Just like that

The last time we went to the movies, was ages ago. My sister-in-law told me about De rouille et d'os and we wanted to check it out. Wow.. Matthias Schoenaerts really is something else. What a strong personality. The combination of him and Marion Cotillard is just perfect. I'm so happy we went to see this movie..

Put in charge of his young son Sam, Ali leaves his hometown to go live with his sister and her husband in the Southern part of France. That's where he meets Stephanie, a killer whale trainer. Their bond grows deeper after Stephanie suffers a horrible accident..

I thought the movie was very touching. And I can check that on my glucometer. The exciting part gave me a hyped up 215 while the moving part turned that number into a pathetic 38. It is interesting to see how my BG interferes with what's going on around me. But it would be nice, for a change, not to have the diabetes play a role in a night out.. Going to bed with 92 and waking up only half an hour later because your BG has dropped to 44 again, is no fun. Sometimes you are not welcome, Die-abetes...

In case you missed it

I don't know how often you watch TV? At home, we have a digicorder, so we can record any program we would like to watch. I record quite some programs and movies. I hardly ever watch TV at night. Most of the time, the children or hubby watch their shows. During the day or at night, when everybody is sound asleep, it's my time. I scroll through the menu to see what I have recorded and then I can pick out whatever I feel like seeing. That may be 4 sessions of Dr Phil in a row or a True Story movie. It can be some cooking show or an interesting documentary (mainly BBC documentaries). I like to fast forward the commercials or rewind a recipe that I would like to write down. It's easy to skip the boring parts or pause the movie when it's time to grab a snack or go to the bathroom. And I love to erase the shows I have watched and start all over with an empty hard disk. There are some movies left that I would like to watch. Maybe this afternoon. It is a lazy Sunday after all.. Let's keep that cosy blanket handy, make some popcorn and get installed..

Just like in the commercial

Aren't we all susceptible to commercials and what they represent? Small children choose their cereal because it comes with a free toy they want to have. Can you honestly state that you have never bought some article because you liked the commercial so much? Sometimes we dislike a commercial and it keeps us from buying the product just because it's so annoying. I must say that some commercials are really funny and although I don't always remember the brand it stands for, the ad stays with me for quite some time.

When I got to see this video on Dyson, it really made me smile. I thought it was hilarious and the person who came up with the idea, is probably a very funny guy! I don't need a new hoover and it won't make me buy Dyson, but I know this commercial will be watched several times by millions of people. It's already a hit on the internet.

Purple Rain

You know the song, but did you know there was a movie too? I guess I was around 13 - 14 at the time and I didn't have much opportunity to go out with friends, but this time, I got to go. I remember the darkness in the movie theatre. My friend and I were pretty nervous, because two boys decided they wanted to sit next to us. They were French and we didn't understand them, so we signed it was okay. Our hearts were pounding inside our bodies and we feared they might ridicule our nervous behavioral issues. We giggled like only 14 year old girls can do.. I can't remember what the boys looked like and we probably never knew their names. We didn't tell ours either. But how exciting it was to have them sit next to us.. His hand on my knee made me freeze and I was too shocked to wipe it off my pants. So it stayed there all the way through the duration of the film. The hand didn't do anything. It just sat there, frozen to my leg. I couldn't concentrate on the movie. I do remember the music though and every time I hear the song, it brings me back to that Wednesday afternoon. My friend and I had something to think about and we were all excited about our grown-up adventure at the movie theatre..

It's too good to be true

It's still hard to believe all four of us are here, in Florida. We are so grateful that we could make this trip together and enjoy a wonderful time. Tomorrow is my 40th birthday. What a strange number.. Am I supposed to feel old now? Because I really don't. I feel younger than ever and life is awesome.

Yesterday, hubby had this bright idea! He wanted to see the other coast line of Florida. In January I had been to Daytona Beach with our friends and the four of us have seen Cocoa Beach this vacation, so the Eastern coast could be checked off of our to do list. But how about the West coast?   The beaches along the Gulf of Mexico must be totally different, right?

