Nourishment or nurture?

We eat to feed our body. Sometimes we eat to feed our heart. That's when we start to eat for the wrong reasons.
Food shouldn't be a substitute for love or attention or whatever you eat it for as nurture. But it happens. We are not always aware of it, but if you think it over, you may be surprised. For example: whenever our children come home with their school reports, we go out for dinner to celebrate. I thought about it the other day. Is it okay to celebrate with food? Or am I teaching my children to nurture themselves with food? It startles me how many times we treat ourselves with dinner to celebrate one or another event. It's comforting to eat a good meal or enjoy a delicate dish. But it is as comforting to get a compliment or a tap on the shoulder for whatever we have done right.
Do you ever treat yourself with a bar of chocolate when you feel blue? Do you have a glass of wine when you are sad? Or do you eat crisps to eat away your sorrows? Maybe you have an eating disorder. Maybe you are not happy and you're eating to compensate for what you miss out on.

Nourishment or nurture? Something to think about..

WWW or ..

What Women Want..
If you think women want nothing but expensive jewellery, a fancy car or designer shoes, you're misinformed. The only thing women really want, is time for themselves..

We live in such a hectic society and women are running around like crazy, trying to do as much as possible to help the world go around. Yes, there's a tendency that men help out more and more, but still, women do most of the household chores, they take care of the children and school, they prepare lunches and dinners and clear out the dishwasher. They shop for the entire household, they drive their kids to all their activities and they organize perfect birthday parties for the offspring.

The chores women are still doing, are mostly chores that cannot be delayed. Manly chores, like cutting the hedge, painting a wall or washing the cars are not that urgent that they need to be done on a weekly basis. Imagine the clothes not being washed or ironed, the fridge not being filled, the kids not being brought to school. There's this constant pressure that makes women want to slow down, but doesn't allow them to. Women still do a lot of thinking and organizing in the household as well. Do men ever think of what to serve at the next family dinner? Do they have any idea how much time it takes to run errands before you can have friends over for Sunday lunch? Do they even appreciate it?

It's strange that many men have their own space in the house. Or they have the garage, a shed, an office or a work out room to call theirs. Even the toilet is private. Not to a woman... try the toilet and your kids will accompany you in an instant. Women don't have a place of their own in the house, unless it is called: the kitchen! Do we need to say more? That's why wellness centres do so well. Women need to relax and forget about the household. What could be a better place, than a spa, to have a talk with their friends and discuss their lives.. Don't be surprised if your wife tells you to back off and leave her alone. She might need some private time..

Smart or casual?

Two years ago, you were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 23. Pretty fast, you got used to having this chronic condition and your purse was packed with insulin pens, your blood glucose meter and several other diabetes supplies.

Most insulin cases are dull. Maybe the manufacturers think that diabetics are old and not fashionable? Why don't they make cheerful insulin cases or meter cases? That's exactly what the Dutch Marijke Koning was thinking when she designed these 4 colorful insulin cases. Her line is called "Prikkedief". So when are you going to order your first insulin case? Too bad for Marijke I'm a convinced pumper of insulin, because I would have ordered all four cases at once. I'm looking forward to her meter cases and pump packs! Coming up soon! You go girl!

Déjà vu

I have them all the time. Déjà vu's, I mean. Don't you? At so many occasions, I hear people say things and I think: I have heard this before. Sometimes I can even predict the next sentence in a conversation we are having. Or sometimes I end up in some place I'm pretty sure I have never been to before. But still and again, I think: I was here before and this is what happened at this exact spot, mostly at another time period in life.
Is it intuition? Or have I really experienced these happenings before? I don't know. I believe these things do happen. I believe we have lived previous lives and we live multiple lives at the same time. My family makes fun of me and they ask me what scene of the play I'm living in at this very own moment. I let them have their laugh. That's okay. But I know. I know I have had multiple lives and this is not our only life on this earth..

Sleep is good for you

We all need a good night rest, don't we? I don't go to bed that early, although I am tired and I could use some extra sleep. I have an insulin pump with CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring). Every once in a while, the pump wakes me up because of some alarm telling me my blood glucose is high or low. It's an annoying beep and that's what it is. It's supposed to be annoying, it wouldn't wake you otherwise. I have the choice between the beep and a vibrating noise. That is not an option, because it doesn't wake me. So there's the beep of the CGM and there's the snoring. Apparently my snoring is pretty bad. Not that I'm aware of it, but it bothers my husband that much, that it's disturbing his sleep. I try to be as quiet as possible. Whenever my CGM alarm wakes me, I try to solve the problem as fast as I can. I don't turn on the light to determine my blood glucose, using the light on my insulin pump to read the number on my glucose meter. I really try to be as quiet as possible, so I won't wake anyone. I don't have a good night rest, because of the alarms, because of the rollercoaster in my blood glucose and the snoring.

Yesterday, I went to Ikea with the girls, to pick out a single bed. We also bought a duvet, new bedcovers, soft and fluffy pillows, a night stand, some decoration, .. so I can decorate my own bedroom. My father-in-law will come over in some weeks, to paint the room and put new carpet in. I'm looking forward to that. It's rather exciting to have my own room again. I hear many married couples have separate rooms and we are no different. I'm getting used to it, since I have slept all by myself for nearly two weeks now. I can go to bed whenever I feel like it, without disturbing anyone. I can prick my fingers as many times as I want with the light on, without waking anyone. I can snore as loud as I want, without annoying anyone. It makes me feel less guilty about ruining someone else's night rest. I thought I would never get used to sleeping in a single bed again, but it's not that bad after all..

Rise and shine

Time to get up kiddo's! Saint Nicholas is in town!!! LOL. They are way too old to be receiving Saint Nicholas presents, but hey, who doesn't like to receive gifts once in a while? Especially Eva has been looking forward to December 6. She loves surprises, but we cannot tell her she's going to get one. If we do, her tummy hurts days in advance and the stress is too much for her. So we don't tell.

I remember the times when the girls were younger. They used to write a wishing letter to the holy man, telling him how good they had been and what presents they thought they deserved. Of course the holy man did the best he can to fulfil those wishes. Some years, he even came to our house, in person, accompanied by his Black Peters.

Just the other day, I told Eva about the last year Saint Nicholas actually came to the house. She must have been 8 back then. She was so impressed by his appearance (he wore gold shoes and gloves), that she was totally gobsmacked. This time, it was the REAL thing!!! Not some clumsy frumpy helper, but the REAL man himself! I remember the size of her eyes when she nodded to every question he asked her. She must have been really surprised about all the details the Saint knew about her. Of course he looked in his holy book, where everything was written down.. By then Lana knew the Saint wasn't that real, but still, she too was impressed.

It was not until a couple of months later, that we just had to tell Eva the truth. Most children in her class knew the truth and they started to make fun of her. So we told her, that the holy man was not really who she thought he were.. She was devastated, hurt and totally in denial. How could he not be real??? He had been to her house! And we were sitting next to him! How could we say he was not real??? He knew all about her! He even had things written down in his book!!!

She eventually got over it and now she thinks it's a good laugh. She's very good at keeping the secret to the younger kids in the family. She won't spoil the fun. When both Lana and Eva open their presents, they go back some years in time and the sparkle in their eyes remembers me of their toddler time..

