Playoffs!!, Mother's Day, Lots of Visitors - Blog #27 (Apr. 28 - May 13)

Basketball Update:

I have been out the last few games since my last post. Really sad and frustrating to not be doing something you love to do for a long time. To make matters more difficult, we are on a losing streak. On the bright side, the playoffs start this week! We dropped down to the three seed and have to play in the first round instead of getting a bye. We have a best-of-three matchup against Zwolle. It will be a very fun series against a formidable opponent. For those wondering whether or not I will play, you will have to tune in to find out!

OK, I thought I was going to have this published before our first game Tuesday, but I wasn't able to get it done in time. We got a huge win in our first game against Zwolle. We won 103-71. It was an awesome team effort and a much-needed confidence boost because of our struggles lately. I played for the first time in a couple of weeks, and it felt amazing to get back out there. It is the longest I have been out in my basketball career, so being back on the floor was a ton of fun. Great crowd and good dub. Need to finish the job on the road Thursday!

Leadership Lesson:

My last blog was during the last couple of Bucks games, and I have been thinking a lot about the Giannis press conference after Mr. Haliburton got in his face after the game. For those who did not see it, here is the link: https://youtu.be/xDHBI120NI0?t=659 (starts at 10:59)

He talks about having humility in victory and that winning does not give you the green light to talk crap and do whatever you want. It is such an amazing and important message. When you look at someone like Giannis, anyone who watches NBA basketball would tell you that he plays harder and is a stronger competitor than almost anyone in the history of the game. In an era of load management (which he does a little bit of to be fair), Giannis gives no less than his best effort every time he is on the floor. Even though he competes hard and becomes a gladiator on the court, he recognizes the importance of still maintaining respect for the game and for the relationships he values the most. This is an extremely difficult thing to do. When you work so hard for something, you may want to gloat at any chance you get. Giannis is able to remember his humble beginnings and talks about how his dad's behaviors and demeanor have shaped how he acts. Giannis is a special guy and a special leader.

Top 5 of the Week:

Vegetables

1. Carrot - This was a tough list to make, but carrot comes in at numero uno. One of the only vegetables that is enjoyable plain, by itself. Good for dipping and other stuff as well.

2. Celery - An elite dipping vegetable. Celery goes the best with peanut butter but is also good with ranch and other dips. Low calorie and great crunch.

3. Bell Peppers - Stuffed bell peppers are a great meal, and Nikki and I use these a lot to fry up in salads. Great taste and good crunch too. Awesome with hummus.

4. Brussels sprouts - When prepared right, these have a legitamite argument for number one.

5. Romaine lettuce - My favorite vegetable salad base over spinach and kale. A nice crunch that is a great supplementary piece to some other salad mixings.

   
   

   HM: Beets, Green Beans

What Else Did I Do This Week?

Sorry for not posting last week. With my injury and Nikki visiting Dublin with a couple of her friends, I did not do all that much. I figured my week wasn't quite worth posting about. I did get my Wisconsin Boater's License which took about 4 or 5 hours over the week. I also went to the movies with one of my teammates, Brad, to see the new movie, Sinners, and it rocked. Highly recommend. Besides that, I was doing rehab stuff and was chilling at home while Nikki was gone. I also finished my book, Ender's Game, and it was a good one. Shout-out to Q for the recommendation.

Nikki and I went for a really cool walk in Warmond (the city we live in) at a place we did not know existed. It is an estate with a park around it that has a really nice walking route around some canals with some windmills in sight through a forest. It was really cool. It was about a five-minute bike ride away for us which was very worth it.

Nikki's cousins, Bear and Luke, got to town on Saturday. They spent time in Santorini, Greece, and Monopoli, Italy, visiting Dani, Andre, and Lili. They hung out at our place for a little before heading to Brussels to hang and then watch our game. My mom got here Sunday morning pretty early on Mother's Day. I made her my breakfast specialty (scrambled eggs). Then, we walked around Warmond for a little bit. The weather was stellar, so we decided to go to the beach in Katwijk to grab some lunch at a beachside restaurant. Bear, Luke, and Nikki biked while my mom and I drove. We got really lucky and snagged a great outdoor table with good sunlight. Food was awesome. I headed back with my mom to drop her off to get some rest while I was at practice.

We had a reservation at a recent favorite of Nikki and me's, Bar Lokaal. Dani and Lili booked their trip a few days ago and got here just in time for Mother's Day dinner Sunday night. They changed some stuff from the menu from the last time we were there, but it was all still amazing. It was a lovely dinner. Then, we walked to grab some gelato before heading our separate ways. It was the best ice cream I have had since being here, and I have realized that I might be a chocolate guy now after years of favoring vanilla. The night was gezellig. Really fun to be with some family during a holiday because we haven't gotten to do that much.

We grabbed some breakfast with everyone on Monday at Vooraf en Toe. They had really good avocado toast and croissants. Nikki and her cousins went to Amsterdam for the day, and I was able to say goodbye to everyone after the game on Tuesday night. It was great having visitors and having good weather for them too.

Top Meal of the Week:

Our Mother's Day dinner was probably the best meal we had, but I have to give myself meal of the week in a two-way tie for first. I made chicken pad tai and chicken curry on back-to-back days, and they were bomb. We had the chicken curry outside on our balcony because the weather was perfect.

One Thing I Like About the Netherlands:

I really like how easy it is to get fresher fruit and vegetables here. Leiden has a market every week on Wednesday and Saturday where fresh fruit and veggies are sold. There is also a place right next to my physio that I have discovered that has fresh fruit and veggies every day. I know that you can get fresh stuff in the States, but it is much easier to get that stuff here.