We packed some towels and beach wear, put cold drinks in the cooler bag, grabbed some snacks and told the GPS we wanted to go to Clearwater Beach. It was a 2 hour drive, but hey, we were not in a rush or anything. Lana wanted to take a lot of pictures, so wherever she wanted us to pull over the car to stretch our legs: we did.

We thought Cocoa Beach was pretty special. Well, I can tell you: Clearwater Beach is even better... Really! You'll agree once you see the pictures! We had an awesome day, although the weather forecast wasn't with us. They predicted 50% chance of showers and T-storms. All the way down there, the weather was great. But once we reached Clearwater, it was pouring so heavily, I thought we would have to turn around and go back. None of that happened. We parked the Jeep right by the beach, hopped into our little bikinis, spread our towels and ran into the ocean. What a great feeling to be here! The water was warm and so clear! That's probably where Clearwater Beach got its name! It's no lie! You can see your own legs through the sea water. That's so awesome! We saw fish swim around us and floating on our backs, we watched the pelicans dive into the ocean to catch their lunch.

On our way to Sand Key, we made several other stops. Parks, marina's, .. so many beautiful places to visit. The Columbia Restaurant at Sand Key was a superb place to have lunch. Right by the water, Spanish atmosphere and excellent cuisine. We were sitting there, amazed by the luxury of this vacation..

Around 5 PM, we went back to the shore. Near Pier 60, there were activities and people were selling craftwork. Every day, you can hear live music on the beach and on Fridays and Saturdays, you can watch a movie on the beach, on a huge screen, sitting in the sand. Isn't that romantic???

pirate boat at sunset - Clearwater Beach
all pictures taken by Lana Joos

We waited for the sun to set, so Lana could complete her album. We had a 2 hour drive back to Caribe Cove Resort, but it was definitely worth the ride. Worn out and aching from a horrible sun burn, we got back to the apartment, to get that shower we had longed for... I'm off to bed.
Night night..

L'Chaim

To life, to life, l'chaim!

What a great night that was! Again, we celebrated life and had a wonderful time together. I know you are nervous when you're having people over, but there was absolutely no need to stress out. You are an excellent host and we felt so at ease. Your place is very cosy and clean and inviting. It was a delight to hang out with the gang and enjoy a pleasant evening.

I knew you guys were going to beat us. You are so clever when it comes to music and songs and movies and so. I truly enjoyed your knowledge and your memory. Hold on to each other. Your family is so different and you cling to one another. I have great respect for that. Love you guys! Thank you for the invitation. xxooxx

DOOL

In our days, we used to watch Sons and Daughters or Home and Away. Later we switched to programmes like The Bold and the Beautiful. Does it surprise you that this last series is still on air? Nothing much has changed over the years. Many characters are still playing their role. I can't remember what Brooke and Eric looked like 20 years ago, but it seemed like they didn't age at all. Would they say the same if they could take a peek at us?

Nowadays, our oldest daughter is a fan of DOOL, better known as The Days of Our Lives. She doesn't always have the time to watch every single episode, so she records whatever she can. And then - on a day off - she has a DOOL marathon, watching one episode after the other. Sometimes I take a glance and you know what startles me every time? Nothing really seems to happen.. things appear to go on forever, month after month, year after year. To discover that, a decade later, things haven't changed dramatically. To be honest, if you haven't seen the show for 10 years, you can just cuddle up in your chair and pick in where you left off..

What is it with people that they want to watch series like DOOL or The Bold and the Beautiful? Is it an escape from reality? Is it he consistency of the daily TV show? A daily appointment with people we get to know through a TV series? It's not that the series are that interesting or exciting.. or are they really?

CHiPs

Do you remember that glam smile Erik Estrada used to show off on the dramedy series CHiPs in the seventies? He was asbolutely gorgeous and many many girls were devoted to him. The black hair, the mysterious look, the distinctive nose and of course.. the perfect teeth. He had that naughty smile and that twinkle in his eyes, that made many teenage hearts pound faster.

