Just say when

Although I try all different kinds of food, I'm a picky eater. I like to know what's in my food and how it has been prepared. When I go out to eat, I'm happy if the waiter can tell me more about the preparation method of the food I'm willing to order. Is there a possibility to have my meat grilled or to have a sauce on the side? I like my steak medium rare and I will send it back if it's overdone. I don't mind paying for my food, as long as it's well prepared and to my taste.

I remember the Olive Garden in Kissimmee, Florida. We went out for dinner and we were going to have a salad on the side. We were impressed by the big bowl of fresh greens, crispy croutons on top and sliced bell peppers in all kinds of bright colors. When the waitress stopped by with her cheese mill, I was happy to see her grate a big chunk of Parmesan cheese over the salad. No prepacked fake Parmesan: yay! She said: just say when.. I'm happy hubby didn't understand her. She was still grating cheese when he said: when is she going to stop grating??? It gave us a lot of excellent cheese and a wonderful dinner. I like it when waiters do the best they can to give you good quality food and try to satisfy your needs. Would you like a baked potato instead of French fries? No problem, ma'am. Fresh pesto instead of cream sauce? Of course. Without asking, a slice of lime is making that cold water taste a whole lot better.

Call me spoiled, I don't care. I like creativity in the kitchen and it immediately shows the stock the chef has on board. If it's impossible to have the "shrimp stir fry with noodles" without the shrimp, you know they just open a bag of frozen rubbish. I like my food fresh and tasty. When the menu says: vegetable curry with fresh coconut, I check the open kitchen and I never hear the cook crack an exotic coconut... Then why state it's fresh? They can't fool me..
If I want prepacked food, I'll have a box of lunchables. Never!

Hot legs

I was discussing the difference in food culture between America and our small country. My American friends were appalled by the fact that we eat horse meat, frog legs, squab,.. I even fooled you for a moment, Paula,  telling you we prepared chicken pot pie with peacock instead of chicken. Just kidding, my friend! We would never eat peacock! Go figure! But yes, we have horse meat and squab and even frog legs. You told me you had never heard of anyone eating frog legs. A couple of days later, I saw a documentary on the Hairy Bikers in Arkansas. They went "frog gigging", meaning they went hunting for frogs to eat them. They would use a spear  with 3 or 4 barbed tines, to catch the frogs. A flashlight shone into the eyes of the frog, would make them daze, making it easier for the hunter to gig it. The popping sound it made when the spear was dug into the frog, was absolutely gross. I have no idea how our frogs our caught. I don't even know where our frog legs come from. Maybe China?

The way those Hairy Bikers prepared their frog legs though, looked very tasty. They would roll them in flour, shake of any excess, dip them in buttermilk and then cover them with Japanese panko bread crumbs. Once that preparation was done, the frog legs were fried in hot oil and then dipped in spicy BBQ sauce, just like they would do with chicken wings. Trust me, frog meat is very tender and tastes somewhere between chicken and fish. Just like crocodile meat. In New Orleans, it's pretty common to have crocodile for dinner. We have it in our supermarket on special occasions, but it's not exactly something I would pick. I have tried it when I was in New Orleans and it tasted pretty good, but not that good that I would prefer it over a juicy steak.

One day, Paula, I'll bring my family to the Hook Ranch. I promise you: we won't bother your frogs. They can live happily every after. They look much better with their legs attached to their body..

Rise in size

You may be very proud of yourself! For the first time, you have crossed the ocean. It's the first time you took an airplane. And all of that all by yourself. I'm pretty sure your intestines protested quite a bit when the plane took off, but in an instant a smile will have appeared on your face with joy, for the adventure has finally started.

The Hooks let me know that they would wait for you at the bagage claim. I'm glad someone is out there to pick you up. It will be another 1 hour drive to the Hook Ranch in La Porte, Indiana and you will be exhausted by the time you get there. It was a long flight after all. But you did it! And there were no problems at all. So there was no need to feel anxious about it. Your vacation just started. What a great reward for the end of this school year. Half a year ago, there were no plans of that order. And now you are in the US, looking forward to a whole lot of fun.

Keep in touch every now and then, okay? We are all anxious to hear about your stories and yes, we want to see pictures!

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?

