Author Archives for Ellen

A day with my mum

Wednesday i went out and visited my mum and her husband Jan.

The trip up there usually takes around an hour by train. It was a bit longer this time. A sign failure. In Gouda the train stopped and went back to Rotterdam. I waited for a stop train to Utrecht, with almost all the people from the stopped train. It was really busy in the short stop train. But i had my music in my ears, watched outside at the beautiful sky, sometimes inside to all the people standing in the pathways. It was ok.

In Utrecht i walked to the train to Amersfoort, which was already standing there.

In the train i was thinking about my work. About this website. I had a couple of ideas for posts. One about the Dutch word eigenlijk. Translated to actually, genuine, really, true. Than the thought came up to write an article about my history with art. I already had the idea writing an article called Life is wonderful, but i have only the title, no content available yet. Thinking about these things brought tears to my eyes. Until we arrived in Gouda that is, when i had to get out.

The visit with my mum was great. I helped her getting a better view on her finances. Jan went sleeping. My mum and me talked about old photos. The marriage photos from my sister’s wedding in 1982. We all looked so young. Some vacation photos, photos from my cousins, the children from both my sisters. Some old photos from my mum, when she was a child. Lovely.

I stayed a couple of hours. The way back was a lot less eventful, simply straight back to Rotterdam. Just before the busy hour. The sky got darker. In Rotterdam it rained. I was happy i had a large hood on my coat to keep my hair dry. The music still in my ears.

Lots of things to think about. I have work to do!

Published on March 3, 2016 at 6:00 by

A walk to the Markthal

Not really a walk. But still. I went out to do a bit of shopping. I needed to get me some toilet paper, a bit of food. And yes, menstrual pads. I had to look up that word.

The sun was shining. Is still shining as i write this. It’s not cold. Not warm either, but i could walk with my coat open. Still had my hands in my pockets though. Chilly. Yes. I walked out of the house, past the Rotte. Crossed the Goudsesingel to the Meent. Walked the tightrope! I look at the people around me. Walking fast, slow, eating something, smoking, going into a shop, coming out of it. Just doing everyday stuff.

I go around the corner to the Binnenrotte. This is where the market is, twice a week. Part of it is fenced. They are changing the lay-out. Making it more user friendly. A bit more trees. After they have moved all the other trees, months ago. Those were in a line on the side of the square. The new trees are more randomly placed. They still need to grow a bit. It is all really new, no leaf has bloomed yet.

So i go into the Markthal. I’m hungry. I buy a bread with a croquette at Bram Ladage. I eat it standing besides the escalators going down. I watch the people going down. Nobody catches my eye. Nobody.

I go into the asian supermarket, Wah Nam Hong. I buy some tofu, Japanese ramen noodles, prawn crackers, a packet of shrimp noodles. Not my favourite ones, they were sold out. Other ones, to try out.

Not a good buy. Writing this now, later, i had made the noodle soup. I didn’t enjoy it as much as i do the other ones. They have a packet of hot oil in them. Lovely! These ones had two packets, one with a shrimp flavor, the other with a pepper powder. No.

I walk out and go down the escalator. I enter the Albert Heijn. I get me a piece of the cheese standing on the bench. Hmmm. I walk to the cookies. A whole aisle! My new word of the day! Reading the wikipedia page now. Aisle. Hmm. It seems to be used in US English mostly. Still, it feels like a suitable word for a supermarket pathway.

Anyway. A whole aisle of cookies! I do set a few lines straight. Such a mess people make of it. Some cookies are completely lost. I stand there looking all along to find a right place to save these whole meal cookies in. I can not find it. I look again. No. So i simply place it in a empty spot. I do get some cookies for myself. Whole meal cookies with raisins. Their packaging is new. I had to read what it said now.

I get my toilet paper, the menstrual pads. I walk past the frozen section. I see the icecream, the vegetables, the snacks, chips. I take nothing of that. I pay at the cash register.

I go out of the Markthal at the side. Walk on the Binnenrotte again. The birds are flying all around, walking searching for a bit of food. Doves, seagulls. A seagull is making this sound while sitting on a street light, another seagull standing besides him. I walk closer. They fly away. Two doves are walking to each other, but nothing happens. They pass with a meter between them.

I take the corner to the Meent. Cross the street. Do the tightrope again! Close to home now.

Lovely day.

Published on March 1, 2016 at 6:00 by

Congratulations!

