What's your motto?
"Always tell the truth". Life became so much simpler when, in my early twenties or so, I realized that lying is so much more difficult than just telling the truth. It works with coworkers, with customers, and with family. I work hard to avoid situations where I have to lie because the short-term reason for lying never seems to justify the long-term problems it causes. And that's the truth!
It turns out that "the muscles from Brussels" wasn't just a rhyme, it's a pun too. I never knew that the Belgian capital is famous for its seafood. Who knew I'd fly halfway around the world, endure jetlag that feels like someone's using my brain as a bungy rope, only to drink beer and eat mussels--exactly what I was doing 48 hours before I left!
Amusing things I saw today:
- shop on the same block as the hotel: PRONUTOPIA. It sells ... wait for it ... bridal gowns.
- in the Museum of Ancient Art: "Virgin with a bowl of porridge". Apparently it defined the use of texture in a somethingorother ... I was too busy snickering to read it all.
- Sherlock Holmes pub with flashing neon sign saying "KARAOKE"
Finally, the winter is over. At least, the weeks of chilly rain are over and now there are warm days in between. It was amazing how clear and obvious the break was: rain rain rain rain rain rain SUN! The kids are now able to play outside a few days a week, we've (mostly) stopped lighting fires, and on one momentous day last week I actually wore shorts . Yes, shorts. It's fantastic.
Best of all, though, the 1/2 acre we're on is awash with spring. There are cute little bell-like white flowers under the lemon trees, the apple and plum trees are covered in flowers and if you stand closer than ten feet to them you can hear this all-surrounding buzz from the bees in the flowers. We're planting the garden: Jenine has some pepper seedlings she's preparing to put in, and last year's pepper bush is back again and bigger than ever.
Speaking of peppers, we had a raging party last Saturday to celebrate the kids' citizenship. The paperwork came back and they're all Kiwi now! So we hung NZ flags, asked our friends to bring uniquely Kiwi food, and threw a bash. Our house is really really tiny, but it all worked out. The party is related to peppers (for those of you following along at home) because among the chips, Cheezels, pavlova, and mussels were these amazing savoury pepper-and-cream-cheese treats from our friends Sandra and Tom. They run a pepper greenhouse in Matakana, and they brought jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese. They claimed the cream cheese took the pain out, but I still need a chaser of red wine to ease the burn.
And now today, amidst the spring glory and the post-party crash, I'm packing to head off to Belgium. EuroOSCON is next week in Brussels, my last trip for the year. I'm under strict instructions to bring back chocolate for the family. I'm planning a trip to a WW I battlefield (any WW I battlefield!) this Friday, and forays into downtown Brussel's jazz club scene with Adrian Holovaty when he shows up. If you'll be around, ping me! It'll be fun to be in Brussels, but I'll miss home. I can be happy with the thought that two weeks from now I'll be back in New Zealand, back with the family, back in spring time.
