Our Ceiling had an IQ of 102

I haven't known very many people to have a pig for a pet...but there were a few. I have heard that these pigs are quite intelligent - some have even learned to open the refrigerator when they were a bit hungry. Pigs get hungry a lot.

I guess our ceiling got a bit hungry this morning while we were working out at the gym. Very cleverly, it learned to open the refrigerator. All it needed was a bit of water to activate those brain waves. The water was provided by a combination of a drainpipe which was frozen solid, a roof full of ice, and a steady Dutch rain.

Naomi awoke to a peaceful, trickling sound coming from the corner of the kitchen where we usually dry dishes. Needless to say, more than dishes needed to be dried. There was a nice pool of water on the floor, so it was a good thing she happened to get up early before it spread. We set up a little system to collect this leak and made our way through the rain and slush to the gym. Upon our return, we noticed a puddle of water soaking into the carpeting in front of the couch. As our eyes searched for its source, we came upon the extreme cleverness acted out by our ceiling.

In addition to opening the fridge, it had managed to gently move a wine bottle from the top of the fridge to the counter without a scratch. Impressive. The glass that ended up on the floor wasn't so lucky.

We made quick work of the major debris but put the cleanup project on hold for a bite to eat (luckily that clever ceiling left some for us) and some relaxation. After finishing this blog and a few other things, we will have to get back to work. The cabinets don't look to dry...

This week in general was an exhausting one. I pushed past my limits at school. We had report meetings, a parents night were I helped to give a workshop, and I kicked off a new project. All of this together was too much for me, and I am still feeling a rather exhausted and a little sick. Hopefully this coming week goes a bit more smoothly.

Welcome home!

That clever ceiling...

At least it was only one piece.

The wine is still good!

Snow!

Winter has finally hit the NL. Let me explain what I mean by finally. Last year the daffodils were blooming in February. When an inch of snow falls public transportation schedules cease to exist. There is a Dutch tradition of skating from town to town via a network of canals in the North - this hasn't happened in 17 years as they haven't frozen solid enough.

This week winter has come. On Tuesday, we woke up to about 2 or 3 inches of snow on the ground. This amount hasn't fallen in years. Traffic jams hit record lengths - well over 1000 kilometers of jammed traffic spanned the country. A few teachers took around 4 hours to get to school - some (like Naomi) couldn't make it at all. 'Snow days' are unheard of here though, because this sort of weather doesn't really happen. Call it a Dutch blizzard.

Getting ready for school.

Our backyard.

The back of the house.

The front of the house.

In spite of the excitement, school went pretty well this week. I wrapped up everything I needed to for the end of the quarter. Next week we have report meetings, where we discuss the performance of individual students. These meetings generally lack structure,clarity, and goals, so I am not really looking forward to them. I also get to start a new project with my first year classes about cars. They will be learning a few things about cars while making a balloon car. We will have races at the end.

Naomi had a good meeting with the school doctor on Friday. Due to her mono, she will be given a reduced schedule (almost cut in half) until the end of February. The doctor was very supportive and told her that she really needs to demand from the school a few things - in particular that she needs to know what she will be teaching at least a couple days in advance. As it is, she finds out when she arrives at school what she will be teaching. This causes undue stress. Unfortunately, she is not the only one that this has become a regular occurrence for...

Yesterday we had a nice, relaxing time running a few errands in town and discovering a new place the serves 'poffertjes'. These are a traditional Dutch treat resembling a cross between a silver dollar pancake and a muffin. They are topped with butter and a generous dusting of powdered sugar. When combined with a cup of Dutch hot chocolate, this is a perfect way to warm up on a cold day.

A few hours ago, the snow returned. It has been snowing steadily and the road in front of our house is white. Not sure how much will add up, but it could make for another interesting commute tomorrow...

Back to School, Back to School.

It sure was difficult going back - not just for us. We were supposed to get a new schedule this week, but that never materialized. We shall see if it comes out for tomorrow or not - this could wreak havoc on my planning. Grades are due this week and I am starting a couple new projects. It will be a busy, chaotic week. Once again.

Last week went ok. The first years are definitely getting busier, and the second years calmed down a little as I introduced a new system. Now they get points for their work attitude. I update a spreadsheet throughout the hour so they have instant feedback on how they are working. This seems to help so far. Next week we will have a test, and we shall see how they do. I am slowly improving the way things are going, but I don't have many options or much time to fix things. I would like to develop a nice project for the first years about cars, but I don't know that there will be time. The school also wants me to take on extra responsibilities, which I would like to do, but I am not sure where the time would come from.

On Thursday, we had a nice time at the Kunsthal (where a few masterpieces were recently stolen) with the entire Wolfert school group. We were given a nice little tour explaining some of the art - this was necessary for Naomi and I. The guide did a good job. In spite of our exhaustion, we had a nice time. This weekend is one of recovery (typical), and lots of sleep. We also bought plane tickets for the summer to Chicago...hopefully we can arrange some transportation. Naomi is having a tough time with the Mono. Hopefully she begins to get some energy back soon as the days get longer...we saw the sun yesterday!!!

Sunday Already?

I find it hard to believe that Christmas Break is already coming to a close. Not sure where the time went, but as usual, it flew by. I am left with a bit of a headache and a small measure of peace and rest. We just finished cleaning the house to make an attempt at preparing for the restart of school. We are not even close to being ready to go back. Somehow, I don't think we are the only ones...

We left Naomi's Mom's house on New Years Eve. While travelling to the train station we were surrounded by sounds reminiscent of what some battles of the Second World War must have sounded like in that area. A barrage of firecrackers littered the streets with sounds ranging from a lowly pistol shot to that of a German 88. We escaped with our lives.

Rotterdam was no quieter. At midnight we went upstairs to watch the show. Instead of just a main city display, it is a custom here for many people to buy their own fireworks to supplement these large light and sound shows. As a result, there were fireworks exploding near and far, in every direction. It was fun to watch. Somehow it contradicts the data that we find ourselves in a recession...

We had a couple days of rest and then spent some time in Amsterdam, only 40 minutes by train. We met Naomi's Dad for lunch, walked around the city for a bit, and toured the Rijks Museum where the works of Rembrant, Vermeer, and many others are on display. The building itself is incredibly impressive (although not at night - they had almost no lighting), but they have failed to integrate any of this classic, imposing style within the museum itself. I was disappointed about this, along with the chaos, unfriendliness, and overpriced bad food that exists within Amsterdam. I think we will have to get to know the city a bit more before really enjoying it - walking around is always a pleasure though.

We were able to jump start a couple hobbies that have been in the pipeline for far to long. We finally figured out the system at the library so now we can get new movies and music. We also found a place to buy nice mat board and we got a nice price, so now we can get on with the picture framing...once we figure out how to use the mat cutter. Unfortunately, I am afraid that what little energy we have cultivated during this relaxing vacation will quickly be gobbled up as we step back into school.

The Rijks Museum

The museum's detailed architecture - just a drain spout?

Inside the museum - a staircase imported from pre-war Rotterdam.

Rembrandt's 'Night Watch'.

The only part of the museum lit up at night.

The Royal Palace.

One of many churches.

Walking under water? Only in Dutch Land.

The Central Station.

A typical street in Amsterdam.