Saturday 11 July through Tuesday 14 July 2009: Here's Heidi finally after cutting Sarah and Ayla's hair today!

Sarah says:
And HERE'S HEIDI!!! It's been a while! She's alive and well! That's us above today - Tuesday the 14th - just after she cut my hair! It was good to see her again. It feels like ages ago!

That's Ayla today as well with her new haircut - done by Heidi. Isn't Ayla starting to look older all of a sudden?! Time is flying. I sometimes seriously feel like I have a teenager on my hands!

That's me above in a silly photo from yesterday - Monday the 13th of July. What is with my mouth? Fake smile maybe? Attempt to hide my yellow snaggle tooth for once?

There I am above on Sunday the 12 of July after waking up after having gone to bed at around 4am after having been to a festival under windmills. We got caught in the pouring rain during a great concert by Madensuyu during Kortrijk Conge. As you can see in the photo, it had been a very, very long night!

And since Heidi wasn't around, I took a photo with Yma at Kortrijk Conge on Saturday the 11th of July. She's the next best thing to Heidi!

I am off to The States on Thursday and will try to post on here when I get the chance - if I get the chance! Stay tuned! It's getting harder to get onto the computer these days as I am bust from morning to night lately cleaning house and running around. All good stuff but it keeps me away from the Internet.... Tomorrow I have to pack half the day and clean up some more and say goodbye to Tom and Ayla!!! I will miss them so....

Thursday and Friday 09 and 10 July 2009: Sarah has two days off from cleaning up the house and this means her back feels almost better again!

Sarah says:
Man was I in a bad mood some of yesterday the 10th of July as you can see above. But it went away fast. I had a nice day with Tom and Ayla - I so love this little family of mine!

Photo above is from Thursday the 9th of July. I met friends for lunch. It was nice. Great group of women from all over the place.

I need to get Heidi on here again! Maybe later today!

Now I am off to watch the Gilmore Girls with my kid who just woke up. I wish I had slept late. Tonight I will stay up all night for some celebrations going on in Kortrijk. Arghhh...

Friday through Wednesday 03 to 08 July: Face The Day is falling behind like we predicted - but I still have a photo from each day!

Sarah says:

Above is of me today - Wednesday the 8th of July. I have been cleaning house most of the day. It feels great! My back hurt and my knee too but it all seems worth the pain - though I hope it goes away soon! The combo of moving boxes when cleaning up the office and moving stuff while cleaning house plus riding a bike and wearing more high heals than usual - has thrown my back out a bit! I hate that my back will always be my weak point! The good thing is that since my back operation, the pain tends to go away quickly!

That's me above yesterday - Tuesday the 7th of July. It was a very-good-news kind of day. Can't you see it in my eyes?! :-). I can't say why or what but it seems to be all good and exciting stuff! For now it's my secret...

That's me above on Monday the 6th of July. It was yet another day of house-cleaning and it felt great to clean out old boxes. We threw and gave so much away - plus we have tons of stuff to sell at a boot sale in August!

Above is a photo from Sunday the 5th of July taken in Arnhem, The Netherlands during a huge fashion happening there. It was a nice weekend and day with the family and with Tom's parents.

Above and below are photos from Saturday the 4th of July still in The Netherlands but this time in Hoge Veluwe National Park at the Kröller-Müller Museum.

In the below photo I am once again with ASG! Two weekends in a row! Imagine that! It was great to see her and TSG and Dirk. The weather was perfect too. We rode bikes all around the park and enjoyed the art at the museum. My daughter struck the poses of the people in all of the paintings. She made a great time of it. Fabulous day!

Above you can see me again in Arnhem, where our hotel was, on Friday the 3rd of July. That statue is Grietje. She was all dressed up for the Arnhem Mode Biënnale. I have tons of great photos from that and from our day in the park and at the museum, which you can see if we are connected on my Facebook page.

And finally - Post Secret. It's been a while! Actually, there weren't really any this week that caught my eye but the above one I had saved long ago for the right moment. I guess now is it! I can so relate to what is said above. It's not that I had any idea at all what would happen in advance - so that I can't really relate to. It's the thing about it having been months... In Belgium there is a 3 month period from when you get fired to when you actually stop working. That's a long, long time and it was rough. You have to get up each day without real motivation. It wasn't easy. I am glad that period is now over and I can put everything in a good and positive perspective and place. Those 3 months jaded me for a while. Now they are behind me and I really look forward to what's coming next...

And below you can see a selection of photos from our day at the museum. It was superb! Ayla enjoyed the art and kept herself busy as you can see below. She and I rode more than 25 kilometers through the park as well! Not bad for bike novices...

Wednesday and Thursday 01 and 02 July 2009: Heidi and Sarah go to the unemployment office twice...And it's FLASHBACK 1st OF THE MONTH AT FACE THE DAY!

Sarah says:
No time for Flashback first of the month just now. Maybe later! Below you can see Heidi and me yesterday. We tried to go to the unemployment office but it was closed! Just our luck. So we returned today and then went to the "work shop" afterwards and now it seems to be all official. I have to run! Good things lined up for this afternoon I'm hoping!


