thijs is jarig!

Thijs was greeted this morning by 3 of his little friends: Caroline the Colorado Beetle, Sushi the Snail and Dudley the dung beetle. After breakfast, he opened a few presents and was thrilled to find THORON, a platinum armor dragon, and Sunblott, an equinox dragon. Good thing he had his sword at the breakfast table because he was going to need it w all those winged creatures flying around!
Then it was off to school, where Stijn made a talk about Thijs and shared fotos from his childhood, along with some stories, like the time he dropped "bear bear" in a lake and a fisherman rescued him!
As you can see here, Thijs did not mind being the center of attention, and he was glad to pipe in now and again w his own version of a story. He was also happy to let the kids touch the Harry Potter-sized scar on his forehead, which he got from falling in the creek!
Showing his collection of insects is something Thijs takes great pride in doing. He also enjoyed telling how he knew the ichneumon wasp is a female. The kids thought this was really cool.

gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag

Proficiat Sophie - je bent 3! Proficiat Thijs - je bent 5!

If we could get you two together on your birthdays, there would be lots of pirates chasing doodlebops - it would be a scream, literally!

It's so fun watching you grow and listening to the things you say. Thijs, you cracked us up with your reaction when your dad and I were complaining about a bottle of wine being too DRY. You asked to take a sip, and then stated with confidence, "no it's not, it's WET!" Well, that proves you're completely honest and ethical - you should run for president!

Happy Birthday BIG boy!

vakantie is voorbij!

Exactly 3 h ago the kids began school, and I began REHAB! Had a fantastic summer - maybe too fantastic - with 4 weeks of travel to the states, Switzerland and southern France - being with the kids 24/7 - it's left me completely filled up, but also completely drained. I could use 3 days stranded on the beach with nothing more than a beach towel, a book and a bottle of rum. Jack Sparrow wouldn't be bad either, come to think of it! Captain Jack Sparrow, that is. Better yet, give me Johnny - straight up!

Now I KNOW there are moms out there who feel the same. What are your tricks?!!! How do you survive 8+ weeks of captivity? Wouldn't it be great if there was a SUMMER CAMP for moms? Where you could do everything you dreamed of and not have to worry about the hubbie/kids. I take it this is why female vacations are on the rise. Sometimes the girls just gotta get away! Well girlfriends, whoever is up for a trip next summer, just let me know. Iceland sound good? The birding is great there, I hear!

48 h later

... Dudley had decimated the sample to shreds - much more than foto shows - and he resumed his wall-climbing behavior, which seemed to say "that's it, folks". Even after another day had passed, there was no indication that he was even remotely interested in making a ball and rolling it. I'm afraid it's just not gonna happen. At least not with this guy! He's convinced me that all he cares about is eating. Even with a fresh new pony potatoe (and even after I ripped off a little bit and rolled it into a ball to give him a head start), he showed absolutely no interest in it. He gave the big bit a few half-hearted nudges and then it was off-to-the-races with chowing down. You must admit this guy has an appetite. Wish my kids ate half as good as he does!

24 h later ...

... Dudley was nowhere to be seen. When I checked on him this morning there was no sign of him. Then I turned over the poop, and still no Dudley. I picked up a stick and began to pry the poop apart where I could see loose bits. Then finally, finally, FINALLY I saw him, hidden way inside and having a mighty good time "tucking in". No claustrophobia for this guy! And no asphyxiation either. Wonder how he does it.
By the end of the evening, he'd dug himself in even deeper. But no little round balls yet ...

pony potato

Meet Dudley, the dung beetle. We found him trying to cross a path in the forest last night, along with 10 of his not-so-lucky comrades who apparently got squashed by cyclists or pedestrians. We were cycling too, but the second we spied the first corpse, we slammed on our brakes to investigate further. Some of the beetles were in good condition, so we collected them for pinning, but most were beyond recognition. Phoebe spied Dudley and didn't want to leave him behind, for fear that he'd become the next victim. And that's how he became our pet.


