A mother's heart

By heart goes out to both my beautiful and intelligent daughters. As usual, they did real well in school. They get very good grades and they are good students. We never nag about a bad test, because that's life. We can't always get good grades. In the end, they do just fine and we are proud of them!
School's out kids! Let's have some fun! Thank you for being such wonderful children. I feel privileged to be your mother..

For those who can appreciate piano music: A mother's heart, by William Joseph, an upcoming piano talent.

Saying my prayers

If I were even a weeny bit religious, I would be burning a candle for myself, for the upcoming days. Since I'm not, I won't burn any.

I have written several letters to our Bishop. I no longer want to be a member of the catholic church. I never believed in any religion anyway. You can call me an atheist, if you wish. A staff member of diocese Bruges, sent me his answer in return. He wants to know my motivation for leaving the catholic church. If they really want to know my motivation, why do they give me no more than two pathetic lines to write my motivation on? It's not that there's just one reason to leave this group??? But they insisted, so I gave them my motives. No problem. I hope my lines will be enough to exclude me from their church.

It made me laugh, that they asked me if I knew the consequences of leaving their "group".

1. 'Did I know that I can no longer get married in church??' Hello? I'm already married in church?? And that was not my choice either..
2. 'By no means could I help out in church or have a catholic profession if I decide to withdraw?' As if..
3. 'I can no longer be buried on church ground or have a catholic service after I die...' Exactly. Now I finally have the guarantee I will not be buried in church.. Just in case my will would not be respected.
4. 'If I show any remorse on my death bed, church might reconsider my decision of leaving Christianity'.. Right.. Again: as if!
5. 'I can no longer be a godmother if I decide to leave catholic church..' I don't need any church if I want to godmother any child. There's more to life than Christianity... Catholic godmothers are no guarantee to being a good godmother. And I speak out of experience now..

So I sent the Bishop another letter, with motivation and a copy of my ID. I hope they will get the message now..

Fairly Nuts

I have found the most delicious ice cream ever! Honestly! It was sitting in my freezer, for I bought heaps of Ben & Jerry ice cream. The sun is out and that type of weather just screams for ice cream.

Fairly Nuts is a caramel ice cream with praline almond clusters and caramel swirls. Those praline almond clusters are to die for. I'm a nut lover and the crunchiness of those clusters.. whoppa! Big hit!

So if you decide to get yourself a serious treat, forget about the calories. Hop in your car, drive to your favorite store, race through the aisle, open that freezer and grab yourself a huge container of Fairly Nuts. Get the cash ready, so you don't loose any time. Open that car, get yourself seated and rip the lid of the container. Don't worry about the spoon, you may use your fingers. Wait for the explosion in your mouth and indulge.. Heavenly..

I am nothing but a speck

Some days, we think we are so important, trying to conquer the world and making the best of it. But in the end, we are nothing but a speck on this planet. I am a speck. A small speck. A tiny speck. Not of any importance. People will remember me after I die. For a while. And then they will forget.. That's okay. I don't need to be remembered. Because after all, I'm nothing but a speck..

Rosemary and Thyme

I just love my herbs. The cabinet above my stove is packed with herbs. A friend of mine brought me some fresh and dried herbs from Greece, where she spent her holidays. That was so thoughtful of her. I couldn't imagine a day in the kitchen without herbs.

It's always exciting to get to know new herbs or new herb mixes. Nowadays, there are a lot of herb mills available. I like those, because you ground the herbs yourself. They add a delicious taste to your dish. Some herbs I buy in large containers, like my South-African pepper/salt mix and the red spice mix. I have to drive to Holland to get them, but that's more like a field trip than a hassle to me.

Cinnamon is still one of my favorites and so are cumin and cilantro, besides garlic-pepper and cajun mix. Ginger has entered my home not that long ago. I do prefer freshly grated ginger over dried ginger and I love to add it to my apple-carrot-celery smoothie.

The Indian cooking classes I took, got me acquainted with mustard seeds, cardamom and fenugreek. Not every day herbs in our cuisine, but it gives me a reason to cook something different.

So if you come across some herbs you think I might not have yet, do feel free to bring them for me. I'll refund the cost.

Soccer City

I never understood about soccer. I don't get the game and it can't keep my attention. I hate the noise soccer makes and those vuvuzelas make it even worse. Hubby likes to watch soccer games. Too bad he's the only one in the house. Even the dogs go to sleep when the soccer games start. Go figure..

So no, I won't be devastated when the soccer season will be over. I won't miss the reporter's comments nor the vuvuzela sound, nor the shouting and jumping up and down on the couch. Thanks for watching but no, I'll never be a fan.

Moving house

The new dog run is going to be delivered this week. It will give us some peace of mind, knowing that both whippets are safe and sound in the backyard. I no longer wish to come home to see one of the dogs is missing.

We went to Holland to pick out a kennel. Hubby is going to make a custom fit dog house for Rebba and Inthe as well. They do need a shelter for rainy days and a sunroof to prevent their delicate skin from getting sun burn. The backyard is big enough to put the dog run in. There will be less space to grow vegetables, but that also means there will be less weeds as well.

