Impressions from my hood and food

slow food ....

In my 'Marc Bolan from T-rex' inspired sequined jacket....:-)

School's out ...

Yep, it's Friday - my fav day of the week.

School's almost out (it always get very busy between 3 and 4pm) and that means my countdown for the next 120 minutes till I get to close up and enjoy the following 2 hours of 'chill out'.

After a week of feeling like a hostage sometimes in my shop - screaming children - mothers that ask their 2 months old babies what they think of the colour orange and then wait for some answer to come out of the little one's mouth...(I never understood but maybe I'm not a mumsy-mumsy type after I saw 'Look who's talking' years ago)

So the next 120 minutes will be filled with people who need a little present for a newborn kid they are going to visit this weekend ; loads of birthday-cards will pass my counter (the weekend leaves some time to write for some I guess) and then my daily stalker will put her nose on my window. 

I think she has a cranky husband, who doesn't want her to smoke in the house, so she does her daily walk-routine in my shop's street and has her pitstop in front of my window.

In the beginning, I always thought she would come in but passing the border of a smoke-free environment is a bridge too far for her I guess.

So, she just puts her nose against my (clean) window and inspects my displays and what I am doing or whatever.

She stays for 30 seconds and then continues her walk.

Note to myself :

Must ask Dagny of the Fisk Boutique nearby if she stops at her window too and if she does a fish impression while she's at it.

Today I have to re-calculate my chill-out route, as I need to fetch that umbrella to replace the one I cracked after it had been sabotaged.

So I'm a bit cranky already and if I have a late customer, I will go and look for it on Monday.

The weather will be fabulous and I never have an umbrella on me so it will look a bit ridiculous walking with an umbrella on my arm.

People will ridicule me and ask me if I haven't heard the weather forecast.

And my chill-out 2 hours don't involve explanations on why I have a brand new umbrella hanging down my arm.

Note to myself : will go to umbrella shop on Monday

Sunny weather always brings out the best in people and their dress-sense.

Yesterday my son would have been ecstatic, would he have been in my shop. But luckily he wasn't cause kids can be very honest and direct and I knew he would have screamed at this lady coming in : It's Esmeralda of the Peter Pirates show !!

Now here was a fashion statement that would make any pirates-girl green with envy !

Long black curly hair, long laced frilly skirts (1 on top of the other) and ancle boots ; hoola hoop earrings to bring your perrot along and loads of black mascara.

Sometimes I feel weak for not taking a picture ; I told you guys once ; I really need a James Bond prop (camera in disguise) or one of my eyes replaced into a glass one with some science fiction camera build inside it.

Some people are just to good to be true...but I need prove so you will not accuse me of making this up.

I replaced the battery of my tiny little camera already so I can try and make some picture-proves if possible.

Today I read an article in my husbads paper on Twitter.

Now for most Belgians - and I don't speak for myself, I have Spanish blood running through my vains - Twitter doesn't do anything. As for me, it has given me the chance in getting Britney Spear's tickets in time (I follow BritBrit) - knowing when my fav male singer hits our town and most recently, I've been playing wordgames with Lily Allen and HardDeepDeep (Dr Zibbs, you really should follow this guy, he's hilarious !) 

Lily Allen (a British singer with a fondness for anything Chanel) has made an extra Twitter account I've been following since day one, just to use this when she's on the wordgames.

I must say, I have read some hilarious stuff like :

#celebritycars = citroenny wood ; mini driver ; ronnie corvette ; clionardo di caprio ...

#jamesbonddinner = a view to a quail ; the wonton of solace ; on her mac'n'cheese secret service ; liver let die.....

Need I say more ??

I just love things like that !

I wish I could play with you blogosphere friends !!

I know I would crack up or wet my pants within the hour !

I just wanna say, I LOVE Twitter and while the mainstream Belgians are just discovering Facebook (BOOOORING) I'm surfing and enjoying my Twit-world !

So much fun !

PlaPlapluie ..

What an umbrella can cause !

Finally today I took the umbrella I borrowed back to my shop ; let me say I never use an umbrella. I rather get soaking wet or use some Che Guevarra kinda cap to protect my hair.

But really I don't give a sh*t when it rains ; an umbrella is mostly more of a pain in the a**.

So, this morning it was raining again and this was the moment to bring the thing along.

Before I go to work I usually have some breakfast and so I did this morning.

Now, the place that I wanted to go to, has some large umbrella's to protect their terrace and I felt lucky so, when closing my little umbrella I could shelter under theirs before going in.

Now imagine me in the middle of the passage of that terrace, filled with men only (why ?? don't know and don't ask) and me wanting to close the f*cker elegantly.

The damn thing wouldn't close ; I pulled, dragged, squeezed and almost cut my hand !

