I’ve decided to start a dog walking service since I love walking and dogs and can really use the money so it seems like a nice solution. I’m only asking 2.50 euro for 15 minutes a dog so that doesn’t seem to pricey to me and since (for now) I’ll only offer it for my direct living area, I don’t have to invest in anything either or spent money on gas. 
It’s going to be a lot of paperwork taxwise but at least it will be work and it will be something I can do and like to do.
Last Thursday my brother bought 2 new baby rats which you can view on the webcam.
Last Friday I went to the gym with 1 of my best friends since the gym had a friends & family week in which you were allowed to take a friend or familymember with you who could go for free. She likes ti a lot and will sign up next week. I really like my gym and this way I always have someone to talk to and have extra motivation to go.
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Earlier today I met the lady whom I’m going to help learn the Dutch language better.
She’s a really nice, 50 year old African lady who really wants to learn but has trouble memorizing things. Something I have first-hand exprience with.
Tuesday afternoon we’ll start our first session and I’m already looking forward to it. I’m full of ideas that will hopefully help.
Next Thursday I’m going to part of a course that discusses the various aspects of being a language coach and where I’ll meet other language coaches whom will share their experiences.
It’s a shame it’s charity work since I think that it’d be fun as a real job.
I haven’t noticed anything yet from last weeks epidurale anesthesia shot but it can take weeks and a lot of my pain is probably caused by stress so I’m still hopefull.
P.s. : I finally named my hamster. I named her Liadan (pronounced Lee-din) which means grey lady in Irish.
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Last week we suddenly noticed that 1 of the rats was starting to get something underneath the tail that made us wonder about it’s gender. My brother thought that he had bought 2 females but it turned out that 1 of them is a underdeveloped male.
It’s a good thing that he got them through a good breeder whom simply offered to exchange 1 of them.
Since the little male is our favorite we decided to keep him and exchange the female for a male. The new male is 5 weeks older and a lot bigger but also very sweet.
Raymond has called them David and Goliath.
Last weeks session with the manuele therapeut was really painful and due to it’s afterpain I wasn’t able to walk straight for 3 days but I haven’t had any strengthloss so far so to me that’s a huge plus. My next session will be tomorrow.
The 17th I’ll get a epidural anesthesia shot in my lower back to lessen the pain. Afterwards I’ll have to stay in the hospital for 5-6 hours so I really hope it’s worth it. I’ve had a similar shot 5 years ago but that didn’t work very well. My back has changed a little over the last few years so this one might just help.
Last Sunday I got a email saying that they’ve found a eldery African lady who is trying to become a Dutch citizen and whom I might be able to help language wise. It’s charity work which sounded very interesting to me when I was looking into making myself useful for society. Right now I doubt that I can work for more then 2-3 hours a day and only then I’m very limited when it comes to standing and sitting so a charity job seems like a good way to get into every day life again. I am actively looking for a job though.
With this charity job I’ll be, what they call, a language coach and I’ll help a wannabe citizen for at least 1 year to learn the Dutch language and every day Dutch life by hanging out with them.
Since I’ve spent most of the last 5 years being in a similar situation in America, it seems like a perfect charity job for me.
Besides that it’s been really quiet here and I’ve spent quite some time playing Second Life and Facebook games.
I am working on a new 3D picture but I’m having a period again where it’s hard to stay focused.
I really have my ups and downs due to my depression but in 2 weeks I’ll hear whom I’ll get as psychologist in a facility that specialises in pain and depression. I have been going to a “regular” psychologist who has referred me to them since I got depressed due to my back pain and physical limitations caused by it.
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Since we’ve had the house-warming parties last weekend and those who could make have already seen the house, I decided to post some photo’s for those who couldn’t make it.
It’s only a few photo’s since everything else is boring or not totally finished yet. You can see the layout in 1 of my previous posts anyway.
This is the living room :
You can see that we’ve kept it really simple and have lots of room, especially when I move my Gazelle eliptical trainer. I’m sure that you’ll recognize the drums too. We both love Rock Band 2 and we managed to get it for a nice price on eBay. Our dad actually bought Roch Band the Beatles just so that he can play it with us. He’s a huge Beatles fan and we like it too so we’re not complaining.
You may notice that we have a lot of plants. I had gotten a few myself and we’ve had quite a lot of nice additions to it last weekend. I especially love the flowers since they really cheer up the place.
Thanks all!
This is my small but cozy bedroom :
I’m glad that my brother has so much storage in his room since you can see that I don’t have a lot of space.
I put my favorite stuffed animals on the shelves, which I’ve collected for years, to give it a bit more of a bedroom feeling. You may find it childish but to me it’s youth sentiment.
In a hour I’m going back to the hospital to see whether they have found something that my former pain clinic hadn’t tried out yet 6 years ago. And tomorrow I’m going to visit the manuele therapist whom will hopefully be able to losen up my neck and shoulders a bit. My joints pop and hurt everytime I move myself so I can definitely use some loosening.
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Since last night Chewie’s tail is suddenly hanging limb and he’s been in a lot of pain so I called the vet this morning as soon as I could and luckily I could drop by at 11.20.
The vet confimed what Raymond and I had already researched on the internet and that was that he has Limber Tail, also known as Cold Water Tail.
This is often caused by swimming in cold water (which he never does) or by strenuous activity. My sister and I did take him for a long walk in the forest last Tuesday and yesterday morning I washed him and when I went out with him at 4 PM he wasn’t totally dry yet and it has been around freezing outside so we suspect that that combination caused it.
He got painkillers, and a new chip since American ones can’t be read in Europe, and he’s doing a lot better already. Within a few days his tail should be back to normal again too so that’s a relief. He really had me worried.
Since last week we have 3 new pets. I’m taking care of Raymond’s old hamster who turned out to be so agressive that my sister has taken care of her for the last 6 months. The hamster has calmed down a lot and since I like hamsters and my sisters husband doesn’t, I’m taking care of her now.
Raymond has gotten 2 rats which are really cute and which you can watch here.
Now if only they’d sit still.
Chewie is fascinated by all of them (probably wondering how they taste) and it’s a lot of fun watching him watch them.
I’ve gone premium on the online game Second life so I can have my own small piece of land and have my Poster store there. I sell all my 3D art there as posters (for only 100L a piece) and I want to add my photography to it too. I have no idea whether it will be profitable but it’s always worth a try.
My main Zazzle store is linked to it too so it will at least give me more exposure.
My ingame name is Aingeala Melody and I’d love to hook up with fellow SL-ers. 
This is my latest picture Wistaria :
It’s really simple but I love how it turned out.
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