Feminine features

You said you fell in love with me for my fantastic calves. Those calves were the proof of my sporty nature. At least, that's what you thought. Either I was fond of riding my bicycle or I must go for long walks. I did neither one.. I don't know how I ended up with those nice muscular lower legs, but you were not the first to say. I have always liked my lower legs, just like you have. I still don't ride bicycles (what were you thinking) and I only walk from the front door to the car. But yes, I have convinced myself sports could be good for me. Well, I haven't convinced myself, my diabetic friends have. One of them told me I am really good at motivating others, but I don't work out myself. And he's absolutely right. I haven't been much of an example when it comes to exercising. I think I'm just too lazy for sports.

For a number of times now, I have packed my sports bag to go to the swimming pool. My first attempt was really pathetic. I didn't know how to swim right or keep my head under water. But I went and I got into the freezing cold water and yes, I complained and nagged a lot. Things have gone better over time. I even schedule my swim moment in my agenda, so I don't let anything interfere. Most of the times, hubby joins me, but if he can't or doesn't feel like it, I go by myself. I'm doing better now. Two new swimsuits, goggles and a  nose clip have been added to my back pack and that makes the swimming easier. It's good to know that Mr Baywatch is keeping an eye on me. He knows about my diabetes and he keeps an eye on my glucometer and Dexcom for me. I always bring a small can of regular coke, just in case. Whenever I stop swimming somewhere in the middle of the pool, he runs to me to check if I'm okay. I have told him now, that if I see he's worried, I will raise my thumb. If I don't, it means I'm in trouble.

Last week, I went to the pool all by myself. There weren't many school kids and I no longer fear the cold water. Now I can actually say I don't even mind the coldness. I march down the steps, right in to the water. Goggles in place, nose clip ready and there I go. I swim 10 lengths and I come out of the water to check my Dexcom. Most of the times, I need 1 small can of coke by then. I have my coke and I go back into the water. I can see people look at the transmitter on my upper arm, but I don't care. It's there to help me keep control and it makes me feel more secure in the water.

I'm proud of myself. If the swimming could turn my back into a V-shape, that would be awesome. It will probably never happen, but it can't harm to dream, can it?

Flash in the pan

Okay, this is the deal. I have this book on baking bread (yes, I have more than one and I read them like novels) and finally I have found the time to start acting. I have read all the guidelines and reviews of other bakers and I felt like I was ready set go. Not that I haven't baked bread in the past, but I have always had the feeling that I lacked professional background. The breads tasted right, but they did not always proof the way I wanted them to. Some breads had holes in them (they were not donuts, so there were not supposed to be holes in the middle), others were chewy and not risen to the fullest.

Photo Cathy Van de Moortele

There is this Dutch lady on Facebook I have been reading for a while. I follow her recipes and I read the reviews. This week I made my first order in an online bakery shop and the goodies came in the very next day. Can you imagine the butterflies inside my tummy? I'm sure my friend Jan has this same feeling when his goodies from Ali Express fall on his doormat..

I love the Internet. You can communicate with other bakers and the responses come as fast as you can type. It's been a big help so far. My first bread according to the new guidelines, came out real well. I'm not being real honest now. The first bread ended up in the bin.. it didn't even make it until "bread" phase. I trashed the dough, for it was too tough. I tried to soften it up by adding some more lukewarm water and oil, but that ruined the whole recipe. So I started all over. (thank me for all of the extra supplies in the pantry - I can give myself a pat on the shoulder for that.)
So the first/second bread came out and it had risen all above the tin, just like it was supposed to do. The crust was just perfect and we couldn't wait for it to cool down so we got the bread knife out. The top of this Tiger Bread or Dutch Crunch bread is supposed to look like Tiger fur.. well.. it didn't. It doesn't change anything to the taste, but it didn't look right.

