Back home

Saturday-morning 9.30 special transport to the Airport. Marne and Elaine were going away for a weekend, and on their way they dropped me at the airport.

After 9 hours and 30 minutes, I was back in the Netherlands 7.20 sundaymorning. I had a fantastic holiday with Marne and Elaine, but it's good to be back home.

Photos flight home

Photos Marne's home

Seattle day 11, Boeing and Maggy Bluffs

Today we had a very interesting day. Marne and Elaine had organised a trip to the Boeing Hangars for me, just north of Seattle. So we had tour through the hangars were they're building the different boeing airplanes, like the 777 and 767. (It was not allowed to take pictures). It was so impressive. They can deliver 7 airplanes each month, they're building the whole airplane in the hangar, and then they take it out for testing. Very interesting was to see the building of the Dreamliner 787, the newest model, they're building now 4 dreamliners, those airplanes will not be used for transport, but just for testing.

Unfortunately: The world's No. 2 planemaker this week said it would delay the first test flight of its 787 Dreamliner, the carbon-composite plane that promises to usher in an era of lighter, more fuel-efficient planes. Unlike previous delays that put the aircraft two years behind its original schedule, this one results from a structural flaw and not from supply-chain or labor problems. They have to reinforce an area within the side-of-body section of the aircraft.

PHOTOS SEATTLE DAY 11

After the tour we visited the oberservation-deck, and we were very lucky to see the Dreamlifter fly away. The Dreamlifter is the airplane that transports all the parts for the dreamliner, that are made in other countries. It has a very strange and unusual shape, it's very high and width.

Well after this trip we had a fantastic happy hour at Maggie Bloffs, we had some different plates with food, that tasted very good. This restauant is on my list for next year. The views on Seattle are so beautiful, you can see the Space Needle, and the high towers in the centre. We had unexpectly good weather so we could sit outside.

Seattle day 11, one day to go

Today (it's friday) and it's my last day in Seattle, tomorrow (saturday 27 th june, 22.00 hours dutch time, 13.00 hours Seattle time I'm flying back home).

But there still is a day to go. We had a lovely breakfast with french toast and sausauges (Elaine's favorites), picked up Priscilla (their RV), and in a few hours we' re on our way to the Boeing-tour (see how they build airplanes). It will be very interesting, but unfortunelately you can't take pictures, so here is a link with some pictures on their website. Later in the evening we will go for dinner to Maggie Bluffs (american cuisine).

Being slow

Well you missed a few days. So here are: tuesday, wednesday and thursday of our busy programm in Seattle. Just one day left, saturday morning I'm on my way home to the Netherlands.
Tuesday: Country and Carriage Quiltshop, Anthony's and Salmon Lock's
Wednesday: Ferryboat, Poulsbo, lunch at Amy
Thursday: Lunch at Alayne, and starting looking for all my stuff around the house here, hope my suitcases won't be too heavy.

Seattle Day 10, Lunch at Alayne's house

PHOTOS DAY 10

After our busy wednesday we had a rather quiet day today. We went for lunch to Alayne, she went with us last friday to La Conner (Quiltmuseum) and Burlington. We had much fun, so it was lovely to come to her again and have a lunch together. She's a very good cook, she made a very very good salad with wild rice and vegetables and baked us some very very tasty biscuits (kleine broodjes). So Marne and I were just been polite, and we only filled up our plates three times.

Seattle day 10 (wednesday) to Amy

We had to get up early, because at 8.30 we were already on our way. Today we went to the historic village Poulsbo and Marne's daughter Amy for lunch. So we had to catch the ferry to bring us to Brainbridge and the main land.


PHOTOS DAY 9


Poulsbo is a lovely little village founded in 1885, and with a lot of norwegian influences. The main street got a lot of little shops like: bookshops, antiqueshops, touristshops and of course a QUILTSHOP. They already had their X-mas collection, and very nice flannel collection. Next time flannel on my list.


One of the funny shops we visited was Marina Market, you can buy all kind of european groceries there, like: hagelslag, ontbijtkoek, drop, pindasaus etc.


From there we went to Amy and her three children Emma, Owen and Megan, she's got a beautiful house in the woods, upon the hill, at a very small road, with a big garden, and so typical "american" (inside and outside), I really loved it. She made us a lovely lunch, and we had a very nice conversation sitting at the diningtable. Well around 15.00 h time we had to go, because we had to take the ferry to bring us back to Seattle.

I enjoyed the trip at the ferry, although there was a rather rough wind, as you can see the views are fantastic. For some reason, it remembered me a little of bit of our holidays in Greece.


Well that didn't end the day, because at 18.30 Marne's dutch class started at Jacqueline, so after a quick dinner that Elaine prepared for us, it was jumping in the car. Dutch class is easy for me : ). I think I was the best student that evening ; ). At 21.30 I was in my bed, exhausted from a terrific day.

