When will Cupid strike?

Sweet little Inthe... We won't be able to let you run without a leash in the meadow for a while.. You're on heat. There may be potential lovers around the corner, waiting to seduce you. I'm sure you would be very willing to mate, but we have decided you will never be a mommy. Meaning you can't date or find a mate. Does your tummy hurt? You lay down on the couch, looking at us with that special puppy look and then you cry. It's heart breaking. That's when we wrap you in your favorite blanket, so you can take a nap.

Let's hope your period will be over soon. At least, before we leave for Florida. Because in your dog hotel, there are too many handsome male whippets. We just can't take the risk. Around the house, you wear your special black undies, but they wouldn't keep a male dog away.

We'll pamper you sweetheart, don't worry. You're in good hands.

That's who I am

Photo by Lana Joos

It's so good to see you happy.. You look radiant and loved and very elegant. Is it the age or has something happened lately?

You sometimes worry about getting older and getting more wrinkles. But you know what? The wrinkles don't matter, neither does aging. You are still you, only wiser by the year.

I like to hang out with you. There's always something to talk about and there's not one encounter where we don't burst into tears - caused by pranking jokes or just telling stories.

Happy Birthday SiL! You rock!

There's no place like home..

but it's great to take a break every now and then.

We're getting ready for our next holiday in Florida. This time, Hubby and the kids will join me. We're really looking forward to this vacation. Hubby has worked real hard all year and he's so longing for some time off. I'm making plans for the 14 days we're going to spend abroad. Booking the trip, arranging a rental car (I picked out a wonderful Chrysler - after all, we're in the States, right?), planning our outings, getting our passports and ESTA forms, making reservations at the pet hotels for the whippets and the cat,.. There's still so much to do!

This time, our stay in Florida will be a little bit different from the stay I had in January of this year. This time will be more of a family vacation instead of a vacation with grown up friends. We won't go out three times a day to grab food. I'm sure we'll do breakfast in the apartment, a light lunch on the road and a home cooked dinner at night. We'll definitely go out for breakfast once or twice during our stay, no doubt about that. But I'm sure the girls will enjoy breakfast on the deck a lot more.

We'll do a lot of shopping in the several malls in the Kissimmee area. There's a lot to see in the neighborhood as well. A trip to Cape Canaveral to please dad, combined with a visit to Cocoa Beach to make the girls happy. One of the girls wants to go to Disney, the other one only wants to visit Universal Studios, so we'll have to make up our minds somehow. We'll pay Old Town another visit, because I do want my family to experience the atmosphere of that special Saturday Night amongst cars from the fifties and their owners.

I'm looking forward to sitting by the pool and enjoy the view over the lake. There's no place like home... and Kissimmee is starting to feel like a second home..

Splish Splash

I just read this text on how men take a shower and I couldn't do anything else but roll over the floor and laugh. This is just too much, but so true!

How men take a shower..

Sit on the side of your bed, strip off your clothes and drop them right by your feet.
Step over that pile of clothes and stroll to the bathroom, a towel tied around your waist.
If you accidently happen to cross your wife in the hallway, drop the towel and shake your private parts.
Look at your male appearance in the mirror. Rub your Humpty Dumpty belly like it's your biggest achievement.
Pull in that abdomen to see if you've already developed some chest muscles (not).
Turn on the water.
Don't look for a wash cloth, since you don't use any.
Wash and rinse your body in 5 minutes.
Wash and rinse your private parts in 15 minutes.
Wash your bum.
Shampoo your hair and skip the conditioner.
Make a shampoo mohawk.
Open the shower door, admire yourself and giggle.
Rinse yourself.
Get out of the shower, look for a towel and smell it. If the smell is bearable: dry yourself and drop the wet towel on the floor.
Step over the wet towel and go back to your bedroom.
If you cross your wife in the hallway, shake your private parts.
Roll over your bed to dry off your back..

