The last day of June!

And it's my birthday today.  I feel like it was kind of stretched out over 3 days, as I got so many e-mail and facebook messages starting on Wednesday evening and going on thru early Friday morning here, as it was still Thursday in the states!
It certainly was a change from my "normal".  I realized that for the last 6 years I've had grandkids at our house during my birthday, so yes, this was one thing I missed this year!  Plenty of other things to make up the difference, just a different fun :)

I have to say again I really do love technology even tho it drives me crazy sometimes.  The ability to make phone calls using the internet is amazing.  The ability for video calls, wow! It puts being in another country on a whole different level.  What used to be a rare and very expensive phone call can now be done for free.  It was also wonderful to talk to a friend from Germany, an easy fete being in the same time zone and using the internet.  To be able to send and receive messages via FB is wonderful! A conversation at the click of the phone-or computer.  Anyway, it really was incredibly wonderful to hear from so many!

When I went downstairs I was greeted by a Happy Birthday banner that Laura & Frederik had hung the night before--

Some mail!  Wow!

 

Laura went to the back yard and picked a bouquet of flowers for me, and made me breakfast!

Our day promises to be rainy (again & still!)  But that didn't keep us from enjoying it!

 The GPS working properly this time we took off to find a 2nd hand store and a fabric store in a nearby town,  Both stores were delightful and I found some fun things.  I really am going to need the extra luggage space going home!

 There are no sacks used at the majority of the stores, most you need to bring your own bag, however a few of them wrap the purchases in paper, and this fabric store was one of them.  It sure gives a different feel to shopping! (and a charming one)

 A house along the street that caught my eye.  I love all the stained glass I see here on the houses!

Now what do you think of these bright colored buildings!  They sure stand out!


We went back to Borne and found a place to have lunch at.  Afterwards we figured this day was a perfect excuse to have an ice cream cone!

Frederik and Laura took me out for a birthday supper at this place that we saw last week.  They had never been here either.  Other than McDonalds (of course!) I really haven't seen any "American" looking eating places.  An amusing thought to me was that in the states we have a restaurant for so many different cuisines.  I wonder if other countries have the same percentage of "American" eating places, as we do "foreign" eating places.  I kind of doubt it from my experiences, but I could be wrong.

 Here's the Hitching spot......

Some things looked quite familiar (bread & peanuts!)

Others not so much!  Bottled water (small glass bottles)

 Our menu--and yes English and Dutch menus.  I did notice the Dutch one was more extensive as far as description.

 A bit hard to see in here, as it was pretty dark, and neither did I want to point my camera at other people's tables!

Anyway, it was a very good meal, quite a fun experience for my birthday!  Thank you Laura & Frederik!

 The advertisement on wheels.....








Since we were in a different town we got our touring in on the way home again!

 Here's a different style windmill than I've seen before.  This one is quite an old one too.

We managed to get to see both sides of this one!

 More Canal scenes

This bridge was quite interesting looking. Although as I've mentioned these "country roads" are quite narrow to our standards, this bridge really was one lane! I guess you just look carefully when you start across it & wait on someone coming from the other way. 


We were quite excited when we came to cross this canal bridge and found that there was a ship sitting in the lock waiting to go thru! We parked & jumped out to watch.  Great timing as it was also starting to rain a bit (again!)

Here's looking down on the lock from above, just as it was beginning to rise up to let the ship thru

 (We are standing right on the side of the road bridge)

 The Pidgons evidently get free rides up & down  ;)

 Here she comes!

 And I ran to the other side of the bridge to watch her come thru

 Picking up speed now that she's thru!

 And she's nearly around the bend.  So interesting for me to watch this!

It's been a great day, Thanks again for all of you that helped to make it special in many ways!