Sun in the sky, you know how I feel

Ooh, I can not believe the weather! It's just been plain awesome since I arrived. Unreal. It's freakin' summer basically. And if anyone in the world appreciates a ray of sunshine it's the Dutchies. They wear colourful cothes, they don the shorts and the singlets, they talk about the weather non-stop. It got to 23 yesterday, and I overheard a girl saying she was so hot. Cute. Of course, 23 is not hot. Nor is 33. Yes, 43 is hot. But 23 is lovely!

I can't help but feel it's kind of a reward to me for making the right decision about coming to Holland. I might complain and moan about the work I have to do here, but that doesn't mean that below the surface of a sore body and an endless task of moving stuff and sanding and painting, I am not deeply content. I am. I am super content.

I feel very happy to be here, and I'm glad I will be here for another long while. I am so pleased to be spending quality time with my friends and family here. I have just spent the last few days researching and planning a little getaway to the north and one of the Dutch islands (Vlieland) with my buddy Phiroze. We both have never been up there. I am so excited to be going on a little trip with such a wonderful guy - whom, I have to say, I am very, very privileged to have such exclusive rights to while I'm here. I know many Aussies who would be jealous of me. And I want to say to those people: Yes, it is awesome to be spending so much time with a mysterious  superhero!
I do not know anybody who is as similar to me as he is. It's delightful and slightly spooky. We often say things just a second before the other is about to say the exact same thing. It really is like having a twin brother I didn't know for the last 30 years.

I love seeing my old girlfriends regularly, too. My bestest friend Emily. I wish she lived in Australia with me. We talk about the most important things in our lives, super meaningful things we wouldn't really discuss with many other people, but in the same breath we make silly jokes about ourselves and laugh so hard our drinks nearly come out of our nose. I love you, Em!

Then, of course, I also love seeing so much of my sister. For some reason, like I've said before, we've suddenly found out we actually like each other. We have laughs and remember funny things from our life. It's nice being 'home' together every weekend, with Mum. She called me last night (a call I missed because I was shakin' my booty at Body Jam) just to make sure I hadn't fallen off the roof. Sweet of her.

I did spend most of Tuesday up on the roof. I have been sanding the dormer windows of our house, which are in need of a lick of paint. But, how does one stand on a very steep roof? We thought it would have to be ladder work. Stella, Mum and I spent a good while trying to figure it out, and  in the end Mum and I went to the school to borrow a ladder. But the ladder there was shorter than our own, and caretaker there said we shouldn't use a ladder. He told us to just push roof tiles up under the one above, so there's a little step to place your foot in, that that's how the tradies to it. Wow! Brilliant information! We would have never thought of it. So that's how I spent my Tuesday. Roof tiles, at least our ones, do not slide up very easily, so I have gotten many grazes on my hands and arms trying to dislodge the buggers. Then I tethered myself to the middle beam of the window surrounds, then I took the sanding machine and sanded and sanded and sanded. Then, I was exhausted, quite warm, and my shoulders, arms and back are still sore. But I'm happy it's done.

We are seeing results of our hard work. The house looks much bigger with less junk in it. And boy, do we have much junk. Still. And the painted windows and doors, most of it done by my sister, look so much better. I am proud of the work we're achieving. Still a lot to do, though.

I am today going to do some painting. But first a little bit of Zumba, though my body is extremely sore from Tuesday, and also from last night's double whammy at the gym. Sh'bam and Body Jam. I don't know what it is about that little man that teaches Body Jam, but he really is able to make me go extra hard. He has such energy, and he's funny. It's like being taught a gym class by a short, cute comedian with loads of go-power. But now my legs are sore, too. I'm just a wreck all over, haha. But I'm still going to the gym in a minute, gotta keep working out if I keep pigging out at the dinner table like I do. Anyone know anyone in Holland who would give free massages?