Popping

Yes, even at this age I would suffer from migraine attacks

As you know I have been suffering from headaches lately. But to be honest, it hasn't been a recent problem. I remember my childhood with several severe attacks. Once there was a school skating race on a local pond and I felt terrible. After the races we were supposed to visit my paternal grandparents and the only thing I remember is feeling awful. I even visited a doctor at the time. X-rays were taken of my head (?) and my father was told that if the problems continued, my tonsils might need to be removed. I think the problems ceased for a while, because I never got them removed.

As a teenager I don't recall many episodes, although there have been one or two. I can't remember any attacks in my time in Yugoslavia, Italy or France, but once I moved to England, they came back, probably exacerbated by the amount of coffee I was drinking. Ever since I have had troubles. 

Yes, I have seen doctors about it. I even got prescribed medication. I was 23 and using beta-blockers. Which did help, but I stopped using them after a while, because I felt that I was too young to be on life-long medication for something that wasn't life-threatening. I was young and foolish. 

And then last week I got the sore throat, then the sniffles, then the blocked sinuses and then of course the headache and I had to call off work. Again. And enough was enough. Talking about seeing my gp would not be enough, an actual visit was in order.

This morning I saw my gp and told her everything. She listened, listened some more and in the end I left with a prescription for 3 (THREE) different drugs to be used for different types of headache. I also have to keep a headache diary, filling in all sorts of things from when it started, when it stopped, what medication, did it help etc. And then in two to three months we will evaluate and see whether it would be advisable to send me on to a neurologist (although I also think a throat, nose and ear doctor would be useful because of the sinuses). 

So, a step forward. Even if it will mean popping pills every evening to try and prevent headaches and then there will be other pills to be taken in case of a headache daring to raise its ugly head anyway...

Photo on Sunday 2017-21

Do you remember the sea gull chick from last week? Well, when I looked a few days later, I saw not one, but three chicks. Being fed by one of their parents. I wanted to take a photo, but unfortunately I am not one to take a camera to the loo with me. Already the parent was done with the feeding and two of the chicks scarpered back from where they came. By the time I got back to the living room and grabbed a camera, the roof looked empty again.

I tried for several days after that, but I never saw either the one on its own, or the three of them. I don't think they have fledged already, because even from my distance I can see they still have quite a bit of down on them. 

So, instead of photos of the three chicks, I give you... Miss Oswin!

Water this time

No, not to drink, to be used in a steaming sessions to clear the sinuses.

I am done with the sand. Although yesterday was particularly bad with the coughing, the throat is starting to behave itself a bit better and certainly doesn't hurt as much anymore. Of course now it's the muscles in my stomach and my sides that are hurting, but that's just the way life is. 

Unfortunately the sore throat and the coughing were a lead-up to something else. Which led me to leak. From my eyes, from my nose and even on occasion my mouth for some weird reason. Oh yes, I have a full blown cold! Apparently it's doing the rounds and thought that I might be a good host. I wish I wasn't! 

The cold played havoc on my sleep (the right Sandman came, but he was no match for my guest) and I woke up not entirely refreshed. Add to that a Miss Oswin who wants her breakfast and then go out... 

Right now there are tissue boxes dotted across my apartment, bins that are not so slowly filling up and me feeling a bit sorry for myself. I think I might have to partake in a few strawberries with vanilla sauce. Or a few more than a few.

More sand

Sleeping in a car. A looooong time ago.

I think I know what happened on Monday night. They hired somebody new! That must be it you know, there is no other explanation. 

As you may recall I had great trouble sleeping on Monday and actually read in bed (which I never ever do). In the end I did fall asleep only to wake up again far too early and I was quite tired the rest of the day. 

Now, I had thought the sandman hadn't come. Wrong! He had come, the new one I mean. But instead of sprinkling the sand in my eyes as he was supposed to do, he sprinkled it in my throat. And ever since Monday night I've had rasping sounds when trying to sleep. On Tuesday I started with a bit of coughing as well. On Wednesday I had a real nice whiskey voice and on Thursday morning it felt like I had sandpaper in my throat. Pure agony!

Since I am writing this a day in advance (ie on Thursday) I am not quite sure how my throat will be and my voice will sound today (ie Friday), but I doubt it will be fine already.

I think the new sandman needs a few more lessons!!!

More presents

They were expected to get here today, but they made it yesterday already: my gifts to myself. Over the years I have taken a lot of photos and some of them are really nice. I tend to use them in a calendar, but once I had ordered that first photo (taken on the Hardanger Plains), I wanted more. I looked through my collection and found five more photos to get. 

Starting with the top right (and then going clock wise): The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark, July 2011 (work trip with the Dutch scouts). A Hoodoo in the Albertan Badlands in Canada, September 2011 (with Kay). Kilmacduagh in Ireland, October 2005 (with my sister). Heddal Stave Church in Norway, April 2012 (on my own). And the Kelpies in Scotland, June 2014 (with Yamini). 

I have written locations and dates on the back as well. Just so I won't forget...

