HOBSON'S CHOICE

new Stitching project

2011-01-06T14:47:00.004+01:00

Sunday 2nd Jan 2011

2011-01-02T16:42:00.002+01:00

well, just wishing my friends a very happy

2011.

May all your wishes come through....

may you have some money in your purse,

friends visiting you,

laugh loud and often,

enjoy life .

Christmas day 2010

2010-12-25T11:47:00.003+01:00

Christmas morning, with presents from Holland, America and Australia,
what a surprises, I really didn't expect anything !

this is my VERY first Christmas in all my 74 years, that I'm on my own,
I'm not sad about it, because I know that many more people are alone,
and not as blessed as I am, I have everything I could wish for, only on days
like this I miss MY KEN terribly.
but when I see his lovely laughing face on the photograph, I feel happy because of the good times and Christmasses we've had together !

enjoy your Christmas, I certainly will !

God bless you all !

2010-12-24T15:01:00.004+01:00

I hope for all the people in the world that the New Year, 2011, will bring

PEACE, LOVE, GOOD HEALTH and lots of LAUGHTER !

Henny.

Matt Baker and Alliona ( Team Mattonia)

2010-12-22T14:06:00.008+01:00

In the meantime I've been watchin STRICTLY COME DANCING on BBC TV and have been following MATT BAKER, presenter for the BBC ,Country file, (ex)Blue Peter, The One Show and many more.
he turned out the most fantastic dancer seen on SCD for a long time.
I think, I might be one of his biggest fans besides all the BAKERETTES (many of them)
(there is a Bakerettes Blog.)
I am too old ofcourse to go all gooye over him, but my Goodness ,I do like him.
we oldies can dream can't we ??
enjoy the video, I hope it works ok, I've never uploaded a video before.

Off to the library now through thick snow.
see you later.

The Year 2010.

2010-12-22T11:18:00.011+01:00

Well....here I am , back from a long absence, no specific reason, just not much to tell.
what happerned this year ?
quite a lot really,
I went on a holliday in January for a month to visit my friends in North Carolina, Had a fantastic time, didn't go out a lot because of the atrocious weather ,but their company made up for it,On Jan. 30, (2 weeks before I was due to fly home.) I slipped off the one but last step of the stairs, and broke 3 ribs, Phil phoned the ambulance and I had to stay overnight in the hospital.I 've been in a lot of pain but all is well now. they looked after me so well,
Thank you Susan and Phil. you are just the best friends a person could wish for.!!love you both a lot.
Susans daughter had a babyshower in the time I was there, It was a lovely afternoon, with lots of friends and presents.
that's one thing they don't do in Holland, or maybe some people, because the Dutch copy everything the Americans do !
Jennifer (the daughter ) gave birth In February to a love baby girl called Kaylee.
I would have loved to visit my other friend Kristin , who lives about 30 min. drive from Susan, but the broken ribs spoiled a lot of planned outings .
Then my friend Coby and I booked a holiday to Toscany (Italy) for August, but the travel agent cancelled it because there was not enough interest. During the beautiful summer we've had, I had (according to a MRI scan ) 4 mini strokes, I knew about one of the strokes, because I wanted to write an email but my right hand would not let me do what I wanted to do, and when I got up to make a drink, my right leg wouldn't come to where I wanted to go,
the doctor was rather annoyed with me that I did not phone for an ambulance, but it was all back to normal in 30 min. so.... I didnt think it was urgent.
I've now been put on a very strong medicine wich made me feel very rotten in the beginning, but I got used to that now and feel fine,
Yes, they say that old age comes with problems, and they're right, but as long as I can coop with the problems, I don't mind !
other things which happened are of no interest to anybody, jut to my friends and me, like outings and meals out , and weekends away etc.
I did treat myself to a 52" Led TV for my birthday,
Susan and Phil had one and I fell completely in love with it.
and two weeks ago I bought "as a Christmas present for myself" ,the most fantastic MASSAGE chair with 6 Massage programmes and infrared heating. (See photo on top of page)

if you don't tickle yourself, nobody else will !

see you next time !!

2009-03-27T19:55:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone,

I'm just here to tell you all that I'll be off on a lovely holiday from April first,

I'll be back with photos later.

see you !!!!

Paul de Clever boatbuilder from Amsterdam

2009-03-17T09:56:00.011+01:00

This are Paul de lange and his lovely wife Tilly,

Paul loves to build models of famous boats/ships

(I don't know the difference to be honest)

This is his last creation, he worked on it for 2 years,

absolutely from scratch, all he had was a flatpack

(and a Picture)

with the first parts to start building with .

but now it's finished and I think it should be shown to
the world, the patience this man has, to get all these
tiny intricate parts glued, placed, painted is absolutely unbelievable.
I have great admiration for him,

and I also admire his Tilly who is as enthusiast as Paul is about the boat

and never complained that he spent so much time in the loft building it.

Paul's words after he at long last finished it ??

NO MORE BOATS FOR ME,

this is the 4th boat he has build .

Well done Paul and Tilly, my compliments !!!

please scroll down to see the slideshow of his progress.

comments are welcome !!

2009-03-17T08:33:00.000+01:00

Happy St Patricks day to every one.

