Coep de coeur: Brussels!

Brussels has got a very special spot in my heart. We lived down there for 3 years and I remember that I had not such an easy of saying goodbye of Louvain where I was living at the time. But now that we have moved on to Overijse. P longed for less typical noises a city produces and more parking spots! I folowed along with him but leaving behind Brussels was like leaving behind a piece of myself!

So when the gang of Hoepertingen wanted to get together for a weekend I couldn't wait to introduce Brussels to them and make clear to them that there is more to our capital then traffic jams, the royal palace, lost tourists, too expensive restaurants, dirty streets,....

I wanted to make sure that they got to see the place where I fell in love with and will always go back with a smile. So on Saturday the 12 of November we met up in the lobby of Bloom Hotel. With the punch line:'Stay away of the ordinary' for sure a fitting place to crash for the nigth. The fact that these accomodations are situated in the rather dodgy part of the city might keep you away but it is for sure one of the surprises the capital of Europe has got in store for you!!

R was aleady waiting in the lobby when I walked in and did I have a surprise in store because I managed to contact one more person of our gang. B and I managed to keep it a secret. He was rather excited to see our faces when they would see him. Well observing R, B & D seeing B back after that time seemed a bit like watching one of those cheesy episode where people get back together after a long time! Also W, our guide for the day witnessed this scene.

We then checked out our rooms and then took of for a walk but we first had to adjust our outfits to the rather polar temperatures. Outside the city was waiting for us, the temperature was dropping and the city was completely dressed up for the Holiday Season.

We jumped on a tram and headed to the palace of Justice where we descented to most colorful part of Brussels, the Marollen. Highligths of that 'slow' walk:
- a drink in one of the 'staminees' where the very out of the ordinary inhabitants of the city quarters have a beer, play a tune on the jukebox, dance or play cards.
- eating the superb Marollen delicacy 'escargots'. They were served warm in a plastic cup with a tiny 'forchette' and were swimming in a very tasteful 'juice'. The lady who served us with a big smil,some less teeth and speaking 'Brussels' made them taste even better. If you wish the know what that language sounds like just try to read the cartoon here above!
- A tasteful beer at 'De Skieve Architect'. Staminee number two where we wer able to suck up some of the special flavour that city produces. We then decided to call L to find out when she was going to arrive.
- The many streets, monuments and buildings that tell their own story. Poverello, where the less fortuned inhabitant can get a warm meal, the headquarters of the PS (where Madame Non, feels at home), La clef d'Or (where our worldfamous Ketje Toots Thielemans drinks a beer and plays a tune or two), 'Les Bains (where our former prime minister Van den Boeynams used to take his shower) where people can swim in an architectural gem, the old fireware department (a less succesful reconversion), the primary school designed by Art Nouveau goeroe Horta: school 'De Kindertuin', Mont-de-piete (the last 'real pantjeshuis of this country)and many more!
- Beer number tree (but I guess I lost count how many we in total we already had ;-) we had in very arty farty environment of the 'Het Goudblommeke in Papier' where world famous artist got to together for some colorful discussions (Magritte had his first exhibition here and Hergé also found his way there for some inspiration!
- We passed many shops with some less straightforward objects for sale (see facebook pictures)and fancy shops that were dressed up for the season.

Then it was time to say goodbye of B & W and heading back to the hotel were L was waiting to join us. For our reunion dinner we ended up in Brasserie Ploegmans. For sure a place to remember where you can digest some of our most straightforward traditional dishes. Our table got filled up with the classics like 'carbonade', 'balletjes in tomatensaus', 'vleesbrood with stoemp & spruiten'. Top of the bill was R his choice: 'mergpijpjes'.

In the company of a bottle of champagne and a very friendly staff we for sure could agree with the review of the 'Agenda' (bet that the copies that I passed out have already been recycled. After a rather cool down walk through Brussels we settled for drinks at the 'Roi de Belge'.

Here we talked for hours about many things, did I empty my handbag and amazed them all by its content. You can be sure there were some surprises in there for me as well! L then tried to convince that trip to the toilets was for sure a smelly mission! D told us a very gripping story about his daughter P and we tried to convince B why a dinner experience at a three star restaurant is worth its money.

After we had finished the last drinks we decided to call it the night and some of were tempted to finally try out those booked rooms. On the way home we found out that doing 'pipi' is not a right!

Arriving at the hotel we found oyt that last nightcaps were not to be found in the 'cool fridge'. When we finally found the venting machine that was described in the hotel directory we were rather dissapointed: just pop no beer! So R&B went on a mission of drinks.

So three of us stayed behind in the hope they would return soon with some extra fluids. You can be sure that midnight already had passed for hours and that our bodies were screaming for sleep. So L & I gave D a night kiss and headed for our room. Just before taking of for dream country there were knocks on the door. Surprise, surprise: B&R!

Suddenly I had this flashback about when we are at camp: escaping to other people their room and once we got there we would just sit there. L also pointed this out but the big difference was that in no time we were having some rather deep going conversations. Very odd sensation to be lying there in your bed and discussing the facts of life.

Many of the things we talked about where just very meaningful and made me also realise that we are growing older but that inside of us still the fire is burning that we need to make something meaningful out of it. All five of us have made choices, have felt pain or lost someone of something on the way, have still dreams and intentions.

I fell asleep when the sun almost peeked through the curtains and housekeeping also came in when we were still not out of bed. At the tasty breakfast we looked rather all looked zombielike but inside I did feel so much warmer because I was sitting there with friends for life that I truely believe in and whose principles I can underline.

Keep up the spirit you all and hope you had a nice stay in the capital of Europe and will return many more times!!! On the way home I suddenly came to think of Jacques Brel who also loved Brussels and whose spirit of life can inspire me. For me this city has got an amazing power and spirit and I was happy that ones more I felt it's heartbeat going stronger then ever. In our hearts we are all little 'ketjes'.

P.S.: Pictures are to be found on Facebook but here I include a video with some nice pics and a song that is very suitable!

Driving home for xmas!

Outside the snow is glistening in the last rays of the winter sun and I have put a nice warm blanket over me in order to stay warm. I can officially state:
THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE!!! I MADE IT!!!

The following next two weeks:
-I will be home and have the opportunity to meet up with tons of family and friends of fare or close by. I can't wait to have my sis over, the see D & A their smiles when they open their presents together with their cousin A under the xmas tree, I will be able to hug my Spanish little niece and stare into her eyes where hope still can be found unconditionally,
-I will try to catch up with friends of high school and have nostalgic times in the company of gingerbread and gluhwein or a Bacardi Coke!!
- I will be writing tons of xmass cards with personal messages (and yes, don't worry my annual New Year's letter will be also sent along) that come straight out of the heart!
- I will be baking cookies and other goodies to add some extra flavour to the xmas spirit. A has promised me that I can count on him as a sous-chef. Hmmmm, the kitchen filled up with nice smells that make me smile and create wonderful memories. The trail of crumbs that can be found between the kitchen and the living room is of course the best proof of success!
- I will be having tons of food and that will cause some issues! But hey, a table filled up with food is the best spot to gather with friends in the holiday spirit!
- I will be dreaming of a white xmas but have to settle for rain! Because all the snow that had to come day on the xmass-night already touched the ground yesterday. But we had a cava (with the compliments of C, who will be moving to North Carolina and whose smile and cheerful spirit I will for sure be missing!)around the fire basket in more then 5 cm of snow!
- I will be watching tons of Holiday movies and listening to xmas carols and songs that can only be watched and listened at when it is the season to be jolly! Chances that I will be singing along and that A will tell me to stop because I sing so off key!
- I will be on xmas present hunt! Once more I just put it of till the very last moment to get there out in the shopping jungle and face the crowd! Sorry if I manage to bump into you when I try to reach to a certain item! No hard feelings there I just want to make sure that I can produce some smiles when the presents will be unwrapped. Hopefully I find enough people who want to wrap up my gifts because I still suck at that aspect of the Holiday!
- I will be putting together gift boxes for friends abroad!!! Love doing that but I hope that they can forgive me once more that I will get their surprise box when they have already stored the xmas decorations away.
- I will be homesick for the States! God, do I miss that place around this time of the year. In 1992 at xmas night I was sitting in my bedroom in North Canton crying my eyes out because I longed so much for home. Now I am homesick for all the friends that will be over there celebrating with their families. MISS YOU ALL!! I am still grateful for one of my best years ever and also the fact that I can keep in touch with some of them means the world to me! Bet that some colleague exchange students will be sharing this feeling with me!
- I will be missing my dad & grandmother and that is the silver lining to our xmas in this household! Them not having around the xmass tree while we are sharing the xmas spirit is still hard to face. But I do know that in very small things they will be joining us this holiday season as well!
- I will be sitting under the xmas tree with A starring at the nativity set that he set up very nicely. When he was looking for Jesus he asked:’ Mum, where is Jesus? Because he needs to get into the house and only can come out at xmas eve!' So my five year old son grounded Jesus. But I when I do look into the eyes of this child I will be able to feel the hope and the peace that I still believe in against all odds! I own that to all the children of the world even the ones that don't know that it is xmas out there. But peace is the most precious gift to be found out there!
- I WILL BE DRIVING HOME FOR XMAS! And that is for me the best gift of all! Because once I arrive after that ride I will find that xmass spirit that will create unforgettable xmass memories, ones that I will cherish forever.

