Not living up to the expectations

Last week I got really agitated with the customer service of a local store. Our girls bought an iPod each in that store, just the other year. As there was no adapter included in their box, one of them bought one in the same store, only one week later. Now that adapter is no longer functioning, so I took it back to the store, since they gave a 2 year warranty on the product. To my surprise, not one of the 3 sellers was willing to help me out. They said it was no use returning the adapter to be fixed, since the cost of fixing it was going to be higher than it's worth to begin with. Hello??? How about their warranty of 2 years??? So they asked me about my warranty certificate. Normally you get an invoice, but hey, not for this item, since the cost was less than € 100! So I was only given a register ticket, which we no longer had.

At home, I checked online banking and I instantly found the exact date we bought the adapter. That's when I went back to the store, with a print of my payment. Guess what? Exactly.. they couldn't accept this bank statement! DUH! Oh come on! How about some goodwill??? really!

I was getting more and more frustrated so I wrote them an e-mail, explaining what had happened. This lovely lady from customer service called me on the phone, to explain how they work. I can agree to the point that it was my mistake to not have kept the receipt for the adapter. We have been customers in that store for many many years. They have no interest whatsoever to keep a customer, over a lousy € 24.99. I just can't believe they are so narrow minded and unwilling to offer a solution, we can both agree with.

My daughter will get herself a new adapter. Not from Vanden Borre, trust me. They just lost 4 good customers.. My husband, me and both girls have bought several items in that store. Well, it's their loss, not ours. Switch in Sint-Niklaas will help us from now on. And I'm sure their customer service will be more helpful, as they have proved so far!

Sunday Roast

Sunday Roast
Photo by Lana Joos

This morning, I felt like making Sunday Roast. Not just the roast, but the whole thing: scalloped potatoes au gratin, baked pork roast, finely chopped vegetables (celery, carrot, yellow pepper, zucchini, onion), caramelised apple cubes, yorkshire pudding and bacon and thyme based gravy with a touch of port. It was a bit of trouble, but definitely worth it.

Eva dressed the table real well and it was pretty festive, like Sunday luncheons are supposed to be. A good glass of wine and some diet coke for the girls to finish off the meal and then it was time to sink into the couch and have a Sunday siesta. Not for too long, because the whippets are longing for a walk along the beach!

Yorkshire pudding
Photo by Lana Joos

Tiptoeing

Rebba is the most typical whippet one can get. She loves to sleep, hang out on the couch, cuddle up with the family, sleep some more and go for long walks - that is if the sun is out. When it's looking greyish out there, she won't budge. She hides her head behind a pillow, wishing for us not to spot her. She's like: no way! not in that drizzly weather!

When we wake up, the dogs need to go outside to, well, you know. Inthe races out as soon as possible. She's so in a hurry, she can't wait for me to open the door, jumping up and against the door and walls. Rebba is as excited to go outside. As soon as the door opens, she sticks her nose out, sniffing some air and at the same time taking a glance at the weather. That's when she decides whether she'll go outside or not. She knows I'm encouraging her to go outside after all, but in an unguarded moment, she sneaks back to the living area, trying to hide from me. So I call her back and she digs her head deeper down the pile of pillows. In the mean time, Inthe is having a ball in the garden, playing with her toys and digging up dirt.

I walk back to the couch, pick up that leaden whippet girl (trust me, if she doesn't want to walk, she seems more heavy than ever) and bring her to the deck, her legs all stiff and not willing to walk. I put her out and close the door. She tiptoes over the deck, sits down for a pee and tiptoes back to the door, trying to keep her feet dry. She gives me the most dirty look ever and decides right there on the spot, that she's not going to love me for 5 minutes. She's adorable..

Radiant

That's a word I've heard so many times in the last couple of weeks. My eyes are shining and I feel great. People say I look radiant. That's a nice thing to say and I embrace the compliment. I can see it when I look in the mirror. I'm rediscovering myself and that feels so right..

Adding a little flavor to life

Today is going to be another great day! I'm about to pick up my friend to head towards our destination. I'm all stressed, but it's healthy stress. It's rather excitement I guess. I have done some preparation the day before and my cook books and kitchen appliances are in the trunk of the car, so I'm ready!

The place we're driving to, is the house of my mentor. She has a great place and a huge back and front yard, full of vegetables and fresh fruit. Some more people are to be expected, 9 to be exact. We haven't all met, but that's no problem. We'll have plenty of time to mingle.

We are going to stroll around the garden, to find and pick the ingredients for the recipes we're going to prepare. We're going to make so many different things: banana bread (no bananas in the backyard, DUH!), autumn cake packed with nuts and apples (harvested on the spot), vegetable tajine (I heard there are parsnips, carrots, onions, tomatoes, zucchini and maybe pumpkin), Bombay potatoes (grown in their backyard) and chapati (Indian flat bread). Last night I made the best chocolate mousse ever and this morning I woke up early and thought: how about making fresh tomato soup to bring as well?
My fingers are itching! They want to get started!! Off we go!!!

True joy

This morning I had a feeling of true joy! I felt like jumping up and down and all around, and I'm glad I was alone in the house so nobody could hear my YIEHA scream, because that was kinda over the top. For 8 years I have waited for this moment of glory and now it's there.. I don't know how to handle my joy yet, but let me tell you: it feels like a million dollar! Let me indulge in this moment of true happiness..

A winter's day

It was so cold I couldn't keep myself warm. I'm normally not a cold person. In fact, I rarely wear a coat, not even in winter. But this time, my feet were cold as stone and I had this overall uncomfortable feeling. We have loads of blankets in the house and I spent some time on the couch covered in fleece. It made it a little better, but I was still cold. It's not like I was getting ill or anything like that. Maybe it's the fatigue? I don't know. I hope to get some warmth real soon.. I need the sun I guess.

Keep your mind wide open

Your knees are still hurting. The pain started nearly two years ago. Some days are better than others and the pain comes and goes, but there haven't been many pain free days lately. You're an active girl and you love to dance and ride your bike and be a sporty teen. But the pain hasn't been very helpful in remaining active. In school you have to run in sports class. That's not the best sport around if your knees are not being very co-operative. Last year, you skipped all sports classes, in school but also in your leisure time.
You started dancing again in September and you're not overacting. But still, your knees are holding you back.

Last week, we went to see a sports doctor aka homeopath. He said he was going to do his best to help you get better. It was hocus pocus to me (and to you too, I guess), but we decided to give it a try and keep our minds wide open. You never know, right? If it doesn't heal you, it won't kill you either..

Scared to stand out

You are a very sociable girl. Your friends (trust me, there are way too many) love you very much. They look up to you. But you don't know why. It is strange to see, how shy you can be. You don't like to stand out. You don't like to be in the middle of the excitement. Being a bystander is what you prefer, although people often think differently about you.

There's no reason to be shy or afraid, sweetie. You're a wonderful kid. Being clever, smart, witty, friendly, goodlooking, talented,.. I don't see a reason why you would hide. I hear you play the flute very well, but then again, you don't want to play before an audience. The band is planning a concert on Sunday, and you are terrified and anxious. Your grandparents will come over to see you play, and you hate the idea! But why kiddo? You'll do just fine! Nobody expects more from you than you are already showing us. So chillax okay? 

Don't worry..

Don't worry about people from your past. There's a reason they will not belong to your future. There's a time for everything. Don't regret any encounter, not even those from your past. We meet people for a reason. Every person we meet teaches us things in life, whether they are beneficial to us or not. There are always lessons to learn. There's no use crying over it. We all need to experience different encounters before we learn our lesson. And if this one person couldn't teach us all we needed to know, there will surely be another to continue where the first one left of.

Some people believe they need to teach you something the hard way. To some that may work, but we all require a different approach. What works for you, doesn't necessarily work for me. If you see that your teaching method isn't working, it would be good to listen to your student and reconsider another method. After all, the goal is to teach the other a lesson in life, right? There's absolutely no need to be rude or aggressive towards the other. Humiliating or punishing the other for not understanding the lesson is just not done. Maybe you're not a good teacher.. Don't always blame it on the student..

