Such a perfect day

It was such a perfect day,

let me some things up, if I may...

 

Woke up before the alarm

felt pretty comfortable and warm.

Got to talk to an angelic friend from over the ocean

LOVE was at least one present emotion!

Broke the fast with warm food

could I have been in a better mood?

 

Oh yes, I could, because there she is...

It's ''CinderELLA'' to you, miss!

Just when I think I have seen her cutest way

she comes up and makes this a perfect day...

With the softest voice she ''read'' her New Years Letter 

with gestures and signs that made it even better.

 

Liefste meter,
Met mijn armpjes open,
kom ik aangelopen.
Een kusje hier, een kusje daar.
Een gelukkige Nieuwjaar!
Uw kleine kapoen,
Ella.

 

When I showed her what, for her, I made

she played and played and played...

 

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Home made pastries, hot chocolate, ice-cream, a housemate that baked pancakes and tea...

A perfect ''perfect day'' feast, if you ask me!

All that sugar made us need fresh air

''Hey, I know of a slide and grass over there!''

Ella loves chickens and slides

and never ever her excitement she hides...

 

 

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When they left I had to run off the empty space

and made my Sunday evening activity into a race

Half an hour and about 5K

hot salty soup... and yes there it is... Just a perfect day! 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYEC4TZsy-Y



Little owl

A little owl lives in my sister's belly,

she grows like the speed of a car in a rally.

This fact alone,

puts my sister on a throne!

 

But then I got this adorable card

and clear became MY part...

 

Er staat geschreven:
''Ik weet nog niet zo veel
want ik ben nog mar klein.
Maar van 1 vraag ben ik zeker:
Zou jij mijn meter willen zijn?''

 

Not only is this little owl my niece,

she will be my third godchild, if I please.

Yes, yes I do, and with so much love!

Of being a godmother, I can't get enough!

 

I already dream

of the three of us eating cookies and ice cream,

of taking all three to the zoo

and of spending time alone, just me and you!

Little owl, good luck growing...

and YOU, I'm looking forward knowing!

 

 

Having Stan fall asleep
while holding him
was like scoring the winning goal
in a finale of a Championship.
I have no idea what that feels like,
but it must feel superb! 

 ''One last Bumba show''.
She kept crying and I had to run upstairs
to cry a little too.
I'm not the educative kind
of godmother... :)

 



Elevator pitch

Not a poem this time,

nothing funky, no rhyme...

But the Elevator Pitch for my last day in class

(http://www.sollicitatiedokter.nl/sollicitatiegesprek-startpagina/elevator-pitch-tips-en-voorbeelden/ )

to become a ''Professional Organizing''-lass.

Read and learn what I've been up to

and what it is I hope to someday do...

 

When I was travelling for a year,

looking for myself and

for what would REALLY make me happy,

one of the wishes that rose

was to become a ''Professional Organizer''.

 

With my backpack full of

* experience as a social worker

* a very good idea of what I want

* my personal organizing skills and passions

* and the ''good practices'' of what I could mean in the lives of people around me

I ''travelled'' to Utrecht (Netherlands) to follow the training from

''Inspiring Els The Household coach''.
http://www.dehuishoudcoach.nl/
 

There, my enthusiasm caught fire

and as a souvenir I brought:

the idea and plan to start with OrganiZEN.

 

With OrganiZEN I want to help people

in Antwerp province (and maybe beyond)

to regain control over their ''stuff'' and house hold.

This, by ''getting things done'', 

very practically,

with them

and in in their own house.

 

This way, they will (re)find their stuff,

themselves

and their peace.

 

Just like I found all these things,

while travelling.

Walking around Utrecht ''Fier als een pauw'' - ''Proud as a peacock'' as
a graduated Professional Organizer :).
Should this be my celebration-dress? :)
Just kidding, I already found the perfect vintage one :).

 

 



It didn't rain in India

Drips and drops on your skin...
Do you rather stay in?
Cozy warm with a cup of tea?
But there is a whole world out there to see!
I get itches because I want to see more,
of what the world has in store...

For now I heat up my chosen pea soup
and put my favorite CD of the moment on a loop
I go through a picture book
with some of the shots in India I took.
Thinking back of that time of this year,
gives me sadness but also cheer.
Curious of what I saw and did
copy the links and look at it!

A cup of tea
at Bakery Bizarr in Lier (BE)
is a real treat!

The place is gorgeous
and fall is as well!

Book 1
http://www.albelli.nl/onlinefotoboek-delen/a83fa9cd-1a2a-4d96-b8f6-771036511ad3
Book 2
http://www.albelli.nl/onlinefotoboek-delen/3eace575-0cc1-49f0-9a53-4f2598f7298c
Book 3
http://www.albelli.nl/onlinefotoboek-delen/793b25fa-e9b7-43c4-9d4c-8700ce067cb9
Book 4
http://www.albelli.nl/onlinefotoboek-delen/77e5b650-dbe2-459d-bcf2-1027afeeff33
Book 5
http://www.albelli.nl/onlinefotoboek-delen/46a85aab-e0b7-4f95-ad88-b99b73951884
Book 6
http://www.albelli.nl/onlinefotoboek-delen/50f0395e-f513-472f-b780-f1029ba4e15a



Belgium has the world

What I love about living in this homeland

is that so many cultures are close at hand.

Last weekend I was just here...

but in an Iranian atmosphere.

My friend cooked me a delicious exotic meal,

just like that, no big deal.

Then we went shopping for Iranian goods

where we met more people with foreign roots.
Travelling but staying right here,
thank you for the culture exchange Iranian friend in Lier!

Delicious salad!
I love that they have that standard
with every meal.