Bicycle Race

I still can't believe I signed up for a bicycle ride with my diabetes friends... O lord.. You all know I hate bikes, but this time, the love for my friends is more important than the displeasure riding a bike gives me.
I'm not even going to try to put my bike in the trunk of the car. I'll rent one. That might be safer as well, since my bike is being used for spare parts for everybody else's bike.

There will be around 10 people I guess. It'll be good to see my friends and have a chitchat. That is, if I can still catch my breath.. Is there enough time left to reconsider my registration for this totally out of your mind bicycle race???

Bye bye for a little while

We're all a little nervous this morning. Last night, you packed the last items since today, you're leaving for summer camp. You haven't slept much. Too much excitement, I guess? You will meet up with your friends in Bruges around noon, where all of you will take the bus to Durbuy. Last year, you went to that same summer camp and you loved it! This year will be different. It will also be the moment where you and your schoolfriends will enjoy each other's company for the last time. Most kids have chosen different schools for September. It will be a special week for all of you.

I'm glad I have the chance to bring you to the meeting point. It would be a whole lot more difficult if I would be working. We'll go out for lunch first, before I drop you off at the bus stop. Your bags weigh like you put rocks in them! Sweetheart, come on, 7 pairs of shoes??? You're such a girly girl..

Don't forget to brush your teeth! I'm sure you'll have more candy than you can handle, but that's part of the fun. You picked out your favorite treats at the store and you're looking forward to sharing them with your friends.

The weather is less exciting.. You were really unhappy, since you planned on wearing shorts and skirts and little dresses. Instead, you had to bring sweaters and pants and socks. I'm sure there will be rain cheque activities planned. They won't let you do death rides in the pouring rain. I hope..

Have fun!!! We'll miss you!!! xxx

La Petite Merveille
t.a.v. Eva JOOS
Rue comte Th. D'Ursel 51
6940 DURBUY

Photo by Lana Joos

Mise-en-place

There's probably not one cooking show on TV that I don't watch. I love those programs! It's a whole lot of fun and entertainment comes along with it. But I also learn a lot from the candidates and their chefs. How to properly use a cook's knife for example. Or kitchen terminology like chiffonade. I knew the technique, but the name was new to me.

Mise-en-place is a lot of work, but it makes cooking so much easier. By the time you really have to start the cooking part, you're totally zen and at ease. I like to chop vegetables and herbs and get ready to cook. Sorting out the spices and the needy ingredients, will keep you from a last minute rush to the store. It is hateful once you're cooking, to realize you're out of cream or eggs. Some things can be left out or substituted, but mostly it will just aggravate and disappoint you, for not having read the recipe properly in advance. I'm not used to following a recipe to the T, but I do try to use most of the star ingredients. I mean, you can't make a proper béarnaise sauce without tarragon, can you?

Worst cooks in America is the show I've been watching lately. I really feel bad for those grown ups, that simply don't have a clue of what cooking is about. They either never tried it or they dislike it or I don't know what their excuse is, but life is so much easier if you know how to cook simple, healthy meals in little time. It doesn't take 2 hours in the kitchen to prepare a decent meal, as many people think. Going out for take away is probably stealing more time from you than cooking your own meal. It all comes to organization, planning and having ingredients in your pantry and fridge. I dare you: what are you going to cook today?

High Tea

I believe the English cuisine not to be the best, but their High Tea can surely please me. The atmosphere, the gestures, the special treats.. there's something that really makes me tick.

Something I make on a regular basis, must be English muffins. They cannot be compared to American muffins (a sort of moist cupcake) at all. They are a type of flat bread, roasted in a dry non-stick pan and split and toasted when you are ready to eat them. I normally make a bunch of 24 English muffins and I keep them in the freezer. Whenever we feel like having one, you just split them open and pop'm in the toaster. Spread some home made lemon curd (another favorite High Tea treat) on top and enjoy!

Lana likes to make scones, although she prefers baked goods that don't need that much time to prepare. When I feel like it, I try to make crumpets or even biscuits. Maybe it's a good idea to invite some ladies for a special High Tea!