Okay - now I have time for Flashback 1st of the month! Above you can see me and Heidi on 01 July 2009 - yesterday after a failed attempt at going to the unemployment office. I, for one, look quite tired up there. Look at my little eyes! Bad sleeps. Hot in the attic!!!

That's Heidi all alone above exactly 1 year ago on 01 July 2008. I was away in France on vacation and I had put some random photos on later than month. I think the one below was of me on 01 July 2008... To see exactly what Heidi was up to one year ago click here!

So as I said - that's me above in France doing as the French do! To see more about what was happening around this time last year, click on this link!

That's me above exactly 2 years ago on 01 July 2007 with short hair and some kind of attitude. To know what was going on, have a click here!

Last but not least, above you can see me and Heidi not only 3 years ago today once, but twice! Heidi was pretty pregnant as you can see in the photo above from 02 July 2006. The other one on the left is from 01 July 2006. Click here to check it out!

And finally - we can't forget to say:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our buddy ASG!!!!
Her birthday was 01 July! We hope she had a great one!!!!!

Tuesday 30 June 2009: Heidi and Sarah are one day away from being officially unemployed...

Sarah says:
Last day of work today! I will miss it very much. Next to the work itself, I will miss my colleagues, such as Bruno and Nancy above, and I will miss the office! It's been a great experience and I am very thankful to have had it, even with the ups and downs. Now it is time for the next chapter. Tomorrow Heidi and I will go to the unemployment office. I have never been unemployed before. I wonder how it is going to feel tomorrow! Today was quite okay. A little strange to give in my keys and car and all that and to say goodbye. But it's been 4 months in the working and it's really, really time to move on now... The sun is shining and it is very hot today. That's better than clouds and rain! I'm going with the sun right now!

And I'm going to try to see the world through rose-colored glasses for a while while I can and have time to... This is temporary. I'm really excited to see what I will do next!

Monday 29 June 2009: Heidi and Sarah meet again...

Sarah says:
Here we are together again! You'll see us on here together from time to time! I'm glad Heidi and I live in same neighborhood. It assures we'll see each other around still! :-) We'll be on here again Wednesday the 1st of July as we'll be heading to the unemployment office together. And these are the days of our lives.... :-)

Saturday and Sunday 27 and 28 June 2009: Sarah goes to the Antwerp zoo to see ASG and Kai-Mook!

Sarah says:

I am sweating so much lately - as you can see a good example of in the above photo. Is it just hot around here or is it me????!!!! I have been having really nice days lately. Good pace. Truly feels like vacation! I intend to enjoy these days as they won't last forever! Tom is now on vacation too and we are riding our bikes all around and hanging about. No rushing. Did some shopping today, which is always good! It all feels right. Time is a gift right now!

That's me and ASG above at the Antwerp zoo yesterday the 27th of June. It was a nice, long day in Antwerp and we got to see the new baby elephant Kai-Mook, which made my kid very happy. We met up with ASG and went to the zoo. Then we went to a very boring and disappointing Fashion museum in Antwerp - the Momu. Antwerp has all this hype as the fashion city but the fashion museum is pathetic. I recommend it to no one!!! Before we went we had a fantastic and BIG lunch at Wagamama. Now that I recommend to everyone! It was such a treat!!

That's Kai-Mook above!

Below is my Post Secret pick-of-the-week. Last week there weren't any at all that caught my eye. This week I chose the one below because I am thinking about my activities of the last two years and of how they are coming to en end as of next Tuesday. As much of a shame it is that a lot of things and people are going to disappear from my life soon that have been part of it for the last two years and also for many years before that -- well, I have to keep reminding myself that just because this chapter of my life is stopping - of my career, experience, contacts, etc... - that it doesn't mean it wasn't worth a lot, because it was. It was worth so much. Just what I learned and did in the last couple of years is invaluable. I will be forever thankful for this experience and opportunity. It's taught me so much. I WILL miss it when it is all gone but I will use so much of what I have learned in future jobs and experiences I am sure. It is time to move on and move on I will. I have had plenty of time to reflect and some of it was really hard but I'm at a good place with it all in my head now and all the negative is slowly going away and I'm planning to walk away proud of the last two years and am ready to embrace what's coming next, whatever it might be... Time will tell...

Thursday 25 and Friday 26 June 2009: New dresses, old Christma trees and too much tan... These are the days of Sarah....

Sarah says:
That's my new top/dress in the photo above. I bought it yesterday. Just couldn't resist! It's comfy and has a nice shape! I can wait till the sales! I want summer stuff! I am in a shopping mood, that's for sure! Dangerous!

There above you can see Tomske and me surrounded by silver and gold Christmas trees! Don't even ask why! Let's just say as it was just the 1st day of summer and the days are getting shorter and shorter as of now, well we are getting ready for Christmas! We also bought several large wine racks today along with 4 big storage boxes and 3 big garbage cans. What are we up to?

The photo above is from yesterday the 25th of June. Can you say too much tan? I had mammogram yesterday morning. All clear! It wasn't pleasant. That's for sure. They used a new and improved machine - better than the one they had 2 years ago - but it was not easy to twist my shoulder the way they needed me to and we had to re-do one side a few times. But all is okay so I am glad about that!