I'm stubborn. I wanted my Tiger Bread to look like Tiger Bread. So later that night, I started all over, again. Darn me! When did I run out of fresh yeast? I did have some grain yeast in my pantry. Although I prefer the real stuff, there shouldn't be a problem with prepacked yeast. When I lifted the towel to check on the bread, I immediately knew this bread was not going to proof in the same way as the other one. I should've waited for my baker to open his shop in the morning, so I could get fresh yeast. O well. I'll do it again. Monday, I promise. 

Born again

Sometimes in life, we do things or make choices we later regret. No matter what led us to making that choice, we should hold ourselves responsible. There may be circumstances where one could say: I honestly believe you had such a rough time that you saw no other way than to do what you did. Of course there where other solutions, but you were either not ready to see them or you chose to pursue the only way you knew. It takes courage to change your ways and perseverance to go on. Giving up will most certainly have been a possibility that crossed your mind. Something or someone must have given you the strength to give up your addiction and start all over. With a family of 5 children, things needed to change. You were about to loose your job over your addiction and that would've been a total disaster. Your children have only known you as a father that was never present. They missed a dad, being there for them. They remember you as being away or claiming the couch because the alcohol had made you sleepy. The day you gave up drinking, your children were no longer children. They already had a life of their own. Have you set an example to your children? Did you ever talk to them about what an addiction means to your family? It's been 21 years now, since you have sobered up. I met you 19 years ago and I've never seen the drunk man you were before. Every Monday, you meet with your fellow friends to talk about your addiction. I don't know all of the steps in the plan, but is there a step that teaches you how to talk about your addiction with your family? Are you never afraid one of your children will become an addict as well? I know it scares me.. They say kids mimic their parents. If you grow up with a parent who thought drinking is a normal way of life, does that make you more vulnerable to getting an addiction yourself? Is the drinking a way of dealing with problems and emotions? How do you deal with issues if the only way you know, is loosing yourself in alcohol..

I'm happy you have been sober for 21 years. It gave you a different life. You have been given a second chance to be born again. I hope you are happy with the choices you have made. It was to the benefit of your family. Has it been beneficial to you too?

The way you make me feel

When I'm with you, I need less insulin. You have your very own particular way to bring peace around the house. The gift of being around someone without speech, is special. Sometimes I wonder what we would talk about if you were able to speak. Being a young girl of 5 and a half years old, you would probably talk about your friends in kindergarten, your teacher, birthday parties, toys and games or story books. Every now and then, I hear your voice when you make happy sounds. You have a very nice voice. I sing songs for you while we hold hands. At the end of every song, I kiss your neck and I make funny noises. Tickling the inside of your legs makes you laugh out loud. I give you tons of little kisses and you can't get enough. It's so good to see you enjoy life..

When you are ready to take a nap, we cuddle on the couch. My right hand is holding your legs together in my lap. Your tiny hands fit right into my left hand and you clasp one of my fingers to make sure I stay right there with you. Our heads touch and our cheeks feel soft against each other. I hum in your ear and sing you lullabies. Your blanky keeps us warm and in a jiffy, you doze off. Every now and then, I see you peek through your long lashes, just to make sure I'm still there. I cherish these moments and I listen to our heartbeats..

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!

The immediate now

There was a long line waiting at the reception of the hospital. It was an early rise. We left the house at 6:15 AM and by 6:30 we were number 7 in line. Most of the patients present needed some sort of knee operation. Some were there for a follow up consultation. I was not ready to hear any horror stories about things that went wrong or about horrendous misfits. At that time, I was happy hubby is selectively deaf. He was so busy stressing out, that he probably didn't hear half of the conversations, or he would've left the clinic right there and then.

The nurses were expecting their patients and the rooms were prepared. Hubby and his room mate were asked to put on their operation outfit. A questionnaire kept us busy for some time:

"Please state your name"
"What operation is awaiting you?" "Right knee?"
"How much do you weigh and how tall are you?"
"Are you sober?"

     Dang... I didn't eat, if that is what you mean?

"No, I meant: did you eat or drink anything?"

    No more than 2 cups of sweetened coffee.. That's okay, isn't it?

"Sir! You were not supposed to drink anything, not even water or coffee! We will have to delay your operation.."