Doubts

It's 8:00 AM. It's your time to go into surgery. You had to be in last night and I hope you were able to catch the sleep you definitely needed. You were on my mind a lot the last couple of weeks. I'm pretty sure, you had some doubts last night, didn't you? Trust me, most people would have doubts. After all, nobody else can make the decision for you and it's your body and you will have to deal with the outcome of the surgery. But you know what? You're stronger than you think. How about we believe you'll do just fine? Wouldn't that be the best option?

I'm looking forward to seeing you. We chose Leuven. I've never been there, but you told me you knew a great place for us to hang out and have a talk. It will be interesting to say the least. And you know what? I wish I could be in the hospital today, to give you a hug and to tell you everything will be all right..

Sunny side up

How do you like your eggs? Sunny side up, I may hope? That's how I like the people around me: sunny side up. I try to surround myself with positive, happy people. For too many years, I have been surrounded with negativity and critics that destroyed my personality and selfworth. I don't feel like going back to those years. It took me a long time to get over it, but for many years now, I'm done with my past and negative people. It is such an enlightenment and relief to talk to positive people, that contribute to your own personal health and selfesteem. Those are the people I cherish.

Of course life is not always sunny side up, I do realize that. Even I sometimes have darker moments, but I try not to stay there for too long. It's better to get a grip and move on. Only health or death are worth our concern. Nothing else matters enough to hold your head low. Look out for small things that make you happy. Love yourself and treat yourself in the best way possible. Please yourself and don't forget to pamper yourself every now and then. People that don't love themselves, are not capable of loving others. I speak out of experience.. trust me.

Fashion is not about comfort

It's so tempting to wear sweatpants around the house and on some days, you just don't even want to bother so you keep your jammies on all day. That's so not what fashionistas do. They dress up and they would never walk out the door with no make up on. They always want to look their best and they spend more time in the bathroom than in school or at work. Of course it's exciting to look fabulous and stunning! Fashionistas never seem to have bad hair days and their lipstick never fades. But don't they ever get tired of always looking like a million dollar??? I mean, do they even know the good comfy feeling sweatpants and T-shirts give you?? I doubt it. I think I need to do some shopping.. for new sweatpants. The old ones have too many stains..

My personal shopper

Today, my personal shopper and I went out for the day. We frequented several stores and the trunk of the car was not large enough to hold all of the bags. So we had to put the extra bags in the back seat. LOL. He's great at giving shopping advice and he always finds bargains. He's a doll, really, wouldn't wanna miss him. I love hanging out with him. We think alike quite often, as in saying the exact same thing at the exact same time. And we have more in common... We even share dessert, how about that?
It was great to unpack all the new stuff and make the house look pretty. Love it!

Thanks buddy, for taking me along. I had a blast. x

That fall feeling..

Autumn Cake
Photo by Lana Joos

Across from our house, their are quite a few chestnut trees. They keep the sun away from the house in summer and make sure the cars are in the shade. But in the fall season, I admire the colors of the leaves twirling down from the huge and old trees. They gather in small heaps until the wind blows them on our doorstep.

I was in the mood for making some sort of cake with fall produce: apples, pecan nuts, cinnamon and a streusel topping. The whole house smelled wonderful.. I love the smell of cake and especially the fragrance of ground cinnamon. I use cinnamon all the time, not only in sweet dishes like applesauce or cake, but also in Moroccan dishes like chicken tagine with tons of vegetables (carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, garlic, pumpkin, parsnip,..).

Maybe I should take the whippets for a walk in the woods. I'm not too fond of the mosquitoes that still hang out there and ticks are not my favorite either, but seeing the dogs jump in piles of leaves, is priceless.

Beneath the veneer

On most days I'm optimistic and fun to hang out with. That's when I try to hide the fatigue that I have experienced for so many years now. I thought having better blood glucose would solve the problem, but it hasn't. The fatigue is wearing me out. For the last couple of months, I have hardly slept more than 5 hours in a row. It's taking its toll.

I try to be happy and cheerful and fun, but some days I'd rather crawl up on the couch and sleep for a decade. Honestly. I'm sick and tired of being so tired. I do take my vitamins and as soon as I lay my head down, I'm off to better resorts. The thing is that circumstances keep waking me up, interrupting my sleep. Although I have no problem whatsoever to fall asleep again, my sleep was interrupted and that's not a good thing... The lack of sleep makes me irritable and I realise I'm reaching my breaking point. It's getting harder day after day and I desperately need some catching up. If only..

In concert

Yesterday a friend invited me to accompany him on his night out. He had promised a mutual friend of ours, to go to his place in the evening. That mutual friend is a pianist and a composer. He writes his own music and plays all of his songs and melodies by heart. He invited a small group of people to come listen to his repertoire and it was interesting to say the least. He's serene and calm and very creative. We were all very impressed by his music and his ability to compose glorious music. At first it surprised me that I didn't recognize any of the songs he played. But then he informed us that all of the music was composed by him. Mostly in the middle of the night, the inspiration for a new tune grows in his mind. It's necessary then to write it down immediately, before it leaves his head.

He's planning on recording a couple of CD's because people keep asking him where they can buy his music. It's great for meditation and relaxation, peaceful music in the car on your way home or as background music in a restaurant. And don't forget: his music is unique! So if you're looking for an excellent and creative pianist to illuminate an exhibition or a family gathering, do contact me. I'll forward him your request.

Inner peace

Happiness is finding your own inner peace in the eyes of the other.. That's a line my new sister-in-law shared with us. I found it really special and it confirmed the feeling I had about her and my youngest brother-in-law. They are happy. They are in love. They make a good match. I wish them all the best.

Cupcakes and chocolate mousse

I'm in the mood to bake desserts and goodies. Don't know what to make first. The girls love chocolate mousse, but I feel like making cupcakes or brownies or chocolate moelleux or muffins of some sort. Having truck loads of cooking books doesn't make it any easier. My latest cook book (in fact it's about baking) is one by the hand of Martha Stewart. I have deep respect for her and the way she made it to the top. Her recipes are clear, honest, exciting, not too difficult, delicious and scrumptious. There are several recipes in that book I would like to try out. The only problem is: who will eat it?? I won't, since the recipes are not low carb. But I do enjoy the baking. So maybe I'll bake some cupcakes to take to my friend's house later in the afternoon. I don't know yet. Still trying to come to terms with myself.

Take a parachute and jump

The title may sound a little macabre, but that's what crossed my mind in the murder of Els Van Doren. Four years ago, her life ended abruptly when her last parachute jump ended in tragedy. Someone slit parts of her parachute, causing her death that may now be considered murder. Els Van Doren was married and had 2 children. She allegedly had a 5 year affair with Marcel Somers, another member of the parachute club. Every weekend, she went to Holland, where she would spend time with her lover. During the week, she was the loving mom and wife at home.

Els Van Doren had a friend. They didn't only share the same first name: Els, but they shared the same boyfriend as well. Els Van Doren didn't know about the other mistress but the latter knew her lover was involved with her best friend as well. She had a hard time dealing with that love affair. She tried to spend as much time with Somers as her friend did. He slept with one on Saturday and with the other on Sunday.

Who planned the murder on Els Van Doren and even more important: who killed her? The media have already made up their mind. In every paper, we read about the sangfroid of Els Clottemans. The jealousy of the other woman.. In fact, she's been convicted before her trial even started. But how about Marcel Somers? Didn't he have a motive? Maybe he was fed up with both women? He surely tries hard enough to badmouth Els Clottemans and point towards her as the murderer. That's probably not how he thought of her when she was in his bed?
Maybe Els Van Doren wanted to stop their affair and that was not something Marcel Somers wanted to hear? An anonymous letter reached the courthouse, stating that Marcel - in a drunk mood - confessed that Els Van Doren had to die, because she wanted to leave him. If he couldn't have her, nobody could. He would have said that the free fall would eventually take care of it. It's up to the court now, to check the whereabouts of the letter and the sincerity.

