King's Day ... Mono Wednesday with an Orange Edge

Today is King Willem-Alexander's birthday!  He has just turned 49.  For this year, the town of Zwolle in the province of Overijssel has/had the honour of hosting the celebrations.  One more year before the big FIVE-OH and I wonder now where that one will be celebrated because the half-century is an important milestone in Dutch birthday traditions.  Our Queen Maxima is as gorgeous as ever, very tall and stately and terribly popular.  The three princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane are growing pretty quickly and are no longer shy.  Amalia is attending secondary school in The Hague and I for one am glad strict palace protocol has prohibited photographers from poking their nose in the school to snatch shots.  As for those who are against the monarchy, that's allowed, and one day it might disappear, who knows, but, as Aragorn said, 'it is not this day.'

It is raining occasionally, 'sunning' occasionally, and even 'hailing' occasionally.  I could hop into the car and make a quick dash to the tulip fields to check if the past two days' weather ruined anything, but hubby is really sick in bed and I do not feel like leaving him.  These stamps will have to do and I don't mind.  They were made in 2013, shortly after his coronation.  Aside from the royal hoopla, it's just an ordinary free day.  Yes, a day off from school.  Always welcome.