     Are you kidding me? I guess not??

"Are you on any medication?"

     Yes. I take tablets for high blood pressure.

"Your blood pressure is 20/10. That's not good at all. Did you take your medication?"

     Well, I'm supposed to, but I didn't. I forget taking them all the time. But I do have them at home..

"That ain't gonna help much, what do you think? This is a dangerous situation sir. I can't believe you're doing this..."

I'm glad this discussion was not held with my husband, but with his roommate. It did mean though, that my hubby was first in line. The nurse started to shave his knee in a fast mode, since he was expected downstairs. In a jiffy, he was shaved and disinfected and ready to go. I kissed him goodbye just outside the operating room. I knew he was in good hands and the sedative had taken away the stress. The operation would take no more than 10-15 min.

I waited and waited some more. One hour. Two hours. Nearly three hours and half later and a lot of other patients that came out of the operating room, but still no hubby. Had there been complications? Probably not, because they would have warned me, right? Isn't that why they asked me for my phone number?

That's when I heard his voice and even a laughter. He was in bed, looking bright and happy. Pain free at last! The pressure was gone and I could tell he was happy to be alive and almost kicking. It would take the rest of the day before the surgeon would stop by and give his blessing to go home, but hubby could use that time to rest and watch TV, while I ran some errands.

I picked up the kids from school and we went back to the hospital to pick up dad. He was happy to see the girls and they were relieved to see him without pain. His leg looked a bit swollen but it wasn't sore. We packed his bag and loaded with prescriptions and guidelines, we took off. Hubby insisted on using his crutches and he didn't want me to go get the car. He is not a pussy you know! He hobbled all the way down the parking lot to the car, but I assume he was happy he got there in one piece.

We installed him on the couch with some extra pillows and a drink, while we got started preparing dinner. I'm grateful for the help I got from the girls. While Inthe and Rebba were taking turns in nursing daddy, I peeked over to the living area to see how he was doing. He was looking good. In the immediate now, he's perfectly fine. Let's hope it will be the same tomorrow....

Mama always said

If you don't like your dinner, breakfast will taste extra good in the morning..

I don't know what kind of mom you are, but my heart is not strong enough for this. For many years, I have cooked different meals for all of us. You don't like Brussels sprouts? I'll stir fry mushrooms for you. Don't feel like having boiled potatoes? How about mash or scalloped potatoes?

I'm not convinced this is the best way and I'm sure it will not teach my children to taste different foods. Making them eat things they absolutely despise, is not the answer either. I'm still traumatized by my mother's "hutsepot". Ugh! She would make me eat it for dinner. I would cry over it and she wouldn't let me leave the table until my plate was finished. By then, the "hutsepot" was cold and even more repulsive. Just the smell of it, made my stomach twirl. Then why did she expect me to eat it? I could never understand and up until this moment, I'm not going to eat "hutsepot". When she got sick of watching me sit there, poking the dish without eating it, she told me to leave the table. First thing I got the next day: exactly... the game started all over again, until tears rolled down my cheeks and vomit came up in my esophagus trying to get rid of that nasty stuff. I would constantly gag and the food would sting in my throat, in a desperate attempt to go some place. I wished I could disappear somehow or someone would call my mom, so I could spit it out. Her method obviously didn't work, on the contrary. I will NEVER EVER eat this horrible "hutsepot". I guess my children will never try it either. Is that so bad? Will they lack vitamins if they don't eat this food? Don't think so..

Then what is the best method? How do you make kids enjoy all kinds of food? By eating it yourself? I know kids imitate their parents all the time. So yes, my kids love frog's legs, they like shellfish and complicated dishes, they don't even mind spices in their food, but no, they don't like cabbage, turnips and leeks and all those snotty vegetables. They despise the rim of fat around meat and yes, just like me, they cut out the lean piece and give the fatty bits to their dad.
I make them eat veggies every day but they get to pick their own choice. Whether they have their greens cooked, steamed, baked, fried or even raw: I don't care! As long as they have veggies on a daily base. And that works well. If that means I have to make zucchini pancakes or spinach casserole: that's what I do. Cause in the end, we all want to have a good time around the kitchen table and we don't want to nag about food... 

