tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953730361723263472024-03-22T00:43:12.800+01:00flemish fieldflemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-61007341260506720572011-06-10T17:06:00.001+02:002011-06-10T17:07:22.134+02:00A celebration of Barbara Hodgkinon's life will be held on July 9th, 2.30 p.m. - Alrewas, Staffordshire.Barbara Joy Hodgkinson, died peacefully on May 6th 2011 after illness. <br /><br />Adored wife of Christopher Dalton and loving mother to Jack and Harry Dalton. She was 50 years old and worked as a teacher at the British School of Brussels. She will be deeply missed by friends and family.<br /><br />A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held on July 9th, 2.30 p.m. at the Methodist Hall, Post Office Road, Alrewas, Burton-On-Trent, Staffordshire.<br />Swanky bags, great shoes, bright clothes. No mourning attire.<br /><br />This will be followed by a get-together at 121, Main Street, Alrewas, Staffordshire, DE13 7ED <br /><br />Donations to Shelter, the housing and homeless charity.<br /><br />For any queries you can call Chris Dalton on + 32 470 394 975 (Belgium number)<br />Any queries related to Alrewas you can contact Jane Gravells on 07957 888109 (UK Number).flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-58763983097000555962011-05-06T06:15:00.001+02:002011-05-06T06:15:49.383+02:00Barbara died peacefully on May 6th 2011Barbara died peacefully on May 6th 2011 after illness. <br /><br />A celebration of Barbara’s life is being arranged hopefully for May 14th at 2.00 p.m. at Vilvoorde Crematorium. Swanky bags, great shoes, bright clothes are required.<br /><br />A further celebration will be held in the UK at a later date.<br /><br />The family would like to thank many friends for their wonderful help and support over recent times.flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-89056188950860079252011-04-26T19:33:00.002+02:002011-04-26T19:36:26.399+02:00Barbs is very poorly in hospital<span style="WIDOWS: 2; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate; FONT: medium 'Times New Roman'; WHITE-SPACE: normal; ORPHANS: 2; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="TEXT-ALIGN: left;font-family:arial;" class="Apple-style-span" >Barbs is very poorly in hospital. She's comfortable and pain free. Still smiling and eating crisps plus cups of tea with choccy buscuits.</span></span>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-90634724284035883122011-03-26T13:12:00.001+01:002011-03-26T13:14:35.184+01:00Barbara Update<span style="WIDOWS: 2; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate; FONT: medium 'Times New Roman'; WHITE-SPACE: normal; ORPHANS: 2; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; LINE-HEIGHT: 14pxfont-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;" class="Apple-style-span" ><span style="font-family:arial;">Three lovely weeks at home then back into hospital last monday and with a large epileptic fit (bummer). After some days in intensive care -now back on the normal ward. Starting radio/chemo treatment next week on a regrowing tumour - time will tell how we progress...Still smiling....</span></span></span>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-11785355135831366122011-03-02T09:20:00.003+01:002011-03-02T09:29:00.001+01:00Finally Home !<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz16LTZHCQlwU_zI4NTsino51cxvq-9MPatp-WplbrLKFhm9SHmX8QBd30MGjuLQERJWRZLtCmKRgUBF7s6_6uIAbpUTNdkI_4AjRfvkcWLxbylGPT1w4jim0-hzryh7koAC4BRNYuN8YU/s1600/barb.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579395093926683522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz16LTZHCQlwU_zI4NTsino51cxvq-9MPatp-WplbrLKFhm9SHmX8QBd30MGjuLQERJWRZLtCmKRgUBF7s6_6uIAbpUTNdkI_4AjRfvkcWLxbylGPT1w4jim0-hzryh7koAC4BRNYuN8YU/s200/barb.jpg" /></a> Got home on Monday Afternoon with a bag of pills. <br /><br />Have a new bedroom downstairs, all pale blue and white with lovely yellow flowers. <br /><br />Getting used to a new routine and just glad to be home - with family and friends.<br /><br />Have a nurse visiting every morning and physio every day. Still need speech therapy. <br /><br />Looking forward to some warm weather for trips in the park. Enjoying proper food and some comedy on TV - and life in general.<br /><br />Love to all.<br />Barbara xxx.flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-1288329860905973232011-01-28T12:33:00.002+01:002011-01-28T12:39:57.464+01:00Still in ...but improving to come homeSince the 'clean up' op on 4th January...Barbara has to be on 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics to get completely rid of this bug. So she stays in hospital.<br /><br />This is bad because<br />- hospital is not home<br />- the food is so boring<br /><br />This is good because<br />- it's easy to continue the physio (Barb's doing well - 1km on the static bike!)<br />- it's easy to continue the speech therapy (Barbara has "receptive aphasia" and finds this hard work)<br />- they can keep an eye on her and look after her.<br /><br />Spirits and sense of humour are being maintained despite the monotony and inevitable homesickness.<br /><br />Thanks to everyone for their help and their wishes.flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-20248229258646757052011-01-05T10:37:00.001+01:002011-01-05T10:38:42.825+01:00New Operation - OK<div>After the weeks of trying to resolve the infection, Barbs had another operation yesterday.