{Our Felines are 8 Today!}

Hard to imagine that it is already 8 years ago today, that they got born... Meanwhile we lost Sacha, one of the girls who got hit by a car. Sad day. Also their Mamita Spicy, disappeared and we still think she got kidnapped. 

Such a bliss when all 5 of our rescued Spicy from Acapulco, Mexico, got born healthy...

Mamita Spicy was such a sweet cat-mommy!

Baby Sacha; the one that got killed by car on June 17, 2013...

Feisty Tiggy–Tiger, the tiny one...

Tiggy–Tiger

Tiggy–Tiger

Bandido with Mamita Spicy...

Spooky with his Chick-fil-A toy...

Yes, they ALL fit inside this oak magazine rack! They were so CLOSE...

Sacha loved to romp with her brothers Spooky (left) and Bandido...

All 5 napping on top of a box...

Mamita came to treat them to a Milk-Shake...

All 5 at their human Mami's feet...

Bonding...

Napping together...

Their human Papi build them a play box...

Learning together...

7 weeks old and still enjoying Milk Shakes from Mamita + cuddles!

Almost 2 months old here and still hanging out together all the time!

All the girls in a basket...

Sacha (L) is being missed but all others are still happy and healthy.

Too bad we never found their Mamita Spicy back!

Related links:

{R.I.P. SACHA GIRL} | previous post by me

{Our 2 Inseparable Feline Siblings SACHA & BANDIDO} | previous post by me

{Telling YOU the Tale of our 4 Feline Girls} | previous post by me

{Second Languages}

In husband Pieter's magazine: 'The Rotarian' from February 2015, there was a very interesting article about Facts of the Matter - Second Languages.

TWENTY-SIX PERCENT of U.S. adults and 25% of British adults speak a 2nd language. In the European Union, 63 percent of adults know at least one foreign language. Ninety-eight percent of people in Luxembourg speak at least one foreign language, and 84 percent speaks three languages. In Latvia, the percentage of people who speak at least one foreign language is 95; the Netherlands, 94; Malta, 93; Lithuania and Slovenia, 92; and Sweden, 91.

GLOBALLY, the most widely spoken language is Mandarin Chinese, which has nearly two billion native speakers, and the most popular second language is English, which has 335 million native speakers. More than one billion people are studying English today; it is the most studied foreign language in China. In the United States, Spanish is the most studied; Chinese is seventh.

THE GOVERNMENT of India recognizes Hindi and English as official national languages, but most Indians speak a third language as well: that of their region. All three are usually taught at school.

BILINGUAL SPEAKERS outdo monolinguists at problem solving, planning, decision making, multitasking, remembering directions, and other mentally demanding tasks. They're also better at staying focused and shifting their attention when needed. Speaking two languages may help delay Alzheimer's symptoms.

YOUNG CHILDREN are assumed to be the best language learners: They have twice as many brain synapses as adults and haven't yet burdened their minds with such things as remembering social security numbers or learning to drive a car. But researchers say their real edge is a heightened ability to mimic pronunciation: Studies show that, with ample practice and instruction, adults learn new languages almost as well as kids do, except for pronunciation. Also, adult learners have to master much more vocabulary than kids to seem proficient.

THE EASIEST language for native English speakers to master include Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian; each requires 23-24 weeks or about 600 class hours, to become proficient. The hardest languages for native English speaking are Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Japanese, which require 88 weeks, or 2,200 class hours.

THE TOP FIVE languages for business are English, Mandarin, French, Arabic and Spanish. The British Council says English is the lingua franca of publishing, airports, air traffic control, international conferences, science and technology, diplomacy, sports, pop music, and advertising. Eighty percent of the world's electronically stored information is in English. The market for digital English-language learning products is forecast to reach US $ 3.1 billion by 2018.

RESEARCHERS AT THE Massachusetts Institute of Technology calculated the return on investment for English speakers of learning a second language: It boosts earnings only about 2 per cent. For Spanish, the return is 1.5 per cent; French 2.7 per cent; and German 4 per cent. Similar studies in Turkey, Russia and Israel, however, found a 10 to 20 per cent return on investment for people learning English as a second language.  — KATE NOLAN

{203 Countries Visited - Welcome Timor-Leste}

Already on February 23, the 203rd Country Visited my humble blog - Welcome Timor-Leste!

Timor-Leste is located in Southeast Asia.

{Theresia Cloister - Theresiaklooster in Meterik, The Netherlands}

Last year, when visiting The Netherlands for Mom's 90th Birthday and Mom & Dad's 65th Wedding Anniversary, our sister-in-law did drop off this local news paper at our VacantieWoningPardoes. 

In which the Theresia Cloister in Meterik was published. That's where I got my 3-year education in Fashion Design in the mid to late sixties of last century.

This is the link from the HALLO Horst aan de Maas: Straatnamen:Theresiastraat Meterik

Streetnames: Theresiastreet in Meterik, a little town within Horst aan de Maas.

So that's where I went for 3 years, on my bike...

It was the February 19, 2014 issue.

For my Dutch readers who are interested in: geschiedenis van de kleine zusters van de H. Joseph -Met de minsten der Mijnen - Gabrielle Dorren 

There is a book titled: history of the little sisters of Saint Joseph - For the least of Mine by Gabrielle Dorren.

The English translation of above website about the book:

The congregation of the Little Sisters of Saint Joseph was founded on June 21, 1872 in Heerlen. Over the course of time, more than three thousand Dutch and Belgian women have entered. As religious, they focused mainly on those who were least looked after. The Little Sisters of St. Joseph worked in nursing, mentally defective care, custody institutions, education, elderly homes and church institutes such as seminars and retreat houses. They were active in the Netherlands and in Belgian Limburg, but also in China, Indonesia and Kenya. In with the least of the Mine, Gabrielle renders a history of 140 years, in which the Little sisters themselves emerge in all their diversity: in many ways they gave and give shape to their spirituality of simplicity, dedication and surrender.