School's out for summer

I can't believe this school year is already coming to an end. It's your last year in highschool. Today was a special day for all of you. You were celebrating the last 100 days in highschool. All dressed up, you and your friends left the house in the middle of the night, on your bicycles, to Eeklo, where all of the excitement was going on. You had a blast! Looking like a rock chick, tattoos and all, you wandered around town, celebrating and cheering.

Tonight, there will be a mega party for all the students. It won't be too long before class 6D will split. It will be a strange sensation, to say goodbye to highschool. I remember my days and how things would never be the same again. Enjoy those last months sweetie... You're almost off to college now. We came to the realization that you won't spend much time at home anymore. That's okay with us. That's the way things go huh? It's part of growing up and moving out. You're ready. Go girl!

I would be so lost without you..

Photo Lana Joos

I got really emotional, when I saw the two of you on the couch. Inthe hasn't been feeling too well lately, recovering from a strained muscle in her hind leg and the bruises from jumping over barbed wire. Rebba is like a true nurse, taking care of her friend and licking her wounds. Inthe has had difficulties jumping on the couch. She's doing better now, but she's still careful.

But I was saying, I got a bit emotional when I saw the two of them on the couch again. I'm sure they missed each other. Inthe has spent quite some time in her bench, sobbing over her injuries. Now that they can lay beside each other again, Inthe has her friend back. And that showed!

It just made my skin crawl

This week, I have been speaking to a lady friend I hadn't seen for a while. Although she only lives a block a way, we sporadically run in to each other. I do know her phone number by heart so sometimes we talk to one another to see how everybody's doing. She works hard and with 3 kids and a husband, there's always a lot of work to do.

She knows how passionate I am about food and cook shops and food stores. So when she called me to hear if I was interested in going to the ISPC in Ghent with her, I didn't hesitate one bit. I had done my grocery shopping that morning and I had just unloaded the car (not only the trunk, but the seats were taken as well). She has a van and that comes in handy when you go to the ISPC. Some other friends warned me to leave my VISA card at home and I told myself 1 shopping bag would be plenty.

I guess we had not been in the store for more than 5 minutes, when my first goody was in sight. I have been longing for this pastamaker I can attach to my Kenwood and there it was: like it had been waiting for me to pick it up. My friend has the same Kenwood and we both decided to get the pasta maker. What a joy! When she talked about the Robot Coupe she had ordered and the Green Egg she had bought, I could only sigh and dream on. I have many appliances in my kitchen, but they are nothing compared to the professional tools she's using. The thing I really like about her, is that she's so normal about it. She doesn't brag about it. She's just happy sharing the information and I love to hear her talk about her kitchen utensils.

This morning, she had provided me with a 5 ounce piece of pork shoulder, to make slowcooker pulled pork. I had planned on making Mexican carnitas with the result and since the slowcooker would need 10 hours to shred the pork, I had time to make fresh ravioli with my new toy. There's nothing wrong with my manual pasta machine, but the electrical version works so fast and the pasta sheets are much smoother. It means I can make much more pasta in one hour. The veal ravioli is sitting in the freezer now and I'll bring her some after work tomorrow. She was going to make me some sweetbreads topped with foie gras. I guess my belt will need an extra hole.. 

Fear of terrorism?

Last night, while she was packing her bags to go to Paris for 3 days, Eva expressed her fear of terrorism. Since the bombing at the Marathon of Boston, schoolteachers have been discussing the subject with their students. Their field trip to Paris has been given a dark side because of that horrible attack. Kids shouldn't be worrying about bombings on field trips. They shouldn't fear explosions while visiting the Eiffel tower. Their program is filled with exciting sightseeing and visits to famous monuments and buildings. They are kids, full of life and adrenaline, because of the upcoming trip. I hope they will have a safe trip and the time to soak up new impressions. Let the fear not take over, please. They know they have to stay together as much as possible and they shouldn't take the subway on their own. Not that being in a group will keep them safe without any doubt, but they shouldn't be out there by themselves either. These youngsters are 16 and full of adventure. Paris is shaken up a bit right now and people have been protesting against gay marriage yesterday. I hope the turmoil will have gone by the time the buses have arrived at their final destination. Those kids deserve a wonderful outing and we want to hear nothing but great stories when they come back home on Friday. 