And how about the husband of the deceased? Did he really not know his wife had an affair for 5 years? How come he didn't mind her spending every weekend away from home? Did he know after all and did he plan her death?

It's a mystery and only the killer knows the answer. To be continued..

Every Day Cooking

Another favorite cook of mine is Jeroen Meus. So I was pleased to see he now has his own TV show. Every night I'm ready to watch what he has planned to cook for us. He has a gorgeous cottage style kitchen (yes, he's cooking from home) and a garden full of fresh herbs. His cooking is simple, honest and without any doubt delicious. That's why a visit to his restaurant Luzine is on top of my list. In fact, I have someone out there who is more than willing to accompany me. The restaurant is not cheap by far, but I'm convinced it will be worth the cost. So whenever my companion is in Leuven, Belgium, I hope he'll give me a call so I will have a reason to drive to Leuven and enjoy an excellent meal in great company!

Lazybones..

My friend forwarded this link, to order the Robomop Softbase. I was like: what the heck? But then I read the reviews on the thingamajig and watched a video on YouTube and I was like: let's give it a try! And if it's no good, I can still give it to the in-laws as a Christmas present. LOL.

I think puppy Inthe will absolutely go bananas. Maybe it'll freak her out! But it could be a good substitute for the vacuum cleaner. So yes, every other day, I'll make Mr Robomop sweep the floors and free them from dust and pet hair.

Looking forward to the postman. Again.

Spaghetti without the carbs

I'm not the only one who has made the choice to eat low carb. Some do so for health reasons, others because they are not really in to carbs. I was a true carbohydrate junkie before I was diagnosed with diabetes. Over the years, I have had real problems digesting carbs and they surely spiked my blood sugars! Especially whole wheat bread, rice, pasta,.. So I try to find substitutes to cook healthy and delicious low carb meals.

Spaghetti Spirelli Slicer

I was in the mall with a friend of mine. Only one shop really drew my attention: the cook shop. I ran into this great appliance: spaghetti spirelli slicer! Google spirelli on the website and you'll see what I'm talking about. I have tried yellow and green zucchini, carrots, cucumber. You can then stir-fry or poach the extra long strands of veggie spaghetti according to whatever you want your dish to look like. Maybe I should try parsnip or horseradish as well?

In one part of Belgium, there's this dish called "Steppegras". We're talking the thinnest French fries you've ever seen! And guess what? I can make them now, with my very own spaghetti spirelli slicer! Too bad those are not low carb.. or fat free.

Farmville

Farmville is an online game where you can farm with your friends. It is an application on the social-networking website Facebook. You are given the opportunity to manage a virtual farm by planting, growing and harvesting crops and trees as well as raising your very own virtual cattle.

Some friends of mine are true Farmville fanatics. They talk about "their" farm as it were their very own real life farm. They ask for food for their livestock or wooden boards to mend the stables. I have not put one foot in Farmville and I'm not planning on doing so either. It's really not my cup of tea, sorry. So please stop sending me invitations for this virtual game?

It was funny though, to see in my blog analytics, that I have a follower on my blog from.. yes.. Farmville. Go figure!

White walls

Imagine you could start your life over. A blank canvas is always the best way to start. What would you write on your canvas? Would you make the same choices? Would you change certain things or are you happy with the way you were living your life? Think about it. Maybe it's realistic to do things over. Life is in your hands. Rewrite your own script book. Live your life the way you want to live it. Life's too short to let other people or circumstances direct it. Live your life to the fullest. You are entitled to new canvases as often as you want. It's okay to make mistakes and it's okay to start over. You are okay.. and so is your white and colored wall.

Going to the pub

LOL. Most of you that know me, will say: she's going to the pub??? Get out of here!!! And they are right! I'm not the typical pub person. I don't drink (one glass of whine a month is not worth mentioning) and I don't frequent bars or pubs. But this pub is different. Every month, one evening is reserved for people with diabetes. They have a get together in this particular pub in Ghent. They can talk about whatever keeps them busy in their diabetes treatment. Every time a professional is invited to come and speak about D. This evening we're going to discuss DIET... The word so many diabetics fear. The reason why so many diabetics don't like to go see their doctor. Because every time their doctor points out they're overweight and they should do something about it.

Yes, many people with diabetes are overweight. There are also a whole lot of overweight people who don't have this chronic disease. The world is full of temptations and food is available more than ever, 24/7. We see commercials on TV and in magazines and we bump into fast food joints all the time. Can you never ever have a hamburger and fries if you're a diabetic? Of course we can! As long as we eat healthy as often as we can.. That goes for all of us. And this time, US is not us, diabetics, but all the people out there! Healthy food and a healthy lifestyle is important. Don't mess with your body. Know what you feed your body and know what's good for you.

See you in the diabetes pub tonight!

Service unavailable

This morning I had no access to my blog space. That's why there was nothing to read. But things have gone back to normal apparently, so I'm catching up.

I went to see my surgeon, or should I say "his assistant"? Still haven't met the person who removed my gallbladder. Not before the surgery, not after the surgery and not even today, when he was supposed to see me for my check up. A lovely assistant helped me out. There were 4 wounds from the surgery and two of them looked kinda weird, since a piece of thread was crawling out of the scars. She asked me to unbutton my shirt and lay down, so she could use her razor blade to cut of the little knots of the threads used to sew me up. It was a funny feeling, because she had to pull the thread quite hard to get her razor blade underneath the knot. It was not messy, but it stung somewhat.

I hope I'm done now. No more surgeries, no more check-ups. Except for the diabetes, since that wonderful chronic disease is still chronic and for life..

Things you must do to make me happy

How will they know what you need unless you demand it?

Leave notes for your loved ones, telling them exactly what they must do to ensure your happiness on a daily basis. Should they buy you something, prepare you a chocolate pie or just stop whining? Let them know. Your requests/demands can be as simple as "put your stuff away" or as challenging as "pretend to like my friends, okay?" and everything in between.

Find just what you need to make you happy. Indicate when the action should be taken. Maybe you already wanted your wish to be fulfilled the other day? Or maybe immediately or from now on? Write it down for your loved ones, so they can look into it. You could add little but important words like Please, Pretty Please or the less nice Or else.. Leave it out for all to see. 

Bombshells

You know the type: straightened and bleached hair, catlike eyes, high cheekbones, fat lips (that's the only fatty part on their body), glamsmile, bronzed tan, big boops, small waistline, tiny bum, legs that never seem to end, manicured (toe) nails. Shortly: bombshells..
I don't know the percentage of fake body parts, but bombshells are pretty excited about Botox and plastic surgery (gone wrong or not). Looking at the fat lips, gives me that crazy idea that someone must have hit them in the face with a baseball bat. Sorry! but that's just the way it looks okay? I can't grasp why those women think their deformed lips would seem attractive?? Come on! Really! Do they honestly believe that's a pretty sight? or is it because I'm female and not attracted to women? I don't know..

One of Tom Jones's favorites was Sexbomb. I think bombshell is a little more subtle, although it's all the same in the end, right? Because, really, why would women transform themselves into bombshells? Exactly..

A void filled

Today many companies opened their doors to the public. Everyone was welcome to go visit several companies and see how they operate. My choice was to go visit our local chocolate company. We girls all love chocolate and guess what? Cavalier makes the most delicious chocolate with no sugar added! How about that? I guess their products have filled a void in the market. So many people out there trying to eat healthy, sugarfree, low calory or low carb. But hey, aren't they entitled to make good choices in life and still enjoy good produce? Cavalier must have heard that cry for help. Trust me, their chocolate is GOOD! I can honestly say it's the best no sugar added chocolate I have ever tasted. And for those who have never tasted chocolate spread on their sandwich: the hazelnut spread is nearly carb free as you may deduct polyols from the total carb content, leaving you with no more than 10 grams of carbs per 100 grams of chocolate spread. Don't compromise on taste: try Cavalier. Freedom of chocolate!