Here comes the sun

Don't you just love those sunny days? They sure cheer me up! People tend to be more pleasant if the sun's out and I don't blame them. I love to wake up with sunbeams peeking through the blinds. The game of light playing on the bedding is a game I like to watch. I enjoy the early twitter of the birds outside our window (I don't consider jackdaws birds - I hate jackdaws for they poo on my car). It makes me think of Portland, Oregon, where Blue Jays would sing their song to me early in the morning.

This summer, we'll have a whole lot of sunshine when we will go to Florida as a family. We are really looking forward to that vacation. This time, nobody will be home to take care of the pets, so they'll go to their respective dog and cat moms. Our neighbors would be happy to look after them, but we don't want to bother them. We know how big the responsibility is, to look after someone else's pets. They'll do just fine in pet daycare.

I already got myself a new swimsuit. The girls might need new bikinis too I guess. After all, we won't need much more than swimwear, shorts, shirts and sandals in Florida. Four more months to go.. we're getting there..

Start spreading the news

This is it.. It's time to go home. The suitcases are packed and extra suitcases have been purchased and packed as well. It's been awesome. I have a new favorite American State to pin down on my map of good places to spend your vacation. We have been very fortunate to have that much sun and from now on, the weather can only get even better!

We're going to have our last breakfast at Hoolihan's, right back where we started. It's a good place to terminate our holiday and enjoy a last meal together. As we all know, airplane meals are no biggie and we'll spend some time at the airport before we finally head home. So it's better to have some food in our tummies in advance, while we still can.

The apartment looks kinda deserted now.. The closets are empty, the trash has been thrown out. We have called a cab to pick up the extra suitcases, because they won't fit in the trunk of our car anymore. It'll be a bit more comfortable that way. The girls will be so excited to unpack the suitcases and see the presents I got them. They will want to hear all about this journey, so they can plan our next trip later this year.

By Monday morning, life will have gone back to normal. Hubby will go back to work, the girls will be off to school, and I'll have some special time with the whippets. Time to unpack, to get the laundry sorted out and do some grocery shopping. I'm looking forward to preparing some menus out of my new cookbooks. If there's one thing I have missed in Florida, it must be my fruit and veggies. Now I realize how important healthy food is to me. Not that I have splurged over here, but restaurant food is always different. It's full of hidden ingredients, as I have experienced just the other day. Having ordered a salad of walnut-crusted goat cheese and leaf greens, I expected no carbs but some from the blueberries and the fatfree salad dressing. Will it surprise you that my blood glucose meter gave me a nasty look when it showed an ugly 295 mg/dl after lunch? Knowing it showed me a pretty 61 before lunch? Exactly... hidden sugars in the dressing.. That's why I'm longing for healthy - no additives added - food. Just the pure stuff. I will bake some potatoes in the coming weeks, because I have really enjoyed those cream cheese topped baked potatoes. I'm pretty sure I won't find the same size potatoes, but that's okay, since I eat only a quarter.

Well folks, it's been pleasant. I'm glad I got the opportunity to explore the Orlando area and have a wonderful time with my friends..

Crocodile tears

Florida is the state of the gators. We haven't seen any yet - stuffed ones not included - but we know they are out there. There are signs to warn us. There are puddles, ponds, lakes all over the place and they sure look like they have alligators in them. Crocodiles are not my favorite animals, but they are kinda cool, as long as they remain on their property.

Our vacation is coming to an end. I'm having mixed feelings about that. Kissimmee has been everything we expected and more. It's been a wonderful experience and we have seen so much.
The weather has been good and the locals were friendly. They treated us real well and we have no complaints whatsoever. It is a shame though that my family couldn't be here to enjoy the Florida sun and surroundings. I wanted to share it with them, but it wasn't possible this time. They'll get here, no doubt about that. And in the mean time, I'll tell them all about it and I'll show them the pictures. There are lots of presents in my suitcase for them to pick out. We'll have some special cuddle time I guess..

I might shed some tears. It's been good. It's been fun. I have some more memories to file in my archives. Some good moments to remember..

Let's cook!

I want to cook! Today I have bought 4 new cookbooks and I'm very reluctant to put them down. I started reading the recipes and my head is full of grocery lists and ideas. We're having a wonderful time over here and many would be happy to go out dining all the time. Most meals I've had here have pleased me too and none have given me a bloated tummy. But still, I miss my veggies and a home cooked meal.

