See -Through
I have been checking the Brussels Airport web site for a week - hoping and praying that they relax the hand luggage restrictions for direct flights to the United States. There's been some progress in that laptops are allowed, but still, one must take only essentials in a clear plastic bag - how attractive.
The web site says that all passengers for a US bound flight must arrive at the airport 4 hours before their flight. Zaventem (The name of the Brussels airport) is pretty disorganised as a rule - being that it's Belgian. But 4 hours?
On my way to Dublin a few weeks ago it took over an hour to get through security and get to the terminal. I kept hopping between lanes hoping for a fast-moving line only to get stuck behind a slow poke. A group of elderly Japanese ladies - who clearly posed a major security threat were practically strip-searched. I felt like a supervisor was watching when I went through - the security guards actually did a good job. I even saw the monitor guy watching the monitor as it was scanning the hand luggage (Which you could take with you then) Instead of watching poor people, disrobe, de-belt, de-key, de-coin and de-shoe like they usually do - I have to admit, it's fascinating watching how people deal with the small but necessary humiliations forced upon us.
OK - all my essentials in a plastic, see-though baggie. Nice. Very chic. Luckily, I have OK skin and I cannot put make-up on anyway so I can live without lippie and blush for a mere 12 hours. (Because I suck at putting on and wearing make-up, not because I can't). I don't know how those ladies with crap skin will feel having to be exposed to the airport passengers at 35,000 feet without cover-up - all spotty and shiny. Are mints essential? How about candy bars?
The other day I wandered around the department stores and soap on a rope shops (like Body Shop) looking for a clear plastic handbag - a chi chi make-up or gift set perfume bag. Or one of those you might get from an aunt at Christmas - filled with pink body lotion, pink bubble bath, pink body shampoo, a loofa and a nail brush - usually called something like 'Tea Rose Berry Fusion Fantasy collection'. I wanted to have a cute see-through hand bag and imagined that all the other women passengers in the airport would be asking 'Oooh, where did you get your bag?'. But alas. When you need something like that, you can never find it. >>>> Note to self - check the
My Little Kitty section of the toy store down the street.
So today am working at home because Bunny Dog is getting picked up for 'Camp' between 1100 and 1300. I have never been away from Bunny Dog more than 8 or 9 days I think. And then he's always been lovingly cared for by Lara. He's been able to stay in his own home and keep to his routine with dog walker et al. I am a bit apprehensive. I hope the 'Camp Counsellor' has time to hear my detailed instructions for Bunny dog when he comes to pick him up. He's a spoiled dog. Not my fault - not sure how he got that way....
OK - have a lot of work to finish and two MAJOR conf calls and a presentation to get through before I can focus on final packing and getting sorted for my 8 am journey tomorrow to the Airport hell that awaits me.
Next instalment from 'The Other Side of the pond'.
:-))
Just Go For It
I have given today a theme. The theme is 'just go for it'.
I have adopted this theme for today because it works perfectly. As it's (of course) raining like all get out again today, I have to remind myself when I step out the door to - 'Just go for it'. I mean, there's NO WAY NOT to get completely soaked in this weather. It's raining sideways and upwards - umbrellas and slickers and boots can't help much. What you cover with protective nylon, rubber or canvas is blown away and demolished in the fierce wind and constant thunderous hailstorms. So, might as well ...'just go for it'.
August 2006 is on record for being the wettest month in Belgium since records began -and even earlier - they say (Really - they do...). This was declared as early as the 20th of August. Those poor souls who packed their caravans for their 3-week holidays next to 10,000 other caravans in the Ardennes and the congested Belgian seashore must have gone insane. Snicker>>snicker
I also thought of 'just go for it' because it seems a lot of people are 'just going for it'. I have a friend who got engaged a couple weeks ago (He did the whole airplane-flying-a-banner-over-the-beach-with-a-proposal thing to surprise his girlfriend - awww shucks!!) They are getting married in early November. That's quick - don't you think? ( Those of you wondering if she's preggers - stop that!!) They know what they want and they are 'just going for it'.