By no means are we going to prohibit the dogs from living in our house. Their new dog run is only for parentfree days. Meaning they will have to stay in the pen when we're out. It's no punishment whatsoever, in fact dogs like to be in an area with boundaries. They will feel safe. And we will regain our peace of mind..

Chunky cute meets Cheeky monkey

Every now and then, I love to read the ads in newspapers and magazines. People are trying to find a mate for life, by advertizing themselves in a short note. Some ads are just hilarious.. Other advertizers are boring and their ad doesn't say anything about them. Is this how people meet nowadays? By placing ads in a paper? Would you ever contact someone this way?
I was thinking of a title, just in case I needed to place an ad one day. How about: Chunky cute meets Cheeky monkey?

One tough cookie

The veterinarian was going to free you from your stitches, Inthe. That's when she noticed it was not a crust that was holding together your damaged skin. It was nothing but clotted old blood. She had to remove all of it and open up the wound again. Poor Inthe.. She said it was going to be painful for you, but she wanted to give it a go without sedating you. And you did so well. You had your front legs on my shoulder and your nose in my neck, while the vet was removing all of the infected icky things. She cleaned the wound and told me she was going to staple it this time. You were still doing fine, so she didn't sedate you for the stapling either. What a good girl you are, Inthe! Good grief! So now you have 5 staples instead of 5 stitches. You're kinda looking like some pirate! You're one tough cookie, sweetheart!

June has not been the best month for neither one of the whippets. Let's hope July will be a whole lot better, without accidents, without any attempted escapes..

A scary situation

My oldest daughter and I were having a good time with her godmother yesterday. Around 4 PM, hubby called to ask where whippet Rebba was. I told him both dogs were in the backyard? Not? No.. Inthe was there, screaming and whining, but no Rebba.. She had escaped from the backyard. No idea how she did it, but she had fled!

I pushed the panic button right away: contacted the police, animal rescue, the vet, my friends, family, neighbors. Two friends hopped into their car right away and drove to our town to look out for Rebba. She had been spotted on the highway, headed to Antwerp. Poor Rebba.. The most dangerous road she could pick.. Hubby drove around town in an attempt to find her.. He feared the worst.. He thought he would find her, run over by a car or maybe she would have caused a car accident.

And then my friend called me! She had seen her, racing on the hard shoulder of the highway. She and her companion had tried to capture her, without any result though. Rebba was frightened and tired and losing her mind.. My friend ran bare feet on the highway, yelling for Rebba. Her companion raced around as well, ignoring his painful hip.

Some time later, the police called me. They had Rebba in their van. They caught her throwing a loop over her neck. She was 6 km away from home. What a relief... She was okay. She had not caused any accidents (my friend saw smokey tires and heard harsh brakes...) and she was not injured. Her foot soles are pink again, instead of black. She's so tired and I can tell how frantic she must have been. I'm so happy she's okay. I'm so happy I had people who cared enough to rush to her rescue.. Thank you all for helping out. My two little girls are reunited..

Nightmare on Elm Street

Last night, I was sleeping on the couch. The alarm on my new pump is set at 3:30 AM and 5:30 AM. Time to measure my blood glucose. The dogs were sleeping next to me and tomcat Arthur was sound asleep in his own bed behind the couch. I heard the beep of my alarm, but I didn't feel like opening my eyes yet. I reached for my glucose meter and pen, when I felt something furry. I opened my eyes and these yellow eyes were staring at me. AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH! Some strange black cat was laying beside me on the couch! The dogs didn't budge, Arthur didn't move and the stranger ran off.. My heart was pounding in my throat.. Good Gracious..

At night, I leave the back door open, so the dogs can go for a pee whenever they need to. I guess I will have to find another method to let the dogs out. Now that was scary!

A safety net

You're going to the hospital today and the surgeon will operate you this very same morning. Don't be afraid. You'll be just fine, my friend. It's a routine operation and the doctors know what they are doing. You were not looking forward to this operation and it nearly stopped you from going away on vacation. But I'm glad you found a way to postpone the surgery. Your vacation was good for you. You came back with fresh energy. Energy you will need to recover. Not only from surgery, if you know what I mean. A new life is awaiting you. Take your chance. You deserve it more than anything.

How can you mend a broken heart?

In the week I was born, the number 1 song in the US hit charts, was "How can you mend a broken heart", by the Bee Gees. I didn't recall the song, so I looked it up. I must say: I kinda like it! It is fun to go back to your birth year and find out what was important or new in those days. Another popular 1971 song was "Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin. Mariah Carey, Winonah Rider and Lance Armstrong were born in that same year. The first microprocessor was big news and the pocket calculator a true gadget, although still very expensive.

Richard Nixon was the American president at the time and King Baldwin the King of our country.

I remember writing down similar things for our children, the year they were born. Things like, how much a loaf of bread cost, the number one hit of their date of birth. It is funny to see how fast life evolves and how technology keeps amazing us.