Today we visited Epcot, one of the Disney Theme Parks. I had not visited one single Disney park before, so I was pretty excited about this event. Disney is huge! It has its own highways, parking lots, restaurants, .. and it's crowded, even out of season. It took us a while to get to the ticket booth, since every visitor has to hand over his backpacks to be checked. What a waste of time.. It gives people a fake feeling of safety and it makes me laugh. But oh well, if that makes them happy..

Disney tickets are expensive. Very expensive. I will never ever again complain about parking costs in Belgium or theme park tickets at home. Going to one of the Disney parks with a family of four, leaves a big gap in your wallet. Make sure to bring at least $ 550 if you want to grab a drink and a bite as well. Don't enter the souvenir shops and bring your own snacks. The prices are just outrageous.

Epcot is a nice theme park if you like to walk around and sniff the Disney atmosphere. The landscapers did a terrific job and there's plenty to see. Epcot is all about different countries, situated around a huge lake. Take your family along this journey to France, Italy, Morocco, China, Japan, Norway and of course the US. We had lunch at this authentic French restaurant where even the waiters were French. And yes, we ran in to some Disney characters and took their pictures. It was nice to hear Mary Poppins's British accent and The Beauty and the Beast were very charming. The best attraction was Soarin'. It is a multi-sensory attraction that simulates a peaceful hang-gliding flight over the Golden State of California.
The multi-passenger glider is lifted 40 feet into the air. An IMAX projection dome wraps 180° around you, so you're fully engulfed by the impressive scenery. It really feels like you're flying as you glide over such awesome vistas and landmarks.
Feel the wind in your hair, while the air fills with the scent of orange groves, evergreens and the sea breeze. You may think your feet will get wet when you dip down so close to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, before you return to the sky to continue your hang-glider ride.

We did some more shopping after our visit to Epcot. There are so many shops to discover and so many fun treats to lay our hands on. Today was a cold day and I got myself a pair of woolwarm boots to pamper my feet. I got some more presents for the people left behind in Belgium.

We crashed at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse to have a satisfying dinner. We thought being inside could warm us up a little, but air-conditioning thought differently. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our meals and the company, before we went back to the apartment to pack out our goodies and have another chat before we hit the hay..

Check!

Passport: check!
Dollars: check!
Medication: check!
Insulin pump:..

Getting organized for our upcoming trip to Orlando, it hit me that I had not asked my diabetes nurse for a spare insulin pump. Darn! That was so stupid! I can't believe I actually forgot something that important. I cannot take the risk to go abroad for 12 days without a spare insulin pump. It's just too tricky. You never know what happens and I have no intention to drag along syringes, absolutely not!

That's where my diabetes nurse - bless her - comes in. Immediately she started making phone calls. And yes, she pulled it of! She got a hold of the sales representative (he's adorable) to make further arrangements. I was late to submit my order, but nevertheless, the people at Roche company assured me they would get a travel pump ready for me. Hubby could pick it up after work in Brussels. What a relief! I don't expect any abnormalities, but I'd rather be prepared. Although the US is way ahead of our teeny tiny country, they don't have access to this marvellous Accu-Chek Combo pump. Bummer! Let's keep our fingers crossed I won't have to open the emergency box with the travel pump. I won't screw up this time.. ! I may hope..

Pack your bags and go

That's a line I have heard several times in my youth. Discussions were not allowed in our house. Whatever mother ordered you to do, you did. Without any reflection on your side, you had to follow her orders. She would have made a great officer!
If you had the guts to go against her, she would say her favorite sentence: pack your bags and go..! And that's exactly what I did and I have no regrets whatsoever. After all, we're all unique people and guess what: we all have a mind of our own, right? It's possible that she never expected me to really pack my bags and go, but hey, there's a time for everything.

My BoGi Bags

Have you ever been to a place, where everything you dreamed or thought would be, was there? That's the place we're going to in January. I'm so looking forward to it.  My friends got themselves some new suitcases and they looked awesome! And yes, I ordered my own set as well. The guidelines for luggage have become more strict, so I don't want to have to pay extra for a suitcase that is not fitted. BoGi Bags are great suitcases and they look awesome. They are spacious and well organized. There's a great discount on the set of three for the moment. So don't hesitate and get prepared for your next trip. Sometimes packing your bags and go has a more pleasant tone to it, because in this scenario, it's not meant to be vicious. You're still welcome when you come back..

Ready for take off?

I love to fly! I think it's such a comfortable way of travelling. No traffic jams, no irritated drivers, no reading maps! Just relaxation until you reach your destination.