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the same place as the last one - they went back in to clean out the suspected infection. This went to plan.</div><div><br /></div><div>I spoke to her last night and she was talking and moving OK.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now lacking the bit of skull bone over the hole - which they will patch up later. So needs to be a bit careful for a while.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully this is the start of her moving back up.</div><div><br /></div>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-23587238485924559502010-12-14T08:45:00.003+01:002010-12-14T09:12:17.131+01:00Barbara Update 14 December<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Barbara came out of intensive care on the 9<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span>...and then had a day in isolation. </span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">She picked up a meningitis infection which has now been managed with antibiotics.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">She's now on the normal ward</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Technically things are OK – the operation did what it was supposed to do. Although she is as "weak as a puppy" after being stuck in bed for 2 weeks and having an operation and infection and some bouts of persistent epilepsy. She started walking a few steps yesterday.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Mentally - she is building up from a very low point (which was 9<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> December) …and we just have to wait how much of her facilities she recovers and when. At the moment she can have some conversation but finds it hard to talk and explain herself. Her vision is a bit confused but she can watch TV and see pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">You can imagine she has gone through an emotional roller coaster. All the things about being dangerously ill and unable to communicate properly. She has periods when she is happy and periods when she is a bit angry and scared. Very good periods and some awful periods.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;">I think the good periods are starting to win and </span></o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;">she is improving a bit every day.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Jack and Harry had a nice visit on Monday and s</span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">he may be up to a few visitors starting later this week.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">I hope to get her home for a few hours at Christmas and then properly in the new year.</span></p>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-75625454982047780912010-12-02T21:13:00.000+01:002010-12-02T21:14:26.903+01:00The Op is done.<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Barbara had her operation done today around 2pm. Doctors said it went fine.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">I visited her in recovery around 8pm and she was OK – obviously tired and full of tubes – but could talk OK. </span></span><span style="COLOR: #1f497d"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Had a few nice words together and held her hand for a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Will keep you updated as she progresses back to the normal ward in the coming days.</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></span> </p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #1f497d"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Chris<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-72604252967440531512010-11-24T17:18:00.001+01:002010-11-24T17:19:13.519+01:00Stuck in hospital until my operation on 2nd December.<div>Trying to be a patient patient.</div>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-63653028948738016272010-11-02T16:27:00.017+01:002010-11-03T20:11:24.182+01:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEq10RXQELl7KzbFljcQzMdssueI0qShHYbqTZ5BlCr4etcFcARlrKXop50t88dPtao35OxWnNL2Yasb1aZntIKCkcHWYLWhiisoKviXUQDXVGrpe4TahKwJTB9I300PbAX0VGrVGC7o5u/s1600/imagesCAZMFDYQ.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 183px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535401738821865346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEq10RXQELl7KzbFljcQzMdssueI0qShHYbqTZ5BlCr4etcFcARlrKXop50t88dPtao35OxWnNL2Yasb1aZntIKCkcHWYLWhiisoKviXUQDXVGrpe4TahKwJTB9I300PbAX0VGrVGC7o5u/s200/imagesCAZMFDYQ.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzPt_rfKQdrIzbaoM1jn8KZ89ByO_4czwL3cq9kDUlB7AzI65pSRkZjt2sNQVn64xbGESnMfWkvUIZmHw1pvDrdIP4hoXSg-6DpCVoBPZilGM5YVwyYiyM2xyE_M0ahEkkUgkeg7h8sau/s1600/dp-pix-may-21-image-3-400259576.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 126px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535400143992738994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzPt_rfKQdrIzbaoM1jn8KZ89ByO_4czwL3cq9kDUlB7AzI65pSRkZjt2sNQVn64xbGESnMfWkvUIZmHw1pvDrdIP4hoXSg-6DpCVoBPZilGM5YVwyYiyM2xyE_M0ahEkkUgkeg7h8sau/s200/dp-pix-may-21-image-3-400259576.