On solid ground

Being in love for the very first time, is just the best feeling ever. You can feel your cheeks blush every time you think about him. You can't focus in school and it's like you are walking on roses. Your arms are too long and you're striding and skipping with a broad smile on your pretty face. People say you gloom and they see lights twinkling in your eyes. That's what love does to one.. It's a feeling you want to hold on to forever and "forever" is a word you use in most of your sentences now.

You get older. You have met different people and you start dreaming about a future. Maybe you want to meet more people and discover the world and enjoy your youth, before you commit to someone. You fall in and out of love and you just like to hang out with friends and have a date every night and then. Cuddles are welcome and you like the feeling of being loved. It's been a while since you've been truly in love.

You meet this one guy and you know this is the person you want to grow old with. It may sound boring and very predictable, but it feels right to you. You no longer doubt if the love is mutual, because you can tell this guy is not only madly in love with you, you feel the same about him. He supports you in whatever you do and you are interested in his dreams. Both of you look forward to the other half to come home from work. There is candle light and romance, there are serious conversations and no harsh words during discussions. There are comforting arms to hold you whenever you feel sad and there's a thumb pointing upwards to cheer the victories in life. He brings you flowers when you least expect it and he opens the door to the restaurant for you. You bring him goodies while he watches the sports channel on TV and you enjoy his enthusiasm even though soccer doesn't interest you at all. There's so much looking forward to going abroad on a vacation and you do nothing but relax and enjoy each other..

It's been some time since you first met. You think about the past and those first years together. Memorable moments cross your mind, some with tears, some with a smile and a wink. The butterflies are no longer present all the time. Things have changed. Love has presented itself in a different way. You understand each other better as time goes by. You share a past together and you're looking forward to a future. The children start living their own life and there are more moments to spend as a couple. It's like starting all over again. At times, you feel the butterflies have come back. It's a special feeling. It's a blessing.

At your service

It's been over a year since we first discovered some unwanted puddles of water in our house. To be more specific, we would find moisture under the doormat in our hallway. We had no idea where the water came from, but we were not happy with the situation at all. At that time, we had an Italian student staying with us for a couple of months and we didn't feel like breaking up floors to find the leak during her stay. So we waited and tried to figure out what had gone wrong underneath those tiles.

Winter came and the days got colder and shorter. The moisture was still there and we had problems with our heating. Looking into contacting our insurance company, we hoped they would come up with an answer in where the leak was and how we could fix it without renovating the whole house. They sent their "best" employee en he walked around the house for over 1 hour, listening to the sound of running water in his headphones. We were a bit startled about the whole procedure, but he ensured us that was the best method available. He pointed out towards the tile where the water would pile up and smiled when he said: the leak is definitely underneath this tile! Hmhm... wow.

The insurance company agreed with his statement and they reimbursed us for the cost of replacing that one tile and having the leak fixed. The thing was: we couldn't find a plumber right away, to do the job. So some more months went by. In September, we decided the problem had to be fixed by the time we had to turn on the heating again. So finally this plumber stopped by to take a look. My husband had already opened the flooring and guess what: no leak... Apparently, the water problem was not caused by a leak in the pipes, but by an overflowing basement in the neighbor's house.. Bummer!

We turned on the heating to prepare ourselves for colder nights. Problem! the pressure kept falling down and the heating wasn't working correctly. So we called the plumber again and he gave us some ideas on what could be wrong. Guess what: a leak in the heating pipes.. There we go again, we thought, but we didn't give up. My uncle is a handy man and he thought along with us and the plumber. Does it come as a surprise to you, that my husband was the one who eventually found the leak? It was in our bathroom and it looked pretty bad. So we now not only had open flooring in the hallway, but in our bathroom as well. Thank goodness the plumber stopped by to fix the leak and turn the heating back on. Mystery solved. For now. We hope..

Reality strikes

I met Suz on Facebook, through a mutual friend. We exchanged several mails and pretty soon, we realized we had so much in common. Suz is Canadian and she got married to her big love, Wilfried, who is half Belgian but lives in Holland. Looking through their marriage album, anyone can tell how happy they were on their wedding day.

