manneke pis

Thijs has already picked up an unfavorable Belgian MALE trait, which is to feel free to drop your drawers at any time, any place in order to relieve yourself. He does it occasionally in our yard, and here you see him doing it in nana + grandaddy's yard in Florida.

There was no warning, which is atypical for Thijs. Normally he broadcasts in a loud voice, "pee-pee doen", which means "i gotta pee" in Dutch. Maybe he sensed we were too busy saying goodbye to my brother Carter and his family and just decided to take matters into his own hand, literally speaking! Luckily Debby was spot on him and captured this moment on film.

I'm just glad he got his pants down for a change, but I sure hope he kicks this habit. I think it's one of the rudest behaviors I've seen in Belgium, and I can't stand it. Once, I was watching a pair of mandarin ducks in the park, and a jogger stopped exactly within my line of view, turned around and took a leak. I felt infuriated because I couldn't continue watching my birds without him also being in the picture. He spoiled my precious moment to commune with nature!