112. Europe Bicycle Trip--Torrential Rain and Cousin Astrid

Today is Day 40, Monday,May 26th. It is supposed to rain quite heavily today. Tante Betty did several phone calls last night to my cousins, Astrid, Theo and Annelies who live in Apeldoorn. Their mother was a younger sister to my mother. Dave had visited them in 1978 when we were in the Netherlands, but I could not because I was pregnant and there was polio in this part of the country. They all work and have very busy schedules so we had made arrangements to meet them during the supper hour maybe at a restaurant. It was finally arranged that we could park at Astrid's house and would have a cup of tea there first.

In the morning, we first bicycled about 3 km into Beltrum to do some groceries.

Later, I asked Ome Jan if he wanted to go boating with me in the campground pond, but he said the little boat would sink. It started to rain and rain and rain. It was a big, bad thunderstorm and the rain came down hard. We heard on the news later that parts of the Netherlands suffered badly from this rain  because so much came down so fast.

Before the rain, Tante Betty showed me all the books she has from ACSI, the camping organization that they have belonged to for over 40 years.

In fact, Ome Jan and Tante Betty are camping inspecters for ACSI and are actually inspecting this campground while they are here. A rating will be given and advertisements can be made in the camping books.

Ome jan sat and relaxed, although I know he likes to be very active.

We left at 2:30 and Tante Betty had to drive through the rain for an hour to reach Apeldoorn and Astrid's place. She and Ben live in this older home from 1887 which they have renovated.

She has a lovely, peaceful backyard.

Here is bouncy, talkative, happy Astrid who greeted us warmly and offered tea.

She showed us around her home and I noticed this wall hanging that her mother had made. I also have at my house and apron and a tea cozy set that her mother made and gave to me in 1978. We also have a doll, Longe Lisa, that her mother knit and gave to caroline back then.

Nice comfy couch corner

We took some photos as Ome Jan and Tante Betty had not seen her since her mother's funeral a few years ago.

Ben also came home and joined us at the table.

After our drink, Ben took me to the store to figure out my phone which had had all the money on it used up. They helped to reset all the settings. Then we took a photo in the garden and  walked down the street and around the corner to Theo's place. Instead of going to a restaurant, Astrid and Theo had decided to make a real Dutch meal at his place.