Baby Has So Much To Do

Mummy jumped off the plane

Chris gave me a voucher to do a tandem skydiving jump on my last birthday in November.

Since I can't jump out of a plane out in freezing air, I have been sizing up the right weather and temperature to do it since the beginning of summer. Last weekend I finally got a spot to do the jump, and the waiting up had been really worth it. The summer day was sunny and dry, with very clear sky but not at all too hot.

I believe this is so far had been the best present I have ever received. I was expecting it to be an adrenaline rush like the bungee jump we did a couple of years back, but it was anything but. The fact that I was actually attached to an instructor twice my size who didn't waste time to jump off the plane on first chance (thus taking me with him), probably contributed a lot to the absence of real dread. The way up on the small plane was filled with anticipation, and once we were in the air, it didn't feel much like falling, it felt like flying! It was such an amazing feeling to drop through clouds (they're cold!) and to see so far into the horizon (including having to see there was nothing between my feet and the ground). Once the canopy was out, we descended slower and much more in control, until we finally touched ground.

The jump itself probably didn't last more than 2 minutes (I've got record of 38 seconds for the free-falling phase itself), but the whole experience was definitely the highlight of the already awesome summer of 2009.

Chris and Cora waited for me on the ground. At first Cora insisted that she wanted to come along, but then later on being OK to let me go. After I was back at the airfield, I asked Chris, how did Cora react when I left them for the plane. 

"Cora said, daddy, now we can have cola ijsje." (Cola ijsje is cola flavoured ice lolly that I never allow her to have. She has different deal with daddy, obviously.)

More pictures here.

A summer weekend with the grandparents

An absolutely perfect weekend comes to an end and even though I can already feel the muscle ache I will have tomorrow, I loved all the fun and action we had. Yesterday cycling the 25 kilometers up to Monnickendam, lots of swimming with Cora and then ...the same way back across the beautiful country side. A perfect summer day all together. Today, Cora the grandparents and I sailed up to Hoorn an old VOC city with lots of historical buildings and just a really charming atmosphere. The sailing itself was a bit rough at times as the wind freshened up quite a bit in the afternoon and the sun was away all together for a few hours. Most of the day the weather was beautiful.

Cora has been really sweet but needed a long hug when it all became a bit scary towards to the end. She’s quite used to the boat by now but the kind of waves and strong gusts from today where new to her too. She will be staying with my mom and dad for the next few days and was really excited about her vacation from us. I guess it’s also a bit peer pressure from the day care. All the children talk about their vacations and Cora wants to tell a story too. So we told her she will have a small vacation with Oma. She’s been telling everyone for days.

Here are the pictures

Vlissingen 2009

With half of their children and grandchildren living in the Netherlands,  my parents decided to spend their summer holidays here this year to explore North and South of the country for three weeks. They strapped their bicycles on the back of their car and are first staying in the most South-Western part of the Netherlands in Vlissingen for two weeks and then coming to stay in Monnickendam to spend another week close to us. They have been cycling around, exploring Zeeland and since Cherrie and I have never made it that far South, we thought it’s a good opportunity to make the trip down to Vlissingen and meet up for a family day at the beaches. 

I always wanted to go to Vlissingen anyway. I’ve learned allot about the place during my Nautical and Radio License courses and know about its rich maritime past. The city is at the last large port on the way down to Belgium, the Bretagne and of course to make the crossing over to the UK.  Its maritime atmosphere is also determined by shipping and pilot services at the roadstead just off the seafronts.

We’ve had a great lunch of fresh fish together and then went down to the beaches. It’s just such a joy to swim there watch the wind, water and clouds continuously at play. The huge commercial ships are passing by so closely you hear their engines if you dive. The grandparents, Cora, Cherrie and I had a great time but were literally washed away from the beach by the strong incoming tide with its currents. Within half an hour the water level went up so quickly that we had to pack up and leave quickly. We found a fantastic playground with lots of things to do for our little girl and finished the day with a dinner at the harbor. By pure coincidence (really!) one of my sailing friends put in with his boat coming from Oostende in Belgium. It was great to see him but unfortunately sooner then we liked a great day came to an end and we had to catch our train back home to Amsterdam. Cora was a real trooper the whole day. She stayed up until we came home but collapsed completely exhausted in her bed and fell asleep immediately. She is already looking forward to see Oma and Opa again next weekend.

Here are the pictures