Jaws!!!!!!

No those are not really sharks. LOL Several mornings I would walk the dogs at the beach on the Bay at Cape May and on my last morning, there were a group of Dolphins playing in the water very close to shore. It is fun to watch them.

This was also the first time that I realized that my dogs like the water. The first few years they would run from the water if we got too close. This year, Johnny (the black one) decided to pull me down to the water and he walked in up to his belly and sat down and cooled off. Tex followed close behind once he saw it was ok. LOL

I hope next year Petra will be walking along the sandy beach with me.

Practical information

Still not sure if I should do this, but seen how much work we had to do to get this info, I think it might be good to put it here.
Coming out of a very long relationship, I am not alone. With me comes my 12 year old son.
So far everything went fine, but with travel plans comes the realization that taking a minor over the border isn't easy when his parents are divorced.
Totally understandable, the other parent needs to know where the kid is and off course needs to know if it will return.
This results in a lot of paperwork when the other parent gives permission and trusts the other parent to return with the kid. I can imagine this can and will be used, abused in a situation where one or both parents have no reason to trust the other.

Anyway, if permission is there, both parents need to be at the city hall, with the kid, to apply for a passport. At the same time it is wise to have some sort of statement in which the other parent gives permission for the child to leave the country. This paper can also be legalized at the same moment at city hall.
This isn't all, it is also a good idea to have a birth certificate or some other paper that shows you are the parent of the kid.

From what I understand it is very important to have this done in the proper way, otherwise you can get into a lot of trouble.
It is a hassle, but needs to be done to protect the child.

Planning visits

We are having a lot of fun at the moment with planning visits. Right now it looks like there will be 2 more visits this year. Christmas is set and will be great. We normally have several family get togethers around that time, Jack will enjoy that and they will get to know him better.
It is a good sign they are already asking when he is coming back.
Oh, I already know where to set up the Christmas tree...

But before that visit we hope to get together also and it looks like it is working out. Most bumps in the road for that are already gone. One of them was taken care of almost completely this morning. I found someone that wants to take care of my dogs almost the complete time and it is someone I trust completely with them.
Just have to see if my sister is willing to take care of all three for 2 days until she can take Isa and Tom.

Looks like it all is coming together now and if that is right, than we can start counting down towards October.

Home From the Shore

I am home and really happy to be back and able to communicate with Petra in our usual way.

I love the beach and always go to a place called Cape May, New jersey. I love it there and can't wait to show Petra how special it is. It was a little difficult going away again right after I came back from visiting Petra but I had this week booked since last year so it was the only time to go. Besides, my neighbors usually come down for the week also and it is always nice to get together at the beach for a few days.

We did come home one day early though so it was great to be able to call Petra and tell her I was home and back to our normal routine.

Petra and I are busy planning visits and hopefully all will work out as we intend. One part is for sure. I have my flight booked for the Christmas holiday to be back in the Netherlands. I can't wait. Spending the last several years alone at Christmas time has not been much fun for me. I think this is going to be very special this year. Being with the person that I want to be with will make this the best holiday I can remember since I was a little kid.

And no Petra, you did not scare me away. LOL I was going nuts being away from the computer so we could say hi to each other whenever we felt like it. It is amazing how much you miss it and notice it when it is not available to you.

One more day

to go before Jacks vacation has come to an end.
I am sure he will start updating really soon after he comes home, but for now, you have to deal with me for one more day.

Actually, I haven't really been in the mood to post.
There are a few things happening that don't belong on the Internet, but are stressing me out really bad.
I have been able to talk about them with Jack, which helps, but there isn't much he can do or even that I want him to do. But to have him listening, as are some other friends, that really helps.

On a happier note...went to Groningen today and I think that route will always have happy memories for me.
Hmm, waiting at the bus stop and being so occupied with each other that we almost missed the bus. LOL, the bus driver had a lot of fun over it and got to tease us a little.
Still smiling here, we had so much fun.

My fault?

It must be, must have worn him out or scared him off.
Saturday morning Jack left for a vacation at the beach, with the dogs.
So short after his visit to me. Makes you wonder, doesn't it...

Anyway, he is computerless, which means we don't have as much contact as we are used to.
Which makes me realize how much contact we do have during the day.
We start every morning with a short chat, wishing good morning and talking about our plans for the day. Usually I try to have a picture of some kind to start the day off with. The rest of the day we send short messages but if work allows, sometimes have long conversations over the Internet.
And at night we talk over the phone, these calls can turn into really long ones.
We do try to keep an eye on that these days. The time difference is 6 hours, so by the time he can call it is close to midnight here.
And I do have to get up in the morning.

But to make a long story short, I miss our contact during the day and our calls during the night.
But than, maybe it is my own fault and maybe I 'did' wear him out LOL

My turn

LOL, knew Jack loves to talk, but sometimes it is hard to get a word in between.
(just joking Jack)
But it is fun to read how he enjoyed himself while he stayed over here.
Have to put one thing in its place though, the houses in his last post are in a higher range than than a lot of people can afford.

There is something that I have to get of my chest.
Something I am not proud of, but it has to be said.
People from the US are much more polite than we Dutch are over here.
I had noticed it on the boards I visit, but even in normal day life I noticed how normal it was for Jack to say 'Thank you'.
I think over here it is something we lost a long time ago, these days we take everything for granted.
This, I can't blame on my parents, we had little to nothing at home, my Dad worked really hard, so we were grateful for everything we got.
Still, we were never taught to say 'thank you'.
Is it our pride?
I don't know, but during the time Jack stayed here I felt like a bumpkin (had to look this word up, not sure if it is right)


We have a saying over here, 'wie goed doet, goed ontmoet' and I think that is part why Jack liked it over here so much, he was friendly and polite, so people were the same.

Maybe there is a small lesson to be learned here...


and oops, almost forgot:
Jack, thank you for a wonderful time.