A gift from heaven

Aunti Erika is a catholic nun. Since she's used to going to church on a regular basis, we tried to find a catholic church over here she could attend. The manager at Caribe Cove has been very helpful and told us about the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando. Aunt Erika and Grandma were completely excited about this trip. After a quick visit to the gift shop - we needed some post cards and Grandpa needed some extra T-shirts - we hopped in the car and left for Orlando. We're all glad Grandpa decided to leave the 5XL shirt for other tourists..

There was quite some traffic down the road. I heard the Basilica was real popular, but could all the traffic really be headed that way??? With a 30 min delay, we arrived at the Shrine of Mary. The other cars kept going - the parking lot of the Premium Outlet Mall of Orlando was just next door..

We were all impressed by the size of this church. Just in time for the 12 o'clock mass, we decided to join in and take a seat. We were surprised by the devotion of the people present. They all sang along and chanted their "Praise the Lord".

Although our guests didn't understand the exact words the priest preached, they did get the contents of the sermon. We lit a candle for whoever needed some help from above, before the priest gave us his blessing. He showed us the way to the museum and the gift shop. It made me think of Las Vegas: the numerous thingamajigs, the chaplets and rosaries, the bottles filled with holy water and the statues of Jezus Christ.. It was impressive to say the least. Plenty of souvenirs to choose from.. Auntie Erika and Grandma truly enjoyed this visit. They got themselves some post cards from the church and were pretty quiet in the car.

The clouds were filled with rain and we didn't want to ruin our hair - I don't think Americans are used to seeing ladies with raincaps - so we skipped the Premium Outlet Store for now..

Instead we got back on the highway and headed towards the Mall at Millenia. The ooh's and the aah's in jawdropping faces, the feet that went faster by every step we took, could tell we were really ready for some mall-time. We split up the group (well, Eva decided she wanted to see other stores than we were going to explore) and made an agreement to meet up again at the front door around 5 PM. But not until we had lunch at Dad's favorite Johnny Rockets. He really wanted his parents to indulge the perfect burger and crunchy fries and trust me: they enjoyed it allright!

The ladies enjoyed Bloomingdale's and Macy's, the men followed us around. We enjoyed Abercrombie & Fitch, The Gap store, Hollister, .. aarrgghhh... I think we need to come back another day, to see the rest of the mall..

Although it's only 9 PM, Grandpa already fell asleep on top of the bed spread around 8 PM. I guess he was tired of the active shopping day. We enjoyed our sandwiches at home and had a relaxing evening. Time to reflect over the day and make preparations for the upcoming days.

Where to next?

We had another fun day in Kissimmee, Orlando. Our guests are getting used to the Florida sun, the food, the free time. After a breakfast of cream cheese and red fruit French toast, the whole family headed towards the pool, determined to get a nice tan. After all, they want the home front to see how they enjoyed the good weather, right?

Since I had some time by myself while the others were at the pool, I took the Black Beast and headed to Super Target. I want this supermarket at home.. What a joy!! I can't stop filling my shopping cart with groceries. There are so many things I want to cook here and it's a pleasure to feed our crowd. There are plenty of restaurants out here in the neighborhood, but we also like a healthy meal when we get the chance. So yes, plenty of veggies and fruit, whole wheat bread and low fat cold cuts.

The plan for today, was to have a walk in Downtown Disney. The weather looked promising so we didn't hesitate. No more than a 25 min drive to spend a good time with the family. It was good to see how they all enjoyed the excursion. The Harley Davidson shop, the boatride, Rainforest Café, the Disney shops.. it's good to be back here..