Kids have had their share of invertebrate pets lately, mostly beetles, snails and slugs. We did take in some tree frogs for a few days, and they did quite well eating worms and such, but I made the kids let them go as I didn't want to be part of the declining amphibians problem. Dudley's especially entertaining since he's often trying to escape. He tries to climb the walls of his container, but he's too bulky and topples over backward, making a big crashing sound. Hoots and hollers erupt from the sidelines when this happens! Makes you wonder why he hasn't de-evolved those paper-thin wings!

Strawberries were his first meal. But he didn't take too fondly to this BIG, red, ripe one. Guess it wasn't rotten enough for his liking. But it did give him a nice vantage point for scouting his territory, and that's when he spied the tastier treat ...

... which happened to be a leftover bit of Phoebe's strawberry that was already beginning to attract fruit flies (much to Stijn's chagrin). He knawed on that sucker for what seemed like ages, and if I'm not mistaken, it looked to me like he was trying to ROLL it! But he has no nest in this plastic sanctuary! Would he still try to roll food to a nest to feed young that didn't actually exist(anymore)? And wouldn't it be so great to witness this wonder of nature on our OWN breakfast room table?! But of course with the real thing ... a piece of herbivore excrement. That's his job anyway.

Here you see our little study in progress. Got the pony poop (hereafter called pony potatoes cuz the kids prefer that) from Phoebe's pony camp - nice and fresh! Dudley took a nibble the second I plopped it in his cage, crawled next to it and tried to give it a nudge, but then walked off, almost as if in defiance. Was it too big? Or did he prefer cow potatoes? He resumed his wall climbing behavior until dinner was served (our dinner, that is), and i couldn't resist taking another peek. Was so thrilled. He was chowing down! And he never stopped - been 5 h now - and he's made a gaping hole in one side, w bits and pieces strewn about, which is really making the thing stink (hint: don't take top off!). He's gotten himself completely underneath the poop and is making the whole thing move - it's one of the most AMAZING things I've ever seen. By the looks of it, Dudley's not going to catch a wink of sleep tonight - he's so revved up - and I'm not sure if i will either. How can i sleep wondering if he's going to make a ball and ROLL it!


...guess this will have to be continued.

s'more puh-lease

Had so much fun visiting Laura/Paul and Rochelle/Tom and their families in New York. Was good to see their new homes and lifestyles and to experience a little of what New York has to offer - beautiful natural areas and a high quality of life, among other things. It was so good watching the kids reconnect and share moments together, like when Phoebes and Jack waited for empanadas at Rochester's Open Market, one of the biggest east of the Mississippi river. The wait was definitely worth it as those were some tasty vittles.

And having some moments for the parents to reconnect, like when Rochelle and Tom spoiled us with a divine dinner, lovely as always, followed by a fire in the backyard. We'd experienced Wegman's earlier that day and got to pick out a scrumptious raspberry tart. It's making my mouth water just thinking about it! They happen to live minutes from a showcase store, meaning it's loaded with everything you could possibly ever want to EAT! And more!

The most relaxing moment of the trip was sitting atop this Seneca nation hilltop, watching the sunset while the kids ran around in the meadow finding Monarch caterpillars and doing who knows what else. There's a peacefulness about this place that you can't explain - you just have to be there. But the highlight was our exit, when Alex and Max led us together through the deep, dark forest (almost pitch black), with nothing more than their courage and the light of the fireflies to guide our way. You really couldn't see the trail(!), yet they never faltered or lost hope. Boy were we proud.

Nature, nature, nature - I couldn't get enough. Loved visiting all the natural areas and seeing what we could find. Six bald eagles flew by just as we made our first stop at Letchworth State Park, also known as the Grand Canyon of the East (just. 45 mins. from LP). Turkey vultures flew overhead and a variety of woodland songsters entertained us as we hiked up and down the gorge. The waterfalls were perfectly stunning.