So dear friends out there all over the world have yourself a very merry little xmas! And create some nice, joyful, delicious, warm, grateful and for sure peaceful memories!!! They will lighten up the darker days of the year to come!

P.S.: The next song stands for sure what I do feel this Holiday season!!
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JAQPZfycgk">

Loving words for N&P

As promised in my last entry the speech that I gave as a maid of honor!
It was such a wonderful wedding: a radiant bride and confident groom, lovely & stylish dressed people, a tiny Italien car speeding through Elsene, an ice cold church warmed up by a deeply devoted to each other bride & groom, nice food and very nice table conversations, a touching speech from the splendid Best Man R (P has for sure a very good best friend), genuine emotions (tears of joy most of the time!), Mexican music & Tequilla, bumping in to old & new friends, sharing a room with a person you only know for 1 day (but K you rock girl and keep up the principles you live by!!!) a wedding crasher (K & I had even have to argue about why we still don't have European numberplates and this guy realy got on my nerves but at least he added something extra to the wedding memories!!

"Dear N&P,

You made it!! The two of you are from this day on Mr and Mrs B-B. But A & A, don’t worry, knowing N she will keep on wearing the B name very proudly. Together with all the people here present I want to express our happiness that the two of you have found the way to the aisle in order to say that one word that can make the difference in a relationship.

W.H Auden wrote once a Poem called ‘Tell me the truth about love?’ In this poem he wonders what the truth is about this very strong emotional feeling and this seems not an easy mission. But just one look at the two of you we can tell that you are able to give some answers to this very tricky question.

First of all P you know by now that the woman you can carry now over the threshold of your comfy & cosy apartment is for sure a gem to hold on to. N will be always waiting impatiently at home with a five course meal, the newspaper nicely folded and your comfortable slippers. She will be the domestic goddess that many men here present have wild dreams about.

It is also a fact that you will always score with taking her along while networking. Because just one look at this stylish lady will make many consultants their head spin. But you have to be aware of the fact that she still will chase after truck drivers who have blocked her way and that when the Haägen Dazs pops out of the fridge she might need that extra huge that will give her the extra energy she is after. And you better keep some Belgian chocolates on your bedside table in case she is having one of her notorious nightmares!

N, as you know, P was always along your side even when you were dating other men! And dating was for you always serious business. So no wonder that you now are staring into the eyes of your best friend! P will take you on to many places around this globe, he will perhaps forget about the time when he faces spreadsheets & numbers but in the end he always returns home where you are the master chef. He will be the steady beacon of light you are searching for when you feel lost.

P can always brighten up the rather gloomy days with his sophisticated taste of suits, and matching shirts and socks. Also thanks to his Mexican heritage and with the help of your inspiring mother in law R L your rather dull days will be turned into a Mexican Fiesta. When P then turns up his radio while playing a jazzy tune by Cole Porter he will for sure make you smile. The biggest asset of P is his mysterious smile and look in his eyes and you can be assured that he uses this force wisely. But don’t make him choose between you or the hamster L because that might be the biggest relation test ever!

So, N and P, take care of each other, keep focused on the things that matter in life, try to think positive, stay open for the unknown, take once in a while a deep breath and dream away and hold out for that hand where now the proof of your unconditionally love can be found!

To end perhaps some last final words of advice by others:

For P the fitting words by Johann Wolfgang Goethe:

‘The sum which two married people owe to one another defies calculation. It is an infinite debt, which can only be discharged through all eternity.’

For N some wise words by Kahlil Gibran

‘You were born together, and together you shall be for evermore....but let there be spaces in your togetherness. And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.’


Dear family & friends from close by and far away here present let us raise one more time our glass and drink to the health and happiness of the newly weds N&P!"

Tell Me the Truth About Love

The moment that I heared the poem 'Funeral Blues' by W.H. Auden in the movie 'Four Weddings & a Funeral' I got hooked on this rather mysterious poet. I even found a very nice booklet with 15 love poems by him! Published with Hugh Grant on the cover because of the movie!! I cherish this little booklet because inside you can find some of the most equisite words of poetry written with wit and imaginative language about love.

For the moment I am into 'Tell Me the Truth About Love.' It is there that I found the inspiration for the speech that I have writing for N&P their wedding!!! Because I do think that people who exchange wedding vows have some extra answers to this question!

I can't publish my speech yet!! I am tempted but N might for once read the blog and I do know that P walks in frequently to check it out. So you will have to wait till Sunday! For the moment there is only one other woman has had the pleasure to proof read it and I have told her that I will have to kill her if she passes it on!!! You are warned.

Guess, you can tell that I am rather excited for them! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! I even had some comments that this is not my wedding and that I shouldn't be stressed about it!!! Duh!!! I feel a bit responsible because I am one of the maids of honor so I better be a bit nervous.

This was the checklist I had to tick of to make sure that I am ready for N&P their big day!

- fixing dates for appointment with hairdresser & beautician: Well the first one was not a big of deal! The latter one I kind of forgot about and I am greatful now that I will make it to the wedding with clean nails, longer finger nails then normal and eyebrows that are done nicely and make-up that is done professionaly. I will even have to take A on one of these appointments! But who wants to be beautiful has to suffer!!

- hen party for N: tons of mails, getting together, planning, brainstorming, creating and booking went into this one. But we managed to give N that one day to celebrate her last weeks as unwed woman. A nice brunch, a sauna and jacussi in the company of champagne, some shopping, a cocktail and some nice Italian food in the company of some of her best friends were for sure a day to remember!

- getting dressed: that was painful!! K and I have to match a bit because we will be running around together most of the day and I will look nice that we wear compatabile outfits. It cost me sweat, tears and some money (although I got something extra out that shopping day!!!) to get the right outfit! Thanks to N, my very critical mum and a shopp assistent who was patient enough to put up with me and my wishes I got the outfit where I do feel good & beautiful in (at least that is what I hope!) and A announced out loud that he thaught that the boots I will be wearing for that day are rather sexy!!! I hope they make some nice pics for my mum to show!

- booking a room: The wedding reception will be at a very nice hotel!!! Such a posh and fancy place to have a wedding. Ever since a kid I wanted to find out what there was behind the doors of this rather mysterious hotel. Many famous global citizens have slept there and on Sunday morning I will wake up in one of those beds!!! Feel like a princess!! I will share my room with an other wedding guest because P will be heading for home due to our babysitting arangements but I have got a room!!!!!!!

- getting to know new people: I have met some very nice people while getting ready for this wedding. N has got some very nice friends and it was so much fun to sit together gossip, plan, get carried away (IS ELVIS IN THE HOUSE, hey E&J!!) and looking forward to this big day!! We hope that they will like the little sketch we have put together for the two of them. You can be sure that I will miss them all once the wedding is over!! Hopefully we can keep in touch once in a while!

- coming up with a present: I do have got a present but I will only hand it over after the wedding. Because K&I are going to put together something special for N in order to survive her first year as a newly wed. But I hope she will like it. I do hope that she likes the little present and the card I bring along for now!

- wishing & hoping: Yes, I am a bit jeaoulous of N!!! I still hope that one day I will be able to get there where she is going to stand and starring into the eyes of the one person she loves unconditionaly. P is afraid that I will start having wedding blues after this one. But I don't intend to. There are even moments that I can say that I am happy that I still have something to look forward to. But on the 5th of December I will be so happy for N&P because I do know that N wanted this very badly and that for her love is a very strong emotional feeling that only can be expressed in wedding vows!!!!

Have to run now because I have to start packing!!!
To end and perhaps let you grave for more the first sentences of the poem.

'Some say that love's a little boy,
And some say it's a bird,
Some say it makes the world go round,
And some say that's absurd,
And when I asked the man next door,
Who looked as if he knew,
His wife got very cross indeed,
And said it wouldn't do.' (WH Auden, 1938)

P.S.: In case you are reading this in between tons of last minute arrangements: N & P I wish you the very best wedding ever and that it is a day to cherish for a very long time!!!!!