A bestest friend has fallen for a guy who lives ages away from her - another country, another world. They are at least a day's journey apart - by plane and boat. But you know... she's 'just going for it'.
The generous Lara had her remaining holidays for this year rescinded because her colleague had to take maternity leave much earlier than planned. Though there will be no proper management - she and her company are deciding to let her 'just go for it' - she's leaving her staff to their own devices for two weeks so she can get her much deserved rest and relaxation. (HORRORS - the Company VP might have to pitch in and help...)
Cesar, my Peruvian dog walker, has just sent a text message to let me know that he and Bunny Dog are wrapped in towels and trying to get warm again. They went out in the most ferocious of the downpours on their midday walkies - since its cold, it's even more unpleasant when soaked. But they 'just went for it'. Bunny Dog loved it.
And the best one of all - Mom went upstairs on Sunday morning with Dad's breakfast tray and he had helped himself out of bed, to his washroom, cleaned himself up and went back to his day chair all by himself. He 'just went for it'. (Admittedly he probably couldn't do anything else that day - but hey - it made him feel great).
So, I say - today is 'Just go for it day'. Either do something you have to do anyway but with a positive attitude that you are going to 'GO FOR IT!'.
Or, do something you sorta shouldn't - like snarf that ice cream after lunch, or splurge on that fresh lobster, or buy that hardcover book you don't want to wait for in paperback, sign up for that trip to Thailand, leave work and go to the hardware store to buy all the stuff to paint the upstairs hallway, get some POPEYES spicy chicken if you want to, or go home and lie in the hammock on the porch with a gin and tonic and announce that you are not responsible for arranging dinner tonight and that you will gladly eat anything that is presented to you by anyone else - but you 'ain't movin'.
Just go for it.
La Saison de l'amour
Well, summer is well and truly over here in Belgium. It has rained every day for the last 3 weeks, and most of those days it has rained all day. The street lights come on depressingly early in the evening - already - reminding us that we are we are indeed north of the 50th parallel - About as far north as Goose Bay in Newfoundland. Winter is coming.
I do hope we have a nice autumn this year. Brussels can be gorgeous on a beautiful crisp autumn day. There are so many huge, old trees with big, fat leaves in the many parks and they shimmer with gold, rust, orange, brown and red in the fall winds. But if it's going to be a rainy autumn, all I can say is 'poo'. Leaves will be glued to the cobblestones in a wet mush, a damp will develop in the walls and floors of every building and nothing will ever feel dry again.
The schools are starting back and the metro is crammed with students, half of them sleepy eyed and grouchy and half of them wearing new haircuts, the latest jeans and funky boots and jackets - eager to show off their new school personas. I do love it here in Europe. The handsomest and most macho schoolboys greet one another with a peck on either cheek because that's what you do when you see a friend here. It's not gay. It's so cute really. Jean Paul may saunter up to Marc Henri flipping his prep school bangs aside and go cheek to cheek in greeting. At a high school in the States, a kid might get a whomping for that - or at the very least, a wedgie in the locker room.
The EU, European Commission and European Parliaments are all back from their summer hiatus and self-imposed month-plus holidays. The Euro bars will be packed with well-paid commission workers - pretties in couture suits and handsom-ies in their finest haberdashery. I have always loved the autumn. I used to love going back to high-school and college after the summer. It's always been an exciting time of year for me - as if I come alive in the cooler months. I wonder if people like the time of year they were born in more than any other time of year. That's true in my case. I think I get more attractive in autumn too - not only because I love wearing sweaters and tights and cool boots and stuff, but really, because my skin and hair looks better I think.
I love long nights too. After a couple weeks, my autumn cycle of being drawn to go out and socialise longer in the evening will kick in. And no holds barred. I usually find a lovely man in autumn to snuggle with - he usually lasts until there's a real fight for the duvet in the middle of a winter's night - then he's out.
I will go home to DC for an 11-day visit later this week. Bunny Dog will go to camp (a nice word for a happy, fun kennel in the Belgian countryside). He tried it out a couple weeks ago and came back alive and happy - albeit completely exhausted and worn out from playing 14 hours a day - but he'll be safe and sound there.