Suz and Wilfried came to visit us around Christmas. There was not one minute of silence between us. We discussed recipes and we both spoke our favorite language: English. Wilfried had his coffee and I could see the admiration in his eyes, while observing the love of his life. These two were truly made for each other. You were so excited about your upcoming trip to Canada. You wanted to bring Wilfried along and show him your region. How sad were you, when the C-word came in the picture again and ruined your plans.

I knew about the C-word that had affected Suzy's life. When she told me her back hurt like crazy, she went to see several doctors and therapists. Her worst fear was back... oh Suz.. why? You were so happy with your Wilfried and your furry friends. The way you talked about your kitchen and the Creuset cooked meals for your husband, that really warmed my heart. You had to go back to the hospital. Things weren't going well, but you were courageous and determined and Wilfried was the most supportive man. Nearly every day, you posted a picture of you in the hospital, on Facebook. You wanted us to know how you were doing. People from all over the world supported you and we loved seeing how you continued to take care of yourself. Wilfried brought your own pillow cases, so you would feel at home. You found the energy to put on bright lipstick or make some decorative element in your hairdo. We loved your hats and you wore them like a queen!
You were so sorry to loose your hair again, but proud as you were, you could put that pride aside and take off your blonde wig. That's you, Suz. Just the way you are: nothing to hide. Your inner beauty is plenty. It made us forget the baldness. You were very good at staying strong and keeping your calm although your inner fear must have been so big. We all knew how much you loved Wilfried. You saw his sadness and you didn't want him to suffer..

I hadn't read much from you in the last two weeks. You didn't post any pictures and you didn't write down your thoughts. That was worrisome. When Wilfried posted some updates, we all realized things weren't going right. Your energy levels were dropping and you were getting sicker.

Today Wilfried had to make the most difficult decision ever. Medication was not kicking in and the doctors had told him there was not much left they could do. I'm so happy Suz had talked this over with Wilfried. The doctors have put Suz in a deep sleep, to make sure she won't have any more pain. It might be a matter of days. This is so sad, but it's the last Wilfried can do for his lovely wife. What a brave man. What a brave couple. Don't be sad, he says. It has been enough. Suz is done fighting. She needs peace now..

Dear Suz, I had no idea this would affect me so much. One moment, you were sitting around my coffee table. Now you're in a deep sleep. We didn't have time to say goodbye. I don't want to say goodbye. I want to read you, I want to see your pictures and your wonderful smile. I want to see your hairbands and your lipstick and I want Wilfried to polish your toenails. You're done fighting Suz. You have done so much, but there's nothing more you can do. You are loved by so many and so is Wilfried. Your love will always remain.. Then why is there this ugly lump in my throat?

Your wedding picture says: All I want to do, is grow old with you.. I'm so sorry for the both of you. May 2012 was such a great month for you both. I'm so happy you finally got to marry this wonderful man... Keep an eye on  him, Suz. I'm sure you will inspire many people from wherever you are..

R.I.P. Suz lost this valiant battle May 23.. 

What a difference a day makes

It is completely normal that you do your best. Not only in school, but in later life, at work, as well. Belgians are not that good at giving each other a compliment, when things are considered "normal". You only get valued when you do something extraordinary, something unexpected. That's when you get a pat on the shoulder. Over here, there are no signs in front of your company, stating your name next to EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH. There is no special name tag for when you have served the company 5 years. There are no bonuses for a project you ended with flying colors. It's up to your superiors to praise your efforts. Some superiors are better at this than others. The most important thing is, that you value yourself. It is important that you know that you do well at whatever you do. It is nice though, to hear others tell you every now and then...

I'm not your boss nor your superior. But nevertheless I can tell you, you are doing great. I hear how your colleagues talk about you in your favor. When you got that special email, to thank you for the energy you have put into that assignment, it made you proud and it made you feel appreciated. I think there is not one day you don't do the best you can. You are good at solving problems and you are even better at solving projects others are having trouble with. I believe you are truly gifted... I'm proud of you.

On the other hand...