Fundraising

The girls are so annoyed by their portable computer.. It's old (nearly 3 years) and not working properly any more. Hubby tries to fix it all the time and he keeps working on it, but still, it's broken and it can no longer be mended. It's been in the computer shop several times and all they could tell us during the warranty time was: there's no problem with this laptop! As if! It's terrible not to have a computer that is reliable, the children scream in despair...!!

Maybe we should open a trust fund to help them out, saving for a new laptop. They do need it for school and to keep in touch with their friends after school hours. Both girls take many pictures that they keep in files on their laptop. Daddy tried to fix the problem, but instead he got an empty computer as a result.. So all of their pictures, music, documents have been wasted.. No need to tell you about the pantomime here..

So if you happen to have a laptop you no longer use, or you can tell us the best brand (no, they cannot have a Mac) to buy, please let us know. We have had Packard HELL before, so that brand is off the list for bad custom service and for letting us down, despite the price of 1600 euros!

Dig in!

Last night, we had dinner in Antwerp before we crossed the road to go see Dance of the Vampires. I'm glad I don't have those long fangs as vampires appear to have. It would make it much more difficult and messy to enjoy dinner!

As usual the costumes and the decor were extraordinary. Wow. The theatre was crowded, but nevertheless we had great seats! Right in the middle and not too many tall people sitting in front of us.
Sara, Albert and the Count did a terrific job. They have great voices and they acted real well in this funny but scary tale. But my favorite actor/singer was the professor though! I don't have a clue but his breath seems endless! The lines he can sing in one breath.. it's just.. breathtaking, right. There was one song where his voice reminded me of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.
The son of the Count was warmly welcomed by the public as well. Hahaha! if someone would tell me he were the brother of Barbie, I would have believed so. The crowd adored him!

The dancers were very good. Stepping out of their coffins on the grave yard, I had this déjà vu that they would dance Michael Jackson's Thriller! This one particular male vampire was really scary. The way he moved his body was almost snake like!
The music was good, so I bought the CD as well as the show book. Another memory for my musical box. I'm so glad our friends introduced us into the musical world. It's a pleasure to go out and spend a great evening in the theatre. Maybe I should get myself a set of vampire teeth and act out in the dark..

I'm fine..

really means: I need a hug and someone to talk to..

It's strange how people automatically ask you how you are doing, without wanting a real answer. They expect you to say: I'm fine. They don't want to hear you're not okay. Then why do they ask in the first place? Is it not okay to say you're not coping well? Are you supposed to lie and deny the way you truly feel? People are strange sometimes. They are pretty occupied with themselves, without thinking about the other. It's like they pretend to care, but they don't. That's kinda sad..

Good friends know if you're doing well or not. They don't need to ask. They can sense it. Call it the 6th sense if you want. That's why friends are so important. No need to pretend you feel great when you really don't. FYI, I feel fine.. thanks for asking..

Bloody Love

We have Golden Seat tickets for the tonight show of Dance of the Vampires in Antwerp. I have been so looking forward to this musical! On TV, they have shown several parts of the show and it has made me real curious. The actors/singers appear to be really good. When I heard the professor sing, I was like: oh my gosh! He's amazing! I feel privileged to be able to go. This time Hubby is not coming along. He's working the late shift. So I'll have to buy the CD I guess (like I always do), to let him enjoy the music as well.

Buddies, let's go and grab a bite, before we head of for this fantastic event! See you soon!

Nighttime hypos

Experiencing hypoglycaemia is never something you long for. It's a nuisance and it makes you feel very uncomfortable. During the daytime, you are alert enough most of the time, to see it come. There's plenty of time to get some glucose tablets or regular coke. In a jiffy you feel better.

It's a little different when it comes to nighttime hypos. Sometimes the low blood glucose wakes you up, sometimes it doesn't. In my beginning years of D, hypos really freaked me out. Especially nighttime hypos. I didn't recognize them at night and I was often afraid to go to bed. Afraid I would sleep through it and never wake up again. I know better now.. Your liver stocks a certain amount of sugar (16 lumps of sugar, to be correct), at all times. This sugar gets released when you are experiencing hypoglycaemia and you are not responding. Often it leaves you with a high morning reading, a terrible headache and an exhausted feeling. That's when you realize you had a hypo during the night and you slept through it. Isn't it awesome to know how clever our body works? I'm amazed to hear that our own system tries to help us out when we are not capable of responding. It's better to treat your hypos yourself, since every time you experience a very low, there's a chance your brain might get affected.

Our youngest whippet - Inthe - is a pretty smart dog and on several occasions she woke me up while being in Hypo land. I don't know how she does it, but she starts to lick my face, right until I'm ready to wake up and test my blood glucose. Most times, she's right. Maybe I make strange sounds then or maybe my body shakes, I don't know. I have never seen me having a hypo!

Prejudice and bias

There are many different races and cultures on this planet. Our country has become a complete mixture of cultures. I have always liked foreigners. It is exciting to talk to them and the interaction between cultures is interesting to say the least. Some cultures and races are more appealing to me than others. I have never been a racist and I hope I'll never become one. I have more problems with religion than with culture, although some religions are so connected with a culture, it's hard to unravel the ball of yarn.

In school, our kids have people in their classes or on the playground that were born in different countries and cultures. They don't mind. They think it's rather interesting. They don't see the race, they see the person. I like that about my girls. They're not prejudiced.

I have dated foreign people in the past. Some relations were better than others, but I can tell you: not one of them was boring. There are so many differences to get to know, languages to learn, customs to discover, food to taste. My heart saw no color, just love at first sight. I especially liked the curly eyelashes, the broad smile with the perfect white teeth and the skintone of my African-American boyfriend, the sparkling eyes and energetic dance moves of my Egyptian boyfriend. The heartiness and enthusiasm of my American fiancé. I have a Polish friend and there was a Turkish man in my school I liked to hang out with. I love the Arabic sounds in the language, the up tempo of Indian music, the zing of Japanese food. Yes, I'm a fan of different cultures.

Make an educated guess

Don't you just love George Clooney? He's adorable.. love his voice too. It's calm and serene and yes, sexy too. It's not because of George Clooney that I own a Delonghi Nespresso maker. Not at all.
I just like Nespresso coffee and most of all: Latte Macchiato! But I'm sure his commercial awakened me somehow. Maybe I wouldn't have looked into it any further hadn't I seen the commercial over and over again? Make an educated guess...
Have to go! My Macchiato is steaming and ready!

It takes a long time to grow an old friend

People come and people go. Over the years, you get to know different people. Sometimes the people you meet become friends. Others disappear out of your life. Nothing wrong with that. Not all the people you meet become friends. But every now and then, that friendship becomes real intense. The friendship becomes more important and you feel your friend brings joy into your life. It takes a long time to grow an old friend, is a perfect saying. Friends don't last if you're not prepared to invest in the friendship. It doesn't mean you have to see or hear each other on a daily basis. Good friends don't have to hang out together all the time. They can read one another without words. Distance is no object.

I have a number of friends that have become more and more important to me over the years. They know me. I know them. We can mess up without killing the friendship. That's what real friendship is about. You can be you without being afraid the other will judge you for the person you are. People make mistakes, people go way out of line. But if your friend is a true friend, they won't hold a grudge against you..

Puuuuuuuhleeeeeeeze mom!

Girls... The oldest asked us when we thought she would be ready to start going out on a regular basis. She's 15 (and a half, she claims) and she's a good girl. She's responsible and punctual and she hasn't let us down. We have given her the chance to go out every now and then, but I don't think we're ready to let her go out on a weekly basis. Not yet. It's just too soon. In our opinion of course. She says she wouldn't go out on a weekly basis, that would be too much. Just every now and then.