Seattle Day 8, Quiltshop, Icecreams and Salmon Locks

I'm having a fantastic time here with Marne and Elaine in Seattle. Each day flies by. There are not enough hours in a day. This morning we started with figuring out how to make a hooked rug with a tootbrush. Still in our pyama's, busy with the instruction and tearing out fabrics.


PHOTOS DAY 8

Around 10.30 we jumped in the car on our way to the Quiltshop in Des Moines. I have been there before, just after my arrival in Seattle (to be sure: one hour after I left the airplane, no time to waste). They have a beautifull collection of reproduction fabrics from the thirties and the fourties (in the bathroom, see the pictures of the first day). I was looking for a border for my antique quilt, to make it stronger.

And you know, quiltshopping makes very hungry, so we had a terrific lunch at Antony's at the harbour (close to the Quiltshop). Marne and I were making jokes about my pictures. It seems that they only shows: quilts, more quilts, fabrics, more fabrics, and lots of food (dinner, lunch, breakfast etc.).

Well after our icecream we went to one of my favorite places of Seattle, and it isn't a quiltshop. It's the Salmon Locks, or to say it proper: Salmon Fishladder at the locks (sluis), the weather was perfect, so we had a lovely walk at the park and the locks. PHOTOS SALMON LOCKS

Seattle Day 7 (monday)

This is how we managed on monday:

(PHOTOS SEATTLE DAY 7)

7.00 breakfast, talking, skype with Rob, Dieuwke and my parents, reading quiltmagazines ...
9.00 getting dressed
9.30 we' e on our way to Stone Soup with tea and dutch chocolate.

Stone Soup is Marne's Quiltgroup who's making quilts for people with cancer. Every monday they come together and finishing quilts, picking colours, iron bindings etc. etc. Patty Frederighi organise everything. It was so nice to see her and all the people that I met in september. I felt very welcome. (More information about STONE SOUP you can find on their website).

12.00 on our way to Northgate (Shopping Centre, for lunch, picking up Marne's sewing machine, and do some quiltshopping at Pacific Fabrics).
14.00 to the Half-price bookshop, found a book for Rob, and found a quiltbook with schoolhouses
15.00 dropping off some fabrics at a acquintance
15.30 home for tea
17.45 to the church
18.00 Ladies dinner at the church
19.30 back home
22.00 in my bed (welterusten)

Seattle Day 6, a quiet sunday

We had a lovely quiet sunday. After all the impressions of the first week, my mind could use some rest. In the morning I went to church with Marne and Elaine, and the afternoon we spend with talking, quilting, tidying up Marne's quiltroom and Marne baked some lemon-bars. Very good (heel lekker).

Around 15.00 h two friends (Susan and Christoph) and their daughter Leah came along. Leah is going to study in the Netherlands in september, in the south-west part called Zeeland in a very historical town called Middelburg. So we talked about the " strange" things in the Netherlands. Or things that are just different.

For example: we do a lot of handshaking. Not shaking hands is very rude. So when somebody new enters the room you stand up and shake hands. Or when you introduce yourself, you shake hands etc. etc.

We drink a lot of (free) coffee, normally you don't take your own coffee with you to a meeting. There is coffee and tea. When you're going for a mortgage, buy a car/carpets/furniture or what else, they always will offer you coffee. Even during shopping in the grocery you can get free coffee from the coffee-machine.

More things to know: Students don't have cars, they ride on bikes, sometimes with bright colours and plastic flowers on it, that's easy if you want to regconise your bike very quickly, and it's helps against stealing your bike. (Big problem in the Netherlands, so you need a good chain as well).

Oke, you don't invite people for dessert. Here you can ask people to come for dessert. When we're inviting people for coffee in the evening they will come around 20.00 h. You start with coffee, and after the coffee you take drinks (wine, beer, and you serve cheese, chips, peanuts ...... ).

In restaurants you have to ask for the bill, if you don't, you can wait a long time. Because it's very rude in the Netherlands to give you the bill without asking.

Here in the USA they present the bill almost after your last bite.

We don't use often our creditcards, a lot of people don't have one, it's not like here that you can pay everywhere with your creditcard. We use bankcards or cash.

We know baseball, we don't like it, if you want to be real dutch, you have to be a soccer-fan (voetbal).

Practising dutch is very hard, because most dutch speak english, and they like to speak english with you (so why try to learn dutch?).

Well I like living in the Netherlands, so if you're coming to my country, buy a pair of wooden shoes (klompen) and eat lots of cheese (kaas), and you will feel very dutch.

10 things you probably don't know about the dutch

Seattle Day 5, Quiltshow

Another busy and interesting day:

- breakfast with wafels

- gaz for Priscilla (Marne's and Elaine's camper)

- bike-parade (nude)

- Quiltshow

- Conimex dinner

PHOTOS QUILTSHOW

PHOTOS DAY 5

This day started with wafels, sirop and bacon. Hmmmm!!! Afterwards we went for gaz for Priscilla and we got mixed up in the starting-point of the bike-parade. It seems to me that biking nude must be very uncomfortable.

