Dream woman

After the first part of today's shift I got into our canteen and was immediately approached by a colleague. He wanted to give me a hug and he called me his dream woman.

Much as I appreciate being called a dream woman and much as I like being hugged, I suspected ulterior motives. Because only five minutes before I had had a call from the traffic organiser to ask me whether I was coming in soon. 

So, I said no to the hug and replied to his 'dream woman', that I was only a dream woman because I had the key to the coffee machine. And since the coffee machine was empty for coffee... 

He could of course have said that I was always his dream woman, but I think he was so shocked by my (correct) assessment of his intentions, he was a bit lost for words.

The sad thing was though, that by the time I had finished filling up the machine, he had had to go on to the next part of his shift. Without coffee!!

Photo on Sunday 2016-30

On her way down the stairs and out the door! And today, she got another chance to see what it is like in this neighbourhood!

Miss Oswin gets a taste of freedom

Miaow

When Mara first opened the door today, I didn't quite believe it. Besides, upstairs there is lots to explore, so I went there. But when I came back down, she opened the door again! This time I was going to take my chance. I was going outside!

Oh my, it was glorious. So much to sniff at, there was grass beneath my feet, new noises, new sights, new everythings. Mara followed me with the flashy thing, but I did not care! I was outside. The best. I didn't see any mice, but there was a hint of strange cat around. Hm, I think I will have to explore that some more. 

Unfortunately Mara wanted me to come in again after a very short time. I did not like that at all, but she cheated with some sweets. Not nice. Perhaps if I ask nicely, she will let me go out a bit more often...

On the road to recovery

After another good night's sleep, I woke up today with a hint of a headache and with a bit of a rumbling stomach. Which can only mean: I am on the way back! And since I had been clever and called in sick yesterday, I have this whole day to get rid of the H completely and fill my stomach up again. Somewhat at least. 

I am certainly not going to eat lots and lots of fatty stuff. Yoghurt and crackers (bit of blueberry jam) will do just fine. Perhaps a boiled egg. As long as it is more than what I had over the last two days I should be fine. Even better: as long as it stays in as well. 

So, here's to a new week and to the last two weeks before my tri-trial. It will be interesting to see how my body has coped with little training and illness over the last week and a half. Mind you, on the plus side: I have lost 2,5 kilos in the last few days. Not the best way to loose, but then again, beggars and choosers and such...

Photo on Sunday 2016-29

A massive headache attack this weekend has made it difficult keeping my food down. Well, the little I actually managed to force down! This morning it was my last 'beschuitje'. A bit stale, but still: the staple food for sick people everywhere (well, the Netherlands anyway). 

See Monday's title

Yes, I could have thought of a better title, but the one from Monday was good and didn't really need changing for today. And since there was a bit of anything this week as well...

For starters, my coming holiday with my sister is now on track to be a really good one. It always is when it's me and my sister of course, but we are not really the shopping types, unless it concerns books, so we needed to find other things to see and do and visit. 

On the serious part of our trip we will be 'following' in the footsteps of Anne Frank from the moment she was caught and sent to the pass-through camp in Westerbork (the Netherlands), then on to Auschwitz (Poland) and finally to Bergen-Belsen (Germany). 

On the less serious part of our trip, we will be visiting several towns and cities, a salt mine (Poland), horses (Vienna, Austria), the Sound of Music origins (Salzburg, Austria) and Sleeping Beauty's castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein, southern Germany). Plus a lot more other lovely things. Only a few weeks away now!!

There was a bed there as well

The training started again on Friday with a swim training. It Was FREEZING! It really was. I only did one lap, not because of the temperature, but because of my partner in crime, who had some ankle problems and was waiting for me to finish in the rain. On the plus side: only one stop, despite the cold. 

Apart from that training I did a bit of heavy lifting, pushing and shoving yesterday. Not necessarily as a work-out, more as a 'time to move things that are in the way, out of the way'. I wanted to move the two couches around (not sure why) and needed to move all the boxes in the hallway to the annex to the living room. That way a new door to the bathroom can be installed without any trouble. The little annex is now full of boxes and my tv. The living room is now quite empty and I will need to do something with that. 

