Saturday we made a boat trip over the Potomac. It was a beautiful sunny day.

We started in Old Town Alexandria where we spent some time of the Farmer’s Market. Nora danced on the wooden stage with other kids. There was a baker with great sourdough bread so we brought one in the rucksack.

From the beautiful waterfront we took the next boat to National Harbor. Tourist season is over so the boat was almost empty. We had a really good time. It was Nora’s first boat trip. She was quite excited to go under the bridge. She expected it to open for us – that’s the way she saw it in the Netherlands – but this bridge was high enough for the boat.

We made a round-trip past the National Harbor and had lunch in Alexandria. We bought some Dutch licorice in a small store and then went back home.

A few weeks ago I installed book shelves in our living room. Finally a place to put our books, and finally an opportunity to get a copy of some of my favorite Dutch books in print.

It's relatively easy to buy electronic Dutch books -- but for some of the great books it is great to have a physical copy.

The package with books included Hersenschimmen, De ontdekking van de hemel, Kruistocht in spijkerbroek -- a childhood favorite -- and De kellner en de levenden.

Also, the Dutch version of the Lord of the Rings. I have a "rule" for myself that I will read books only in their original language, but for Tolkien I make an exception. When I was little my father read The Hobbit and the Ring to me, in Dutch obviously, so Dutch it is.

The package also included several books I haven't read, so that will be fun for the next months and years.

Yesterday we went to buy some cheese and bread for lunch at Arrowine, and on our way back we passed through Cherrydale. The volunteer fire brigade there had an open house and we stopped by for a little.

Nora got a pink helmet and she sat in the big truck on display, an historic truck from 1959 from Tarrytown, NY. Many, many years ago Sasha and I went to the Volunteer Fireman's Hall & Museum when we were in upstate New York, in Kingston.