JackTales

Well, we never made it to Koninginnedag 2007. We waited too long and by the time we were ready to go, it would’ve taken us long enough to get there, that it would’ve been over.

Mostly I wanted to go to get some photos for the main site, but that’s okay. There’ll be other years.

We are most definately going to Holland Happenings though. We’re getting the dogsitter to walk the dogs, and it should work out okay. It’s a 2 1/2-3 hour drive, so we’ll probably only stay for a few hours. Most of the big events will be over by Sunday. You kind of see where this is going, right? -sigh-

Okay, changed my mind. With all the big events over by Sunday, there’s no real reason to go. Maybe next year. We’ll save the cost of the dogsitter, and I’ll dink around here.

Want to come over and mow my yard?

I haven’t made up my mind about if I’m going to do the DACC thing in Kirkland tomorrow. Still, it’s 2:00-4:00 so we don’t have to worry about the dogs.

If I do that Saturday, I’d like to do Holland Happenings in Oak Harbor Sunday. Therein lies the dilemna. Our previous dogs were fine around crowds and noise, but the dogs we have now aren’t, so we can’t take them with us. They’re not outdoor dogs so it’s not like I can let them out all day. Two would be fine, but we own one escape artist who can worm his way through tiny cracks. I’m starting to wonder if he’s part cat. We could probably take the two Keeshonds with us and muscle our way around with them, but that leaves the Doberman who has issues. We adopted him as an adult, and he was crated for his life before we got him, so he hasn’t been socialized around strangers. He’s getting better, but definately not up to a crowd scene.

Argh, it’d be easier having kids.

We arrived at the Inglewood Country Club, driving over the largest speed bumps known to mankind. I think I got dizzy from oxygen depravation on top of one of them. My wife and I came in the back door.

Paid my DACC dues (they were very disappointed to find out I wasn’t going to be a small business member anymore, since the Brood met Kaas online store is a total bust. Why beat a dead horse?), and the fee for the Rijsttafel. Because we arrived right ON time for the food to be served, we didn’t get to schmooze as much as we might. Okay, for the menu:

Nasi Goreng (with, I think, coconut)
Caesar Salad
Other salad (maybe Urap)
Watermelon, pineapple, melon slices and grapes
Long green beans in kecap
Daging Smoor
Marinated chicken
Loempia
Perkedel
Satay already in a peanut sauce
Peanut sauce
Pesong Goreng
Coconut shreds
Sambal
Kecap

I’m sure there were Indonesian names for everything, I’m just blanking at the moment. No Bami Goreng. There was a cash bar there (my wife had a bourbon and soda, gin and tonic for me). Of course coffee and water too.

My wife couldn’t eat any of the satay as she is allergic to peanuts. Because of this, I was disappointed they already had the satay in the sauce. I don’t have a tongue made of stone, so no sambal for me, thank you very much.

Round tables, so you met folks you might normally not sit with. We picked a table, and ended up sitting with folks we had sat with in previous years. Go figure. COuple of couples of Indos sitting on the other side of the room, and I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself, but at least I wasn’t the token Indo there.

Two person folk band. Pretty good, I think I have them listed in my Business Directory over at broodmetkaas.com.

Interesting discussion as to why they don’t have Rijsttafel in Indonesia (native). I thought a couple of things. They do have large celebrations, but native, full-blood Indonesians wouldn’t name them Rijsttafel. Rice is the basic staple. That’d be like Americans having White Bread Feasts. Rijsttafel is special because it’s a Dutch celebration of Indonesian food. Or…I could be wrong.

I ate so much, I don’t think I’m allowed to eat anything for the next three days. Oh, and notice how I mixed English, Dutch, Indonesian, and Yiddish? There’s a talent you don’t often see. For my next trick…

Well, the Rijstaafel is coming up and I still haven’t sent in either my DACC membership fee, or the Rijstaffel reservations. I haven’t sent in my HAC membership either. I should do it yet today, but I’m feeling pretty lazy. I get Sunday/Monday’s off of work, so this is my lazy Sunday, despite being your Monday.

Despite this, I still insist I’m Dutch. Cope.

I got a call a few days ago that I never got a return call on, but a woman had called asking me what the local Dutch activities and places to shop were. I have no idea of who referred her to me, but her call did make me notice a deficit in the main website. Now, I put a Community Calendar up on the main site, but after this call, I also slapped together a Pacific Northwest Business Directory. Hopefully this will help answer a few questions like the call I got.

Ooh, that reminds me, there was something I was trying to remember to post next time around…