Dutch songs

Dear Nana,

I thought Id post some Dutch songs you might like. I think you will love this 1970s song from a Dutch protest singer Boudewijn de Groot. The song is called Verdronken Vlinder which means Drowned Butterfly. I added the text below, it would be a great excercise for you to translate it and repost it on our blog. Just leave open parts which you find too difficult and I will fill in the gaps. The song and the text are simply brilliant and you won't regret translating it!

Kisses,

teh meez/

Boudewijn de Groot - Verdronken vlinder (1970)

Zo te sterven op het water met je vleugels van papier
Zomaar drijven na 't vliegen in de wolken drijf je hier
Met je kleuren die vervagen zonder zoeken zonder vragen
Eindelijk voor altijd rusten en de bloemen die je kuste
Geuren die je hebt geweten
Alles kan je nu vergeten
Op het water wieg je heen en weer
Zo te sterven op het water met je vleugels van papier

Als een vlinder die toch vliegen kan tot in de blauwe lucht
Als een vlinder altijd vrij en voor het leven op de vlucht
Wil ik sterven op het water maar dat is een zorg van later
Ik wil nu als vlinder vliegen op de bloemenblarenwiegen (wobble on flower petals)
Maar zo hoog kan ik niet komen
Dus ik vlieg maar in mijn dromen
Altijd ben ik voor het leven op de vlucht
Als een vlinder die toch vliegen kan tot in de blauwe lucht

Om te leven dacht ik je zou een vlinder moeten zijn
Om te vliegen heel ver weg van alle leed en alle pijn
Maar ik heb niet langer hinder van jaloersheid op een vlinder
Als zelfs vlinders moeten sterven laat ik niet mijn vreugd bederven
Ik kan zonder vliegen leven
Wat zal ik nog langer geven
Om een vlinder die verdronken is in mei
Om te leven hoef ik echt geen vlinder meer te zijn

Fashion for Nana

Helloes Nana,

If you allow me I want you to be my fashion dress up girl: I want to go shopping for clothes for you and also with you!

You wear beautiful clothes and I noticed you have three styles: most commonly you dress casual, a skirt out of jeans fabric, boots and a top for instance. Or jeans and a top, or jeans with a sweater and shawl.

Your second dressing style is casual but a little bit more alternative with a hint of hippie and a hint of native/nature. For instance a pair of jeans with holes in it, a purple palestinian shawl and wooden bracelets and necklace or natural stones/feathers.

Your third style is your drop dead gorgeous style for when you dress up for a happy occasion, wearing your beautiful red dress!

I think you have a great sense of fashion and I would love to explore new styles with you. I think you should explore three new styles.

For formal occasions I would love to find you a formal outfit, but since you are not a very business type like person it has to have something casual about it.

Secondly, I think you could use a more adult way of dressing, I would love you to find something that is inspired on skirt suits from the 50's. I am thinking of skirts with an even tone and a black and white top.

Lastly, for a dress up theme party I would love to dress you up like an Indian! You already use hippie/nature elements, dressing you up like an squaw (female North American native) would suit you and would impress the other party animals because you have the skin tone, hair and face to totally pull it off!


Youre my Pomz!!!Kisses, teh meez/

This is more business style but still wearable outside the office!

Its the opposite of what you normal wear! This is conservative, military. You wear casual with nature and alternative tones. You would not feel comfy in this, but some elements you could use, see other pics.

A modern skirt suit, maroon coloured

This would look good on you, its formal but it has some creative elements such as the pattern and the lower end of the jacket.

Without the gloves it would be good for you, except the pink should be a different plain clour.

It is knitwear and the even colour and the belt has something 50s about it. Because it is red and straight it also has an Eastern touch. It is casual, but sexy and a bit formal too. I think it would suit you very well!

To the right: dress up party! Something like this, but better would be a darker colour.

Appreciate Stuff We Have Already Day

Dear Nana,

It may sound weird but Im thinking of planning a "Appreciate stuff we already have day" every two months. During that day we take a few hours to take care of the stuff we have and feel good about them. We polish our shoes to keep them pretty, we organise our clothes and iron some of them, we do some maintenance on our gadgets to keep them rolling and so on. Also we make sure we hang on to the stuff we care about by adding security or adding labels with our contact details. Doing this makes us feel good and by appreciating what we already have we feel less need to buy things we don't need.

Im going to spend two hours tomorrow to do this. This way I remember all the stuff I have and to appreciate them. I will take my bicycle to the repair shop to make it more comfy to ride. Also I will label my coats and bags. I have special labels with my name and phone number on them. I can iron them into my coats. I have lost three or four coats the last 10 years, with a label Im sure I wouldve gotten one or two back!

Kisses, teh meez/

A simple lock to lock suitcases or coats when we are travelling

A label to label our stuffz

Polishing shoes keeps them healthy and we appreciate them more.