Magpies !!

2009-03-08T14:55:00.007+01:00

sitting here, looking at the trees in front of my window, I see two magpies, breaking short and long twigs of the branches. they're building a nest a few trees away, and always when I see one magpie, I immediately look for a second one because this poem comes into my mind,

one for sorrow

two for joy

three for a girl

four for a boy

five for silver

six for gold

seven for a secret never to be told.

when next time you see a magpie, always look for others (they have to be near each other)

to see as many as seven, you'll have to wait until the babies are leaving the nest or when the acorns are falling of the trees.

as you can see, I've posted two magpies for you, the joy will be there already !!

2009-03-01T17:27:00.006+01:00

My Ken

Today March 1st 2009, is the first anniversary of my dear Husbands passing away.

It has been a difficult year , I miss Him so much but one good thing about it is, I found out how many real friends I have.,they were there for me when Ken was very ill, when he passed and still are here everyday for me.

I want to apologize for the lacksadesical way of my posting on this blog.

when I retired, 12 years ago, I thought what on earth am I going to do

with all this free time ? you know, I had more free time when I worked full time. I'm as busy as can be, and the days just fly by, I would love to visit the Blogsof other people, but it takes hours to visit and write comments, and I don't have hours to spare.

I'm now planning my holiday one month away from today.

I don't know how long I'll be away, I'm going to visit a lot of friends in good old England. so I promise, I will be here when I have time.

I just want to show you the last updat of my 4 season birds stitching project.

2009-02-16T21:58:00.001+01:00

Messages for all stitchers all over the world,

the best Online shop for all your stitching materials is:

www.123stitch.com

2009-01-22T22:01:00.005+01:00

this really is the 4th photo in the 4th folder,
our good friend Paul.
It is Paul's funny face when eating a very very hot
chinese meal.
sometime in 2007

the rules are, choose the 4th photo out of your 4th
folder in which you save your photos on your PC.
post it in your blog and ad 4 of your friends.

I tag:
http://bethct.livejournal.com/
http://meari.blogspot.com/
http://jokegaoxing.blogspot.com/
http://stitchinggranny.blogspot.com/

Congratulation

2009-01-20T20:16:00.002+01:00

to all you American people and the rest of the world, CONGRATULATIONS !!!

and welcome to Barak Hussain Obama !!!

Please watch this video !!!

2009-01-20T15:18:00.000+01:00

Are You Going to Finish Strong

you want a laugh ?

2009-01-16T09:19:00.001+01:00

This is from newshound Dave Barry's colonoscopy journal:

I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy. A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis . Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner. I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, quote, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'

I left Andy' s office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America 's enemies.

I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous. Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor. Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-litre plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a litre is about 32 gallons.) Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes - and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon.

The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose, watery bowel movement may result.' This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.

MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but: Have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another litre of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.

After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep. The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on Andy?' How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.

At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked.

Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this is, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.

When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point. Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand. There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' had to be the least appropriate.

'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me. 'Ha ha,' I said. And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.

I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, ABBA was yelling 'Dancing Queen, feel the beat of the tambourine,' and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood. Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that It was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Dave Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humor columnist for the Miami Herald.

Freezing Holland.

2009-01-10T12:52:00.010+01:00

This doesn't happen a lot, that we have 2 weeks of constant frost, I know for some of you it's not a severe frost, but for us in Holland it is very cold,
the skaters are out first time since about 10 years , they are on the park lakes , small canals and even on the big lakes, skating from one province to the next !! Brave people, they are wrapped up with newspapers under their jumpers, in their pants, some woman knit special Willy warmers for their husbands/partners/sons etc.
this is not a joke !! Even the Dutch Crownprince, Willem Alexander, skates those large distances, I don't know if his Mom Beatrix ever knitted a Willy warmer for him though, maybe his wife Maxima has done one for him ?
I can't skate, My parents wanted me to learn to skate on very VERY old fashion wooden skates, but no, I was too proud for that, what if my friends would see me on those things ?
once, I was about 16, I borrowed a pair and they put me on the ice behind a wooden chair, so I wouldn't fall, I was so frightened to fall on the ice (it's very solid you know !!) and was holding on for dear live with my whole body so tense, that after that experience, I could not walk for a week, everything ached so much !!
that was the first and last time for me !!

visit this site, it gives you an idea about skating in Holland.
http://www.thehollandring.com/11stedentocht.shtml

from the official Royal Family website.:
In his leisure time, the Prince frequently attends major fixtures when the Dutch national teams are taking part. The Prince himself is keen on tennis, running, skiing, sailing, golf, rock climbing, riding, skating and diving. In 1986, he completed the Elfstedentocht, the Frisian skating marathon, and in 1992 he ran the New York Marathon
.

2009-01-08T11:27:00.002+01:00

Hi ,

I'm posting a Update on the 4 season birds ( by Janlynn ),
one of the kits I got as a present from a board I'm a member of.