Then what's the difference???

Feel free to ask

I'm attending another diabetes meeting tonight. The presentation is called: Feel free to ask. An endocrinologist and his team will be there to answer any question we might have. It's always an advantage to broaden your knowledge on the subjects that relate to you. I like to be informed and I like to discuss diabetes with others. I'm looking forward to this evening. Let's hope there will be a crowd and people won't be too shy to ask their questions.

I'll be meeting another diabetesforum member as well tonight. It's always nice to get to know the people behind the nicknames! And he's a pumper too! So much to talk about!

I've seen that face before

One day, I was in adult school, freshening up my knowledge of the French language. The face of my teacher looked real familiar, but I couldn't tell where I had seen that face before. The way she talked, the gentle way of interfering with people, it all felt real familiar to me. Then she told me where she came from. I remembered then.. She was a trainee when I was in highschool. She was studying to become a French teacher. She came to our class for a couple of weeks, to teach us French. Even then I liked her. So many years later, different location, but we met again. In the meantime, she's become a very good friend of mine. She's no longer a French teacher and I'm no longer her student, but we meet up every once in a while and then we talk about life. It's natural. It's good. I like our friendship.

Looking for a new family

On Facebook, I came across this organization that immediately drew my attention. Whippet Rescue Ireland is on a mission. They help abused, abandoned and neglected whippets throughout Ireland. We all heard about organizations helping Spanish Galgos and Greyhounds, but this particular organization is on the lookout for whippets in trouble. They aim to place all of the needy whippets in a warm and loving foster home, where they are loved and being cared for until a permanent home is found.

The whippets come into the care for various reasons. Sometimes their owner is moving or is no longer capable of taking care of his whippet. Other whippets are strays and some are severely neglected. But please help these people find good homes for these unique and special dogs. They receive no funding and they solely depend on donations from people out there, who have a heart for whippets.

Rescuing and rehoming whippets is what this organization does. Feel free to donate via their website. The money will be used to feed the dogs, make sure they are healthy and taken care off, before they go stay with their new families. As you all know, we have two whippets in our household. They are like children to us. We love them deeply and I can assure you: these two have brought so much love in our house!

So if you know someone who is willing to adopt a whippet or you have a whippet yourself you can no longer take care off due to circumstances, don't hesitate to contact Whippet Rescue Ireland. Those people have their hearts in the right place. They deserve all the help they can get..

We hope you enjoyed your stay

The oldest daughter came home with a note from school. Whether we were interested in hosting an exchange student for 1 week. The guests could be coming from Poland, Finland, Portugal or Spain. Male or female. Age between 15-17. I though that was a great idea! It's good to meet with different cultures and having an exchange student in the house is a great opportunity for all of us. So yes, we signed up. I told Hubby about the project and he was excited as well. Until I explained to him we were going to have a 17 year old Spanish boy and that he would spend his week in the same room as our daughter. All of a sudden, he changed his mind. LOL. Of course that was a joke. He should know me by now..

We told school we had no preference whatsoever. Anyone is welcome. Race, age, religion or culture is not of any issue. The student that will be staying here, gets to go to school with Lana. They have some special activities as well, and they'll visit several places. The purpose for them is to speak English and get to know different cultures.

I hope we'll get chosen as a host family. Many people have applied. If a student is to come here, it'll be the last week of October. So I'd better not make too many appointments during that week.

A shadow or two by your side

Our whippets are very fond of structure and habits. They wait for you to get up in the morning and put your clothes on. Because they know you'll take them for a walk. They follow you around the house, side by side, like two shadows. They are so afraid to miss out on something, that they do not want to loose track of you. As soon as you enter the hallway to go get their leashes, both dogs become so excited, that one might think we forgot to feed them their Retaline. They are all anxious and excited and wound up. But sometimes, you're not ready to take them along. Either you need to do something else or go to work and then little Inthe is inconsolable. She cries and whines and has no idea why you won't take her.

Last week we took them to the woods to let them have a good run. For the first time, we let Inthe run all by herself, without a leash. She loved it!!! And so did Rebba. But this time, you were their shadow. The idea of releasing them was a little too much for you. You were afraid they would run off and never come back. Maybe they would spot a pheasant or a bunny rabbit and go chase it. There's always a chance they might do that, but they listen real well to me whistling them back.

It was great to see those two muppets communicate. They were just walking next to each other, their bodies touching. And then they looked at the other like they were explaining the rules. In a tic both of them would start running their lungs out. At a certain point of their imaginary racing track, they would make a U-turn and race all the way back. It's wonderful to watch them have a great time! I love my two shadows. They make me a better me!

Cat in a hat

Little Lad Billy

From the sight of the picture, the title should be "dog in a hat". Since whippets have lots of characteristics of a cat (they do what they want, not what you want), the title is not going to be any different.

On Facebook, this picture struck me. I thought it was hilarious! Have never seen a dog wear a hat, but this fellow - Little Lad Billy - just loves his hat. It keeps his head and ears warm in the cold and rainy place of Ireland. I love him! He's so handsome!

www.whippetrescueireland.com

Our whippets have pyjamas. One is orange, the other is black. Inthe doesn't mind putting on pj's when she's not feeling well. Rebba is not too fond of it. She refuses to walk in it. I guess it feels more like a straitjacket to her. But Inthe is open to anything.

No, I'm not going to buy a hat for the girls. Our daughters have warned me not to. Hahaha! well, they know their crazy mom. But no, I'll skip on the hat. For now at least..

It's gonna bite you!

His hand is all swollen. A huge mosquito stung him. Mosquitos this year are bigger and fatter than other years. It's like a completely different breed. They manage to sting you right through your clothes. We were out in the woods walking the dogs, when this cloud of mosquitos followed us around. I saw them on Rebba first, since her skin tone is pretty pale. Poor dog, I thought, trying to wave the bugs away.
And then Hubby got this terrible mosquito bite on his right hand. It started itching and swelling right away. It worried me, because these are not just regular mosquitos. Maybe they are swamp-like bugs??

I talked him into taking some antihistamines. He did, every 4 hours. But the swelling is still there and it itches like crazy. He finally managed to take his engagement ring of, but that was a real pain. I'm glad he took it off, because I'm sure some doctor would have clipped it off anyway, if the swelling wouldn't come down. It reminds me of the vacation we spent in Corfu, Greece. The place was just packed with this type of bugs. There was a swamp nearby. Normally authorities would spray the area with pesticides, but the budget had already been spent. That's why all tourists had huge bumps all over their bodies. The mosquitos came out around 5 PM. So we were not to come out at night any more, unless we were all covered up in mosquito nets. I remember counting 40 bites on my legs. And those were not the regular little red bumps, trust me. They were like little saucers: hard and big. If the swelling of the bite on Hubby's hand hasn't decreased, he'll have to go see our GP. Without hesitation. I know he's afraid the doctor will give him some sort of cortisone injection to stop the allergy, and he's terrified of needles. So yes, I'll keep an eye on it.

Conversation Maps

Yesterday I had a meeting in the hospital where I go for my diabetes treatment. The intention was to meet up with other Type 1 diabetics and discuss D. Our diabetes nurse was the moderator. It was a small group, but it was interesting and instructive. There were two couples (both men had diabetes), two young women (one got diagnosed with D after her pancreas was removed surgically - she happens to be my sister-in-law) and a man, who got diagnosed a quarter of a decade ago.
Every one of us had a story to tell. How they were diagnosed, how they handled it, how their partner reacts to their diabetes. Every person is different and every one of us deals with diabetes in a different manner. There is no right or wrong. There are guide lines, but no rules. After all, it's our diabetes and we know how our body reacts to different types of food and situations. But in the end, we all have the same condition called Diabetes and we understand each other. We know why we have mood swings if our sugars are low or high. We know when to have goodies or not. We know about D and D is always with us. So you'd better come to terms with D, since he's going to be our longtime partner..

