friday's feast

Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?

Do you mean alcohol? Otherwise water is OK.

I don't have a favorite one, I have some favorites, and each one is a reflection of my mood.

I love Port, or Porto, as some call it.
I don't like wines, and because there's something in it what I'm not allowed to use because of a metabolic disease I never drink it. It's not in Port.
Port is for the lazy, laid back mood. For the long quiet discussion, for the time with a good friend, without clock, the slow drifting into the night.

I like Beerenburger.
It's a spirit made in the North of The Netherlands from local herbs.
It's dynamic, strong, fresh, and one way or another I can drink as much as I want and never get ill nor drunk.
It for being with friends and have fun and loud discussions. It makes me laugh and aware.

And I like whisky. Not the cheap one, the water with a taste. But the good golden glow where the scottish hills step in and one feels one can withstand the heaviest storms.
Well, I guess it's a bagpipers thing to drink it on every occassion.
But to be honest: when the taste is water with alcohol the plants die where I have been. LOL!
I like the old versions, that one can roll in the glass like cognacm and that makes one wants to smell it all the time.

Funny is I hardly raise a glass, I almost never drink.
Once in 3 months is much nowadays.
But maybe that makes me appreciate a quiet glass even more.

Oh and eh... when I drink, I use a good piece of Old Amsterdam with it.
That's a strong old cheese.
Well, I'm Dutch and we're cheese eaters.

Soup
Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

Didn't I mention this last week too?

Right now:

coffee
lipcare
and a little bear I have to babysit for a little child here in the neighbourhood.


Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

9.
I'm very honest and straightforward, but I tell a white lie now and then to keep pthers happy.

Main Course
If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?

I need a couple of years to think about this question.
I don't want to hurt people by changing the name of their town.

But maybe, maybe I want to change the name of a little city.. well, it's a street and a few houses, somewhere in the USA and it's called: The Netherlands.

Some people in a group thought that I was living there instead of in the marvellous country called: The Netherlands.

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?

What stresses me out:
Onprofessionalism in people who claim to be high standing professionals.
People who lie and cheat to get what they want.
People who don't stick to the law (like that careteam at school).

What calms me down:
The sea,
Making or listening music,
Getting on top of a situation.

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Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?

I don't have a favorite one, I have some favorites, and each one is a reflection of my mood.

I love Port, or Porto, as some call it.
I don't like wines, and because there's something in it what I'm not allowed to use because of a metabolic disease I never drink it. It's not in Port.
Port is for the lazy, laid back mood. For the long quiet discussion, for the time with a good friend, without clock, the slow drifting into the night.

I like Beerenburger.
It's a spirit made in the North of The Netherlands from local herbs.
It's dynamic, strong, fresh, and one way or another I can drink as much as I want and never get ill nor drunk.
It for being with friends and have fun and loud discussions. It makes me laugh and aware.

And I like whisky. Not the cheap one, the water with a taste. But the good golden glow where the scottish hills step in and one feels one can withstand the heaviest storms.
Well, I guess it's a bagpipers thing to drink it on every occassion.
But to be honest: when the taste is water with alcohol the plants die where I have been. LOL!
I like the old versions, that one can roll in the glass like cognacm and that makes one wants to smell it all the time.

Funny is I hardly raise a glass, I almost never drink.
Once in 3 months is much nowadays.
But maybe that makes me appreciate a quiet glass even more.

Oh and eh... when I drink, I use a good piece of Old Amsterdam with it.
That's a strong old cheese.
Well, I'm Dutch and we're cheese eaters.

Soup
Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

Didn't I mention this last week too?

Right now:

coffee
lipcare
and a little bear I have to babysit for a little child here in the neighbourhood.


Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

9.
I'm very honest and straightforward, but I tell a white lie now and then to keep pthers happy.

Main Course
If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?

I need a couple of years to think about this question.
I don't want to hurt people by changing the name of their town.

But maybe, maybe I want to change the name of a little city.. well, it's a street and a few houses, somewhere in the USA and it's called: The Netherlands.

Some people in a group thought that I was living there instead of in the marvellous country called: The Netherlands.

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?

What stresses me out:
Onprofessionalism in people who claim to be high standing professionals.
People who lie and cheat to get what they want.
People who don't stick to the law (like that careteam at school).

What calms me down:
The sea,
Making or listening music,
Getting on top of a situation.

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sponsored blogging

Well, I guess the page rank of this blog has died under my hands.

I thought things like this happened to surgeons, but not to bloggers.

Yesterday it was rank 3, today it's 0.

Well, after the value of my saved dollars was cut in half during the recession, putting the smallpipes I was going to buy out of reach again.

I just needed 50 dollars more.

Slowly I was saving towards the needed amount again...towards realising a very old dream.

And now the rank of my blog has dropped to zero, so I can wave sponsored blogging bye bye.

I found out in a rather rotten way:

Put all my effort in blogging for a task I was choosen for.
But it was rejected, because over night google didn't like me anymore.

It's clear that we bloggers are used, and thrown away when there isn't a number attached to us anymore.

While I was at the psychiatrist hearing that my fourth boy has autism spectrum disorder too, the last bit of fun, an instrument to realise a hobby, and maybe a way to start earning some money by bagpiping at weddings and funerals, this last bit of fun for me is blown out of the window.

It makes me feel sick.

The way I was told was not "Sorry...I've found out that your blog...". Oh no!!
It was robotlike unkind.
Like I accepted a task I shouldn't have, like I knowingly accepted to write something...

Well, I wrote some nice pieces of blogadvertisement.
Was one of the many that enable those mediating firms to excist, that enable people to have a well paid job, was one of the many that provide links for advertisers, and I always gave more links than they needed.
All for a few dollars.......

Well, let's say I'm happy I didn't have the time to convert sponsored blogging into a joblike enterprise, otherwise I would have lost an income.

Now I've just lost a dream.

Read more...

NationalRelocation.com

Friends in the USA are in real trouble, financially.

Last week they decided to move to a cheaper part of the country and buy a far cheaper house.

They have been lucky.
Jim is a very good, almost professional, DIYer and he has done so much to his house that even in this terrible time for selling houses he has gained some money by selling the house.

We're now going through all the insurances to see how and how much he can save on them.

Because I have very good experiences with NationalRelocation.com I have adviced him to read the information on the site and ask for quotes.
It doesn't cost anything else than a few minutes and he can save a lot of money.

NationalRelocation.com offers all sorts of information on real estate relocation and insurances.
You can find houses, apartments, condos for rent or lease.
You can even find schools on a map, so you can find the nearest schools without a problem.

Beside taking a responsible decision about the new mortgage, my friend should at least cover three areas which enable him to rearrange his families financial life:

• life insurance


• car insurance


• home insurance

It's important to make a list of what a family really needs and what is additional luxury.
You can compare that list to what insurances offers.
Read all the little letters, so when you sign something you are fully informed and you have made the best choice you have made.

We discoeverd that one of my friends insurances was made under pressure. He was told he could get the offer only when he signed that same day.
Never ever accept that you are forced in such a way.
A good insurance gives you plenty of time to inform yourself.

When you're not sure, ask advice and compare.

NationalRelocation.com offers you the information to do so.

You want to save money without putting your financial security at risk.

Read more...

guestparents

Now so many mothers are working a simple babysitter is not enough to are for the children.

Apart from daycare and schools there are grandparents, friends, and family members who take care of little children against a fee from the government.

There's nothing wrong in paying these people for what they do, but when they receive payment from the government there should be quality requirements.

These requirements are listed now, and a controlsystem has been developed.

This should give the parents the quarantee the children are kept in a safe, clean and sound environment.