Happy birthday sweetie

I’ll be updating this blog post during the day. Enjoy!

10:19
My breakfast. Nothing unusual, this is my normal everyday breakfast. Soft boiled egg on a rye-spelt bread with a good spread of real butter. Not self baked this time, still good.
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15:52
Went into town. I bought a brown bread with veal croquette. Homemade. Excellent. I made a walk about the town centre. Not that many smiles this time. People seemed closed, into themselves. Hmm. Went through the Markthal and bought some baklava. Yummy. On my way home i went past the wine shop and bought myself a dry Riesling. Back home now.

17:04
My two lovely cats enjoying the warmth. Until i woke them up making a picture of them of course.
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20:41
It is just a normal day. I did feel my birthday a bit this morning, when i woke up. And yes, i did enjoy my walk through town. And the baklava. It was nice. Sweet. I did feel a bit lonely this afternoon, after i got home. I did think back of years ago, when i used to celebrate my birthday with friends. Some of them congratulated me on facebook today. It is a bit odd.

I did enjoy Liorah’s message:

Een prachtig nieuw levensjaar toegewenst waarin al je dromen uitkomen

Lovely.

No, i’m not sad. On the whole i’m happy. But i didn’t sing today. Which i do love to do. I did dance though, just yet. Sweat is still on my forehead. Great!

Yesterday i was thinking about what i would write here today. I wasn’t sure. I don’t think i will write something grandiose tonight. Don’t feel like it. Might not ever. I do think i will go and watch a bit more tv in a minute.

I am having a lovely day. All by myself. It’s fine.

*kiss*

Published on February 26, 2016 at 6:00 by

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

I always loved this song, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head. But it was never clear to me where this song came from. I didn’t do any research, of course. Until today. Somehow this song is connected to Singing in the Rain, but it is completely unrelated to this film. It is used in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a 1969 film. Written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach. Yes. A famous song. Got an Oscar for Best Original Song.

It is that good.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
Raindrops are falling on my head
And just like the guy whose feet
Are too big for his bed
Nothing seems to fit
Those raindrops
Are falling on my head
They keep falling.

So I just did me some
Talking to the sun
And I said I didn’t like the way
He got things done
Sleeping on the job
Those raindrops
Are falling on my head
They keep fallin’

But there’s one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me
Won’t defeat me, it won’t be long
Till happiness
Steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes
Will soon be turning red
Crying’s not for me ’cause,
I’m never gonna stop the rain
By complaining,
Because I’m free
Nothing’s worrying me

It won’t be long
Till happiness
Steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes
Will soon be turning red
Crying’s not for me cause,
I’m never gonna stop the rain
By complaining,
Because I’m free, ’cause nothing’s worrying me

Top of the Pops

Another performance

Dionne Warwick

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Spider-Man 2

Published on February 22, 2016 at 6:00 by

Museum Boijmans

Museum Boijmans van Beuningen is the museum i have visited the most. Even before i went to art school in Rotterdam i visited exhibitions. Over the years it has transformed, of course. But in essence, it is still the same museum.

The outside space.
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The place where you can hang up your coat. That i forgot to take the key with me didn’t really matter in the end. When i left at 5pm, and tried to get my coat to come down, someone who worked there came up to me and unlocked the cord. He had seen the coat hanging unguarded.
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Ugo Rondinone
Rainbows, clowns, shoes, light bulbs, candles. I enjoyed the work of Ugo Rondinone. Especially the clows. All the eyes closed. All quite pensive. All with little black hats, colourful suits, socks. Sitting, lying by themselves. With suits made with cloth of sprites, stars, shiny blue, squares. All strangely quiet.

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The collection
After Rondinone’s exhibition i drank a coffee in the paviljon. I talked with Arianne for a while, someone i met in the museum. About all different sorts of things. After she left i read the Rondinone’s booklet. I went downstairs from there and looked at a design exhibit. I went the up and the left way after the paviljon and walked past cabinets, candle holders, doorknobs, chairs and vases from the 16th century till now. At the end i went the way up and saw Martin Assig’s drawings. Some 19th century the Hague paintings after that. When i wanted to start on a bit of modern collection, i was told it was 5pm already and the museum was closing.

I’ll be back. Not sure how soon, since i would like to see a new main exhibit when i go again. Since Rondinone is until 29 May, it might be a while.

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Published on February 19, 2016 at 6:00 by