On my way home from the hospital, I had some time to think things over. I was angry and upset but I was also amazed about the information the doctor had given me. To be honest, it was not the first time I had heard this advice. Then why did it come as such a surprise to me? Maybe I didn't want to hear the truth. Maybe I wasn't ready to alter my life and let go of the diabetes. But I did realize something had to happen in order to get rid of that never ending fatigue.

I was still upset when I got home. My family had cooked dinner but I couldn't eat. The ribbons of fresh pasta got stuck in my throat and the tears were stinging behind my eye lids. I wanted to talk to my D friends and I needed their support. They know what it's like, if you have a chronic disease that consumes a lot of your time. Or don't they?

It felt good to read their comments and feel their virtual hugs and reassuring words. Some had the nerve to tell me more or less the same Dr Feelgood had told me. He was not the only one who thought it was over the top. So maybe it was time for me to reevaluate my life. Hubby had suggested the idea a while ago, but I didn't want to listen. After all, he doesn't have a chronic disease, so how would he know what it feels like? I must admit, I locked him out. Although he is very supportive of what I do, he also feels that D is wearing me out. No, he knows I am wearing me out.. I needed a hug. I needed a comforting arm and no words. I needed someone to help me lick my wounds.

It's time to get up and make some agreements. I have to reconsider my life and let go of some activities. Maybe I gave up the wrong hobbies, like this blog. I thought it would help me get more family time and more quality of life. I did miss writing here though. Maybe I should.. maybe I should.. let go..

Let go

Being in control is natural to me. It's what I do and who I am. I like to pull the strings and do things my way. It's not that I don't trust others or don't value their opinion. I guess it's just some thing that has grown over the years. It probably goes back to my youth, where I had fewer strings to hold but an overwhelming desire to do whatever I wanted to do.

Letting go of that control once you have accomplished things, is very difficult. It doesn't mean you have failed or you are not doing well. Maybe it's just time to delegate and let others help out. I'm sure it won't be a bad thing - on the contrary. It will benefit us all. It's scary and exciting at the same time. I have no idea how my body will respond to these changes, but I'm anxious to find out. There's a way back though. I need to give it a chance, but if things are not working out, there's always the chance to take back the control. So I don't have to be nervous. I can calm down the cramping in my intestines. Let's get it over with and get going. That way I will realize it's not the end of the world..

Packing

Last night, you were stressing out. Packing your suitcase to go to Poland, you were deciding what to wear, which shoes you should bring along. Were you allowed to bring a razor blade if you had nothing else but carry on luggage? How about shaving foam?

You don't like to travel alone. It makes you as nervous as a schoolkid on a field trip. The palms of your hands were all sweaty and you were running around like a chicken. Only 2 days, but still stressed out. Two colleagues are joining you and I'm sure you will do well. No need to worry. I wish I could have come along too. I wouldn't mind visiting Warschau. Sounds exciting to me. Don't forget to tell me all about your trip. Looking forward to the stories! Have a safe journey, hubby.

I have this urge

Photo Cathy Van de Moortele

Right after breakfast, we felt like chilling on the sunroof and let the sunbeams stroke our bodies. It was quiet up there and only 4 hotel guests (us included) used the sun beds.  Time to relax, have a talk, relax some more, have a drink (I love my Sahara drink made of almond milk, ground almonds, ground raisins and dates) and dip in the pool. Having my latest cook book in mind, I felt the urge to run some errands and do some cooking. Darn! how could I do that?? We're in Marrakech! No kitchen available over here. Hmhm.. that didn't mean, we couldn't run some errands, right? I love to stroll around the grocery shops in any country we visit. There are always products we don't have at home. So I convinced hubby to take a cab and do some shopping. To our surprise, the manager of the hotel sent us to the mall! How about that? For no more than 40 dirham (let's say 3.60 euro), the cab driver took us to the Almazar mall. Too bad many shops were closed for Ramadan, but nevertheless we got some nice things. We had a quick lunch at the local fast food place (why don't we have merguez panini at home?) and in the end, we discovered the Moroccan Carrefour. Yes, really, the same supermarket as the one we have at home. It did surprise me though, to see/hear that many Flemish people in the shop, with carts full of groceries. Maybe they rent an apartment and cook their own food?