No more restaurant visit for dinner either. Don't we love home cooked meals? Having seen so many overweight people, we decided we will skip on the French fries, donuts, cotton candy and buttered popcorn. We bought some new outfits and we do want those to fit, right?

We even enjoyed the thunder and lightening and the streaming rain, seen from the deck outside the apartment. Life is sweet.. It's good to be here with our family, although we wish our oldest daughter could have joined us.. We know she's having a good time in Italy with her friends, but I'm sure she would have enjoyed Florida too..

Grandma and Auntie Erika like to watch the Belgian news. They are pretty modern, checking the news on the iPad. While Grandpa is taking a nap - after all, he likes to be awake in the middle of the night - we are cleaning up and preparing breakfast for tomorrow. There could be some rain showers in the upcoming days, so maybe we should do some shopping.. How about the Mall at Millenia? I'm sure Eva won't object and neither will Grandma and Auntie Erika. Just trying to figure out how we could please the men in our company..

Wired but tired

photo Eva Joos

After a 10 hour flight, we finally got to our destination: Stanford Airport, Florida. We had a good flight.. The first flight for the inlaws and they were completely at ease. The plane didn't go all the way up to the sky like a rocket does, so they were comforted by that idea.
It took us some time to get through customs, as half of the group doesn't speak English. The officer at customs was real nice about that though. He used Google Translate to make himself understood and the inlaws sign languaged and used their thumb ups to let him know they knew what he was talking about. What ad adventure!

The Florida sun welcomed us and so did Dollar Rental Cars. The original plan was to rent a Dodge Caravan. We weren't too sure about the size of the car, as there are 6 people and as many suitcases. What a bummer: the trunk was too small for all of our luggage. We had the option to order a taxi to deliver the suitcases, or to rent a bigger car.. What did you think? Exactly! We saw a Ford Expedition right across from the car we had rented and decided to take that one. We made a good deal and loaded the car. All set to go.. we thought, but I couldn't turn on the ignition. What was wrong?? I almost hopped out of the car to ask Mr James at the Dollar shop. Until we read the key chain: A22, not C5. OMG! what a blooper! I felt so stupid! We had a good laugh over it before we transferred all of our luggage to a third vehicle. What a monster that big black car is!

The sun felt great and we headed towards Kissimmee, a one hour drive away. My tummy was aching for food and we stopped at the Panera Bread restaurant, just around the corner of the apartment  for a quick bite. Grandma and aunt Erika were pooped but grandpa found his courage back after a hot steak and caramelized onion panini. It didn't take us long to fill out the forms at the front desk at www.caribecove.com so we could head to our rooms and unpack the suitcases. By then it was 9:00 PM local time or 03:00 AM our time. All quiet now peeps... we need some rest.. 

Totally last minute

There is so much left to do. Clothes need to get ironed, lunch boxes have to be filled. She's spending some extra time in the bathroom, not knowing when her next shower will be. I can tell she's getting nervous. She has been looking forward to this trip all year. As a sixth grader, it will be a wonderful way to say farewell to highschool and her classmates. It will be an exciting trip. It will be a whole lot of fun but emotional at the same time. Them kids will have to spend long hours on the bus but they won't get bored. They will have a good time, I'm sure of that.

Italy is a beautiful country. Lana wanted to go there as an exchange student. Things didn't work out as expected though. We have welcomed an Italian exchange student into our home and it was a great experience. There is a small chance Lana and Ilaria will unite again next week, in Milano. Wouldn't that be great???

We were invited to discuss the program of this trip. I wish I were 18 again.. these students will have the time of their lives. Knowing Lana is fond of art and history, she will take extraordinary shots of her stay in Italy. Her pictures will keep the memories alive. She will cherish those moments in her later life, looking back to her time as a student in highschool. Have a wonderful journey sweetheart. You have worked so hard this year. You truly deserve some time off with your friends. Have fun!