I will get to spend some valuable time with Dad. Dad is plugging along and making very small progress with the help of his male nurse - Kabina who is from Ghana. Mom warns me that Dad is terribly emaciated and I am to be prepared for that. The struggle to put weight on him continues - even though he's eating more than when he was well. Mom needs to do some shopping, have a spa-day, eat out, get a life, enjoy her daughter. (Mom so appreciates the attention from everyone - for making sure she feels connected - Mary, she LOVED the dinner with you, Glenda and your colleague. Holly and Sio of course for all your contact)
I appreciate it so much because - well, you know. I am so far away.
So many things to get to grips with when home. Won't be too easy. Lucky my friends will be around. Can't wait to hug them.
OK OK!!
I have had complaints because I have not written in a while. I have had so much heavy stuff on my mind - I didn't know where to start.
I promise to get back to it on a regular basis - after today
I am in London and will be back in my fair and sweet Brussels tonight
Who knew anyone read my blog?.....
The O'Reilly's Shuffle
There's this thing - it's called the O'Reilly's shuffle.
No, it's not a dance.
It's the way one walks the morning after spending way too long at O'Reilly's the night before.
I was to meet - the always charming - Lara for Thai food last night. She wanted to try out a new Thai restaurant Fanny Thai. We are always on the look out for a replacement for Davi Thai which has gone from absolutely fabulous to downright terrible over the last 3 years. Davi Thai used to be an institution - I know people who ate there 2-3 times a week because it was so good - that was before it became a touristy food factory.
Anyway - while cleaning out my e-mail in-box (which takes me forever because I always stop and e-mail friends I haven't communicated with in ages) I decided to mail an old friend and ask if he was still in Belgium. He said 'of course', and that he was still going to O'Reilly's regularly as it is right down the street from his flat. What a coincidence. I could pop in and have a wine with him on the way to meet Lara.
I had arranged to have my dog walker take Bunny Dog until late in the evening so I didn't have to go home before dinner to walk him.
I wandered down to O'Reillys - affectionately known as OR in Brussels sms or text messaging lingo (Wild Geese is WG - and so on).
Anyway my friend was there and he looked great - we had a good catch-up over a glass of wine and then Lara arrived, ushered in to OR by the equivalent of Lake Victoria dumped by the bucket-load from the skies. It was rats and dogs raining. Tipping down. So she decided to get sitting and stay put. Another wine? Well, why not?
Talk talk talk - when Lara mentioned that she needed to contact Aussie Girl because she wanted to meet up with her in London next week, my other friend said - I know her! He reminded me that he met her when we went to Le Corbeau many years back. He correctly remembered her as the Aussie Girl who took a massive and spectacular fall off a table while dancing - as you do at Le Corbeau. Yep, Why yes, the very same Aussie ! I think she was in rare form that night too - he reminds me that she had some extracurricular activities that night. Of course she did - hey - it's Aussie Girl after all!! :-))
Ok - Lara and I made it to the Thai resto and it wasn't bad. Lara ordered some honey ribs which were very nice looking, succulent and perfectly cooked, but so honey-laden they were overpowering. Could have used some spice to hot them up a bit. My beef with Thai basil was great. I could actually taste the vegetables - they were so fresh and clean - each with a distinct flavour - even the bamboo shoots. The sauce was not too think and gloopy - very well scented. Pleasing. I had Shu Mai (steamed pork dumplings) to start, which were very nice and homemade.
So, amply fuelled, we returned to OR. My friend had been home and changed from his suit to casual wear. Another wine...some dancing. Talk talk talk. Possibly a few dances and a few flirts and glances. possibly.
I was home and in bed by 12:30. Bunny Dog was a little stand-offish because he knew that I had been out without him. Tough.
This morning it's cold and rainy again - (remember a while back I said there would be a day in August that lets you know winter is coming in Belgium? That was a couple days ago) Anyway - I have a distinct shuffle in my walk today. Something leaden keeping my feet from lifting off the ground more than absolutely necessary for the function of walking. The bare minimum of effort.