The cab driver who took us home, was something else.. All the way back, he had no idea his handbrake wasn't released. He complained about his clutch that wasn't working, so when his car broke down in the middle of a very crowded roundabout, I could only hope he would be able to move his car and continue the ride. In the end, we got home safely.. Cabs are cheap around here. This driver was "happy" with 30 dirham. I don't think it will cover the cost of a new clutch though..

Our visit to Restaurant Le Marrakchi on Djemaa El-Fna was exciting. Great food, good entertainment - loved those young and elegant belly dancers - and right where all the activities were going on in the streets. I was happy though, to take a cab, since my high heels don't do well on the unequal streets of Marrakech. My blood sugar spiked after all of that couscous, potatoes, red beets, carrots, pancakes with honey and cinnamon spiced orange slices..  but it was worth it. We'll have a very good night rest. Again..

Quite remarkable

The more reviews I read about La Sultana, the more I long for this trip. It sounds very exciting, relaxing, welcoming, inviting.. So many people that spread the word on their fabulous stay in this hotel. After having read the Wiki information on Marrakech, we could do with some good news. Apparently, the Marrakech locals are not that honest when it comes to money. They like to rip you off and empty your pockets as soon as they get the chance. Offering you the best price ever and then charge you more in the end. I was not looking forward to such a kind of treatment. I don't like it when you pay 480 MAD for something that costs no more than 40 MAD. We are not very good at bargaining, so we'd better not even go there. The locals will immediately know we are tourists and easy targets. But we have done our research and are aware of the prices. We hope to get some help from the hotel management in booking excursions and taxis. That would be very helpful. I'm glad their shuttle service will come pick us up at the airport. The cost is higher than expected, but getting ripped off by a local taxi driver at the arrival is too much. We want to get to La Sultana in one piece, without bargaining or making a fuss. We hear the staff is very helpful and willing to bend backwards if they could. I have seen pictures of the rooms at the hotel and I believe we won't be disappointed..

It's about time to get the suitcases stowed away in the trunk of the car. I hope we have packed whatever we need. It will be hot in Marrakech - 40°C is not a temperature we are used to. Maybe this time I will use sunscreen after all.. Let's keep our fingers crossed that my insulin will survive the heat and that my insulin pump will not refuse action. My nurse provided me with insulin pens, just in case.. but I truly hope I won't need them. Our mini bar will be stacked with diet coke - that's another bonus of this hotel. I'm looking forward to strolling around the Medina, to smell the food and spices, to inspect the leather "maroquinerie", to take as many pictures as possible..

There is free wifi throughout the complete hotel, if you know what I mean. Yes, we'll keep you posted. I hope to upload some pictures every now and then, and let you know about our adventures..

Girls, we will miss you.. you will be in our minds. Hope to talk to you on Skype every now and then. Be good and keep safe...

Let's talk about

you and me.

us.

Let's listen to

you and me.

us.

Let's hug.

you and me.

us.

Let's kiss.

you and me.

us.

It all went wrong

This Saturday we are having friends over for dinner. It's been a while since we last met up, so it will be fun to enjoy each other's company. If only I had not had this awful dream..

I needed to get some final groceries to prepare the meals I had in mind. I was in a rush an I could not find my shopping list. So I decided to leave the house without the list. I knew what I wanted to make, so how hard could it be to race around the store, retrieving the products I needed?
I was doing real well and I was on schedule. The table had been set earlier that day. The champagne was getting cold in the fridge and my dessert was looking great. No sweat!
Our friends arrived and I was calm as a cucumber. No stress at all. Why should I stress out? I mean, come on, these are my friends after all. So we served drinks and appetizers and I was getting ready for the entrees. There was a choice of fish or meat and my friends had given me their preferences in advance. I opened the fridge to take out the fish.. where did the fish go??? I checked the other fridge, but I couldn't find it anywhere! Panic! Breathe, breathe.. I could hear Hubby laugh and chat with our guests, while I was dying in my kitchen.. My sugar level dropped instantly and..

That's when I woke up, to treat my low. It was only Sunday night. I had not done any shopping yet and I had plenty of time left before the weekend. But my heart pounded like a mad man's heart. Just chill.. I'll do just fine. I'm prepared and nothing of that manner will happen, right? Right?