The Netherlands

Read more...

autism research

Joseph Piven, M.D., Director of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and an ACNP member, and researcher has found indications that a larger brain is connected with development of autism.
How it works precisely is unknown, but the correlation will be investigated.
The study is part of the new Autism Centers of Excellence funded by the National Institutes of Health.

More than 500 infant siblings of autistic individuals will be examined with magnetic resonance imaging at the University of North Carolina, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Washington University of St. Louis and the University of Washington in Seattle.
Siblings of autistic children will be examined at 6, 12 and 24 months. Some of them are expected to develop autistic behavior during the course of the study.

Knowing the cause of autism might shed light on the treatment.

Read more...

flu

We can't seen to get rid of the flu.

It's like it's turning circles in the house.

I think the girls bring it back into the house when it's gone.
They're the first who cough and snif.

Apart from giving them as healthy food as possible I air the house very regularly and keep it clean well.

What more can I do?

Put everyone in isolation?

Read more...

unconscious mutterings

1. Dream big :: about an elephant or money


2. Competition :: don't like it


3. Torn :: between two lovers


4. Modeling :: clay


5. Coaster :: try sailing between windturbines


6. Slut :: certainly not me


7. Spread :: sandwhich spread


8. Amanda :: a quite little girl living nearby


9. Romance :: love


10. Paradise :: I want to go there

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Gaines Manufacturing mailboxes

One of the troubles all houses here in the neighbourhood have: bad doorbells.
So I decided to go and have a look around.
I love waterglass victorian doorbells.

Wouldn't it be great to have a reliable doorbell on all houses?

And then I realised I've always wanted one of the real Gaines Mailboxes.

Gaines Manufacturing stands for nostalgia and renewal alike.
The Gaines Classic Mailbox is internationally known for it's solidity and it's marvellous look as are the Keystone Mailboxes.

There's a fair amount of colourchoice and one can even choose the materials of the ornaments.
Or choose for a Signature Keystone Mailbox.

The customer service is outstanding. Each package contains a drill bit, for example, so one can put the mailbox to use as soon as possible.

Our gardens are not large enough to keep the postman out, so we don't need an Original Keystone Mailbox, but we can do with one hanging on the wall.

Maybe we have to wait untill the new neighbour has settles in and then discuss the look of the part between the houses.

I know Gaines Manufacturing has so much choice that most of the people need time to decide.
Did you know there's even a Gaines Pedestal Mailbox?

Well, Gaines Manufacturing is always willing to give advice and enable a choice thsa will please you for many many years.

Read more...

hair color

The girls had a lot of fun at school.

They're at an age that they giggle about everything.

Today one of the main events was that one of the more boring teachers had her hair painted red.
Not a bit red...but ... RED!!!

I can only imagine how the teachers must have felt under the critical looks of the girls.

I remember painting my hair and it turned out carrot-orange.
Washing my hair made it look even worse, and as the shops were closed and I really had to go to work, I had to face countless people on the streets and in the train looking back and telling each other to look.

Oh my dear!!

At the hospital where I worked I asked permission to go to the hospital hairdresser.
We were never allowed to go there, but this time I was.

I was so relieved when I could face my collegues with brown hair. A bit too brown.. but none cared.

Read more...

I just read about a near collision at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta.

Just 3 seconds were between the two airplanes.

3 seconds between life and death!!!


You can read it here

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early diagnosis autism

A research group here at the university work hard to create a test to diagnose autism and autism spectrum disorder as early as possible.

Accounts of parents has made scientists aware that there is no need to wait untill a child is older than a certain age in order to get a proper diagnosis.

When my son was about 12 they aid that was the perfect age to diagnose.
During the next yeras the age lowered and now toddlers and even babies can be diagnosed.

In the USA pediatricians want a double screening at age 2.

But even before that age there are very clear signs:

Not wanting to look the parbnt in the eyes
no babbling
not reaching for toys
not listening to the name
not smiling at 4 months when the baby hears the voice of mom or dad

or loosing already gaines skills, like talking.

Ofcourse children can display strange behaviour at any time during development.
So one always needs to be careful to ascribe individual symptoms to autism.

My autistic boy got no official diagnosis when he was little.
When I said I had the feeling he was creating a distance between us people told me that maybe he didn't like the smell of my clothes, so I should get other detergent and laundry softener.

But I was lucky to have studied autism long before it got into the dictionary of the regular home physician and Pedriatric doc.

From early on I taught my son to look at me, and to look me in the eyes.
Just like parents of deaf children focus the attention on the mouth to enable a child to learn lipreading, I pointed to my eyes and his, to make the connection clear.

When he uttered noises to get something to drink, I told him the word, and gave nothing.
It was hard to do, but I felt it was the only way to get him out of his coccoon.

It made clear to me that with thourough training, conditioning if you like, an autistic child can learn socially acceptable behaviour.

But I've never been able to stop him completely from having meltdowns.
I can prevent most of them, or stop them right at the beginning.

My experience makes clear that autistic children can be trained to display certain behaviour.
The younger a child is, the less it will resist this training.

So the call to have children screened at a very early age is mine too.

Read more...

CSkills provides all information for career planning in the construction industry

Had a long talk with a fellow bagpiper who works in construction.
Last year he married and now a little one is on his way. (Yes, it's a boy!)

He never cared for anything like career development, because he had a job he liked and didn't want to do anything else, but now he feels more responsibility towards his family.

It's nice to see that he's moved from accepting the diplomas he's got to wanting to develop his skills and achieve relevant industry certification.

I told him about CSkills, a partner in ConstructionSkills - the
Sector Skills Council for Construction.
It's a site that provides a tremendous lot of information on career progression for people who work in or around the construction industry.

We've made a plan.
He'll apply for membership of Membership of a professional organisation at the appropriate level.
He'll make a file containing descriptions of the jobs he's had and statements of his former employers that he had been able to meet the required standards of competence.
He'll also make a curriculum vitae, so when he wants to apply for a job there's no need to stress about making one.

Being propared also involves staying up to date with the developments within the profession.
He wasn't aware of the the latest health and safety legislation. He relied on the information his employers give him, but it's better to be prepared well and to inform yourself.

On the site he did the health and safety test, and he read all the information available.

We agreed to meet each other tomorrow and discuss his plans for the near future and see which skills and knowledge he needs. The site provides information about courses, so I hope we'll be able to make the decision which course he's going to take first.

The sooner he starts the more he has done when the baby is born.
That way he ensures he'll be better certified in 2010.

I told him about the grants that are available for employers, which might be of benefit for him and his collegues. He didn't know anything about them, but now knows where to find important information.
When you want to manage your own training it's always important that your employer backs you, and when more money is involved that'll help.

The site provides even more information.

I'm so glad it's of help for him and his collegues and employer.

Read more...

and she was amazing...she is!!

We've had a talk a school about one of the girls.

She's had a difficult time with a bad teachers three years ago, and we've always thought she's intelligent, but not too good at doing schoolwork.

Well, I'm not thinking that anymore.

Looking back she has taken a year of relaxation after that bad year, started to work last year, and now she's at full speed.

Last year the teachers asked us to enable her to do the year again.
She didn't want to.
I told her that meant very hard work to keep up with the others... eh... to get at the same level as the others.

A few months ago she wasn't at the level of maths and a few other subjects as other children her age.

And now she's OK.

Next year she can apply for a place at the school she wants to go to, and not at the lowest level.

This girl is petite, but when she wants something she goes for it.

I told her: "amaze the world."
She did!

Read more...

Friends

It's such a pity I had an appointment this morning.

A few friends living near New York decided to go shopping and it would have been great to accompany them.

Ofcourse they all took the time to inform me about what they've bought and especially what they've talked about.

I can make a book from all the mails about new friends, silly events and everything else. LOL!

Well, it's almost weekend.