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Guess what? I lost most of my last post . SAVE EVERY FEW SECONDS is my motto now. I am out of the hospital since Thursday, last awaiting an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">NFMER</span></span> scan which Chris tells me is rather like The Krypton Factor and The Cube combined, which we have been try out, on the I Pad. I am now very nervous as I have never been any good at logic puzzles, so with a second brain tumour what chance have I? I can tell either my typing is worse or I am now dyslexic, especially b and d or is that d and b ? Ha ha .</div><div></div><br /><div>After being out asleep for 3 days and muttering in tongues Chris wrote -" <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">han</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">dan</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">paterna</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">burne</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">exapte</span></span> hewer on the sent to be <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">seuter</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">ebeur</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">desetuwu</span></span>" in repeated 'sentences' . </div><div></div><div></div><br /><div>Apparently I have had the equivalent of a massive electrical storm in my head caused by another tumour, this time in the part <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">affecting language</span> and numeracy no problem for a primary teacher then. </div><br /><div>I have had a CAT scan, an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">NMR</span></span> and 3 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">EEG's</span></span> all without really knowing ; imagine <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Davros</span></span> style electron caps on the head (Dr Who fans only). The first EEG really yelled and gave the technician a real 'death stare' and a scream. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">nos</span></span> 2 an 3 were fine and a bit between having a perm and a Charlie Chaplin film.</div><br /><div></div><div>I can now write and speak better with a number of 340 names from memory instead of just Colleen and Wayne Rooney. I had to ask 'Wayne Rooney' "Is that right?" but sadly it was. My poor brain just could not compute how such a picture and such words could make any sense. I was of course in front of the newspaper at the time. </div><br /><div></div><div>Before then, Chris has to go for a routine <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Colonoscopy</span></span> (see I told you I could spell ) "Because you're nearly 50 and you're a Dalton", Thanks <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Daltons</span></span> everywhere. This involves a 4 day 'special diet ' that involves an extraordinary amount of eggs, a sachet of 'wallpaper type past ' and a camera up yer bum. We both go on the same day ( different drivers) . I suggest no visitors until all dietary distress has passed through! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Luverly</span></span>. We would have liked to see Prince ideally on the same day only announced 5 days before, but maybe not.</div><div></div><br /><div>Now with double <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">epilepsy</span> drugs my memory is returning.</div><br /><div>I hope the next scan tell will me after Nov 8<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span></span> so that I can have the tumour removed. I am hoping things might improve further. </div><br /><div></div><div>If not I would like to thank you all for the kind words and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">heartfelt</span> generosity of my family and friends, for you have given me such a lot of pleasure, both in hearing words and writing them. Long may it continue.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><em><span style="color:#6633ff;">Until then yours in a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Flemish</span> hospital </span></em></div></div>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-28914546144819494482010-10-31T19:27:00.006+01:002010-11-03T20:09:55.724+01:00Out of HospitalI am home now (Thursday) after a bit of delay which I take as confidence on their part. Was it just me or was every Medical person seemed to be called Wendy this time? I certainly seem to have been in The Land of Make Believe. (More of this in next post - have to rest in a mo.)<br /><br />After 3 attempts at EEG scans, Davros style( Dr Who ) fans only, I am now allowed home for an FNMER scan on Nov 8th which I get wrong because there are too many letters. The 3 proffs who did last time then decide op or no op. Injuns or pale face I guess. I'm counting on injuns.<br /><br />Boys are out Hallowe'ening (Jack as a bunny of all things) Seems to be working he's out with 4 girls , that's a bit worrying -rabbits/ contraception. Harry running wild as usual So all as normal then. Chris is amazing. He is looking forward to a colonoscopy on Nov 8th too, lucky us. Just regular Dalton bum check "Now I'm nearly 50" Here it comes.<br /><br />I am now able to speak normaly and am just a bit dyslexic reading and spelling wise.