Surprise of friends

Last night I came home to find a little package had arrived in the mail from a college friend of mine. I took it out of the envelope and it's wrapped in Christmas paper, so I'll wait to open it on Christmas, but I already know what it is, due to the description on the customs form. It's a scarf, and I knew the moment I saw that that my friend had made it herself. This friend is a particularly mumsy, crafts-oriented person, like every year she sends handmade Christmas cards, which is really sweet. And it's like a million times sweeter that she sent a handmade scarf this year. I guess I find it thoughtful, but also a bit weird in a way, because I haven't seen her in 5 years and our contact has been reduced to exchanging cards at Christmas, and me sending her the emails I send when we get our vacation photos online. I shouldn't make it sound all negative and like "why did she go out of her way to do this when I hardly know her anymore?" It was a pleasant surprise and I can't wait to open it and see what it looks like.

And last night O and I went out with some friends for dinner, and I had a great time despite some horrendous service from the restaurant. I'm happy to be finally getting to know some people in Amsterdam, which started last summer when I finally decided to go to a dinner out with an Amsterdam expat group. I met Laura there and only a couple of weeks later she invited O and I to her housewarming and we met many of her friends who we've seen a few times now, including last night. One friend of Laura's we already knew, someone I've known for years from another expat group that isn't even active anymore, and now we are back in touch more than we've been in a long time, and she's so sweet so it's great to see her more often again. On Monday, I went with some of this group to a quiz night and had a fun time, so I look forward to doing it more in the new year. And Laura and O are already planning a joint birthday party for next month because their birthdays are only two days apart. After drifting away from the friends I was close to, mostly because they all live farther south and I don't make it down there much anymore, I'm so happy to finally know some people up here and I've had some great times with them in the past few months.