A trip north would never be complete without SMORES! If you've been deprived of this campfire treat, I feel sorry for you indeed. After a long day in the field or working in the garden, there's no better way to top it off than by roasting a big, white fluffy marshmallow til it's crispy brown on the edges and squishing it along with a piece of Hershey's chocolate between 2 graham crackers. It's warm. It's sticky. It's sweet. I was in heaven! Watching the bats fly around was cool too, and the fireflies were in full swing with the boys flashing the girls and hoping to get lucky. Paul even heard an Eastern Screech owl, but i wasn't so fortunate. Could've sat by the fire all night...

never enough water

We spent some days in Florida during our recent stateside journey, and most of the time we were either in/on/or near water. It all started with tubing (Phoebe couldn't go fast enough) on a lake nearby brother John's house in Orlando ...


... followed by a bit of swimming and beaching and picnicing, but there were no butter and brie sandwiches this time because someone beat Stijn to the cutting board - whew!

There were a few dry spells, like when we celebrated everyone's birthday that fell between July and September, which included about half of us. It was a nice excuse for a party, and Nanas cakes were delicious as always! Is Phoebe still wearing her bathing suit?

Wasn't long before we were back in the pool - this time at brother Beau's new house in Winter Garden, which is just 15 mins. from John and Jaynes. We'd been swimming when the ice cream truck drove by, and we couldn't resist indulging in a favorite American pasttime. The next day we'd be hitting Wet-n-Wild (MORE water!), so this was a day of relaxation.

Canoeing and swimming at Wekiva Springs State Park was as beautiful as I'd remembered it 20 years earlier. Saw a family of river otters and lots of BIG, huge banana spiders which creeped the kids out a bit, and lots of fish (and don't forget Little blue herons, ibis, prothonotary warbler!), but no gators - sigh. What a way to round out our trip - a great time was had by all.

testing the new Nikon d40x

If I was to travel the world with nothing more than a modest backpack, I could NOT leave behind my new Nikon d40x! This camera is compact and easy to use (good for camera dummies like me), and it makes every picture look like gold. With 10 megapixels, there's great resolution, and even after cropping the fotos come out crisp and clear. Take these eyeshots i did just for fun - they're all cropped versions but still as sharp as the uncropped version! Well, Stijn's pic is a bit blurry but that's cuz he can never sit still for fotos or much else for that matter - that guy just has to keep moving! Can you guess whose eye is whose?

that old house

Just returned from 2 week stateside reunion w friends/families and had an absolutely fabulous time (more photos/stories to come). It was so, so, so wonderful to be back in the comfy environs of souls you immediately connect with, and it did my spirit good. Fully energized but completely exhausted, we returned to our simple life in Belgium, only to be greeted by chilly, rainy weather. Welcome home!

But this post isn't about looking for shortcomings in our current lifestyle. Rather it's to find the inspiration that brought us to this point in our life (or at least part of the inspiration). And after sitting on our terrace this evening, sipping on a Leffe, feeling the warm sun on my face, and listening to Laura's itunes, it seems all too clear. At least it does to me, that is.

Several times during our visit to Boardman, Ohio (former home for 4 years) the question of whether we missed our old home came up. Maybe it's all the yoga I've been doing, and learning how to "let go" and not be attached to things, but I've come to a point in my life where material things just don't matter as much anymore, esp. BIG things like houses and all the "stuff" that goes in them. [aside: however, i don't want to reduce our "home" in Boardman to just a house since what it represents is a unique community of like-minded people who love and cherish historic homes. That community feeling is what i will always miss.]

I loved our historic home in Boardman, don't get me wrong, but I feel a great sense of relief being a renter and not having the responsibility of fixing up and maintaining a property. It's been refreshing to break the spell of "go to college, get a job, get married and BUY A HOUSE". Owning a home, although maybe financially a wise decision, ties you down and takes away your freedom. You become a slave to your home, whether you like it or not.

Right now, we're enjoying the freedom to do things together as a family rather than worrying so much about what we have or don't have. Travelling is our TOP priority, and oftentimes we're able to combine it w/ visiting Stijn's family in Holland and Switzerland. Our greatest gift to the kids is to give them the world, by exposing them to different cultures and places and teaching them to be tolerant of other ways of thinking. Although after this US visit I realize Alex can name <50% of the states so we've got our homework cut out for us!

I'm sure there will come a time when we feel the need to be "owners" again (like already I'm feeling the urge to buy up natural areas and manage them for the birds!), but for now I feel like this is exactly where we need to be. If you know of some beautiful birdy places, maybe you can change my mind. But til then, Bon Voyage!

