Tour of Euromax...

We got up early to head to Rotterdam as I’d registered us for a tour of a container terminal as part of World Port Days. Ashlynn, who brought along her friend Masha, and Veronica were skeptical, but even they admitted it was really cool to see in action one of the most sophisticated, fully-automated container terminals in the world. We got to witness the whole process from the container being removed from the big rig truck (which is currently done with human assistance) to the loading of the deep sea vessels by automated cranes. It was definitely worth waking up early for. 

Braceface...

A few days after we returned from California, it was time for Veronica to get her bottom braces. Poor thing had a difficult time eating for the next few days as the braces changed her bite. Luckily the orthodontist is near her school so it’s convenient for her to go to her regular appointments without me. I know it’ll be a few years before the big unveiling, but can’t wait to see the results.

Scrapbooking Buddies and Sticker Junkies...

It meant a lot to me that Darlene was able to go on this getaway with me. I’ve really missed her since she moved back to California in December 2009. During the four years that Darlene lived in Holland, we spent a lot of time scrapbooking together, so it was fitting that we were able to visit the Mrs. Grossman’s Sticker Factory together. There was a mix-up about our tour time and we ended up with a private tour. We weren’t allowed to take photos of the factory itself, but here you see us holding a roll of the first sticker that Mrs. Grossman designed in 1981. Sadly, I haven’t worked on any of my scrapbooks since Darlene moved, but still couldn’t resist buying some stickers. Afterwards, we wandered around Petaluma and had some lunch before heading back to my parents’.

A Touch of Tuscany in California with Darlene...

I was thrilled to be able to spend some extra time with Darlene. I took the train up to Martinez. She picked me up and we headed up to the wine country. Her husband Mike was sweet enough to give us an award certificate for a free night at a Holiday Inn just a little south of Napa. We dropped off our luggage and explored St. Helena and Calistoga. Along the way, we stopped at this cool castle, the Castello di Amorosa, where we did a chocolate and wine tasting.

Turning 14 in California...

As crazy as this sounds, after visiting Massachusetts, we flew back to California to spend another week at my parent’s (Jimmy was already back at work in Holland). We arrived just in time to celebrate Veronica’s birthday with my family at a Chinese restaurant. Sadly, we forgot to include Ashlynn or my brother-in-laws in the photos. As usual, the girls spent much of the week in the pool. I went to a few movies with my parents without the girls. Then the three of us went to a slumber party at Leigh and Mike’s.

I Could Have Stayed Longer...

The younger girls didn’t always include Veronica in their plans, 13-year-old Chris stuck to himself and I was busy chatting with Lisa, but Veronica managed to entertain herself.  She enjoyed swimming out to the swim platform despite the chilly temp of the water; occasionally Ashlynn would join her. She convinced me and Lisa to go with her once; I made it, but had help from a boogie board since I didn't have fins. Our time at the beach came to an end much too quickly, but we needed to head into Providence on that last night to check into a hotel because we had such an early flight in the morning. It was Joe’s birthday, so we all went for a nice dinner in the Federal Hill area (known for its good restaurants and its mobsters). After dinner, we did a quick walk around and the girls enjoyed dancing to a swing band in a plaza. We might have arrived nearly strangers, but left good friends.

A Sweet Friendship...

Ashlynn and Ally might be six years apart in age, but they formed a very sweet friendship when they met in Bonaire. Ashlynn seemed to thrive in the role of the big kid and was very excited about visiting Ally. They started their beach adventure with some crabbing. First, they dug out some mussels as bait, which they tied on strings and dangled among the rocks. Then they collected the crabs in a bucket so they could show us their catch before throwing them back.

Much of our day and a half in Mattapoisett was spent at Crescent Beach, which was very laid back and relaxing. In addition to crabbing, the girls swam, took walks and went shelling. After a sushi dinner, we went back to the beach to watch the beautiful sunset and to set off some fireworks.