2009-01-05T23:11:00.006+01:00

I am called back to my Blog, I have not posted a lot, really nothing interesting to tell you, only My Birthday, Christmas , weddinganniversary and New Years eve all in December 2008, I have celebrated the first time without my dear husband, but thanks to my friends and their company those days, it was barable, now it's all back to normal again and I'm looking forward to my Holidays in about 2 months time.I'm still stitching, "4 Seasons Birds", one of the presents I got from my Cross Stitch Crazy board friends. Nice to do. =I hope to be back here a bit more regular, I'll do my very best.=Here is my Romantic Stitcher framed, I've given it to a friend for her birthday.

2008-12-12T11:19:00.003+01:00

the Cristmas cards I made this year for friends.

only started in October, and that is too late, I

wanted to do some more but alas.................

2008-12-05T23:14:00.003+01:00

http://cross-stitchers-club.com/?code_avantage=ffdltp

This is THE side for cross stitchers,

with every day a free down load pattern !!!

back again and........... healthy again !!

2008-12-03T10:59:00.014+01:00

Yes people, it doesn't happen very often but even I have days that I don't feel well,
very bad cold was the start of it all, "I was under the weather" could not tell what made me feel so awful, and then one day, I started coughing, got a running nose, was running a temperature, so............. a bad cold, that has been going on for about 2 weeks, then there were all the Christmas cards wich had to be made, cards had to be written, just my name is not for me, there has to be a bit of a wish. but my brains weren't working properly,
the cards for abroad had all to be weight in the postoffice,I bought stamps for an absolute fortune, but the cards were done and have been posted on Dec. 1st.
I was still ill, a Christmas parcel had to be made up, to go to a friend, again abroad, again a fortune on stamps,
then on one of my wednesday hobby group get togethers, one of my friends said, Why are you so quiet ? I told them that I didn't feel well again, that day I started with an infection in my bladder, painful and very uncomfortable.
The doc gave me antibiotics which made me feel sick, dizzy, headachy, just horrible 4 times a day !!!!
I have done no stitching, only
some cards, but last night I've started again and really enjoyed it.I'm doing a fractal pattern from Cross Stitch collectables. (88 colours only !!!)my friend Coby has already started before I became ill and I'll show you her progress.

I'm going to get ready now for my birthday,Christmas and weddinganniversary.
all the first time without my lovely husband, It will be sad days,but on my birthday
I'm being taken out to a Chinese wok restaurant by some of my friends, I'm looking forward to the SUSHI, Coby will be here on Christmasday, we're going to get all sorts of snack food we both like,wine etc.
and I'll make an oven dish with as meat fried rabbit.
Our wedding anniversary I'll celebrate with friends at my appartment and I think I'll make chicken Tandori with naanbread ,white rice and Currysauce hot and mild.
so, that was the explanation why I have been away so long, not that you'll find it very interesting but there you go !!!
I think I'll be back before Christmas,

2008-11-23T20:04:00.001+01:00

to my visitors.......................

2008-11-14T15:39:00.003+01:00

here is what just arrived from 123stitch, my present from The girls from Cross Stitch Crazy !

1 compleet kit by Janlyn "The Four seasons"

1 compleet kit by Bucilla "the Cottage garden"

1 piece of Aida 18ct white with a gold thread woven in. 30x36"

a booklet with the day and night butterfly fairy pattern in Colour.

2 round crystal disks we need for a pink fairy.

2008-11-12T14:57:00.002+01:00

Our friend Ali, is 83 today 12-11-08

from left to right,

Steffie, Henny, Cobi, Coby, and Ali.

we've fallen in love

2008-11-08T11:44:00.002+01:00

Yes, my friend Coby and I have fallen in Love , head over heels !!

http://xs-collectibles.com/Free.aspx

open link and have a look under the following buttons.
$5 bookmarks,
$15 large patterns from page 32-48.
$20 larger patterns still !
not everyones cup of tea, I know, but we see this as a challenge.
Oh and BTW, we ONLY need 88 coulors DMC for the free pattern !!
I let you know how we get on with it.

My dear Mum

2008-11-08T11:35:00.003+01:00

It would have been my Mum's birthday today,

she woul have been 100 years old !!

bless you Mum and happy birthday.

2008-11-03T12:35:00.007+01:00

so, everyone who celebrated Halloween, are now going to get ready for Christmas, we don't have Halloween in Holland although the shopkeepers are trying very hard to get the people interested, we do have something simular though, St. Maarten on Nov. 11. kids go round with lampions and come to your door singing St.Maarten songs and when they have finished singing, they get sweets, there can be groups of 10 to 15 children ,always with adults , lovely those little faces all expecting to get something nice and they always get a tangerine, but don't be surprised when one or two tell you ,thye don't want that, rather have an extra bag of sweets. !!!

and then of course there is the St Nicolaas eve that's on Dec.5th.,

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/santa/dutch_tradition.htm

St Nicolaas arrives in Amsterdam by boat from Spain with his d'apple horse and his black Peter helpers., he'll be in Lelystad on Nov. 22nd.

St.Nicolaas and his Black Pieten !!!

also in December is my birthday and 3 of my friends, (11 Monica, 13 mine , 14 Marga ,16 Tilly.).

and then at long last, there is Christmas, first one without my Ken, I'll be on my own for one day, but I don't mind that, and one day i'll spend with my friend Coby.

now I'll have to get on with my card making
speak to you soon again.
Henny

2008-11-01T23:18:00.002+01:00

I'm sorry that I did not tell you before, but I am busy with my own and helping others to make Christmas cards,

I did get the key for Nantucket rose and will try to finish it at Christmas.

hope you're all well ,

Henny.