Wednesday 24 June 2009: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SARAH'S BROTHER NSM!

Sarah says:
Happy Birthday Noah! Have a great day! Ayla color-coordinated the message you see above with her outfit because she's cool like that!

There above you can see me and Ayla yesterday on our bikes on the way home from her school. I am starting to feel okay about the idea of not having a car for the summer. I am really enjoying this bike thing other than for the fact that my back hurts a bit everyday from it I think - just where it used to hurt. But I have the feeling it's really okay and I am taking it slowly just in case. If I can build up slowly and then start with some light belly crunches and stuff to get strong I should be okay...

Tuesday 23 June 2009: Sarah has a "ball"...

Sarah says:
Always fun to have a new prop to get a new photo in and then to overuse the effect with 3 photos instead of just one... The above ball was at Valerie's house where I went for lunch today. It was sunny outside with good food and conversation and it was very relaxed - so you see, I am still very much in relaxing-mode and indeed still enjoying it! I look like a weird beast in the above photo. I like it!

There above you can see me and Fre, Valerie's son. I was very happy to se him. Without fail he reminds me of Peter because he looks so much like him and it's always nice to think about Peter.

And there you can see me with Valerie, the cook, in her garden in her silver ball thingy! Very nice to see her and Fre and Tom today. This is the life!

By the way, I HAVE TO mention that I finally watched the movie Coming Home last night after having received the DVD from my brother years ago. I never got around to watching it and I am happy that finally I have!!! It is a great movie - just as my brother said it would be. Heart-breaking, well-acted and with a clear message. Jon Voight (Angelina's father) and Jane Fonda were quite amazing in this film as actors and boy were they both terribly beautiful. I highly recommend it and am sorry it took me this long to be able to say I watched it! But it was certainly very well worth the wait! Thanks for sending it all those year ago NSM!

Heidi's weekend

SATURDAY AT DE EFTELING

SUNDAY

Monday 22 June 2009: Heidi and Sarah take advantage of their newfound free time and have coffee, soup and a stroll through the Monday market ...

Sarah says:
Monday market in Kortrijk this morning with Heidi meant two cups of coffee and running into other "free" friends. The sun was shining and we took a stroll through the market. I bought roasted chicken and potatoes as well as broccoli and strawberries. The best part for me was that I went by bike to the city in place of by car. I am really trying to get over my fear of biking and over my fear of back pain from biking and I am doing so-far-so-good! It's really enjoyable! Heidi and I also stopped for some soup for lunch. Then I went home on bike and dropped stuff off and then went to the grocery store on bike and bought a cake and went to see some other friends. I know this freedom won't last but I really am trying to enjoy it while I can because indeed what everyone says is true - you have to enjoy it while you can and not feel guilty about it! I am truly trying! As for the biking, as silly and even pathetic as it sounds, I feel SUPER HAPPY that I am riding around. It's the most normal thing but I have been afraid. I have been waking up with pain right where my protheses is every day after I have biked and I don't like that at all but I'm going to just keep it up and see what happens. Maybe it's just pain from moving different muscles or something. Can't wait to pick up Ayla from school soon on the bike because it means biking together, which is making her so happy these days too - and it means getting her earlier from school than usual because I am home early. That means more time together. That means we are both more relaxed. That means we have a calm home and calm heads. I will enjoy this while it lasts... because I know it will be short-lived. I'm okay with that as long as I get this time now...

Heidi was very happy to see that the Koffie Queen now serves decaf!

Today we are on a liquid diet! Good soup! Great oranges. Nice morning.

Saturday and Sunday 20 and 21 June 2009: The weekend...

Sarah says:
It's Sunday the 21st of June - the 1st day of summer in fact and father's day in America. I am soooooooooooo tired. I think I will do the rare thing and take a nap this afternoon when my kid is at her youth group. My head is pounding for some reason. It feels like it will explode.

Above is a photo from yesterday the 20th of June. Spent most of the day in Kortrijk at the outdoor market-like thingy and got some good bargains! Watched the last episode of Deadwood season 1 and just love that show more than ever.

The photo above is from Friday nigh the 19th of June. It's so seldom that I wear my hair up that I thought it a good idea to include such a photo just for variety-sake!

Thursday and Friday 18 and 19 June 2009: Sunny days - the clouds are lifting...

Sarah says:
Above photo is from today - thank-god-it's Friday - the 19th of June. Fake tanning and growing my hair out is doing me well I think!

Above is from yesterday the 18th. Had a nice day busy in the morning and with friends in the afternoon with good food and fun. Riding my bike around a bit more which feels great!

Veggie thursday 18 june 2009: Heidi is alive!!!!!!!

Heidi says: no no, not dead yet! I am enjoying my time off from work, doing things at home i needed to do but never found the time to do! the reason why you don't find me a lot on the internet is this stupid computer!!! it's really bad for my nerves... really bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday 17 June 2009: The sun is still shining in Belgium...

Sarah says:
The sun is still shining and that's a good thing here in Belgium! Let it be known that I do not want one single sun burn this summer. I have been using fake tan cream so far and it seems to be working without making me streaky or orange... Amazing how a little fake tan can make you look more awake and alive... I don't really enjoy sitting in the sun like I did in the past. I seek shade. Don't get me wrong - I don't run from the sun but I just can't sit under it trying to get some color anymore. It's always too hot! Viva fake tanning cream!