Working out

Just a bit too much fat around the belly and the shoulders a bit too broad. That's what the holidays did to you. You're not supposed to look like this. Your nature is to be lean and skinny. We want you to be healthy and look your best. So hubby decided to give you an extra work out every day. He already takes you and your friend Rebba for long walks, but obviously that won't cut the deal for you. Rebba is ship shape, but you're a bit too heavy now..

It's not that you're lazy or so. You really look forward to the outdoor games. Hubby lets you race around the backyard, chasing your ball. You are so fast and it's amazing how well you jump and get that ball. After play, you come inside and although your condition is pretty good, your heart pounds dramatically and your tongue is ready to lick the saliva dripping on the floor. You recover fast and then you drop your ball in our lap, to make clear that you're ready for some more fun. I have no idea why you put on that extra weight, but still, we cut back on your diet again. You are being fed twice a day and the food you get is already diet food. We do have a small suspicion though, that you may eat the food of your friend as well. She doesn't eat that much and she could care less if you would eat hers. She definitely won't fight over it.

Let's hope working out will do you good. Hope to see you in better shape soon.

Lost in Venice

The two hour train ride from Trieste to Venezia, was not that bad. We had a lot of fun conversations and the view was immense. I missed my personal photographer..
She would have made the most beautiful snapshots. I was fortunate though, that our youngest daughter let me use her camera in Italy. At least we could make some souvenir pictures.

Venice was fantastic! So colorful, so crowded, so full of tourists.
I have never seen such a huge collection of masks. This one particular friend of mine would have loved the phantom masks and the unique costumes. We really have to go see a musical or opera in Venice!

We walked and walked and walked up until the point where we got lost. That didn't bother us, because there were so many interesting places. We kept going, enjoying the scenery and the Italian atmosphere.

How special it was to have a drink on the San Marco Square, surrounded by tourists from all over the world. The humans were outnumbered by pigeons though and they scared us, but still, they belonged there. It was a joy to see toddlers chase them. Those birds are not easily scared. They are so used to human beings, that they don't fear to hop onto your table and steal your biscotti.

At a certain point I realised how lucky I was to be there.. Who could have imagined the three of us in Venezia? Really. That was so surreal. I'm glad my husband gave me the chance to do this city trip and let me have a good time amongst friends. I will bring my family one day. Promised!

Team leaders

Being part of a well functioning team is a privilege as much as a challenge. Working with both men and women may be confusing and exhausting, since each sex has a different way of communicating and working. Being a team leader is not an easy job and it needs a lot of people skills and insight. Some people will like the team leader, others won't. That's life. There are plenty of reasons why one will like/dislike the leader of the team. As long as all members keep respecting one another, it might work out well. There may be some disagreements every now and then and that's the moment when team leader and co-workers need to come together and discuss the issues. It's been proven a good way to solve problems. Things that need to be said, can be said and heard by all of the people involved. It's a good chance for all team members to open their hearts, mouths and ears.

Some issues are worth mentioning, others are just non-essential. It's up to the members to decide which problems are trivial or minor. Sometimes you interpret phrases in a different manner than they were spoken and that might give friction of some sort. Feeling unhappy and discontent is not going to solve anything. Negative feelings keep adding up until they become a pile that is doomed to tip over.

We all learn lessons in life. That's a good thing. It helps us to grow and to understand our fellow creatures.  It's not necessary to put issues in a negative daylight. They may be an opener to a better co-operation.

I hear you are a good team leader. People respect you for who you are and what you do. You try to be fair and not to side with anyone. They made the right decision to make you a team leader.

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..

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!

A panic attack

In 2003 I had my hysterectomy and that operation went perfect. My body healed well and things went back to normal pretty soon.

I have a new gynecologist now. She asked me to come in for a yearly check-up. You know, the usual routine control. She suggested an internal ultrasound to take a look at my ovaries. They were pretty as always :-) There were no more signs of PCOS, what made me happy. Before she let me get dressed, she wanted to do a breast exam as well. It had been a while since my former gynecologist had performed a breast exam.