Happy Hour

Yesterday I had a lunch date with two wonderful women I have met through the diabetesforum I frequent. We tried to find a meeting point somewhere central and this time it was Gent. I was supposed to take the train, just like the other two did, but I wanted to cheat.. I'm just not a public transport - person. I need my car. I'm nowhere without it. I don't like to pass control to some public transportation, not knowing if it will bring me where I want to be. I like to be in control. But hey, I did it! I took the train and it wasn't that bad after all. In fact, it was a smart move, since the restaurant was so close to the railway station. I'm sure if I had taken my car, I would have been forced to park it so far away from the restaurant, that it would have been a waste of time and gas and parking fee.
So we met for lunch at Café Parti and we chitchatted. What a great place to meet for lunch. A very exciting and interesting menu to choose from. There was such a variety of delightful dishes that I decided to have two appetizers! The first one was Grilled Eggplant with Parmesan, rocket and extra virgin olive oil. What a wonderful dish that was! My second appetizer was Fresh Tuna Tartar with ginger, seaweed salad and a wasabi dressing. You didn't think we were going to leave without dessert, did you? I had a Sweet Springroll of filo dough, filled with chocolate and honey, accompanied by roasted nuts and frangipane ice cream. And of course, I finished that off with a good glass of Latte Macchiato.. My blood glucose wasn't that much out of range and I had a superb lunch!

It is always exciting to meet forum members and especially these two. We get along real well. We take advice from one another and we laugh a lot.
Thank you ladies, for making my day!

There's nothing you can do

I have heard this sentence so many times. I'm sick of it. There must be something I can do, something that can help me. That's why I have asked to arrange a meeting. And that's exactly what's going to happen. Wednesday, I'm going to meet up with several people who can tell me more than "there's nothing you can do". I've had it and it's about time a solution presents itself. It's going to be an emotional meeting, I'm well aware of that. But at the same time, I'm looking forward to it. I have a lot of questions to ask. I'll be prepared. Hopefully there will be answers too..

Think of me on Wednesday. Let's hope someone knows the answer.. I might need a strong shoulder by the time I leave the meeting.. Or some extra pep talk beforehand..

Duck Fiabetes

Hippo and Friends is an organization for children with diabetes. Barbara Flamand has started this project, after her own young daughter was diagnosed. She couldn't find the information she needed, to help her child the best she could. Maria had to give herself multiple injections on a daily basis, in order to keep her blood glucose in range. It's no fun for any child to get shots for every meal or snack they crave. They poke their little fingers 4-8-sometimes 10 times a day, to determine their glucose levels. Children are supposed to play and be innocent and have fun. They shouldn't have to sob about their fingers being poked. They shouldn't have to worry about kidney failure, blindness or amputations. They shouldn't have to cry over every insulin shot they have been given. That's what Barbara must have thought, when she designed HIPPO. Hippo is a hippopotamus and hypo is short for hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar. Hippo is designed for children with diabetes. Hippo has diabetes, just like them. He needs shots of insulin and finger pricks. Just like them.. They can practise on Hippo and give him finger pricks and insulin shots, before they learn how to treat themselves.. Every diabetic child under the age of 12 (in Belgium) has received HIPPO for free. Because Barbara cares.. Because that's what she does. Maybe you would like to adopt HIPPO and make a contribution in that way?

Barbara has accomplished a lot in the short time her project has existed. Her latest project is the Wishing Well. Kids with diabetes can mail their wish to Hippo and Barbara does the best she can to make their wishes come true. Read the wishes of these children on Hippo and Friends. Barbara is not that fortunate that she has spare money to spend. She has a full time job, but still, every day she tries to find sponsors who are willing to help out to make these wishes come true.

Barbara is also selling terrific T-shirts. They show a rubber ducky that says: Duck Fiabetes! and on the other side: what type are you? (referring to type 1 or type 2 diabetes) The profit of the shirts sale is going back to the project, to fund more wishes.

A parent of another diabetic child has nominated Barbara for the Gouden Pluim (Gold Feather). If Barbara wins the contest, she will win a price of 2000 euro for her organisation. Meaning she will have extra money to make even more wishes come true. Please help Barbara and vote for Hippo and Friends. Text TVOPLUIM(space)4 to 6007, or pick up your phone and call 0905 56 660 and vote 4 and let Barbara know you care.. I care. Do you?

Break down and cry

Last night you crashed. Your knees have been bugging you for several months now. Doctor's visits haven't helped much as far as treatment goed, but at least we know that there's some sort of fluid surrounding both knee caps. You are hurting. Big time. I bought two special knee braces for extra support. They were meant to help you support your knees in dance class. But sometimes your knees hurt so much, you want to wear them to school as well.
The doctor has taken a NMR scan and a full bone scan. It proves that there really is fluid in the knees. We also have been told it has nothing to do with growing pains. So the doctor is at the end of his rope and he's referring you to another doctor in Gent, who is more specialized.
School exams are starting today. You are doing the best you can, but the pain is getting so bad, that it's hard for you to focus on your school work. Last night, you broke down and cried. I gave you some extra pain relief to make sure you'd have some night rest at least.
Let's hope the other doctor has an idea how to help you, because you definitely need help. I'm thinking of you sweetie... Take care..

Somewhere over the rainbow

The days are cold and dark. All the friends around me seem to be falling apart. What's going on? Is it the time of the year? Is it the age? Or what is it, that makes everybody unhappy at this time of the year?
I hear loneliness can be contagious.. Being lonely doesn't mean you have no friends or you don't socialize. It is no exception to be popular and surrounded by friends and still be lonely..

I need a hug. My friends need a hug. We can hug one another. I hope it will do the trick. And I hope, that somewhere over the rainbow, the sun will shine for all of us..

My wish list

I love to keep lists. I keep them all over the house, in my cell phone, on my notebook. One of those lists, is my wish list. Whenever I think of something I would like to have, I write it down. Just to give you an idea, here are some things that are still on my wish list. The things are not listed in any order of preference. I will add new things whenever they cross my mind. Some things might be crossed once in a while, if I couldn't resist it any longer.

• a subscription to Delicious magazine, Culinaire Ambiance magazine
• Thermomix TM5
• a device to hold my iPad on the kitchen wall while cooking
• a CD by Barbra Streisand
• dinner at Burg9, Nuance or The Jane
• lunch at Pure C or at Upper Room Bar
• a full automatic pasta machine
• interesting cookbooks/DVD, any cookbook by Ainsley, Jacques Pépin, Paula Deen, Gary Rhodes, Justine Schofield, Julia Child, Eric Lanlard, The Pioneer Woman, Alain Ducasse
• a professional photoshoot of our family at Fotografie Schutte 
• professional cooking class
• a black bread mold by Emile Henry
• Larousse brood book
• a black leather belt

A life stylist

I promised myself a total make-over in 2010. It won't be at the beginning of the year, but probably by fall. I'm really looking forward to that. Maybe I should hire a life stylist. Not only to go through my dresser, but also to take a glance at my inside. I'm sure I could use some extra confidence in me. I want someone to teach me to hold my head high, to straighten my shoulders and walk with pizzaz. I want that someone to teach me to walk with the soundtrack of my life in my mind. I shouldn't worry what the perception of the world towards me is. I cannot control how I am perceived. I can only control how I am presented. I'm confident that life stylist is out there, somewhere. We just have to run in to one another.

I'm getting ready to pick a mirror in life and love myself for who I am. I'm learning to be proud of me and not to be afraid to show myself. Selfworth is so important in your education. If people enjoy to humiliate you and pull you down, it affects you on the long term. I would like to teach my children that they are more than okay. They don't have to live up to someone else's standards, to be special. They are special! And that's exactly what I tell them: that they are unique and special and most of all: loved..