(Again more next time)<br /><br />I am now on facebook too so will try to keep up but tend to forget the mechanics. E mail is <a href="mailto:barbara.hodgkinson@pandora.be">barbara.hodgkinson@pandora.be</a><br /><br />In the mean time Yours in a Flemish Hospital (actually means the hospital on the mountain)<br />Barbaraflemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-54622108297917573242010-10-23T12:37:00.002+02:002010-10-23T13:52:12.281+02:00<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Barbara is back in hospital at the moment - and the doctors are planning a new operation.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">After being a bit confused and finding language hard on Monday (18th Oct) she has recovered really well this week…and improving every day.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">We expect an operation within a few days (which is good news – with some small risks) – followed by radio and chemo again. We went through this process last time (June 2009) OK – and if have the same year this year as last - we will be delighted. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Leuven hospital is top notch ...and one of the benefits of being in a Flemish Field.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Barbs will start the blog again when she is home.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><o:p></o:p></p> <u1:p></u1:p>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-58607698134752673692010-09-29T20:35:00.010+02:002010-10-02T16:26:37.692+02:00Murano<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVxpRtN-QYoPVj2Jd-SQ-IUmEKPpwHIy1nGgFGnDXQEWS7jVwSW-x9okpO5nP7f784y6rmIFyNOVrY3DaIuVaZvXTRmbqP8Iq0u0Wu9HRWgcWFO8W565yf7GJf3gGULWZCZOyP9peh_ek/s1600/IMG_0627.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522978733409196290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVxpRtN-QYoPVj2Jd-SQ-IUmEKPpwHIy1nGgFGnDXQEWS7jVwSW-x9okpO5nP7f784y6rmIFyNOVrY3DaIuVaZvXTRmbqP8Iq0u0Wu9HRWgcWFO8W565yf7GJf3gGULWZCZOyP9peh_ek/s320/IMG_0627.JPG" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAdN461bXni_qndgJjVvN5AdTAR1P6vffe0Yk9F3HdLgd5IFN3LT-Fyn1Ww-doePjN-9IcbRTA4Oy3XRFmf1Y8K5tUHEgMhSNkh_v6UKko8s14k1OTTZwUmPrmzc0RNFS5fSpoca-hNWk/s1600/IMG_0620.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522978730627095346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAdN461bXni_qndgJjVvN5AdTAR1P6vffe0Yk9F3HdLgd5IFN3LT-Fyn1Ww-doePjN-9IcbRTA4Oy3XRFmf1Y8K5tUHEgMhSNkh_v6UKko8s14k1OTTZwUmPrmzc0RNFS5fSpoca-hNWk/s320/IMG_0620.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9V-F_bP0b6dy8RR6rcqVuScwgMzz5GeMzC1nDxkmMchMYJffeqpzRLPpdsc4UyGuJdHsyrEkv6U0b45TwS-elbSaKT-qiKYT5WY2CkUPC2lWxkMtV-7t9HiY41lyPzfcvvlmWkn80OxkN/s1600/IMG_0617.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522978722940531874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9V-F_bP0b6dy8RR6rcqVuScwgMzz5GeMzC1nDxkmMchMYJffeqpzRLPpdsc4UyGuJdHsyrEkv6U0b45TwS-elbSaKT-qiKYT5WY2CkUPC2lWxkMtV-7t9HiY41lyPzfcvvlmWkn80OxkN/s320/IMG_0617.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQTQT_PAAohIbiRrLbIA_44StTsSe0p4w9q0wrpAnBo5TAtHgSRmFhPbPbuTkcJjq48F8CrbqEjBdw5eQJ7hLB7xVzgfgR0cA0y1z98QyuSDUM74Dvb12PeIg-3IS2GjgJF1wP_q_5KH8/s1600/IMG_0595.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522978715173625938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQTQT_PAAohIbiRrLbIA_44StTsSe0p4w9q0wrpAnBo5TAtHgSRmFhPbPbuTkcJjq48F8CrbqEjBdw5eQJ7hLB7xVzgfgR0cA0y1z98QyuSDUM74Dvb12PeIg-3IS2GjgJF1wP_q_5KH8/s320/IMG_0595.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2_f36kKjAA3dxHOuyfDUyx9CcnLEhznd8fM00irooMVV-SNCHpH9_XzrUSQanX-R8ZjZRt7SALN62-3Zv34UYg1Ebh35hi9ed-WyNHAqQp0fI8tpJKu-6qHXAeAnayJ3AzM5hCjRhDjj/s1600/IMG_0590.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522978710684302514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2_f36kKjAA3dxHOuyfDUyx9CcnLEhznd8fM00irooMVV-SNCHpH9_XzrUSQanX-R8ZjZRt7SALN62-3Zv34UYg1Ebh35hi9ed-WyNHAqQp0fI8tpJKu-6qHXAeAnayJ3AzM5hCjRhDjj/s320/IMG_0590.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Are you bored yet? I told Chris I wanted to run away to this lovely little island and I think I actually meant it. We took some great photos and I did a bit of sketching which I hope to try and paint!</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><em><span style="color:#cc6600;"><strong>Until next time -Yours On A Venetian Island</strong></span></em></div></div></div></div></div>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-1685734538009908882010-09-29T20:30:00.007+02:002010-10-02T16:42:55.396+02:00More Beauty<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvDOi1TIPW8WYVUCWLSRwZShs5j_B74JzDAN08PbFJJlQVqgopVNnLKKqYFf9oha1WTM6y88afhGm5RAab4UiqgCT4gUASAHwg9aRXn5QHYpw5yFL25ub56Kj41RdeeIuPBGY5G-T3aw5/s1600/IMG_0556.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 326px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 272px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522404980786649250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvDOi1TIPW8WYVUCWLSRwZShs5j_B74JzDAN08PbFJJlQVqgopVNnLKKqYFf9oha1WTM6y88afhGm5RAab4UiqgCT4gUASAHwg9aRXn5QHYpw5yFL25ub56Kj41RdeeIuPBGY5G-T3aw5/s200/IMG_0556.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Yes, I know <strong>we</strong> are not really the great beauty involved here, but look behind us and you can see what I mean. Our hotel room is just above the red shutters, very central to St Mark's.