Tuesday 16 June 2009: It's sunny in Belgium this morning which is a great way to start the day and makes it easier to face the day!

Sarah says:
Sun is beaming at 8 am - good sign! Great way to start a day!

Monday 15 June 2009: Sarah does not think it is thrilling to not know what comes next...

Sarah says:
Enjoyed this morning talking about America to a group of students at local college. Then I met an old friend and we had sandwiches and pie together and a long chat. Now I am at home in the middle of the day wondering what I should do now. My choices are - in no particular order - do nothing, putz around on the computer more, clean something up, organize some pile, keep reading book, watch aimless TV, sleep, call someone, write, eat snacks and not because I am hungry, search for jobs on internet, make lists, practice photoshopping and stuff like that... None of those things appeals to me. Maybe the reading the book part does. Anyway, what I will do is search for jobs for the next 15 minutes on the 5 usual sites. Then I will go upstairs to the living room and clean up the several piles of papers and junk that have it all messy up there. Then I will indeed continue the little lving room clean up with music blasting. Then it will be time to pick up my daughter. So the time will pass and so will the day. If each day I can do something that feeds my head and soul a bit I think I'll be okay. I really enjoyed preparing for giving the lesson today. I dove into Obama-mania and read, read and read and feel very up-to-date on American matters. It was fun being around students too. Made me feel good and alive.

Above you can see my Post Secret pick of he week, which I picked for obvious reasons that have nothing to do with death and everything to do with my looming unemployment and with what happens next. I like to know what's coming up. I like agendas and planning. Not always of course - I do know how to be lazy and relax and have no plans and to change plans and all but in general, I like to have at least some idea of what is around the corner... I gues I'll learn how to better deal with the unknown it the following weeks! A good lesson to learn in fact so I will try to embrace it!

Saturday and Sunday 13 and 14 June 2009: Sarah says bye to Tomske who is off to NYC for a few days... While the cat's away...

Sarah says:
It's early and I am up when I should and could be sleeping late! Tomske is off to NYC for work for a few days and I woke up to see him off. I'll miss him! I like alone time and all but these are strange days and I'm not sure alone time is what I need! Yesterday morning I broke down a bit. Finally after all these months the floodgates opened big time! It just needed to happen. I feel a lot better for it! I'm going to go upstairs in a second and read in bed for a while. Just relax! Today I have to prepare for tomorrow a bit but other than that I am kind of free as a bird. Ayla has exams and I have to help her practice a bit. A little cleaning up to do too... But basically - not that much on my plate this week! Should be interesting...

That's me and Ayla above from yesterday, Saturday the 13th of June. We celebrated Ayla's cousin Arne's birthday and father's day with Tom's family. There was a fashion show and lots of good food and plenty of sunshine! Below you can see Arne, Ayla and me having some fun together. Those kids sure know how to keep themselves busy. In their fashion show, Ayla used her new blue skirt as a head-piece, a shirt, a dress, a skirt. They are very creative. It's nice to see. They are both without brothers and sisters so it's great they have a nice bond with each other.

Thursday 11 June 2009 continued and Friday 12 June 2009: Heidi and Sarah face tomorrow and perhaps it will be full of roses and color!

Heidi says: too much alcohol on katrijn her birthday? Someone at haircutting school did something so nice for katrijn: she baked cakes and brought wine to celebrate her birthay. very very sweet!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATRIJN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sarah says:
That's me today the 12th of June above. Can you guess who is missing in that photo? The empty chair is of course symbolic as I am sure you can see! But it's SUNNY in Belgium so everything looks bright and relief and closure are setting in! It's going to be a nice weekend!

That's my daughter above and below this morning showing off her new outfit. She would not stop talking about it - for two days already. She has the obsessive gene I am sure! I love the above photo. It's so full of joy!

That's me and Heidi yesterday the 11th again. We said goodbye at work as it was Heidi's last day and then I saw her two more times that evening so I don't think we have much to worry about in terms of staying in touch if that's a signal! Today we sent text messages a few times too! The contact might die down a bit but I think we are bonded by shared experience. Heidi rang my door saying I had to grab my camera so we could have a photo under the sign you see above. Basically, it says 'Don't worry about tomorrow". I can see it out most of the windows of my house all the time. It's like meant to be there as a message to me! And to Heidi! Very timely and funny and churchy...

I love the above photo from yesterday. For a few weeks we get these wonderful roses on our street in the garden of the Unie der zorgelozen. Doesn't Heidi look like she adores me in that photo?! Thanks for the roses Heidi!

Wednesday and Thursday 10 and 11 June 2009: Heidi's last day and what about Face The Day???

Sarah says:
I won't recap what I wrote a couple of days ago about my and Heidi's no longer working together and seeing each other almost daily for 8 freaking years but suffice it to say that today feels very strange and sad in so many ways. But the future is what matters now! It's a big we'll see for both Heidi and me and for Face The Day!

Heidi says:
we'll see :)


That's me above on Wednesday the 10th of June. I had a busy morning than a fun afternoon shopping with a friend in Lille...

