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.
posted by Brussels Confidential @ 9:41 AM
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