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Intro
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New
Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
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On New Year's Eve, Betty and Monique (Jan's mom and sister)
served gourmet. This meal was not only tasty but a culinary
experience: Two large electric grills were set on the tables, and
diners could cook their own pieces of meat and vegetables to taste [left].
Little under-grill dishes even allowed us to make small pannekoeken (Dutch
pancakes) and mini-omelets! We've never seen similar table grills in the
U.S., but surely there would be a market for them! |
| After dinner, we drove to Monique's house for New Year's Eve
revelry: games, goodies, and fireworks. The whole family played sjoelen
[right], which is a little like table-top shuffle board. It was a tight
competition (for some), but Jan was victorious in the end. |
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Closer to midnight, the fireworks were opened and prepared
for lighting [left]. At 11:50, the television was turned on, just as in
the U.S., and we watched a program about the top European pop hits of
2002, with songs and singers mostly unknown in the U.S. The last minute
was count down backwards, and then there were shouts, hugs, and kussen
(kisses) all around, followed by champagne for the grown-ups and cider for
the kids. |
| Then everyone rushed to don coats, hats, and gloves, and the
explosive fun began! The suburban neighborhood filled with the
whistles, explosions, and smoke of firework displays from yards and
driveways all around, while larger colorful bursts could be seen high
above the rooftops in all directions. Jasper, Cameron, Menno
[right], Maaike and the adult "boys" lit firecrackers,
fountains, and rockets for over an hour! |
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