Up for president!

I love being a club member. There was even a time that I collected membership cards! The following had the honour of having me as a member: a tennis club (for the boys in nice tennis shorts, hum yes my first boyfriend I met on the tennis court), speech team (for the delicious cream sticks as a treat!), a volleyball team (for the drinks after the training session), two student sororities (for the parties), a cooking club (for the food and laughs!) the YMCA (part of the exchange student experience in the USA), the 'Liegebeestclub' (too hard to explain this membership), the 'Gezinsbond' (for their discounts!!), Greenpeace (for the tax reduction!), and a book club (for the books and meaningful conversations). Guess that I love to be part of something and that I believe in shared causes.

Some of these clubs have also a chairman or a president. In some cases I never knew the name of this person! When I was young (and call me naive!)It seemed that most of these clubs not needed a person in charge. As long I was a happy member I don't really saw the sense of having somebody calling the shots. But like we all know do most clubs need some kind of authority.

One international club that is desperately searching for a president is the EU! It always nice to have a fellow country man on the list of runner ups. So yes, happy to hear that Herman would qualify for this job! He might not have the sex appeal of Sarkozy and not have a wife that can sing! So then Paparazzi won't have an easy time to dish up yummy stories about this perhaps less colourful politician!

HVR might not have the best colour choices of ties and he might be a bit boring in his choice of hobbies. But hey, writing 'Haiku' means that he also has a deeper side to discover! A grey mouse some people call him but for the moment I am a bit fed up with would be politicians who think that politics is a one man show! And when I look at the alternatives I hold my breath. Especially two names make me a bit edgy.

One: the Harry Potter of the Low Countries! In general I don't really consider this man of state a bad choice but they have this attitude thing going on! I can already picture the whole European parliament colour bright orange because JP got into office! Over and over we all will be reminded that they managed to become the first and the best leader of the EU! So on top of cheese with holes, Heineken beer, bikes, wooden clogs, poffertjes, Van Gogh & Rembrandt the Dutch man will promote the EU fiercely. And you can be assured that it won't be long before the first Dutch-Belgian jokes will pop up covering this election victory! You can be sure that we will be once more the laughing stock of the cheesy nation!

Number two: Tony Blair!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Hey, I love British accents! Hugh Grant, Hugh Larie, John Cleese, Stephen Fry, Rowan Atkinson, Colin Firth, Matthew MacFadyen are for me for sure on my list as superb British actors and talented human beings. But please try to explain to me why a nation as grant as the UK still refuses to use the European currency but wants then deliver the first president! If it comes to voting this tea nation really kicked some ass! And yes, they always are the party crashers if it comes to backing up Belgian candidates.

The UK has a love&hate relationship with the EU! They only want a sip of the hot cup of tea when it is sweet enough. They spit out the bitter aftertaste and refuse to add some less obvious ingredients. Can't blame them that they want to keep their own traditions like strangely shaped coins, Trooping the colour, tea mugs with the royal family or Guy Fawkes Night! I am all in favour of these sparkling objects of affection. But it beats me that they still can't come to terms with the consequences of joining an international club with certain rules and regulations!

If you then want to stand out and go against the stream once in a while then this also means that you can't get the maximum out of your membership card! The British politicians always give me the impression that they want to stand united but only under their conditions! And on top of things they will make sure that they will go out into the limelight to announce how we are going to fight back against terrorism, climate change & the economic crises. More then once this nation already felt themselves as the spoke person of the EU!

So, no I am very sorry but this cup of tea will neither agree with me. So to me it doesn't really matter if Herman makes the vote. It would be nice for once to have a Belgian in such a highly symbolic (because let's face it that is what is mainly stands for!) position. When it comes to comparing interest I do think that H has got the best shots. What are fast cars (Tony) and travelling (JP) compared to writing Japanese poetry?

And to give you an idea of what HVR is capable of. Here the Haiku he created for Poetry day in 2008 and covering his wishes for the time to come in Belgian politics:

'Van kerst tot klokken van winter tot lentetijd reist niets tot iets'

'From xmas to chimes from winter to springtime travels something from nothing to something'

P.S.: Please don't take this piece of writing personal! I love the UK and I still love going shopping at the AH in Maastricht!

The winner takes it all! The loser standing small!

Sports and doping are two words that live together very closely! Last week Agassi admitted openly that he also was called to the dark side. 'Of course I am ashamed of myself and hope that this is the end of this lie!' André had managed to cover up a positive drug test and had begged the ATP not to call a press conference! Our bold tennis star got involved with crystal meth because of the break up with Brooke Shields!

He managed to get out of his personal mess and found the long arms of Steffi Graf to rest on! Now 12 years later he lifts up the lid and hopes that we can forgive him! Well, André, what can I say!? You won tons of tournaments, you were for sure the clown of the tennis circus, had the nicest smile of all and when you cried it was heartbreaking! Emotions all over the field! Now that you left the field and have for sure nothing to fear of you think that the time is ripe to call it to and end.

I bet that there are two tennis colleagues that really envy you for the moment. Yanina & Xavier! They are suspended for one year because they did not mention their whereabouts a few times! And Xavier missed on top of that one drug test! So this morning two athletes their lives changed for the worst! For the next 12 months they are not allowed to enter any official tournament!

This is the ultimate nightmare for a tennis player. It means that you lose everything. All the points you gained last season you will lose, not a single official tournament you can enter, sponsors that will end their cooperation, a condition that won't be challenged, no rhythm and of course tons of people that will have second thoughts about you!

Especially that last one is very hard to deal with as an athlete! You will mentally be challenged day in day out! Chances are very low that you will come out stronger! And when you then finally are allowed back on the centre court you are up against an extra opponent!

I do agree with the people who say that the law is the law! Rules must be obeyed! I do hope that whenever I get in trouble that the judge that I am facing applies lawfully the rules! In the case of Yanina&Xavier the judges did not bend any rules! The did what was expected of them and rightly so!

If Y&X had just filled out their paperwork correctly they would have been fine! It seems a bit strange that they left open some blanks and just forgot about it! They must have seen that one coming! They have of course tons of excuses ready but none them justify this and so rules are rules.

But I do feel so sorry for them! One year suspension is very harsh! For Xavier it could for sure mean the end of his career and this is for sure not the end he had in mind. For Yakima is might be the next big test! Finding out if she can cope with the not competing and hanging out with her peers! But still having to keep her mind and body ‘sane’!

The only thing that really ticks me of here is that if they both had been living in the Walloon part of our country this would have not getten into the open! Doping wise we already have split up our nation! COOL!!!

One last tip for Y&X: please, fill all the blanks or write a very emotional letter to the WADA, ITF or ATP! That one worked for André and he will even make money out of that story! Seems that paperwork really makes the difference! Or to say it with some very wise words:’ who writes, lasts!'

So, where is my Moleskine daily planner? I need to feel in urgently my whereabouts! In case you are interested: I am doing some shopping with A& my mum for a very important date!!!

P.S.: I wisely advice you not to start any dinner discussion in the presence of P&me about this subject!!! We might end up throwing your best china across the room!! At least I can be happy about Kim Clijsters here whereabouts! She manages to fill them out every day and it only takes 5 minutes!! Good girl!!!

Get it out in the open!

ER its final season is on!! P&I love that series. P for different reasons then I do. Like many women I loved George and Noah! So when they left I did felt a bit down but soon their spots were filled up by others in green scrubs! And many passed the revue!

For the moment most familiar faces find the way back to the ER in Chicago and yes even our Nespresso guy will turn up! But the one episode that I will cherish for a very long time I saw last week! Basically it was about Abby saying goodbye and leaving with Luca! She had not told many people that she was going to leave at the end of the day! So just a normal shift and then off for the unknown.

But while she was facing those last 18 hours she managed to make sure that every single co-worker, friend, nurse or even higher member of staff got a personal last goodbye!!! While I watched her shaking hands, hugging people to death, speaking up her mind, spreading around wise words of advice, talking up her mind, standing up for herself and others I felt a bit warm and cold at the inside!

Especially when she walked into a meeting with officials and defending one of the nurses I just got goose bumps! What Abby did during that one episode was what many of us just don't seem to get done in our life time: speaking up our mind, no matter what! In an honest way, sincere, without grudges and without regrets!

How many times did I catch myself thinking that I should have said something but instead I ended up saying nothing at all? If I look at myself I do admit that I should try harder to speak up and trying to be honest with many more people. Not only in a negative way! Nope! Also so telling once in while that I am happy to know them!