Na fiesj moesh kele

Languages are wonderful. So many sounds to enjoy, so many words to learn how to pronounce. A language that has always drawn my attention, is Arabic. I know I will take Arabic classes one day! It's great to be able to say some phrases if you're in some islamic country.

A couple of weeks ago, I was shopping with a friend in Holland. Two Arabic men were in a fierce discussion and they were all wired up. I took a look at them, and said: na fiesj moesh kele - meaning: no problem! and I kept going. They went silent right away, turned their heads, looked at me and laughed. They yelled back: na fiesj moesh kele! It warmed my heart to see their smile and they completely forgot what their discussion was about.

I have an Egyptian restaurant in my neighborhood, where I can practice my Arabic vocabulary. They love to hear me talk and every time I frequent the restaurant, the owner and his family teach me some new words. It's a pleasant pastime.

A red flag

If they would hang up red flags in the beginning of the streets that have shoe shops, it would keep me from buying more shoes.. Honestly! I can't grasp how women can enter a shoe shop without buying any shoes? How do they do that? I mean: what's the fun? Window shopping is not in my dictionary. If I shop, I shop well. Every month, I buy at least one pair of shoes. Mostly high heels. I do own some flat shoes, but I hardly ever wear them. My youngest daughter taught me to keep some ballerinas in my oversized purse, for emergencies only. And that was a good idea. Since I like to shop in Bruges and since cobble stones are not very comfortable to walk on, I do need an extra pair of shoes, to prevent my feet from getting blisters. Diabetics need to take very good care of their feet and my podiatrist warned me about the effect of wearing high heels for such a long period of time.  It's just that I'm so short.. I need those high heels to feel feminine and a bit taller. They make your legs look longer and high heels stretch your calves. They may not be the most comfortable shoes, but they sure make a woman look more attractive..

A couple of years ago, I decided I needed a decent shoe rack. Not one store bought rack could please me and was appropriate to display my shoe collection. So I decided to make my own. It took me no more than 2 hours to draw a plan, go to the timber shop and order the boards and screws I needed. That afternoon, I built my own shoe rack and it came out a whole lot better than I had presumed. The rack holds about 40 pairs of shoes and boots. It's time to build a second rack, matching the first. I had to get rid of quite some pairs since my feet seem to have shrunk. Depending on the discounts I can get, my shoe size ranges from 39 over 40 to 41. My feet tend to swell in the afternoon so by the evening I might need a larger size.

Maybe I should ask the girls to photograph my most favorite shoes. That would be a fun idea! I'm sure they would love that. The more I think of it, the more I get convinced that I need to draw out that second shoe rack.. because I feel the need to check out the sales at my favorite shoe shops..

This is letting go

Photo by Eva Joos

You are so happy! It's wonderful to see the happiness in your eyes.. You and your boyfriend get along real well and I can tell he makes you laugh. He's a fun guy to hang out with and I like to see the two of you have a good time. You even introduced him to your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. He's very welcome at any time.

You're growing up so fast now. Us parents have to let go every day. That's okay. Every now and then, we will step back and let you grow and move on. It will make you a responsible and undependable young woman, who will know what she wants in this world. It gives us a good feeling to see you go through that episode to adulthood and to witness your progress. Enjoy! xx

Morning breath

I'm so sorry sweetheart, but you have a terrible morning breath.. And not only in the morning unfortunately. I don't know how to solve this. Do you have stomach problems or maybe a bad tooth? We'll have the doctor take a look at it. You reach over to give me a kiss and it really repulses me. I don't want to pull back, but it makes my stomach twirl. Maybe you should change your diet? It's not that you are a big fan of garlic or smelly cheese or anything. Okay, you don't brush your teeth, I know. That would help a lot, but I've never brushed someone else's teeth. It's kinda weird to do so.
You eat well and I don't hear you groan so I guess it's not a bad tooth after all. It surely doesn't bother you (maybe because you can't smell it!).. I still love you Rebba, even with morning breath.

Not at any price

All the time I hear this same line: you'd better work out. I hate sports! Not at any price will I go to the gym or start to run or dance Zumba. Go ahead, feel free and enjoy yourselves. I'm not going. Period.

