Hello! We are Hannie and Tom, and we are so glad to meet you here.
Some people have a bias against ageing people that we deeply resent. “Old and worn-out”. Well, we are far from that and I am sure you feel the same way.
When they describe this worn-out situation in the Netherlands, where we come from, the saying is: Oh, that one is only sitting behind the geraniums.
Well, no geraniums for us. At least not to sit next to, because the flowers are beautiful of course. π
Taking life into our own hands
We were about to retire in the Netherlands and our family lived in Spain. Making it quite natural to move to Spain ourselves too. Grandchildren are a big magnet, maybe you have experienced that feeling yourself as well.
We sold our house and went on our way to discover where we wanted to settle down. Changing our life that drastically gave us a huge energy boost.
In our first year in Spain, we travelled from Isla Cristina, the western point of the south coast, all the way to Cartagena, the eastern dot on the south coast. We rented a house or an apartment and after a few days or weeks moved on to the next place. That is a marvellous way of getting to know a country and the people living there.
All the time we were searching for our ideal spot, which we found at the foot of a nature park.
One needs both luck and drive
We were lucky to find the perfect house. We were extremely lucky that we had the means to buy it. On the other hand, we both worked very hard to get there.
It’s my conviction you can’t have luck without putting in the work. And we want to show you on this website what we did. Adding that we still work! Being passive pensioners didn’t please us. The difference with when we were young is that we take more time to relax and celebrate our good fortune.
Wishing you lots of luck
We care deeply for our health and our environment. We care deeply for you and wish you the same health and luck we have. If you ever need a hand or have any questions, feel free to leave them below and we will be more than happy to help you out.
All the best,
Hannie Mommers and Tom van Oosterhout
Lots of luck with you new website. Looks great. I wonder though, does this not keep you more behind the computer?
Well, whatever, everything better than behind the geraniums …
Haha, you are right. I’ll have to watch that. π
Thanks for sharing the geranium story! I agree, no geraniums for me. Okay, I will take time to appreciate the blossoms, but I donβt plan to settle in behind them ? Good luck with your new website!
Thanks so much, Kay! And I totally agree with you, they are lovely to look at π
This is lovely, I love both the countries you have lived in. Thank you for sharing. I am looking forward to hearing more from you.
Thanks Catherine. You might have guessed by now that our view on the world bears great resemblance. Isn’t that lovely π