Griffon vultures in Belgium and Holland

Keep on birding has beautiful photos of the Griffon vultures that visited northern Europe last week. They're gone already, but it's been speculated that they ventured north in search of food. Unfortunately they weren't any more successful up here! When we moved to Belgium I remember thinking to myself, "where's all the roadkill?" You just don't see many dead animals on the road, and large mammals have all been driven out or to extinction (small deer still around).

In March I saw Griffon vultures in Spain when I was birding with a Belgian bird club. Was the first vulture I'd seen in Europe. The sight of them almost brought me to tears. Didn't realize how much I missed seeing vultures! Remember watching a group of Turkey vultures devour a fawn (young deer) in Ohio in less than 1 hour. From that moment on I've always had the greatest respect for these amazing creatures.

no. 217 Blauwborst - Bluethroat

bluethroat wiki file
Have been dreaming of seeing this member of the Old World Muscicapidae (formerly placed with the thrushes) for over a year now, and last Thursday it happened. Went birding at the Bezinkingsputten in Tienen with my birdpal Cerintje. Saw lots of goodies and would've been satisfied even without a glimpse of the Bluethroat, but when it made an appearance it was a moment I'll never forget. Plus, being a discovery that we made on our own ... at a site that we were just getting to know ... made it all the more memorable and meaningful.

Our work was cut out for us. A month ago would've been much easier (like May 11 - mother's day!), w males perched more conspicuously and singing their hearts out to attract a mate and defend a territory. Now they weren't singing so much - they were getting down to business with nest-building and procreating. This would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Plus, in flight they don't look very different from other LBB's, or little brown birds, unless you get a good glimpse of their tail w its rust and black bands.

And then we saw some LBB's rummaging around in a tussock by a marsh. They seemed to be walking in and out of vegetation but always returning to the tussock with bits of vegetation in their beaks. First Cerintje saw the telltale tail, and then i saw the beautiful blue throat and obvious supercilium. For a minute I lost my breath - how often do you get to see one of these beautiful beasts, let alone watch a PAIR of them building a nest? The pleasure was doubled when a whitethroat showed up and tried to chase the bluethroats off - it was like a mini-soap being played out before our eyes. What a day, I tell you, what a day. I could live w/out food w birds like this ...

having fun w Paige's new mac

back home

Spent last weekend in Virginia ... rode planes, trains, and automobiles (public transport decent around DC) ... got really hot, which i'm not used to, but didn't mind too much ... ate the most delicious barbecue pork w beans, soft-shelled crab, deviled eggs, chicken salad and drank sweetened iced tea ... and had the unique opportunity to talk one-on-one with my family and friends since i was travelling solo and could finish a sentence or two - was wonderful to melt back into the family again! Especially great to see ...


my grandma Phoebe and Dad, with a combined 173 years between them! Seeing grandma's face light up when she saw me put 10 more years on my life

my grandma Mimi and Mom, looking better than i did w jetlag, but how could i sleep when i could be watching free in-flight movies!

my brothers Beau and John and the beautiful river beyond - wasn't too keen on the kissing suggestion, but as you can tell here, i didn't mind too much. Figure you've got to get those kisses while you can -

my nieces and nephews (Paige, FL Catesby, John, Sophie, Hugh, VA Catesby, and little Charlie), who are all growing up too fast and doing too amazing things - like Catesby going to tumbling nationals again this year!

+ old friends Lenka and Nien, newly engaged, still w time and space in their life to finish a sentence or two - congrats!

wij hebben een winnaar!

Was a nice day here today. Alex finished her first year dancing on pointe, Thijs made wine for daddy for father's day, and Phoebe won an art contest!

Local leaders are threatening to close the Tervuren swimming pool in September 2007, and a group of concerned citizens is fighting hard to stop it (http://www.zwemtervuren.be). They organized the art contest in an effort to generate support for their cause. The kids helped with the cause too - Alex and Phoebe walked door to door to collect signatures for a petition. They almost collected 16 in one hour! Mommy was so proud.