Nothin' much

Photo by Lana Joos

Grmbl grmbl.. the monotonous sound of the Kenwood kneading the dough of two buttermilk breads, is comforting. I'm home alone. Monday is my favorite day to roam around the house and get some chores done. Around 8 AM, I made the white carpet in the backyard grind with my rubber boots, while I was stumbling  all the way back there, to feed the chickens and refresh their (frozen) water. Only one peeked through the entrance, but decided not to come out. It's freezing cold and the air is fresh. I love the smell of this early morning. Rebba is too lazy to come out of her cosy bed and join me. Or maybe it's because she is startled I am going out this early to feed the chickens? Inthe wouldn't want to miss a play in the backyard, but it's not going to happen this morning.

By 9:30 AM the towels will be ready to be put into the dryer. I love plenty of warm, soft towels to dry me off when I come out of my shower. I keep my fingers crossed there will be hot water this morning. We have had some problems with the water heater lately. Hubby has installed a new one and he's still working on getting it to operate properly. We have hot water in the kitchen but the bathroom is still a problem. Thank goodness for warm water in the kitchen sink. It's almost nostalgic..

There's not much on my to do list today. I'm thinking about what I can serve my family for dinner tonight. I'm sure Hubby would like black pudding with mash and home made chunky apple sauce, but that's not something the three of us crave. So I need to find a second option for the rest of the family. The mash will serve us all. Maybe some home made burgers and the best onion sauce we call "klittesaus" to go with it? I have carrots and celery and leeks and Chinese cabbage in my fridge as well and there are ripe tomatoes (as far as you can ripen them in wintertime) sitting in a bowl in the kitchen. The grocery list on my BB is getting completed as my mind drifts off to certain recipes. Maybe this afternoon, I could clean out my pantry and feed my family for the rest of the month with pantry staples? I know there's plenty of food in the freezer that could do with a defrost. That is quite a challenge I guess, making a menu with pantry staples. I'll think about it..

First Aid

No, don't worry. No ambulances or doctors involved this time...

Today, while I was driving my oldest daughter to school, we had this talk about medication. I don't remember how we got to this subject, but it reminded me of my childhood. In the pantry, there was a First Aid cabinet. Of course, we were not supposed to open the door to that cabinet without supervision, but we knew some things in there were pure fun. There was a jar, filled with black powder. That powder was called Norit and it was nothing else but activated carbon. It was there in case one of us had a mild form of diarrhea or some kind of poisoning. The fun thing about Norit was, that if you ate a spoonful of the carbon, your mouth, tongue and teeth would turn black in a jiffy. It had a strange taste to it and I can't say it tasted bad or good. It just tasted different and it looked very appealing. There was no chance our mother wouldn't find out, because of the black traces the powder would leave behind..
There was something else I really liked.. children's aspirin. The small pink tablet would melt in your mouth. It tasted sooo good! I don't recall the brand of the aspirin but I do remember the taste. I would easily eat a full strip of aspirin, just for the fun of it. I guess I didn't have much of a fever..

7 days in a week

Cracking my mind over the perfect Christmas gift for a 13 year old cousin, I was thinking about my own childhood and how things have changed over the years. Kids no longer play Twister on the floor in the kitchen or stick their tongue between their teeth while making their best drawing ever in their Moleskine sketchbook. Contemporary children look at you in a very strange way if you give them a CD or knitted gloves for those cold winter days. Times have changed and so have the presents. It's not real easy to make a child happy if you don't want to buy them the 34th playstation game or give them an envelope with paper money (I hate money envelopes - nothing personal about giving money). But then what do you give them?

Do you remember the panties, printed with the days of the week? There were 7 of them..  (this child probably lost one.. what a tragic moment). Each one had a different color and image and of course every single one said what day of the week you had to wear it. I loved those panties! They were awesome! I remember my set of Holly Hobby underwear and how difficult the day started if I couldn't find the matching pair of knickers. You just couldn't wear your Thursday panties on a Monday! That was simply not done. The knickers would come in a plastic see through package, with a snap button in the middle. You could see all knickers were sitting next to each other, showing the days in the exact order. I'm pretty sure my sister had a similar package of knickers, probably with other images. I don't recall this kind of underwear existed for boys? I could be wrong though..