2008-10-13T19:20:00.002+02:00

I started this Lady about 10 years ago,

I want to finish her but lost my symbol and

floss colour key,

can anyone help please ? and send it to me

by email ?

my email address is

henkenhob@upcmail.nl

this is Autumn in Vermont

2008-10-12T21:25:00.001+02:00

2008-10-05T22:57:00.002+02:00

My update of the Pink fairy . 3/4 done !!

2008-10-03T14:56:00.050+02:00

we, Paul, Henny, Coby and Tilly, went to the Zoo in Amsterdam , ARTIS

here are 2 photos of old warehouses in Amsterdam from the time Amsterdam was a very thriving city, now made into VERY expensive apartments

I think most people like butterflies, but why don't they like the caterpillars, without them we wouldn't have butterflies !!

Ok, they are not so nice looking but they are the parents of the beautiful looking insects you'll see in a minute

This butterfly fancied Tilly, it must be her perfume or.... he just preferes blonds !

feeding time, they are well looked after .

and breeding time !

This one would not sit still for the photoghrafer !!

beautiful to look at, but when he opened his wings he was bright blue, but not for me !!

see through beauties, Gossamar wings.

first something to eat before we go to the big animals.

and then there are the monkeys, I told Paul that his brother had changed since the last time I had seen him, (old joke, but still what can you expect from an old lady ?)

Mother and baby

Mom and Daddy

The Dutch Niagara falls !

Flamingos

A funny bird is a Pelican, His beak can hold more than his belly can !

waiting for a part in the new Harry Potter film.

The guards, nothing will escape their little eyes.

Man was he hammering those big tires, I woul'n't like to come accross him in the dark, he was a very big Lad !!

The Queen of the Jungle in a small area.

Here w saw the reptiles, I was lucky to get these pictures, they were all behind glass.

his breakfast is waiting next to him to be eaten !!

this Adder had very dull eyes !

Sit down for 5 min. My Goodness, do you feel your back and legs after 3 hours walking !!

This little gekko,was jumping up and down, I think he wanted to come home with me !!

we've had a lovely day and what Coby and I didn't know, it was Tillies treat for Paul's 67th

birthday

Thanks Tilly and Paul, we've had lovely day !!

Nearly at 500.

2008-10-02T10:14:00.003+02:00

well, on my visitor counter, I've nearly reached the 500 !
thank you all for calling in

I'll be putting some new Photos on this coming weekend.

please call again.

Henny.

OLD AGE ?? WHAT"S THAT ??

2008-10-02T09:38:00.003+02:00

Old Age, I decided, is a gift I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometimes despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!) , but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a los t love .. . I will.
I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.
They, too, will get old. (they can only hope !)
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong. So, to answer your question, I like being old.. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.
And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)

2008-09-24T23:14:00.002+02:00

Well, here is one half of my pink fairy, the photo is

maybe a bit (over) sharp but good to see !!

2008-09-23T18:29:00.003+02:00

THE FINAL WORD ON NUTRITIONAfter an exhaustive review of the research literature, here's the final word on nutrition and health.:
1. Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
2. Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
3. Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
4. Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
5. Germans drink beer, eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks
than us.
6. The French eat foie-gras, full fat cheese and drink red wine but still suffer fewer heart
attacks than us

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like.
Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Show and Tell

2008-09-15T12:11:00.011+02:00

We have a very large Orchid nursery( we call it the Orchid Farm.) here in the Polder (reclaimed land) when visiting there recently, I made some photo's,which you can see here

It is all indoors !

above: one of the many greenhouses !

The Florist making some beautiful arrangements !

He was also my previous neighbour !!

Beautiful blooms.

Like being in the jungle, warm and humid.

Koi fish , some very big ones !

The Japanese garden !!

Pink Fairy

2008-09-14T23:34:00.012+02:00

Started 2 Sept.2008

last update 14 Sept.2008

now the hair, tons of it !!

Oct. 5th.2008

It's a difficult pattern, so many colours in this quarter,it looks like a cusion on the back of it.

After nearly 2 weeks of very intensive stitching,I've finished 1 quarter of the pattern, the next part will be the arm and face. if it takes me nearly 14 days, to finish 1 part, it should take onother 6 weeks to finish, but I think you should give me a bit more time, just incase !!

wish me luck !!

I like to know why you're here,

2008-09-07T16:28:00.002+02:00

1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I had together.
It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
And if we've never met in real life, leave me a comment of your favorite post.I wrote and why it was your favorite.
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually really funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you

Why are they being so difficult ?

2008-09-04T20:51:00.006+02:00

It is just 6 months ago that my dear Hubby passed, and you would think that things should be settled by now, but NO , the bank still manages to get me upset.
They (the bank) want me to take Ken's name of the joint account ? Why ? I'm not hurting anybody by leaving Ken's name on, I don't HAVE to take it off , I've asked a legal representative just to make sure that I was right !