For the tekening wedstrijd, the kids all made pictures. Phoebe was so surprised to hear she'd actually won. I don't know what she actually drew, but there's a lot of blue watery-looking stuff if that's what you want to see. The prize - an inflatable swimming pool - how appropriate, don't you think? Especially since the decisionmakers are trying to steal the real thing!

my kind of day

began by walking kids to school,
swimming with Thijs and his classmates at the pool next to school,
and then walking home to put on a sweater and running shoes

then walked to town to watch Alex run in school fundraiser
cheered her on with water bottle in one hand and cappucino in other
and gave her power hugs to keep her going strong

then walked to market to buy something for dinner
and to baker for loaves of 3-grain and koala brood

then biked to art class in Overijse to draw some drinking glasses,
join the class in end-of-year party with a glass of red wine,
and then biked cheerily back to Tervuren to pick up kids

then walked to shoe shop to buy kids birkenstocks
and walked back home
after stopping by the baker for ice cream on the way home

a car-free day - now that's the way to beat jetlag!

scarlet fever

Didn't you think scarlet fever was a thing of the past? When I heard that one of Phoebe's classmates had it last week, I was kinda surprised since you don't hear about it much anymore, at least not in the U.S. You hear about the more common afflictions, like impetigo, chicken pox, head lice (very common here!), but scarlet fever?

When Thijs began acting a little strange, I started taking note. Yesterday he took a loooooooong nap (w dad who just returned from states), but we'd also stayed up late playing at the park + looking for bats, so I figured he was just catching up. Then today, he also wasn't himself. He didn't feel like riding the merry-go-round 10x like he always does, and he fell asleep in the ice cream shop! It wasn't just a little nap where you wake up feeling refreshed - he was knocked out. Lucky he has a swell pop who carried him the whole way home!

When he woke up, he had a temp of 39 degrees C, headache, and he looked fatigued. Under normal circumstances, I would've just treated it like an ordinary viral infection, but knowing that streptococcus group A might be at stake, I took no chances. Mommy was on high alert.

Got on the phone and found a doctor who'd see him within 15 mins. On the way he threw up - poor guy. Doctor pegged it as scarlet fever when he saw the typical "strawberry tongue" and sandpapery skin, even though he hadn't broken out in a rash. Too bad penicillin tastes so wicked - oh, aren't the next 10 days going to be FUN!

It's just a coincidence, but while Thijs was napping, I was packing for my Virginia trip. This is the second time bad fortune has struck the family while mommy was either getting away/planning on getting away. Somehow I've gotta find a way to break this curse!

off the path

Saw this stunning bird today in Oud-Heverlee Noord (northern marsh), a conservation area about 15 km from Tervuren. Didn't even know it was there - I went to see Cetti's warbler and other marsh birds, but apparently i was in for an even bigger treat!

As I was watching a beautiful male reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) eating seeds off a tall reed, I saw a crow-sized black bird take off from a willow tree. At once it struck me as a strange-looking bird so I didn't look away, and how fortunate was I to make that decision. Microseconds later I saw the ivory bill and red crown, and at that moment my jaw dropped and my eyes almost popped out of my head. It was the Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)(Wiki file shown)!

Interestingly, I might not have seen the Black Woodpecker if I'd stuck to the path. I'd decided to explore some fields nearby where I heard some birds vocalizing, and that's when the woody woodpecker flew by. If I hadn't been standing in just that spot at that time I might have missed it. Funny how life drops little jewels like this when we allow ourselves to "let go" of our expectations and just enjoy being in the here and now.

By the way, a Cetti's warbler did eventually sing, once I decided to get back on the path.

like my new eyes?

got new glasses today
watched slugs mating
made monoprints of golden Siberian cranes and pink bugs
read Harry Potter to kids
thought about cutting the grass
but swept the sidewalk instead since now i can see all the dirt my Belgian neighbor can see!

no. 215 - witwangstern

My WP list continues to grow. I passed the 200 mark while birding in Gibraltar with my Belgian bird friends from Oost-Brabant. The Witwangstern, or Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus)(Wiki file shown), winters in Africa and is my 215th bird - what a beauty she is. Only thing missing was sharing the excitement with a friend.