There's a lot that needs to be done, including tidying and cleaning.
I need to make place for a new desk.
The neighbour doesn't take it with her when she moves, and as it's the desk I always wanted...

But I really need to make space....

If I only knew how.

Read more...

Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery can help you change your body.

Now the holidays are over people are confronted with the extra curves and other outer signs of unwanted bodychange.

There are several options to deal with it.
Diet and exercise are the less invasive methods, but they don't always give the wished results.
There might be loss of weight, but often the problem-areas won't disappear.

Liposuction is the fastest way to deal with these areas.
It's one of the most used surgical procedures and the techniques are under constant development.
This calls for specialisation and that's why Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery decided to develop it's own specialised centre: LipoPlus.
It's also known as Beverly Hills liposuction, because each individual person gets a star treatment.
After careful examination the plastic surgeon will recommend a type of liposuction procedure and a recovery program fit to your individual needs.
You won't have much pain, because painkilling is an integral part of the treatment.

Some women want more extensive make-over and consider more plastic surgery.

Loosing weight often shows at the breasts in an unpleasant way.
Breast implants enable women to keep their feel of femininity so they opt for breast augmentation.
It's important to have no unrealistic expectations.
At the clinic women are clearly informed about possible risks or complications, what results to expect, and how the procedure is performed.

Dr. Lloyd Krieger, Medical director of Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery, has lots of experience and he's always willing to give good advice.

But whatever you consider, a healthy diet combined with exercise is an absolute must to feel energetic.

Read more...

friday's feast

january 11 2008

Appetizer
What is your middle name? Would you change any of your names if you could? If so, what would you like to be called?

I have no middle name.

Soup
If you were a fashion designer, which fabrics, colors, and styles would you probably use the most?

Give me a chance and I'll show you. I've always wanted to be a fashion designer.
I would use colourfull clothes for the day.
Absorbing and breathing material, so you won't have those sweaty patches or the feel you're stuck in a plastic bag.
Lots of pockets, either loose or hidden.
Something you'll feel elegant in, but won't break you're neck because it doesn't stretch when you slip off the sidewalk.

Evening: more of one tone, or larger colour areas.

I can't tell my style, because noone has invented a name for it, yet.

Salad
What is your least favorite chore, and why?

Cleaning after people.
Come on... with 8 people in the house... It seems to be all I do.

Main Course
What is something that really frightens you, and can you trace it back to an event in your life?

Hmmm.. have to think about that.
I've an inborn fear for large spiders and snakes.

I don't like a sudden cold shower, because it literally takes my breath.

Dessert
Where are you sitting right now? Name 3 things you can see at this moment.

At my own place at the desk.
I can see a waterglass, my glasses and a little santa that's glued on the computer this christmas.

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Couscous recipe

Slice an union into little squares and melt them in a pan with a little bit of butter.

Boil water in another pan, add some salt, a tiny piece of butter or two drops of oil and a bit of broth.
Add couscouss.

Add minced meat to the glacy unions and bake it, while "chopping it into little pieces.
Add salt, white pepper and nutmeg.

Take boiled carrots, green beans and fresh tomatoes.
Put them in a blender shortly, so they will be little pieces, no sause.
When the meat is ready, add this mixture and make warm.

Take a cucumber and slice it in the length, and again, so you get lang thin pieces.

When the couscous is ready lay it on a plate like a half ball.
Make a hole in the middle and pour the meat mixture in.
Around you can lay the cucumberpieces.
Serve with salat if you like.

Eat well.

Read more...

RBS six nations - only the best for rugby fans

Have you seen the RBS 6 Nations Official Website?

It's the official website for Europe's premier international rugby tournament: the 6 nations championship.
6 nations compete for the title: England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy.

The site is full of the latest news (and archived news, so you can always find what you want to know), there are comprehensive lists of tournament fixtures and results and the pages of the countries and ofcourse there's news about other tournaments, and the all time stats.

I for myself love the photogallery and the fanzone, where I can find wallpapers, venue guides, games, podcasts, mobile, team RBS, competitions and ofcourse the newsletter.

While browing through the site I found a photo with some of my scottish friends. I'm sure they haven't seen it yet, so it'll be fun to hear their reactions.
All the photos are very sharp, so it's creating a feel to be present at the scene.

I've just seen the video of the latest rugby game and completely lost track of time. (When you can't reach the url, this one works: http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/home.php)

I appreciate the fact that the site ios translated in french and italian, so all fans can enjoy this marvellous sites.

To me it's the best of its kind.

Read more...

cat

There's a new cat in the neighbourhood.

I saw it's head under the gardengate a few days ago, but before I could look twice it was gone.
Some of the birds screamed and yelled, but the cat must have been very quiet as thing got silent soon.

This morning the blackbird signalled unknown entrance in our garden.
So I had a look.

And there it was. A brown furry animal, looking curiously.

He's not as stubborn as the red cat, because I took one step outside the door and it jumped and then ran off.

I wonder who's cat it is.

Read more...

ADHD

Two of my children have a different type of attention disorder.
I like it to be informed well and I always value good oversights and explanations.

I've found a site that give a good overview here.

In the sideline the discussion is mentioned between professionals that state that attention disorders are just the natural differences between people and the professionals that ADHD is a biological/neurological disorder.

My oldest has got ADD.

It's often said it's ADHD without the hyperactivity.

Forget it!

It's a complete different disorder.

He can focus when he's able to control the input to his brain. So he can play a computergame, read a book, and watch a movie.
But oh my dear when you distract him.
It means you'll pull him out if his selfmade prison and expose him to far too many influences.

He can stay kind and listening, but when you ask him what you have said he will use all he has to escape from giving an answer.
He just doesn't remember.
Either because his mind is clinging to what he was doing in a desperate attempt not to forget what he was doing, or because he can't make a choice between impulses.
He needs to focus his mind a 102% to puzzle all the impulses into meaningful information.

My ADHD son can do many things at once.
He's not paying attention during conversation it seems but when you ask him he will convery the message loud and clear...only you will have the job to choose between a lot of information he just pours out over you.
When you were telling him a story life was not on halt. A fly was flying to the window and landed just a cm under the curtain, there was a faint smell of the lemon in the ktichen and the neighbour started his car.

There two are not opposites on a line...they're different. Completely different.

Read more...

At BullionVault.com you can keep your wealth stable

Just another 14 days and it's Robert Burns night again.
It's a traditional Scottish festivity, celebrated around the world by many who feel tied to Scotland. Bagpipers included.

For this year I planned to have smallpipes and surprise my fellow bandmembers with a nice piece of music, which sounds completely different from the highland pipes we all have.

Well. It won't happen.
I'm earning my money in dollars and I need to buy my bagpipes in Euros.
I should have been able to buy my smallpipes last month, but with the drop of the dollar, I'm just over halfway.
It feels so sad.... so sad....

It reminded me of the mother of a friend who gave him a gram of gold each year, and urged him to invest regularly in a few more grams, so he would always have something to fall back on.

Gold keeps it's value, no matter what happens.
Money doesn't.

In the past money was backed up with gold that was kept safely and carefully somewhere hidden. The gold wasn't used, so it didn't loose weight at all.
This golden standard is abandoned last century, and money is now backed by the faith that it's worth a certain amount of desirable products.

Inflation has caused the value of money to drop.
I can now only buy half of my smallpipes with my welldeserved earned money.

To influence the value of money more money is printed or it's taken off the market.
But the amount of gold always stays the same.

In a way money is still an indicator of how the economical situation of the world is.
When there's inflation the prize of gold goes up.

In a way gold still is guarding the economy.
It prevents governments to pump too fast too much new money into circulation, because when the value of the money drops too low too many people want to buy gold, and the value of money will change. Etc etc.