It's a shame I don't like sports, I know that. It would make things a lot easier if I would be more of the sporty type. It would keep me in shape and healthy. It's just so boring! I know there are many different kinds of sports and yes, maybe I should try something else. It's just not going to happen, trust me. Working out doesn't give me that rush you people talk about. It doesn't give me any highs. I'm just drop dead after a work out and all I want to do is lay down and cry and be left alone. It leaves me with back pain, sore muscles, crazy bloodsugars and an overall crappy feeling. Nothing wonderful about that.. 

So maybe people need to be a bit more understanding, that not everyone is fitted to do sports. I know I'm not the only one out there. Feel free to do whatever you want, but just let me be the non-sporty type.

PB

I know Belgians are not that fond of peanut butter, but I am, together with the Dutch and the Americans. Peanut butter is nutritious and tasty and I use it on a regular basis. As a dip with apple slices or to make a stirfry sauce creamy. Or just on a piece of toast, with or without jelly. My favorite PB is JIF, the creamy type. Over here, it's not that easy to get it. There's one store in Antwerp where I can buy silky JIF. So I stick to the Dutch brand Calvé, that is a lot chunkier and less smooth. But it'll do.

This summer, during our stay in Kissimmee, Florida, I'm sure I'll have my portion of peanut butter. One of the girls is a PB fan too, the other one refuses to try it. She's more of the chocolate spread type, I guess.

Both whippets are huge peanut butter fans. They get to lick out the empty jars. They're plastic, not glass, so they are safe to play with. They drag the jar into their kennel and for some time, you hear no whippets in the house. They are very quiet while they enjoy their special treat.

I don't want to do anything

What a great day we had yesterday! The weather forecast promised a good time, so in the afternoon we decided to go to the beach. The whippets were not invited. Too hot for them, so we gave them a special treat, a bowl of fresh water and the shadow of their outer kennel.

Since we live that close to Holland, we always go to their beaches. Only half an hour away, peanuts! We packed the car with beach seats, towels, goodies and drinks, new magazines and books to read. The girls were all set in their teeny bikinis and off we went.

We parked the car in a meadow near Palm Beach. That's the name of the beach we stranded on. As we had expected: it was a beach for people who like to run around naked.. Not our cup of tea. The girls protested so we kept on walking until we found a strip of sand where people were wearing tank tops and swimwear. It didn't take us long to fall down and get settled. Time flew by and I nearly finished my book on World War II. We left the kids by themselves to go for grown up coffee in the Beach House. That Jamaican coffee was really good and very relaxing.

It's great to be home and be able to go do things with the family whenever we feel like it. I'm sure the girls enjoyed their day out as well. Hubby planned on working in the garden, but he was glad he joined us after all.

Later that evening, we sat outside on the deck and we played cards. We had a blast! It had been too long since we last played a board game together. That glass of South African Chardonnay was refreshing, after a warm sunny day..

Think outside the box

Flemish people are pretty particular about their food. They like their plate to look as so: boiled potatoes, a nice piece of meat, gravy and some vegetables. It's not always easy to convince them to try a different cuisine for that matter. They don't want to miss out on their potatoes and they are not happy if you skip the meat. Just don't overfeed them on the veggies, because that's the part they like the least.

Am I a real Flemish woman? I mean, I really don't like the traditional Flemish kitchen. I love a more exotic touch to my food and I don't mind to make sacrifices if it comes to meat or potatoes. I do like my greens though.

There are plenty of substitutes for meat, although that's not a word I would voluntarily use. I don't feel the need to substitute my meat. It's not that I'm a vegetarian. I'm more of a flexitarian, meaning I do eat meat, but only when I feel like it. I prefer legumes over meat. How about some lovely kidney beans or wax beans? Lentils and chickpeas? They have so much flavor and no fat. They are very nutritious and yes, they contain quite some calories, but they are healthy and filling. A favorite legume recipe of mine, is hummus. I like to make my own. It's not that difficult and it's so satisfying to make your own chickpea puree. Because that's exactly what it is.

