Finally is Christmas!!

Christmas : Day 4

I'm sleeping and I hear some noise. Steps. I presume. Is it Meggie?? Maybe she can't sleep and she is looking for me?? I decide to wake up and go check the source of the noise. When I exit Meggie's room (well it's Roos' room) I step into Joppe who is also walking around the house. He was not expecting me and gets really scared. Babs is also awake because she has a bad cold and cannot breath...so the 3 of us decide to go downstairs and have a little party with hot chocolate and cookies! At 5am we decide that it's time to go back to sleep! I wake up around 10am, no one is around. Wouter, Babs and the kids are in the living room watching "Ratatouille" (the Dutch version!!)! But we have ro rush again...still some shopping to do! So Wouter and I are off to AH, Blokker and Hema! Then we have to get ready for our Christmas dinner! Bart is finally arrived and we are all invited at Marlous!! Babs makes a meringue chocolate dessert and as usual I eat too much!!! Our time in Holland is over...we have to drive back to Paris...tomorrow is Christmas!

Christmas : Day 3

It's already Sunday! We have to check out early from the hotel because we have to be at Evelien's around 10h30am! Not easy task to fit all the presents in the luggages! When we all succed we drive to Veghel and pay a visit to Eveline, Bjorn, Sela & Jesse! It's always so nice to see friends! Then we are off again to Marlous's! And big surprise : Wouter's grandmother is there too! Oma Louise, is one of my favorite people, probably the only one who accepteded me when I first came in the Deuss-Looten family! We spend some time translating from Dutch to Italian or English to French : is caotic but warm caotic! Marlous prepares a wonderful meal and we all sitting and eating together! Time goes fast and it's already 2pm and my parents and Giovanni have to drive back to Dusseldorf! It's sad to see them leave but I'm happy that we had such a great time...Wouter drives them to the highway...Ciao mamma & papà al prossimo anno!

Christmas : Day 2

Our second day started slowly with a late wake up and a nice breakfast at the French café just around the corner! Then a nice stroll through the cute streets of Den Bosch for some late Christmas shopping (here in Holland there are already the sales!!) then a nice late lunch at Café Hart before going to meet my inlaws in Veghel. My mother in law is famous for her magnificent Christmas set up and you should have seen her house....lights and candles, little houses, big Christmas tree! A real Christmas treat!! Just little after Barbara (Wouter's sister) and her kids Joppe and Roos joined we started the the tradition of exchanging presents! Golden papers and pinky feathers were floating around and excited titters from the children were filling the air of the room! How nice to be all together!!
This warm afternoon ended with a panekoek in Zeeland! Gnammy!! Then back to Den Bosch, in our cute hotel where we take still the time to drink a thé before going to bed....!!

Christmas diary : day 1

The family Christmas week end is already over! Seems just yesterday when I was planning the last details of this mini trip to Germany and Holland and now I'm already back to Paris, back to work for couple of days before leaving on Dec. 28th for London.

The week end was a great success, everything went by the book, everyone had a wonderful time, plus we were blessed with a clement weather and the good mood of the family.

Wouter, Meggie and I, left Paris on Thursday late afternoon and arrived in Bruxelles around 9pm, just in time to watch this amazing lights and music show on the Grand Place, followed by a light dinner before going to bed in our beautiful suite at the Royal Windsor! Next day, Friday 21th, after a delicious breakfast we were off to Dusseldorf to pick up my parents who were arriving from Turin. We got to Dusseldorf Airport half an hour late and finally met with my family. After picking up Gio's car we drove to the center of Dusseldorf and parked in the fancy Konigsallee. Lunch at Barolo's restaurant and stroll throught the beautiful Christmas markets of Dusseldorf! Around 6pm when we started to be frozen and tired we decided to drive towards Holland, where we arrived around 8pm!
Checked in at the Hotel Central in Den Bosch, we finished this intense day with a great dinner at the Brasserie on the Markt Plein, then all very exhausted but very happy we went to bed!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

Hello everyone...I just wanted to drop a quick line to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years. I'm here at work and so is Nancy. We were both stuck working on Christmas..It's not too busy considering I have a moment to write on the blog...lol..So my day will probably be very long..lol..Everyone will be coming over to my house for dinner today. In total there will probably be 31 people there celebrating Christmas. Then we're all going to Nancy and John's place for drinks and karaoke...can't wait for that. But then I'm back to work in the morning so I can't really go over board...we'll see...lol.... So everyone have a safe a fun holiday season and I'll see you all again next year....party hardy!!!! Buon Natale!!!!! Ciao!!!!!

Going to Weihnachtsmarkt in Dusseldorf!

Last Christmas....

12 days to Christmas!

How come I could not find 5 minutes to write?? How it is possible that more than a month passed by since my last post?? Maybe because I worked too much, I travelled to Rome and Barcelona "on duty" and to Turin and Lyon for leisure, I took care of the family and of the apartment and I was also sick for almost two weeks! Nevertheless I'm sorry, again, for this long absence from "amiche e sorelle"! Even Norma is posting more than me! By the way it's great that Norma keeps informing us about her life!
12 days to Christmas! Can you believe it??? And for me Christmas this year is going to be couple of days sooner! I explain : every year we have to choose if we are going to spend Christmas in Italy or Holland! Holland is a better choice if you want to enjoy a full Christmas's experience! On the other hand in Italy there is my family! Jeez so difficult to choose! So this year I came up with a new and brilliant solution! I bring my family (meaning parents + brother) to Holland for a pre Christmas! We will celebrating Christmas on Dec 22nd! Yes my mom has to be back in Italy before December 24th because she refuses to leave alone her 88 years old dad on Christmas day, which I can understand! But who cares if Christmas is on Dec 22nd or Dec 25th?
Christmas is about being with the loved ones...and the date is just an option!!

The next day!!!

Well hello everyone..it's me Norma here. Yes, it's finally the 6th of December and I have survived my birthday yesterday. It was kinda tough considering I am getting older but people just keep on telling me it's only a number. That's bull!!! Many people have wished me happy birthday which was really nice..it kinda makes you feel special on your day! But what I wanted to say was thank you to you Olga, for the messages and the text. I have received all of them and I thank you for remembering me once again over seas. It means a lot!!! Now I have to concentrate on a few more birthdays and finally start Christmas shopping which I truly hate!!! LOL...People this time of year are just miserable and I can't believe how people sometimes forget what Christmas is really all about. It's about family not how much you buy for someone. But that's just my opinion! Anyways, I gotta run...got an appointment. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I hope you all have a happy and safe one!!!
Talk to you soon!!!

Auguri Norma!!!