Even now the different currencies are not backed up by gold anymore, it's still a better investment than anything else in currency.

When buying gold you can invest in jewelry, coins or bare gold.
Ofcourse jewelry offers added pleasure, as do coins for the collector, but one has to consider that thare are manufacturer and shippingcosts and such have to be paid, so you'll get less for your money than when you buy bare gold.

Gold is made in bars.
They are large, usually 400 troy ounces each (12.4kg). Length is about 11 inches (28 cm) and purity is above 99.5%.
The professional market doesn't allow you to own part of a bullion bar, because they want to keep the weight of the bars stable. They're not moved, but are carefully kept in bullion vaults recognized and monitored by the local gold dealing community.
Because of this the gold isn't checked by buyers, which reduces costs. That's why they're called good delivery bars.

BullionVault.com is one of the places where you can buy professional market gold in a trusted and internationally acknowledged environment and keep it in any quantity in officially recognized bullion vaults in London (UK), New York (USA), or Zurich (Switzerland).

BullionVault.com enables individual gold buyers to trade on-line in increments as small as 1 gram - currently about $20.

Costs are kept low because of many reasons carefully explained at the site of BullionVault.com.

BullionVault.com has nearly 5 tonnes of gold in its vaults.
It's a transparent business. All client holdings are reconciled every day and published online using anonymous aliases. Protection of privacy is very important.

All the information you need is available at the site.

You can find the dynamic real time gold price at the gold price chart.
(Oh, it makes me feel I should have bought some grams of gold just two hours ago, so I could sell them right now at a far higher prize.)

Like I said, BullionVault.com provides all information needed. And more.
You can get more insight in the subject by reading the get started guide, the research section and all the other pages.

Because not everyone has enough english language skills to understand it all the site is translated in German, French and Italian.
And the goldprizes are given in dollars, english pounds and euros.

Now there are so many changes going on the national and international markets, leading to skyrocketing of prizes, like of oil. Now new participants are taking part in the world economy, like China, we need something to endure our money is worth the same over a few years, or over a lot of years.

Gold does this for you.

Think about it.

Read more...

People are not aware of new laws and rules

Talking with a couple of mothers made me aware of the fact that people aren't informed at all about changes in legislature and rules involving schools.
So matters that are of utmost importance to children and parents are not communicated well or at all.

Last year I've found out several times that not even teachers and coördinators know the laws that have been created to protect children that are ill for instance.
Or the laws that are made to ensure that schools take the responsibility to protect the safety of children.

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final exams and books!

I had such different plans for the evening...

But it turned out the boys have to have a book and a lot of questions about it finished for tuesday.

One of the boys has read the book, but can't remember everything.
My autistic boy just panicks when he has to read a whole book, and so the afternoon was crap, and we're now confronted with the fact that I have to read the booklet, otherwise I can't help my son with finding the answers.

I've read the book when I was at school, and went through all the moves to get the assignment finished, but I can't remember a thing about the book.

Jamaica inn... one of the books that are most used for final exams.

We can't use internet stuff, because the teacher can trace where the answers come from within a moment.

So guess what I'll be doing tomorrow morning, instead of vaccuuming, cleaning and decorating the rest of the tree?

Arggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

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Keurig Coffee maker at Wise.com

In The Netherlands "keurig" means neat, nice, well cared for, with an undertone of homeliness, family spirit.

So even before I have seen the coffee machines of Keurig, I have already a certain image, and I have to tell you, I'm not disappointed.

The Keurig one cup coffee machines fit the image perfectly.
Especially the Special Edition B60 keurig coffee maker.

According to Wise.com I'm not standing alone.
947 users have given their opinion and they have ranked this machine at a wise rank of 97 which is very high.

In case you don't know Wise.com:
It's a site where consumers can give their opinion about all sorts of products.
Their ranking is weighted with the ranking of experts, leading to one overal wise rank.

So you can choose a product based on the experience of others.
Above the rank the best prize online is provided, with a link to the shops where you can buy the product. In addition the shipping costs are listed, so you can make a well informed choice.

In the case of my favorite coffee maker it means I have the choice for extra costs for shipping of $11.25 or nothing. Not a difficult choice.LOL!

Since I discovered Wise.com it's a well used bookmarked site.
The itemdiscriptions are to the point and detailled, so I know even better what I'm buying than when I'm standing in a shop and have to rely on information on the box or of a salesperson.

Ofcourse I like the fact that I can share my own experiences too.

Have a look, and let me know what you think.

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the bully and the pen

Yesterday one of the girls came home for lunch.

She was angry with a boy at school.

Because his pen was empty he asked her if he was allowed to use one of her.
Ofcourse she was OK.

When the lesson was ended she asked her pen back, and he wouldn't hand it over.
When she stood up to take it fromhim, he walked to the cabinet and when he came back he had a tape on the pen with his name on it.

As it was her favorite pen, she got really angry and grasped it out of his hands.

He threatened her...

She has learned a lot last year, because I've always backed her up in her decisions, gave her advice and got the teacher on her back in such a way (involving the press always is a good threat!), that her teacher takes action everything she gets a signal of bullying.

So a little letter was enough to get things in motion again.

I hate those little boys.... just like I hated them when I was young.

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repeating

I don't like that some people don't take the effort to listen well.
One of them is the father of the children.

Today is one of those days he wants to take it easy.

That means he situates himself on the couch with the remote, and right after I've said I want to see a special program, he zaps to a detective and that's it.

One of the boys reminded him: "Mam wants to see something."

"Oh".

"Well, she said it loud and clearly"

The rest of the evening it's the same.
Whatever one of us says, he immediately asks: "what?"

So we keep repeating and we start feeling like we're growing feathers and are turning into parrots.

At last I tell him to give himself time to have his brains process what is said.

Interestingly enough that helps.

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Choose where to play at Dex Casino

They're building a new casino here. Near the renewed shopping centre.
I'm not sure if they planned it with the thought in mind that women can go shopping and men can go to the casino, or if they want to keep the area crowded both during the days and the evenings.

Talking with people who went to the former casino reveals that they have changed their focus from real life casino to online casinos, and they doubt if they'll change back to the bussy and noisy offline experience.

Being online means being able to concentrate, have your own kind of music, company and your own kind of drink.

And there's more choice online... that's fur sure.

Dex Casino online is a site that reviews the best and most trusted casinos online.
This is done by a highly experienced team, who review each online casino with an eye for detail and understanding of what players really want.
This is clearly reflected on the site itself, where each casino is efficiently described, so anyone can make a well documented choice.

I like the fact that on this site the experience is described and one doesn't fall back on simple ratings one sees so often.
Creating an image and a feel, make the choice where to play so much easier. And the look of the site is already a preparation of the joy of playing at the casino itself.

Whether it's solitaire or free poker, always realise that you have to set limits for yourself.
Playing online is very addictive.

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noise

We woke up because there was a lot of noise.

One of the people in the street tried to start his motor and he couldn't.

He was so angry that he closed the door behind his back with so much force that the whole block of houses trembled.
Even my kids never managed to do so.

An hour later the garage people arrived.
Radio on.
While they were trying to repair the motor music sounded through the whole street.
What a mess!

Maybe I haven't read the papers well and missed the announcement that this is the most noisy day of the year.

Before the garage men left, the council cleaningcar was moving through our street, only adding to the noise.

I felt like taking my highland bagpipes and start playing in the middle of it all.

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Affordable search engine optimization by Customer Magnetism

You can have a wonderful business and/or site, but when you can't be found at the first page of the searchengines you won't be as successful as you want.
You can't be, because people won't see the link to your site.

To get a better search engine placement, called search engine optimization you can study a lot, and you need to, and still not get the desired results.