We picked up Ronda for the Blockparty Quilters Quiltshow in Issequah. I loved the quilts in the show, there were a lot of traditional quilts, my favorites. I'm not very fond of art-quilts. And can you believe it, I bought a quilt from the 1930's-1940's years, it need some repairing, so it will take some time. I started with removing the backing because that fabric is from the seventies. I'm going to look for a nice reproduction fabric and dye it with tea for the backing and the binding.

Seattle Day 4, Burlington, La Conner, Salmon House

I'm having a really wonderful time here in the USA. All the "old" and "new" people I meet here is so wonderful. Well today we (Marne, Marne's friend Alyane, she's a professional quilter and I) went to the Outletfabric in Burlington and the Quiltmuseum in La Conner (see pictures and post down below). We had a lot of fun/laughs during our trip today. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed everything!!!!

And oh dutch girls, this is to make you jealous, sorry. In the outletfabric they had this time a special offer, you could buy double-width fabric in pounds. You pay 4 dollar for a pound. So I bought 1,5 kg (about 3.1 pounds) for the back of my rose-quilt, that's about 3 yards (3 metres), can you believe it. PHOTOS SEATTLE DAY 4

Well you know how exhausting quiltshopping is. Doesn't that sound decadent. So in the evening I invited Marne and Elaine for dinner at the Ivar's Salmon house. I was there as well in september last year and it's a very nice place to be. http://ivars.net/index.php?page=locations_salmonhouse We had to wait half an hour before we had a place, but then we got a beautiful windowseat. In the USA you can't make reservations at a restaurant. You just go and see if there is some empty space, and if not you wait. Well we amused ourself with a sample of wine (Californian and Riesling) and with the cook!!! Isn't the style of this restaurant wonderful, it's typical NorthWestPacific Indian.

Seattle Day 4 Quiltmuseum (Friday)

This museum is just FANTASTIC.

We had an early drive to pick up Marne's friend Alayne (also a quilter) to go to the Quiltmuseum in La Conner (north of Seattle). The museum is a lovely house in victorian style. So we spend some time there!!!! http://www.laconnerquilts.com/ Take a look at my pictures and you will be suprised.

PHOTOS QUILTMUSEUM

About the museum

The Gaches Mansion was constructed in 1891 by George and Louisa Gaches for their residence. George and his brother James purchased the mercantile store from John and Louisa Conner and began shipments of hay and grains from the Swinomish flats.

The first floor of the Quilt & Textile Museum retains the décor of the Victorian era, with quilts from that time period on display. On the second floor you will find our main exhibition space and the Sales Gallery. The third floor provides additional exhibition space and a quilt frame for local quilters.

Seattle Day 3, Quilting and Strawberries

Today we had only two activities in our busy schedule. Quilting and strawberries. I have started a mini-white chocolate quilt with some leftovers from Marne. The afternoon we spend with reading magazines in the garden and making jam in the kitchen. The weather was lovely. One of things I'm really was looking forward was Quiltbee with the Stashbusters. I met them last year in september, and now again, it was so nice to see everybody again. I felt very welcome. PHOTOS DAY 3.

Seattle Day 3, Strawberrie Recipe Dessert

This is lovely recipe for dessert (and very quick and simple). Everyone can do it!!!
1. Take a lot of strawberries.
2. Take sour cream
3. Take some brown sugar
Follow the pictures for instruction:

Seattle Day 3 (Thursday, making jam)

The way they (american) make jam (PHOTOS) is totally different then we do it in the Netherlands. For example you can make jam without cooking. It's easy: smash some strawberries (500 ml), put 1 liter sugar to it, and then finish it with pectine. Let it stay for 10 minutes and then put it the tins. Ready. You have to keep it in the freezer, but it taste very good and very fresh. I will take some pectine home, because I'm not sure we have this in the Netherlands.

Seattle Day 2 (Wednesday)

PHOTO-ALBUM

What did we do today? Well what about quiltshopping!!! Yesterday we visited the Country quiltshop in Desmoines, very charming and cosy. Today we went to Jo-Ann in Lynwood, it's totally the opposite from yesterday. It's a very big shoppingcentre, everything you need on crafts you can find here, we spend almost two hours looking around, picking gifts, choosing fabrics. Marne had some coupons so I had very good sale on my muslins and batiks. Here you really need a shopping-chart (winkelwagentje) to go through the shop.

Afterwards we went to the Good-Will Shop (second-hand), sometimes you're lucky and you can find second-hand fabrics. And yes we were lucky!!!! I bought two yards of a blue reproduction fabric for only 1.80 dollar, a book for 0,49, and then we also get 20% percent discount because it was senior-day.

Well as you can see shopping
is very exhausting ; ). So Marne had try out her new dutch quilt.

In the evening I followed a dutch class together with Marne. Marne is learning dutch, so it was fun, and it was very nice to meet her teacher Jacqueline again (she's from the Netherlands, and already living for 50 years in Seattle). She's addicted to gryotten (kind of candy), so I took a little bag with me from the Netherlands. The weather was good, so we sat outside between the roses.