But they (the bank) said I had to show them an official death certificate, and a letter from the Last will and Testament department to say that Ken's testament is not valid anymore, WHY WHY WHY ?

I was his only next of kin ,we have no children and there are no children from our previous marriages, Ken had no brothers or sisters , so that means what we had when he died, is now mine, doesn't it ? YES ,because it is stated clearly in his OFFICIAL last will and testament, made up by a Notary Public.!

I went to the bank this afternoon and told them that I wanted to close the account , (I had already opened a new account in an other bank.) the girl sorted it all and voila!! I have one thing

less to worry about !!

I'll get there in the end, but didn't think it would take this long !

friends together !

2008-09-03T17:51:00.002+02:00

my stitching and best friends (in Holland)they have been coming to my house every wednesday afternoon for 16 years !!!

She is FINISHED !

2008-08-31T10:11:00.006+02:00

My Celtic Lady is finished, what will be my next project? one of these 2? let me know which one you like best !

I will be stitching them 1 over 1 on White Hardanger, 22 count. click on photo's for more details.
Happy Sunday to you all!

right now !!

2008-08-30T16:31:00.009+02:00

what goes trough my mind right now

Forget health food, I'm at an age where I need all the preservatives I can get.

If there is no wine in Heaven, I'm not going.

As you get older, your secrets are save with your friends
because they can't remember them either.

I would be unstoppable, if I could just get started.

Next mood swing: 2 minutes.

the quickest way for a parent to get a childs attention.....,
is to sit down and look comfortable.

Wild oats have turned into,..prunes and All-Bran.

You can't stay young forever, but you can be immature for the rest of your life.

I live in my own little world, but it is ok, they know me here.

If you leave me, can I come too ?

I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt.

Have a fantastic day !!

TO ALL MY VISITORS......

2008-08-29T16:00:00.001+02:00

Have you ever given people Computer lessons ?

2008-08-28T23:22:00.005+02:00

Well I have !! I teach in an internet café with 5 computers , for 55 + (men and women) that's pretty hard work, but it gives me a good feeling when people are happy when they can get emails to their children abroad.
my oldest customer is 92, he bought a Windows XP book and is the most enthousiastic "pupil" in our room.!!
but I got one lady, she is only 61 and she brings her own laptop, ok, thats fine, but she is a nerves wreck , she had to work in the Configuration window, "add and remove," she was perspiring with fear, when I said, "right, now hit that key," she answered, no I don't want to, I don't want to wreck my laptop !!
well what do you do then ?
any suggestions ?

2008-08-27T10:14:00.004+02:00

Blog awards for these people.

2008-08-26T16:20:00.006+02:00

The rules of the award are:
1. The winner can put the logo on her/his blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated.

Here are the terrific bloggers I give this award to:

Kristin
Beth
Helen
Vicky and Andy
Twiglet
Meari
Shebafudge

2008-08-25T23:46:00.002+02:00

these 2 gorgeous birds visited one of my cyber
friends in Australia at her holiday address,
I think one of them,is trying to eat her
cross stitch pattern, he/she might not like it !!

2008-08-25T23:39:00.004+02:00

the 4 new cross stitch patterns I bought

last week, I will stitch them all, but not on

black, I can not get the fabric I want in black.

I will be stitching them on white 22 count

hardanger fabric.

visitors ?

2008-08-24T00:08:00.002+02:00

dear visitors,

I would love to ask you a question, it's up to you if you want to answer !

You are at this moment visiting my Blog, according to my counter, you come from all over the world, and I really appreciate that very much, but what I like to know is,

How and when did you decide to visit my Blog ? I'm just curious, the people from Holland are invited to answer too, in Dutch or English, I speak , read and write both languages !!

thanks for visiting,

Henny.

2008-08-20T22:59:00.003+02:00

Well, My friend and I have done the discovery of the century !!!
SKYPE !
we have both subscribed to Skype , and talk for hours and hours !
we never met, but I think I know her better than my own sister,
we used to email each other a lot, but this is so much better.
I didn't know that there were so many things to talk about,
let's keep this up Susan !!
love and hugs, from
Me .

2008-08-19T16:05:00.007+02:00

PAYPAL troubles have been solved at long last

presents for new born babies

2008-08-18T11:15:00.001+02:00

trouble wit PAYPAL

2008-08-17T12:33:00.005+02:00

we moved house last year, that means New address, I changed provider, that means, New email address, I have from the same provider telephone, so that means New telephone number, get it so far ?

I ordered 4 patterns and some other ithems on Ebay (2 different sellers) and wanted to pay with my creditcard, but PAYPAL said, NO, you can't do that because your new address, email address and telephone number are not the same as the information we've got coupled to your creditcard !! still with me ??
so I had to fax my passport, and a number what I got of PAYPAL to a number somewhere in europe, then it would be sorted within 7 days, that was on July 30 !! and cost me €4,50.

i received an email from PAYPAL , thanking me for the information, they would now put 2 small amounts of money in my bank account, I had to activate my new account with putting in the 2 amounts of money ( say 0,11 and 0,04)in and that was than sort of pincode and all would be fine ! hope you can still follow ?

