Home Sweet Home: Back from Droompark and Into Kitchen Chaos

Dear Friends,

Hoera, hoera! We're finally home after our adventure at EuroParcs, and oh, it feels amazing to be back in our own space. It was a fun experience, but it definitely came with its fair share of challenges. For starters, that 20 to 30-minute drive to the KuierKos was exhausting. Poor Andreas spent five weeks as our dedicated chauffeur, shuttling Miss Daisy up and down nonstop. The kids had to share a room, and we couldn't just pop over to Albert Heijn a few times a day whenever we forgot something.

For Coco, though, the past few weeks have been absolute heaven. She's been my little shadow — if I move, she moves. Now that we're back home, she's over the moon (and the poor ducks are breathing a sigh of relief). With all this together time, I think we've officially got ourselves a shop dog! She refuses to stay home because it's too noisy for the neighbours, so meet Coco: our new doorbell, greeter, and enthusiastic jumper. Sorry in advance... but at least she's happy! 🐾

As with all renovations, things always take longer than planned, and the kitchen isn't quite ready yet. So for now, we've set up a temporary solution with a braai and an airfryer. Over the next few weeks, I'll be testing how many KuierKos meals I can successfully make in that airfryer. My first experiment with Ouma Nelie's sosaties was a hit — they came out perfectly, and last night's Rib eye steak ... pure bliss!

My new kitchen space is just 5.5 square meters. But some basics are simply non-negotiable. A sink and a dishwasher are must-haves. Honestly, I believe a dishwasher is one of the cornerstones of a happy marriage.

Then there's the stove. I had my heart set on gas, but Andreas and the builder tried their best to convince me to go "milieu vriendelijk." Spoiler alert: I stuck to my guns and chose gas. Sometimes, a man just needs to give his wife what she wants. Happy wife = happy life.

My dislike of induction cooktops runs deep. There's no way I'm giving up my well-seasoned pan, and I don't want to worry that the stove will stop working every time I move a pot. And if my fingertip is even slightly wet, it refuses to switch on. Feels like I am using a game controller for cooking – werk jou bliksem! Five weeks of cooking on induction have only confirmed what I already knew: it's just not for me.

Now, friends, let me share a tough realisation I had while kitchen shopping. Considering the size of my kitchen and my modest wish list, kitchens are ridiculously expensive! Do you know how many boerewors a girl would have to sell just to cover the cost of a basic kitchen?

And with Christmas around the corner, I'm determined to have a gammon and a leg of lamb on the menu. So, we'll have to make a plan...

Marnella & Andreas