Wednesday 10 June 2009

Heidi says: Sofie payed me a visit today! It was very nice! She found a new job and we wish her all the best with it!

Heidi says: obviously getting older... well, I'm 30 so I guess it's normal...

Tuesday 09 June 2009: Heidi and Sarah are coming closer to the end of their Heidi and Sarah show! What will happen to Face The Day???????

Sarah says:
Your guess is as good as ours! Hopefully Heidi and I will still see each other from time to time and Sarah will keep in the habit of always having her camera with her to snap a shot when she runs into Heidi. This is a weird time. Part of our losing our jobs together means that the daily contact we have had since around September 2001 will be coming to an end and that certainly will have an effect on Face The Day. We'll see how it goes! I'm so computer bound that you'll probably continue to see my dumb head on here each day or so. I hope Heidi will appear frequently as well... I'll miss her when she's gone! I am so used to seeing her so often. I hope we stay in touch. The idea of not staying in touch troubles me... Once again - we'll see how this all goes.... We became friends about 8 years ago through work and started up and closed this office together. It's been intense at times. I can't wait to see what we do next and whatever it is I can't say enough that I truly hope our paths continue to cross and that we go to Kortrijk for soup still sometimes and to The Ring for coffee and that we exchange music and DVDs and dumb, repetitive jokes and that our kids play together sometimes and that we meet and play games again one day and and and and... that we meet on Face The Day every now and then... and that we all live happily ever after... despite the ups and downs...

Monday 08 June 2009: droopy eye = Sarah needs some sleep!!!

Sarah says:
Insomnia = big time droopy eye! There are also circles under my eyes. I hope I can sleep tonight...

Saturday and Sunday 06 and 07 June 2009: Sarah has a pretty okay weekend and so has Heidi (see bottom)!

SARAH'S WEEKEND

Sarah says:
No idea why the photo above refuses to turn around but so be it! Must be a reflection of my state of mind today! I have been cleaning out closets -- mostly of my daughter's full of too small clothes. It takes so much time! Yesterday I did the same at the office for about 4 hours! Thankfully my husband helped because frankly it was quite overwhelming. My back is none the better for it! All that bending and sitting on the floor sorting through stuff and picking up and putting down... The closet cleaning today is far easier than that of yesterday. Yesterday was figurative closet cleaning as well. Letting go. Breaking down what we built up. Can't say it felt good though at this stage it did feel like progress. Made the reality of the whole situation quite clear, which probably means I took a few more essential steps in moving on and forward...

Though there was a lot of closet work yesterday - the 6th of June - I still look happy in above photo. I had a good day and a good weekend. Friday night was fun with a few good girlfriends of mine and good food. I love cooking and haveing people at my house so it was a nice night. And Saturday had a good pace about it. My husband helped me so much with cleaning up the office. It made me feel so bonded to him and supported by him. We worked away quietly and sort of peacefully with some nice conversations in between. Having him there made me feel okay. If I had done it alone I think it would have been awful. It just gave me some more perspective on what is important in life... My job situation might suck a bit right now but my family life is good and that is very essential to my well-being.

I'm sorry for the non-positive Post Secret above! I could relate to it though! I don't agree that life is all about long suffering and all that - not at all. But I am very aware that you suffer then you don't and then you do and then you don't and happiness comes rushing in often just when you need it and suffering comes in just when you don't. Life works itself our rather well most of the time. It does help me to know that whenever I am sad or under the weather or feel like I am suffering that I also know that something good is always around the corner too!

HEIDI'S WEEKEND

Saturday 6 June 2009: Yma's party at school

Sunday 7 June 2009: a nice day out (though ashamed to be flemish)
We voted today. Flanders appears to be quite right-wing as opposed to Wallonia. I feel ashamed of Flanders. How did we become so selfish? I also start to wonder why Flanders and Wallonia all have their own red and green and blue... parties? Why not have one bilingual party per colour? Then at least Belgium would have chosen a lot greener and a lot less right-wing!

To end this post a bit more positive, here's a little movie to get to know Yma a bit better. She's a bit nuts! :-)

Friday 05 June 2009: Good thing it is Friday for Sarah...

Sarah says:
Not my best week... Tonight will be fun with some good friends and dinner though so I look forward to that and also to a weekend with few plans! I want to finish a book I am reading and to apply for a job or two. I need time to do that. Time I will have!

Wednesday and Thursday 03 and 04 June 2009: Hard days for Sarah as things are coming to an end but relief should follow...Happy B-day Frans and Sam!

Above is today the 4h of June. HAPPY 40th!!! BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER SAM!

Above is yesterday the 3rd of June. Happy Birthday to my father-in-law Frans!

That's my Post Secret pick of the week just because I like Oprah (most of the time - her magaizne anyway) and because I am having some bad days that I just have to get through until they are over and relief should follow - and I guess I am waiting for the unexpected to happen! Something, anything to get me somewhere I'd like to be... :-)

Tuesday 02 June 2009: It's Sarah's 38th birthday!!!

Sarah adds later:
Those sweet kiddies below made me the above playdough birthday cake today! They san to me and everything! It was great and much appreciated! I felt the love from all directions today!

