Tonight was my second night of SHAPE International Choir practice. We are currently practicing a few songs that we will sing at SHAPEfest for the 9-11 and Battle of Britain memorial service. Last week, several of us were new and relations were hesitant, halting. Tonight was great. People were mingling and talking between songs and break, it was so nice. The cute old British man even gave my shoulders a squeeze. We even were giving the director a hard time over his choices for music. All religious and really, really difficult.
There are a few British singers, a Canadian pianist and the rest of us are Americans. We are 17 strong so far, but our fearless leader says that there are 34 people that have signed to be a part of the group. Maybe once Christmas rolls around, the carolers will want to join too.
I was really looking forward to tonight because it's something I can belong to, be a part of. I haven't been in a choir for 18 years, and neither have slot of the other singers. Some of us can read music, some of us just hold it to look at the lyrics. Either way, we are all a part of something and enjoying it.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
WHOA! Now, that's a storm!
While it is rare to have a thunderstorm in Belgium, we had one last night. It made the little cloud burst last week look like a sprinkle.
It rained almost all day yesterday, which, sadly, isn't rare. It cleared off pretty well for my son and I to take a stroller jog up to the closest park. We both needed outside and I needed the exercise. We get all the way to the park, a little over a mile, and turned the stroller around to get in the entrance. I don't know how I didn't notice the darkness when we left the house, but I did. Even my son noticed how dark is was and told me it was going to rain. His stroller has a rain guard on it, so he was going to be fine, I'd be the one getting drenched. I told him that we'd play for a little bit, then we'd have to go. HE cut the playtime short, getting back into his stroller and told me it was time to get going home. We got home just in time for it to start dumping rain. But we were home and it was only rain, no thunder, no wind.
It continued to rain into the night and even started to thunder and lightning a bit around 2300. Just a little thunder shower. THEN, at about 0300 the storm blew in. We both woke up hearing the wind pick up and the rain start blasting our huge windows. There was a strike of lightning that was so close, I was afraid it hit my beloved neighbor cow, Marie, or one of our trees. It was that close. YIKES! Woke my son up, which is saying something. Then the rain came harder, it sounded like hail on our ceiling window. It let up after an hour or so, but it was strong! I was able to transplant our son back into his bed after that hour and he slept for a short time longer.
The rain and thunder continue this morning, though it looks like it is going to break up for awhile. We have play plans at the indoor playground at the zoo, so we won't be stuck inside today. The rain has left me with greener, longer grass and a bunch of sticks to pick up of the cursed pear tree. But, since those storms are so rare, we might not see another boomer like that for awhile. (which is good, because I hate my sleep being interrupted for any reason)
It rained almost all day yesterday, which, sadly, isn't rare. It cleared off pretty well for my son and I to take a stroller jog up to the closest park. We both needed outside and I needed the exercise. We get all the way to the park, a little over a mile, and turned the stroller around to get in the entrance. I don't know how I didn't notice the darkness when we left the house, but I did. Even my son noticed how dark is was and told me it was going to rain. His stroller has a rain guard on it, so he was going to be fine, I'd be the one getting drenched. I told him that we'd play for a little bit, then we'd have to go. HE cut the playtime short, getting back into his stroller and told me it was time to get going home. We got home just in time for it to start dumping rain. But we were home and it was only rain, no thunder, no wind.
It continued to rain into the night and even started to thunder and lightning a bit around 2300. Just a little thunder shower. THEN, at about 0300 the storm blew in. We both woke up hearing the wind pick up and the rain start blasting our huge windows. There was a strike of lightning that was so close, I was afraid it hit my beloved neighbor cow, Marie, or one of our trees. It was that close. YIKES! Woke my son up, which is saying something. Then the rain came harder, it sounded like hail on our ceiling window. It let up after an hour or so, but it was strong! I was able to transplant our son back into his bed after that hour and he slept for a short time longer.
The rain and thunder continue this morning, though it looks like it is going to break up for awhile. We have play plans at the indoor playground at the zoo, so we won't be stuck inside today. The rain has left me with greener, longer grass and a bunch of sticks to pick up of the cursed pear tree. But, since those storms are so rare, we might not see another boomer like that for awhile. (which is good, because I hate my sleep being interrupted for any reason)
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Electric Poop
We've smelled some horrible, strong smells since here in Belgium. The landscape is very similar to Nebraska/Iowa, so we knew the smell, at first. It was farm smells, manure to be exact. And my son was more than quick to point it out at every chance he got. "I mell tumting. I mell cow poop." It was funny at first, then got to be old, the 100th time we left the confines of the lodge or our house.
Since we've moved to our house and are surrounded by fields of potatoes and sugar beets, we've noticed that every once in awhile, the smell is VERY strong and VERY close. Then we hear the tractor, or tune in to the tractor sounds behind the house instead of rumbling down our poorly paved country road in front of the house. Those tractors are often spraying the fields with what we've come to call "electric poop." I don't know if they mix it with something before hand, let it ferment in a dung heap until it liquefies, or what the process is, but the result is the most noisome stench that I've encountered since the hog confinements in Atkinson, NE. Awful. Eye-watering. Really, really bad "mell."