I started paying my debts and what happened ? my creditcard was not accepted because the address I'd put in was not the same as in their system !! so phoned them again, 0,10 per minute, and first you get some nice music, but you hang on, than this voice telling you, sorry but it could be another 2 min, so you hang on, I've waited 17 min. and then this young man said, Oh mrs, xx something must have gone wrong, I'll sort it out now !!!! got an other email, I'd had to fax a recent creditcard payment slip, my passport and new address, email address and phone number, costs € 4,50 !!

that was the day before yesterday 14 August , I've had no conformation, nothing !!!

I keep in touch with the sellers on Ebay and they keep mailing me back, they will extend the payment time !!
that is so good of them !!

but Paypal told me that I could pay the people via them with my bankaccount number, so, I started doing this, and a thought hit me , how much is that going to cost me , transferring money to a seller in China and one in the UK. ??
I phoned the bank they said, €5.99 per transaction !! no way I'm going to do that !! the patters would cost me 3 x the price from the shop price !!

If you use PAYPAL, Never move house !!

TO DO WITH PAYPAL !!!!

2008-08-16T13:47:00.002+02:00

more definite news on Ali,
she is going away for a week to stay with her DB and SIL, they will look after her,
she lost an other pound, total weight loss now since mid July, 9.5 kilogrammes.
Not good !!

2008-08-15T18:30:00.002+02:00

I can't give you the excact story yet, but I think the doctor thinks it would be better for Ali to go in a care home for a while, not good news is it ?
I hope to see her tomorrow for 5 min. she is so tired of it all !!
she needs prayers now, so please readers !!

2008-08-15T11:19:00.002+02:00

Hi Dikkie, Marcel and Yvonne,
It's Anne Henk's anniversary, 10 years since he died!
I just wanted to say, I'm thinking about you all today,

Dikkie and Alex, I wish you a fantastic weekend.
Hugs and love, Henny. xx

2008-08-14T15:35:00.006+02:00

Dikkie and Alex, very good friends !!

I hereby welcome my visitor Yvonne Jagersma, currently traveling Asia.

Have a save journey home Yvonne and San.

2008-08-10T20:57:00.005+02:00

This is the LOVE QUILT, a present from my friends at http://www.crossstitchcrazy.yuku.com/
40 ladies (from near enough all over the world) and 2 boys (one is 11, other one is 7 years old !!) have stitched a picture each with a "love" theme , concerning Ken and Me, the beautiful Quilting was done by Kristin, North Carolina USA. When they heard that Ken was so ill, one way or an other they got together and decided to make this for us, alas, he can not see it, but he would have loved it !!
for more individual pictures please look here !!
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e7/chfdfirewife/Finished%20Quilts/Hennys%20Quilt/
thanks ladies,
It goes on Ken's bed, every body can see it and I'm sleeping in the bed next to it.
must be the right thing to do, I feel !!

CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST !!

2008-08-09T14:03:00.005+02:00

yes, I've had 2 surprises in one week, really it's better than Christmas !!

on August 4, I got an email from http://www.123stitch.com/ with a gift voucher for 70 US dollars, to be spend at the 123 online shop, (my favourite on line shop) and a message reading this:

Message: "From the ladies of Cross Stitch Crazy: We love you and hope this opportunity for a stitchy bonanza will take your mind off of everything that happened, for a little while."

then yesterday 08-08-08 ,we came home tired from shopping in a nearby town in the pouring rain, when the telephone went, It was Kristin from North Carolina, whom I'd asked a technical question and she said It's easyer to tell you than to explain in an e-mail, we have been on the phone for nearly 30 min. and she got it working for me.!!

then the doorbel went, and I, not wanting visitors, said, Oh, bug off,!!!! but opened the door, my neighbour stood there with a parcel , she said this is from America for you, It was addressed to me with as sender Kristin !!

when I opened it, I could not believe my eyes !!! there was a large LOVE QUILT , 42 different squares with stitched pictures and poems , stitched by 40 different ladies and 2 teenage boys ,absolutely beatyfully quilted by Kristin,

I'm with friends tomorrow and I'll ask Paul to take photos of it ,and if you keep an eye on this Blog, I'll post the photo(s) asap. and you can see for your self.

but besides the quilt, there were a couple of cards from my friends and a lovely little photo book with pics of my friends on the board, http://www.crossstitchcrazy.yuku.com/ who have participated (not all the girls were in the book) .

it was a very emotional moment when I looked at all the pictures ,many with Ken's name and the words, " friends" and "Love" on it !

that was twice in one week that they'd made me sob my eyes out !!

words to describe my feelings at the moment ?? I can't think of any, the nearest I get to is:

I"M SO VERY VERY HAPPY !!!

Thank you all so much, I love you all !

update on Ali, she has come home yesterday, I went to see her this morning with some flowers,

and when she opened the door, I had to control myself , not to say, OMG you look bad !!

she has lost a lot of weight, has totally no colour in her face, looked all untidy (and she is such a proud well dressed little lady normally), she'll get a nurse to wash her once a day, she'll get a alarm necklace, she has to wear that day and night. and I'll keep an eye on her.

well, that was it for today, I'll be back soon with Photos and a
update on my Celtic Spring !!

