Spring is coming!

Today I woke up to something rare in Holland... SUNSHINE!!! The bright rays were streaming in through the little crack at the top of the window where the shade doesn't reach as I opened my eyes this morning. I got out of bed and peeked behind the shade to see if indeed the sky was blue or if it was just one of those momentary teasers where the sun peeks out behind a cloud and tricks you. Sure enough, the sky was blue. So I started today with a smile.

While the sunshine was gorgeous and much needed, it didn't do much for the temperature. Although it's still just above freezing, between the sunshine and the three bouquets of tulips in my living room, it is really starting to feel a bit like spring. This past weekend I got my first tulips of the season at a roadside stand (12 gorgeous red tulips for 1 euro-can't beat that!), and then last night Ralph's mother brought us 2 dozen tulips that she had gotten from a bulb farmer friend. Flowers are the one thing that is always cheap in Holland, and I am really learning to appreciate it!

The weather this week is already a big change from the last. It was still snowing on Valentine's Day when we went for a walk on the beach. Now this week when I walk through the neighborhood, I see little green shoots pushing up through the earth in people's yards and flowerboxes.

As for me, I'm still job hunting, hoping for something in a hospital setting. I'm scheduled to begin my Dutch nursing boards in June, so lately my time is spent studying Dutch, with breaks to find new recipes for my new hobby/obsession: cooking! It's true, this from the chick who used to hate cooking so much she'd whine, burn things, and refuse to touch raw chicken. While I'm really enjoying the learning process, the downside is that the more I learn, the more critical I am of what I eat. Before I didn't care, and now I want things a certain way. Good thing my honey is a fantastic cook ;)

I am ever thankful for living in the electronic age of interconnectedness! Keep in touch!