I always feel a bit...I don't know...a bit...shameless when I unexpectedly receive visitors while I'm still in my undergarments. Heck, why should you get fully dressed on your day off and you spend most of the day just potting (a new word I learned today!)? Anyways: Sharon and Raquel, friends of my neighbour Angélique didn't stay very long as they were off to the Albert Cuypmarket and prepare themselves for Queensday.
Queensday is the yearly returning party to celebrate the Queen Mom's birthday. That day the whole of the country turns into one giant fleemarket and fairground. At night the party continues for the grown ups until the next morning. Except in Amsterdam where since a couple of years drinking in the streets on Queensday has not been made eaysier thanks to all kinds of new rules. It's even forbidden to start partying the night before, which had been the tradition for many years. Just imagine walking around the streets around three at night while you get yourself a Vietnamese eggroll and see people unrolling the carpets they will later display their attic-junk on? Listening to beginning bands and occassionally push away some drunk idiot who tries to impress your date by showing her his private parts...?

Aw well, things change but hopefully the wheather will not. Well, not until the day after tomorrow then. As I'm writing this is a very nice spring afternoon. Funny though: one day you walk around in your t-shirt and the next in your wintercoat. That's the Netherlands for you!

Hollywood filmmakers gladly accomodate the US military in order to obtain their help
in making their movies. Read the full story here:

And here's a happy story about obesity.
Apparently "only" a mere 100,000 Americans die from overweight every year. Earlier estimates spoke of over 400,000. Now that's a relief, isn't it?
My current overweigt is about 3 kilograms (or less than half a stone for those who prefer to deal inEnglish measurements). What's yours?

Should I ever visit the USA in the future again, I think I will skip visiting Florida. Suppose a citizen considers me to be lifethreatening? He or she can than shoot me on the spot thanks to a new law implemented by the NRA...er...Governor Jeb Bush.