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><em><span style="color:#00cccc;"><strong>Until Next Time - Yours By A Venetian Canal</strong></span></em></div><div></div><div></div>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-31399340390137666462010-09-29T19:58:00.021+02:002010-10-02T16:26:00.411+02:00Just One Cornetto<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A8O8CLAF0sKxyagQxfrxK6H5_hlpiwrwWdNimxzribRxnNK402zprddj4A92OblM-_AKBRzBPXTsgbFeZMfl5x1g33bY6ZiJhfB3ooArIsu4eDZt2A3fEiwCXNFydgYbRK5niZxOmqbU/s1600/IMG_0574.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523110671250365602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A8O8CLAF0sKxyagQxfrxK6H5_hlpiwrwWdNimxzribRxnNK402zprddj4A92OblM-_AKBRzBPXTsgbFeZMfl5x1g33bY6ZiJhfB3ooArIsu4eDZt2A3fEiwCXNFydgYbRK5niZxOmqbU/s320/IMG_0574.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKHsPzyKbd8v427dCYRNqSeYFO7VNbaHTAS6GPNSViTGtcIp0PvYic67Ha72CECVHKmHJ3nsrBvSXB-oeNuKU4n2E3R3c_PbVg1OBYNMACOMrkKaNiNkOmB43f-GufW-OPDNn3-hYcaXr/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG"></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRKkQUxRvZV-xUhO1saw_9GAtMqYtUXg1geG1KFpjwFIiGXK6L1eb13ptDg9gpN3LHvREEi6nw8e8blObK0HvTFLyrDVg4xK1CIylB3rU5wQfsBkmMFKv6vMN3IIRz5i2HIr9vhy9iaQtz/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523102526695855266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRKkQUxRvZV-xUhO1saw_9GAtMqYtUXg1geG1KFpjwFIiGXK6L1eb13ptDg9gpN3LHvREEi6nw8e8blObK0HvTFLyrDVg4xK1CIylB3rU5wQfsBkmMFKv6vMN3IIRz5i2HIr9vhy9iaQtz/s320/IMG_0551.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZEnXgAS2LMCoiGohQhROL7J5yfprdYHxZfJPaRwCkm7FV25uj4imKOkGvlncgfRLrZTzIgzLwVHUlG9cQkCM2xafoXfhOS8NnM3dTArWYMpF3Rndz-D4EXJctIlAM-VyO_olu5PxnDnm/s1600/IMG_0613.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522970897226387570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZEnXgAS2LMCoiGohQhROL7J5yfprdYHxZfJPaRwCkm7FV25uj4imKOkGvlncgfRLrZTzIgzLwVHUlG9cQkCM2xafoXfhOS8NnM3dTArWYMpF3Rndz-D4EXJctIlAM-VyO_olu5PxnDnm/s320/IMG_0613.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy729VAPD1rGKaGB2LAjBVwA4zVa7KJZBHF82obDWq9ekXjgWZ-hbq9Ac2BW2pWK_Z-mFFIEMxYJnCBnQvU5SWyNDp5PvuobeK2BWui-HTRCb78-77qpjoargPTuriIkXTwklVJ1Dh9Z8u/s1600/IMG_0610.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522970892838813266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy729VAPD1rGKaGB2LAjBVwA4zVa7KJZBHF82obDWq9ekXjgWZ-hbq9Ac2BW2pWK_Z-mFFIEMxYJnCBnQvU5SWyNDp5PvuobeK2BWui-HTRCb78-77qpjoargPTuriIkXTwklVJ1Dh9Z8u/s320/IMG_0610.JPG" /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3UAyY2abLYak7LrNgSrt3kW1HdLLkWxIs05KnfMF_oCKBOwMYca9K1_TKhjV70CSVOcogWJT1BpyGXJQx-KmSQvdnQXjJSzX2qA-sHF_OAfENelag5v1sohxeEgqdbKww-6LvRbgDcc8/s1600/IMG_0604.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V8gtUxW_EB03zlSzgnbLPs69c0nU5xmUXjq1zd5bhs32y0MEtEpcW6FX0ZSSnWdrtsxXAkU-KrJiBpSn6NCGxPpBrDbG-BTz-8sUKgtuE83G9ePtlvUavyUzAQbA2AyDNQ78WTBmwCgh/s1600/IMG_0576.JPG"><span style="font-size:0;"></span></a><br />Maybe this should be called Just One Cornetto Too Far looking at my girth! Anyway it's an incentive to get moving and stop eating on my return.<br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>We really enjoyed our trip on the Gondola( good job too at 100 euros for 2km and no singing) . Much smoother and more peaceful than it looked. We then tried the 50 cents version which crosses the canal rather than goes along the canal. This took us to the markets<br />There were 12 of us on it Chris suggested I sat down as he and everyone else had to stand and it was well wobbly.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Until Next Time -Yours on an Italian Canal<br /></strong></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-79269651523324495302010-09-29T14:28:00.010+02:002010-10-02T16:27:15.714+02:00Fibreglass nazis and footballing burkhas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtlMYt9zmUjJcX2ftSD8w8XcxOqs0LQYYi23i7a5JQuHbAAtg7buGrGD9YT9RCazheTDxCJmKkupfkKtiUq5IvvcMFnVolUCKoT_40TT7Mdu5hOrpzSebEZbWA7roLZ-RNxmT-gcaGB_O/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522989810926303794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtlMYt9zmUjJcX2ftSD8w8XcxOqs0LQYYi23i7a5JQuHbAAtg7buGrGD9YT9RCazheTDxCJmKkupfkKtiUq5IvvcMFnVolUCKoT_40TT7Mdu5hOrpzSebEZbWA7roLZ-RNxmT-gcaGB_O/s320/IMG_0561.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Well we're just back from our first ever trip to Venice and a good time was had by both parties. Fantastic weather, beautiful views and a lovely hotel, lovely meals ( if a little expensive), classical concerts (Vivaldi of course and Opera arias )and some Wacky Art.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The best Gallery we thought was <strong>Mapping The Gallery</strong> which featured mostly 'installations ' ( My favourite of which has to be Dinos and Jake Chapman's brothers' work 'Fucking Hell') Representing the 2nd World War and made from minute fibreglass figures, each with individually crafted faces, it offers a truly apocalyptic vision of what appears to be the end of the World. I felt a little uncomfortable walking around and hearing German voices. Having taken four years to make and originally entitled just 'Hell', it was destroyed by a fire and they had to rebuild it. You can picture their faces when they walked in their studio and saw the damage. I think the added expletive is all the more understandable given the circumstances.