I promise myself so many times that I have tell some people that I do care about them, that they have made or still make the difference, that I do believe in them, that they do their very best, that I miss them and that brighten up my life. I also know that in many more situations I should take a stand when it comes to believes and opinions. It even couldn't hurt to talk back or tell somebody once in while that he or she has hurt

And no, I don't want to wait till I am saying goodbye! The people that made in my life the biggest impact were/are for sure human beings with a tremendous big heart and a drive. I already had to say goodbye to a few of them but I carry them with me in my heart.

And yes, I do think that instead of just letting some people easy getting of the hook you should get it out in the open. Communication is a very strong tool but we don't use it in the most efficiently way. In my class room I point out so many times that words can harm but also be the best band aid ever! Many of my attentive pupils have amazed my already with their outspoken mind and wit. They managed to make me smile, shrug my shoulders, scream, LOL, getting cross, feeling disappointed or proud! They seem to master so much more the ability of being open and not holding back!

Okay, there are moments that what they say does hurt me or can make me feel a bit less comfortable with myself! But I do know for almost 100% that they are sincere. The two faced ones even have weak moments once in a while! Even when one of them walks out on me and leaves me standing there feeling a bit like an idiot I do know that in less then 24 hours we have to face each other and give it an other go!

So don't be surprised the next time when you see me that I might give you an extra hugh, wink at you, give you a compliment or be honest with you. In case I forget then don't be surprised to find a message on your answering machine! And in case we end up screaming at each other or when I just speak up my mind........... don't hold back because we only get one chance to get it right!!!

P.S.: For the moment I am practicing what I am preaching and you can be sure it is not an easy job!

Brainbreakers

Autumn has for sure arrived! Our back yard is filled up with yellow, brown and orange leaves! Rain is one of the daily ingredients and we had to turn on the central heating! I even had to get out my winter nightties and my cherry pillowcase in case our bedroom feels like the Nord Pole!

The only nice side effect of this season is that we already have our first break meaning that we have some quality time to spend with friends and family. It also means that the first two months of the school year are already passed by!

I also noticed that I had less and less time to write some blog entries. The last few weeks I had tons of brain teasers to solve and I am not just talking about my new DS game 'Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box'. Nope, those are rather easy compared to ones I had or have to solve.

- I managed to have my first meeting as educational supervisor! I broke my brain over the fact how it was going to be like such meetings. Needless to say that I was a bit zombie like when I drove to Hoegaarden (the home of the whitest beer of Belgium) and when I asked to way to the school I was actually parked in front of it! In the end it was just fine and it still the learning experience I am after.

- Starting up a new Comenius project! This is always a tricky thing and I do know that we need to convince first tons of our colleagues that this can be a very nice experience. I regret the fact that I won't be able to attend the start meeting in Italy! But I am ready to tackle the obstacles ahead of us! The brain breaking action is how to sell this project in the most appealing way! Still trying to solve this one!

- Zumba lessons are still entered into my dairy and I love to shake all I have got! I ended up once forgetting my gym bag at the dance studio and was forced to drive back! Meaning that I had to face the big chief of the studio! She is one of the judges on 'Stars on the dance floor' and I can assure you that without make up she is so much more graceful! And even after some lessons I just can't get my head around how to shake all that what my mother gave me!

- Visiting our newly born niece A! A, P & I boarded the plane heading for Spain to visit the family and admire our newest asset. A was over the moon with her. He treated her like a princess. Produced tons of drawings to hang in her room, managed to stay quiet when asked, gave her the attention that women want and like and on top of that he picked out a very cute pair of Camper Shoes at Cortez Ingles department store! So for once I did need to break my head over what to buy!

- buying new clothes. A few weeks ago I cleared out my closet and this meant that I had tons of space to fill up with new clothes. So P dragged me into some stores and I was forced to try out the newest fall colours! P was so enthusiastic that I even had to point out that I had not won the lottery. I spend some time in my cubicle breaking my mind over what to choose because I just loved all P made me try! I do now own some nice new things that will for sure brighten up the more gloomy days of autumn and winter!

- Classes!!! This year is not a blast because I just can't manage to attend them all! Some sessions take place when I am working. Guess that I will be stuck in their even longer then expected but the student card I obtain then will mean some nice discounts as well! No real useful solution to this problem but hey, I still try to obtain knowledge!

- Getting ready for N&P their wedding! This is also hard work! This week I hope to find the last items and this with the help of my mother! I booked the hairdresser and we are also putting together N her girls' night! It will for sure be a night to remember but I ended up with the brain breaker!

- But the worst brain teaser of all is getting flu shots! For the very first time I got the one for the seasonal one! But because I am a teacher I qualify for getting a shot for the Mexican kind! I have been looking forward to this because I am a bit scared of this bugger! But now I am into some reading about this subject and I do have second thaughts about it! Even P is having doubts!!! 'To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that's the question!' And I do feel a bit like Hamlet!! Perhaps the only way to solve this one is with head or tails!!!!

Ignore!!!

A few months ago a friend of mine told me that she read my blog but that she thought that I never said B! Well, she might be right. I am not that good at really digging into the dirt! Hate to call the things by name when they are less kind. Before heading of with this blogstory I had made some promises. I was never going to hurt people directly by writing about them and trying to safeguard their privacy by in most cases never to use their full names. Family and friends are sacred to me and I don't consider a blog the right place to get things into the open.

Sometimes this is hard because I have some of those moments that I am so fed up with certain individuals I have to hang out with. Like they are in the way. Believe me I do try to be diplomatic in most cases. After 35 years you do know for sure that this globe also gives shelter to people who have different standards and plans then you. In most cases I try to put it in the right prospective but I do have some issues with some people that don't seem to get settled.

It is just that I do have these moments that I would like to strangle some individuals who seem to play the game by their own set of rules. This girl then seriously is tempted to trespass to the 'dark side'. I then do scream, call people less funny names, I kick and am capable of doing things that are considered a crime. But above all my mind is spinning like crazy!


Being the person I am I would rather get it into the open. Talk things over and find a compromise but this not always seems to be the case. In some issues talking is not the magic potion! And then I am so disappointed in people but also in myself! I have considered to even changing jobs because of this! I can't handle it any longer and am afraid that I end up saying things out loud that I will regret later on. But hey I am only human!

The best advice I get in most of these situations: ignore! Well, there is goes wrong. I just can't and I know it is a flaw in my character. But in this case it will be the only way to handle it with care! So sorry for those who will bump into me and meet a less upbeat Stallie! I am ignoring some bits and pieces! Chances are high that you are not the subject of my grudges but the individuals that are will have a ball! Deep down inside I do know that I should care less and that the time that I have been spending on typing this blog entry could have been used for better things: like polishing my toenails, doing the laundry&the dishes, writing report cards, baking a nice cake, reading a glossy magazine or bestseller!!! And believe me ignoring dirty dishes and clothes are also a mission impossible!

P.S.: Tonight 'Mission Impossible III' is on!! A movie hard to ignore as well!!!

Bay Watch!

The last few weeks did really pass by. There were some ups and some downs but most of all it amazed me how fast time flew. If they would ever find a way of cloning time I would sign up right away. And because I had not that much time left to reflect about it here I just want to share some highlights of the last few weeks.