I had to get a new passport, since my other had expired. Getting a new passport is not a nuisance or so, but having your passport pictures taken is always a disaster. You're not supposed to smile..
I hate pictures of me with a stern face, because it's so not me! So I chose a picture booth in the supermarket to have the pictures taken. Because I know you have three chances to pose. Only after the third set of pictures, you have to make up your mind. This time, I was more or less happy with the pictures. There was just a little flash of light on the side of my head, so I hope the clerk at the city hall won't reject my pictures.

I will need a visa as well. That means that somewhere in the near future, I have an overseas holiday planned!! I'm so thrilled!!! There will be five of us to be travelling together. We're going to a part of the States I haven't visited before. This time hubby and the children are not coming along. They wanted me to join the friends anyway and that was very generous of them. It'll do me good to spend some time abroad. I'm so looking forward to it!!!

Girly Girl Studio

What a great concept Girly Girl Studio is! Facebook showed me the fan page and immediately I checked it out. I'm crazy about unique gadgets and Girly Girl Studio wasn't any different.

The people behind Girly Girl Studio give their customers the opportunity to design their own handbag, wallet, shirt, purses,.. Every item is custom made within the US. For those who are not that creative, there are premade handbags as well. But part of the fun of this website, is to design your own purse, choosing between different fabrics. I had a ball picking out two handbags and one wallet. I felt like ordering one more, but I have so many purses already. I'm darn sure though, that the ones I created now, will be flashy and unique!

I'm looking forward to receiving them!! I'm totally excited!!! Or was that pretty obvious?

Do join the Facebook group of Girly Girl Studio. They have a Free Facebook Friday, every Friday. Meaning they hand out unique pieces of their work, for FREE! If that is not inviting, I don't know what is.

Martha

I just love Martha Stewart! I like to watch her shows, visit her website, try out her recipes. She's an incredible woman. Knowing where she came from and how she started her career, I have deep respect for her. Too bad her family life didn't survive her career.. she's a true business woman and yet, she always looks calm and stress resistant. Did you know she's originally Polish?

I like the concept of her show. We should have something similar over here. But then again.. I can't think of anyone over here who could do what Martha does for the US residents. So for the moment, I'm happy with her show and I tend to watch it as often as I can.

Expectations

Sometimes, I hear my children talk about the future they have planned for themselves. One is looking forward to living abroad, preferably in a country like Egypt or Honolulu or Turkey. She's a sun lover and she really needs her daily portion of sun to enjoy life. She wants to live in a huge house, near the beach, with her own swimming pool (an indoor and an outdoor - how good it is to dream..). She will drive a BMW convertible and go out for dinner most of the time. If I ask her what kind of job she's going to have, she has no idea. She doesn't want to work. She won't have time, because she will be travelling most of the time.. Hmhmhm..

The other one wants to live in a very modern house, downtown New York or Sydney. She wants to be a famous designer or a teacher and will shop 'till she drops. She'll get married and have a bunch of children. Her sister won't. At least, that's what she claims. Men are stupid and children a nuisance. Do you think she forgot that she's a child herself when she said that?

I would really like to know how they will achieve their dreams. Miss One says she wants to spend a year abroad, to broaden her horizon, before she decides about the rest of her life. I won't stop her. I think that's a very good idea. I will encourage her to do so. It would be a good lesson in life. She could be an overseas student right?

Miss Two will probably follow her mother's footsteps, because she would like to work as an au pair. Not in the US. She prefers Australia. That's something different huh.

It's good to have dreams. It's good to think about the future. It would be good to think of how they will finance that future as well. But that's the least of their concern at this very moment..

Where do I start?

I did it! I ordered a first copy of my blog... I'm so excited and I can hardly wait for it to get here. I had to order it in the US and it will take a couple of weeks before I will be able to hold it. It's great to write on the Internet, but the thought of having your blogs in a book is just this little extra. I love to write and I love to read. The combination of both is super! It will have all my previous blogs up until 31 December 2009. It will be documented with pictures as well.

It will be my first book and I'm pretty proud of it. It will get a special place in my book case and I'm sure it won't be the last book written by my hand. I'm looking forward to writing many more!

Keep inspiring me and keep reading. That's what keeps me going.

Giant George

Oh please, this is not what you think, you sick mind! Size doesn't matter, remember??? So why would I discuss that?