So if that life stylist is in the neighborhood, please help me out rearranging my closet. Because I will need some new basics.

* a basic black dress
* a trench coat
* a sweat suit alternative
* classic dress pants

* a going out to dinner - dress
* three different heights of shoes, at least
* a pair of jeans
* a classy white dress shirt
* a skirt, to the knee
* a dress you could wear to work

My eyes are glowing

I was cleaning up the clutter room upstairs, when I found an envelope full of old pictures. It was a delight to go through them. It surprised me though, that with almost every picture of me, I thought: was this before I was diagnosed with D, or some time later? In some pictures, my eyes were really glowing. I could tell I felt real good in that period of my life. I think I'm gonna keep those pictures in my wallet. Just to remind me about good times and forgotten memories. I have this thing with pictures you know. My pictures are the only material item I would want to take along if my house were to burn down (well, maybe I would also try to take the Kenwood and some cookbooks). There are so many stories behind pictures. One silly picture can bring you back in time, to relive those days. I cherish my pictures. I used to spend a lot of time making photo books. I don't know why I have stopped. Maybe I should start again..

These boots are made for walking

Word goes that Imelda Marcos had 3000 pairs of shoes.. I have around 50 and I can't stop buying shoes. I'm always looking for that perfect pair. There's always a particular color I had been looking for and boots are always a present to me. One day, when I will be a whole lot slimmer than I currently am, I would love to wear a very feminine knee skirt, silk stockings, a classy white blouse, a matching jacket and wonderful, soft, long leather boots.. I would almost forget the exclusive jewelry! That's what I'm looking forward to. And I believe those boots will be made for walking..

A diamond in the rough

Each one of us is born as a pure, unpolished, perfect diamond. Growing up and experiencing pain in life, this pure brightness gets dusted with a lot of crap and rubbish.
Once we have grown up, we put a nice new and shiny layer on top of the rubbish. This is the layer we present to the outside world. But then again, we wonder why nobody is impressed. In the meantime, we start to believe that we are that fake shiny and shallow layer, on top of the rubbish. It's what we make of it and we try to live up to the standard we have created. If we are lucky, life gives us a wake-up call in time. Sometimes something needs to happen, for the bright diamond to sparkle through the other layers. We peel down all the shiny parts, through the darker parts, to discover the true diamond we are..

Brandon Bays is an interesting therapist. She was recommended to me by my good friend and therapist, Mrs C. She has met BB en she has attended some workshops. She also told me the story about the diamond. We talked about it on several occasions. She's helping me to find my shiny, sparkling diamond, underneath the layers of dust and the flashy coat layer. I believe getting diabetes has been my turning point in life. What was the use of wearing a mask? Why was I not prepared to let people see the real me? Was I afraid they wouldn't like me? Did someone teach me to wear a mask and pretend to be someone else? Who am I? What's underneath the dust? It's a painful longterm process, but I know I will peel through the layers, to find the person I really am. And I will embrace that person and the little innocent child I ever was. I will forgive the inner child for whatever has happened in my childhood. I will forgive the child, and the teenager and the young adult. I will forgive me. I will love me. I will cherish the person I have found and become. Are you prepared to peel your layers?

Trust me..

Most of the time, I try to cook as healthy as possible. Fresh greens, fruit, whole grains, fat free, as little pork as possible and I cut down on the sugars big time. But once in a while, you really want to enjoy a delicious but not so healthy meal. Now what's wrong with that? I'm not Barbie and I wouldn't want to be Barbie either. I do my best most of the times. When I look around me, I see people buy take away and prepared meals. I hardly ever do that. I still cook fresh meals on a daily basis, even when it's sheer chaos over here. But that's how I want it. I want to know what's in our meals. Whenever I ask my family what they want for dinner, they are indifferent. It doesn't matter.. I think they forget how much time and effort I put in cooking a decent meal. Sometimes they just want to go out for pizza or fries. I wonder if they would still be as indifferent, if I would stop cooking fresh meals? Would they eat sandwiches instead? Or would they go out to dinner on a daily basis? Maybe I should test them.. If take away is what they want, I won't stop them. I'm their cook, not their doctor. I take care of my health. I can only hope they take care of theirs. I'm not going to fight over it. I think I have done the best I can to teach my family about healthy food. It's up to them to decide how they want to feed their bodies..

The things we do for love

My dear friend..

today is your birthday. Rumour goes that it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, so I'm not going to do that. Age is nothing more than a number. Or two numbers. It's like discussing a ladies weight. It's not done. That's all. You are as old as you feel. And trust me: you are not old. You are so vibrant and active. You glow and people turn their heads when you stride by. You are a proud lady with a strong personality. That's not a surprise to anyone who knows you. After all, you have raised 6 sons! I have had the chance to meet three and I adore them. You have done a very good job raising them. I think you deserve that credit. They have outgrown you, but they honour you with all their respect.
Your sons have taken you to many places. They have taken good care of you so far and I'm sure they will do nothing else in the future. We plan to have you around for many more years. Do you know what I really like? When we go out for the weekend, that we sing a long in the car. I just love to hear you sing.
You are pretty special.. I have known you for approximately 10 years I believe. I was going through some photo albums the other day, and I kept running into pictures of you. You are a photographer's dream. You are a natural. Always in shipshape.

I'm so sorry we couldn't make it to Berlin. I wish I were there to give you your birthday kisses and hugs. Because I know that's what you like the most. The love of the people around you. And yes.. you are loved..

Then we take Berlin

I'm so sorry we are not going to be there with you, in Berlin. We have already gone to so many places together, over the 10 years we have known each other. Think of London - UK, Scheveningen - Nl, Roermond - Nl, Aachen - DE, Dortmund - DE, Maastricht - NL, Utrecht - NL, Nijmegen - NL,.. It's always a pleasure to go out with the Goose Gang! I'm a little jealous now, because all of you will be celebrating the birthday of our own Queen Mom. She's such a lucky lady, to have you as her sons. You all take care of her in the best manner possible. She's adorable and I respect her very much. She's a wise lady and she's very entertaining. It's great to see how good she takes care of herself. Her hair is always well cut, her make up neat and clean, her dresses are handmade and unique. She may be small of height, but she's a grand dame.

I wish you all a very good week in Berlin. Enjoy each other and don't forget to tell us all the juicy stories!!! And I want to see many pictures when we meet up to go to Scheveningen next month.

And mom: have a very, very happy birthday! Love from Kaprijke! xxx

Silk Sheets

I have only slept in silk sheets once. My host family in the US had a waterbed. They had told me I could use their bed if they were on a holiday. So I did. The covers were silk sheets. Hey! What did you expect? Flanel sheets on a waterbed? Na! I'm not too sure about sleeping in a waterbed. It's kinda wobbly. I think it's better if there are two people in it. But just by yourself, it's not cosy. I did like the sheets though. They feel great on your skin (if you sleep without pj's) and they make you feel sexy and your skin hungry. They make this wonderful crispy sound as well. Sounds like a plan!

Tomboys

I have never really felt very feminine in my life. I always felt more like a tomboy. Not that I didn't want to feel feminine, I really do. It's just not happening. I'm more the jeans and long sleeve shirt type. When I see those beautiful skirts and dresses in the shops, they make me want to buy them. And sometimes I do. I buy skirts and dresses and I even buy high heels and boots to go with them. Sometimes even a matching purse. But I don't feel feminine when I wear it.. I no longer want to be a tomboy. I want to be a girl. A woman. A lady...

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..