What do we need:

• a can of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), drained (save the liquid though)
• 80 ml tahini (sesame paste)
• 60 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• a pinch of salt
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 15 ml good olive oil
• a pinch of paprika
• parsley, freshly minced

What do we do:

• Blend the chickpeas with the tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Add some of the juice until you reach the desired consistency.
• Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl.
• Drizzle the oil over the hummus. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.
• Serve with (pita) bread and crudites.

There's nothing you can't be

My little girl is growing up so fast.. Sometimes I still see her as the little girl she once was, but then again, I have to let go of that phantasy and come back to Earth, to see the beautiful young woman she has become.

You have changed so much in the last two years. Being in boarding school, we didn't see that much of each other as I wanted to. I'm sure we missed out on a lot of your activities and we didn't always know what kept you going.

You showed me one of your blogs you're keeping. I was truly stunned.. Wow girlie! You are truly amazing! Congratulations! There's nothing you can't be! I had a great time reading your blog and I will be a follower from now on. I'm proud of you! You are very versatile and your talents are worth mentioning: drawing, designing clothes, making great pictures, being a fashionista and a good friend..
I'm so happy to read you and the fact that you let me in to your blog world, means a lot to me. Keep it up sweetie. You're doing a great job! xxx

Photo by Eva Joos

Dog 'O' Nine Tails

I got to know Lisa Rees on Facebook. Just like us, she adores greyhounds, whippets and all sighthounds. Since she has a webshop, I had already purchased some phone charms with little whippet heads as decoration.

Last week, I ordered two new collars and matching leashes for Rebba and Inthe. They are custom made by Lisa and I must say: she does a very good job! You get to pick the fabric and the width and I asked for matching leashes and to my surprise, not even one week later, the martingales (that's how you call those greyhound collars) and the leashes got here.

The dogs went frantic over their new gadgets and they were ready to go for a walk right there on the spot. I'm real happy with the handmade martingales. The dogs will look their best!

Take a look at Lisa's webshop. Or make her your friend on Facebook: Dog 'O' Nine Tails Store. She's truly amazing!

Changing overnight

Last night, you were just 43 and this morning you turned 44. Just like that! Isn't that strange, that in a snap of your finger, you age one year?

Too bad you have to work today. Keeping that in mind, we treated you in a restaurant this Thursday. Just the 4 of us. You said you didn't want a birthday party. Maybe when you're 50. But not just yet.

You were a little surprised when we handed over your birthday present. The three of us thought it would be nice to get you a new car for your birthday. But since that is a pretty personal gift, we gave you a certificate to pick out your own car. You spend quite some time in your car, driving to Brussels to go to work and although your car is still in good shape, you wouldn't mind trading it in for a newer example. I'm pretty sure you'll stick within the same brand, since BMW is your favorite. You'll make a good choice, no doubt. Although you say that you really don't need a new car, we'll join you to the carshop and help you make the best choice.

Happy Birthday Hubby! Happy Birthday Daddy!

C'est magnifique!

Finally, school's out! The girls did great and studied well for their exams. It's time to relax now and enjoy the upcoming holidays. The schoolbooks of this year need to be returned and new books have to be ordered. Both girls had to decide what they were going to do in September. Lana chose Economics and Modern Languages and we think that was a very wise choice. She's doing so well in school and she's a good student. She's not sure yet about the far ahead future, but she's working on that.
Eva is ready to attend a different school. She'll miss her boarding school and her friends for sure, but she'll get over it. She's a loving girl and she'll get new friends in no time. She and her sister will be riding their bikes to the same school now. Not that they will see a whole lot of each other, since it's a very big school and there are 3000 students, compared to the 340 Eva was used to. Eva has made the best choice for her too: Humane Science will be very interesting for her and I'm convinced she will love the different classes.

I'm looking forward to this summer vacation and to a wonderful time with the family. Congratulations girls! You did real well. We're proud of you!