Customer Magnetism is a firm with a team that is completely dedicated to getting your site to the top of the search engine ranking and according to many satisfied customers: they succeed to do so.
They have already experienced that a top listing generates more sales than other forms of advertising combined.

Customer Magnetism is specialised in getting clients and their sites at the top of the natural rankings.
(That means that their site is at the top of the main part of the search engine results.)
One of the reasons is that they know a lot about keywords, metatags and other ways of search engine optimization. Most searchengines also take into account how many links are incoming links from quality websites, and a main part of the fee is spend on link building services.

The last 10 years search engine marketing has become a real profession.
Customer Magnetism voted #1 by Promotion World and thus the Best Link Popularity Service and voted the winner of the Organic Optimization category by Top SEOs.

When you're interested in search engine advertising, go to the site and have a look yourself. You can find a lot of advice and ofcourse information about their affordable services.

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manic monday

What was the last thing you regret buying?

I bought online a jacket that should fit a certain look for a special occasion.
The measurements were not what they were told they would be, so it´s a miss.
Well, one of the girls will fancy it.

If you had a crystal ball that could tell you the truth about any one thing you wished to know about yourself, life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?

Pff. That´s a difficult question.
I don´t want to take away my dreams, my hopes, challenges, efforts.

I had a friend once. He was as a brother to me.
Because I critized the way he always was able to choose for himself, instead of looking what was important to and for his child, he said goodbye to me.

I've always hoped he would understand where I came from and that I said it out of care and love for both of them.

Yes, that's what I want to know. If he ever came past his hurt ego, and if we ever will be friends again.

How do you know when you're in love?

I can't stop thinking about him, I feel pretty, my phantasy is working overhours, I dress better....


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personalized candy bars

So, the year started out well.

Now we have to chew ourselves through the taste of january.

That's a bussy month here.
Not only because the schools have a lot of meetings this year, which is a real job with 6 kids, but we also have 5 birthdays in our house, and some others elsewhere. And we have some other festivities.

Time to find the right party favors, hand outs and little presents.

One of the kids found this site: CandyUnderCover.com, and it seems the perfect site to buy all in once.

Candy Under Cover stands for the finest Belgian milk chocolate covered with custom made candybar wrappers.

The whole idea started with the preparations of a birthdayparty in 1998.
Cheryl Salto wanted something else than the usual treats for the schoolmates of her son.
Now she owns CandyUnderCover.com and AllinOneFunFavors.com, two online shops selling quality items.

The idea of personalized candy bars was a golden one.
Her chocolate bar favors can be used at every occassion.
There are: personalized kids candy bars, bridal shower candy bars, bar mitzvah candy bars and bat mitzvah candy bars, and christening favors.

A friend use the bars to announce the birth of her son at her office and it was a huge success.
People didn't only have a nice bit of chocolate. Many kept the nice wrapper. Some laminated it, others put it in their scrapbook.

Another friends used the edible wedding favors along with the candy bar thanks million, which was a nice and sweet combination.

I've decided to make a special design for our own family chocolate bar. So the children can use it as treats at school, and i can use it as a thank-you, or as a special gift.

I'm sure it'll be a huge success!

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unconscious mutterings

1. Mist :: fog


2. Eating :: weight


3. Beacon :: sign


4. Speaker :: Lady speaker


5. Episodes :: temper


6. Conference :: meeting


7. Sneak attack :: mean


8. Medic :: doctor or paramedic


9. Web :: WWW


10. 2008 :: started out well

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saturday special

~It's Dinner Time~

1. Standard Oven or Microwave?:

Microwave.
We don't have room for a standard oven, but the function is added to the microwave.
I like the old fashioned cake... you know. A bit golden brown on the outside.
Lemoncakes are microwaved though.

2. Fry or Bake?:

We waved the fryingpan goodbye last year.
No frites in large quantities anymore, but a moaning father who goes to get the frites.

I bake things.
I hate greasy things, so I use only a little bit of oil (wok) or butter. Sometimes not even that.

3. Cooking or Fast Food Meals? Why?:

Cooking.
Fast food is far too expensive with a family of 8 and they always are still hungry afterwards.

I don't like cooking though, only when it's for special occasions.

But hey, the herds have to eat.

4. Sit Down or On The Run Dinners?:

We don't have much On The Run Dinners here, because that's not the national custom. (I'm in The Netherlands).
We have dinner at 17.00 or 18.00 hours and whoever is at home has to sit down.
It's a bit difficult to run with soup. LOL!

Those who are not at home will have to eat with their dad who arrives at 19.30 hours.


Happy New Year!!

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Lockers

I can't believe it!

I've quit the management of school many, many years ago, but now they need renewal of the lockers I've been called.

I guess they wanted the easy way out.

But I'm not a fool.

I've arranged a meeting about the subject. When I have to invest, I'd better get the things at the school the parents and students want, instead of the cheap, insecure and smelly solution.
Lockers can be a dump of germs and mess, but they can also be a great way to assist the school and everyone else.

Lockerixchange is for me the place to order new Lockers.
No discussion about it.

When they want to have new School Lockers it's important to know what they are used for.

The yellow Plastic Lockers fit perfectly well in the teachers room and the individual offices.
Maybe yellow for the teachers and blue for the administration and the management.

For the students I prefer Steel Lockers or Metal Lockers. Maybe the students in the final year can have an extra wide model.

I want seperate Gym Lockers or basket lockers, which are vented, with matching Locker Benches.

I think careful consideration of what, why and where, can not only safe money but will also enhance the schoolclimate and look.

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friday's feast

When was the last time you received a surprise in the mail, and what was it?

Uh...I bet you don't mean the dentist bill, don't you?
Hmm... a real surprise... I can't remember.
Must have been a package hairshampoo. LOL!

Soup
If you could have a summer and/or winter home, where would you want it to be?

In summer I would love to walk through the snow and in the winter I long for a walk on the beach.
So what says that about me? LOL!

I don't like the extreme temperatures at all.
I'm kind of a springperson. I like the fresh mornings that are just OK enough to walk into the garden without a coat.

Salad
Pick one: pineapple, orange, banana, apple, cherry.

Banana. I'm very allergic to the rest.

Main Course
Describe the nicest piece of clothing that you own.

It's a tartan outfit I made after a description in a diary of 1894.
I also have a lace skirt with blouse set, that's far too small, but it's very beautiful. So maybe it'll fit one of the girls within a few years.

Dessert
If you could forget one whole day from your life, which day would you choose to wipe from your memory?

You'd better ask which day I would want to keep.

The day I want to whipe out is the day a policewoman phoned me at friday 18.00 hours and told me I was accused of abuse of my children.

I was so angry at her and the whole world.
I knew and I know I've never abused my children in any way.
I also knew that she accused me at that time because she wanted me to come up on monday with a statement accusing someone else they suspected. Like they can force me that way. Ha!
And I realised later that she must have called from her own house, as the shift ended at 17.00 hours. And she called as late so I couldn't reach anyone else to have the accussation confirmed.

I'm still getting mad when I remember this.

Happy new year!!


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microscope

I was asked how children of all age and be kept bussy this time of year.

Well, apart from internet, we have one special item in the house that always does the trick: a microscope.

Kids love to see, search and learn, and a microspcope provides all these opportunities.
Put water from outside under the miscroscope, a bit of leaf, a smear from whatever is smearable.

They can look up on internet which bacteria are involved, etc etc,

A microscope is the best for all ages.

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Paris, the place to be

Januari 2...

This is the date that you can learn a lot about yourself.

Are you rushing to your work, or do you want to keep the romantic feel of christmastime, or do you long for spring?

When you're living in France it doesn't really mnatter. You can find it all in Paris.

Not only is it the most romantic city of the world, it's also one of the main bussiness cities and one of the cities where spring can be sensed very early in the year.