I remember my best friend at the time and I discussing the series. She didn't like Frank Ponch (Francis Poncherello was his name in the show) at all. But she was so crazy about his partner Larry Wilcox. He was the blond guy and she thought he was so much better looking than Ponch. Estrada and Wilcox would always ride in pairs on the Californian Highway and their costumes fitted them like gloves. Do you remember the sunglasses they wore?? Hahaha! Unbelievable how we can remember those little details.

I wonder if our girls would like the show. Would they find Erik as cute as we did? Or would they prefer Larry? I think Erik was very appealing to me, since he was always the one who got in trouble. Larry was more like the guardian angel or the teacher if you wish. Too tame for me. I think I'm gonna google the show on YouTube and see if I can come up with an episode of CHiPs to show to my girls.

Deal with this

The other week, I recorded a true story, called: The Interrogation of Michael Crowe. It was awful and I felt sick to my stomach watching it. I just couldn't believe these things actually still happen. It was heart breaking to see Michael and his family and the way all of them were treated and abused by the police. They kept lying to Michael, telling him he killed his own sister, telling him they had evidence. The constant interrogation of Michael made him crash until he reached the point where he confessed to a murder he had not committed...

This is the story of Michael Crowe...

The lives of Cheryl and Stephen Crowe change one morning when they find their 12 yo daughter Stephanie stabbed to death in her bedroom. As procedure dictates, the police take each family member away individually, to be questioned. Brother Michael, 14 at the time, and Shannon, the younger sister are taken into custody until their parents can be cleared.
Without the knowledge of his parents, Michael is non-stop being interrogated by the police. The police believe Michael is the murderer of his sister. Although there is no evidence, the police keeps focussing on young Michael, lying, harassing and coercing in the process.
At a certain point Michael eventually confesses to a crime he didn't commit: murdering his sister. Both Michael and his two best friends - who were questioned under the same threatening tone - finally get capable lawyers to defend their rights.
Dorothy Sorenson, the attorney hired by the Crowe family, is willing to clear Michael and his friends while trying to find the real killer, who they believe is Richard Tuite, a transient who was seen around the house the night of the killing.. Richard Tuite, who has been in contact with the police before. Richard Tuite, who had already stabbed a person once and who had been in jail on numerous occasions.

Stephanie Crowe, only 12 years old, was brutally murdered at her home in her small home town. Authorities foolishly jump to conclusions that the 14 yo brother Michael must be responsible. They work hard to force Michael to falsely confess to what he did not do, telling him he probably just didn't remember.. Meanwhile, the real killer is still out there..

It will take no less than 7 years to reach a verdict.. The jury faces a true ordeal, but finally Michael is released. Tuite is guilty of the murder of Stephanie Crowe and is sentenced to 13 years in jail.

Michael is married now and hopes to finish college. His life and the life of his family is traumatized by the injustice done to them by authorities.

Undying love

My daughter told me about a movie she and her friends watched in boarding school. The girls were all in tears afterwards. It didn't take me that long to tear up. It started halfway the movie for me..

Professor Parker (Richard Gere) finds an Akita puppy in the railway station, on his way home from work. Hachi(ko) and Parker become extremely attached to one another. Every day, Hachi follows Parker to the railway station, where Parker heads of to work. By 5 PM Hachi sits in front of the station to wait for his friend's return. Parker and Hachi understand each other real well. Hachi is such a clever dog. Akita dogs are a very special Japanese breed. They are not the fetch-the-ball kind of dog. They cannot be bribed to doing things they are not designed for. Akita dogs are known for their loyalty towards their owners, their friendship and the prosperity they stand for. The first time Hachi plays fetch, is a very special but at the same time very sad moment in the movie.. See for yourself. The movie is based on a true story.

I need some more kleenex.. I guess I want to watch Hachiko, A Dog's Story one more time..

Ladies only

The girls and I had this plan, to take grandma to the movies in September. It must have been ages since she last went to the cinema although she always loved to do that. Every month, there's a special ladies only night at the movie theatre. And then we said: hey, why not invite all the aunties of the family? So the sisters-in-law are joining us as well! Meaning there will be a group of 7 wonderful ladies to have a great night out!