Bad hair day

You are having a bad hair day. You really take good care of your hair and you wash it frequently, because you like the smell of clean hair. I like to watch you blow dry your hair in the bath room. You take the time you need, to do your hair before you head of to school. And then it rains. Big time. And your mood changes instantly. You hate rain. You hate cold. You are so upset when the wind is messing up your hair and the rain ruins your hairdo. How many times have you told us, you will move to a warmer place? Morocco sounds nice to you, and so does Egypt or Turkey maybe. But certainly not Belgium. That's not where you intend to live when you're an adult. And if we ask you how you will make an income abroad, you say: I won't! I'll just lay in the sun and enjoy a drink near the pool. That would be nice, but that's just not gonna happen. Keep on dreaming sweetheart. You have some time to go until you are 18. And trust me: it hasn't stopped raining yet and you will certainly suffer some more bad hair days in the meantime.

Cool dudes!

I love to watch my youngest brother-in-law fool around with his 3 yo son. Kiddo is the youngest of the grandchildren and he's spoiled all right! Just like his daddy, he rides his own motor cycle, an Easy Rider, to be more specific. He's an awesome kid and he knows all the cool moves. His daddy takes him to the swimming pool all the time, and Kiddo has no fear of water whatsoever. He will try out any slide in the pool or dive into the water without hesitating. He's a real dare devil, without seeking the danger of getting hurt.

The other grandchildren think it's great that Kiddo has those very special Skull Shoes. They look great on him. He's a real dude. Just like his dad I guess.. He's a special child and we all love to hang out with him. He's a real rugrat, full of joy and energy. He loves to play outside and cross the swords with his favorite cousin. And you should see him handle the control of the playstation. Like he's never done anything else in his life!

You're doing a terrific job PJ, at raising Kiddo. I'm proud of you!

Trying to make sense in nonsense

You are very wise and absolutely adorable. You keep a blog every now and then and I love to read you. The way you think about life, the manner in which you write your lines, the logic behind your thoughts and the images I see when I read about your daily life, make me smile. You are leading an interesting life, going abroad to catch some sun rays and enjoy the moderate paste of Southern life. You are a wonderful nana to your grandchildren (they are the cutest!!!) and a terrific mother to your grown up children. We have met a few times now and you promised me to take me on a sightseeing tour in your favorite town: Brussels. I'm looking forward to that! I'd better wear my sneakers, to keep up with you. I may be the younger one, but you are the more energetic one of the two. Did I already say how well you are with clothes? You always seem to pick the right outfit and you could be a resident of Monaco. You look more like a princess than our princess Mathilde does. I'm curious about you and I want to know a whole lot more about you. I know you like fish - preferably fresh fish - and you like to swim. I suppose you don't combine both?
You like the sun, you like the French language and the French way of life. You adore your children and grandchildren and you are a terrific host whenever they come visit you down South. But you are as happy after they leave the house and let you relax by the pool, wearing your favorite shades.
You are a very classy lady. A little aristocratic, if I may say so. It suits you well. And I hate you for never having a bad hairday!
You are as true a delight as Côte d'or Milk chocolate. I assume I needn't say any more? Thank you for being you and making me a better me..

I can't look away

Photo by Lana Joos

I look at her and I think: is she really ours? She's so pretty, so smart, so different. She's full of energy, she's a good dancer and an excellent student. It's no surprise boys are crazy about her. Just look at her, I mean seriously, just look at her...

Hubby always says he's going to fix several pegs on the wall, to hang those boyfriends on. She's a daddy's girl and I don't think he will be that prepared to let go of his daughter. But she's growing taller and she'll be 15 in March. We can't strap her into a straightjacket, can we? She's young, she's attractive and she's popular. I'm glad she is. And most of all: she knows real well what she wants and what she won't tolerate. She sure has a mind of her own!

My life saver!

I'm still wearing the Continue Glucose Monitoring system(CGM), to help me get better control of my blood sugars. It has been a true life saver for me so far. Most of the time I can tell if my BG drops or rises. But sometimes I'm too busy doing something that needs my concentration, that I forget to focus on how I feel. That's where the sensor comes in handy.
I was in the car with my employer. We were chitchatting, the radio was on, it was just pouring out there and I was wearing two sweaters and a winter coat. I must have ignored the first alarm sounds somehow, because all of a sudden, my insulin pump made a constant high noise. Alarm! But what kind of alarm? I didn't feel low?? I read my sensor and it said: 51 mg/dl. That's already too low, if you keep in mind that the sensor is 20 minutes behind on the actual reading. So I grabbed my purse, looked for my meter (you can never find it when you need it) and checked my glucose levels. A pathetic 35 mg/dl... Hhmhm.. So both sensor and meter confirmed hypoglycaemia, although I didn't feel it. I had a box of chocolate milk (I keep those treats in my purse for special occasions like sugar lows..) and one unit of pure powdered dextrose. We were already at the hairdresser (that's where we were headed to) when I had the dextrose. It made me smile. I saw the glass tables near the mirrors and I almost asked for a straw to sniff my portion of cocaine. I behaved, I behaved, don't worry. But I wonder: do you think one could sniff dextrose? What would it do to you? Blow your brains out?

Separate beds

I have a new bed partner. It's not a he. It's a she. And her name is Rebba. We have been sleeping together on the couch for 1 week now. My back is sore and my eyes are baggy and dark. I'm tired, exhausted, dead. I snore. So I've been told. Rebba snores as well. So we snore together on the couch, making sure the rest of the family gets a good night rest. On one hand, it's easy to fall asleep on the couch after you have watched TV. But then again, it gets cold at night and looking for the covers that are spread over the floor as soon as Rebba rolls over on the couch, is not my idea of dozing off. She's warm all right and she puts her head in my neck, blowing her hot breath in my ear. She's funny.. On the other side is Arthur, looking at me like if he's saying: why aren't you in your own bed??? He doesn't snore, but he purrs and that sound is quite comforting.
Our eldest daughter is not happy with me sleeping downstairs. She says I need to see a "snore-doctor" to get the problem solved. I have no idea where to find such a doctor. I know there are sleep clinics in some towns. I could give it a chance..
We have a spare clutter room upstairs. Maybe I need to buy some bin bags to have the room cleared. Then I can make my own room and have a safe place to sleep, where I won't disturb anyone..

Goose bumps

I get goose bumps real easily. Not because I'm cold - I'm hardly ever cold (if I wear a jacket or a coat, it must be because I really like the look of it), but because something has moved me. I have noticed that lately, I have goose bumps on a daily basis. A song, a line, lyrics, a book, a look, a smile, a story, .. so many things can make the hairs in the back of my neck stand up. I can get pretty emotional over it. I rather like those goose bumps, they make me feel alive and they show me that true emotions are important to me.

Everybody wants to rule the world

I guess I should be proud that a Flemish politician is going to be the leader of Europe. This older, bald, spectacle wearing man is going to represent Europe in the best way he can. I have the feeling that the British population was not really waiting for him. Or at least, regarding to the video they have shown on their news channel... Big and Betsy is not exactly a great representation of what Belgium is about. They could have done worse, by showing Marc Dutroux on the tape, but still.. A farting pig in a Flemish cartoon.. I don't know. It's kind of insulting to the Flemish population, don't you think so?

It's going to be up to Herman Van Rompuy (Hair-man ?? LOL) to show Europe that he's capable of being a good leader. Everybody wants to rule the world, but ruling Europe may be a good thing to begin with. Okay, he's not as goodlooking as Obama and he doesn't have the charm of Bill Clinton, but who says he needs this kind of flair to be smart and venturesome? Maybe we should encourage him rather than undermine his personality? After all, he's Flemish and we should be proud of him.