The Paris Hôtels are ready, because they know Paris is one of the most favorite places to be for the french. They love the City of Light, and now most christmastourists are on their way home, they can roam the streets before the summerseason starts.
I often wonder how it's possible I don't feel like a rat in Paris, but feel like a Queen when I walk the stairs and streets, and admire the architecture.

with 2.2 million people live in Central Paris and another 9.9 million in the suburbs Paris is one of the largest cities in Europe. Still I can feel like I'm all alone when I'm enjoying the early morning sun.

You can enjoy this too.
When you're in England you can book for the lowest prices if the Paris Hotels at CheaperthanHotels. Many already do.
I've seen some very good offers, even at half the normal rate.

The German version, called: Hotels Deutsche, is especially designed for the German tourists and businessmen who need to find the quaranteed best offers on Paris Hotels

Paris is completely equipped for business.
Don't be amazed.
Paris produces more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France in 2006 with €500.8 billion.
It's the largest business district in Europe, hosting 36 of the Fortune Global 500 companies.
And many international organisations have their main office in Paris, because the city is easily accessible.

At the moment the Abrial Hotels offers it's room for a tiny bit more than half the normal prize. Conference room included.

Abrial Hotel Paris

Even the spanish can spend their romatic nights and days in the París Hoteles and book in their own language.

And these are not the only languages that represented at http://www.hotelsenfrancais.com/France/Paris.

It's great you can see photos from each hotel, as there's a variety in rooms and hotels all throughout the city.
You'll always be able to find a room that fits your requirements and/or lifestyle.
Modern, minimalistic, the 60ties, baroque.. it's all there.

Raphael Hotel Paris

Paris has a lot to offer.
Restaurants, museums, fashion. In fact you can spend all day either relaxing or working, and still feel you're on vacation.

So don't waste your time dreaming, when you can be there and enjoy the new year.

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Happy New Year!

I want to wish all my readers a very happy new year.

I hope this year will bring happiness, health and a lot more.

To me peace is very important.
Peace of mind, peace in my family and between the kids, and peace in the world.


Ok...I'm dreaming on....

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Looking for houses

Told you about my friend who needed an office in another town and wanted me to find one?

Instead of asking at the same time to look for a few appartments, houses or condos, she mailed me today.

It's the last day of the year!! I have other things to do!

Luckily there are sites like National Relocation, so I can arrange things in no time.

Because on the site owners can advertise their property for rent for free, there is a huge choice.

Because the living spaces are needed very soon I didn't search the homes for sale but searched the houses for rent.

It didn't take long to find some nice houses.
Looking at the pictures, the floorplan and the description it wasn't difficult to make a choice and contact the landlord by using the online form.

National Relocation offers all information needed to move.
There's also a list of realtors with photos, so meeting the realtor at a property isn't a problem.

Now I can only hope all things work out well, but i don't doubt it.

Happy New Year!

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American Dream Realty offers lots of options

It's on TV, it's in the papers, it's everywhere: programs about buying estate in vacation areas.

People are really looking to get away from the city noises, the bussy agendas and office hours stress.

Who blames them?

Don't look at me.

I wish I could make my dream come true. But i have to wait untill the children are grown.

But you can go for it, and why not?

Adrhi.com is the perfect site to start with (and stay on. LOL!).

When you want to buy a vacation home, you should buy Hawaii real estate.

I'm all in favor of ecofriendly tourism, and Hawaii has invested so much in it, that you can dream you're in the original paradise.

Jeff Manson and his team of American Dream Realty provide realtor and real estate services for all Hawaiian islands, including Maui real estate and Kauai real estate.

They know all the ins and outs, know all the attractive sites.
They'll give the best service, whether you want to buy a one million property with lots of land, or a cheap oceanview condo.
They can refer you to rtusted people, for financing you new home, for instance.

The photos on the site give you a clear impression of the property, and on the map you can see where it's situated. You can compare the list of inclusions with your own requirements and calculate how much items you need to add..if any.

A couple of online friends are looking tino buying one of the homes.
Putting their money together enables them to buy a home, and sharing the time their stay at the place is less expensive than booking a vacation each year.

I wish them lots of luck and I hope they'll invite me for a stay too.

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unconscious mutterings

1. Memorable :: past events


2. Resolution :: new year


3. Goal :: dream


4. 2008 :: looks OK from here.


5. Sensational :: fireworks


6. Popular demand :: snowvacations


7. Old :: perkament


8. Music :: bagpipes


9. Intense :: love


10. 2007 :: OK, it's almost over. And I've survived. Phew.

Happy new year!!!

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Burton Hosting for both personal and business websites

Don't forget to sort out your website hosting.

I know it's such a problem to find the right hosting service, especially when you're not able to design the site yourself.

Burton Hosting provides both: hosting and a lot for your website. Like high quality website templates, flash templates and -intros, logo templates, corporate identities, and php-nuke themes.

Burton Hosting offers 24/7 support, both for Business Website Hosting and Personal Website Hosting.

You can add features to your account, like your own domain name, static IP address and more.

To get an idea what Burton Hosting can do for you, you can have a look at some sites they have already assisted here.
Aren't they great?

I'm especially impressed by the website about Dallas.
The forums are very bussy and keeping them up means that Burton Hosting is reliable.

Maybe you pay a little more than at some other services (and less than others), but the friendly assistance, the quality offered and the reliability to stay online whatever happens is the most important.

Even large businesses can find high quality hosting. They can opt for the "dedicated servers package".

Want to know more? Visit the Burton Hosting site or get in contact with the customers service.

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Healthy toys

I came across a site for healthy toys.

Maybe it's of help for someone.

I'm glad my children aren't as little anymore that I need to be afraid they poison themselves with their toys.

When they were little I taught them not to chew on things.

Only on the special teething rings and their furr animals, after I checked them for loosing hair, loose bits and after I washed them.

Oh..the link:

http://www.healthytoys.org/home.php

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I long to relax

To be honest: I'm going nuts here today.
The fireworks are sold from this morning 10.00 hours and I bet they have already sold for millions.

There's so much noise on the streets, and when I was outside half an hour ago I heard several policecars and the firebrigade.

I wish I could just move away to a quiet spot in Amsterdam, for instance.

Won't be a problem.
All I have to do is pay a visit to http://www.easytobook.com and look at the page of the Amsterdam Hotels or take one of the special offers of the main page.

The Hem Hotel has a great offer at the moment. I might consider it.
They have a choice between smoking and non-smoking rooms and I might even be lucky and get a room with a jacuzzi.

But I won't mind travelling a bit and land in an unknown town, like Barcelona.
The Confortel Almirante Hotel sounds great.
Because EasytoBook offers a lot of information,about attractions, landmarks, restaurants, shopping, transportation and a lot more,there's no need to feel lost. Especially not because they offer a map at each hotelpage, so I can visualise where I am and how I can reach the places I want to go to.

Even in a town I don't know I can't go wrong. All I have to do is trust the reviews of others.

EasyToBook.com doesn't charge anything for the service they provide.
One pays at the hotel.

Booking is very easy.

Now I have to tell my family their mom is planning to go abroad and really relax.

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friday's feast

Appetizer
Name 2 things you would like to accomplish in 2008.

Perform on my bagpipes
Get my autistic son in the auti-class

Soup
With which cartoon character do you share personality traits?

I really don't know.
I never watch or read cartoons.


Salad
What time of day (or night) were you born?

Early morning.
It was freezing. Even in the hospital.
The water in the glass beside the bed of my mother was froozen.

Main Course
Tell us something special about your hometown.

It's the oldest town of the country, with a ruin of a castle near a river.
I used to take walks through the oldest part of town, where there were very old houses, and history was breathing all around us.
Now it's all taken down and rebuilt in a kind of modern classical style. Narrow streets and such. But I can't find the old spirit back.
It's nice for tourists though.