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I I also liked a work which was a 'football match' featuring subbuteo style figures dressed in burkhas versus figures in US marine uniforms under a suspended meteor. A talking point for the dinner table.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>After this our anticipated visit to the Guggenheim seemed somewhat mundane apart from the above photo. Kandinsky and Pollock seemed positively ordinary, although I did like Umberto Boccioni's Dynamism of a Cyclist in the cubist room. </div><div></div><div></div><div>If you like Modern Art I would strongly advise you do these two galleries the other way around to avoid disappointment.</div><div></div><div></div><div>The next day we went to an interesting exhibition of Stanley Kubrick's photos from before his Clockwork Orange days. </div><div></div><div>I'm going to stop now because I'm starting to sound pseudy and we wouldn't want that would we?</div><div></div><div>As I looked down to see my Breakfast boiled egg dribbled down the front of my new jumper I realised you can take the girl out of Stoke but you can't take the Stoke out of the girl. Ah well maybe someone will pay me to put it in a gallery.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Until Next Time - Yours By A Man with a Big Willy</strong></span></em></div>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-73378247315172355332010-09-10T23:18:00.011+02:002010-10-02T16:30:02.595+02:00Boots hurrah<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTRQULUj7netPjcfpST3F6t0J7aTa55dk-KQPxMuba5GlvSiuqWxgq8Xr9MME16M5twpDjP3UMlnmrDYD6gUBQB2yBdFN8Fq6CzG6kqxytYq-J4QdGUsahyphenhyphennx-S0kxuKM_7jueVc5yhVj/s1600/IMG_0569.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522984246716299842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTRQULUj7netPjcfpST3F6t0J7aTa55dk-KQPxMuba5GlvSiuqWxgq8Xr9MME16M5twpDjP3UMlnmrDYD6gUBQB2yBdFN8Fq6CzG6kqxytYq-J4QdGUsahyphenhyphennx-S0kxuKM_7jueVc5yhVj/s320/IMG_0569.JPG" /></a></p><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAH3pmeaPtAre4NdmK446srnqN2agbe0kjKHWdtdZ7XwULdJqjgKcCmW5Z9BCKIkcDPgCzLaSUBQRfUI3GVjppPVNlQUCPK-31xVq_Sf52EO-BV63412C6T4f-bHg94yFWV9HD7gsnstHa/s1600/IMG_0606.JPG"></a><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6XMx7dftxbqF8ayWDqblPTjsYcvhWbBvUCHVqujdCjdGT3n-TYgz7Cwff06NqICk4iDlHQZnt8fTqfHzrsVqxQXB_lKZXvADFX_Yu5jGOwW3zgTWRoyMVp8fx3zArWhWi4QLihrohuW2/s1600/IMG00097-20100924-2035+(2).jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522982951343312450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6XMx7dftxbqF8ayWDqblPTjsYcvhWbBvUCHVqujdCjdGT3n-TYgz7Cwff06NqICk4iDlHQZnt8fTqfHzrsVqxQXB_lKZXvADFX_Yu5jGOwW3zgTWRoyMVp8fx3zArWhWi4QLihrohuW2/s320/IMG00097-20100924-2035+(2).jpg" /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1AP2uVVWBB2Gz1kRP1_oBQ38VgbOVyFwvXT_49fuV0oPm0-IQVlYfc6PcTIPrV7M1DGycjCAm_bB5HSPyhFR7IzvC6jSKZm9ogeK9mSUFS4JP5mINyKov7xg2WQZf_bWf6xW0gg7hxSR/s1600/IMG_0601.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniLi34XJBKw1OyjX_XKN3z0XLF8-D2gQdya7HDTEOt_MkvTga1lkU1jw2v-UCTFTooo_dgTTu-Lyxs_P5GFE8A0x108xkbtF7190QghdJfr_Pl4RTotop2Pw9vBJuP8QOx2-QE65__OEG/s1600/IMG_0584.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Tonight I have managed to get my ankle boots on for the first time in months which means I won't have to spend the winter in Birkenstocks. I now feel less of an old lady which is just fine by me.<br /><br />And here are the boots that I saw in Italy that the younger, slimmer me would have killed to have. Looking in the shop window you realise that you are only Audrey Hepburn in your head and the actual resemblance is more Jo Brand ( not that there's anything wrong with you Jo I rather like you). The 'cankles' were back with a vengeance in Venice's warmth so even though I got in to a pair of heels I had to take them off half way through the night and walk barefoot (sounds romantic but try not to think about the pigeon shit and give your feet a jolly good wash on your return home is my advice).<br /><br /><br /><br />I also spotted this rather neat bikini but I don't think the public are ready for me in this yet!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Until Next Time - Yours in Kinky Boots</strong></span></em>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-32040722837348845992010-09-10T23:15:00.003+02:002010-10-02T16:29:26.593+02:00night out under the lanternsOut with the girls for a curry, off the beaten track, at a bengali restaurant- World Kitchen which was lovely, lots of little thatched huts in the garden with low tables and cushions to sit on and eastern incense and lanterns. We sat at a big old wooden table under a canopy of glittery lanterns and fabrics. I loved the place and the food was excellent espeially the koriander naan.<br /><br />It is rumoured the owner sends all the profit back to Bangladesh. Good for him. Wrap up warm if you intend to sit out side and wear trousers as much of the seating is cross legged (I had to be helped out of my place).