- After signing up for my new classes at the university I managed to end up in the wrong class. That had never happened before and I can assure you I felt like one of those freshmen when they are running around on campus during their first week ever! I managed to get out during the break but my cheeks reflected a bit the colour of a tomato! One Wednesday I was also forced to take A along to the student administration office. He was really cool about it. It was quite hilarious to hear him scream through the whole student mess that he was 'ready' (A screams this when he wants to whipped of when going to the toilet!) and you can bet that I was again once more imitating a tomato!
- I managed to book my first meeting as an educational advisor. Wasn't that easy because try to imagine to get a number of teachers together with each their own agenda. In my new job I imagined that it would be a bit more straightforward with planning. But hey! Last week I mailed my first letters with my name under it! Was a very strange sensation!
- A did say goodbye to R at the swimming pool of Overijse. After six weeks of trying to make some progress in the water it seemed that my five year old started to hate the water. He even cried and had blue lips from the cold water. It broke my heart to see him that way. So we packed in our swimming trunks and headed for a new swim adventure but elsewhere!
- My pupils can still amaze me and make me smile. There were some moments that I left my class room feeling rather satisfied. I still seem to like the teaching aspect of my job description. Looking back I can state that I had more laughs then screaming sessions. Best moment of all was when one of pupils pointed out that I had written a mistake in his diary. 'Misses you have signed this note with 'Misses Stamp'!' He wasn't kidding!!!! When the school nurse walked in that moment we had some extra laughs about this. For sure a highlight of my career.
- P and I ended up once more on the shiatsu massage floor of N. For me it is routine now but for P it was the first time. One of the side effects of N her golden hands is you also get an emotional drain. So when P came back from his session I knew what to expect. Once more we had one of those very harsh discussions.
- A leaves a trail of art work through out the house. Rockets, UFOs, cleaning machines, bread machines & trains. When he is asked what these artworks represent he comes up with some unbelievable sounding explanations. I can assure you that if you would ever get your hands on one of these manuals that come along with those creations you need to go back to university!
- I made it back to the gym! ZUMBA is the newest trend and I do think that it is an amazing way of pushing yourself to the edge. But if you would have told me that I would be shaking my hips with in the back ground the song 'The roof, the roof is on fire!' I would have starred at you with rather big eyes!
- N&P their wedding is coming closer and closer. So I met up with the bride to be and my fellow maid of honour. The two of us had to join our 'bridezilla' to hunt for the fitting outfit. Strangely enough we only had to walk into one shop to find the clothes that N considers good enough. But I had to promise not to wear high heels because N will then look rather as a dwarf in her wedding dress and we are then the two giants running after her veil.
- My new job includes also some painful side effects like a painful neck. Spending tons of time in front of a computer screen seems not to agree with my neck. My best buddy for the moment is now a micro waved cherry pillow to ease the tension.

The five star highlight of the last few weeks is the following:

- A made his comeback at the swimming pool! He had made me the promise that he would do anything for his swim instructor if the water would be a bit warmer! So we looked for a pool with hot water and did find one. Now this little guy can't wait to jump into his swimming trunks to join 'his' Coralie! I have to admit that she is quite something. In the beginning I was a bit afraid because she only talks French. But what she manages to do with A I had never dare to believe after the whole swimming nightmare we went through. I witnessed A using his legs the right way, daring to going under with his head and as top act diving into the water and then picking up some colourful objects!!! This all without wearing any extra help. And this he all does with a big smile! It is such a cute sight to see him having fun in the water and wearing his red goggles for under water use and high fifing Coralie! And for me there is also a very nice treat: the male swim instructors! Yummy, yummy!! Hey, can you blame me?! Being a mother of a five year old can be a though job! So when you look for me on a Saturday around 12 o'clock chances are high that I am sitting next to pool enjoying the sight!!!!!

Heading back to class!

The month of September is already a fact and that means that I have managed to deal with tons of stress without ending up in a Looney bin! Not that there were no moments that I would have liked to have taken some Valium.

One of the last items on my to-do-list was trying to get back to classes. Seemed not that easy because of the fact that I now try to combine two job challenges. And A seemed also to have some extra days. And hey, the prospect of having to drag him along to the student administration office was not my idea of an easy trip through the woods.

Deep down I was even giving up all together to get my student ID renewed. I know that being student means that you have to be able to handle some stress. The last months were stressful and the summer I needed just to get into balance with myself.
And in case you have not noticed yet. I did not manage to pass all the subjects that I took! Two out of four might not be the result that I dreamed of but hey I am proud of the fact that I at least tried to study!

I can now admit as well that it is thanks to many people around me that I did get into my car and drove to Louvain. Friends, colleagues and family were wondering if I still had the guts to get back into the brain battle! Sometimes I had some doubts but yesterday I was standing once more at the student’s registration office and facing a huge line of very important&young looking people. 'What am I doing here?'' Just look at them! They are still full of dreams and hopes. I must look rather ancient!' One of the girls standing in line was also nice to keep her iPod sending out some harsh notes of music. 'I don't know what kind of music she is listening to!'

Before I knew I was standing in front of a desk with a nice sounding lady behind it! 'Your file looks fine and you should be able to fill out everything from behind your computer!' 'Hum, you are sure? I had the impression that people with my ISP had to come by!' 'No, all you need to do is select your classes and mail this to us by the internet. Next you send back your Student ID card and we will renew it after all is taken care of!'

The rest of the day I managed to get into the wrong lecture (hum, I forget to check very carefully where I had to be!), I had lunch at Alma 2 (nice student discount!), went to the FNAC & Standard bookshop to use my collected points (I bought a very nice baking cookbook for the cold days to come!), went to a very interesting class with the label 'Psychiatry&pathology' and ended up not feeling depressed (and this after that this word was mentioned more then 50 times!), hit the Friday traffic in Louvain city where students cause even longer waiting lines, I paid my educational discount cheques and I signed to change my ISP!

Last year I was so proud of myself that I managed to do this without having to call in the help troops. Not a single mail left this house with questions concerning my Individual Student Programme! But this time I just really screwed up that part of my student life. This girl managed to send in an empty ISP!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! Meaning that now I 'am' an empty file!

And this because I just hit the wrong key of my keyboard! How stupid can you be!? Not that the very academic people did not try to warn me! All over there were warning that you had to be very cautious when working on you ISP! That once your choice was sent in you were not able to make any adjustments!

So the last thing I did yesterday evening before signing out of my student file on Toledo was mailing my ISP assist! Now all I can hope for is that they get back to me ASAP. P thinks they will because a student who does not select any classes can't be a student! I gave him a very suspicious look when he said this. 'There must me a double meaning in there!’ I was thinking but to chase away all the dark thoughts I digged once more into my chocolate treasure! Betting that this year chocolate will be a study mate!

Lost in Austen

A few days ago I posted a few 'nice' things covering my all time favorite novel 'Pride&Prejudice' on my Facebook profile! I do know that I am thirthy something and I do have a partner and a kid and so I should already have my share of romance. So my Mr Darcy should have already crossed my doorstep but still....

Ever since I picked my final dissertation subject I got totally hooked! During English Lit classes at college we covered a bit of Jane Austen. On top of that I watched the very addictive BBC series with Colin Firth and there I went. Suddenly I became a true Janeites!

One day I got on the train with my necessary reading material heading back for Louvain City, hoping that I would get into the book asap. Suddenly my fellow passenger noticed me picking up the Pinguin Classic and she just went berzerk!! 'Oh, my dear!! Don't you just looooove Mr Darcy?', she said? To be really honest I had not covered that many pages to really get into the psycho of this rather dark romantic Victiorian loverboy. 'Euh, yes. It is a nice book.' 'Just nice? It the best romantic book that I ever read! Every girl wants to walk into her Mr Darcy!'

By the time we got to Louvain I was intrigued by Mr Darcy. What special forces did he have that other heart robers did not seem to have? Starting that day I woke up with Mr Darcy and most of the times he was the last person I thaught about before I closed my eyes! I even started to have very strange imaginative dialogues with this one classic hero.

Half way through the book I was rather upset with him that he played tricks on Lizzie. They danced at the ball, but he was rather rude and did not treat her with any respect. Lizzie even said outloud many times that he was not worth her love or even her attention.

While reading the novel I digged very deep into every thing I could get my hands on. I challenge you to google Jane Austen, Mr Darcy, Pride&Prejudice and you will be amazed. Guess that I am not the only romantic soul out there who considers this a very inspriring masterpiece. And yes, it seems they even beat me to it: there is a mini series about a modern girl who gets the chance to meet Mr Darcy at Pemberley! Being romantic in modern times seems once in a while rather cliché but when it comes to Jane Austen there is more wit to be found in the dialogues then the average episode of The Bold&the Beautiful.

Lots of women would still be swept of their feet when they would meet the dark and very severe looking Mr Darcy. Because after a closer look at him, he seems to embody all that we are after in a man!

What I do really like about most modern productions is the language of the hands!! It are not the kisses (in Victorian times most women felt already completely on cloud number nince if they were able to touch the hands of their love interest!) but the hands who seem to talk the language of the heart.

Especially in the last movie starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden the hands tell the whole story. When Mr Darcy is just standing in front of Lizzie playing with his gloves trying to hold back what is on the tip of his tongue you just can feel the tension.

I remember once I was half thru the book that I wanted to get into a time machine and just get to Pemberley in order to tell Darcy that he is such a fool. But then in an other adaptation one chararcter points very nicely out:'We are fools in love!' Apparantly many actors don't mind to play the biggest fool of all!

There is even going on a vote for the best Mr Darcy on the white screen! And seems that this time my Mr Darcy won't be in the lead. Colin will have to get out of the way for Matthew ! Mmh, now that I come to think of it his hands are the most beautiful of all!

Holding hands it seems not that hard but in a Jane Austen novel it seemed to make the difference! I better start using that hand lotion a bit more then just once in a while! You never know when I end up in a time machine!

