8~Die Fancy Girls Dan Gewoon Lekker Gaan Puzzelen

Our puzzling stays within specified times to keep some form of control and so my trip here does not descend into puzzling mania. The three of us, Leon, Eve and myself, must only work on it as a trio. It is like an initiation for our future roles as top secret spies. So we arrange to meet the following Thursday evening, a mutually convenient time in our busy schedules (for Leon work, for us it is yoga, yoga, shopping and hanging out). It seems a far way away but something to look forward to. We need a decent amount of time to move forward and give the puzzle the attention it deserves. I go to sleep that Sunday dreaming of puzzle pieces, parallels that jigsaws and puzzling have to do with life: new  paths, creating, changing, evolving, growing. Sometimes staying the same (like that 12 minute search for one piece).

Theo, Eve’s friend, finds our puzzling activity endearing: “Wat ik nou zo leuk vind is dat twee van die fancy girls dan gewoon lekker gaan puzzelen. Heerlijk!” Translation for us non-Dutch speakers: “What I like so much is that just two fancy girls sit down and go puzzle. Lovely- I love it!” My crush (yes, girlfriends, rejoice that I have managed to form a vague interest in a man and Sally was this your chakra work?!) at the local Starbucks is also slightly bemused when I share our weekend activities with him. So, what have you done today? More shopping? I am a little offended because although I want him to believe me to be princess, I do not want him to think of me as that type of princess. No, I have been puzzling and gardening. He looks surprised and needs more information. So I blab on about the unicorn and show him my scars from the brambles, just to prove the multi-dimensional sort of princess I am. (I do not mention that Eve has booked me in for a manicure and pedicure!)

 

Our weekend was not just wrapped up in the puzzle. Saturday featured a spot of gardening. Unusual, maybe, here in a city of tall buildings and apartment living. Eve’s friend had sent an email calling on people to help her clear her garden. She was in need and we were willing to give her some of our muscle and time. Why not? Cue: mission on a Saturday morning across Amsterdam in search of this garden. A little tired from our Friday night (double class of yoga is enough partying for these princesses) and a bit of a slog on the bikes (sometimes it is not completely blissful as I may have led you to believe) looking for the right area, we were fortunate to cross bike paths with a princely type. He not only knew where the gardens were, he was heading there himself and would be our escort. Like a jigsaw, things falling into place. He also had beer; this was not particularly impressive to us but I guess good to know he was an organized type of prince, who could provide party beverages. I respected his Saturday gardening style, although our bottle of water and snacks of apples, nuts and licorice suited our princess tastes.

We felt pretty out of town, although the bike ride home highlighted that we were not too far from city life. Gardening in the Dam shed a new light on Dutch living for me. I guess it is the equivalent to our allotments back in England. Allotments Dutch style. A picture perfect miniature Dutch suburbia. Paths (fit for cycling, of course) with little gated gardens; small houses, all so individually designed; small canals running through the little neighbourhoods and friendly gardeners here and there, greeting us and chatting weather and all things green. So we set to. Working with the other friends that heard the plea. What a great community feel!

When we head to the toilets we see what a hive of activity this little surburbia world is hosting. Eve’s friend explains that the people that own these gardens are obligated to do works on them the first weekend in March in order to maintain this haven of green. In fact, people do stay in their little houses in the summer months. I thought they looked too adorable and trully house-like to just occasionally sit in, during gardening breaks or for shelter from unexpected weather. There is no electric but people use gas and make a little cosy place for themselves on summer nights. (Where did that Prince go? He has some palatial digs right here in the secret heart of Amsterdam. Apartments and living quarters tend to be small here and he has a castle with green grounds! ) I LOVE it. It reminds me of ‘The Cabin’ in Point Roberts. This was the place of miniature outdoor living back when I was a kid, growing up in Canada. Owned by the Burritts (I wanted to be adopted into this family, even though my family were and are amazing!), staying in this cabin, that overlooked the ocean was an enchanting retreat. A home from home, everything smaller and everything more simple. A perfect getaway in nature. Kate Burritt and I, around 8 years old, had the most lovely of adventures that are imprinted forever in my memory. These came flooding back as we biked around the miniature world, admiring all the different houses and gardens.

We stayed for a bit longer, determined to complete the patch of garden we had started on. The others had gradually disappeared, other commitments and Saturday activities to get to.  So there we were, just Eve and I. Lost in this lovely Spring Saturday, lost in childhood memories, weeds and bramble bushes…Just two fancy girls, gardening.