<br /><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#336666;">Until Next Time- Yours In A Flemish Field</span></strong></em>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-21250271979815602132010-09-09T19:22:00.008+02:002010-10-02T16:45:13.550+02:00That Ikea experienceWent to ikea with Kathy today to get a bookcase. Came back with: a bag of meat, 3 throws for my increasingly shabby sofas; 2 blankets for the cats (A bargain at 2 euros each, the blankets not the cats), A load of groceries, 120 litres of chipped bark and 70 litres of 'Potgrond' for my clematis and my wisteria. Plus a bag of swedish meatballs.<br />Obviously we got a little sidetracked but we did get the bookcase. Also had lunch.<br /><br />Eldest Son actually sat and did his homework by me tonight . There is a new attitude for several reasons I think: a) The realisation that the exams start the day before his 18th birthday in May, b) on returning to school those who have done badly in their A/S or internal exams have been moved down or have to retake, a hitherto unknown experience for my boy's friends, some have simply been packed off to another school, in some cases in another country, almost overnight.<br />c) There seems to be a much greater social life which is under threat if he does not toe the line.<br /><br />Long may it last.<br /><br />Oh no I have just lost 40 minutes worth of typing. Son has just given me a sound piece of advice so I don't do this again; makes me feel very old. Mr Logic should be here at any moment. Goody!<br /><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>Until Next Time - Yours in A Flemish Field</strong></span></em>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-43602917278515136202010-08-09T23:16:00.003+02:002010-10-02T16:32:42.467+02:00Scan Number 3All went well at the hospital today. They can't tell from a scan whether the shadow in my head is the remains of the tumour or scar tissue but either way it is no bigger, which is about the best we can get. I could do all the tests the usual ones walking one foot in front of the other in a straight line balancing my arms at a level with my eyes shut and some new ones including naming the months of the year backwards. counting backwards from 74 in 7's and closing my eyes and being shoved in the shoulder to see if I fell over -I didn't. Really pleasedthere was not one that reuired you to I did fit the milk bottle shelf back in the fridge door because that always takes me 4 goes!<br /><br />Having just read back over these I can see how many of them seem to imply I have been merely very drunk and not sick at all so it is rather bizarre that after an abstemious period of 15 months I am now allowed to drink a small amount of alcohol and may swim accompanied(obviously it is not ideal to mix the 2). No driving of course. We had an ice lolly and a glass of fizz to celebrate. Oh how the wealthy live it up<br /><br />Also went to see an ancient and very stooped osteopath this am who looked like he could do with some self healing. His turtle -like head was almost burrowed back into his spine and i almost offered to give him a massage. He is working on my spine and made marks in felt tip to remind himself where to pull me ; either that or he was writing down what he needs to take on his holiday. he says he can help with the cancer too ( but don't tell the oncologist some of them have very 'closed minds'). Back to see him on Thursday for more bone cracking and maybe his french witch doctor friend will be there. Perhaps I should wear some alternative clothing for this alternative medicine. For those of you who know the story of me and the turkish doctor you will be relieved to hear I had my drawers on for ALL of the above procedures.<br /><br />Off to bed now as I have to get lots of rest still which I fail to do much of the time. Ho hum time at the beauticians tomorrow with the voucher I got for my birthday. Oh my god I have just realised I have booked in for a back massage - better go and loofah that holiday list off now.<br /><br /><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#336666;">Until Next Time - Yours In A Flemish Field</span></strong></em>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-27704462495289188782010-06-12T21:03:00.003+02:002010-10-02T16:33:23.236+02:00World Cup BluesWell the World Cup has started and I am finding myself strangely interested this time. I think thihas been in part due to the coverage surrounding the matches and some very creative advertising.<br /><br />However watching the England/USA game even I was dismayed when ITV Hd broke in with an advert only to come back to find Gerrard had scored!<br /><br />Mr Logic and eldest son assure me that this is what ITV do, well they shouldn't. For those of us who do not really understand the game the goals are the point so I am now going to make myself a poached egg in protest. Is this what Fabio Cappello does when he's cross?<br /><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#336666;">Until Next Time - Yours In A Flemish Field</span></strong></em>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-67308737411343823062010-06-10T14:41:00.003+02:002010-10-02T16:34:39.507+02:00LandlordsThe spirit of Rackman and Rigsby is not dead here in Belgium.<br /><br />I have discovered that my cleaning lady, 'Madame Soleil' has had no running hot water for 3 years - yes you read that right- 3 years. She has 4 children in one bedroom , ranging from 4 to 18 (trying to study for exams) There is mold on the wall.