I hope there will be more Conversation Maps meetings in the future. It's good to join a support group of some kind. I'm very happy with our diabetesforum but this group might be very interesting as well, because there's our diabetes educator to fill us in where we miss out. So thanks nurse, for being there and teaching us whatever we need to know.

Did you know that just 1% of our pancreas is responsible for the production of insulin??? Considering that a pancreas is approximately 12-15 cm large, that 1% is just nothing! But yet, the consequences are huge..

Touched

I'm deeply moved by the photographs my oldest daughter makes. It has happened before that I have got emotional over one of her pictures.. Please enjoy.

ALL PHOTOS WERE MADE BY LANA JOOS

A thin line between love and hate

So many women are in a never ending battle with their scale. It's a constant struggle against the numbers they're facing. That is one of the rare occasions I'd rather be a man, because men don't care that much (at least not the majority of men). I have never heard of a man standing on the scale right after he comes out of bed. Going to the bathroom and getting on that scale again, dreading to see the same disappointing number. Thinking about whether he should have breakfast or not. Having to make a choice between Latte Macchiato (do men drink Latte Macchiato?) or Cafe Lungo. Finally preparing himself a bowl of cereal and pouring half of it back into the cardboard box. Changing clothes (again) because the bulging is not a sight to share with the colleagues at work.

The overall unhappy feeling the scale gives us, women, is sad. Whether women have the perfect figure - in the eyes of their jealous bigger friends - or not, they will never be totally happy about their weight. It's the stupid number that freaks us out. Nobody wants a size 16! We would all like a size 6, right? Why can't we just be happy with our female figure? We're not boys, so why do we aspire to look like one? Women have curves. In the right places. They have bums and boops and bellies. Nothing wrong with that! It's just up to us women, to start realizing that and to become content with the body shape we have. I'm going back to the kitchen now, to finish my half a bowl of cereal..

Banana Split

Every now and then, our oldest daughter and the dessert lover of the house, wants to enjoy a good portion of Banana Split. It's easy to make, you need few ingredients and it's yummy. At least, that's what she says. I'm not an ice cream lover (just don't talk about Ben & Jerry's, that's different), but if Lana wants banana split, banana split she will have.

To my surprise, I found so many different versions of banana split on the Internet. I was truly amazed! Those are not banana splits!!! Hello!! Who said you could put strawberry ice cream, pineapple topping, marshmallow, chocolate syrup or even maraschino cherries and chopped nuts on a banana split??? That's just not done! Never!

This is the only way to make a real Banana Split:

You cut a large banana lengthwise and lay it on a boat dish. In between the banana halves, you lay three royal scoops of vanilla ice cream. You make fresh chocolate sauce (who may possible have thought chocolate syrup is a decent alternative? Ugh!) to top your Banana Split with. There may be discussion about this, but you have the choice to finish it off with fresh whipped cream or not. But this is the one and only recipe.

Darts

My grandmother died at a relatively young age. I don't remember much of her. I do remember her black curly hair, with grey stripes in it and the yellow fingertips, from the nicotine she needed so desperately. And there's always this vision of my grandfather using grandmas bum as a darts board. She had type 2 diabetes and at a certain point, she needed insulin to treat her condition. In those days (I'm talking some 25 years ago), there were hardly any glucose meters around. She had to pee on a stick to check her glucose levels. Grandma wore those huge white panties, you know, the panties you could pull up all the way to your armpits? She would lower these and bend over, so grandpa could find the best spot on her bum to shoot up her insulin.

Grandma and grandpa were great fun. They used to laugh a lot. I don't know how much these two knew about diabetes back then. It was different than it is now. There was less education back then. I don't know if they knew about carbohydrates and the effect it had on your glucose levels. I do remember big bags of marshmallows. Grandma craved marshmallows: the pink and white striped ones as well as the chocolate covered coconut marshmallows. Of course those treats were an overdose of sugar.. I guess grandma would've liked the idea, that now you can buy sugarfree marshmallows..

I don't remember what exactly killed her. I believe she died of diabetes related complications, but I'm not sure. She was not the only diabetic in our family. I wonder if - wherever she might be now - she knows I'm a diabetic too. A different type and a non-marshmallow eating diabetic, but in the end: we all face the same obstacles and challenges. I don't worry too much about my future. I do the best I can to take care of myself and D.

Undying love

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

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

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

My will

When is the best time to start writing your will? I'm not planning on dying yet, not anywhere soon to say the least. In fact, I plan on living a long and healthy life. But you know what? I'm almost 40 now (okay, I turned 39 last month, but that's closer to 40 than you may think) and maybe that's when you start thinking of old age..?
I don't know?

A will huh? Don't you need property or at least some money to write on that will? It would be kinda silly to write a will stating nothing but cook books, novels and other thingamajigs, wouldn't it? We do own the house we live in. Our children tell us they don't want it. It's not their kind of house.. LOL. Kids.. They will appreciate the money once they sell our house after we're old and retired and playing cards at the nursery home nearby. I hope there will be more than books and a house to leave them. After all, we have welcomed our girls into this world and I wouldn't want to leave this world unprepared.

Normally I'm a pretty good planner. I love schedules and agendas. I'm just not very familiar with wills. Okay, I've never even seen a will before! It scares me I guess.. Reading someone else's will makes us realize we are not immortal. Maybe I'm not ready to face those facts? I always thought of wills as something romantic. Like some rich guy leaving you all of his belongings. But reality is different. People don't do crazy things anymore. They don't trust you with their money just like that. And are they right or what? Money is not a piece of paper you can print at home. It takes hard work to earn some money and it takes even more effort to make that money grow. So you really have to think about where you want that money to go to, in case of .. (I don't even want to say the D-word).

I'm sure the Internet has plenty of templates you can look into. No, I haven't checked yet. It's too soon I guess. It's too confronting. It's too scary. For now.

The Days of Our Lives

Our oldest daughter is hooked on this TV show: The days of our lives.. really. She records every episode and then she watches 5 in a row. In the meantime, she and her friend discuss whatever has happened and fantasize about what might happen in the future. Every now and then, I peek from my MacBook to see what thrilling story they have to tell. And I must say: their lives are so exciting, so extravagant, so... unreal. And most of all: so not me..

But hey.. in my teens, there were other but similar series to watch. Think Sons & Daughters, The Bold and the Beautiful (it's still on TV..), Dallas, Dynasty.. I do believe The Days of Our Lives beats them all. The characters all seem to live in the same block on the same street. They are just about everywhere at all times. They are very good eavesdroppers! There's always someone on the look-out, spying for Jack or Joe. It's so exciting it becomes ridiculous. It is so predictable too! On Monday, you know what's going to happen, but they won't reveal until Friday. If you're lucky, because sometimes they let you sit in agony for a little longer.

I wonder what story they would come up with, if they would film our Days of Our Lives..

Sweet but smelly

When our house was under construction, we moved in with our grandparents for several months in a row. It must have been winter time. We went to school in our hometown, not that far from where our grandparents lived. Winters were colder back then than they are now. Or is that the vivid memory of the child I was then?

I remember coming home from school with ice cold hands. Grandma would call me in to lead me to the living area. She would grab my numb hands and clasp them in her armpits. That was her way to warm my hands. I can tell you: they were warm real fast! But the idea of my hands in those smelly armpits was less appealing.. It was sweet of her though and it's still a good memory..

Green fingers

Plants can truly brighten up one's house. I have a couple of huge plants to decorate my house with. There's a big problem though.. I suck at watering my plants. Either I drown them, or I completely forget to water them. The soil becomes so dry, it almost falls apart in dust. And then I give them so much water, they die anyway. Plants that don't need much water do much better around here. And I'm good at growing herbs. Well, I don't even grow them. I buy them and hubby plants them in my herb garden. The sun and the rain do the rest.