There have been so many changes that even in the part I grew up I have to look for cues of the old times.

So the feeling of being at home in my own town is disappearing and I'm quite willing to move abroad if we get a good offer.

Dessert
If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from?

It depends.

I would love to renew a friendship. I'm sending him a mail this afternoon.
I would love my childhood friend to get over his superiority feelings and make up again. (I criticised him on putting his wished before his sons needs.)

I would love Michael Palin to ask me to travel with him.
I would love to go into an honest discussion about peace and the use of the army. Themes: defense tasks, ethics, protecting your own boys and girls, and a lot lot more.
I would love to get a letter asking me for a choreography.
I would love to win those millions that are given away.

I guess I first need a letter from a mailbox company offering me a larger one. LOL!


Happy New Year!!!!!


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PixelProtector for better screen quality

Don't you like this time of year?

All those wonderful movies on TV, family gatherings where photos and videos are shared, and the internetsites where you can catch up after missing your favorite programs.

With DVD there's so much to share. So much to watch. And when you're completely out of reserves, you can even hire the most wonderful movies.

I know some people who have bought a new screen so they can enjoy the best quality, but they still don't have the clear vision as we have with our old screen.

There's a secret: PixelProtector.

I can't say it better than it's written on the PixelProtector site:
"PixelProtector™ is a DVD based premium screen diagnostic and calibration tool for all types of LCD, plasma and rear projection TV screens."

Many people plug in a TV and start watching their programs.
They don't resalise that a TV needs adjustment to get the sharpest images and the best colour.

PixelProtector helps to set your TV to the best quality, far better than you an get with visual comparison with a normal testscreen. And it's easier too.

Because it repairs screen burn, lost pixels, you'll get far better vision quality.

One of the problems we had was: "spooky images".
The kids started to call the feature this way and they were right.
Whenever a picture was displayed for a certain period of time, we had a shadow effect lasting.
Now we use PixelProtector it's gone.
We needed some time, but far less than was written in the instructions.

You don't need to be a technician to use PixelProtector.
There's a clear manual, but there's also an informationforum online and you can call customer's service.

Want to enjoy the new year's progams at the best quality?

Order it now.

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recipe: oliebollen

I was asked for the recipe of oliebollen.

Here it is:


1 (0.6 ounce) cake compressed fresh yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg

Not absolutely necessary:
3/4 cup dried currants
3/4 cup raisins
1 apple (Granny Smith) finely chopped

1 quart vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS


Warm the milk and break the yeast into it.
Let stand for a few minutes to dissolve.

Take a large bowl and sift the flour and salt into it.
Stir the yeast mixture and egg into it,
and mix, untill it's a smooth batter.

Soon through carefully the currants, raisins and/or apple.

Cover the bowl, and leave the batter in a warm place to rise until double in size. That's about 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer, or heavy deep pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
The oil needs to be hot enough, otherwise you'll get greaseballs. Ugh!

Use 2 metal spoons to shape scoops of dough into balls, and drop them carefully into the hot oil.
Fry the balls until golden brown,(8 minutes).

When everything is OK, the balls are soft, but not greasy.

Drain finished doughnuts on paper towels, or on a normal ironed towell.

Just before eating or presenting dust them with fine sugar.

Eat them hot if possible.


You can make from the same batter some other new years treats.

Take a apple. Peel and get the core out.
Slice the apple in 0.5 to 1 cm think slices, with the hole in the middle.

Cover it on all sides with batter and bake like oliebollen.

You can eat it hot, or cold.

I prefer cold.

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christmas in The Netherlands

Someone asked which presents I've received at christmas.

Nothing.

Don't be amazed.

Here in The Netherlands we don't celebrate christmas with packages under the tree and presents.

We celebrate the gifts events at Sinterklaas.
It starts half november with Sinterklaas arriving in the country.

Kids can put their shoes ready, and during the nights sint throws in little presents.

Just before he leaves, in the night of december 5 to 6, he leaves the large presents.

So christmas is a more introvert event here.
Ofcourse many families have lots of food here, and families gather together, but there's also lots of attention for people who don't feel happy and live in bad circumstances.
And there's a lot of attention for peace.

Oh, how we long for peace!!!!

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Close Combat Training

It's three years ago both my husband and I were attacked on the street.
They guy was huge, a security man, and he was angry, because we told his son to stay away from our autistic boy.

He targetted my husband, but I immediately reacted instictly and started to talk his head of. So just before he was ready to deliver a blow, he was struck by a curve in my logic, I purposely put in the draw his attention.
As a psychologist I knew what I was doing, being well trained to prevent aggressive clients from attacking.

But the guy was well trained, and my husband was not able to grasp his brains together and run.
He went to me very fast and swift, and I instinctly relaxed all my muscles in my arms, while pulling all my stomach muscles together.
Oh...I was glad to be a welltrained balletdancer.

He hit me with full force with both fists on my arms, intending to break them, and when he realised I didn't even utter a sound he was struck with amazement.

I kicked his leg so hard HE made the sound and then I ran to call the cops, yelling: I'm calling the cops, I'm calling the cops!!

Before the cops came he managed to deliver my husband a blow in the face, but his self-confidence had suffered tremendously and when the police was heard in the distance he went away.

Ten minutes later he was arrested, and all I had were two enormous black spots on my arms.

I don't know all The Truth About Martial Arts, but I knew that I could trust my instincs and I was able to live from the unity of body and mind.

The police told me later I was the first person to withstand the guys attack. The first who didn't become a victim, and the first who was willing to put the guy behind bars.
Well, to be honest, I wanted him to go without his regular training and wanted him to loose his security license.

Months later I had to pass him on the street. I was afraid he might attack me and I knew that if he would I was nothing to him.
I was lucky. He didn't attempt anything. But in his eyes I saw a moment of intention.

When you want to be able to keep guys like him from you, when you want to survive attacks, you'd better gift yourself a course of Close Combat Training.

Captain Chris Pizzo is a World Leader In Self Defense, and he offers a lot of information on his site.

Even more: You can order a free 30-day test drive of Captain Chris' Close Combat training. (Mind the shipping costs: $14.95 for US & Canada orders,
$39.95 for International orders).
Captain Cris has dedicated his life to spreading the "truth" about martial arts and self defense after he was badly attacked on the street.

Go to http://www.CloseCombatTraining.com to inform yourself.

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Christmas in England.

Christmas in England.
Its my dream.

I'm sure almost all of the Hotels in London are booked, but when you still want to have a chance to get a place to stay that's affordable, go to CheaperthanHotels.com.

One of todays specials is:

the Osterley Park Hotel
764 Great West Road, Isleworth Middlesex, London, near Heathrow Airport.
It's a Romantic place to stay, especially at christmas.
When you book through Cheaperthan Hotels you have the lowest price, guaranteed!

Those who don't want to stay in London can stay in, for instance, one of the Hotels in Birmingham.
Birmingham is easy to reach, had great shoppingopportunities and a very dynamic christmasatmosphere.

Don't forget to book the JD christmasdinner and party.
This time the theme is a venetian masquerade.
I won't reveal the details, but it promises to be an amazing spectacle you'll never forget.

Creating memories.
Don't we all want to do that, especially at christmas?
The Hotels in Manchester are ready to help you get in the right christmasspirit.
Take my advice, book a place to stay outside the centre. It might make a difference of GBP 70.

But when you want to be near the city centre activities Cheaperthan Hotels helps you to find accomodation as quickly as possible.
Just enter the date of arrival and departure in the online form and you'll find the hotels you still can book.