That one dream!

I still remember where I was when Justine Henin announced her farewell of the tennis court. All I was thinking at that moment while hearing over the radio was: 'Why? Why now?' The days after the news papers were so nice to give the big scoop. Justine was tired of travelling, had a complete burn out, felt a bit out of tune, wanted to become a mother, had won everything there was to win (not true!!) and wanted to find out how life was without running around with a tennis racket! So the why and why now got a decent answer but still it seemed not to make sense.

In two years time the most successful tennis ladies with a Belgian passport left centre court. First Kim and then Justine. Strangely enough they seemed to have certain very personal reasons to announce they were fed up with the tennis world. And hey, I don't blame them! Above all their young bodies already seemed to ache for retirement and they still had to start with the life that most of all call so average but that they seem to long for: a steady relationship and a calm family life!

When people questioned me if I thought that one of them would announce a comeback I was pretty sure about Kim. Justine at the other hand seemed not to send out any clear signal. A few miles away from my home this fierce athlete started her new adventure with the foundation of a tennis academy called the '6th sense'!!

For a tennis lady who played the love game by her own rules a very fitting name. A very long time Juju was out there all by her self and only trusted her senses. Technically I consider her one the best female tennis players that I ever watched playing. Justine her backhand seems hard to comprehend. The purity she hits it with and the efficiency makes your head spin. It is almost poetry in motion. John McEnroe is die hard fan of that one pure shot!

On top of that her emotions have turned her into a very exceptional player. Once this rather tiny player is standing at the baseline she goes for the kill. In most cases she manages to dictate the game and it is not with pure force. If Venus, Serena, Safina, Sharapova are ready to join the special forces then is this girl the best candidate ever to get a MI6 badge. Her game is sleek, very deep going, hard to grasp and sublime! Many opponents will gladly point out that this girl plays the tennis that they just can't stand.

Of course her personal story even made her tennis more edgy. Loosing your mum to cancer after promising she would chase that one dream: winning Roland Garros and this against all odds. This girl had a mission and just think what that one promise did? Her father still remembers how his daughter was obsessed with that tiny yellow object. While she was hitting the ball against the outside walls he was sitting at the dinner table wondering where this was heading for?

Well, we know now!!! The lady with a mission won her Roland Garros tournament 4 times, got the Olympic Gold medal, won the Masters twice, got her name printed in many cups across the world and was number one for a very long time! Justine got the honour to be called a living sports monument by the UN! She is also good will ambassador for Unicef!!! A mission she takes to heart.

So why and why now? Hard to answer! It was so funny to read all the speculations of Justine returning. Like she was once more playing that one game she is so good at! Nobody seemed to figure out for 100% if Justine was seriously considering it. All she did was smiling and keeping her mouth shut.

Two days ago the national TV stations had the honour to have her personally coming over to announce her comeback. Justine looked rather serene and answered all the questions very calmly. And then she spit it out that she still has a few dreams out there waiting for her in the company of a tennis racket. On top of her list still that one cup that she was not able to hold in her hands and granting her life time membership to the All England Club and a nice seat in the champions box!!

Well, that is why! And I do understand why this exceptional player suddenly reconsiders her future plans. She managed to talk Rodrigues to join her once more and in a few weeks she will be back standing down there at the baseline. Ready to face the enemy and chasing that one dream she is after! So, 'Allez Juju', tie those laces of your tennis shoes and grab that racket and walk towards that one field were dreams can be created!

Reasons enough to have a press conference!

P.S.: Hopefully Justine and Kim will have also some icecream after playing some winners! And yes they are both in the picture her above. Believe it or not!!

Busy Bee

Blogging seems once more something that ends up at the end of the list of things to do!! Lately my agenda is bursting with tons of stuff that is considered rather important. Not that I can't handle it but it gives me not always enough space to breath. Here a few things of the my busy list:
- a new job description and all the loopholes. Yes, this girl started a brand new adventure. I am now pedagocical supervisor for one day a week. This means that I will be spending tons of time in meetings, will be working from home more often and will be driving around. My first accomplishment was installing succesfully my new mailbox. Took me ages but I managed to do this without any help of P.
- driving around with A! Besides the rountine drives of and on to school we now get to spend some extra time in the car on Fridays and Saturdays. On Friday he pays the swimming pool of Overijse a visit where R tries to make him swim! He looks like a popsticle when he gets out of the pool and loves to spend hours under the warm shower. On Saturdays he puts on his gymshoes and around noon he jumps once more into a pool. But this pool contains water of 32°C and here it is C who will try to turn him into a future Michael Phelps! Not to mention the outrageously cute swim intructors that walk and swim at the pool!!! For once I don't mind having to hang out at the side of pool!
- filled up weekends with tons of fun like going to the movies, going out for dinner, wedding receptions, birthdayparties and shopping sprays and a weekend in Brugges with friends!
- having the house to myself!! P is in a different time zone for the moment. So this means that I had my mum over for a few days, invited N over for dinner and a good chat, and of course missing P and already counting the days that he will have landed safely! And telling myself over and over that I have to go early to bed in order not to wake up as a zombie!
- trying to get to the student administration office to get my new classes booked and paid!! Not easy if tons of collegues think that my new job description means that they can just call me available whenever they think it suits them! I will have to be bit more the mean collegue then the mean teacher this year!
- cheering for Kim!!! God was I happy that she won once more the US Open tournament and she really gave me a warm glow when I saw her standing down there with that cup and her daughter Jada!! 'The mother of the comebacks', one news paper stated! Well, for sure it gave me something to smile about for a few days in a row!
- planning future vacations. This time I would love to go and visit H! I can't wait to book that one ticket in order to have that one vacation that I am dreaming of already for years. Just hope that H can get some half days off and then this girl will be spending some time in Bush country!
- observing new pupils and coming up with new ideas and tricks to keep them entertained. I can assure you that once more I have some rather interesting ones in my class room. Betting that I will have very lively class meetings about some of these boys and girls!
- surviving the first cold of the season! P had to calm me down once more by telling this is still not the swine flue! But I felt rather sick and I now create a trace of tissue paper every where I go. A also beated the first bad bugs that were passed on while being out on the play ground.
- signing up for Zumba but still not making it to class. I have paid them and I am the proud owner of a new membership card but due to all the stuff described here above I seem not to make into the gym! But if I really want to fit into the dress for N her wedding and look nice in the pictures I do want to loose some weight! P tries to talk (it sounds rather like screaming to me!) into getting some body exercise. Guess I ran out of excuses now and that next Monday it is D-day!
- finding a way of dealing with two jobs! Not that easy and there are moments that I wonder what is expected of me and what not. I feel like Flexigirl and wonder when I have the guts to say no to certain things that people expect of me. Not something that I am every good at.

Best moment of the week was when I saw my mum coming out the kitchen ready to pour the bottle wine into the hot iron!! I LOL and just couldn't stop! It was nice to having her over for a few days in order. Nice extra is that my laundry basket is now almost empty!!! Mum, you are still the best domestic goddess I know!!! I just wonder what my clothes would have smelled like if that bottle of white wine would have ended up in there!?

Splitting headaches!!!

I HAVE A HEADACHE!!!!! And it hurts. Even painkillers don't help. On top of things my bowls don't feel upbeat as well! It is not that I feel that sick that I need Mc Dreamy next to my bed. My blood pressure is perfect ( I do check those things frequently!) and I can function as good as normal.
But hey, after a while you don't want to wander through life with painkillers as your sidekick. They come in handy when A has a very loud day and seems to use living room as frontal stage. And yes, thanks to those super tablets my splitting headache vanished into the thin air before sitting down for dinner at some friends’ house.
Just this time it is different! None of the magic pills seems to kick in! Sleep makes no difference what so ever. Needless to say, that I do feel a bit anxious about this. When I asked P for a consult all he could say was :’I don't think it is tumour!'
Not that I felt any better after that diagnosis. But hey I am happy to know that they are not going to have to dig into my brain to f;
ind the bastard!
Now I keep telling myself that there are tons of reasons why people have headaches. Stress, muscles tension, PMS, sinus infection (P told me that I don't have any sinuses there.
I promised myself to give it some time! As long as my head is not about to explode I will not beg P to call some of his colleagues that are specialised in brain pains.
Up till that moment I won’t stop trying out different ways of pain relief. Coming up: some glasses of champagne in the company of a happy bride and groom! I just hope one thing that when I wake up the next morning that I don’t will have a hang over because then it will be a double portion of pain in the head. But have they not told me once that drinking champagne does not causes headaches! Can’t wait to crack a bottle or four!!!