At first, she didn't speak. Then I heard her mumble.. I held my breath, prepared to hear the worst. She asked me if my breasts were always that hard to examine? eeuurrgghh.. I don't know?

She continued her exam and then she went to her desk, grabbed the phone and made an appointment with the radiologist. I overheard her conversation. She asked if I could come for an ultrasound right away. She had a bad feeling about the numerous mammary she felt. I took a deep breath, jumped off the examination table and buttoned up my shirt. I had a hard time swallowing my saliva and I felt numb. What did she mean? Was something wrong? She didn't have much time left, because they beeped her to go deliver a baby.

So off I went to Radiology. There was a crowd in the waiting room and I couldn't focus on the magazine I had in my lap. All kinds of nasty words crossed my mind. I tried to calm myself and picked another magazine. My fingers txt some lines to my husband and my friend and I wasn't sure whether I was going to send the texts or not. Maybe I should wait for the outcome of the ultrasound?

The radiologist asked me to undress and lay down on his examination table. It was freezing in his consultation room. I had goosebumps all over. The slippery gel was smeared over my chest and the doctor started his exam. He didn't speak. Not at all. I didn't look at the screen. Why should I? It's not like a layman can tell cancer from an innocent swollen gland?

He asked me to get up and get dressed. He was going to forward the result to my gynecologist. Hello??? Can you at least tell me what's going on?? He turned on his heels, looked at me and said: everything's fine ma'am. You have a good day now.

Loyal as a dog

As soon as you put on your clothes, little Inthe stands right beside you. She just knows - she's trained well - you are going to take both of them for a long walk. She doesn't loose track of you for one second. Rebba is more relaxed. She's more patient and she won't come out of bed until she hears the clinging sound of her ID dog label against the leash. And then they go wild! They jump up and down on the couch, race around the house and wag their tails like crazy!! That is - if the sun is out.. You won't see Rebba jump up and down out of joy on a rainy day. She will hide her head behind the pillows, pretending not to be there. Inthe doesn't mind bad weather, if only she can go out and have fun. But don't you try taking only one dog for a walk! They go mad if you leave one behind!!! They are like BFF, always wanting the other one around.

I love to watch them walk on the leash. One right beside the other, like Siamese twins without actually being attached to each other. They're doing better than a couple of months ago. Inthe used to bark at any dog, cat or person coming by. The dog whisperer was very helpful in that manner. We now tell them in advance we have seen that dog in the distance and they comprehend they no longer have to warn us for upcoming danger. That's a good thing, because I hate it when they bark and jump up when people approach us. We're getting there!

Difficult divorces

You won't find that many children looking forward to their parents getting a divorce. Children like to be loyal to both parents and that works best if they stick together. That doesn't mean they have to live together, but it makes it easier if they can still walk through one door.

Several friends of mine are divorced or separated. Apparently it's very difficult for either parent to have a healthy bond with their ex. After all, there's a reason or a number of reasons why they decided not to spend the rest of their life together, right? If there are no children involved, it's only a material matter. But if the couple shares a child or several children, things are a whole lot more complicated. There are so many situations where the children suffer the most. It is sad, you know. People communicate with one another through their children, hoping they will let the other parent know their discomfort. It's not very adult like to act like this, but it happens all the time. Sometimes I wonder why ex partners decide to make the other's life miserable. Shouldn't they be happy that they finally split up? Why not hope for the best for their ex? People are complicated..

I know a little

My handyman comes in handy at many occasions. He knows a little about everything and that's a very good virtue. Trying to solve all the little problems around the house, it has saved us a lot of money and aggravation. I'm completely helpless without my dishwasher, since I spend so much time in the kitchen. Please don't make me do dishes! So Hubby got his tools from the shed, screwed the panel off and sat down in front of the machine, trying to figure out why no water was coming into the appliance. He checked the Internet, thought some more and came up with the solution. And yes! my dishes can be washed again.. what a relief!

I hear appliances start to show failure after 10 years and that's completely true. Dishwasher, oven, freezer, fridge, dryer, toilets, washing machine... Been there, several times. But every time, hubby could fix the problem. He would be a great mechanic!

I know a little about how to work all of my appliances but Hubby knows a lot about how they work.