Anyway, back to the subject.. I still haven't found the perfect present for the 13 yo old, let stand the 12 yo boy. I know they would rather have money, but hey, I'm not giving in! I will find that one present they have been longing for (without being aware of that craving). Maybe I need to do some shopping tomorrow. I don't mind you helping out though..

Kiss me goodbye

This morning, around 5:20 AM, our car was packed with suitcases and bags. Three beautiful young ladies were sitting in the backseat, very quiet and somehow sad. Hubby and I were in front, trying to hold back the tears. I turned off the radio, for the music didn't seem to be appropriate. Only 15 more minutes, before we had to say goodbye to our new member of the family.. Ilaria is going home. She has been living with our family for 3 months, as an exchange student. Coming from Bari, the Southern part of Italy, Ilaria had a hard time coping with our cold season and chilly evenings. Going to school in a very different setting, she couldn't understand why she couldn't use her cell phone during school hours or chew gum in the class. The rules were pretty stupid, in her opinion. Back then, she could've decided to go home and rejoin her own class and continue her life. But she didn't.. She hung in and talked to us about her concerns and questions. We are glad she persevered.

The taxi was waiting for us at the school gate. Gianmario, the Italian friend who came to Belgium with Ilaria, was standing on the curb, tears in his eyes. Even this young man had mixed feelings about going home. After all, having spent 3 months in a Belgian home is an experience. On one hand you want to go home and see your family and friends. On the other hand, you have to leave your new family and friends behind, not knowing if you will ever see them again.. The taxi driver was emotional too, I could tell. But then again, he was not just a taxi driver. This young man had become very friendly with these Italian youngsters. He even came to visit Ila for a last time yesterday afternoon..

Yesterday was a very strange day. So many things we wanted to say, so many stories left to share. We knew this relation would not just stop here. There is Skype and Italy is not the end of the world. I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind visiting her and her loved ones. We have a lot of memories, many thoughts to make our faces smile. I'm sure we will all have to get used to being by ourselves again. That one bedroom looks so empty now and there is no fifth chair at the kitchen table. Tonight around 9:30 PM, nobody will come down the stairs and ask: Can I take a "douchan"?

We will miss you, Ilaria Landriscina.. You are a wonderful girl and we enjoyed your company. You will make more rides with Daddy Cars in the future and your Belgian sisters are looking forward to going out with you in Bari. I'm not to sure about the piercing you promised Eva though... Hahaha... we'll see. Rebba, Inthe and Arthurio are looking for you and they can't find you. Inthe was on the sofa wearing your "muts". I think I will listen to Gente di Mare and dream of a visit to your beautiful home..

Happy as a hound

little Romeo

Inthe and Valerie, 3 years old

We were invited to go for a whippet walk in Antwerp, to celebrate the birthday of Inthe and her sister Valerie. Of course there cannot be a party without friends. And friends there were! Like 14 of them! We had a ball and so did the dogs. It's always great to meet with other whippet lovers. The dogs always get along well. They can run their lungs out and fool around with their friends. They know someone will throw a ball they can chase. Our dogs were real happy to have so many friends to play with. There was the galgo Lola and the whippet puppy Romeo, there was the blue Stephanie and the sweetheart Robijn. Little Vief and Dee, who loves to stare at people until they feed him. The sun was out and even though it was freezing cold in the afternoon, we walked for 5 hours (okay, we sat down for 1 hour to have lunch in between). I fell in love with little Romeo.. he's only 3 months old and he's such a cutie. His owner was already looking into a playmate for Romeo. I'm pretty sure little Julio will come live with them within a week or two. Because that's what whippets do: they have this talent to make you love them. I know I wouldn't want any other breed of dog. Whippets rule!

Today was supposed to be a diabetesfree day. I say "supposed", because that 43 and 299 really spoiled the fun for a while, but there were no other diabetic friends to discuss this with. I corrected the numbers and I kept going. I hear walking makes you energetic. I'm exhausted and worn out, but yes, I did enjoy the day...