Someone said I certainly wouldn't find a single room available, but he doesn't know that Manchester if a great city for conferences, so they have plenty of single rooms available.
I found him a place to stay for GBP 39!!!

Told you Cheaperthan Hotels is the best option to find an affordable place to stay, whether it's a last minute deal or a booking of year ahead.

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unconscious mutterings

1. Health :: fresh air


2. Tacky :: little dog


3. Heels :: high heels


4. Yay! :: woohoo!


5. Model :: Long legs


6. Gather :: meet under the christmas tree


7. Best gift ever :: a friend


8. Clients :: on call at christmas


9. Stomp :: rhythm


10. Clothing :: fancy dress

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BadCreditOffers

When walking through the shoppingstreets and centres, when looking into the leaflets and brochures, all full of expensive luxury items, I can understand that there are people who can't control themselves, and buy, buy, buy.

I've had a time too that I wanted to give others what I couldn't give myself, but I had a good job then, so I could take it easy for a couple of months and work my financial problems away.

Many others are less fortunate.
They fill each hole in their wallet with a bit of money that creates even a bigger hole and before they know they're in depth and can't come out alone.

Often I hear that people who have moneyproblems have no choice.

That't not true.

There are many choices to make, and the best are those that help you in a straight way on the right road.

BadCreditOffers.com offers choices for those with a bad credit history by providing knowledge and the means to solve problems.

When applying for a loan, the offers of major providers are compared, so you can choose the offer that fits your situation best.
When paying in time you can start to get out of problems and built a healthy financial future.

Wise decisions are important.

Don't take an auto loan unless you have to use the car to make money, and unless it brings you more money than it carries away.
I know someone who bought a car and started a taxi service. He turned his bad credit into a golden future.

It's always important to look into credit repair and debt relief. There are services that provide a free online debt assessment, and they help you finding ways to consolidate your debt.

Sometimes it's wise to consult someone about home loans. Sometimes it's possible to remortgage your house and end up paying lower installements.
Be careful though. Read the little letters. Paying a mortgage faster than planned can result in a fine.

BadCreditOffers offers fast and free services.
Maybe this site is the place to look for you.

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works for me

Noop, I'm not blogging about christmas...
I'm blogging about the last evening of the year.
We call it old year.

The last years a tradition slipped in and I won't change it for a million dollars.

It was initiated by one of the boys, who wanted sausages just before 12, and threw a fit after closing time of the shops.
He wanted sausages at old year and nothing else.

Foreseeing a whole evening of a bad mood and an angry face, I told him that if he wanted sausages he'd better step in an do all the old years preparations himself.

He stepped in and even found in the back of the storage room a tiny tin with 5 sausages.
That posed a problem: we have 6 kids.
So he had to make something that one of the kids liked better.

Another boy jumped in and helped him.

The next year they asked me if they were allowed to do the preparations.
"OK."

Now most of the children are involved in the planning, the shopping and the making of plates with delicious treats.

I have to say, now they're getting older I have more fun trying out their creations.

I still feel odd.
After working for them all year, it's not easy to let them do what they want.
It's not easy to stay away from the kitchen, because I would love to see the mess they have to clean up themselves.

But it's nice to have the time to say goodbye to the year and focus on the new one for a while, before plates with apple pies, cheese sticks and other delicious dishes are placed on the table.

It works for me.


Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!

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Farrey's is a big help with planning a safer house

Each year around this time I get the feeling I need to spread the light fixtures far better.

They're now at the traditional spots.
You know: in the livingroom the chandeliers at the prefixed places, the bathroom light fixtures in such a place that they shine either in my eyes or cast a bad shadow. Just because the architect of the house didn't think.

About the same with the kitchen light fixtures. There's one in the corner of the kitchen and one beneath the cupboards. There are no ceiling light fixtures at all. Isn't that strange?

So I went through the house at the end of the afternoon, and wrote down the dark spots. Like at the stairs.

Then I went through the house when it was dark.

It's very reveiling to be critical about home lighting. There are some hidden dangers in the house, like at the stairs, and in the hall at the front door.

We have light there, but it makes me seen for the visitor, whereas I'd better see the visitor before he or she sees me.
So I decided to make a spotlight there first, that I can switch on with a simple movement of my hand.

I had a great time at Farrey's choosing new lamps and ofcourse the spotlight.
That'll be installed first.

You can browse the tremendous collection at Farrey's by browsing by category or brand.
I like the fact that the site is so often updated with new additions to the collections, which are clearly indicated.

I also like the fact that I can find complete collections of brands with one click on one of the lamps. That way I can use fixtures that create a designed look.

Ofcourse Farrey's has a nice amount of energy saving items.

Have you seen a lower price for an item elsewhere?
Call Farrey's and get a competitive quote.

Farrey's has a lot more on their site than lighting fixtures.
Just have a look.

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10 on tuesday

10 New Year’s Resolutions

I'm not a person to make new year's resolutions.

I can't plan things, like other people can, because the children pose surprises almost every day.

Life is difficult enough without burdening me with things I need to do, but hej..I'm lucky. I don't smoke, drink, steal, gamble. I just let life pass and hope the future will be better than today.

1. Get the best care for my children.
2. Write a book about my experiences with them, the schools, and those who "care".
3. Don't gain more weight (I managed this year. Woohoo!)
4. Work a bit more or make more money in the same time. LOL!
5. Bring even more topics under the attention of those people in the government that can change things.
6. Try to find some time for myself, not like blogging and watching the kids, but just doing something for myself.
7. Go to Scotland or visit friends abroad
8. Get in contact with my university friend again.
9. Study the bagpipes more often.
10. Buy myself something once in a while
    
    

Merry christmas!


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unconscious mutterings

1. Interview :: questions


2. Army :: no comment


3. Unwrap :: discover


4. Evolve :: develop


5. Bus :: to school


6. The real thing :: love


7. Streak :: paint


8. Gorge :: ...


9. Spicy :: hot


10. Course :: education

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Laane answers- ampelmann

Laane,
Wat is an ampelmann?

The ampelmann is the little man on the trafficlights in Berlin.
It shows when you can cross the street.

The most recent meaning of the word has to do with stepping from one side to another too.
At sea.

You know the windmills in sea?
When they need repair, someone goes there by boat, steps over and then repair the windmill.

You can understand that that's not possible when it's bad weather.
The waves would smash the boat against the windmill.

Now it's impossble to do repairs 20% of the time.

That can be reduced to 5% by using the same system that is used in flightsimulators, but upside down. So the stable part is on top, enabling the repairman to step over from ampelmann to windmill and back.

The use of the system is the idea of some researchers at the TU Delft, The Netherlands.

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Spock knows it all

Ofcourse I have to help my children with homework.
Even though I know a lot, I can't know it all.
Especially with history I need some additional information.
I just didn't listen when I was at school. LOL!

No problem.

There's a new searchengine... well, it's not new.. others have discovered it before me.
This searchengine is called: Spock.

My son had to write an essay about the Piet Hein, who fought the battle against Spain.
My son just typed it in and got a whole list with information too.

Spock can be used to search information and to find people. One can seach by name or by keywords that define the person, like he did with typing in "Piet Hein".

You can sign up and decide what information you want to have on internet: age, haircolour, your site, work, etc.
You can share your knowledge. One way is by adding information to the searchresults. You'll get recognised for your contribution.
As a member you can choose to get alerts when something is added, either on your profile or on that of others.
You can vote for and against a tag or pictures.
Even though it's not the intention of Spock to be a social network, there are opportunities for messaging, and by adding the proper tags you can get all the persons of a group in the searchresults.

The essay was ready in no time.
Added to the already found information he added some text about other historical seamen in Maarten Tromp and about others who served in the Dutch Navy.
I bet he has one of the best documented essays of the year.

Want an example of the info on Spock:

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