ. We did. It was nice. For some strange reason they (him, his parents) know how to cook, which is good, and use of a BBQ apperantly has something of a holy aura for them, seeing as they seem to be specialised in it and seem to have turned it into an art. Supposedly they used to eat half the lifestock of western Europe until asked to, you know, go slow, at times and leave some food for the rest of us.

At least, that's the impression one ends up with listening to Franscico.

His parents are nice people. I hadn't met them before and they are very friendly and hospitable. Plus, they have a huge fishpond in their garden. With loads of Koi. Who you can pet. And who come and kiss your hand (see if you have anything edible in your hand, basically). And a sturgeon who thinks he's a dolphin and jumps around a lot. It's a really cool fishy thing there.

So, all in all, a festive evening was had. So good even, that we are going to celebrate his birthday again. Next saturday. So good, we feast it twice.

Maybe he'll grill some meat again ...

Currently I'm at work and while yesterday was pretty impressive, work-wise, and I had stuff to do until at least 2 o'clock in the afternoon [sic] today seems minor league again. Hanging out again and writing stories and doing DF. Oh wellllll ....

I gets paid for it, so it's not all a loss.

Marco!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm03rYlOCGw

Sometimes, things go wrong. Just sometimes.

So ...

.... Francisco ... how are your balls?

Seriously. I kicked him in the groin yesterday, or actually, the day before that, since it's friday now. And just before that I hit him in the ribs. And this, whilst he is a good friend! I mean ... I fetched him a blankey!

Oh well ... I have a K3 CD just waiting for him. I'm sure he is desperate to know exactly how to sing 'liefdeskapitein'. Of 'teleromeo'.

Toch leuk, drie van die schattige meisjes van in de veertig.

Anyway.

Kamiel was here today. He's sort of looking for a job wherein he's not constantly on the look-out for wild dogs that might attack him.

And this is, strangely enough, totally true.

What the hell ass a dog would want with his skinny frame I do not know. Might only be of interest if there wasn't a bone left in the house because Kamiel is very slim. Underfed, even. So, the dog is not only vicious but also stupid. But then ... it's a dog. What do you expect?

Well ...

... a new low. Nine oçlock. All my work is done. Oh, and the keyboard and computer do weird things here, hence the strange diacritic under the 'c' of o'clock. Most annoying. Before you know it you send people very strange messages and they might think I'm an idiot.

Anyway. A rather gloomy day in Amsterdam. Curious what I'll do all day. I have at least some reading planned since I seem to be still enrolled in that course ...
And it's fucked up, ladies and gentlemen ....

Wait, I never said, right?

I do a course for Sargas, my supposed lords and masters, who get me jobs like this. And it's frightfully boring, I'm afraid. All the thrills of a good read like the phonebook. Oh well ... not their fault, I suppose. Not really. DIV is for people who love order and such. What I'm doing exactly in that field is a bloody mystery to all I know.

Div = Documentaire Informatie Voorziening. Document Information Providing. DIP. In english.

Huh.

I should do more art.

Anyway. I have a PC so boredom is really unlikely. Yesterday I spend some hours glossing through a site whcih tells of danish grammar. Why ... I have no idea. It seemed a fun thing to do. So, with what little I know of danish now (which I assure you is very little) and possibly, I hope an online dictionairy, I shall go in search of some danish bit of story and see whether I can make some sense of it.

Maybe there's a danish bit of Harry Potter to be had ...

I ...

... finished it precisely 24 hours after it came out to the minute.

The three of us have read all day surrounded by all sorts of junkfood for the entire day yesterday only interrupted shortly because we suddenly found we had to go out and remove some wallpaper from Suus' mother's walls.

That was a bit of a surprise.

Luckily our little blackbelt came along and we were finished rather rapidly. His self-sacrifice in this is noted and duely appreciated.

Anyway.

Great book.

I feel that I cannot give away anything as yet but it's an awesome conclusion to an awesome tale. No book or CD can make your life complete but you have to appreciate writers and artists who disregard that and simply try to complete it anyway.

So ...

... this day is crawling towards its conclusion at a snail's pace so it's time, I feel, to discuss plans for the weekend.

We have one.

This, in and of itself, is supposed to be a big shock.

There will not be training. We shall be cloistered in our home with a book. Ahhh ... not just a book ... the book. Harry Potter and the deadly hallows will hit the world next saturday and we have ordered two copies so that we can crash out and finish the series. We even found a fellow reader prepared to cook for us (yoho Francisco). He's less of a maniac, he'll go training, and he offered to cook. He'll even bring cigars, which is lovely. In return we will kill all forms of communication to the outside world and do some serious snack-food shopping.

I can hardly wait. It is after all the conclusion of an era, started somewhere in 1997. At first I resisted the urge to read ay Potter book, based on the fact that anything which is such a hype MUST be sheer crap as is so often the case these days. (Not yoyo's though. Yoyo's were cool). However, mostly due to pressure from my loverly girl, who got her university degree on Potter, I crumbled and gave in and I'm the better for it, I feel.