Maid of Honour-to-be!

It not happens that many times that you wake up on a Monday morning and feel that upbeat. You are try to recover from weekend hangover and hope that that first day of the week will pass asap as it came up on your calendar!

Well, this morning I was feeling not that bad because of I decided just about 18 hours before. A and P were as well a good mood and I was ready to face a typical day at work: dealing with teenagers who don’t want to be in school after two days in better surroundings.

Before I knew my working day was over and I was heading back home. Still, with a smile on my face. Even some of my co-workers had noticed in what good mood I was. Facing the daily traffic jams I even did not mind.

Once I had browsed through the newspaper, read the article about Kim Clijsters beating Venus Williams, I started dinner and hoped that my two men would join me in the very near future to share my last smiles of the day.

Suddenly the phone went! It was N! She told me in a very excited voice that they finally had a date for their fairy tale wedding because they have accomplished their mission impossible successfully: they have got a venue!!!! I was so happy for her because I knew it had cost her and also P gallons of sweat&tears. ‘Good news!’, I was thinking while I went to look for my diary to put down that VID (Very Important Date!!) but then she told me she also had two maids of honour picked!

I personal have this thing going on with weddings but also with some of these rather formal function that some people get to do at weddings. Already for some time I was hoping to be asked. There I was standing in the kitchen and I felt so great!!!

N and I go back some time. We did share some very nice days but also some very gloomy ones. She was there to pick me up at the hospital when I had my sinus-operation, redecorated my studio (that desperately needed a make over!), we travelled together to NYC and Washington DC where she copped with less fun moods in the mornings, we moved both to Brussels at the same time and lived just two streets way from each other and most of all she was there when I was afraid when she would perhaps not be there! Stallie got in trouble or felt very down N was there!!!! And in return I do try to be there for her in the good and the bad times!

Lately we did not manage to get together that much. I still need to inform her about some of the stuff that happened to me personally! Ever since the whole wedding planning started N did turn into one these stress dolls. Every time she called me with a wedding update I kept my fingers crossed that it was good news. And bingo this was the one call she probably had longed for ever since she got engaged!

Hard to describe what I felt like but for me it was the perfect ending of very nice day! My arms were covered in goose bumps and I felt so honoured. So you can imagine that I know don’t get anything done. My head is spinning and I just hope that I will be able to fall asleep! And N, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! This means the world to me and I promise that I will try to be the best maid of honour that I can be!!! Just very happy that I will have a sidekick as well because then we will for sure be able to turn your wedding in the unforgettable dream wedding that you for sure deserve!

Going up, coming down!

When I woke up this morning I did remember that I had a huge nightmare about my present job. Perhaps it is a side-effect of detoxing of summer but it was a rather scary one. But once I got up and about I did feel ready to make that one decision that I needed to focus one in order to think straight again.
So I around noon I picked up the phone dialed that one number to break the news to the person in waiting for my decission. My heartbeat went wild and I felt quite anxious once I put down the phone. But then it hit me:

- I did it!!!! What I felt so insecure about and wonder if it would ever happen to me happened right there when I dialed those 9 digits.
- I will have that new challenge that I am after! And according many people that I started to bug with my dilemma it is the perfect thing for me to do!!!
- I will be able to learn new things! Not that I don't pick any new things up where I am now but I was desperately after a brand new environment.
- I feel back a more motivated person. For a second there I lost my drive and that was not the Stallie that you want to meet in the mornings or in the evenings. Unless she was joined by a Cuba Libre or two! And hey, teaching under influence is not my cup of tea!

So 48 hours ago I seemed lost and not focused at all. After a successful shopping spray, a smoothie and two men that made me laugh I did feel much more upbeat. In the hallway my newest asset is parked: a brown very cool looking bookbag on wheels!!!! Yes, I got that new Mandarina Duck bag that I was after! And will for sure take that one along on my new adventure!

The only downside(!)of the day was the moment when one of the chairs gave in under my weight! Before I knew I lying on the floor and did I suddenly felt a bit less upbeat! But hey, what goes has to come down once in a while! Now there is a chance that I will wake up with some colors that were not there before. Blue might be one of them but not a chance that I will feel that way when I will open my eyes tomorow morning! Seems like this girl is even looking forward to waking up on a Monday morning! I have already packed my sunglasses to face the very bright skies!

Yes! I am a Capricorn!

I am a Capricorn !!!! Don’t run away now because I am not going to rave about planets and the stars but deep down I do feel there is something right about these things. Why you wonder? And do I have scientific proof of this? Uhm, nope, I don’t but do we really need to analyze every little thing we encounter and deal with?

Yes, I do read my daily horoscope but most of the times when the day already has gone by. It is funny to then find out that some of the stuff described in there did happen that day. Not that I live the life according to what my horoscope tells me to do or don't do! No way, but I just have some of these moments that I can link of some of my episodes right in the profile of a Capricorn.

Especially for the moment I strongly believe that what is going on in my life that I need to show the typical characteristics of a mountaineer! Not that I don’t like mountains. Me having been a student in Austria I found out that mountains do make me feel as alive as possible. A second habitat where I seem to breath easier.

Unfortunately does Belgium only have very old mountains, meaning that they did come down to being rather hills! So no mountains in sight and God do I need them! Like my body is aching for them.

Yes, I did know this was going to happen and that due to the fact that I had a very emotional rollercoaster ride and you know what you can feel like after such a fun trip! Once that adrenaline shot got out of your body you end up feeling a bit numb. This school year I do face not my most fun year. My sixth sense has kicked in! But don’t worry I am very prudent and careful! Guess that the Capricorn is alive and kicking in me for the moment!

In case you consider this all boloney! Personality and character shape you! On top of that parents pour in some of the ingredients they consider important. Well, my dad happened to be a Capricorn as well and my mum is a Cancer. And if I have to believe many I am alike my dad! So?!

In general they say this is about Capricorns:

Traditional Capricorn Traits
Practical and prudent
Ambitious and disciplined
Patient and careful
Humorous and reserved

On the dark side....
Pessimistic and fatalistic
Miserly and grudging

People who have the pleasure (uhm!) will be able to pick out at least three of the ingredients of mentioned here above. Even the dark side ones are damn right!! Yes, I do admit,I can be so pessimistic and fatalistic (so was my dad!!!) and miserly (for the moment big time!). Guess twice, I am having a stay at the dark side. But I am fighting back and hopefully I have been able to make up my mind at the end of this weekend and can I return to my more funny side!

I bet that visiting a bookstore, a nice handbag store and having a smoothie will do the trick. I will have the pleasure to be accompanied by two Pisces. So to make sure that they won’t go for the dark side this afternoon I will be checking out their daily horoscope before we are going out! Hey, I like to be prepared and I am careful! Only I am very pessimistic about what we will have for dinner: the caviar and the lobster we ate yesterday and the champagne bottles are all empty!
Please let the force be with me!!!!!

New talents in the class room!

Well, my first day back at work is history! I did manage to get there in time and I did have my keys close to me this time. Walking through the hallways and trying to find my balance seemed not that bad this time. Still facing the pupils is something that still feels like I am walking for the very first time on high heels.

I then count till ten, before I open up my lesson folder, look into a classroom to know what I heading for. Today I got 9 new kids in front of me checking me out from top to toe! Starring at me and I did stare back.

Me being called a rather mean teacher do spend much time on explaining MY rules.
Guidelines they know thanks to the school regulation booklet but hey, I was a teenager myself and never bothered to read them all. So I made my own list of ten rules that I consider outmost important. Some of them are so straightforward like being polite and helpful. They start to yawn and almost fall asleep. Because I do follow the words of Robbie Williams before picking up my pupils:’ Let me entertain you!' I then turn on my engine one gear higher and we are off.

Remembering speech team I do know that your audience needs some action. That is then exactly what I do give them. Imitations of their own attitudes, jokes they tell, curses, they all get it back! For free and they LOL!!!!! It seems like they recognise themselves right there!

I point out that I will give all my pupils tons of chances but I do hope that they will do their very best as well!!! Pushing forward and grabbing my hand in case of an emergency! No big deal but they will need to show me what they got.
Special Ed kids have no self esteem so ever. They are very vulnerable, shout and kick and go in overdrive in no time. Your classroom can change into boxing ring in no time.

Every year I get into encounters with less smiley faces and yes I will jump right into the action with the risk of getting hurt. These kids feel so out of place in this society. Shame they express when they call their school by name. They would even rip out the first page of their school diaries in order to feel more normal. Some will even admit that they lie when they are asked to what school they go!!!

