Sparky's Scratches Real friends don't care if you're a little different…

And from Google as well 🙂

Yep, I turned 53 yesterday. The amount of birthday wishes astounded me, snail mail, email, e-cards, telephone and loads and loads of messages on Facebook. Thanks guys, you touched my heart 🙂

Received the ultimate Birthday card today, from Caroline, her husband Steve and cat Mabel 🙂

Visitors of my Blog will know how much I love London and I squealed when I opened the envelop and saw this:

Isn’t it awesome! The scan doesn’t do the card justice as it’s truly beautiful.

Thank you so much my dear friend, you made my day!!

One of my favourite movies is ‘Soldaat van Oranje‘, or in English ‘Soldier of Orange’. Synopsis: the story of a group of friends at the start of and during WW II. But it’s more than that, it shows how people act in extreme situations, often not by choice, but the circumstances made them, or they jumped in without thinking, or they were forced to go in a different direction than could be expected in ‘normal’ life.

The movie was chosen as ‘Best Dutch Movie Ever’, and I can only agree. What makes the story extra special is that it all happened for real, no fiction. The movie is based on the book by (and life of) Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, who is named Erik Lanshof in the movie and is portrayed by Rutger Hauer. IMHO it’s the best part he ever played.

When they announced there would be a ‘Soldier of Orange, the musical’, I frowned. Surely it wouldn’t be possible to capture all the different locations in a musical. From Student society, bombed cities, secret night droppings of agents at the coast of Holland, to Queen Wilhelmina in excile in the UK and everything in between.

Well… they proved me wrong, as the musical is now running and received raving reviews.

A complete theatre was built in a hangar at the former Vliegveld Valkenburg (Airbase Valkenburg, near Leiden, my hometown :D). The audience sits on a revolving platform, which moves with every change of scene. From what I understand, each scene has its own set and instead of changing sets, the platform moves to the next scene.

And yes, it’s all there, student society, sea, ruins of a bombed city, the Queen in excile, guys driving a motorbike, and the ‘pièce the résistence’ at the end Queen Wilhelmina touches Dutch soil again, stepping out of a REAL Dakota!

It isn’t hard to imagine that this was a musical I had to see!  Still saving up (as there’s more than musicals to spend my money on :p) my parents invited me to go with them. *does happy dance*

Bring on March 4th!!!! Of course I’ll write a review, but I just had to share this 🙂

Here’s a trailer, enjoy!

Even Google is celebrating!

Wishing you all a wonderful 2011, lots of health, happiness and prosperity!

For the 7th year, a glass house is build in Holland, where 3 DJs are locked up to spend the 6 days before Christmas, without food (only fluids) to present a radio program 24/7. The public can request records, but have to pay money in exchange. Lots of actions are organized all over the country and last year they raised more than 7 million Euro to help fight malaria in Africa.

This year the money will be used to help orphans who’s parents died of HIV/Aids. Very often they are left alone, without family or a house. Sometimes kids from 9-12 are left to take care of their younger brothers and sisters. The Red Cross has set up help programs, to give the orphans foster parents, food, eduction etc. “Aids took away their parents, let’s give them back their future.”

Of course you can listen to what’s happening on the radio, but there’s also a 24/7 TV broadcast and to many Dutchies this is the best TV of the year. Yes, that means lack of sleep for me too 🙂
The broadcast can be viewed worldwide, here’s a link to the webcam.

The ‘anthem’ this year is turning out to be ‘Hello’ by Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette. It’s a catchy song and everytime it’s requested the DJs go crazy. It gives them a boost and they don’t hold back letting know that this is their favourite at the moment: “people, please don’t stop requesting this song”.

Subtotal raised until today is € 1.755.088. Although more than last year at day 4, it’s not likely they will reach last year’s 7 mill. as the government already announced that – due to the recession – there won’t be any money added by them, like  last year (money raised in 2009 was about 3.5 mill which the government doubled to 7 mill total). That’s a pity, but that could also be the reason why the public is giving more now.

The Glass House moves to another city each year and next year they will be in Leiden (my hometown). Already looking forward to it!

But let’s concentrate on 2010 and raise as much money as possible!

Chiel, Gerard and Coen, you are heroes! Respect!