Andy in Amsterdam

Fred and I are going to Budapest tomorrow. We’ll be back on the first of January. The original plan was to go to a warm place, but that didn’t happen because Florida (and any other place that is warm) was too expensive to get to. Plus, we’ve wanted to visit Budapest for a while . . . → Read More: Off to Budapest

This is our Christmas tree. We bought a ‘kunstboom’ this year. That’s Dutch for ‘fake tree,’ but I think it literally translates to art tree. There’s nothing arty about it but it goes up and comes down quickly, so we’re happy about that. It was up in literally five minutes, just like . . . → Read More: Our Tree

It was a good Christmas. It was a lot of eating and sitting around talking. I got up on this morning and came into the living room to do…whatever it is I do in the morning. Fred continued to sleep - as he is wont to do. Lately when I . . . → Read More: Christmas 2009 Recap

Last night, Fred and I finally saw Julie and Julia, which we’ve been meaning to see for a while. I think I mentioned that I had listened to My Life in France, the story of Ms. Child’s time in France with her husband when he was working for the state department doing . . . → Read More: Dinner and a Movie

This is Amsterdam’s answer to the Rockefeller Christmas tree in NYC. It’s on Dam Square right in front of the Royal Palace. I heard that there was a tree lighting ceremony and everything. It’s not as big (or as big a deal) as the tree in Rockefeller Plaza, but it’s what we . . . → Read More: Weather Forecast: Still Frightful

I had to go to the Center today - because that’s the only place I could find a lump of coal fitting a particular recipient on my list. I rode my bike, as I am wont to do. And I took the camera along because the only photos I have been able to take of our . . . → Read More: Snow Makes Me Tired

This weekend was mostly traveling to sing and getting ready to sing, singing and coming home from singing. My choir had its two Christmas concerts. The first was in Delden. How our little Amsterdam choir got a booking in Delden is a whole story that isn’t that interesting, and that I only heard part . . . → Read More: Singing Through the Weekend

I was please as the proverbial punch when I looked out the front window this morning and saw that it had snowed over night. I was happy mostly because it’s pretty, but also because I thought I wouldn’t have to go out in it. I thought I would mostly just be sitting here doing . . . → Read More: Snow and a Sweater

No one has aged a bit

Some time last week, or the week before, I received an invitation from my friend, Ross, via Facebook, for a dinner that he’s organizing when he’s back in Texas for Christmas. Ross lives in NYC, but goes to Bedford, Texas for Christmas every year because . . . → Read More: Gee, But I’d Give the World to See…

My new choir is having a concert on the 20th of December. We’re singing three really old pieces. I hesitate to call them ’songs’ at the risk of making myself look like a buffoon. Their not exactly Walking in a Winter Wonderland. That said, they do sometimes get stuck in my head and I . . . → Read More: My Choir is Singing in Amsterdam