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March 14, 2005
Monday, Monday...
From Michelle in Rotterdam, the biggest, hugest port in Europe...
Same old, same old Monday for me...
1. Get up at 7 am so can get Teenager #1 out of bed, push him into shower and then on his way to school (bribes work really well).
2. Make beds.
3. Do laundry.
4. Go to supermarket to buy luxury items such as bread and milk.
5. Get self dressed up in real grown-up clothes and grown-up makeup (rather than spend day in pajamas and no makeup whatsoever) and swan off to swanky top-notch launch of biggest container ship in The Entire World...
It's absolutely true!
Today, Oh Patient One and I attended the naming ceremony and launch of Royal P&O Nedlloyd's new baby--the Biggest Container Ship Currently In the World--The MONDRIAAN.
It was totally gorgeous and wonderful.
Apart from real grown-up clothes and makeup, it also featured Inge de Bruijn, a two-time Dutch Olympic gold medallist and National Heroine, the Mayor of Rotterdam, the Olympic Flame, fireworks, and a bottle of champagne being smashed against the side of the MONDRIAAN in time honored fashion. And also featured the MONDRIAAN herself (ships are always girls, so it seems).
It also featured a fab brass band (courtesy of the Dutch Royal Airforce Band--absolutely fabulous), champagne also to drink rather than smash, and a slap-up super lunch at the Cruise Terminal, Rotterdam.
And a wonderful time was had by me (and everyone else).
Michelle, crashing back to earth and pajamas tomorrow, tomorrow...
PS. A social studies teacher once told Teenager #1 and her entire Sophomore class that Rotterdam was in Germany. Sorry, social studies teacher, but Rotterdam is definitely in the Netherlands. Go look at your atlas...
Posted by Michelle at 2:34 PM | Comments (3)
Comments
When do you squeeze writing in your busy schedule? What are you working on lately? How do your kids like it there?
Posted by: Sally at March 14, 2005 6:02 PM
Hi there Sally!
Well, I don't usually live such a glamorous ship-launching life! When not inadvertently climbing on the wrong trams or weebling along the cycle lanes, or being intimidated by streetmarketers, or being scowled at in supermarkets, I am usually to be found in my apartment, wearing very unglamorous sweats, attached by the hip to my computer :-)
Currently I'm working on a lot of stuff. A sequel to 32AA and Call Waiting, a couple of other new fun chick lit books, a Young Adult series, and am also toying with a fun non-fiction book. Whew. That's tired me out just thinking about it--I think I'll have to have a little lie down!
And to answer your question about my children--Teenager #1 is currently having a great time with relatives in the north of England (but missing her American buddies), and Teenanger #2 loves Rotterdam (but also missing his American buddies)!
Michelle :-)
Posted by: Michelle C at March 15, 2005 10:31 AM
Will you someday come back to live in the States? Or Uk? Will it be NJ?
Though we only met those few days in Dallas, it feels like something's missing here in the US with you over there in R.Dam.!
Posted by: Sally at March 15, 2005 3:28 PM
