Crossing The Atlantic

Yesterday (August 1st 2025) was a Big Day! On my past three birthdays we were separated by 4600+ miles with the Atlantic Ocean between us, but yesterday I finally got to spend my 41st birthday Home with David. Allow me to tell you a little bit about my first birthday in America!

Dutch party package

Mem sends me packages from The Netherlands every once in a while, and made me a small party package for my birthday. It miraculously arrived a couple of days before my birthday, and even crazier: the wrapping paper she wrapped around it survived perfectly! Maybe the shipping people were extra careful because it looked like a present…

Anyways here are some pictures. Socks from the Amsterdam Museum, two “bottle lickers” (one of my favorite Dutch inventions), European Skittles (EU purple is different then US purple), stroopwafels, “Katjang Pedis” (spicy, crunchy peanuts popular in The Netherlands because of our history with Indonesia), rice cracker mix, manna candy, the typical Dutch candy “schuimblokken”, a candy pizza (because David works at a pizza place), and of course a card. The super colorful shoebox she used for packaging was immediately confiscated by Marbles, one of the homeowner’s cats.

Festive Florida weather

In my blogpost Adapting to a subtropical climate I wondered how extreme the weather was going to be on my birthday. Well, I guess it could’ve been worse, but I wouldn’t exactly say it was pleasant. ;p It hovered around 33 °C (91.4 °F), and “feels like temperature” 39 °C (102.2 °F). The rain showers made it drop slightly every now and then. And of course I got treated to some thunderstorms, a daily summertime occurrence in Florida. By the time we went out to dinner, the sun was out though!

American birthday dinner

David asked me months ago to think about what I wanted to do for my birthday. I said “sure I’ll think about it” and never gave it another thought. Until earlier this week, when I realized I should at least choose something to eat. All I really wanted was to get out of the house together, and eat something Very American, for not too much money. So I decided on one of my favorite places in town, a diner called Freddy’s (formerly Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers). 

We both decided on Freddy’s Original Bacon and Cheese Double with their signature seasoned shoestring fries and a chocolate custard shake. This burger comes with two patties, cheese, bacon, onion, mustard, and some seriously thick and juicy pickle slices. As you can tell from the pictures, their patties are massive, thin, crispy around the edge, and honestly so much better than any picture could capture. The shake isn’t pictured, because I was too excited to think about it. Oopsies!

Chilling with music

Back at the house awaited us a pleasant surprise: both roommates were gone! So, after some small chores like dishes and taking care of the cats, we spent the rest of the evening chilling in our room. Music turned up, talking and singing, cuddling cats and each other, all of course with a celebratory beer! Bottled, to be able to add to our special bottle cap collection.

Friends and family

First of all, here’s a huge thank you to my amazing husband. David, you’re the best! I had a great time, yesterday was everything I wanted it to be and more!

To all of you who sent me birthday love through Discord, WhatsApp, even physical mail, and of course to the ones who sent me a birthday donation through PayPal… Thank you so very much! I expected the day to just kind of pass by uneventfully, but y’all made it extra special. As we say in The Netherlands: I felt very jarig.* 

*Being “jarig” is like saying you’re the birthday boy, but better. You don’t say “it’s my birthday”, you say “I am jarig”. And if it’s a good birthday, you say you feel very jarig. That was definitely true for me yesterday.

My birthday wishes

What am I wishing for this year of my life? Some really boring things to be honest. I guess it all comes down to less stress, and more moving forward.

My biggest wish is for us to move to a better living situation than the one we’re in. A small space just for us, I really don’t care where, as long as we finally have a functional kitchen, and no more roommates. I dream of privacy, speaking and singing at normal volume, being able to cook together, using the pc and bathroom when we want or need to, having fridge and freezer space… You know… normal things most people don’t need to think twice about.

Now this is probably pushing it, but maybe we could even have a car… Man would that be nice… Shopping would get so much cheaper, and so much less taxing, especially in the Florida heat… David wouldn’t have to risk his life anymore walking through insane Summer temperatures and thunderstorms every day. We would go walking because we want to, not because we have no other choice.

But most of all, I wish for my Green Card. To finally be allowed to stay Home with David. Officially, as a permanent US resident. 

Yeah, let’s toast to that! 

Big hugs,
Didi