A cry for help

It's the end of the year, the dark season has begun. Here and there I see Christmas ornaments in the windows of several shops and Christmas tunes jingle through the loud speakers. December is the family month. Many people look forward to this time of the year. To some others, it's sheer hell. They dread the Holidays, they fear the loneliness. They cry for help, but nobody seems to hear them. They are so desperately seeking for love and attention, that the only way out for them, is suicide.. It keeps me busy, to know why people want to take their own life. Isn't it sad that some people are so lonely that it's even better to end their life? Have they suffered so much that they can't take any more? It's sad.. it really is. A friend of mine has attempted to commit suicide on several occasions. She always made it. So maybe, just maybe, there was always someone out there who did care. But what if nobody cares? What if they miss your text message or death signal? Or what if you don't tell anyone how lonely and depressed you are? Because that happens too. You must have heard it before, that parents had no idea their son or daughter was depressed to the point that they couldn't deal with it anymore. Some of these victims leave a message for their loved ones, others just don't, leaving their survivors with oh so many questions. Why? Why now?

I hear some people call them cowards, for stepping out of this life. I don't think it's up to us to judge. I believe people can get so depressed that they truly don't see a way out. Some of them commit suicide all by themselves, others make it even more dramatic by getting hit by a train or jump of a bridge, where so many other people can get hurt as well. Is there a good way to end your life? I don't know.. it will always be painful to the beloved ones that stay behind, no matter what the suicide manner was.

A young student in nursing school tried to slit his wrists over a bucket in his dorm. While he was doing so, he texted a friend. That boy was alarmed by the text message and he and his father rushed over to the dorm to save the student..

The next day, another student, hung herself in that same dorm. She had sent her mother a text message "sorry" in the middle of the night, knowing that she wouldn't read it till the next morning. She didn't want to be found. She wanted to escape from this world. She wrote her family a farewell letter. I hope they will find peace and time to mourn over the loss of this young girl. She had a whole life ahead of her, but that's apparently not the way she saw it..

Let's think about these young lives, that have been taken. I never believe they want to die, I believe they no longer want to feel the pain they're experiencing. If someone is depressed, take them seriously. Get help and surround that person with love. It may be their last day.. When have you last told your beloved ones how much you care?

You don't have to call 911, this post was not autobiographical.

Or..

How about pasta for lunch? Or would you rather have a sandwich? NOT! I'm always in for pasta. My friend makes the best Pasta Carbonara, but my favorite pasta is still Pasta All'Arabiata: spicy, no meat, just scrumptious delicious.

I would like to share my favorite pesto pasta recipe with you though. It's just so easy and you can make it before your favorite TV show is on. Put the kettle on, so the water can come to a boil, while you light the fire place in the den. Pour the boiling water into a large cookery pot. Throw in as much pasta as you can handle (I prefer tagliatelli in this recipe) and don't forget to salt the water. Pick the perfect pasta bowl out of your cupboard and get it ready. Drain the cooked pasta, leaving some cooking liquid in it. Stir it up with wonderful red pesto (store bought is just fine this time - no time to make our own), toasted pine nuts (keep them in a tupperware container so you always have them ready), strips of smoked ham (how about Serrano or Parma ham?), some cut up chest nut mushrooms (no need to cook them in advance - they will wilt in the hot pasta) and a tablespoon of double cream to make it even more scrumptious. Rush back to the fridge, to grab that piece of Parmesan that has been waiting for you all along, and use a carrot peeler to make the perfect cheese curls this pasta requires. You're ready for the show. Just make yourself comfortable on the couch, covered up with your favorite blanket and dive into this delicious pasta. The heat of the fireplace will warm your cheeks and the pasta will warm your tummy. My idea of a bowl of comfort food.

Don't forget to have chocolate mousse for dessert.. To be continued.

Well I'll be darned!

‘Daughter pregnant by sperm in swimming pool'

TOURISM: The 10 craziest complaints of the year

Too many Germans in the hotel, sperm in the pool or a snoring neighbor. More and more tourists file complaints and go to court after they spent their vacation abroad. They ask for some kind of compensation. But are they right or are they just way too demanding? Make up your own opinion on who's entitled to some kind of compensation and who's not.

1 A Dutchmen who had booked an all inclusive holiday in the Dominican Republic, filed a complaint about the color of the all inclusive bracelets. He associated the pink bracelets with gay people and he refused to wear one.

2 A German tourist complained about the Islamic prayers she heard from the speakers in a Moroccan town. The judge overruled the complaint instantly.

3 A German couple thought it was not done for locals to get a suntan on "their" beach in Mauritius. Complaint overruled. A British tourist did receive some kind of compensation because there were too many noisy Germans in his hotel.

4 The hotel receptionist handed the bill to this family, which they refused to pay. They said they were not going to pay for pay TV, since they had not watched it.. They had better asked their teen son first, who thought porn was pretty interesting..

5 A New Delhi traveller complained that the beach was too far away from his hotel. A little strange, since the capital city is like 1000 kilometres away from the beach.. Go figure!

6 A French tourist on a safari in Kenya said it was unheard of, that the locals didn't speak his language and that the roads were too.. sandy...

7 Room description in the travel agency brochure lead to a conflict between the agency and the customer. The description of the room was: double, bath, toilet, terrace. The customer thought he was going to have two bath tubs in his room..

8 A Dutch family gave the extra bill for moving to another resort to their travel agent. They kind of forgot to mention the reason they had switched to a different hotel. Their daughter had shared her bed with nearly every staff member. Many of them got fired afterwards and the family was too embarrassed to stay in that same hotel.

9 After having spent her holiday in Egypt, a young Polish woman came home, pregnant. Her mother was outraged when she took it to court. The daughter had said the pool was infected with sperm, and that's how she got pregnant. I suppose the judge had a good laugh over this one!

10 On his way to South Africa, a tourist couldn't go to sleep, because of the snoring sounds produced by his neighbor. He asked for some sort of compensation, which he didn't get. Having a seat in business class doesn't mean nobody will snore.

A real riot

The girls were ready to watch the Junior Eurovision Songcontest. They were big fans of the Belgian contestant Laura and the Dutch singer Ralf. They were so thrilled to see how well Laura did. Laura was real confident and she did absolutely great! What a star she is! The title of her song was: Zo verliefd - Madly in love.

The different European countries were ready to vote and the girls were sitting at the end of their seats, screaming, cheering and shouting for every point Laura deserved. And the other countries must have loved her, because they gave her very good points. Not enough, if I listen to the comments of my daughters. But nevertheless, she's the first Flemish girl to get scores that high in the Junior Eurovision Songcontest. I'm so thrilled about Laura's achievement, that I nearly forget to tell you who really won: the Dutch singer Ralf! with the song: Click Clack. Smart move, to sing in sounds. Most anybody can sing along. Congratulations Ralf! You were the best (at least, you would have been the best if it weren't for Laura).

When nothing goes right...

go left. Take a turn. Go back to bed. Or call a friend and go out for dinner. That's exactly what my friend and I did last night. We have known each other for 20 years now (go figure!!) and we still call each other on a weekly basis (I admit she calls me before I have the chance to call her - I'm bad, I know I am, please forgive me.. just hang up and I'll call you back). I think it's the first time we went out for dinner together and I had been looking forward to it. It gave us the chance to talk in private - it was a big restaurant, a castle to be more specific - while her husband - he's the cook in Het Kasteel van Saffelaere - prepared our meal. And let me tell you: he's a great cook! It's always a pleasure to have a delicious dinner that has been prepared by a loved one. Dinner was on her. She knew she didn't have to do that, but I appreciate it.