This nice man (apparently he's a comedian and brother of a singer in Belgium) offered to use his manpower but failed. I didn't look that ridiculous anymore. The guy that works here (I once called a d*ck in an apron, but that's another story) is being very friendly lately (why, don't know, don't ask) and offered to close it for me but first he wanted to lend it to get some bread from across the street and asked me nicely if he could borrow it.

Hey, he had some toned arms, muscles and he's tall so...go ahead I ssshddd him away and in I went.

Now, this umbrella is a piece I borrowed myself and I was thinking to myself ; hopefully he can close it or else I have to stock it somewhere in my shop and an umbrella (and a wet one too) takes a LOT of place when you have to get rid of it and are not able to close it ! 

See, now I know why I never use any umbrella in the first place....

Trouble !

The tall guy with the muscles came back after 5 minutes and sadly had to announce he wasn't as strong as his arms would make me believe.

So after my boiled egg and cappuccino, off to the shop with a stupid umbrella that doesn't close.

In my shop I tried to close it like 15 minutes long, using all kinds of tools ; screwdriver, scissors, anything that could  come in handy, but no ...my Madame Butterfly parasol wouldn't move ...until finally, KAPUT !

...

I'm on the search now for that same model and I think were I can find it and hopefully the person will not notice he/she has a slightly lighter coloured model now...

I called 3 shops to find it and my only luck is that it only costs 5€ !! Ouch !

Frustrated !

 In the clip I posted (2nd from top down) you can see frustration on the face of that poor Indian woman Meera, who is harassed contantly by Marjory Dawes.

I am an annoying person myself ; I often make life miserable for those living with me.

The clip above shows how I can be a real pain in the a**.

Like Meera, you will notice my hubby's cranky face and this is why.

I like to play music ; he does too but I like to play it really REALLY LOUD !!

And together with that loudness comes an act of behaving like I were in a video on MTV.

My daughter thinks I'm crazy but it's already in her genes and I often find her dancing and doing the same exact act in her room or in front of a mirror.

Look at her grin (she recognises my/her behaviour) and she knows she's gonna turn out that way sooner or later.

My son likes the fun ; he doesn't know any better.

My husband on the other hand, often thinks to himself ; Was I drugged when I married her ?

Is she going to be like this when I'm 79 ??

What was I thinking when I met her ? How long does this song go on (and on) ...Why did I ask her to bring her i-pod in my car ?

Can I dump her somewhere on the motorway (you see him looking in his rear-view mirror to check any possibility...)

Anyway .... this one's for you Diane !

You wanted some action - you got it !

Will you still like me after seeing this ??

I wonder ....

MARJORIE DAWES: El Nombre Del Bebé - Click here for this week’s top video clips

I've been tagged and here's my story ...

Following the story, written by Diane, here's how to be 'taggelicious'...

Ditaly von Teese jetted into France together with Brussels Brand.

He was following her into every country lately, so obviously, it almost turned into stalking.

But in some kind of way, she like the attention and found herself in some playful cat and mouse game, somewhere in Cannes.

...

Her hotelroom was grand, with some hint of that burlesque feeling she was known for.

Canopy bed, covered with bloodred velvet covers and black feathers filled vases everywhere you looked in the room.

Champagne was just being served buy a very friendly young man, who'd presented himself as the assistent hotel manager.

Tonight she would have dinner with the manager himself, an older but very polite and correct gentleman, who always made sure she had the best room available in his grand hotel on the Croisette.

The sun invited her out on her room terrace and to her pleasure she saw a lounge chair and sunbathing bed, overloaded with white cushions standing at her left side.

She leaned over to rest her elbows on the marble and looked down on the streets of this sunny place, at the Côte d'Azur...

A bright blue sea was seen a bit further away and she promised herself to swim at least once in one of her famous polka dot bathing suits.

But now she would stroll a bit down the street of Cannes and do some window shopping to relax.

...

As she came down the stairs of the famous hotel she noticed in a glimpse a manly figure to her right hand side.

She smiled and continued her way to the Croisette. She knew he was going to follow her and somehow it made her move her hips even more elegantly. Behind the large dark glasses of her specs, she rolled her eyes back and smiled, showing of her famous white grin.

"Ditaly", some reporter shouted from across the street, "will you do that famous pose for a picture for the Blog Gazette, please"??

She stopped and this was in such an instant Brussels Brand almost bumped into her back.

"Silly fool", she mumbled between her teeth and at the same time she smiled like the diva she always was...Paparazzi suddenly appeared from behind every palmtree and snapped her with the gangling figure looking glum because he didn't strike a pose himself and looked ever so stupid. Now the whole world would see what a looser and dumba** he was and this picture would haunt him the rest of his life and career.

He wouldn't make a chance at ever becoming Ms von Teese's lover or husband.

Not after this humiliating scene.