Sarah says:
There I am above today - my 38th birthday! I think I can say that the years are treating me well and that I am aging okay! The crown still fits so that's good! The day started cloudy but it is sunny now! My husband and kid brought me breakfast in bed and I got a new MP3 player! This afternoon I'll have lunch at my house with some friends and then we'll go hang around in a park doing nothing if the weather stays good! Sounds like a perfect birthday to me!

Heidi says: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ENJOY IT WITH ALL YOU'VE GOT!!!! PRESENT FOLLOWS!!!

That's Heidi and me on my birthday last year - 02 June 2008 at age 37! Click here to go back in time!

That's me two years ago today on my 36th birthday - 02 June 2007! Via this link you can go back to that day two years ago!

There you can see Heid and me three years ago on my birthday - 02 June 2006 when I turned 35! This link will take you back to that day so long ago!

Heidi says: brilliant weather today! So nice!

Brilliant weather indeed and brilliant day! I got to see Carmen for lunch along with Tilly! Carmen is back from Russia. It's so nice to spend time with girlfriends! I love all these good women in my life! It was a good, good day!

Monday 01 June 2009 - Heidi ran 5 km!!!! And it's Flashback 1st of the month!!!!

above: flying!above: with supporters Wout and Alexander Heidi says: I am so proud of myself for today I ran 5 km in 31,40 minutes and ended 365th of 947 running women! Not bad, if you think that I don't run very often and I thought I would end last. It was bloody hot out there! But I did it! I did it!!!!!!! My sister, wonderwoman, ran 25th of 730 women and did the 11 km. She is amazing!!! She inspired me to run and i will continue. Maybe i will run the 11 kilometer one day? See the results. Sarah says:y
There above you can see me and Heidi on 01 June 2009! We ran into each other at the Sinxenfeest of course! We both had a very great weekend behind us and were ready to go home!
There I am above on 01 June 2008. This link will take you there!There we are abobe on 01 June 2007! Via this link you can go back in time!

And there we are above on 01 June 2006!!! Click here to return to that very day with us!

I love the photo above taken on 01 June 2009 of me and Ayla and Tilly and her three kids Cato, Raven and Mila. It was such a well-paced weekend and all the flowery girls were happy and sunny!

Sunday 31 May 2009: What a fantastic, super SUNNY day in Kortrijk at the Sinxenfeest!

Sarah says:
There above you can see my kid and I lounging out after a long, hot morning of a huge street fair / second-hand market in Kortrijk. The sun was glorious and the atmospere wonderful. Everyone was in a good mood! Ayla and I took a break while waiting for Tom to return as we sent him home with all the junk we bought at the steetfair early in the morning...

Look behind me in the above photo! We hung out watching this circus act practice their moves before their show. It was our own private show. It was so great to just sit around with friends soing NOTHING as the sun was shining and people we knew were passing and passing. Kortrijk never seemed nicer than today!

That's Hilde, Tilly and me hanging around in the park in Kortrijk as our kids ran around wild having a fabulous time! I so love days like these!!!!

Friday and Saturday 29 and 30 May: A nice weekend in Kortrijk begins...

Sarah says:
That's me above on Saturday the 30th of June ready to set out into Kortrijk after a nice long morning and afternoon of getting stuf done. Great, great weather too. I could just tell it was going to be a nice weekend!

Heidi says: I had the same feeling! The beginning of a very nice weekend! Below the cutting of the cake by the bride and groom on a fine wedding party outside. Long live Carolien and Ludo.

Sarah says: And there above you can see Heidi and Nico doing their DJ thang! I only caught a few minutes of their set because during it I was elsewhere in Kortrijk seeing the band Nomad perform (photo below) at the Vlas Vegas Sinxen tent. Can't say I really loved the concert. But I totally love the CD. Live it was just a bit too rough and too far away from the sound of the songs on the CD. It was fun watching my daughter at the concert. She knows half the songs because I play the CD so much. It was just good to be out and about on such a sunny day!

Heidi says: what a lovely and well organised happening on the vlasmarkt that was! Nico and me had fun Dj'ing and afterwards being silly with our friends... :-)

Sarah says: And there I am above on Friday the 29th - an uneventful day leading up to a very eventful weekend!

Thursday 28 May 2009: Sarah has a useless day... but is still loving the great escape of reading and is happily running through books!

Sarah says:
Ughhhh... One of those days where you could have just slept right through it and not have missed anything at all.... Useless. Where in all this nothingness does one find her self worth again? Yuck!

I have already read a few of the letters in the above book I am now going to start reading from the start. It's called Posterity and it is a collection of letters written my known Americans to their children. Musicians, politicians, you name it - their letters are in there. It was given to me long ago and I have only dabbled in it till now. I'll read it from front to back now. It's a good interlude between longer novels I have read and will read.

I just finished the collection of short stories above called Midnight All Day by Haif Kureishi. I had finished a book by him and thought I'd read on in his short story book. I'm not sure if that was a wise choice. Too many of the same topics and characters showing up in all the stories. I like his writing a lot now but think I need to space out reading his books because they do seem to cover a lot of the same stuff over and over again. There was this great quote in one of the stories in the book:

"From a certain point of view the world was ashes. You could also convert
it to dust by burning away all hope, appetite, desire. But to live was, in some
sense, to believe in future. You couldn’t keep returning to the same dirty
place." -H.K.