2008-08-07T18:34:00.000+02:00

A very bad hot tropical stormy day !
In Holland of all places !!

2008-08-06T10:50:00.003+02:00

update on Ali.

2008-08-04T23:55:00.002+02:00

We went to visit Ali this afternoon in hospital, she has shrunk !! she has had 2 complete blackouts while she was having the catherasation done, she was allergic to the colour fluid with wich they injected her !!
she felt slightly better she said, but is not coming home yet, her sugar level was far to high, the oxygen in her blood was not right, the doctor said that she could not go home before that all was sorted,
anyway, she was glad we came and we felt better when we left her !!
Oh yes, she was worried that her hair was so untidy !! Good old Ali.

2008-08-02T14:34:00.002+02:00

this is my friend and upstairs neighbour Ali,
she is 83 and had to go for heart catherasation
last thursday, when I phoned the hospital on
friday morning, they told me , she was moved
from the ward to the heart observation room,
I went to the hospital this after noon with a
get well card from the other girls 2 Cobies and
Steffie ,and was told I couldn't visit her,
she's in Intensive Care Unit
only family allowed !!
please ladies, she could do with some positive
thoughts and prayers.
thank you.

2008-08-01T23:24:00.001+02:00

update 2 of Celtic Spring. 11.08.08

update of Celtic Spring

2008-07-31T15:33:00.003+02:00

Hi everyone,

I've not been on a lot, because not a lot is happening at the moment, it is too hot to move about, the temperature outside my livingroom window is at this moment 35 celcius, no, not funny at all.

the thunder clouds are garthering, we might get a bit of a cool off !

My Celtic Spring is doing fine, except yesterday, (I was doing her sleeve,) was a real "frog and knot" day, could'n't find out where I had gone wrong, I was ready to throw it in the bin, I cut every stitch in the sleeve I could get to, started again and within the hour the sleeve was perfect.

I think my brain was protesting against all the work I wanted it to do with this heat .

see you when it gets a bit cooler.

Henny

2008-07-23T11:53:00.001+02:00

The Romantic Stitcher by PR.

2008-07-23T11:46:00.001+02:00

close up, stitched on hardanger 22 count.

one over one.

2008-07-23T10:27:00.000+02:00

signature as designed by Michelle BM. (NZ)

Monday 21 July 2008

2008-07-21T22:43:00.003+02:00

what can I say about today ?? not a lot, it was stormy, rainy weather, only have been out for some shopping and posted 2 cards to the States. To Jen and Lori. They're having a rough time at the moment !!
I have been listening to Willy Nelson, Mel Haggard, Ray Price etc, whilst I was putting the last stitches in the ROMANTIC STITCHER, I'll have to wash and press it tomorrow then I'll blog it as ASAP.

Henny

2008-07-20T18:10:00.000+02:00

Cobi

2008-07-20T18:09:00.001+02:00

Ali

2008-07-20T18:08:00.002+02:00

Steffie

2008-07-20T18:08:00.001+02:00

Coby

2008-07-20T18:06:00.000+02:00

18-07-08 My hobbygirls (friends) and I at the Chinese restaurant.

2008-07-20T18:05:00.001+02:00

2008-07-20T11:57:00.001+02:00

Sunday july 20, 2008

this is a picture of the weather as it is at the moment, never mind, going to have a nice quiet day, bit of stitching, reading, laptopping ! perfect Sunday !

Sunday morning 23.57 pm

2008-07-19T23:57:00.002+02:00

I've just changed my blog a bit, I think it has come out well but I think it might be a bit mixed up because I have copied from one blog to this one.
I'll be back Sunday, to update my posts, so much has happened.
good night .

2008-07-19T22:09:00.001+02:00

My first Biscornu,top corner and bottom

you'll find some printable patterns lower down.
no.1 is the one I've done
1 2 3 4

2008-07-19T22:08:00.002+02:00

thanks again for listening !!

2008-07-19T22:08:00.001+02:00

Things are looking up a bit !!

2008-07-19T22:07:00.001+02:00

My dear friend Susan has had her cataract operation today, I hope she's well and can start her stitching again.

2008-07-19T22:06:00.002+02:00

Then my friend from Blackburn England rang , (she is 78) she told me some naughty jokes, but I must say, they made me laugh out loud !

2008-07-19T22:06:00.001+02:00

Then Tina (jusrowan) offered me some DMC floss, I'm absolutely delighted about that!

2008-07-19T22:05:00.003+02:00

I finished the biscornu I was stitching for a friend in the States, and it's gone in the post on the way to her !!

2008-07-19T22:05:00.001+02:00

You know, for the first time since a week, I feel more optimistic about Ken, the doctor told me that all his problems like, weight loss, not wanting to eat anything, coughing his lungs out, feeling sick all the time etc. was because of the 5 very strong anti biotics pills !!

