Sensible shoes

You know me, and I would never admit it otherwise, but in Amsterdam, Brugges, Antwerp, etc., I wore sensible shoes. My feet were so swollen like little turtle feet that even if I wanted to wear my high heals I couldn't. Instead I wore a pair of Sketcher Walkabouts. One night for dinner I even just wore socks because I couldn't get any pair of shoes on my extremely swollen feet.

I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed with my own pillow, taking an hour long bath everyday for a week, and holding my grandkids (and kids) tightly in my arms. 

This will be my last post and I hope you've enjoyed it. Until I see you in person, good-bye for now. 

Love to you all,

Mom/Cyn 

The last day

Keukenhof Garden

7 million bulbs of colorful beauty. This is one of the reasons I came to Amsterdam.  I will say it was perfect timing too. The Garden opened on March 26, which is when the bulbs started to peek through the soil, and will stay opened until May 6th, when the last bit of color will say "so long" until next year.  

I've learned a lot about tulips on this trip from how to plant them, to how to keep them longer in water, to how to force a winter when you want them to bloom. 

Now, trying to fit all of the love gifts I purchased into the extra suitcase I brought is going to be a challenge, but not to fret my loved ones, remember I'm a Tetris genius.

 

We just finished the last dinner with our new friends. It feels like the last day of summer camp when when everyone goes home to different places, exchanging addresses, and pledging that you'll stay in touch, all the while secretly you know you will never see them again. I'm thankful for the time together and wishing them safe travels and happy lives. 

Goodbye my dear Amsterdam, I bid you farewell and I will see you again. 

Thank you for a nearly

 perfect half-century birthday!!

Love you bunches, I'll be back in time for Easter.

Mom/Cyn 

Didn't do a damn thing today.

After the minute to minute running around time that we've had since we got on board it's been really nice not to do anything today. They had an excursion this morning, but it didn't look very fun so I didn't go. Instead, I stayed on board and learned how to play backgammon. Then we had a nice lunch with some more friends that we've met. Everyone on this trip has been to soooo many places, no one wants to hear about anywhere in the Caribbean that I've been or even all over the USA for that matter. Oh well, this Redneck Sally O'Maley can build a fire, whistle with my fingers, drive a large motor home AND set it up all by herself. I can fix my toilet, hang a shelf, put together a desk, reverse the doors on my refrigerator and dryer, cook a former meal, bake and decorate a wedding cake, sing at the wedding, and move a piano. I AM woman (Superman😉) hear me roar!

We'll be in Rotterdam tonight, where my great grandmother left her country...and her mother and family...never to return again. It's funny (not ha ha funny, but strange funny) that I'm a little ashamed that I don't even know her name. All I remember is my mom and Aunt Ginny just called her Grandma Smith. I'm wondering if she was as wacky and crazy as their daughter...my grandma. Seeing the mothers and daughters and sisters on this trip puts a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. I WILL be making this trip with my children someday...it is important. 

Love you! 

Mom/Cyn

Why does Brugges have an "s" on the end??

Beats me!  I have absolutely no idea.

This was the sunrise this morning. A little on the industrial side but still pretty...kind of. 

OK, so here is the deal...Bruges is the most incredibly charming place on earth! 

In the background is the largest church in Europe built entirely out of bricks...that may not be entirely true because I wasn't paying 100% attention to our tour guide (I know, shocking huh?!)

The tree branches going horizontally are branches they've groomed over the years to grow this way and when they fill in with leaves it provides shade. So far, these have been everyplace I've been. A lot of people even have them on their property. Again, I wasn't paying 100% attention but  If I would have been I could tell you the name of the tree!

This was our tour guide Charlene, and OMG, what a hoot! Actually she was two or three hoots! If you looked to the right there is a man in a hat and a woman in a blue coat... those are our new friends Tracy and Victoria, they are from Alabama and they've been literally all over the world. This is their fourth Viking River cruise. 

 I'm really surprised by the number of families on this boat. All with adult children with the exception of one 15-year-old boy, this can't be very fun for him.  Even though there are still a lot of couples, there are probably an equal number of siblings. 

After our tour was over we had the afternoon free to roam on our own. Of course oru first stop was the Salvador Dali Museum. 

Secondly we went to the Picasso museum and much to my surprise was Miro and Matisse were also on display...also two of my favorites!!!

This is a tablet case, but do you remember that I had this painting in my house in Gilbert??!

This picture is for my beautiful daughter Cami Jo… who used to love to watch Judge Judy. Brugges is actually known for their very fine lace. Judge Judy's collar is actually from Bruges! CJ, guess what you're getting for your next love gift?!

This is where 90 nuns live

The people who live in Brugges call this the River of Love. This is an old nursing home where people spend the last years or months of their lives overlooking the Love River.

Very fitting that on our way back to the bus we happen to see a duck with her ducklings in the reflection of the nursing home. 

We're now back on the boat where we set sail at...well hell I don't know what time.

Love to you!!!

Mom/Cyn 

Dali, Picasso, and lace.

I'm so excited!! Tomorrow when you're sleeping I will be in Bruges. You may ask yourself why is Bruges so exciting...??? First and foremost I'll be wishing my my son Josh, was with me because I'm going to see a fantastic collection of works and sculptures by Salvidore Dali which is one of HIS favorite artists AND Picasso's Spanish period of works which is cubism and surrealism...one of MY favorite. 

I'll also be sampling Belgian beer, eating Belgian chocolates, and Belgian waffles and visiting the leading producer of lace, specific Bobbin lace which is a Bruges specialty. I'm definitely not a fan of lace doilies, collars or table clothes but who knows, anything is possible.

I'm still working on getting the pictures on the blog...sorry! 

On my way to bed, have a great rest of your day!! 

Love you all,

Mom/Cyn

My name is Sally O'Malley and I like to.........

I Kick, Stretch and Kick and I'm 50 years Old!!!

Our "wonderful" wifi won't allow me to upload one of my favorite SNL videos of all times...so in my honor, please Youtube Sally O'Malley and watch the video!!!!!!   

To my very special daughter who put together one of the best gifts of all time, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart and the top of my soul!"  Your card was perrrrrrrfect  I did indeed laugh, reminisce, and cry (sometimes all at the same time)!

I can't tell you how special my 50 memories were to me.  Each person who participated share so many memories with me, I'm overwhelmed with the warmest, coziest, most lovely feeling in the world; LOVE!

I've really only had two birthday parties.  One was when I was 7 (I think) and we lived in Champaign, Illinois, and we played musical chairs, and outside on the swing set, oh, and we probably had cake and ice-cream (that I can't remember for sure).

 

This birthday started with a family party at Cami's house surrounded by my children and grandchildren, and my son in law smoked a great meal just for me!

 Then my trip that I've dreamed about for so long. I got a towel cake and 50 red tulips!!! 

Reading 50 memories from so many of you was simply mindblowing.  Thinking about it still today brings tears to my eyes.  I'm going to make a book out of all of them when I get home.  

Thank you, each of you have played such an important part of molding me into who I am today.  The whole reason I'm in the Netherlands, Holland is because of my grandma who I truly got my crazy-wacko-ness from but also the soft, gentle, caring love, of children.

  

Thank you everyone for the good, the bad, and even the ugly.  The physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual.  

The whole me!