The good thing about this is, that as soon as the farmer is done watering his fields with the liquid poo, the smell dissipates. Thank God! We've been lucky too, that most of the time the wind is in our favor. I can't imagine the little particles of encapsulated stink blowing into my unscreened windows. I pray it never happens!
Since we've moved to our house and are surrounded by fields of potatoes and sugar beets, we've noticed that every once in awhile, the smell is VERY strong and VERY close. Then we hear the tractor, or tune in to the tractor sounds behind the house instead of rumbling down our poorly paved country road in front of the house. Those tractors are often spraying the fields with what we've come to call "electric poop." I don't know if they mix it with something before hand, let it ferment in a dung heap until it liquefies, or what the process is, but the result is the most noisome stench that I've encountered since the hog confinements in Atkinson, NE. Awful. Eye-watering. Really, really bad "mell."
The good thing about this is, that as soon as the farmer is done watering his fields with the liquid poo, the smell dissipates. Thank God! We've been lucky too, that most of the time the wind is in our favor. I can't imagine the little particles of encapsulated stink blowing into my unscreened windows. I pray it never happens!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
There might be a "thunderstorm" STOP EVERYTHING
It rains here in Belgium, but rarely storms. Today, it did. It was on the AFN radio station, "Wind, Hail, Heavy Rains. Get home and put your car in the garage if you have one!" That would be just another summer day in Nebraska/Texas/Georgia. Not here. Big Deal!
Now, it did rain, quite a gully washer. There is rain in the street and some leaves in the road. No hail, some good winds and heavy rain. If this is as bad as summer weather gets here, I'll be fine.
Winter, however, might be a different story, since I've been lucky enough to not have to endure snow and ice for some time now.....
Now, it did rain, quite a gully washer. There is rain in the street and some leaves in the road. No hail, some good winds and heavy rain. If this is as bad as summer weather gets here, I'll be fine.
Winter, however, might be a different story, since I've been lucky enough to not have to endure snow and ice for some time now.....
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Trail Ride
As I've written before, Belgians love to be outside and have many trails crossing the country. Today, I decided that I'd try one that was for either biking or hiking (rambling). I rode out on the "highway" for a few miles before I got to the trail. From the direction that the trail started, it looked like it would take me back toward home, AND it was really well used. It was labeled 3.1km, easy peasy. Well, the first kilometer was, then it went to grass, where I was riding right alongside the combine as he was harvesting the wheat field. Hey, he gave me a little wave. In hindsight, he was probably waving at me to turn around. After the grass and the combine came the really bumpy tractor path, complete with mud puddles big enough to lose half my tire. Hey, no problem, I can ride through mud, not biggie. In my head, I'm thinking that there's no way that I'm still on the path, I didn't really see where it could have veered off, but this can't be it. After another .5km, I hit a road, only to get run off of it by a tractor and it's electric poop wagon. (electric poop to be explained in another post).
OK, top of the road and I see the bike/hike sign. In front of the road is a T-intersection because of the gorgeous reddish/orange brick chateau. WOW, I knew the town had a chateau, but I hadn't seen it yet. Follow the bike sign, it's gotta be almost 3.1, it has to be almost over. So, I hit the next path and take it. It's traveled, kinda. Long story short, it wasn't the bike/hike path. I was on the chateau property, I assume, with a pond that I skirted around. Then the path disappeared and got super muddy and I ended up directly behind the chateau somehow. It use to have a beautiful garden at one time, but I rode my bike through it as quickly as I could, I needed to get back to the road! I took something that could have been a path, but got stuck in a huge patch of weeds containing thistles and nettles. OUCH! Finally, I road right up alongside the chateau and skipped out behind a construction fence. Whew!
Back on the road, I decided to head towards the town that adjoins mine. I found a little park, rode past the church AND found the Fromage Du Thoricourt farm! I've been looking for it for awhile now. My bike was filthy, I was filthy, full of nettle stings and thistle scratches and it was the best ride I've had in a long time. I'll have to take the husband along next time.
OK, top of the road and I see the bike/hike sign. In front of the road is a T-intersection because of the gorgeous reddish/orange brick chateau. WOW, I knew the town had a chateau, but I hadn't seen it yet. Follow the bike sign, it's gotta be almost 3.1, it has to be almost over. So, I hit the next path and take it. It's traveled, kinda. Long story short, it wasn't the bike/hike path. I was on the chateau property, I assume, with a pond that I skirted around. Then the path disappeared and got super muddy and I ended up directly behind the chateau somehow. It use to have a beautiful garden at one time, but I rode my bike through it as quickly as I could, I needed to get back to the road! I took something that could have been a path, but got stuck in a huge patch of weeds containing thistles and nettles. OUCH! Finally, I road right up alongside the chateau and skipped out behind a construction fence. Whew!
