I'm a Grandma!

It has been a week of events. I started my new job here in The Netherlands as - teaching assistant. This is the job I did back in the UK before I came over to live here. I was under the impression that they do not have them in this country - although they have a few jobs at English speaking schools in the south of Holland. We are in the East of The Netherlands towards the middle really and schools here have never heard of a teaching assistant. My husband is a teacher here and his colleagues asked if I would come in and help the students with their English last year - I really enjoyed helping them. As a result of that being successful - I was offered a more permanent position once a week.

My daughter had her baby on Thursday and my grandson weighed in at 7lb 14 1/2 ounces - a big boy! Both Mum and son are doing really well. I have seen pics of him and a video and he is just gorgeous - so looking forward to seeing him in May.

He has many clothes in the first size but as yet none in the 3 - 6 month size so my knitting and crocheting are centred on bigger sizes from now on. I made him a cardigan with teddies on the front panels which was very quick and simple to do by following the chart for the teddy bears.

It can be knitted as a jumper or a cardigan. I am really pleased with the results.

The pattern can be found online here:


C:\Documents and Settings\Clark\Mijn documenten\patterns\Free Knitting Pattern For Baby Sweater Knit As A Cardigan Or Pullover With A Teddy Bear Motif.mht

The Netherlands remembers the great floods 60 years ago today.

Special events are taking part in many places in the Netherlands on Friday to remember the great floods of 1953, in which over 1,800 people died.

In the early hours of February 1, 1953, dykes in the south of the country broke, and large parts of Zeeland, the Zuid-Holland islands and western Brabant were flooded.
Over 100,000 people lost their homes in the disaster, which was caused by a combination of strong winds and high tides. Some 500 buildings were destroyed and many more were damaged. Almost 200,000 hectares of farmland land was devastated by the salt water.
In the Zuid-Holland village of Oude Tonge, where 305 people lost their lives, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony to remember the dead. Other events take place throughout the affected areas.
The tragedy led to the development of the Delta Works flood prevention scheme, a massive complex of dykes and sluice gates along much of the southern coastline.
(Text from @DutchNews.nl - footage from youtube)

Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands has abdicated.

It was announced yesterday that Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands will stand down from her duties on the 30th April - 33 years to the day of her coronation and her son Willem-Alexander will be King of The Netherlands - the first king in this country for 123 years since the death of his great great grandfather William III.

Queen Beatrix will be celebrating her 75th birthday on the 31st of January. In her televised broadcast she said it was not because the role was too heavy for her but she had been thinking about stepping down for some time now and with this year marking the anniversary of the monarchy's 200 years - she thought it was an appropriate time to do so. In her words, "The responsibility of the country should now lie with a new generation".

Having a monarchy in a country is an important symbol of tradition and Independence - I know how proud I feel when I see our Queen in the UK - so I can totally understand how the Dutch feel about their Royal family.

New beginnings ahead for The Netherlands.

God bless Queen Beatrix for the service she has given to this country and God bless King Willem for the times that lie ahead with his reign - may he be guided always on the right path.

Baby blanket!

Just two weeks left till the arrival of my Grandson and I wanted to make him a blanket but needed it to be a quick knit. It would probably have been quicker if I had crocheted the complete blanket but I wanted it to be warm and knitting it made it a closer finish.
I knitted squares in rib and crocheted borders around each of them - then sewed them all together - crocheted a border around the whole blanket and decorated with ribbon and silk roses.
I am quite pleased with the results and my daughter loves it. Simple but effective.

Our little visitor

We had a small visitor to our balcony a couple of nights ago. I had initially taken my camera outside to snap a photograph of the birds footprints in the snow underneath the bird table - I thought it looked really pretty. My husband came out to see what I was doing and he noticed another set of footprints that were obviously not made by the birds. My first reaction was a mouse - to which I was told if it was, then it was a mouse on steroids. Then I started to panic thinking it was an r-a-t! (I have never been able to say that word and always spell it out - goes back to my childhood in Scotland - my Gran and then subsequently my Mum thought it was bad luck to say r-a-t so was spelt out instead and it has stayed with me throughout my life Lol!)  Since moving to this flat I have convinced myself that we have an r-a-t in the roof! Each year for several months we have scratchings and movements under the roof and can be heard very clearly from the bedroom. So I was sure that the footprints belonged to the culprit in the roof! My husband thought the footprints were too small for an r-a-t - so set to and did some research. He was told it was a mouse native to The Netherlands but without seeing the animal itself could not be sure which species it is.
There is no sign of it in the surrounding area of the balcony since but I am making sure the door stays firmly shut when entering and exiting outside. How on earth it managed to get up to the third floor on the outside of the building is a mystery!!

bosmuis (wood mouse) picture courtesy of wikipedia user: Rasbak

Civil defense warning siren!