Grandma is not supposed to know about the event of the night. She knows we are going to pick her up to go some place, but she has no idea we'll go out for dinner and see a movie afterwards. Very exciting! We told her we were going to have a great time at some wellness centre.. LOL

I hope the photographer present will take our picture. It will be a memorable picture of all the girls in the family on their first night out together. Our youngest daughter will be in boarding school at the time, but I'm sure the principal will let us pick her up. The night wouldn't be complete without her..

Ciao Bella!

Some people are so not romantic.. We had a great time watching the movie "Letters to Juliet". It was just so romantic.. The girls loved it! I wonder what kind of man they will encounter to share their life with. The oldest daughter is pretty fond of the Southern type: dark hair, dark eyes, tanned skin. I'm not sure yet what type the youngest fancies. But both of them would love to have a partner who respects them and who they can have fun with. I could imagine our first born with an Italian man. That would definitely be her piece of cake. After all, Italians are romantics, they are not cold as fish. They may be a little too romantic, if you know what I mean.

Although Romeo and Juliet was not written by an Italian writer, it's still a great love story. If Shakespeare had been Italian, his name would have sounded more like Williamo Shakespirelli I guess!

After having seen the movie, both girls want to make a summer trip to Italy. They want to see the wall in Verona, where loved ones post letters to be answered by the secretaries of Juliet. They would like to rent an Italian car and visit several Italian cities. Sounds interesting, to say the least. You never know.. they might run into a Lorenzo, Pablo or Davide.. and loose their heart in Italy.

Wait and see

I made reservations for myself and the girls, to spend a wonderful time at ladies@themovies in Bruges. It is meant as a surprise for them, because they helped out so much since I left the hospital. They are good girls and they did the best they could to be helpful. So they deserve a treat.

We are going to watch "Letters to Juliet", a romantic love story - Romeo & Juliet style. I'm really looking forward to going out with the girls for a change. It's been ages since we last went to the cinema so I guess they will love it too. And because it's ladies@themovies, we'll be treated like VIPS with a reception and goodies. I got great seats! We'll probably have dinner in Bruges before the movie, so it'll be a whole day treat. Perhaps they would like to do some shopping in Bruges beforehand?

What a performance

After having seen an interview with Gabourey Sidibe - who plays Claireece Precious Johnson - , I couldn't wait to see the movie. It was shocking and moving at the same time. What a great performance by this young girl.. Respect, nothing but respect.. I hope her real life is a whole lot better.. This is the story:

A 16 yo black obese uneducated girl by the name of Claireece "Precious" Jones, lives with her dysfunctional family: her mother, who beats her up and abuses her both verbally and physically , and her stepfather, who got her pregnant twice. Her firstborn child Mongo (short for mongoloïd...) is being raised by her grandmother. Claireeces mom lives off welfare and has no intentions whatsoever to make a living of her own.

Being pregnant for the second time, Precious gets suspended from school. Her principal arranges an alternative school for Precious, where she will learn how to read and write, in the hope to break the circle and provide a better life for Precious and both her children.

Precious has a way of her own, to escape the devastating reality of life: she pretends to be someone else. She daydreams, and she pretends to be elsewhere while being raped by her stepfather.. (who started abusing this girl at the age of 3).

Precious does real well in her new school. She and her new teacher, Ms. Rain get along real well and she even moves in with the teacher for a while. She flees home with her newborn baby Abdul, to get herself a better life. That's how she and Abdul end up in a half-way house, where she learns to take care of herself and her child.

In the meantime, her stepfather dies of AIDS. Precious is devastated to hear that her stepdad gave her the HIV-virus. But she's determined to go through living her new life. A life she has planned for her, baby Abdul and daughter Mongo..

Keep the kleenex by the hand..

Call me

You said you wanted to have the opportunity to act in a movie or a TV-commercial. Not as a real actress, but just a person passing by on the scene. So you subscribed on this website and right away you were invited to go to Bokrijk. In October, there will be a new children's series on TV, called The Fifth Bow.

