Honing Hoepels, Yorkie Labor, and Honest Dutchies

1) I wanted to make a plan to run to the grocery store and get some treats to hide in my room, but the car was out of gas and I wasn't sure how to fill it up or where the closest gas station was. Thankfully, I have a working GPS now (and it's in English!) so I was ready to work it out on my own, but Vanessa offered to come with me and make sure everything went well. On our way out of the house, she realized she couldn't find Lola, who we've been keeping an eye on while we wait for her to have puppies. She had just started to go into labor before we left, so luckily we found her and brought her to her birthing box. We watched her give birth to one puppy before leaving her to her privacy-- I don't think I've ever watched anything be born before though, and so it was a pretty beautiful experience. That was probably 4 hours ago, and there are now three puppies and I think we are waiting for a fourth.

2) Once we did get to the grocery store, I got to stock up on some food items to make myself feel more comfortable. The first time we came I felt weird, and I was still so shell-shocked that I just picked out some crackers and yogurt and decided that was good (which honestly, it was, because I had no appetite the first week). Now I have apple juice boxes, tuc crackers, my favorite digestive crackers, and most importantly-- Honing Hoepels. These are the generic version of the dutch version of honey nut cheerios, and I kid you not, I shed a tear in the Albert Heijn when I found them. I also got a box of special K, so I feel like I can conquer anything.


3) That Dutch culture basically insists on honesty; to get on public transportation, no one checks your ticket. To park in a one hour parking zone, you list the time you parked and hang it in your windshield. When you want to sell something, you leave it in your front yard with a can for people to put money in. This is my favorite-- the neighbor down the street sells eggs, so we ride our bikes there, leave 2 euros in a jar, and pack up eggs. The neighbor beside us sells fruit, and you leave your euro and take a bag. Apparently my family sells walnuts and does the same. I haven't gotten a picture of the tomato vending machine yet (which is also really fun), but these little stands are about the same on my list of things I love about this tiny village.

This is "my" bike that Marie-Louise is riding-- pretty, right?