He tried to save to moment with a joke ; but the photographers weren't listening and already checking their camera's or off to their hotel rooms to send the pics overseas to become tomorrows headline.

...

Meanwhile, Ditaly was already behind the corner and in the arms of some very handsome Italian admirer who offered her to have a coffee with him...

Brussels Brand's dreams were shattered instantly....

.............

(to be continued)

Got some inspiration from BBF Diane

Diane of Cooking Blind has given me some good reason and inspiration to start a good ol' blogpost again. Been back at work, sold well and hey, why not finish the day with some GREAT pics and who knows (hope I can post it) a little movie (yes, you get to see me in action ; hysterical as usual) ...It's about the wedding of my friends Anouk & Patrick, and the VW bus they had for that day ...Think Beach Boys and the song I will post next to it ...that's how we all felt on that warm July 7th in 2006 (OMG, 3 years already !!) Me and hubby, weren't married yet (he still had to make an honest woman out of me) but my own wedding dress was already hanging behind the scenes, ready for my marriage. The people you will see in the pics are, the bride and groom, soon to be hubby and me, India and little Sebastian, Sarah and Geoffrey, a movie director, who can't stop filming and taking pics, even when he has a day off ! He and I were the witnesses for the wedding or as you like it, best man and woman (??) (how do you say that in Engrish and don't say bridesmaid !!) 

So, the main reason for this post, the love for oldtimers ...

So enjoy and I'm waiting for your comments !!

Have a nice Saturday yo'all (or night)

The rings !

India, 9 at that time and still SO innocent, together with one of the dogs of Anouk & Patrick, Wiske...

These 2 pics are especially for Girl Interrupted ; like spiders, I'm not afraid to let a fish 'suck' my finger ....:-D

Don't you just love the colour of that interior ??

The mayor of Herentals, a town outside Antwerp (30 minute drive) ; this is already countryside, yep, Belgium is very tiny)

The wedding rings were quite special ; white gold with a print of the partner's fingerprint engraved on it...

Me, doing my duty ...

The blushing bride ; behind her (left) you see Babs, our other work-mate from the office where I used to work..

Bubbles sweetie ?

Anouk is off to hide somewhere safe ! LOL

Did I hit some bird ?

Typical male ; you see, even at a young age, it's in their genes !

Chasing each other around the bus...

back to work today (just the one day)

Because I promised the customers and someone's has to get up and work, no ?

But I am very glad to have had these 2 extra days off (luckily it was just a long weekend here) so it didn't show that much !

Tomorrow we plan to go to the coast and enjoy some sun, cause I start to look like Michael Jackson (I may need some tan).

I don't understand how I got this flu ...I remember a guy that came in my shop last week (with his wife) and he sneezed 2 times but in a very nasty and disgusting way ...in fact, so horrific, I cleaned the door handle with some detol (I really did) so, I blame this ass**** for my flu !!

If he comes in again, I will do him - I' ll start making a voodoo-doll and give him a run for his money !!

There were so many things I could have done on these 2 days off and now I just saw my bed, my sofa and my flu-pills...

....

Yesterday I saw War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise on telly ; what a BAD movie !!

I liked the Scary movie version even better !!

Then I saw Jonathan Ross' show late at night, with Martin Sheen as one of his guests !

Such a great and inspiring man !!

Great guy !!

I also wanna thank all you darlings for wishing me well and get well soon.

That did something to me ; in fact, I felt really guilty not being able to read all your blogs ...

so I try to catch up but forgive me if I'm not that fast and you might find a comment on a post you did like 4 days ago ...

...Love you guys !! XXX (I'm not going to kiss ; don't want to infect you ...)

Sorry ! (I'll check on your blogs when my eyes don't hurt as much anymore)

Sorry you guys ; I' ve been really down & out these last couple of days.

I'm still recovering but this must be the worst flu/cold I had in months/years ...

I've been out in the sun today for just a couple of hours, watching my hubby having a decent meal whilst I was just sipping from my lemon tea.

The Martini Bar seemed like a border I could not cross these last days. Anyway, I leave you with a picture of it ...(and me with something on my nose to stop the floods...)

The Botanical Garden

Yesterday I had my day off and the weather was pretty good. Still, I was feeling a bit under the weather cause my troath hurts really bad, got a splitting headache 2 days in a row...

So I searched from some quiet spot in town...

If you look carefully, you can see a visitor lying in the grass, enjoying the sun...
From this spot, you can actually hear frogs making their typical sound. Unfortunately my cellphone didn't work with me, so I can't offer you a view on the pond...

And her name is ...

Too cute !

Me SO hungry !

(drum roll)

(drum roll)

Kai-Mook wich means pearl in Thai ...isn't this a beautiful name ??

I leave you with some pictures of baby Kai with er mum !

The public could see her for the very first time today !