Fyi: We started out with an apperitif and some appetizers. This is what we had for dinner: an espresso cup of creamy Belgian endive soup as a starter, followed by a cylinder of brill filet on braised kale, with a soft and creamy sweet yellow pepper sauce. A sherbet helped us refresh our tastebuds, so we could enjoy the main course of tender venison medallion with a smooth brandy sauce, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, Belgian endives and a lovely red pear, sauteed in red wine. Don't forget dessert though: a lukewarm tarte tatin with a scoop of home made vanilla ice cream, a divine portion of succulent chocolate mousse and physalis fruit. After dinner, we could enjoy a comforting cup of good coffee with goodies in the lounge. Did I forget to mention the sparkly glass of Champaign?

Thank you my friend! I enjoyed our conversations, the food and our longterm friendship!

Killer Texting

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

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

Women are always right

even if they're wrong.. I have many lady friends and we talk quite a bit. Let's say we talk a lot. A whole lot! And we can talk about almost anything. It doesn't matter what the talk is about. In the end, we make the same evaluation: women are always right! Oh please.. we know we're not always right, but what did you expect? That we would admit it? NOT! It's just not done! You must be joking if you think we would ever admit that we are wrong. We may think it, but we won't say it. The stronger sex? I don't know. Right fighters? Maybe. Reality? My friends may hate me for this, but no, we're not always right. I hope not one single man is reading this blog. I don't want them to get any ideas!

Stand by my side

Sometimes, it's hard to be a man. Giving all his love to just one woman. He may have good times while she's having a bad time. Doing things he can't understand. But if he loves her, he'll forgive her. Even though she may be hard to understand, he loves her. He's proud of her. Cause after all she's she. And she's a good woman. A little troubled, but a good woman after all.
Give her two caring arms to cling to. And something warm to come home to, when nights are cold and lonely. Make her feel like a woman. Show the world you love her. Give her all the love you can. Because what else does she need.. than to be loved and honored..

We are family!

Our youngest daughter and her friends from boarding school, have entered a radio contest. The winner was promised a very special dance party at their boarding school, with a well known DJ and lots of fun. It was very nerve wrecking to see whether they would make the finals or not. And they did!!! Last night they won the contest and tonight the boarding school is awaiting a superlicious one of a kind dance party!!! All 170 female students of the boarding school are all hyped up and ready to dance. As a bonus, the boarding school was promised another gift: 4 Wii appliances + a number of recent games. What a terrific price for these young girls. I'm so glad the educators and principal of her boarding school are open minded enough to let them have this kind of fun. It will be Eva's first dance party and it will be one to remember. The guest of the night will be the world famous (in Belgium) singer Sylver. She's a delight and the girls are amazed she will be singing for them tonight. I'm happy for my little girl. She doesn't get to spend that much time at home any more, but she's more than happy with her new family in boarding school. Loads of sisters to play with and cuddles to give to. They are just one big happy family..

The One Million Dollar Question

Is stem cell therapy the future? I'm about to find out. This Friday I'm going to attend the launch of an integrating project in the Royal Academy of Medicine in Brussels. Several American doctors and scientists are going to tell us all we need to know about the Production of Cell Transplants, the Regeneration of Beta Cells in the pancreas and Reprogramming the Immune System.

I have been invited by Professor Pipeleers of VUB Brussels, to attend this event and I'm looking forward to it. I'm really excited about this whole process. Several Belgian doctors have dedicated their time to research on stem cells. At this time, we are looking into using embryonic stem cells, to help people recover from different kinds of diseases, including diabetes. The embryos being used, are embryos that are left over from IVF procedures and would be tossed away anyway. It's quite a controversial that embryos are being used for research and many people are opposed to it. I wonder if they would still be opposed, if one of their beloved ones could be helped by stem cell therapy in the future, to get rid of their disease?

Anyway, I'll have my pen and notebook ready and I hope to get tons of information. I hear they are looking for volunteers as well..

I'll go to Brussels a little early. I could use a macchiato or a hazelnut latte. Anyone wants to join me?

Making life worthwile again

I stayed in bed this morning. I wanted to sleep. I didn't want to think. I wanted to doze off and dream my dreams. Life isn't always what it seems.
I guess I'm not having a great time at the moment. I hate the end of the year. I don't like the cold weather, the darkness of winter, Christmas. Bad memories. Not the most pleasant time of the year for me.
I'm always glad I have good friends to rely on. People that understand and care. People that don't give up on me and stand by my side. People that are there for me, unconditionally. But it's just not good enough this time. I want to stick my head under the covers and go back to sleep. I would like to hibernate... and not come back until things have gone better. I hate to feel the way I feel. But I can't deny my feelings, can I? No one is to blame but me. Trust me. I'm not blaming anyone for the way I feel. And it's my own responsibility to overcome this discomfort I'm feeling. Nevertheless, it's good to have some back up to save me from drowning..
I think I'm gonna have some chocolate mousse. Quite a bit.

I wonder

I wonder what you're thinking

I'd really like to know

It's hard to get through to you..

You intrigue me

it's scary at the same time

I hope one day

You will let me read you..

Music was my first love

I started playing the flute at the age of 7. I took classes twice a week, but I didn't own my own flute till I was 21. It's been a while since I last played and to be honest, we have 3 flutes in the house (both my children wanted to play the flute too, but only one is still playing), but I have no idea where mine is.. The school of our girls asked us to borrow one of our flutes to use it in the classroom. So that's what we did. And than the music school asked to borrow one flute for a student who couldn't afford one. So we did that too. A music instrument is meant to be used. We wouldn't want it to die, right?

I'm glad my eldest daughter is still playing. She'd rather play electric guitar, she claims, but since she's never played one before, we have no idea. Instruments cost a lot of money, but I'm glad she's playing the flute. And she's pretty good at it too!

Music was my first love, and it won't be my last. What's your first love?

Don't be such a wussy!

She's such a wussy! No kidding! She hates to go outside when the grass is still wet in the early morning. She's not fond of cold or wind or rain. Hubby takes her on long walks, but she still doesn't like to go outside by herself. Whenever she needs to pee, she goes outside on the terrace. She's just too lazy to go all the way to the back of the garden. Unless you accompany her.
Her favorite spot is on the couch, under her blanky. Really.. You should see her roll her eyes if you tell her to go outside for a pee. It's like she would say: "you must be joking! have you seen that weather out there???" You love to cuddle up with us and most of the time, you hide your head behind our back on the couch. Or you put your paws over your eyes. You're a funny dog Rebba!

Short circuit

I feel lost...