I got to Sint-Agatha Rode a little after 9:30 am. Dropped kids off at school and convinced Thijs to let another mommy help him in swimming class. I knew I'd miss swimming with him, but how could I miss seeing the Whiskered Tern! Guilty mom syndrome struck since how would I feel if I got there and there were no birds? The thought kept running through my head.

Another birder was just leaving (Eric T?), but before he could slip past I asked in Dutch if he'd seen the Witwangstern. He shook his head, said we were too late, and then he was off, presumably to the next birding spot. Feeling a bit deflated I dropped my backpack and plopped down on my 3-legged stool. A moment later an ijsvogel or kingfisher flew past, making me think it wasn't going to be such a bad day after all. I'd only seen it twice before so this sighting already lifted my spirits!

Looking out over the northern end of the marsh I saw what looked like a black tern but without a black face. When i lifted the bins, yes indeed, the white cheek flashed brightly against the contrast of the black cap and dark breast. Looked like the head of an Arctic tern plopped on a Black tern's body. There was no mistaking it - one whiskered tern was gracing my airspace! Four birds had been reported the previous day, so this was probably a new bird - how lucky was that?

Then it came closer - first it flew over the center of the marsh, close to where I was perched, and then it landed on a pole for 5 minutes directly offshore from me (and the hide). I felt fortunate to have this moment alone with this beautiful beast, so I could study it, enjoy it in peace and have it all to myself. Terns are so graceful, so delicate. Watched this one for 1.45 hours, and it seemed like no time had passed at all. Could've stayed all day -

But I also wanted to share it with someone -- this beautiful bird, this beautiful day, so I called Joey (S.African born/Belgian birder) - and vowed to take her with me the next time she was free. Having a bird friend not only makes the experience better (and safer), but it also adds confidence to your bird reports. Since wouldn't you know that another birder showed up just after I left, stayed for 1 hour, and apparently did NOT see the whiskered tern. I didn't feel challenged by this report - rather, I felt really lucky - lucky that the bird didn't sit and rest the whole time but instead gave me a spectacular show!

p.s. just read email from third birder who eventually saw the whiskered tern at Sint-Agatha Rode that evening

a golden day

Each year I go birding on Mother's Day (which happens to be on the same weekend as World Migratory Bird Day!), and this past Sunday I saw some spectacular spring migrants. The kids didn't mind too much and Stijn was just happy i did the lawn and shopping to give him a break. I did miss our breakfast in bed, which has become our way of celebrating a special day. I was up too early even to get my favorite: hot tea in bed - what a pity.

As always, I was hoping to get some new species, as well as see some old bird friends, both feathered and unfeathered. An early morning bird walk on Saturday along a small restored creek (Kleine Gete te Eliksem), gave Icterine warbler and skylark, plus 30+ other species. Very pleasant.

Grote Karekiet, or Great reed warbler, was my prize for getting up at 5:30 am on mother's day to visit Het Vinne (freshwater marsh). Following that, I helped with a bird survey near Hoegaarden (where the beer is made), where I picked up marsh warbler and the star of the day ... drums rolling ... the GOLDEN ORIOLE! And here it is, shown in WIKI files ... isn't it absolutely splendid! My first Old World Oriolidae - just 19 more species to go - does the thought give you goosebumps too?

my new motto

My favorite place to go is where I've never been.

Anonymous

Belgians like clean streets

I've had the strange feeling lately that I've been disappointing someone. Maybe it's from the mounds of thank-you's I need to write or phone calls to friends in need of support/encouragement that I need to make (or time i need to spend with the hubbie!), but for whatever reason I've had this unexplainable feeling that I've been letting someone down.

This afternoon, the answer came from a neighbor. And not just any neighbor ... a BELGIAN neighbor. This was the place I least expected it from! Especially since this neighbor has never uttered a word to me, until now ...

SHE barely let me get out of my car before she started rattling off (in Dutch at first, but then in English) her anxiety about the collection of dirt on our sidewalk/street. She prefaced her attack by saying that she was 71 and not afraid to speak her mind.

