From Padded Jackets to Christmas Menus

Dear KuierKos Family,

There is definitely a bite in the air! And with that comes the annual household debate: Do we turn the heating on, or do we give it another week?
Andreas reckons there is absolutely no shame in wearing a padded jacket indoors. The kids are not happy.
Me? With my own personal, rather chaotic temperature-control system, I have only one non-negotiable demand: the towel heater must be on. Because honestly, there are few things worse than reaching for a cold, wet towel after a lovely warm shower. Some battles are simply worth fighting!
With this weather change we know the kids birthdays are getting closer.First up is Anne. Our baby is turning 19! NINETEEN. How on earth did that happen? It feels like only yesterday that we brought that tiny bundle of joy home. And now she is practically a grown-up. Someone please explain where the time goes, because I would quite like a refund on a few of those years.
Her birthday always makes me think about how much has changed since we arrived in the Netherlands.
Our very first dinner out was at a little Dutch restaurant in Amsterdam’s Rivierenbuurt. Andreas had just received his first salary in euros, and let me tell you, we felt RICH. Properly wealthy. We dressed up for the occasion, six months pregnant and ready to enjoy our new European lifestyle. The restaurant was small, with tables packed closely together. We were happily halfway through dinner when the gentleman at the next table decided it was time to light his first cigarette.
MY WORLD.
Here I was, six months pregnant, wondering if I had accidentally walked into a time machine. Back in Sandton, Johannesburg, smoking in a restaurant was practically unthinkable. If people wanted to smoke, they had their little glass cubicles. Like goldfish, but with cigarettes. Now, you know me. I am not exactly famous for keeping my opinions to myself. So, as politely as I could manage, I asked the gentleman if he would mind not smoking next to me, seeing that I was pregnant. Let's just say he was not overcome with gratitude for my request. We left without dessert, and our romantic first dinner out in the Netherlands was not quite the fairy tale we had imagined. Thankfully, times have changed. And thankfully, so have the smoking rules. Although I still think I was entitled to that dessert!
Another thing that took some getting used to was Haarlem on a Sunday.
Coming from Johannesburg, where shopping malls seemed to be growing faster than mushrooms after rain, arriving in the Netherlands was a bit of a shock. The shops were closed. The supermarkets were closed. Everything was closed! There was apparently one magical koopzondag a month, and you had better make the most of it. Suddenly, you had to plan your weekend like a military operation. Spontaneous Sunday shopping? Forget it. A last-minute grocery run? Good luck, my friend.
After a while, we discovered an Albert Heijn near Museumplein that was sometimes open. And then came the real miracle: BP started experimenting with little Marks & Spencer shops inside petrol stations.
People, I cannot explain the excitement.
After church, we would go there, and it felt as if someone had opened a little Woolworths just for us. You could practically hear the angels singing over the sandwiches and snacks.
And don't get me started on our first Oud en Nieuw.
Imagine driving home from friends with a tiny baby while fireworks are exploding from every possible direction. It sounded as if the entire country had declared war on the calendar.
I am fairly certain we are still recovering.
Let's hope this year people light their candles and Christmas lights rather than the fireworks. Coco would certainly vote for that!
Keep an eye on KuierKos for more festive favourites coming your way. We would love to help bring a little taste of South Africa to your Christmas table.
For now, stay warm, enjoy those precious patches of sunshine and blue skies, and remember: there is no shame in wearing a padded jacket indoors. Andreas says so.
Just please, for the love of all things lekker, switch on the towel heater!

Kom kuier,
Marnella & Andreas