No, seriously, today we're going to talk about Giant George, a Great Dane. He's the tallest dog in the world. George weighs 245 pounds! and is 43 inches tall. Wow.. He looks gorgeous, doesn't he? Wouldn't want him in my house, no way, but he is adorable after all. He looks like a whippet, just a bit heavier and taller. LOLZ.

George is 4 years old and he has his own Queen size bed, just for him. Just imagine the amount of food he needs in a month: a little 110 pounds!!! Oh my gosh.. that must cost a fortune! He's just H.U.G.E.!

Want a puppy? Somebody? Want to take this doggie for a walk? Wouldn't want to scoop up his doodoo..

Snap capps

I am pretty sure most of you have never heard of it. I love new gadgets and I have found one that really works and comes in handy at so many places. It's not available over here, so I get them in the US. Curious already? Okay, this is what it's about:

Do you ever buy cans of soda? Maybe your children like to take them to school or to their bedroom to have a drink while studying? Would you take your own cans to work if only you would find a way to close the can again, so the fizz doesn't leave the can?

I found the solution: the snap capp! It's made out of durable plastic in bright colors. It turns a can into a bottle. Now how about that? You snap the snap capp onto an open can of soda, you open and close the bottle whenever you feel like it and you have a refreshing drink where and whenever you want! Isn't that exciting??? Once you have finished your drink, you squeeze the empty can and the snap capp comes off real easily. You give it a quick rinse and let it dry and it's ready to be used again.

I keep snap capps in my car, my purse, in the kitchen, at work,.. My kids take it to school, so they no longer need to worry about not being able to finish their drink. It's great when you have lots of people over at your house. Each one can have his own snap capp. Let them pick a color and there are no more questions like "whose drink was this".

If you have any questions, or if you would like to have some snap capps of your own, just give me a buzz, will you?

Loss of appetite

Whenever I feel like having some goodies, I force myself to think about disgusting food. Immediately it brings me back in time and then I think of the all traditional American Baloney Sandwich. The children I took care of in the US, loved this sandwich, made of two slices of white bread (wonder bread or cotton bread). You spread mayonnaise on one slice and mustard on the other. You take a couple of slices of bologna sausage and you pop that onto the bread. Can you believe some people even fry the bologna before putting it on their sandwich? UGH!

On top of the bologna sausage, you put some slices of cheese, tomato and cucumber. You top it with the second slice of bread. If you wish, you can grill the sandwich now, to make sure the cheese melts over the meat. Indulge..

Thinking of the smell of this grilled baloney sandwich, my stomach turns upside down and my appetite is gone. So what's your ideal method to prevent overeating?

Killer Texting

I plead guilty. Yes, I have texted in my car before. I know I shouldn't be texting in the car and I know it's dangerous. You just do it, and I know many of you do it too. Even though it's forbidden in our country, I see all drivers around me using their cell phone or text a message while driving. I mostly text when I'm sitting in front of a red light and sometimes while I'm on the highway.
I watched a Dr Phil show on Killer Texting and I was truly shocked.. If you are sending text messages in your car, your control of your vehicle goes down 95%! Your ability to react when someone hits the break in front of you or when a child crosses the road, goes down by 35% if you're driving and texting at the same time.
It's over. I'm not texting and driving ever again. Really. I saw the testimonial of a mom, whose daughter was instantly killed by a young driver, who ran a red light because he was paying attention to his cell phone rather than realizing he was driving his car. A killer car, it soon turned out to be. Because that's exactly what happened: it took no more than a few seconds, to run the red light, hit the uncoming car with an innocent and correct driver, killing her right there at the spot.. What a waste of life..
The mother of this beautiful young student, has started a campaign. It's called Hang up - Save a life. The poster shows a picture of her gorgeous daughter, that is no longer amongst us, because of the silly idea that we need to text and drive. Not one text can be that important, that it can't wait until we have stopped the car to read or reply. It's a shame how many lives have been ruined so far because of accidents caused by texting while doing other things like driving, cooking, riding your bike, crossing the road..

So I have made a decision and that's what I'm going to teach my children too. I hope you will reconsider as well.

Over the rainbow

What a bird.. 13 yo Nora Foss al-Jabri from Norway has a very delicate voice. She's golden. Nowadays more and more young talent is being discovered thanks to mediums like You Tube. She was first discovered on Norske Talenter in 2008 and she's doing so well. Her version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah is magnificent. My favorite song by Nora is Over the rainbow.. Enjoy.