I always forget to buy fertilizer and yes, those plants do need food to keep growing and to make their leaves shine. I'm looking at my plants right now and trust me.. it's not a pretty sight. Maybe I should get up and trash them. They are not going to make it anyway. Some new plants and a watering schedule might get me back on track.

MacGourmet Deluxe

A friend sent me a great programme to write my recipes down on the computer. I have tried it out for several weeks and I liked it so much, that I decided to buy the programme. Meaning I will have to take the other cookbook I made so far, and copy all of the recipes in MacGourmet Deluxe. It'll take me quite some time and maybe I'll know my recipes by heart by the time I'm finished, but it's worth doing. The programme gives you the opportunity to easily share your recipes with your friends. Shopping lists can be made and weekly mealplanners are available (I still haven't figured out that one..). I'm a fan!

MacGourmet Deluxe helps you collect, edit, use and share your favorite recipes and notes on your very own computer. It includes built-in nutritional data from the USDA database, which makes it possible to easily calculate nutritional info for your entire recipes.

It holds a tool for taking notes on wine, so you can keep track of personal ratings, bottle labels and cellar info.

Girly Girl Studio

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

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

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

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

Keeping up appearances

I couldn't but smile when hubby told me he had muscle aches..
At work, he has the opportunity to go to the gym. There are several options: tred mills, exercise bikes, power plates..

You decided to ride the exercise bike this time. You do ride your own bike, but you're not used to working out on an exercise bike. There were quite some co-workers in the gym. Sooner than expected, you were worn out, but hey! You were not prepared to give in! What did you think??? So you tried to keep up appearances and you kept going. And going. And going.. The result is that you are just so sore.. It is kinda funny though.. Men.. so transparent, so easy to read.

Crybaby..

It's getting colder. It's no longer an option to keep the back door open day and night. Hubby just turned the central heating on. So I guess I'll have to reeducate the whippets. Especially Inthe is used to running in and out whenever she feels like it. Rebba is more at ease, since she spends most of her time on the couch. If Rebba doesn't have to go outside, she won't. But Inthe, that's another tale.

We started last week, by closing the door to the terrace. It's like Inthe has become claustrophobic instantly! She cries and she weeps and she's just inconsolable. She has no idea why all of a sudden, her way out is no longer available. She's completely frantic over it! She gives me that special puppy look like: why are you doing this to me??? It breaks my heart of course (whippets are really good at making you feel guilty), but it's the only way to teach her that the doors will no longer be open whenever she wants them to be.

I let them in and out 4 times a day now. For at least 15 minutes, they have outdoor recess, like school kids have their recreation on the playground. Rebba is not happy at all, but Inthe really looks forward to her playtime in the backyard.

I have decided they should spend some time in their outside kennel as well, on a daily basis. An hour at least. So they really get used to being out there every now and then. Rebba didn't like it at first. She just knows when they'll have to stay there for a while. To her, it means "mommy" is going out. And she doesn't want mommy to go out. She's too smart. But I tempt her with goodies and now she's become used to it. I don't even tell them. Goodies in one hand and a bowl of water in the other, I just go outside and in a jiffy, they are beside me. I piddle in their kennel for a while, until both of them come in as well. Then they sit down to get their treat and I leave. They go inside their doghouse straight away, to take a nap. It's good for them to have a safe haven. And it gives us some peace of mind as well.

Help find a cure!

Diabetes is not some disease that stays unnoticed, unfortunately. Most of you already know someone who is suffering from this chronic disease.

Someone I love has diabetes. 
Someone you love might too someday..  

You would probably be happy then, that researchers do their utmost to find a cure. For decades we have been told there was going to be a solution. Researchers are getting closer, more than ever. But they need finances to keep going. They need to keep going, to help millions of people with diabetes.

Hippo and Friends is a Dutch non-profit organization, that is offering all of its time in helping children with diabetes. They have come up with this texting event. Text "steun onderzoek" (support research) to 3355. For every text message you send, the Belgian Diabetes Registry receives € 2.00 to help finance diabetes research. The cost of a loaf of bread, to help people with diabetes get a better future. Assume you can be the one, that donates that specifique € 2.00 that will help find the solution. Wouldn't that be awesome??

At this moment, the 3355 number is only available for people in Belgium. Let's hope the action will spread to many more countries. Feel free to share the link with your friends and family. Tell them about the text message and ask them for a donation from the heart.

And I know your heart's in the right place..

Oh! and before I forget! There's no limit!
You can text as many times as you want!!!

Wilco

Always on the look-out for new words, but when this e-mail I got, just said: WILCO, I was like: wil-what??? I replied: ???? That's when my husband explained his Air Traffic Control language.. Wilco means: will comply.. Hmhmhm... I guess I have a new word to write down in my dictionary. He could also have said: Yes ma'am! That I would have understood and it means the same. Sort of..

It's not that hard to smile

It's nice to spend time with friends that are optimistic and fun to hang out with. We all have our problems and I must admit, some have more than others. But you know what? Some people are really in deep trouble, but still they smile and they try to make the best of it. I find that very attractive. Life's too short to worry about this and that. We can't control everything in life and life isn't always what we expect it to be. But that's no reason to keep yourself from smiling, right? I won't say your problems are not serious or important. I might even cry over your misery, honestly. We all have our bad moments in life, but every once in a while, it's good to leave the troubles behind and focus on the good things. Because life would be really miserable otherwise. So keep on smiling okay? Life isn't as bad as you might think.

It's now or never

You're 13 and a half now. I've been driving you to Bruges every Monday and I was there every Friday to pick you up. It's not always that easy to come get you. Sometimes your daddy and I are not home when we are supposed to pick you up. So this week, I suggested you could take the bus every once in a while. You weren't too sure about that. You said it's kinda silly to drag along a suitcase on a bus.. You said everyone would look at you. But I know you're just afraid. You've never taken the bus all by yourself. That's why I suggested me and my friend could come to Bruges, as we often do, but this time we could take the bus. After school, the three of us could walk to the bus stop and take the ride home. That made you more at ease I guess.

You must have thought it over. Later that night, you had spoken to your school friends. Some of them have taken the bus from day one. They told you it's no big deal. You would have to catch a bus near your school. It would take you to bus station. There, another bus would be waiting to take you directly to Eeklo. No stops in between. We could then pick you up at the bus station in Eeklo. Fair enough? We'll give it a try, okay? How about this Friday?

Milk & Cookies

In the middle of the night, I felt like having a mug of hot milk and some cookies to dip in the milk. I should've done it, since my blood sugars were low. But it made my stomach twirl, so I skipped the idea. I ordered my pump not to deliver any more insulin for a while.

I'm still very sore and my tummy is so painful. It's hard to stand or lay down. Can't seem to find the right position to catch the sleep I desperately need.
Hubby is going to work today and the girls are in school. Just me and the dogs and the couch. I'm cold. I feel ugh. Maybe a shower would make me feel better, but just the idea of getting up and going is too much. What if I slip in the shower and fall down? Nope, I'm not even going to try on my own.

I haven't eaten anything but some pudding, half a bread roll and one slice of bread since Monday night. Just thinking of food makes me want to throw up. Not even a glass of water can cheer me up. Let's hope things will improve by tonight..

So how are we doing?

I was released from the hospital right after lunch... well.. if a little cup of pudding can be called lunch. The sight of my real lunch (spinach, mashed potatoes and fish with a sticky sauce full of clumps) made me gag. I couldn't throw up, but I was real close.

The operation went well. Three out of the 5 previous keyholes were used again, and they made one extra in my belly button. The keyhole needed to remove my gallbladder was just a little too small, so they needed to stretch it a little. It's very sensitive now..
The ultrasound didn't show any gallstones, just sludge. But there was actually one stone in my gallbladder and some grit in the bile ducts. I hope they got it all out. I hear diabetics are more susceptible to having gallstones.