She was visibly agitated by the fact that we hadn't swept our sidewalk in the last few months, but she also let me know that we weren't the WORST on the street. Our Portuguese/Italian neighbors came in last place, as you would expect, right? They're attending to more important matters, like drinking wine and making delicious food. But that is hardly a solace ...

According to this neighbor, the police can fine you for not keeping your bit of street in order! Apparently the Tervuren officers are a bit more laid back as they don't fine you anymore (good thing for us). Maybe it's because the expat community hasn't been sold on this unwritten rule and has other priorities, like travelling and enjoying life!

Then she ragged on my Dutch husband, claiming he must understand the Belgian mentality of clean streets. I just shook my head, like "sure, why not", not knowing where this idea originated in the first place. Personally, I thought the Dutch were better known for their entreprenurial spirit and tulips (and love of travel, Yeah!) than dirt collection. But maybe I was wrong ...

But finally the REAL reason for her anxiety reared it's ugly head ..... NIMBY! For those unawares, NIMBY stands for "it's okay as long as it's NOT IN MY BACKYARD!"

She explained how our street acts like a wind tunnel, carrying all our dirt and filth right in front of her house, and how she has beautiful clean, white tiles in her garage that get dirty if their cars have to drive through our filth. Oh, the story goes on and on .... you really don't want to hear all the details. I was gagging as it was -

I bit my lip. I smiled. I listened. I tried to understand. But I also wanted to say, "hey, do you realize i have 3 kids, a husband that travels circumpolar, and that this is a NON-priority to me at this point in my life?" Maybe when I'm 71 I'll begin to fret about insignificant things. But today I saw black terns, hobbies, marsh harriers, and garganeys at a beautiful nature reserve, and that's WAY more important than any breath you've wasted in the last 5 minutes!

And I felt like saying, "have you heard the beautiful song of the greenfinch, bullfinch, great tit, blue tit, marsh tit, great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch, hedge sparrow, blackbird"? And do you know where they got their last meal and drink? It was most likely at my well-stocked birdfeeder and my fishpond, which i place the highest priority on maintaining - thank you. And did you know that my girls correctly identified the 2 Goudvink (bullfinch) that fed at my feeder this week?

Let's get our priorities straight, shall we!

thoughts from the other side (of the ocean)

Alex came home from school on Wednesday (17 April) talking about the shootings that occurred at VA Tech 2 days ago. Judging from the details she relayed to me, it seems her teacher did her research. She knew the exact number of students that were killed, when/where/how it occurred, but also she was informed of -- the lack of gun control laws in the US.

Every time a school shooting incident happens in the U.S., the students here are quick to learn about it and hear their teacher's thoughts. Alex knows that it takes something close to a miracle to possess a gun here in Europe. You have to "answer a thousand questions and take a lot of tests", as she puts it. There's a slim to zero chance that anyone without a REALLY good excuse could even legally own a gun here.

But even w gun control in place here, it doesn't stop people from fearing the possibility of school shootings, and that related forms of violence may become more widespread. The fear may also be related to concerns about losing an innocence and quality of life that is taken for granted in Europe. Children ride their bikes or the city train/bus to school by themselves at a young age and think nothing of it. Once I heard of a 7 year old taking the train from Brussels to Antwerp for ballet lessons because her mom said if she really wanted to dance at that school she had to show how much she wanted it. Would be a shame for kids to lose this kind of freedom.

All that said, but more importantly, our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims as well as to all those at VA Tech whose lives have been affected. I can only imagine what they are going through right now.

grandma PHOEBE is 101!

We spoke with grandma yesterday, and she sounded better than ever. Wanted to wish her a happy 101st birthday before the masses hit her doorstep. Actually caught her during a nap, but May said she wouldn't want to miss our call so she woke her up and we had a wonderful chat.

She was so happy to hear our voices and was especially happy to hear little Phoebe's voice. She said when I'm her age I'll understand how nice it is to hear the sweet voices of great grandchildren. I think I already know what she means.

I suspect she had loads of visitors today, stopping in to see how she's doing and wanting to wish her well. I wonder how many birthday cards, flower arrangements, boxes of chocolate, visits by family/friends, phone calls, etc. she'll get. I wonder what will be her greatest gift.