And then there is this even better quote from the series Deadwood that I just started watching and am totally loving:

"Some goddamn point a man's due to stop arguing with his-self and feeling twice the goddamn fool he knows he is 'cause he can't be something he tries to be every goddamn day without once getting to dinnertime and ****ing it up. I don't want to fight it anymore, understand me Charlie? And I don't want you pissing in my ear about it. Can you let me go to hell the way I want to?" - Wild B.H. from Deadwood

Wednesday 27 May 2009: Heidi and Sarah are getting out of hand!

Sarah says:

Good news sort of - I am starting to feel better finally though my stomach continues to hurt and my intestines to cramp but it is all good, all good - getting better! Heidi and I are half in prison and half out depending on the day like the glass being half full or empty - that can change from minute to minute... That's life I guess!

Tuesday 26 May 2009: Heidi's head is running around in circles as Sarah stays as still as she can to control her overworked insides!

Sarah says:
Oh to feel good and healthy again and to get some color back in my face... Oh when oh when oh when... It's taking a bit too long. Last night had to urgently get up at 3 am to run to bathroom. Was in pain till this morning. Today feel okay but stomach is starting to rumble again. Doctor says it can take till next week to feel 100%. I guess I feel about 40% right now whereas last week I felt 0% - so that is at least progress. I am eating well again so that is progress too. Pity the food exits my body so fast and in such a dramatic way! Less drama please!

Monday 25 May 2009: What are Heidi and Sarah looking for? Your guess is as good as theirs....

Sarah says:
You would think I have liver problems with how yellow I look. Heidi, do I look that yellow in real life? What is that? That's not normal! I want to feel normal again! Regular. I certainly want to feel REGULAR again!!!!!

As for the below Post Secret pick of the week - well, I hate taking medicine! I would try everything before taking medicine but with my current stomach problem, for example, I have no choice! The doctor said I have to get new pills and take them untiL I am better. I hate the idea! The gyno doctor said I can take the pill if I want my acne to go away and other hormonal things to get in order - but I don't want to take the pill. I never have and I just don't want to start unless I really have to. A good friend of mine said this to me the other day - she said that she was talking about me with another friend and saying that I was one peson who would probably never ever agree to take anti-depressants - even if I was way low down. She's probably right I hate to admit. I don't know why that is. I just can't do it even though I'd probably benefit from a happy pill sometimes as I can be quite dark and get stuck there. I don't know what makes me try to steer totally clear of all pills where possible. I think it is probably because I am a contol freak. Anyway - with all that said, I will run to the pharmacy this afternoon and get those pills for my intestines because I need something! Nature isn't working for me at this point!!! SKA won't work for me either I'm afraid!

Friday, Saturday and Sunday 22,23 and 24 May 2009: Sarah feels better then worse then better then worse....HAPPY BIRTHDAY WIM AND ERIKA!!!!

Sarah says:

That's me above on Sunday the 24th of May. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIKA!!!! In that photo I look alive. It was a moment I was feeling okay. I feel good until I eat and then the whole cramping up and having to run to the toilet process starts. Then I feel rotten for about an hour and then okay again. This stomach virus is the worst one I have ever had! I just called the doctor and she said it could take 14 days!!! So that means I have 7 more to go perhaps! I have to start a whole new box of pills meant to restore order in my digestive tract. I hope it works! It is so tiring to have to go to the toilet so much. At least the fever is gone! I also have to complain that though my face is thinner, I am probably one of the only people to have basically fasted for a whole week as nothing stays in and not to have lost any weight!!!! At least I could have shed a few pounds through this! But nope! Didin't happen. :-)
Heidi says: Guess what we did yesterday? It was nice to be behind the decks again! Those are my happiest moment, together with running! When I run, I feel free and worriless. I don't have a lot of that anymore in my life. Not at the moment anyway... Time that changes and I find my luck back. Maybe one thing i want to share with you that I kept in my little black book up till now: when I hear a blackbird sing, I get very very nostalgic and sad because it really makes me believe that things were better before. It makes me think of moments in the past, and I always believe I was happier on those moments. The strange thing is: I always think that when I hear a blackbird, and then a year later I am thinking of those moments and I believe that on those moments I was actually happier. How is that possible? How can I think one year that I was happier the year before and then a year later think the same of the year before? Do i believe that nostalgie makes me happy? Because in my situation, I don't think nostalgia makes me happy. It just makes me sad and long for things that never happened.

Sarah says: Above you can see me after dinner on Saturday the 23rd of May and below you can see me before dinner. Big difference as you can see! Eating is just not very enjoyable at the moment... HAPPY BIRTHDAY WIM!

What a silly face above? Nice flowers though. Such a pretty place we were at...

And there I am above in Nivelles in Belgium dreaming of eating again without such trouble! Again - it was a feeling fine moment above beceause I had already eaten breakfast and it was already quickly out of me....