I have no stitches this time and no threads to be removed. I'm happy!

I'm not feeling too well. I'm sore and I feel nauseous. I can't even think of food, without feeling sick. So I guess I'll spend some more days on the couch. The whippets will keep me company..

For a special lady..

You know it doesn't make much sense

There ought to be a law against

Anyone who takes offense

At a day in your celebration

Cause we all know in our minds

That there ought to be a time

That we can set aside

To show just how much we love you

And I'm sure you would agree

It couldn't fit more perfectly

Than to have a world party on the day you came to be

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday my dear friend..

Happy birthday to you! xx

Eton Mess

It won't be much of a surprise to you, that I just love Nigella Lawson. Not only does she look fabulous, her recipes are so simple, so delicious, so .. Nigella! Just watching her prepare a meal is a feast on itself. The way she handles food, makes you drool. I have a couple of her books at home and whenever I read her books, I have a shopping list in the other hand. Believe me: by no means can you read her books without disappearing in the kitchen afterwards to start experiment. So that's what happened the other night. I was watching one of her shows on TV and she made Eton Mess.. Oh my gosh! Did that look supercalifragilisticexpialidocious or what??? I had a couple of egg whites left in the freezer (thanks for the tip Nigella, I keep my excess egg whites in ziploc bags in the freezer), so I made meringue. And today, I sent my daughter out for strawberries. We always have double cream in the house, for emergency cravings. Yummie! Okay, okay!!! I'll give you the recipe! If only you promise to let me know what you thought of it!

Ingredients:

4 cups of fresh strawberries
2 teaspoons of vanilla sugar
2 teaspoons pomegranate juice (I used white balsamic vinegar because that's what all I had, but it worked wonderfully well)
2 cups whipping cream
4 meringues (homemade or not - if you make them yourself, you can freeze leftovers easily)

Directions

Hull and chop the strawberries and put them into a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar over the red rubies and add the juice or the balsamic vinegar. Leave the fruit to marinate while you whip the cream.
Whip the cream until thick but still soft. Crumble the meringues into bigger chunks (for extra texture) and finer crumbs and stir the meringue into the thick cream.
Set aside half a cupful of the strawberries. Fold the meringue cream and the fruit mixture together.
Take 4 wide glasses and spoon the Eton Mess pile high in the glasses. Top with the leftover strawberries. Chill until you want to serve your guests. Or do as we did: enjoy this dessert right away!

Off you go now!

My suitcase is packed. I'm ready to go. They told me to stay sober. That's not really a problem for me. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long before it's my turn. As usual, I have asked for a single room. I don't like to share a room when I'm in the hospital for surgery. You are not looking your best after an operation and I don't need any neighbor to look at my sleepy head in the morning. I don't know yet what time the operation is scheduled. We'll see when we get there.

Hubby is taking me. He's taking the day off tomorrow so he can come visit me. It'll be strange to be back in the clinic, but at the same time, it's not my first operation any more. Been there, done that. Don't you worry, I'll be just fine. I'm a tough cookie, remember?

I'm bringing my MacBook to keep you all informed. It'll do me good to talk to you on the Internet. It's less tiring than calling or texting everybody separately. My mother-in-law and auntie have called me several times by now, to wish me good luck and a speedy recovery. They are so nice and loving. 

Emergency call

Your daddy and I were out shopping. I heard my cell phone ring in the store, but I didn't feel like answering it at that time. On our way to the car - we wanted to get a cup of coffee some place - daddy got a phone call as well. So I decided to check my cell at the same time. Unknown number? hmhm.. I dialled my voicemail. It was your principal (your dad was talking to her while I was listening to the message). She had to rush you into ER. Apparently a wasp had stung you.. in your tongue! How on earth could that happen?? Oh sweetie! That must have hurt terribly! Your tongue was all swollen and the principal didn't want to take any chances. I'm glad she took you to the ER. They gave you some pain relief and antihistamine. She said you were fine and you were going to stay in school. She wanted to warn us though. It was possible that we needed another visit to the doctor this evening. You never know how people respond to wasp stings..

Around lunch time, you were having your jelly sandwich. You were enjoying your last bite, and that's when something crunchy startled you. All of a sudden, the sandwich tasted bitter and you spit it out, to discover a wasp! You probably bit its head of..

I'm glad to have my Boîte à Bobos. It has antihistamine and pain killers as well. Maybe we'll need them tonight.

I got you some edible paper, host type. They are printed tattoos. Maybe you can put one on the sting. I'm sorry sweetie. It's not funny. Not at all. Really.. hihi..

Boîte à Bobos +

The other week, I was going through the pantry, trying to clean up and throw out things that no longer belonged in there. One part of that pantry holds medical supplies. It startled me to see what a drugstore we have in the house.. I don't know if it's a good sign or not. We have medication around for most anything: headache, tummy ache, diarrhoea, tablets for motion sickness, cough syrup, nausea tablets, vitamins.. Bandages, sterile swabs, rubbing alcohol, band aids, tweezers.. Ointments for burns, bug bites, muscle cramps, allergies, .. And then there's a special section for my diabetes treatment: infusion sets, insulin cartridges, pump batteries, insulin pens, glucose strips, needles for my lancing device, glucose tablets, liquid glucose gel, waste bin for used needles, extra glucose meter and tons of pump pockets.

Most First Aid Cabinets don't have that much space to hold all of these supplies. Neither does ours. But most things are kept separate. I keep tablets in one section, ointments in another. My diabetes supplies are a completely different section. Most of those items are kept in closed boxes. Those boxes have labels, so anyone can get me whatever I need whenever I need it. There can't be any confusion. That's the same spot where I keep the manual of my insulin pump.

We even have a First Aid kit for the pets around here. They have their own set of tweezers (for tick removals), tablets (we don't like them to have worms), pain killers. Both dogs and tomcat Arthur have a Health Passport, that we take along on every visit to the vet. I keep my own health records in Google Health online.

In the living area, I have a Boîte à Bobos, with a small supply. It sits on the couch and it keeps glucose tablets, an insulin cartridge and infusion set, insulin, pump batteries, an extra lancing device and needles to go with it. Sometimes this place looks more like a drugstore..

I keep another Emergency Kit in the trunk of my car. It holds pretty much the same things: emergency supplies for my diabetes treatment, an insulin prescription, tablets for headaches and some band aids. It's better to be safe than sorry, right?

A dance of joy!

The newlyweds are finally home from their honeymoon in the States. I was so thrilled with their blog. Several times a day, I checked their stories and photos. They did great and it was good to read them. They've been away for too long. I missed my friend!!! She's an active member of our diabetesforum as well and I'm sure the other members missed her too. Despite their active vacation, I hope they also found some time to relax. Both of them have busy careers and little spare time.

Welcome home, K&G!

A wonderful mommy...

Rebba is the best mommy Inthe could wish for. The way Rebba looks after her, is so tender and loving, it moves me. Inthe is an outside girl. She loves to play in the backyard and most of all: she's fond of the rain and muddy ground. Rebba on the other hand, prefers to stay inside, on the couch, under a cosy and comfortable blanket. She doesn't like to get dirty. As soon as little twit runs back in, Rebba starts cleaning her up. She licks her wet paws, dries her snout and ears and helps her calm down from the racing around. They communicate well. Rebba makes Inthe stand in front of her, so she can dry her off with her fast and adept tongue. As soon as goofy is dry, she runs straight towards the back door, to continue her games. I'm sure that Rebba often thinks: what have I done to deserve this little brat? but at the same time: she loves her to pieces. They are together 24/7 and they are so attached to one another. It would be devastating to break them up in one way or another.
I envy Inthe, for having such a wonderful mommy. She's taken very good care of and she's never alone. She has a mommy to comfort her, to hug her and to turn to whenever she's in trouble. Some moments, they have disputes, but ten minutes later, they are asleep on the couch, their heads in each other's necks. Their love is unconditional. No terms at all..