The moviemakers needed some extra people to play some minor roles. You were totally excited, so today we drove all the way to Bokrijk. I must admit, it was pretty exciting to be on a real filmset. They picked you out right away. You, a woman (she had to pretend to be your mom) and a little boy (your brother in the movie) were sat down at a table. You had to talk to each other and as soon as the producer said you had to look the other way, that's what you did. They liked it!
So you moved on to the second scene. They had to do that one over about 5 times, before they got it right. You had to run out of a house with a frightened look on your face. You did great!
And urgh.. they asked me to pass by the house.. That was not planned.. but I did it.
The producer liked you, Eva. They said they would call you, whenever they needed someone. To be continued..

The Color Purple

It's still one of my favorite movies ever.. I have no idea how many times I have watched this masterpiece, but it still moves me. I'm not a Whoopie Goldberg fan and her comic roles certainly don't appeal to me. But the way she became Miss Celie, was extraordinary. It was real, it was touching, it was not acted. Oprah Winfrey as Miss Sophia was shining as well. The hurt that was seen in her eyes, was real hurt. It was the pain she had felt from within and it all came out in her role as Harpo's wife.

Let the songs sung by Shug Avery drift you off and get ready for this old time's favorite.

If the nights are cold and you have nothing else to do, rent The Color Purple. It will take you back in time. Make sure to keep the kleenex nearby.

Strangers and candy

Have you taught your kids whatever they need to know in order not to be abducted by a stranger? Abductors no longer use candy to seduce young children if they want to kidnap them. They talk to your child on the Internet. They try to contact them when they leave the school's playground. They offer them games for their Playstation or promise them to help them fix their computer. Children are so vulnerable, maybe now more than ever. Communication between parents and children have changed over the years. Mothers used to be stay at home moms. They knew about their children's activities. They offered their teens milk and cookies and a talk when they came home out of school. Parents knew what friends their children frequented. Children didn't come home in an empty house, where they could surf on the Internet for as long as nobody came home. Times have changed. Children have changed. So have parents.. Many parents no longer have time for their offspring. The kids are given a key and go home all by themselves. They grab a snack and a drink, they hop on the couch, watch TV or chat with their friends on the Internet. They feel alone. They have nobody to tell them how fantastic they are. That's the point where things become dangerous. Any stranger who gives this child the special attention it needs, gets the chance to bond with this child. What child wouldn't want to hear that it's loved? What child doesn't need grown up attention? What happens if parents can do nothing but nag about the lousy school results of their child? Right. It tells the predator, who is smart enough to pick in and comfort the child. He tells them that the parents are stupid and dumb for not seeing what a smart kid they have. And that's when those children get trapped. They start to really like this predator, not knowing what the consequences of these private talks may be. And then the predator invites them to his house, to come get the video games they were promised. And they'd better not tell their parents, since they are not the most loveable and understanding people out there. Forgot about the school reports??? And the fish is on the hook..

Imagine your child being abducted by some lunatic pervert. Wouldn't you slap your head and give yourself a wake up call? Our children need us. No matter what age they are. They are too vulnerable and they cannot protect themselves from the wolves around. The word PREDATOR is not written on the forehead of these men. They are not easy to recognize. But their actions are. You don't want a stranger to pull over his car and address you. When a child is in danger, the rules change. You are allowed to draw as much attention you need, to scare off a possible abductor. Tell your children you will never be mad at them for throwing a fit, if some stranger makes them feel uncomfortable.

"Garden of the night" is the movie you would want to see, to know how to protect your child..

Zoo Boo

Yesterday I went to the Antwerp Zoo with my employer. It made me think of my time back in Oregon, where I have worked as an au pair. One of the au pair activities was Zoo Boo, a special event in the zoo, around Halloween.
This time, we were not in the US, but in Antwerp, Belgium. We took the train to Antwerp and I can tell you: if you are in a wheelchair: you need to plan ahead! You cannot take the train all by yourself, so your assistant gets a free ticket. Nevertheless, the assistant is not sufficient, because by no means can you lift a wheelchair on the train. So you need some strong men and a special device to lift the wheelchair on the train. We needed one in Eeklo, one in Gent-Dampoort and one in Antwerp. Things went smooth all the way. The sun was out, the animals were having the time of their life and we had great fun as well!

