#WeekendCoffeeShare (June 14, 2025)

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone on this hot Saturday evening. I’m joining #WeekendCoffeeShare. No more coffee for me, as it’s 7:30PM. I was just discussing possibly creating a mocktail someday, but not today, as I don’t have the right equipment. It’s the right weather though. Let’s have a drink and let’s catch up.

If we were having coffee, first I’d talk about the weather, as usual. Early in the week, the daytime temperature didn’t even reach 20°C, but yesterday and today were hot with a high of 30°C. It’s also pretty humid. We got some rain today and there are thunderstorms in the forecast. Tomorrow, the temperature’s supposed to be less hot: about 23°C.

If we were having coffee, next I’d tell you that I did still meet my movement goal on my Apple Watch each day this week. I went for bike rides on Monday, Thursday, Friday and today. On Thursday, we rode the side-by-side bike to a shopping center about 10km away. I wanted to buy fruit and look for a hat or cap to protect myself when in the sun. I have a giant straw hat, but don’t like how large it is. Then again, it’s supposed to protect my eyes too. I didn’t find a hat or cap I liked, but I did buy peaches. Yum!

If we were having coffee, next I’d tell you about my creative endeavors over the past week. On Tuesday, I made a new necklace and today, I made four pineapple charms out of polymer clay. These are to be used as decorations for the living room. They’re currently still curing in the oven.

If we were having coffee, I’d also moan once again about the institution’s policies regarding where packages are supposed to be delivered. And about PostNL. I ordered a number of jewelry-making supplies on Tuesday, which were sent out by the store on Wednesday. On Thursday, PostNL would’ve delivered them, but they were too busy (as they usually are). They tried to deliver my package today, but the place that usually picks up packages here on grounds is closed on weekends, so PostNL sent my package on to a pick-up point. And to make matters worse, the pick-up point isn’t even within biking distance. I hope that the package will arrive at the pick-up point Monday morning, and I hope that my Monday afternoon staff will be able and willing to drive me there too. It’s all very frustrating! PostNL used to have a pick-up point in the next town, but that apparently closed.

If we were having coffee, finally I’d talk about the stressors re my upcoming birthday. I initially wrote a post on this topic yesterday, but decided to delete it.

My birthday is on the 27th and I initially waited on my parents to take the initiative to schedule a visit and they apparently waited on me. Then on Tuesday, my bestie and I were discussing this and I realized that I would probably regret it if I didn’t meet my parents for my birthday this year. I mean, they’re in their 70s, so I won’t have many years with them left.

Then came the stress of figuring out what we’re going to do. My bestie proposed we drive to Groningen, which is the big city nearest to where my parents live. I asked my parents about this and my father immediately came up with an idea of showing us around some library museum thingy. We usually eat out for my birthday too, so I asked my parents to find a restaurant. They got the impression that I wanted a Thai restaurant like last year and the year before, so came up with one. Thing is, they’d never been there and the reviews were horrible. There was even a customer who said there’d been plastic in their food and, on top of that, the restaurant admitted it but wouldn’t give a discount.

Then I came up with another idea: to go to a chicken restaurant about 45 minutes from my parents. However, this restaurant is in a tiny town with nothing to do. I also asked my sister to recommend restaurants in Groningen. She initially reacted disappointed that I hadn’t invited my parents over here the day my sister and her family are coming, so I was like “Screw it!” and came up with the chicken restaurant. My sister eventually recommended some places, but these sounded more like diners than restaurants. Finally, my bestie decided to look up good restaurants and found something which sounds good to all of us.

I still feel quite a bit of stress about my birthday, as I don’t have a good relationship with either my parents or my sister. I will however get through it.

21 thoughts on “#WeekendCoffeeShare (June 14, 2025)”

  2. Sorry you had all of that stress to deal with Astrid! That sounds like a real headache! I’m glad you met your movement goals this week! Your trip to the shopping centre sounded nice! X

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  3. As I write this it is 7C and I just turned the heater on, I have never been a hat wearer, Tim always wears a hat or a cap. That sounds like a right headache with getting your parcels delivered. I hope you birthday isn’t too stressful for you as it should be a day of joy.

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    1. Thanks so much for commenting. Brrr, 7°C is so cold… And yes it’s often frustrating getting my parcels here. I used to have them delivered to my in-laws’ house but then I would have to rely on them or my bestie to get my stuff here.

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  4. I’m glad you got to get out for your bike ride, and also do some crafting recently. Wishing you a Happy Birthday. Somehow it will all turn out okay with the restaurant choice. Enjoy whichever one it will be. 🙂

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  6. Your coffee chat feels so warm and real—weather woes, creative wins, postal frustrations, and the messy, emotional tangle of family birthdays. It’s all so relatable! Wishing you smooth package pickups, delicious food, and moments of unexpected grace amid the stress. You’ve got this! ☕💛

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  7. Oh wow! You have had some hot weather, I think the highest it got here was about 26C.
    The bike rides sound great. That’s a shame about your parcel not being delivered. I hope someone can pick it up for you.
    Your birthday plans do sound stressful. I am so sorry you have a difficult relationship with your family.

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  8. It was forecast thunderstorms here, but we are yet to see them. It is so hot and humid today.Sorry to hear about the parcel issues. There’s a courier company here that drives me up the wall too. They always have some excuse for a missing delivery!

    I hope you’re still able to enjoy your birthday and that it’s not too stressful. Just a gentle reminder, it’s your special day, so try not to worry too much about everyone else.

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    1. Thanks for that reminder about my birthday being my special day! Thankfully, I’ll be celebrating it at the care home the day before. The parcel delivery is so frustrating indeed. Oh and no thunderstorms here either, fortunately.

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  9. Hey, I just bought peaches yesterday too. Yum! I don’t suppose there is a way to use a different carrier for the delivery? What a hassle. I am sorry your birthday can be such a struggle. Just the organizing alone of where to go and what to do is stressful enough, but a strained relationship makes it worse. Take the time to focus on yourself that day, even if it is just for an hour. You deserve to be happy that you have made it one more trip around the sun.

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