Fond memories of this Theresia Cloister, where also our Great-Aunt used to live, before I even went to this Fashion Design school. The sisters had a kind of a nursing home for the elderly. It was my Paternal Grandfather's sister.

Interesting piece of history...

{Allergies? Try to Avoid eating Sugar}

Deborah Enos is a Health Food Spokeswoman and she did point out the affect of sugar on allergies so I want to share with you.

TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

Fending off spring allergies

By Deborah Herlax Enos

FIFTY MILLION Americans suffer from allergies.

I have spent the majority of the sprig season indoors and out of the line of fire. After years of dreading spring, I decided to fight back.

Here a few tips that have helped me.

Irrigate. Your nose, that is. Nasal irrigation is a part of one's daily routine in India and Southeast Asia. Look for a neti pot (looks like a little teapot) or nasal saline spray.

Take a shower. Pollen can really accumulate in your hair and on your skin. I find that if I take a shower before bed, my sinuses are clearer, making it easier to sleep.

Avoid peak pollen times. Stay inside from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you exercise outside, do it early in the morning, when pollen counts are lowest.

Shampoo your pet. Pollen can cling to your pet. Get a spring haircut for Fido and wash indoor/outdoor pets often. Keeping your pet out of your bedroom and off furniture can also be helpful.

Start cleaning. Do a thorough cleaning or, better yet, pay someone else to do it. Windows, screens and furnace filters collect mold and dust throughout the season, which can provoke your symptoms. 

Go on an anti-inflammation diet. When you are suffering from allergies, your nose is already inflamed. Avoid eating foods that will cause more inflammation, such as sugar. (This is a good incentive to cut back on your sugar intake).

Limit your dairy intake. Many doctors believe that dairy products increase mucus production, which can agitate and provoke allergy symptoms.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Make sure you consult with your physician before starting any new health program.

{Salty Foods Compared}

From the French Journal des Femmes I found a great article, related to health, about 'Salty Foods Compared.'

Even if the Bing translation of the page is not perfect, you still get a good idea.
Saltiest food: Royal pizza. Why is it salty? Royal pizza, quiche Lorraine or Flammekueche... All these dishes are generally very salty. And for good reasons: they consist deli, cold cuts of meat.

Surimi or cherry tomatoes?
Why is t salty? Gernerally the aperitif biscuits are salty. In particular, peanuts, chips, mini pizzas and cookies.

Ketchup or tomato sauce?
The saltiest food: ketchup

Soup or Chinese soup?
The saltiest food: Chinese soup

Roquefort or Reblochon?
the saltiest food: Roquefort

Hamburger or suasage?
The saltiest food: sausage

Mozzarella or feta?
The saltiest food: feta

Roast pork or ham?
The saltiest food: ham

Moussaka or lasagna?
The saltiest food: lasagna

Ham or cooked ham?
The saltiest food: prosciutto

Mayonaise or mustard?
The saltiest food: mustard

Fries or green beans?
The saltiest food: canned green beans

Hamburger or sandwich ham butter
The saltiest food: the sandwich ham-butter

Sausage or garlic?
The saltiest food: dry sausage

Rusk (toast) or baguette?
The saltiest food: the baguette

{Mom was only 50 days short of her 7th Dialysis Anniversary}

Mom was so very close to making it into a record for completing her 7th Dialysis Anniversary; only 50 days short!

My beautiful Mom, opening the front door of Afhangweg 8 in Horst, The Netherlands for my 'late' husband -– on my wedding day. 

She is so happy looking and this is the house where she came back to, for her last breath.

Mom in Church on my wedding day, with my baby-brother Jan to the left...

It was on February 9, 1973...

Mom congratulating me after Church... 

Looking oh so happy and for sure she is now together in heaven with my late husband Frans...

~

“The things you can take with you: Love, Trust, Respect, Joy. The things you leave behind: Everything else.”  ― Robert Charles Waldron

Mom during the reception, where guests do present the gifts.

My Paternal Grandmother is seated here and the lady with the black/red dress was my aunt, married to Dad's younger brother. She too went to heaven after having had kidney problems and going through dialysis...

My hair was till my waist at that time!

I will show you my self made simple wedding dress another time.

~

“We should keep the dead before our eyes, and honor them as though still living” ― Confucius

The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone. - Harriet Beecher Stowe

Those are great quotes...

Those that attacked us for NOT showing up at Mom's funeral, due to Pieter's health issues because of heart cramps, and me still going to rehab for my hand, we forgive their act of bitterness.

May they too find the Peace that is in our hearts!

{Tulips as Patio Pot Plants}

Since Voles do actually snack on Tulip bulbs, we decided to grow some as Patio Pot Plants!

Lovely color and there was just one early bloomer!

Photo is from February 23...

One forerunner and the next planter box contains some Angelique tulips that still have to bloom.

Will share them with you whenever they are ready!

{Happy Saint Patrick's Day Wreath}

Wishing all readers, Irish or not, a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

During the January Business After Hours from our local Chamber of Commerce (see link under photo header) I did win a lovely door price...

Photo is taken with my iPhone after a walk on the day that we received the metal wreath hanger and Pieter hung it for me.
Cute Leprechaun, even though mine looks a bit constipated; the way he frowned his eye brows...

Don't you love this?!

Door Decor - Wreaths by Julie makes these to order! 

Just click the above hyperlink to see her collection on FB Page.

She uses burlap and all sorts of ribbons in a very talented way.

For sure she will ship one out to you; just ask...

Photo used with permission from Julie's Door Decor -Wreaths by Julie
Such a cute Leprechaun!
~

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!