Rein's Cookumentaries and other Stuff

Well, the holidays have officially started with a celebratory dinner, lots of icecream with fresh pineapple and strawberries (and a very apologetic waiter as my steak was bien cuit instead of saignant, so I got a new one and now I’m stuffed as I had one and a half steak and a double portion of croquettes and I still had to finish half of youngest strawberry coupe) and a rented movie (The curious case of Benjamin Button – very good indeed!). We invited the neighbours over and had a cosy evening. Ooh – we forgot the extra tub of Ben & Jerry’s we bought at the movie renting shop! That’s for next time then

And yes,  youngest (the left one) went through with flying colours, no fails all Bs and Cs and an A for english of course Eldest (you guessed it, the right one ) scraped through with an E for maths now but an overall 50%, so she can go to the next year and nope, no holiday work but a sterling promise she will try hard from day one next school year. Oh, but she did have an A for english too

So woohooh and tralaa and we’re off for 9 weeks of sleeping in and eating whenever we like

Mother’s pride and joy – still

Originally uploaded by Reinhilde.

The girls are growing up fast – I can’t look over their heads any more, certainly not when they’re sitting on my lap (which they still like to do ) Sometimes they’re fighting – like all sisters do – and sometimes they are just too cute for words – like teenagers can be, still Don’t tell them I said so though

This afternoon they will get their final report and I’m sitting here fingers and toes crossed they will pass – maths can be a demon so any good karma sent their way will be gratefully accepted

Too many things to do, not enough time to do them – or wasting the time I have with things I shouldn’t be doing anyway – so the advent calendar wasn’t lasting for a long time now, did it?

That’s also why I’m definitely not making any new year resolutions this year. I could be making so many – saving more, spending less, eating less, dieting, do more housework, going to bed earlier, spending less time behind the pc,… naaaahh… why bother? I could make one and only one: I’m now officially a grumpy old lady as I’m over 50, so I can use that as an excuse to do whatever I like to do – yeah, that’s what I’m going to do!

There are those ladies in the US (or is the UK?) who wear red hats and purple coats (or is it purple hats and red coats?) and just do whatever they like to do. I’m going to join their ranks. I bought myself a red coat and red shoes when I was in London last week – the shoes in the sales, the coat not (and both were approved by my teenage daughters – success!) – so I’m almost there. You won’t see me wearing a hat in a hurry, I do have a black woolen ‘egg cosy’ (well, that’s what we call them in our family) and an orange one with earflaps, the peruvian style one which is again all the rage now, but I just don’t seem to have a ‘hat head’, my ears are the wrong shape and don’t like to conform to a hat brim As it is snowing today and temperatures are still dropping – they said it could get as low as minus 10 Celsius on Wednesday – maybe I should find one of them to wear later when I’m going to have a look at the sales here. Although I probably won’t be buying a lot, I filled a whole suitcase with books and dvds when we were in London, as the pound had dropped so dramatically compared tot he euro, so I’m good for a few months

Well, the only thing left to say now is “Have a happy new year and that all your wishes may come true!” Just be careful what you wish for though

Or so they say

I’ve been busy playing around, creating a new blog, one I will be sharing with a good friend, what do I say, almost family

But as we both want to be sure everything is to both our liking – and as she’s in the US and I’m in Europe we have to coordinate time zones to find some overlapping – usually when she’s having breakfast, I’m already thinking about dinner, or when she’s ready to go to bed, I’m just drinking my first cup of coffee

So you guys and girls will have to wait a while to see what we’ve come up with – probably somewhere beginning next year

It’s the big day again. Even when my girls are already well in their teens, they still want to keep the tradition upheld (ha – of course, they’re the ones getting the presents!). But even Sinterklaas feels the pinch of the recession. So less sweets (we still have leftovers from last year, so that was a no-brainer really ) and only a few toys. Only problem is, the bigger the kid, the smaller the toy but also the more expensive :p  But well, I get to play with them too, so it’s not too bad

They’ve got 2 games for the Wii – Monopoly and Rayman Raving Rabbids TV party – and one for the PC, the first extension for Spore . Today they can play, tomorrow it gets locked away. They’ve got exams, so some studying needs to be done. When we had their reports for daily work, they shared a first place, they have to keep up standards after all.

And I’m off building a few monsters now

I like the new ‘backstage’ look of wordpress! I really do! It’s neat and compact and gives you a nice overview and reduces frantic back-and-forth clicking of tabs etc to a major extent. A+ for the designers and crew!

What I also notice now is that my ‘About’ page gets the most clicks of all my posts (not that I have such a huge following already, teehee) but there’s hardly anything to see as I never know what to talk about when it’s about myself. Well, I did a bit of work there, so there’s a little bit to read about me. Go and have a look. Not that you will find anything that you didn’t know already, probably, but still, the page hasn’t got that empty look anymore

Nic Balthazar, one of Belgium’s leading film makers, has made a clip to draw the attention to the need of having a proper law concerning emmissions in Europe. Now it’s up to us to badger the politicians until they do something about it. The site, www.thebigask.be tells you all about it (in dutch) the banner underneath leads you to the english site and here is the film itself, in english to keep it international, but you can also view it of course, in dutch and french – this is Belgium after all

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kRP5x2MsAw]

Thanks Jane

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo.

11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb -did hold a piglet though
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted – does a cartoon count?
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris – queue was far too long

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Guide Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma – alright, I don’t like needles
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a cheque – received one that bounced, that’s worse
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book.

81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car – loads of bikes though
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a mobile phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Two great musicians have left the building… Wannes van de Velde here in Belgium/Flanders/Antwerp and Miriam Makeba of South-Africa. Let’s hope their legacy lives on.

Today we’re also remembering the end of the Great War. Worldwide there are still/only 7 (seven) warriors of that war surviving. But even when they’re finally gone, that war should never be forgotten.

A day like this makes you contemplate life…

Caution

Originally uploaded by Reinhilde.

*sigh*
It’s there, we’ve reached a half-century. The neighbours snuck the warning sign in this morning. Proceed with caution!