Michael Buble - Lost

"Lost"

I can't believe it's over

I watched the whole thing fall

And I never saw the writing that was on the wall

If I'd only knew

The days were slipping past

That the good things never last

That you were crying

Summer turned to winter

And the snow it turned to rain

And the rain turned into tears upon your face

I hardly recognized the girl you are today

And god I hope it's not too late

It's not too late

'Cause you are not alone

I'm always there with you

And we'll get lost together

Till the light comes pouring through

'Cause when you feel like you're done

And the darkness has won

Babe, you're not lost

When your world's crashing down

And you can't bear the thought

I said, babe, you're not lost

Life can show no mercy

It can tear your soul apart

It can make you feel like you've gone crazy

But you're not

Things have seem to changed

There's one thing that's still the same

In my heart you have remained

And we can fly fly fly away

'Cause you are not alone

And I am there with you

And we'll get lost together

Till the light comes pouring through

'Cause when you feel like you're done

And the darkness has won

Babe, you're not lost

When the world's crashing down

And you can not bear the cross

I said, baby, you're not lost

I said, baby, you're not lost

I said, baby, you're not lost

I said, baby, you're not lost

Girls can do anything

boys can do, and we can do it in high heels. Seriously. I always tell my girls they can do anything they want in life. Being a girl can't stop them from achieving their goals. They don't need to wear high heels right away though. They're too young to ruin their feet!

Many years ago, there were jobs for men only and some only for women. Okay, I must admit, it is weird to see a man work as a midwife or a kindergarten teacher and it's different to see women work as bricklayers. But it happens. And if that is what makes them happy, why not? It's not obvious for girls to attend a boy's school. I remember a young man in our school, who wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. He lasted for maximum 5 months I think. He couldn't cope with all his female colleagues. Girls that try to survive in a working environment of mostly men, need to be strong minded and pigheaded, to continue to do their job. Some men don't like women on their work floor. Others think it's pretty much okay, as long as they keep up with the men.

I always wonder what profession our daughters will choose..

Albert Hall

Saturday evening was fab! We had a dinner party appointment in the Albert Hall in Etterbeek, Brussels. The staff members of hubby's work were invited to enjoy dinner and to stretch their legs on the dance floor. I really looked forward to going out and having a good time. And it was a great party. Wonderful people (it had been a while since I last saw hubby's colleagues), excellent dinner (how about tuna sushi with caviar, fresh foie gras ravioli with truffle sauce, venison and a succulent dessert buffet), good music and great company. We were invited to sit at the table of honor and I was seated next to the manager. We get along well and his wife is so energetic and a woman to look up to. Talking French to the manager and his wife, talking Dutch to my friends on the other side, it didn't matter. I love to speak other languages and I had a great time. I even danced! And if you know me: you know I definitely never dance! So you will believe me if I say I had a really good time.

Too bad my sugar went low again.. I hate it when that happens on an evening out. That stupid 36 mg/dl on my meter changed my mood completely and I was ready to go home. On those days, I despise Diabetes and I wish I was never diagnosed. Most of the time, I cope with it real well, but yesterday was a true emotional rollercoaster and my BG took a ride on it.

We were invited to go to Mexico. The manager has a house over there and we are very welcome to stay there if we want to. So maybe one, we will finally visit this wonderful country..

Try to be butch

I have gay friends and I have no problems with people's sexual preference at all. It's pretty common now for men (even straight men) to acknowledge their femininity. They no longer have to be real studs and they can show emotions. Women like softer men, that are not afraid to shed a tear and rip apart a kleenex box, or laugh loudly wetting their undies while watching a romantic comedy. Some men are too soft though. They are skinny, have a very feminine look and are just way too soft. They can have the best personality ever, I would still ask them to try to be a little more butch. Manscara, guyliner, messenger bags, earring, fancy shoes,.. no problem. As long as they don't overdo it. I'm not really in to skinny men. I remember finishing a relationship with a wonderful man that was too skinny and not butch at all. He was just too feminine, although he was a great guy. I need some flesh on those bones okay?

He saw the light

You are truly amazing! I have so much respect for your creativity it makes me humble. What a great guy you are and how lucky am I to be your friend. I have introduced you to a couple of friends who are very dear to me. They have bought a wonderful house and needed some help to decorate it. You were the first person that crossed my mind. And I knew you would do a great job. They love you already!! No wonder, because you have done so much work for them so far. They came to see your home interior this Thursday and they were gobsmacked! That didn't surprise me at all. I have seen your talent and you keep amazing people. The ooh's and the aah's are very common words when people enter your unique interior. I wish you could decorate our second floor. I know you would do such a great job, as you did on the first floor. I love you pal! You rock!

World Diabetes Day

Today is World Diabetes Day. Many events are being organized to make people aware of the quiet assassin Diabetes. Diabetes is not a cold. It's no game either. It's serious business. People still think Diabetes is just about taking some tablets or shooting up insulin. They think a diabetic can never have sugar again. They believe diabetics have caused their own condition by eating too much candy.

There's a lot of work to be done, to make people aware what Diabetes really is about. Every minute, people get affected by this disease. Every minute, new diabetics are diagnosed and people die of the complications caused by Diabetes. I told you it wasn't a game. It's serious business. It takes strength and courage and a lot of patience and will power to keep your numbers within the correct range.

Little children get diabetes, even new borns. Elderly people, toddlers, working women, retired men, young moms, active fathers, teens in love.. Diabetes doesn't discriminate. It can happen to anyone of you, at a time you expect it the least. Don't judge us. Bare with us and cut us some slack, will you? It's important for us to have your support. It's important that scientists work on finding a cure. We are important and we matter.

Today I'm wearing my Blue Circle Pin, the sign of Diabetes. I haven't done anything wrong. I didn't ask for this disease to affect my body, my life, my family. I have nothing to hide. I'm proud of myself, for taking so good care of myself and my diabetes. It's become part of who I am. I won't let Diabetes win.

You're on candid camera!

What a laugh we had today! My friend and I were shopping for groceries, in the store where you can scan your purchases yourself. It took us a while to scan all the items, but finally we were ready to head towards the exit. And then it happened: my friend was talking to me and she no longer held on to her shopping cart. The inevitable happened: her cart ran into the pole of the scanner and the ceiling came down, electricity and all. The lights died and one of the check registers broke down as well. Dust was coming out of the wide open hole in the ceiling and we were like: what the f..??? The cashier yelled: I can't believe she just ran into that pole!!! Like my friend did it on purpose - which of course she didn't! Everybody was looking at us and we didn't really know how to react. So we started to giggle - we're girls, remember? Another cashier ran towards us, because the loud noise had scared her. She said it was not our fault at all and accidents do happen. Luckily nobody got injured. The first cashier said she would send my friend the bill. As if..

I suppose that's what it feels like if you're on candid camera!

Taking a shortcut

I love to shop for groceries. I have my favorite stores and I tend to frequent them weekly. My most favorite store has a new gadget since last week. They have given their customers the option to scan their purchases all by themselves. As soon as you enter the store, you scan your loyalty card to obtain your own private scanner. Every item you intend to purchase needs to be scanned. LOL. It's a lot of fun, but you have to be sharp-eyed! Make sure you scan the correct barcode before you put your purchases in your shopping cart. Sometimes it takes some time to figure out where the barcode is, but since I like to shop for errands, I don't mind. I give you one tip: don't bring your children if you're going to use the scanner. Believe me, they will love this toy and they will try to scan as many objects as possible. And it may be the intention of the supermarket, but probably not yours!
It's a good solution to avoid waiting in line with your arms full of groceries. Scan your own items, pay for them and leave. It's great to take a shortcut and have some spare time for other hobbies!

I have tried it 2 times now. I think the store manager will need to evaluate the system, because there are some abnormalities. What will they do if people put 2 tomatoes in a bag, put the sticker with barcode on the plastic bag and then add 1 more tomato? What will they do if someone puts an expensive bread in a bag that is designated for cheaper bread? Because the scanner will only recognize the barcode of the cheaper bread, without knowing there is more expensive bread in the bag?! A cashier would certainly know, the scanner won't, since computers are not designed to think. They just operate.