Present

I bought a present for my birthday. But of course it wouldn't be here in time. I am expecting it this week. As well as another present by friends of mine. So imagine my surprise when I got a present yesterday. Out of the blue. 

It contained a card. A balloon (to be blown up by yours truly). A drawing of a birdie. And a book! A book about the Dutch royal family. But different. Because in it IS information about the royal family, however it is mainly a do it yourself book. A knitting book! How to knit your own royals. Isn't that the most wonderful thing?

I thank my brother and his family for this very fitting gift. It is a treasure.

Sand

Yep, that's me digging a hole in the sand.
I am sure I slept like a baby that night!

I don't usually mentioned my nights. Basically because that's the time I sleep and not much else happens then. Well, apart from dreaming and they can get pretty weird and colourful. Last night however, sleep would not come. 

I went to bed at a decent time (around midnight, since I don't have to work today) and then I lay in the bed. Facing the window. Then the ceiling. Then the door. Back to the window. And the ceiling. And... You get it. 

About an hour into this I decided it wasn't going to happen any time soon, so I might as well get my book out. I read for about half an hour (the heroine was getting locked up by then) and tried again. Again though: no luck. Back to the book it was. 

By the time the sun was close to getting up (at around 4am), I must have finally fallen asleep. Only to be woken up at 9am for some reason. It will have to be an early night tonight, I just hope the Sandman will come sooner...

Going back

One of the record books I had to work my way through in the beginning
Baptism (not birth), marriage and death records

You will know that I do a bit of research here and there into my family tree(s) and I have found some real great stories along the way. Not only from far away and long ago, also some really interesting stories from more recent times. 

I will be making two books of those stories. One for my mother's side and yes, one for my father's side. I wondered which side would be the more interesting, but I found that both sides are equally interesting, just for different reasons/stories. 

My maternal maternal great grandmother in the middle

The royal connection on my mother's side is of course fantastic. Never mind that half of Europe descends from Charlemagne, we do and that is important. The story of my grandmother and how she went on a hungertrip during the war actually was my first taste of family history. I am just very sorry I never talked to my grandmother about it while she was still alive. 

The great-aunt that was born in Germany during the First World War has thrown up some questions, although most of those questions can be answered just by looking at history itself. Unfortunately the family member I tried to contact never replied to my letter, which means that any further questions remain unanswered. 

No, they are not hearts on the Frysian flag,
they are the leaves of the yellow water lily

Then there is my father's side. From the fighting nobility to the man who was charged with murder in Orléans (France). The fact that that side truly is from one very proud part of the Netherlands. From  a strange date appearing again and again (May 12th) to the young man who died in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp in Birma. 

There are religious upheavals, political upheavals, family upheavals. Women giving birth on a yearly basis, but out of the 13 children, only 4 survive into adulthood. I have found a man who, along with all the other men of the village, was charged with tax evasion. 

Unfortunately during the last few months I have not done very much with all those stories. Yes, most of them are already done and dusted, but there is tweaking to be done. Stories to complete. Photos to be found. 

The 'ordinary life' of a grandmother making coffee

There will be a distinct difference between the books. The book on my father's side will contain the 'old' stories as well as 'new' stories from living family members who have done/lived through/written/etc something similar. The book on my mother's side will not contain those stories, since there was only one aunt who responded to my request. 

I have a month left for the books. What with the mice (still making new ones as well) and work (long days, but extra days off as well), it will be a stretch, but then again, that's me: do it at the last minute. I wonder which family member I can blame that one on...

Photo on Sunday 2017-20

There are a couple of very noisy sea gulls living close by and they holler at anybody walking past: go away! Well, in sea gull talk of course. They are not just ordinary grumpy sea gulls, they are parents and the people walking past are getting too close to their chick. Or so they think! 

Because most people will never see the chick. Because it lives on the roof of the boat dealership and I have yet to see anyone climb a ladder to said roof.

New Year

Do you usually have difficulties writing down the date? No? Neither do I. But, what if it's your birthday? Then what? Well....

Yesterday I kept wanting to write down 30.06.1971 instead of 30.06.2017. Just because the first one is what I always have to write when it comes to my birthday, so putting another year was just weird. I did manage though. With some crossing out. 

I spend my birthday at work. Driving a bus. Making money for the big birthday present that is now on its way to me. Well, the five birthday presents really, since I ordered five canvas prints of photos I have taken over the years. I can't wait for them to arrive, which will be sometime next week. 

I also got a lovely birthday card from Debby a few days before, which was very much appreciated, although at first glance I wondered why I got the card (I am getting old. Ahem), until I realised I was actually having a birthday a few days later. 

And then I got cards and phone calls and lots and lots of well wishes on Facebook and hugs at work. So, a good day all in all. Even though I did only eat junk instead of the planned cauliflower (my favourite birthday dish: cooked cauliflower with cornflour sauce, baked potatoes with a bit of cheese on top and sausage). There's always tonight!

Now for something completely different though: very early this morning Mice for Mama went up in the air. So, if you want a mouse: head on over and find out how to get one. Just click on the photo with the micies at the top of the side panel and hey presto!