Room for a door!

Today it was the plan to do a running training, come what may regarding the weather. But, as there is now a bucket close to the couch, just in case and I just had to force myself to eat some crackers, I think it is fair to say no training, and no party tonight will be happening. Alas, but health first and throwing up half way through a training is not my idea of fun. I know, I am picky...

Other than that: I am enjoying the Olympics, next week's weather is promising to be good again and despite a week of not doing much, I am still good weight wise!

A little bit of this and a little bit of that, a little bit of sis and a bit of so

A lovely exception a few weeks ago

All my Dutch readers are by now of course humming, but for those of you are not Dutch, don't worry. It's not you, it's me! Anyway...

Summer in Norway. Those beautiful long summer days that last well into the evening and in some parts into the night and beyond. Long treks into the mountains. Fishing both in the sea and the many lakes. Before the summer I heard one of the weather people say it was going to be a warm(ish) summer. But wet. I wish that weather person had been wrong. Because boy, has it been wet and there is still no end in sight!

Which meant that yesterday's cycle training was not. Partly because of the weather: a lot of wind and a bit of rain. Partly because I felt my legs for some reason. But mainly because I didn't want to. I just didn't. And I felt I was completely entitled to just sit on the couch and watch others do sports. 

Not olympic. At all!

Like fencing. And archery. A bit of swimming, which confused me somewhat. And cycling. The women's road race. Where the Dutch girl Annemieke van Vleuten was in a winning position, before having such an ugly fall, there was no way she could win (she ended up in hospital). The girl in second position had the best name and I was rooting for her (Mara Abbott from the USA), all the way until another Dutch girl came flying past her in the last few meters and won. I must have screamed the house down! Well done Anna van der Breggen. Mara ended in the most horrid of places: fourth. 

Back to my training progress. Last week has been both good and bad. The swimming was great, I managed to swim without too many stops (lap one: twice, lap two: once). The walking a day later went fine as well, apart from the discomfort in my knees, especially my left. I know of course that having this bit of extra weight to lug about is not good for the knees, so today I bought me some knee protectors. Hopefully they do enough of a trick to help me be more comfortable. I also bought some wrist protectors. When cycling, my wrists really start to bother me after a while and I hope that the protectors will ease that as well. 

Other than that, nothing much. There you have it. 

Photo on Sunday 2016-28

I had planned to have a really nice uninterrupted sleep. Until I woke up that is. From a beep. 

The smoke alarm! To tell me the battery was nearly empty and I had to replace it! Gone with the uninterrupted part! And yes, I took the offending battery out.

Miss Oswin gets a change of scenery

Miaow

Mara promised me that I would go outside today. I would get a change of scenery today. And I was all happy, you know. But there was a twist. A not very nice twist!

Because, yes, I was going outside, but in a CAGE!!! And yes, there was a change of scenery, but only because we were going to the VET!!! That is just not on! 

Once at the vet, I behaved like a cat should behave. In fact, all the cats that were there behaved beautifully. The four-legged horrors though... They were whining, they were twitching, they wanted attention, they wanted treats, they were annoying. In fact the most best well-behaved four-legged horror was a tiny little black thing. All the others had to be told off again and again.

Anyway, I was fine. As I could have told Mara before she made that silly promise. And the vet was very nice as well, even though she did have me confused with a four-legged horror called Osvin! That is not a name at all, that is just an insult. The lady vet was very good with her petting and when she stuck the needle in (tricky one that vet), I didn't really flinch. 

I hope Mara will forget about next year though. 

Wednesday

Nope. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not a clue what I should be writing about. Work? Ehh... Training? Well, I swam again yesterday, with only a few stops. Love life? Are you kidding? What with the training and work, I don't have time for anything else!

So, nothing it is. Sorry!