So, now it ends. Part 7. It's a work of immeasurable scope, it's clever and well written and I think we can savely state that JKR really helped put reading and literacy back in the list of fun things to do. Whatever the critics say. Who can go and fuck themselves, for all I care.

It will turn out to be very hard to let go of the book. Heart-rending even. Even aside from the fact that people will die again, as they should when fighting the uber-evil of everything. (I'll stiick to my theory that Harry is a hoarcrux himself. Eventhough this is hardly possible. But it's nice to have a theory ...) It will be hard to say goodbye ....

So. Don't call us on saturday. Abuse shall be thy part.

Well ...

... I'm at 'work' again. I'm assured that we're experiencing a really freakishly strange lull in activities. Every day again, I'm assured this. Now, for all I know that might be an accurate portrayal of conditions in this here part of the building. For now however, this does not help me much. It's nearing 2 oçlcok and I've a bit to go yet. But I don't know how, what, and why. Really getting to me by now ... but there you have it. I blog. I DF.

Incidentally, it seems to be illegal to work on one's own websites from this workspace.

*gasp*

Oops.

I just caused a bit of a panic by noticing somewhere.

Never notice anything, people. Saves on the panic.

I have a lovely story to tell about my weekend ... but it'll have to wait. 'til I've got a few hours ...

[edit]

So, anyway. Weekend.

Aside from the most interesting and slightly dangerous wedding we had to attend over two days, which was fairly interesting and tiring to be honest, there also was some training, which was heavy enough in the weather we've been having. And you know, it tires you out. Also: my girlfriend wanted new furniture in the garden. That sounds weird but we've got a swinging couch now, so, you know, it sounds weird but I don't care. Because we've got a swinging couch.

So good, I mentioned it twice.

But that took shopping and construction and that was ... tiring.

Sunday there was training and when I was crashing out afterwards my mom called. If I could help put a roof on ... a roof. My brother-in-law has a slight case of fear of heights (whenever he steps unto a wet paper) so the roof was impossible for him. So, I ended up being up a roof for a good 6 hours ... which is eally tiring.

I'm at my work now. I'm tired. I think that I'll be crashing rather hard when I get home.

Oh.

Kamiel is coming over today ... we love him.

Quick ...

... update. Went shopping, bought a gift. Was nice.

That was all I wanted to say on that subject.

Also: found a CD. It was given away at Boudisque. From a band called Arkhe. Arkheonline.com seems to be their web adress. Check 'em out. Usually, free music sounds awful. This is sort of cool, actually. Weirdly enough.

Also: Italian Viking Metal is just plain wrong, people. Trust me on this.

Like ...

... yesterday.

My parents took us out to dinner in celebration of their 1 year 'other' marriage (long story, I won't even begin ...). We were taken to aplace that supposedly a decent kitchen and room for the kids (my sister's children) to play. It's called ... De HolleBolleBoom. Or something. Huge indoor play area with loads of climbing, sliding, and heights and running and balls and ... stuff.

Francisco would turn it into a grueling arena. THAT good.

Anyway ... we sit down, order, eat our apetizers, the kids get sent off to play and me and my girl joined them to have a look.

Now, I had some fun, did some things, awesome and went back to the table.

My girlfriend we had to drag back to the table every time theer was a new course to be had. Seriously. She went nuts like a child. Totally insane. Apparently, she had energy left over and some catching up to do ... and the saddest thing is, I didn't have a camera on me ...

Anyway, fun was had. And the food was okay too ....

Alright ...

... girlfriend has her holidays. And she's in need of them. I guess last year has been a bit much with, you know, WORK ... and moving house and getting in a car-accident and stuff. So, you know, okay, holidays. I gave her a big stack of magazines and a blanky and she's on the couch right now. I'm sure she'll get off again.

Though, possibly not today.

The sport season is nearing its end as well. Luckily enough, there will be enough little hours filled by My-Little-Black-Belt. Oh, and Chris continues too, unless he's off driving his motorcycle, so Aikido is sort of guaranteed, too ... I'll be as fresh as ever at the start of the season!

And pretty soon ... there will be American Football again!

Last ...

... sunday one of our bunnies died. He had to be put to sleep since there was no possibility of recovery from a rather horrible infection. Othie was a beautiful bunny and grumpy as hell, which is probably why I liked him. I realise that taking care of the hard choises is part of having pets. I also know that we are flawless in this department and always do what's right and best for the animals. But, I have to admit, this does not make it easier, nicer nor will it make us miss him less.

So. Sucky weekend.

Which to be honest is totally unfair because saturday was pretty great. Mild training and afterwards I went into Amsterdam (because I really don't go there often enough ...) and I met three very nice people from FiveAndDae.com, to wit Five, Dae (what a surprise) and someone who shall remain nameless since he listens to Tool. Come to think of it, they all shall remain nameless ... if asked I can only really come up with their nicks ...

Anyway; there was talk, laughter, a slightly tipsy and therefore rather quiet Five and it was all good fun. Incidentally this was all in rememberance of Five's birthday (kid's 24!)

So, it was great and well worth a do over.

Just, you know .... bunny.