November 2012 in pictures

November was another busy month for us. We traveled outside of he Netherlands, again. We really did make the most of autumn 2012, having not been able to travel much in the summer due to a kitty that couldn't stay healthy. I was a bit nervous to leave Islay during her recovery from surgery, but she seemed fine when we left and only starved for company when we got back. We went to Stockholm to visit a friend of mine, it was dreary, cold, and dark quickly, but the company was superb. I miss my friends "from Boston," but even if I moved back, it would never be the same. Being a scientist, most of my "Boston friends" weren't even from the USA let alone Boston, and many of them are not there anymore. The food was great, the coffee was great, and the yarn stores were cute, cozy, and reasonably priced. Stockholm is not as expensive as people would have you believe, but then Utrecht is  also extremely expensive IMO.

 We arrived in Stockholm just after Halloween and the Mexican embassy was hosting a party. So we went. Another Swede scientist friend from Boston also joined us so it was quite the little reunion. We ended up leaving around 1, being old fuddy-duddies, before the Mexican band even started playing.

Andreas and his partner live in the district Sodertorn, which is technically a suburb (but is literally right across the water from Sodermalm), and so the fastest way to get anywhere is via one of the many free ferries. This is looking out of the back of one.

We took a walk up a huge hill to a scenic look-out across Stockholm and from there could see the amusement park, closed for winter. I don't know why but i love pictures of empty amusement parks.

No trip to Stockholm is complete without a trip to the Vasa Museum. Incredible really. I highly encourage everyone to visit Stockholm just to see this.

After we returned home from Stockholm, Islay's life changed forever. We let her outside! She was a bit hesitant at first, but then was in total bliss smelling All the things.

She also decided she was a shoe. And therefore belonged in the shoe cubby that hangs from the ceiling.