<br /><br />She needs a reference from her landlord to get her next place and is afraid to make trouble by complaining in case he writes a bad one, scuppering her chances. All her rental payments have been on time and she has bank documents to prove it.<br /><br />She tried to get a new house last week but the private landlord decided not to let her have it. As Madame Soleil's referee I tried to speak to this person who strangely enough talked in english at the start of our conversation, but who then mysteriously appeared to have only french by the end and was rambling once they discovered I also speak french. The house would have suited the Soleils perfectly there are enough rooms and a small garden for their small boy to let off steam in.<br /><br />They have been on the housing list for 6 years already, and are registered in Belgium. My friend would like to stay in Brussels to give her children the chance to acquire both french and dutch.She is now caught in a trap; her husband has irregular work from Interim and can only produce 2 consecutive required wage slips for the social housing department, who she was told wanted 3 consecutive slips - Thus she was moved to the bottom of the list.(This part confuses me so I am damn sure it confuses them).<br /><br /><br />I wonder if you can guess the colour of my friend's skin?<br /><br /><br /><strong><em>Until Next Time - Yours In A Flemish Field</em></strong>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295373036172326347.post-60367671048054285862010-06-08T23:02:00.010+02:002010-10-02T16:42:13.641+02:00Basket Case (Thanks Nige)Damn<br /><br />I can see this is going to take several goes to get right for a techno nube like me. I have now lost versions 1 and 2 of this, my first posting, and I can see the impact of the whole affair is lessening , rather like a fading rainbow ( see above picture).<br /><br />Third time lucky maybe.<br /><br />My mind is about to empty so put down a dust sheet and stand back.<br /><br />Hopefully this blog will sometimes make you think, laugh, take action or at least come back another day. It is called Flemish Field Because that was how I signed off my letters when I first moved to Belgium ( in the days befor I could use email/ blog etc<br />and it was what I could see from my lounge window- see photo). It also reminded me of the poem 'there is forever a corner of an english field etc. etc.'<br /><br />Anyway<strong> baskets </strong>are taking over my life. They are supposed to be part of my attempt to tidy up our life. However they seem to have a life of their own , their little wicker arms reaching out for each other in the night , making wicker love, weaving new baskets that in the morning seem to have been placed all over the house. There's the basket for the electricals (phone chargers and headphones of which there are many in my house), the one for the jams and preserves in the kitchen cupboard, the ones in the en suite bathroom because the cupboards are not big enough and since last week the grand daddy of them all ; the laundry basket. My friend said it was too big in the shop and she was right. 'Oh no I said I need one this big'. I was wrong.<br /><br />Since I read some years ago about Maeve Binchy, I think it was, doing what she called 'an Irish Tidy' I have fallen in to the basket trap (almost literally in the case of the laundry basket). Maeve would sweep aside, in to the nearest box, any rubbish lying around her house if she saw an unexpected visitor coming. After a few months if the things in the box had not been looked for or touched she could ditch them in the bin.<br /><br />I however, have been seduced by the middle class version of the 'Irish Tidy'. All those pretty baskets in Cotswold Company magazines, with their pretty checked linings and promises of a country kitchen. SO aspirational.<br /><br />My friends position them oh so prettily in their downstairs loo with delicate objets or at least ornamentally placed loo rolls in them. However, what do I see when I look down into our basket in the en suite? Ozzy Osbourne staring back up at me. Cover your eyes Ozzy please!<br /><br />A couple of weeks ago I relieved a friend of mine of 3 more baskets; she had to sneak them round to the house when no one else was home. They are all men at my house and don't seem to have noticed they'll probably have wires of some sort in by the end of the week (not the men, the baskets). At least one already has the cats' toys in.<br /><br />My ideal of a feminine house with lovely little baskets that mean I know where everything is all the time is evaporating . I just have a series of wicker nests, posted around the house. There was even one out on the pavement this morning, rejected by the bin men as they passed by for the 'big rubbish'.<br /><br />Tomorrow my friend is coming round and I had thought about asking her advice on this subject, but she is a basket case herself, so maybe not. I now even find myself looking at wicker (albeit plasticised) garden furniture. Where will it all end ? On a Hebridean island with a young scottish policeman; let's hope he's played by Ewan McGregor.<br /><br />Enough about the baskets<br /><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#336666;"> Until Next Time - Yours In A Flemish Field</span></em></strong>flemish fieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15123131110855399835noreply@blogger.com1