The first time you use the scanner, you get a coupon for 250 extra points on your loyalty card. At least, that's what the shop manager intended when he handed out the coupons. Is it a surprise though, that you can use another coupon and another one and... because the scanner has no idea you have already used your coupon. DUH! I believe they will need to do some more research before they let the customers go wild...

A smart cookie!

What a smart cookie, the inventor of this pancake maker! I just love to make pancakes from scratch. My recipe is the best I have ever tested, honestly. The pancakes are moist, delicious, have a nice color, are light and just fabulicious!

A couple of weeks ago, we had a www.diabetesforum.be meeting. The host invited us over for a pancake party and I was surprised to see her make the pancakes. She had two pancake makers by Cloer. I had never seen this kind of pancake maker before and I was thrilled! I love kitchen appliances and one can always surprise me with an appliance I haven't got yet. You poor the pancake batter in the pancake maker, close the lid and set the timer. The pancake maker will warn you when your pancake is ready. No more burnt pancakes, and you no longer need to flip them over. I know, there's is some charm to flipping over pancakes, but when you need to make a big batch, I'd rather do something else but flipping over pancakes. I could just set the timer and get to do some other work around the house. Sounds like a plan to me!!!

There's only one problem: I have not yet found a store nearby, where they sell this pancake maker. I know there's one more appliance in Zonhoven, Limburg, but that's a 2 hour drive. I'm still looking into buying one and I know it will be in my cupboard someday soon.

The Secret Millionaire

Some people are very fortunate, speaking financially. I mean, really fortunate. As in rich, as in millionaire rich. Most of them have gathered their fortune by working amazingly hard. Others have a family fortune that started centuries ago.

I would like to be a millionaire. It must be great to have all the money you wish for. You know me, and you all know that I'm a giving person, not a receiving person. I like to give, that's who I am. I would like to be a millionaire and have a lot of money to spend on other people. There's charity, there are friends who could use some extras, there's family that might need a helping hand. I would donate a large amount of money to diabetes research. I would like to be a secret millionaire. Nobody would need to know where the money that helped them, came from. That is just not important. It is more important to share than to show off.

Of course, I would keep some money to ourselves. People that say money is not important, are the people that have plenty. You need money to live. Sometimes people need money to survive! It shouldn't be like that..

My eldest daughter was thinking about that the other day. She just couldn't figure out why the government didn't print some extra money to hand out to the people in need. She couldn't understand that a simple piece of paper could be worth that kind of money. If only things weren't that complicated..

The father daughter thing

You are such a daddy's girl. It's great to see you interact with your father. The two of you are just hilarious together. You don't need words to understand one another. You like to crawl up against your dad on the couch. Then he will tell you to stop clinging to him. That always leads to a fight. Not a real fight, more like a cat's fight. You will punch him, he will tickle you, you will punch him again and he will tickle you some more. And then you are on top of him, trying to be the strongest of the two. You should know by now though, that your dad is stronger than you are and he's not good at losing. He wants to win. So do you. So the two of you keep going until someone gets hurt. I guess it's a father daughter thing. It's great to watch.

Top shit

It must have been 18 years ago, when a couple of us decided to go for it. I had been in the US for only a few weeks, when some friends invited me to go for a bungee jump. I had never even heard of it, but I'm always in for some adventure and fun. So I decided I would join them. Nobody told me in advance what we were going to do. They just told me I would love the experience and it would be the experience of a lifetime!

We got to the fair and there I saw what we were about to do. Well - WE?? Everybody chickened out, watching some other people taking their jump. But hey! I didn't come all the way to the States to back out, did I? So I decided to just go with the flow.

A couple of men explained the procedure, but I didn't really listen. I was totally fascinated by the other jumpers. I just couldn't believe I was going to do that.. Amazing, truly amazing. So they hoisted me up. I remember the height was the same as our church tower. And believe me: it's high! The man next to me kept talking to me - I kept staring down, looking for my friends. And then this guy asked me: are you ready???? uugghhh... ME???? I heard the crowd count down: 3 - 2 - 1 - BUNGEEEEEEEEE!! And I jumped.. did I jump alright.. Because I had not heard the explanation, I had no idea what I was doing. Apparently I was supposed to hold my knees, but I made a free fall. I think I know now how people feel when they decide to jump of a building in a suicide attempt. It's horrible. But then again: it's TOP SHIT!!!! Someone down there was filming the whole event - that didn't last as long as it seemed - and you can hear me scream: ONCE MORE!!!!!

What a joke! At the time... The next day I was sore all over my body. My host family was not impressed at all. They thought I was not responsable. How could they trust me with their little girl, if I put my life at risk? Whatever.. it was an experience of a life time. And it was an experience I would never try to do again. Thank you very much.

I could use some company

As I have told you before, I work as a personal assistant for a disabled lady in a manual wheel chair. She has Cerebral Palsy, a medical condition she got because of a doctor's fault during delivery. She can do pretty much everything all by herself, but she needs company once in a while, to help her out with things she can't do. People ask me what I do on a daily basis in my job as an assistant. I'll tell you about today.

We had a short briefing this morning, about what had to be done today. After putting the trash can outside, I took Mrs. A to the doctor and to the pharmacist. We sat down for lunch together and then we went for a walk (I push her wheel chair), did some shopping together and then took the car to get some groceries as well. Her boyfriend is over at her place this week. Then she likes to have home cooked meals. I made way too much food on demand today: oven baked meatloaf, baked meatballs, cooked meatballs in tomato sauce, mashed potatoes, creamy tomato soup,.. I'm sure they will enjoy their meals the next couple of days. We didn't get to hoovering the house, nor did we do the paperwork that was required. I'll be back on Thursday, to do some more personal assisting.

Trust him but keep your eyes open

Two middle aged men were in the hospital at the same time, for different surgery procedures. One man woke up after having had a urological surgery, although he had no urological problems at all. The patient that was supposed to have this urological surgery, was seen by another surgeon for a full narcotic check-up he didn't need at all.
It's just not done... Both men have left the hospital by now. One man has to go on with his life, missing a healthy part in his body, due to a mistake by doctors. The other man had the correct surgery after the doctors realised what they had done. The urologist that performed the surgery on the wrong patient, is a very competent person. Nobody knows how this terrible accident could occur.
The hospital has started an intern investigation and have informed both patients and their family straight from the beginning. Both patients have every right to file a complaint against the doctors. Neither one of them has done such a thing so far. They could claim some kind of reimbursement or compensation. How can they ever make up for the missing part in his body though...
It's a good thing there are narcotics to help people through surgery. These stories are rare and it shouldn't scare you to undergo surgery. It's freaky though..

I have to hit the rack

I'm tired... both physically and mentally. I feel pain and strain in my neck, my shoulders and my lower back. My feet feel warm and my foot soles feel overheated. They burn and sting and I have calluses on the bottom of both feet. I have way too many shoes, but not one single pair is good enough to walk on for an entire day. I truly believe my body is giving me signals. It's telling me something is not right. If only I could listen to my body.. If only I could get a good night rest.

Last week's 911 call hasn't done me much good. It still worries me that one day, I will slip into a diabetic coma. I'm wearing my sensor all the time now, although I'm not sure it will be covered by insurance. It makes me feel safer, knowing that the sensor will wake me up in case of a low blood glucose. It's frightening to sleep without it.. I have some friends that have been in a diabetic coma before and they are just fine. But there are also people that are severely damaged after a diabetic coma. Is it so abnormal to be scared?