Back on the road, I decided to head towards the town that adjoins mine. I found a little park, rode past the church AND found the Fromage Du Thoricourt farm! I've been looking for it for awhile now. My bike was filthy, I was filthy, full of nettle stings and thistle scratches and it was the best ride I've had in a long time. I'll have to take the husband along next time.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Enjoy It While It Lasts
I'm living in Belgium, living my childhood dream of living in Europe, but I do have a complaint. The rain, some 220 days per year. But, when it isn't raining, people enjoy being outside.
Tonight it is a perfect, 65 degrees, light wind and partly sunny. The cows are bellowing at each other across the different fields, the storks from Pairi Daiza are out flying around and families are outside. In Nebraska, people know how to enjoy nice weather too, but it just seems so much more prevalent here. Families are out walking their dogs, or have their kids in strollers. Moms and Dads are out with the kids, rambling around. (they love the term 'rambling') They're out riding bikes together, enjoying each other's company and the beautiful weather. Right now, I'm listening to a family laughing, kicking a soccer ball down our country road. You just don't see that very much, it almost makes me want to look up divorce rates in Belgium. It's rare to see just the Mom and kids walking, it's everyone.
As I've written before, the nice weather here is more like a Indian Summer night at home, so it's just so refreshing and relaxing. Nebraskans know how to enjoy those days the most, because they are so much more pleasant than the 100 degree days of real summer. And they know that fall and winter can bring really crappy weather. My assumption is that it's the same here. The days are short and the weather is cold in the winter, so you have to enjoy every nice moment while you can.
We have been, a bike ride or a walk to town. Maybe a ramble down the path that runs behind the field, it's a great way to enjoy each other, our new country, and this beautiful weather.
Tonight it is a perfect, 65 degrees, light wind and partly sunny. The cows are bellowing at each other across the different fields, the storks from Pairi Daiza are out flying around and families are outside. In Nebraska, people know how to enjoy nice weather too, but it just seems so much more prevalent here. Families are out walking their dogs, or have their kids in strollers. Moms and Dads are out with the kids, rambling around. (they love the term 'rambling') They're out riding bikes together, enjoying each other's company and the beautiful weather. Right now, I'm listening to a family laughing, kicking a soccer ball down our country road. You just don't see that very much, it almost makes me want to look up divorce rates in Belgium. It's rare to see just the Mom and kids walking, it's everyone.
As I've written before, the nice weather here is more like a Indian Summer night at home, so it's just so refreshing and relaxing. Nebraskans know how to enjoy those days the most, because they are so much more pleasant than the 100 degree days of real summer. And they know that fall and winter can bring really crappy weather. My assumption is that it's the same here. The days are short and the weather is cold in the winter, so you have to enjoy every nice moment while you can.
We have been, a bike ride or a walk to town. Maybe a ramble down the path that runs behind the field, it's a great way to enjoy each other, our new country, and this beautiful weather.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Germany vs Belgium
We were able to go to Germany this weekend, about a 4 hour drive to Ramstein. We have a friend that has been stationed in Germany that was meeting us. It was a pretty drive through the hills of eastern Belgium and western Germany.
We had been told that the air force base in Ramstein was called, "Little America," because it was so large and has an enormous PX. They weren't lying! It has a huge shopping area, it's own book store, movie theater, several smaller shops, food court and a Macaroni Grill in it. Whoa! Overwhelming.
We were also told that Germans, more so than Belgians, are very friendly and helpful. This, also proved to be true. Not that most Belgians have been rude, but maybe a little aloof when it comes to relationships/conversations with English speaking people. (I refuse to believe it's just an American thing) Our French teacher said the rift is because Americans are big people, bold and swagger and have too much confidence. I don't see Belgians as being shrinking violets, but maybe I'm not that observant. Germans are also big people I guess, maybe that's why they seem to be more tolerant towards English speaking people.
We enjoyed our time in Ramstein and the surrounding towns, we'll be going back and if a spot opens in 3 years, I won't be sad if we move that direction.
We had been told that the air force base in Ramstein was called, "Little America," because it was so large and has an enormous PX. They weren't lying! It has a huge shopping area, it's own book store, movie theater, several smaller shops, food court and a Macaroni Grill in it. Whoa! Overwhelming.
We were also told that Germans, more so than Belgians, are very friendly and helpful. This, also proved to be true. Not that most Belgians have been rude, but maybe a little aloof when it comes to relationships/conversations with English speaking people. (I refuse to believe it's just an American thing) Our French teacher said the rift is because Americans are big people, bold and swagger and have too much confidence. I don't see Belgians as being shrinking violets, but maybe I'm not that observant. Germans are also big people I guess, maybe that's why they seem to be more tolerant towards English speaking people.
We enjoyed our time in Ramstein and the surrounding towns, we'll be going back and if a spot opens in 3 years, I won't be sad if we move that direction.
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