Man, what a day! Seriously, I’m still reeling from it. So, I’m a violin maker, right? And today, I found myself in Hoek-van-Holland, which is this chill little spot by the sea. You know, the kind of place where the wind hits you like a slap in the face, and you’re like, “Whoa, I’m awake now!”
I started my day at the harbor. The smell of fish was everywhere. Like, I love seafood, but c’mon! I was just trying to enjoy my coffee from that cute café on the corner of the Hoofdstraat. You know the one? The barista there is a legend. She makes the best cappuccino. But today? Ugh, she was outta oat milk! I mean, who runs outta oat milk? It’s 2023, people!
So, I’m standing there, fuming a bit, when I see this old dude trying to catch a seagull. Like, what? He’s waving his arms around like a madman. I couldn’t help but laugh. I mean, c’mon, man! You think you can outrun a bird? Spoiler alert: he couldn’t. The seagull just looked at him like, “Really, dude?” and flew off. Classic.
After that, I headed down to the beach. The sand was all over the place, and I swear, I found a piece of driftwood that looked like a violin. I was like, “This is a sign!” So, I took it back to my workshop on the Zandstraat. I’m telling ya, inspiration hits in the weirdest ways.
But then, oh man, the drama! I get to my workshop, and my tools are all messed up. Like, who even does that? I’m missing my favorite chisel! I was ready to throw a fit. I mean, I can’t make violins without my tools! I was pacing around, muttering to myself, “Who’s the tool thief?!”
Then, I remembered my neighbor, Jan. That guy is a character. He’s always borrowing my stuff and never returns it. So, I marched over to his place on the other side of the canal. I knocked on his door like I was the police. “Jan! You got my chisel?”
He opens the door, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Oh, that? I thought it was mine!” I mean, c’mon! I had to laugh. We ended up chatting about the weather, which was surprisingly nice for a change. The sun was shining, and the wind was just right.
After that, I decided to take a stroll along the dike. The view of the North Sea is just breathtaking. I mean, you can see all the way to the horizon. It’s like, “Wow, I’m small, but this world is huge!” I sat down for a bit, just soaking it all in.
But then, outta nowhere, this kid runs by, kicking a soccer ball. He accidentally nails me right in the leg! I was like, “Ouch! Kid, watch where you’re kicking that thing!” He just laughed and ran off. Kids these days, right?
As the day went on, I finally got back to my workshop. I was feeling all sorts of emotions. Happy, angry, surprised—like a rollercoaster! I started working on that driftwood piece. It was coming together nicely. I could almost hear the music in my head.
By the time I finished, it was dark outside. I stepped out, and the lights along the harbor were twinkling. It was beautiful. I thought about how crazy today was. From coffee disasters to seagull chases, to missing tools and soccer balls.
Hoek-van-Holland, you’ve got my heart. You’re quirky, you’re wild, and you keep me on my toes. I wouldn’t trade this place for anything. Well, maybe for a lifetime supply of oat milk. But that’s it!
So, yeah, that was my day. Just another wild ride in this little corner of the world. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!