Can you imagine celebrating 101 birthdays?!

down and out

this is not me - it's a picture i made of Muriel - but it's how i feel right now. Exhausted, deflated, but also rejuvenated. Adventures in Spain and visits w good friends will have this effect on a soul.

i suppose i'll be back on my feet in a while ... but for a moment I'll relish the feeling of being whammied.

BTW, i like your boots Muriel - where'd you get them?

the gods must be angry

The day started well. Managed to get the kids to school on time, even early since Phoebe had to arrive by 8:50 for a school trip to Antwerp zoo. I was feeling confident that everything would go smoothly and Stijn would be picking the kids up at a quarter to 4 so I could enjoy a "day out" with my art class. I was joining a bus trip to museums in Belgium and Holland and I wasn't due back til after 5 pm.

Fatal flaw #1 - when a mother's overly confident that she can "get away" and have some time for herself, the gods do not look happily on this. At least they didn't in my case. The second they realized I was beginning to feel footloose and fancy free they began plotting revenge.

First stop, Hasselt, about an hour east of Brussels (aside: that's what I entered in my diary, and that's as far as I got!). After walking through town we found the establishment that housed the art exhibit, "The suspended moment", that we would tour. Still don't know what the place was called, but it looked sorta like an Abbey or churchgrounds, but there were no names anywhere. "Deadheaded" was the first bit of art. As you see here, it consists of a vase w living greens and dead flower heads spread on the ground below. Didn't really "get it", but enjoyed looking at the dead flowers and listening to the Dutch tour guide.

Fatal flaw #2 - oh no, I was actually beginning to enjoy myself and have a little fun, and this was really getting the gods pissed off. A mom having fun and not knowing where she is - how irresponsible is that? It wouldn't be long now until their plan unfolded, but I never could've guessed how low they'd stoop!

A series of huge photos taken through rainy car windows in the U.K. was probably my favorite part of the tour. Simple idea, magnificent photos - I absolutely loved them. Maybe it's because as a kid between the ages of 4 and 7, I used to spend a lot of time watching the rain dance on windows (car windows, house windows, school windows) and daydreaming - of course that was the best part. It rained a lot in England (yes, that's when we lived in England) so I had ample opportunity to bond with the rain drops and dream about whatever.

Fatal flaw #3 - mom is beginning to lose it - she's losing control, reconnecting with her past, starting to dream again. "We can't have this" scream the gods. "Time to intervene, and QUICK!"

Bbbbbbrrrrrrriiiiiinnnnnnngggggggggggg goes the cell phone. "Sh--" goes mom, thinking this can't be good - nobody ever calls me on my cell phone, so it must be serious. Of course, I can't manage to dig it out of my bag until after the message kicks in, and what a shock it was to hear the news. It was Jacques from school calling to tell me that they think Alex may have broken her arm. At first I thought he said, "vermoord", which if you know Dutch means "dead", but he really said "vermoed". I about keeled over. But then I heard him say "arm gebroken", which brought a big sigh of relief, followed by anxiety when it occurred to me that i had no way to get home. Luckily Stijn answered on the first ring and whisked Alex away for x-rays and a cast. And I was able to catch a ride back with the one mom who drove separately.

And the gods could be happy again with mom back in control of the house. Now let's just hope they don't freak out when I leave for Gibraltar for a WEEK! BTW, as you can tell from this photo, Alex is doing absolutely fine. She's already decorated her sling with jewels and pins and can't wait to get her flourescent yellow cast!

on the rock

When I saw this photo of the rock of Gibraltar (go to Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society and click on Gibraltar, Nature's Mountain, the cover photo for a book on diversity), it made me think of a poem written by my late friend L. Alexander. I can't remember all the words, and I know I'm missing a line or two, but it goes something like this ...

You know I've heard about people like me
But never made the connection
They walk one way to set them free
But find they've gone the wrong direction
There's no need for turning back
All roads lead to where we stand
And I'm convinced we'll walk them all
No matter what we may have planned

by Laurence Alexander