Recognize anything familiar about these Zwarte Piets (the Black Peters), Sinterklaas’ special helpers? Two years ago you might have seen photos when Jimmy helped out at his company’s Sinterklaas party. Last year, he and Veronica was supposed to help, but he had his days mixed up and they missed the party. They didn’t take any chances this year and arrived very early. I took our visitors so they could experience this very unique Dutch tradition. Click here to check out comedian David Sedaris’ take on this strange tradition.
Our girls were very excited about Jimmy’s cousin’s 20-year-old daughter visiting along with one of her friends. They both go to Jimmy’s alma mater Vanderbilt and are doing a semester abroad. Unfortunately, they missed the Thanksgiving Service at the Pieterskerk in Leiden since they didn’t arrive until late that night. I took them to Leiden the next day for the usual walking tour and a great visit to the American Pilgrim Museum. Saturday morning, the girls made them poffertjes, mini-pancakes with powdered sugar on top. After lunch, we headed to Jimmy’s office for a Sinterklaas party.
Ashlynn volunteered to go up on stage during the magic show. Here she is shooting a snake gun. Later, the magician produced a card that she’d written on within one of his balloons.
The 4th grade class play was done very differently this year as the students themselves wrote their lines. Each class performed one act depicting a feast in Tudor times. Ashlynn’s class even wrote their own song about preparing for the feast in the kitchen, which was surprisingly funny. Ashlynn was a baker who was fired for goofing around. She then set off to make her fortune as an entertainer. She helped provide continuity by having lines in each act. I might be biased, but she did a really great job.
What better way to learn about history than by having it come to life? Tudor Day was broken into two main parts. The first consisted of stations to teach trades. Above, Ashlynn is learning to become a barber surgeon; in this case, she would pull the patient’s tooth, then cut her hair. She also learned how to make candles, herbal remedies and soap. In between trades, she made the mistake of begging and was arrested; luckily the King was lenient and she wasn’t thrown in the moat. In the afternoon, she played St. George in a play where she attempted to slay a dragon, then sat at the head table with the Royals at a feast. I was honored to share this special day with her.
Each year at primary school, there’s a dress-up day in conjunction with the subject being studied in history. The best is Tudor Day in 4th grade. I was thrilled to be able to volunteer and rented us very posh costumes. Ashlynn was excited about wearing her costume on the tram even though no proper lady would ever actually be this common.
Happy New Year! It might look liked we’re dressed up here for New Year’s Eve, but this was actually for the 234th Marine Corps Birthday Ball in November. We were thrilled that Terri and Chris were able to join us this year. It was her idea to rent dresses. I’d envisioned that I’d find a colorful ball gown, but instead both of us ended up in black satin. We’d worked together that afternoon at the Holiday Bazaar for the American Women’s Club, then went to her house to get ready. The opening ceremony was much more intense this year with a video highlighting two Marine heroes that died in Iraq while saving their entire platoon. Luckily, the rest of the evening was more lighthearted. Once again, Jimmy and I enjoyed wandering around the empty miniatures park after dinner. The music was much better this year, so we even did some dancing.