It had been a while since I last visited the Zoo. I'm glad we went and it was great to see the tigers, monkeys, fish, reptiles, .. and of course: baby Kai-Mook, the baby elephant that was born earlier this year. I had no idea elephants are being breast-fed until they reach the age of 2. Poor mom.. a 2 year pregnancy and then 2 years of breast feeding.. Wow..respect!

Working as a personal assistant is a special kind of work. You assist your employer whenever they need your help. That can be to help them prepare a meal, wash the dishes, go to the market, enjoy a movie, have a social talk or go out to a concert or the zoo. You need to have a special bond with the person you work for, because you spend quite some time together. It's not like working in a factory or being a clerk. It's different. It's what I like to do. And I believe I'm good at it.

I confess..

Okay okay, I'm not perfect, I'm not even near being perfect. In fact, I have many imperfections. And I think it's about time to confess.. Don't push it, give me some time okay? I don't want to feel totally bad about myself after these confessions, you know.

• I wash my car only once a year (and it always rains the following day)
• I hate cleaning up the kitchen after cooking
• I walk the dog less than I should (I'm working on that though)
• I snack in between meals and some snacks are larger than some meals
• I eat cold dinners for breakfast and breakfast for lunch
• I'm a little addicted to the Internet (okay, skip the little)
• I do not always want to hang out with people, sometimes I like to be all by myself
• I hate getting up early
• I stay up too late, what makes early mornings even more difficult
• I'm not always a good friend - sometimes I don't have the time or the energy to be a good friend
• I can be quite a nag
• I take the car to go to the pharmacy, just around the corner
• I only go to church to attend a baptism or a funeral
• I prefer my in-laws over my own family
• I like to watch the same movies over and over again
• I listen to the same CD over and over again, until I never want to hear it again
• I cannot stand the smell of cooked cabbage or cooked organs
• I spend too much time and too much money in the supermarket
• I still haven't set a goal in life
• I love to eat fancy food like foie gras, lobster, oysters, crab, smoked salmon, sushi,..
• I seldom eat regular cuisine
• I crave crisps
• I have diabetes but I cook with real butter, real sugar, real flour and I don't feel guilty about that
• I nag too much about my husband's smoking habit but that's only because I care about his health
• I want to have every kitchen appliance possible and I'm getting close
• I'm not patient at all
• I hate to wait in line or spend time in a waiting area
• I prefer English over Dutch or French
• I would rather live in the US than over here
• I hate rain
• I talk to the pets in baby language
• I'm very lousy at taking care of plants
• I spend too much time and too much money in the supermarket (I mean it)
• I'm not as productive in the house as I should be
• I have a secret bank account (although there isn't any money in it - lol)
• I have no idea why I'm telling you all of this, but if feels good

to be continued..

MacDreamy

My friend is totally into MacDreamy aka Patrick Dempsey. And I must say: he's cute! We can't deny the gorgeous eyes, the glam smile, the body, the killer look... hmhm.. So now I then, I like to watch the story of Meredith and MacDreamy on Grey's Anatomy.

But today, I watched Maid of Honour. Although I'm not the most romantic soul in the world, I fell for this movie and I loved every bit of it. It made me laugh, it made me wipe away a tear and it warmed my heart. What a wonderful story...

Tom (Patrick Dempsey) has a very good life: he's sexy, he's successful and he's a womaniser. When his best friend Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) leaves for Scotland on a business trip, Tom realises that Hannah is the love of his life. Too late.. because Hannah has fallen in love with a Scottish duke, Colin. Hannah asks Tom to be her Maid of Honour and he agrees reluctantly. Is he going to be able to sabotage the wedding and tell Hannah how much he loves her??