The complete meal: rice with beans,
salad and egg thing called
''kookoo sabzi'' and... see below: 

Crusty burned rice... on purpose!
Because it is awesome to have a bit of crunch! 

Iranian flower/plant!

One of the delicious things we bought!
Dessert... and it is...
one of the best things I ever had!
AND it comes in a beautiful box!
Be warned, next time you invite me over,
this is what I will bring as my gift ;).

And ending with some interesting tasting Iranian tea...
Cups and plates empty... belly's full and happy!

 

 

 



I crashed my car into a truck...

Saturday I had a cozy and friendly chat

with this wonderful creative soul I met

She and the market we attended

inspired me, so my creative blockage ended

Full of spirit, energy and ideas

I drove home with great ease...

But with a head so full and somewhere else

I didn't see the alarm bells...

 

I had crashed my car into a truck

but all in all I had great luck

not me, nor any other human soul got in any pain

too bad for my car, I can't say the same...

It's not good, it's wrecked, it's bad

oh what a great car I had...

 

So I went to bed with puffy eyes

all day I had ''the cries''.

 

But let me tell you something here,

my happiness is what is most dear,

I could say 2013 is a year of bad luck

but that would get me all stuck...

I see it as a year of chances

a year with balancing acts and dances

 

These are the chances I see,
will you think along with me?

I get to ride my bicycle more and longer

and that will only make me stronger

All these options lay at my feet,

all these opportunities I will meet:

I get to live without a car

and see if it will get me far

I maybe get to buy a motorbike

one of those vintage ones I like...

Things are what you make them out to be
but not always easy, if you ask me.
This is quite a bummer,
but all in all, I had a great summer!
Look at some pictures of the past weeks
this is a downer, but I had great peaks!




Me and the little boy from next door,
did a swap:
He got a pancake
 and I got fresh picked berries.
That worked fine for me!

Herbs from the garden!
Delicious in a freshly prepared wok!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I loved spending time with old friends, new friends
and my lovely family!

 

I tasted the most fresh berries ever!
Straight from the bush...

Loved biking over and
watering Maria's awesome garden!
(And sometimes
taking some produce home)

 

A little bit of crafting (like this chalk board I made)
and just some enjoying the beautiful and pretty life.
It says: ''Beautiful, right? ... everything!''

I found a great yoga school in Lier
and already learned a lot!
And practised some :)

Got to wear my vintage yellow boots,
because the sun was out!

Another tiny craft project: I think/hope I made some one happy with it...
In the front:
''Your mind is like a parachute... it only functions when open'' Frank Zappa.

 

 

This little piece of crazy
has to be part
of a successful summer, of course!

A market or two
with my lovely sister
and the little one.

 

Great weather in Belgium,
so as many outside drinks as possible!

 

Summer was in our garden
and it was great!

Frozen yoghourt in Greece...
Oh yes!

 



 



Making jam is international business

My first time was in Lier,

and I started with a little bit of fear...

But with some help and good advice,

you could ask me to do it twice!

 

 

I got a big load of red berries from
my brother in law's parents. Thank you!
It was very tempting to start
feet-smashing them...
But I will keep that for a trip to
France and grapes one day :).
 

The result!
Pretty proud of it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I was in Greece with my dear friend

and gave her a little hand

in picking fresh figs right of the tree...

(eating figs so fresh was the first time for me!)

We ate until we could no more...

Figs that fresh? Not in the store!

With the rest she made delicious jam,

the way I think only Maria can!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Half of what we picked... it was hard to stop :).
Picking and eating while picking :).
 



What a beautiful fruit!

 

The process...

... the result!

 



Feeding a massive beast

Also on my list

and something I've missed...

being overseas...

where I could not have one of these:

a birthday party or celebration

at my private location!

 

I decided quick,

did not have a date to pick...

The weekend before my day,

I asked some people over ''to come and play''.

Saturday was dinner with friends

and Sunday it was all female family hands,

handing me such sweet gifts and cards

and reaching for my pastry hearts.

 

All weekend I was preparing and cooking

while the neighbors were looking...

They thought I was planning a big feast,

or feeding some kind of massive beast.

 

I enjoyed all of it and loved to host

some of the people I love the most!

Maybe next year you will be there too

so I can make some food for you!

 

For the afternoon drinks,
I made 5 types of dips.
This is the walnut-pesto
in preparation.
 

For the High Tea around noon,
I made some sweets and
some sandwiches
with homemade fillings.
The cutest kid from next-door
helped me with the mini pancakes.
 

For the High Tea:
some ''Lierse vlaaikes''
and some heart pastries with homemade jam from red berries,
with chocolate and with cinnamon and raisins.

The mini pancakes with strawberries and honey from my roommates bees!

The coolest kid from next-door making us a drawing
(on my self-made chalk board).



A little bit of a blurry picture,
but wanted to show:
I used Moe's (grandma)
teacups and plates...
So she was there with us a little...
 

Sangria with fresh fruit.
Maybe not the best idea
with all those pregnant
or breastfeeding cousins,
but my aunts (and I) enjoyed it! 



Snail mail

Sending and recieving,

really feels like achieving...

something beautiful and sweet,

it is like kissing lips, when pen and paper meet!

Postcrossing, a birthday card or a full letter

there is hardly anything better.

Snail mail has me even more in it's camp

wit this new chocolate-flavoured stamp!

Michaela, my beautiful friend,
writes me letters by hand.
When one of her letters reaches me,
I am as happy as can be!
Oceans between us don't matter
because we get closer in a wonderful letter!

They even smell delicious,
I am tempted to try and eat one...

Stack of lovely letters
from the lovely Michaela!