At the office this morning. There's a new cleaning crew - this is about the 12th new crew we have had - none of them ever do a good job for more than 1 week. Anyway - these women were awfully thorough and pushy - kinda like Portugese pit bulls - moved me right away from my desk and wiped everything down, whipped out the vac and started to do the carpet.
All of a sudden, a weird noise. The unmistakable sound of something being sucked in the vac that shouldn't have been sucked. The pit bulls dissect the vacuum and it's hose. Finally, finding the culprit of the clogged nozzle.
The cover of the heel to one of my shoes. Seems the O'Reilly's shuffle has worn down my heels and made them lose this morning. Oh well...it was worth it.
Wedding Cake and eat it Too
Over the past few years here I have met many men who are happily cheating on their wives. Of course, before I came to Europe I heard of the stereotypical European man having a mistress. But I have to confess, I didn't really believe this was anything more than an odd occurrence. I was so wrong. It's rife over there. And I think it's getting worse.
The thing that really bothers me is this - There are men who cheat on their wives excessively - they have long-term relationships, short-term relationships, one-nighters and afternoon liaisons with other women and are surprised when their wives are upset or angry when they find out about it.
Is this just stupidity or macho self centred ignorance? How could they honestly believe that their partners are going to be OK with this type of behaviour? These men act as if it's not natural to actually live the marriage vows and it's a God-given right to act on desires outside of the marriage. Some even pretend there's a carnal desire out of their control and they have to cheat and lie or else they are depressed and manic. It's unbelievable.
Hey, look - stuff happens. I mean, People fall in love, they err, they stray, they make mistakes. But for crying out loud, they should have some remorse for doing so, or some sympathy for their wives. Better yet, they should do something about it.
There's a small chorus of people I know out there who are screaming - 'she had an affair too!'. So it's OK. It's not OK in my book. Oh, And dudes (you know who you are) she had an affair only because you had one (or more) and she knew it would drive you bonkers - which it did. Most of you even went completely crazy knowing that the tables were turned. Serves you right. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Get used to it.
Better yet, learn from it.
Yeah. Who am I fooling? Men - learn? Right.
Most of these men won't do the right thing - which is to stop cheating - or be honest and separate and/or divorce and carry on legitimately. These men are selfish cowards. They want their cake and they want to eat it too.
I have met many men who are divorced and living in shabby little apartments, drinking in pubs every night, eating out of cardboard and tin-foil packets, slumping around, wishing they could 'pull' a babe for the night. These guys dream of their youth and imagine that every woman dresses in tight skirts and halter tops just for them, they imagine that every pretty receptionist is giving them the 'eye'. They imagine for one moment that they are not pathetic, losers living airless, brown apartments with no pictures on the wall, old Chinese food in the fridge and a musty carpet on the floor.
They imagine what it would be like to not have messed it all up. Trust me.
Don't get me wrong. I do know women cheat as well. Certainly not as much over here though. And I do know that some people are in helpless situations. But most of these cheating men are not.
It's funny, I get to be the cheerleader for the single life all the time. Friends who want something else in their married lives envy the single life. It's not what it's hyped-up to be, believe me. Especially when over 35- the pickin's are slim.
There are nights I get home from a business trip at 2 am because my flight was delayed or a train broke down or something - no one cares that I am late, no one is missing me. No one is worried. There's buying a house: No one to share the risk and decision making with, much less the cost! There's always the dreaded new Year's eve. Won't even go there...
And worst of all, being single, an attractive girl meets men who are cheating on their wives and saying things like, 'I'm married in name only', or 'I am in the marriage matrix and trying to get out', 'we are taking a break', 'I am sort of still married but not really', 'we are practically separated', 'we live separate lives', and my all time favourite 'I'm not really married, I just have a wife'.
So, when the next married guy asks me out - he might as well turn and run. I am having none of it and definitely none of him. I don't do that sort of thing, and no offence, it's just - well, I know I deserve better and so do the wives.