But I feel so privileged to work with these kids. More then once a year I witness incredible things. When I walk into the woodwork department I face that one bookcase that I would kill for. Or seeing my pupils welding beautiful fences make me feel so humble. The logistic aids that seem to have the patience to talk with sometimes the less friendly over 80 year old people is also something I do admire.

These teenagers have already faced more fights in their lives then I ever will. Every day when they enter the school building they face the one big fear: failure! Life is not always kind to them. School is in some cases the only safe harbour they have left. And yes, the ones that seem so hard to handle are the ones that keep coming back.

The faces I have seen today in my classroom I hope to see them all at the end of this year. But honestly I don’t get too attached to them because some of them will get involved in a very emotional and psychlogical wargame and perhaps will just give up. But they can be also sure that this teacher won't let got that easily!

Me being a religion teacher I do believe strongly in some stuff that is told in the Bible. I love some of the stories that are in there. Sounds perhaps a bit naïve but I do think that in many books with a spiritual message there are meaningful things to be read. The story of the talents was my dad’s favourite in order to point out that you were responsible for making it work.

So this week I am on talent search and I do feel a bit like the jury on Britain’s got talent. The big difference between me and those juries is that I am the one who needs to point out very strongly that they do have talents! Only convincing them of that fact takes also some time. And the harder I shout at them to more I do believe in them!

Hey, yes I made the national newspapers with a quote about my experiences in teaching and those words stand for what lesson I did really learn on day one in Special Ed! ‘When I need help, I will ask for it!!’ is a sentence that I carry into my class room every day of the year. In front of me are not sitting helpless cases but kids who are ready to fight back! And they can relax, sit back and enjoy the show because this 'mean' teacher has got a first aid kit close by. I just hope one thing and that is that at the end of the year that my class room is not looking like a sick bay!

Before I forget!

Now that I have finished my summer read for Nicola’s book club and have almost made up my mind which book I decide to be called my personal best summer read, I can read one of the books that I keep as back up reading. I picked a Melissa Hill book. This Irish lady writes not books that you consider making it on the shortlist for the Booker Prize. No, these are reads that are easy and light and can be finished in no time. Still, in those reads there is sometime something that can touch you and that is exactly what ‘Before I forget’ does with me.

The story is a bit cliché. Nice girl falls in love, girl looses her love of her life, girl looses her spirit, girl gets into an accident, blablabla….. Part of the story takes you to NYC around Christmas time and that gives me already goose bumps. But it not only that. The story deals with the one ability the brain grants us to brighten up our lives: memory creation!

Memories we sometimes take a bit for granted. They are hidden in that one box that we can open whenever we want or feel like it. But what if you would not be able to do this anymore and that bit by bit your memories will fade away?

The protagonist in ‘Before I forget’ Amy decides to fight back and she creates a to do list she wants to do in order to create unforgettable memories. When I read her list I wondered what my list would look like. After some thinking I came up with this special to do list.

Things to do (unforgettable)


1. taking ballroom dancing lessons (with or without P)
2. interviewing my uncle J who was a Royal Navy diver during the 2nd world war
3. taking pictures during the four seasons of the oak tree in my mother's yard.
4. writing a book and trying to get published!!!
5. following my heart in most cases
6. visiting the Hermitage in Saint-Petersburg
7. attending once the Olympic games
8. change jobs more then once
9. parking my car in our tiny garage (back ways!)
10. learning one more foreign language (odds are high that it will Spanish)
11. visiting all the continents (this will be a tricky one!)

Some of these things won’t be that tough to do but some other might take some time. Also will cost some money but then I have some good reasons to hold on to my money instead of spending it too much on bags and books!

Knowing P some of these undertakings won’t include him. It is a personal list but you only get one life! Number 6 seems perhaps a bit strange but I really want to go there. The parking thingy is a challenge. In our tiny garage two cars fit when you can park your car very professionally and that is something that I really suck at. So this will also take some time but then I will be also able to park in other places less claustrophobic!

Number 4, 8 and 10 are perhaps a bit too much asked but I am already working at it. Perhaps I should have only put down 10 items but none of the above seemed less important to me. So this is it! You are happy to join me in most adventures! But cheering on can also so create a miracle! I promise that I will support any adventure that you are about to go on and you can call me when you need bailing out of prison! Unless I have turned off my mobile while visiting the Hermitage!

Back to life, back to reality!!

Soon my two months summer break will come to an end. For sure it was a very fun time that I got to spend with A at home and abroad. Highlights were the trips to Yorkshire to the B-family, the three days of Disney fun and the sunny break in Zürich in family company.
Now I am facing a new school year and that is always a bit scary. At one end I don’t mind getting back to work it is part of my job description. Of course it will take some adjustments after spending two months in the sunshine, stress free (most of the time!) and letting the day itself decide what we will do or won’t do.
Starting Tuesday I will be facing:

-daily traffic jams and hoping that I will always make it in time. I even thought about camping in the patio at work.
-Hearing the annoying sound of my alarm clock and then forcing myself to come out from under the cosy duvet in order to brush my teeth and facing my wrinkles in the mirror.
-Pupils with tons of wishes and sometimes outrageous requests. This year I will be teaching 6 hours of Religion so I hope that I can stay in the Zen mode as long as possible or that Saint Peter will grand me daily the entrance into the heaven.
-Tons of paperwork. Even for requesting a little amount of chalk or wanting someone with more brain cells taking a look at my computer in distress I will have to use ink and paper.
-Home work! Lesson preparations, the digital school diary and platform, evaluations, report cards, email-traffic, brainstorming, reports, creating new projects, etc. Tons of stuff that will be facing me after spending time in my car and getting the rumble out of the way that I created in my kitchen in order to prepare something nutritious for A&P!
-Putting lunch bags together for A and me! Cutting tons of pieces of fruit. I keep my fingers crossed that A will prefer a banana once in while.
-Meetings that will not always will be effective. I do sometimes imitate teachers who are planning ahead and I have to be honest it is not a pretty sight. Yes, I do admit it: TEACHERS ARE DIFFICULT PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH!
-Coffee breaks! I do need a cup or two in the mornings in order to return to the living but I am still amazed how much black liquid some of my colleagues can take in! I did try to keep up once with them but turned into an over active teacher. So I already packed some cans of Diet Coke to face those moments of the day!
-Parents in all moods, sizes and colours. Last year I had some less nice encounters but I am ready to face ‘the enemy’ and trying to mend fences in the hope there can be light at the end of the tunnel!
-New projects at home, at work, at the gym (yes, I do intend to go back there as well!),a new season at the book club with some challenging reads, last but not least at college! Yes, I did not end up getting good grades or finishing all my courses successfully but I won’t give up yet!
-My computer!!! More and more that little chap lets me down by not delivering the work I expect from it! Dreading the fact that I will end up in one of those computer shops where I nerdy salesman will try to sell me a new high tech piece of equipment and ruining my savings account!
-A team consisting out of tons of old colleagues but also new ones! Getting to create new memories and experiences! Guiding the new ones and student-teachers through this adventure! But also missing my close colleague I, who now faces her personal new challenge! I will miss her and already feel a bit lost at work not having her that close by any more!
-Driving around with A! Taking him to school, gym classes, grandparents, swimming lessons, play dates and other destinations. We will be for sure spending some quality time in the car together and I already want to warn the other drivers: pulling faces and head banging!
-The Swine Flue (we call it here the Mexican Flue) and hoping that I won’t catch me! Chances are quite high that it will find me having a doctor in the house, a five year old and then me working with some kids who think that soap and water you only use to wash dishes!
-The key routine!! Stallie and keys is not a winning combo and I will be spending quite some time searching for my car keys, the key of the mailbox, the key of my class room, the key of my locker at school. I bet that I will be emptying tons of bags in order to find those useful objects!
-Looking for new challenges! I am working at it but it is not that easy to find that one new challenge you are after. So once more I will need to write CVs and letters and buying stamps at the post office!
-To do lists!!!!!! So many things, so little time! I will run out of time and won’t make some dead lines! I wonder if I can buy a time machine to make up for lost time! Like the time I already lost by typing this blog entry!

Wish me luck!!! I will need it this year! I do promise that I won’t be a mean teacher, won’t give that much home work, will be nice to parents, my principal, colleagues, pupils and you!!! And not giving low grades! Uhm, that last one will be hard because I don’t teach geniuses but you can bet that they are geniuses in finding outrageous excuses that will make you LOL!! Hope to have school year full of smiles! I will promise I will put on my nicest smile when facing the 1st of September! Please be so kind and smile back!!!