The longest journey begins with a single step

I had to sleep over the news I received yesterday. This morning, I checked the forms the doctor filled out for me. It's true! I have his permission!!!! And I have a date! July 8th is marked in my agenda as the beginning of my new life. It's exciting but scary at the same time. Am I doing the right thing? Have I put enough effort in other methods? I can honestly say: yes, to both questions.

It's going to happen real soon now. I'm ready. I have plenty of time to make arrangements so things will go smoothly around here. I think I might need an extra pair of pyjamas and maybe some slippers. I might cook some extra meals to freeze, so my family won't starve while I'm in the hospital. My mood will improve in the upcoming days, I'm sure about that. It'll be a relieve to get rid of the stress. I will find peace now..

A step up

It's here!!! My new pump has arrived and I've survived the transition. It's a whole lot more sophisticated than the one I had before. That's exciting and challenging at the same time. I've been so looking forward to getting this pump and I never thought I would get it. But now, nearly one year after getting my former Paradigm 722 pump, I have traded it for the Accuchek Combo. And now let's hope my HbA1c will go down even more! I'm ready for it.

I would also like to thank my diabetes nurse from my former hospital. He always made extra time to see me and we liked to discuss pump therapy. He stood by my side and he knew things weren't going smoothly all the time. He was professional but human at the same time. He's a good man.

I have a different diabetes nurse now, in a different hospital. I hear she's very good. I have already experienced her concern and knowledge. We'll get along just fine. I'm ready to learn more about diabetes and insulin pump therapy.

Can't be tamed

I'm not the easiest person to live with. I'm very aware of that. It's possible that I can't be tamed. I try to be as independent as possible. I cannot imagine another life for me. So many women have to ask their husband's permission to do whatever they want to do. That is mostly a one way direction, meaning, the husband does not ask the wife's permission for his outings. I'm not used to asking permission. My husband is not my parent after all. In a relationship, partners are supposed to be equal. I don't claim you cannot discuss things and compromise, but as far as that goes.. It would really startle me, if one day, hubby would prohibit me from doing something. I don't know how I would react..

Exactly!

So are you a good typist? Try out this game and you'll know. Just click the flag of your country, to get the words in your language. I believe I did real well. I typed 60 words per minute in English and 63 in Dutch. Strange though, that I typed only 2 faults in English and 6 in Dutch. I guess typing school paid off in the end after all.

Try it out, will you?

A number on a scale

I know I'm much more than a number on a scale. On some days though, that number takes over my life. It determines the outcome of my day. It tells me I'm not healthy. It tells me I need to work out. It tells me my appearance is not great. Some days, I would like to fling the scale through the window. But I'm sure it'll come back like a boomerang.

The scale tells me everything I do not wish to hear. It's such a negative object. I hope, in time, I will love my scale. But as soon as that scale will change me as a person in a negative way, I'll trash it. Promised!

Mr Mom

What if men would stay home to take care of the household and the kids? For centuries, men brought home the bacon. They provided for their family by working long hours. Times have changed though. Many women have chosen their careers and refuse to stay at home any longer. They want to live a different life than the life of our grandmothers. They wish to have colleagues. They look forward to having money of their own. That money gives them joy, pride and strength. It makes them more independent.

I imagine it's not always easy for men, to have their wives go to work as well. They feel kinda lost, now that they are no longer the only breadwinner. They had to step down from their pedestal and reprogram themselves.

If both partners have outdoor jobs, some things need to be changed around the house. Someone has to take care of the children and no elves will come and do the housework. Solutions have to be found, to prevent the wife from feeling guilty over having a job. This sometimes lead to the man giving up his job or starting to work parttime. Some men even decide to be Mr Mom for a while. We're not used to that concept yet, but hey, why not? Maybe they would even be good at it. Men are good at making checklists, aren't they? I bet they could be wonderful at running the household, if it weren't for the neighbors or relatives to make fun of them. Because after all: what's wrong with being a Mr or Mrs Mom? It is more than a fulltime job and it can be as fulfilling as any other "paid" job. For now though, I'm very fine with my husband working outdoors and me being Mrs Mom..

Scrap booking

The first time I really heard about scrap booking, must have been in 1992, in Oregon, US. A distant relative of mine, had invited me over to her house. She was a teacher and her main pastime was scrap booking. I thought that was such a fun idea, that she didn't need much persuasion to talk me into it. So I got myself some tools and paper, glue and glitter to get started. I have made some fun projects in the past.

Once the children were born, scrap booking was not something I had time for. I did make photo albums for the girls, but they were not as fancy as I wanted them to be. Some were decorated with drawings and colorings, but that was about it.

Some years later, I had some spare time and I started scrap booking again. Every now and then, I make a scrap book after we went on a holiday or an outing. I know it's easier just to have a photo book printed online. Most of the time, that's what I do for myself. But if I want to do something special for a friend, I prefer to make a creative scrap book. It takes some time to work out an idea, but once I get the hang of it, I can't put it down until it's finished. So if you ever receive one of my handmade scrap books, it's because you're worth the effort!