Well, not actually but the seller has agreed on the price. We met on our half of the middle, about 18,5 thousand euros less than they asked and only 9 more than our starting offer. And they agreed on the transfer on the 13th of May. We got a house!

*Skips away, singing*

It's a first! I bought shoes with heels. And not just any heels... 8 cm! I was actually searching for replacements for my IC knee high boots because their soles are abandoning me. And I need replacements for my black sneakers. But what do I come home with? 'High' heels. 8 cm isn't really that high and they are quite broad - no stiletto heels for me - but still...

I have never had shoes with heels that were higher than 2 cm. It's bad for your feet, knees and back to walk on your toes all day and I was afraid I'd never manage to stay up right on the things. However, I liked the look of these shoes (they are disguised as sneakers) and I managed to walk around in the store a bit without breaking anything or falling flat on my face. They also made me feel sexy so I decided to buy them. I do not plan on wearing them entire days and I won't go shopping on them or anything. They're for (no dancing) parties or special occasions. I don't think I can manage running on them, so they need careful planning as well when public transport is involved.

Anyway, I still need to go to a shoe store for the actual things I was looking for. Who knows what I'll come home with next? :-p

Last weekend we had a birthday in Utrecht but there was work on the train tracks between here and there, so we decided to avoid the trouble and have a sleep over in Harderwijk at Matthijs' mother's place. While in the neighbourhood we also visited Matthijs' father and my father.

My dad had disturbing news for me. My grandmother has been hospitalized some time ago for a week for pulmonary embolism. She has trouble breathing and tires very rapidly for lack of oxygen. Nobody knows what caused it and thus how to 'fix' it. My grandmother is 80-something but up till now she was in quite good health for her age. This news frightened me. My dad is worried that it won't last long, in the bad way...

Because of her illness my grandmother has not been able to visit my demented grandfather and he has 'slipped' further. He is now past the stage where he is aware of his disease. This makes him less grumpy and tearful but also less aware of his environment and normal social standards. He can now just forget about visitors and go to sleep simply because he was walking past his bed.

My grandfather barely recognizes his own children anymore and I haven't visited him for quite a while, so I don't think he'd know who I am. This, however wrong it feels, makes me less inclined to go visit him. I do plan on visiting my grandmother. I sent her a 'get well' card and want to visit her on the 5th of March in the early afternoon. (Just before I go to the birthday of my other - much younger - grandmother.) I just really hope she'll get better.

Grandma Haeke will turn 75 this year and celebrates on the 5th of March. I am making her a portrait with an old photo as reference. On the photo there's four generations: my great-grandmother, grandmother, mother and me. The third try turned out quite good so I think I'll keep that one. Now I'll need to get a nice frame. It surprised me that I still can draw, since I haven't had much practise the last, say, 5 years.

We have never been a close family and I've been lucky to have know both pairs of grandparents. These tidings just make me more aware of both facts.