Thoughts:
Thanks for the warm welcome for Bella. She’s adorable, isn’t scared of anything, happy and learning fast. Last night we heard her longer than the night before but we don’t go downstairs, she has to learn that she has to sleep alone at night and that we always come back. I went to the vet with her today for a vaccination and a check up and she’s very healthy. We are also starting with the puppy training next Tuesday so that she will learn the basic commands and other things.
Tomorrow it’s Queens day in Holland. We have a monarchy, our queen is Beatrix. Her mother Princess Juliana introduced Queens Day when she became Queen. Since 1949 Queens Day is on April 30th her birthday. We all got the day off on that day. Juliana held a parade on her palace every year on Queen’s day and everywhere in the country there were festivities. When Beatrix became queen in 1980 she kept Queens Day on April 30th alive but she did it a bit different. Every year she visits 2 cities with her family. Last year Queens Day was a disaster because one man committed an assault on our royal family and killed 8 people while trying that. He died because of his injuries.
Most festivities in Holland were cancelled after the assault and it was a black day in our history.
Here’s an idea how Queens day looks like and the Youtube link of the assault (warning you see the people who are hit lying on the ground!) If the link doesn’t work type “Koninginnedag 2009” at youtube and you’ll find it.
R. and I don’t like big crowds so we never really go to any festivity on this day. Tomorrow he is having a race with his classic motorbike. I had planned to join him all day but now that we have Bella I can’t walk around with her from 7am till 7 pm so I will stay home in the morning and go over there in the afternoon with Bella.
Exercise:
I have to admit I haven’t run or worked out since last Thursday. I really didn’t want to go running, even the thought of how good I would feel afterwards didn’t make want to go. In fact I had my running clothes on Sunday morning and then changed to my normal clothes after half an hour of doubting if I should go or not. I did walk for half an hour during lunch on Monday.
Then on Tuesday night our central heating boiler broke down and we didn’t have warm water and we couldn’t shower and I hate cold showers. We have a little boiler in the kitchen so we could wash up there and I did take a cold shower of a few minutes last night. So I didn’t want to work out because I couldn’t take a warm shower. R. fixed it today so we can shower again and I promise you I will be running again on Saturday.
Fran wants to be a healthy girl! 
Your new baby is so cute! Glad she is healthy and doing well…puppy kindergarten should be fun with her.
I watched the youtube video – wow, that was shocking. There are some crazy people in this world. I hope this year’s celebration will be safe and good for everyone. Love the orange – is that your country’s color?
That is awful to hear about the killings!!! It looks like it would be a fun time 🙂 I do not like a lot of crowds either. Have a great weekend!
Quit with those pictures, she is just too cute!
That’s kind of a scary day, if you ask me!
The puppy is adorable…what joy it’s bringing to your life…this makes me happy.
If I was you I would go to the gym to train and then have a hot shower there…..its for free.
Your new doggy is adorable! I hope you get back to doing your running soon. I miss my workouts when I skip them and I feel guilty too! Take care and enjoy your new dog.
I am loving the pics of Bella. By any chance is she named after Bella in Twilight? I know how much you love Twilight.
Thanks for sharing the video. That is scary how people are nowadays.
Hope you get back to running. I know when I skip a couple days it is torture for me.
Here I am! Not neglecting you any longer 🙂
It awful to think about something like that happening anywhere but on such a lovely and symbolic celebration day? What a shame. I hope Beatrix is still visiting cities and that one crazy person hasn’t ruined an annual event for everyone.
I saw the Queen’s palace in Amsterdam when I was there. It was amazing to be standing in front of it. I love that it is such an active spot in the city! I absolutely loved Amsterdam.
That would suck to have no hot water, even if for a short time.
Have a nice day off tomorrow. That’s very sad about the killings. It’s hard to understand why certain people do things like this. 😦
Yes, I was thinking of you this morning while I was listening to our radio news with the recap of what happened last year on Koninginnedag – that was so bad. We had actually been to Appeldoorn a long time ago when our kids were small (for Apenheul which they love), it was so scary that something like that cold happen in such a normal, peaceful place… Hopefully this year is calm and uneventful.
Enjoy your day off and time with Bella – she is so cute!
Wow that was shocking!!!
Enjoy Bella!
I remember hearing about the killings on our news, hope it is peaceful this year.
Sounds like you are enjoying Bella. When I see her pictures I almost want to go and get another dog, but that would be crazy!
Cute Bella!
I am not sure if my dad is going to see the Queen or not. He is about an hour from Middelburg, so he might be.
Have a great run on Saturday.
Bella is just adorable! Have so much fun with her. Lately we seem to be on the same track exercise-wise. I had my race last Saturday and didn’t do anything until today. And even today was not my most motivated run. You’ll get back on track, I’m sure. I hope Queens Day was less eventful than last year!