I spent the afternoon at the pool, chatting, swimming and enjoying the great weather. It's around a 100 degrees again.

Tonight I felt like eating stamppot boerenkool, a Dutch classic. Maybe it's because of the memories the red currants brought? In Holland boerenkool is served in winter, when it's chilly and a warm plate of potatoes with kale and a sausage drives away the cold, but it tastes great on a hot summer day too.

I went to Whole Foods to pick up some potatoes and fresh kale. When I passed by the beer section a young guy asked: "excuse me, do you know if gas stations around here sell beer, typically?".

It was a first year Duke student, who was apparently unpleasantly surprised by the beer selection in Whole Foods ("well, you know, something that isn't eight bucks for a six pack") and I pointed him to a store nearby that sells lower priced beers. The new university year starts next week and many students are moving in this weekend.

The other day I saw red currants in the supermarket -- rode besjes in Dutch.

We used to have many red currant bushes in Opperdoes, and a few of them in Middenmeer also. They are especially nice with gele vla, a Dutch sweet custard we would have for desert.

Of course I bought a basket of the berries. Delicious!