Every first Monday of each month at 12 noon, this siren is tested. It is tested to keep the population of The Netherlands aware and would be used in reality to warn of approaching danger of a national emergency.

When I first visited this country back in 2007 - it really unnerved me - it was quite alien to hear as a British person - although I know my Mum and Dad's generation heard similar sirens during the second world war! It was a little scary. Now when I hear it - it makes me feel very comforted and glad to know it is in place as a cautionary measure for us as citizens.

Apparantely there are over 4,000 of these sirens in place over The Netherlands and some have been adapted to enable voice messages to be broadcast over them depending on what kind of disaster ensues.
Our nearest amplifier is in our local shopping center.

Smoked Salmon Quiche.

On boxing day (known as the 2nd Christmas day here in the Netherlands) we usually have a cold buffet using up all the leftover turkey breast and put out bowls of potato salad and green salad - cheese and crackers - Christmas cake and a trifle. Alongside this I always make a quiche. This year I didn't but decided to make one for our dinner a couple of days ago. You can add any main ingredient you like - 2 cans of tuna drained would be good - or diced bacon - even cooked broccoli. We had bought some smoked salmon to have with our buffet and forgot all about it until I made the quiche - so it was added into the ingredients.

It will soon be New year all over the world. Here in The Netherlands they love to let off fireworks on New years eve on the stroke of midnight - then the skies are lit up with every firework imagineable and the noise is deafening. For several days leading up to it there are fireworks going off around the area - as I sit here now a neighbour is practicing for the event. There are so many fireworks bought and used at New year here that the day after, school children are encouraged to collect all the used fireworks and bag them - they can then exchange them for money.  It is a complete contrast to the UK where only the past 4 or 5 years fireworks are let off on New years eve at midnight to herald in the New Year but on a much, much smaller scale. However you celebrate it - have a wonderful time and many blessings for 2013.

Smoked Salmon Quiche

Ingredients

Pastry

250gms Flour sifted

150gms Butter diced (cold)

pinch Salt

1 medium egg slightly whisked.

(may need a little cold water)

Filling

3 medium eggs

1 small onion (finely chopped)

100 gms grated cheese

200 gms smoked salmon cut into small pieces

Milk

salt and pepper.

You will also need: 26cm flan dish. (or 2 small cake tins - 6 inch or 7 inch (15cm or 18cm) greased.

Preheat your oven to:  200degs C   400 degs F   Gas mark 6.

Will take 30 - 40 mins to cook.

Method

1. Sift your flour into a large bowl and add the salt.

2. Add the butter and rub together until like breadcrumbs.

3. Add the egg and mix together with a knife. You may or may not need to add a little water - it should come together into a ball..

4. Chill for 10 mins in the fridge wrapped in clingfilm.

5. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface to fit your flan dish or cake tins.

6. I always prebake the pastry cases so I don't end up with a soggy bottomed quiche. The way I do it is the way Delia has shown us all in the past and it always works for me without all the fuss of paper and dried beans!
Prick the pastry all over with a fork - not forgetting the sides of the flan and place in oven for 10 - 15 mins until lightly golden.

7. Bring out of oven and evenly distribute the onion - cheese and smoked salmon on the pastry bottom.

8. Whisk the 3 eggs in a measuring jug and then top up with milk to the 400ml mark. Season with pepper and a little salt. (not too much if you are using smoked salmon as it is quite salty to begin with)

9. Pour over the ingredients in the pastry case and cook for 30 - 40 mins until egg mixture has set and it is golden in colour - check when it has been cooking for 30 mins.

Serve with a jacket potato and a green salad - hot or cold. Will keep for 3 days in the fridge wrapped in clingfilm.