It’s the only thing you need to do…
I am on my third customer service job this year, and my second new one. Oh yeah, and I am 64 years old. Last week I started at Vattenfall, me and eight other newbies. I am a lot older than everyone else, but with this group, it doesn’t matter. And the two coaches? Both are fantastic. I truly hope I have found my last day-job, but you know what, it doesn’t matter. Because if you look after yourself, things fall into place, regardless. Special times call for special self-care though, and starting a new job is one of them!
Denmark delights
On 21 September we had a holiday in Denmark, and took part in a tour going to Vejle, Odense, Copenhagen, Møns and Roskilde to name a few places. The weather was beautiful, and I don’t know what it is about Scandinavia but we always feel so relaxed there. We almost become different people. It’s weird.
Friesland frenzy
October was off to a great start with Steph and Tony visiting from Wellington, New Zealand. From 2008 to 2014, I worked with Stephanie at Communications at the New Zealand Department of Corrections. I always love it when friends and relatives decide to venture out of Amsterdam when they come to the Netherlands.
We live in Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland, it has so much history and culture. And lots of cool bars and cafes. On Thursday Steph and Tony came round to dinner. Unlike in New Zealand, we can’t put up guests for the night but we can provide delicious typical Dutch meals. I made zuurvlees, a regional dish from Limburg, on Thursday. It’s my go to recipe as you can’t go wrong and as long as you have the time to prepare.
On Friday I guided my friends along the streets of Leeuwarden where we visited the Fries Museum that also has a great ehibition on how Friesland came to being. Friesland’s history, culture, and landscape are deeply shaped by its constant interaction with the sea, marshlands, and internal waters. We went on the water ourselves, first on a ‘praam’ tour. A praam is a shallow, open flat boat and Leeuwarden is very lucky to have a voluntary organisation that looks after the boats and does tours.
Wim made us a beautiful Dutch dinner we call an avg-tje. A stands for aardappelen, potatoes. V stands for vlees, meat. And G stands for Groente, veggies. We don’t eat this meal every day, because we try to eat vegetarian and fish as well, and we love rice and pasta as well. But we wanted to give Steph and Tony a traditional meal, and I must say the chicory with ham and cheese from the oven, the chicken schnitzel from our butcher, and the beautiful Friesland potatoes, served with chicken gravy, was delicious.
Vlieland Ventures
On Saturday, we hopped on an early train to Harlingen and from there to Vlieland, one of the Wadden Islands, that are on the Unesco Heritage List.
We ended the day in Kota Radja in Leeuwarden where we had a great Chinese farewell meal. The next day our friends left for Amsterdam and on the day after, I started my new day job. The theory training took four days. Vattenfall supplies electricity and gas to 2 million customers in the Netherlands and they are big in the sustainability market. I like that!
Next week I start my training on the floor. And I am allowing myself to prioritise my day-job, so that means, taking care of myself with early nights, a few swims — at least one, I went this morning — and two gym sessions. That doesn’t leave time for writing and you know what, that is perfectly fine.
What am I writing? Not much, I am brewing over Paul Chase’s suggestions for The Luxembourg Saga but not very actively. I will leave that for my November writing challenge with Andrew’s group.
What am I reading? Reading = Self-Care, so I am reading a lot. The new Nicky Pellegrino (A Siena Love Story). I am halfway through and do love the story, especially the part horses play in it.
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