2008-07-19T22:04:00.001+02:00

vrijdag 18 januari 2008

Not a lot happened yesterday, I only had to go to the Dentist , not good news, infection round one of my teeth, but she lanced it and now it's not so bad.This morning I received NORDIC NEEDLES new 2008 mailorder catalog !! wow, it's full of goodies ! I only ordered once from them ,they are very friendly and efficient. and............they sell all colours of Hardanger what is my favourite stitching material.I had a newsletter from 123stitch.com (very good firm too.) they got special offers on patterns etc. like for instance Isabella's Garden by L&L, some prices are very reasonable.
Geplaatst door henny op 13:58 2 reacties
woensdag 16 januari 2008

Biscornu

I have a Biscornu, which was a Christmas present from Kristin, and is now in use every day !!
I never heard of them and thought it was something completely new, but no, I was running behind again !! I found a website, http://www.myauntsattic.nl/ it's printed in Dutch and English, with free patterns.
I run a hobby group on wednesday afternoons for 5 ladies (including me) and the girls loved my biscornu, so I downloaded some patterns and today we started stitching, the amazing thing is, we do all the same pattern but we all started stitching a different bit.
the pattern on the right hand side is the one we're stitching.
I'll take some photo's next week, and will put it on my blog, I couldn't do it this week because my oldest lady (82) lost her 58 year old son last Sunday. he had 3 heart stops in one day !!!
now it is stitching time for my Queen of Fairies.
speak to you soon.
Geplaatst door henny op 18:51 2 reacties
dinsdag 15 januari 2008

here I am, all morning busy with trying to make a Blog, and what do you think ???I already made one in May last year ! Oh my God, old age doesn't help you remembering things, but, never mind , I'll use the old one now, the story wich is on this page ,you'll have to take with a grain of salt, it was just a tryal.now I'll have to find out how to get this blog linked to the Yuku board. but there will be somebody able to tell me how to do it.
Geplaatst door henny op 13:55 6 reacties

2008-07-19T21:38:00.001+02:00

Geplaatst door henny op 18:11 2 reacties
maandag 21 januari 2008

Monday morning , stormy and very very wet, but I don'care, I can do some stitching, (yes I've done all my work I had to do !!)this morning I got an email from one of my internet friends, asking me If I knew a pattern of a lady in blue doing some stitching , she'd seen the chart but couldn't find it on any USA site,Yes of course I knew that pattern, I'm the greatest admierer of Passione Ricamo , she is calledTHE ROMANTIC STITCHER and she is beautiful.anyway, i had a look on the PR site, it was 18 euros or 26,10 dollars !!!so, I went to 123stitch.com and......the same pattern, is 17.10 dollars !!! shop around girls,a few dollars more and you can order a 2nd pattern !!now you may guess what I have done ? YES YES YES,I ordered THE ROMANTIC STITCHER and reserved ISABELLAS GARDEN by L&L, she is very very cute, but not in stock yet. I've asked JoAnna to send the 2 patterns in one go, saves me 1 x shipping and handling.!!!I know I'm a "I WANT THIS" type of person, but my friends buy expensive shoes or bags, I'm not fashion concious, but love stitching !! boring ? yes maybe, But I'm Happy when I stitch. and a happy stitching person is better than walking about in shoes that hurt like hell.hope you girls who read this will have a lovely day.
Geplaatst door henny op 11:26 1 reacties
Labels: Happiness

2008-07-19T21:36:00.000+02:00

Geplaatst door henny op 18:50 1 reacties
dinsdag 29 januari 2008

Ken ? update tuesday evening 20.15 hour

Hi everyone,
Haven't been here for a few days, reason is, Ken is not well at all, he's had in 5 days, 4 blackouts and that only happens when he has a coughing fit , he calls for me and ask me to help him, what can I do ?
I'm always there for him, I haven't been out in a week, friends (THANK GOD FOR FRIENDS !) do my shopping, come and keep me company,
phone every day to ask how Ken is and can they do something for me ??
I won't dare going shopping etc. at the moment and leave Ken alone in the house !
as you can see, my FAIRY QUEEN is coming on nicely, (click on picture to enlarge.) anybody who wants to start this one, I'll tell you, the skirt is a whóóóóóóle lot of work.' but she is gorgeous.
I've stopped with her till wednesday, because my friend needed the pattern, the black and white copies I've made to save the original pattern , is very bad to read.
I'm not going to do all the beading, To much for my liking, maybe I do the shoulder straps and bottom of skirt, but that's all.
Anyway, one of my friends is coming from out of town, so it's time to make coffee.
hope you all have a nice day.
Ken is in Hospital, the doctor said that he hadn't improved at al, he'll have to stay in for 3/4 days, depending on reaction to medicine !!
Geplaatst door henny op 9:11 2 reacties
woensdag 23 januari 2008

Wednesday again and still no photos of my girls stitching their Biscornus, reason is ,that my DH has pneumonia !!! the doctor has been here today and given some antibiotics, if it hasn't improved by tomorrow (the doctor is coming back then) Ken will have to see the lungspecialist. and might have to go to Hospital !!
he has had a blackout last night, that frightened him (and me.)
anyway, we'll have to wait till tomorrow to see how things develop.
The good news is, I just ordered from 123stitch.com the ROMANTIC STITCHER and ISABELLAS GARDEN, 5 thread heavens and a Cat needle minder,
now everybody is using my threadheaven, !!!! and there is already a big dent in it, so, I told them to buy their own !!
Geplaatst door henny op 18:11

2008-07-19T21:33:00.001+02:00