Heartless

Son#1 and I skipped his school this morning for a quiet and companionable breakfast in Breda.

Then we were off to hospital.

Son#1's hypermobility syndrome could cause heart problems.

Luckily all was well.

The boy has a heart after all, haha.

Meanwhile in my mind, I feel quite lost and lonesome, and completely devoid of any direction in life.

A decade at the university gave me purpose.

All of a sudden, with no work, I am adrift with no clear destination.

I am overqualified to teach at high schools, and too inexperienced.

I alternate between joy and despair.

Who would have thought.

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Some people

What a beautiful day it was, crisp and clear blue skies despite the bitter frost.

I did the groceries then stopped by the Amer river for an impromptu short walk. 

It was simple, lovely.

So quiet that you can hear birds, listen to the water lapping the rocks.

The boys plus friend came home for lunch.

I made a cheesecake and watched a movie, then Son#3 and I built a Moon Oscillator with Lego.

God only knows what that might be.

(And by Jove! Astronauts need a coffee percolator!!)

Tomorrow Donald Trump will be the 45th president and the thinking world will despair.

The devolution of mankind continues its stiff pace.

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FrostFrost

I watch movies and read all day.

I love it.

Love my freedom, as long as it may last.

I had a job interview at a very nice school last week, but the hours are long and whether I'll be able to work that much, I just don't know.

Whatever happens will be fine.

Meanwhile the temperature hovers around minus 3 today.

The cat and I are tucked in under a blanket.

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Frozen, the reality show

Our last day in the Ardennes.

We'll leave tomorrow around noon.

We drove to Bastogne to a military museum where the boys had enormous fun.

Now we're home again, and the temperature hasn't risen above minus 5 all day.

We saw 7 deer running in a line across a field into the woods.

The woods are frozen and white, magically pure.

We want to go home, but we don't want to go home to our lives.

Tomorrow we'll see Louise The Cat again, and that's just dandy.

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Bouillon

A lovely drive to Bouillon.

We went to the castle (nobody around!).

The husband scared the bejesus out of Son#1 and #3, hiding in dark corners.

It ended  in tears but the husband, Son#2 and I laughed our socks off.

Beautiful views.

We went looking for a pizza restaurant but they were all closed and the natives were getting restless.

We stopped at a viewpoint high above the Semois, not a soul in sight.

Home again, with Son-of-Satan Son#3, and petty fights, missing gloves & near frostbite.

Early to bed, I beg you.

Tomorrow is our last full day.

We might go to Bastogne (there is a war museum), or to Luxembourg again to go ice skating.

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Oompa Loompas in the snow

It snowed during the night.

The boys (self) managed to separate themselves from technological gadgets and hit the snow.

They rolled downhill, made snow angels, cried because of the cold, spat snow at each other and had snowball fights with the husband.

We're driving to Bouillon in a little while.

My dad loved Bouillon.

It is beautiful here, and quiet enough so one gets the opportunity to think again.

And daydream.

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Peace on Earth

It has been a quiet day in the Ardennes.

We made the mistake of going to the supermarket to look for yummy snacks but our blissful family joy deteriorated into Son#1 and #2's fighting in public.

People queuing at the till turned and stared.

Sigh.

At least we got Port.

Solace for sore minds and hearts.

And the husband referred to me as Yoda.

Mmmmmm.

Tomorrow, Bouillon and Sedan.

All the snow melted today (it was 2 degrees),

but tomorrow we shall freeze our sizable behinds off.

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Busy busy busy

First the European Space Agency yesterday, with Moon/Mars walks and a 90-minute tour during which our boys were well-behaved.

It's well worth the visit.

Today we drove to Luxembourg where we ice skated on a Christmassy square.

Then we drove on to Trier, where we went up the 2000 year old Porto Nigra.

A short walk into town (cheap drugstores!!!), gluhwein and a dodgy dinner with gluhwein.

It is cold here - during the day the temperature hovers around minus 2.

Son#1 is being dramatically teenager-like ('Mum! Why must you ruin EVERYTHING?') and Son#2 should just be renamed: 'Contrary' suits him better (and I'm being very mild now).

We have the inevitable fights in cars about idiotic things like who has to sit in the middle or who farted.

This leads to swearing/biting/hitting and explosive parents.

When it passes again, one feels quite changeable and psychotic.

Tomorrow, a day of rest, thankyouverymuch.

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Cold climes

We drove through a forest.

Every branch is frozen, covered in sterling frost.

Then on to Arlon where we walked around until I couldn't feel my face or my feet.

The husband said he now knows what I would look like with a frozen Botox-ed face.

And it ain't pretty.

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The morning after & new beginnings

We are in the Belgian Ardennes.

The people we exchanged with arrived safely at our place but 5 hours behind schedule and without the mother/wife.

We think they may have had a fight in the car en route to the Netherlands.

And travelling in cars with children is harrowing - distilled moodiness in confined, inescapable places.

But here we are.

The first day of 2017.

It was the first time ever that all of us were awake for New Year's Eve.

The husband lit fireworks with the boys outside until Things 1 and 2 started shouting 'shut the *bleep* up' in quiet, sedate Belgium.

It is minus 3 now, which is better than the minus 10 we had yesterday.

No snow yet, just frost.

Son#1 lives increasingly in his own technological world.

Son#2 swears like a seasoned sailor with mood swings to boot.

Son#3's major sin is singing non-stop.

He is mild and easy-going.

The husband and I will change careers this year.

Rethink life.

Live for the moment and not some anxiety-ridden fear of the future and past.

Slow down, we moved too fast.

Have a GOOD 2017!

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