And there above you can see me enjoying some sun on Friday the 22nd of May at the horse ranch we stayed at for the weekend with Tom's parents and his brother and brother's son. The place is called Haras de Baudemont and it's in Ittre, Belgium. It's the 2nd time we have been there and we just love the place. It's peaceful and pretty. I was happy I could go because I didn't think I would make it with how sick I was feeling. I still felt ill but was able to just sit at the pool or in bed and read and not do much. It was as good a place to feel ill as any! Even better because everyone else could have fun! We will surely return there sor a weekend each summer if possible!

Wednesday and Thursday 20 and 21 May 2009: Sarah has two horrid days of an awful flu and finally is starting to feel alive again!

Heidi says: I used my persistence today to get to a special gig of Madensuyu. I wanted to go so badly, but I forgot to get tickets. So today I heard that the gig was sold out. I tried to get on the guestlist but PJ said it was impossible because it was sold out. Then I posted messages on facebook to ask if anyone could help me. And when I realised that nobody could help me, I called the place when they were performing and put us on the waiting list. We went this evening and we waited a while. Then they called our name. We were in! It wasn't their best performance, but it was pretty damn good anyway! From now on, I have to use my persistence more to get what I want and need from life.

Sarah says:
That's me above today - Thursday the 21st of May. Granted - I still look sick and sweaty - at least I have some color back in my face, my eyes are open and I can crack a smile. The smile come from finally FEELING BETTER!!! Oh my lordy were these past days tough ones. It all started Monday night when I had a high fever and what I thought was just a 24 hour flu. I stupidly went to work Tuesday and that night felt bad but not as awful as I had Monday night. But Wednesday morning when I woke up - I swear - I have never felt so awful. I was freezing and shivering from it and feverish;. I had terrible cramps in my intestines. I couldn't eat anything yet I had to go to the bathroom all day long. I depleted all my energy. I went to the doctor, took pills to reduce the fever and pain but the fever stayed high until about 11 am today. Now I have a low fever and feel a bit shaky, energy-less and sweaty but at noon I ate soup and toast and that gave me a needed boost as I had nothing left in by body. I am so glad the worst of this is over. It was really bad!

That's me above early this morning I think or late last night. I don't know anymore. I think it was Wednesday the 20th. Sick as a dog but in one of my half-waking moments trying to get up and to be part of the living...

There above you can see me on Wednesday the 20th for sure -- feeling horrid and looking the part.

Below is another video from my daughter's open house at her school last Saturday. That's her 4th grade class performing a dance...

Tuesday 19 May 2009: Sarah feels sick and in a blur and Heidi is also in a haze...

Sarah says:
I was so sick last night. Up until 3 am shivering and then sweating! The fever then broke and I could get up to get a pain and fever reducer but today I still ache all over. I have no idea if it is just a bad flu or something or a gall attack perhaps. I have a lot of pain between my shoulder blades, which I have never had before. I know I have three gall stones and I know if I eat fatty food I get pain under my right lower rib so I avoid fatty food. I ate fatty food (with lots of milk and cheese in it) Sunday and again Monday (the leftovers) and then I had this horrid flu-like thing last night. It doesn't help that it is also exactly that time of the month. But something is very, very off. I really hope it isn't a gall bladder attack. That would suck. The only "cure" for gall problems is getting your gall bladder removed. I already avoid fatty foods. Today I can't eat because I feel sick but that is bad if it is a gall thing because when you fast, the gall tends to act up even worse! I hate feeling sick and I hate getting old! Please just be a bad flu and nothing else!

Heidi says: I discovered webcourses on the site of the VDAB. That is an instance that takes care of the unemployed and all kinds of eduction for unemployed and employed. To make myself feel more useful, I am taking a french course and some course about the strenght of your thoughts. It feels very good to learn again. I might do a six month course after summer to get myself back on my feet before searching for a new job. We'll see, you never know what comes upon your road...

Here's a video of Ayla's playback show from her school's open house day lats Saturday!

Saturday, Sunday and Monday 16,17 and 18 May 2009: "Heidi the hairdresser" cut Sarah and Ayla's hair!

That's me and Heidi above on Monday the 18th of May pretending we work at a Call Center just in case we don't find any other jobs! We are both looking for new work and both considering taking different classes in the meantime. Who knows what the future holds but if all else fails - we could always work at a Call Center, right?

By the way - as it is the 18th of May I just want to say that Peter De Wilde would have turned 37 today. He's on my mind. He died way too young. I miss him and think about him almost every day still. I still haven't been able to erase his last text message to me in my phone. I guess I will when I am ready or by accident. His photo still rests on out living room bar. I don't know when it feels right to put such photos away and all. Not yet I guess. Not yet...

What you see above is the great veggie lasagna that Tom made us Sunday as a belated Mother's Day treat! He's making a nice effort to learn how to cook so he can cook sometimes. It's such a treat to have him cook for us because I get to not cook for once and I get to try new things that I wouldn't necessarily make myself! I ate the rest Monday! Loved it!

That's Heidi and me above on Sunday the 17th after she cut my hair. I know - my hair looks just about the same as always - but that's how I like it. I'm trying to grow it longer and I'm hoping Heidi can trim it from time to time with just a little thinning and by this time next year I have long hair again! Mark my words!

There above is Heidi cutting Ayla's hair on Sunday the 17th. Ayla was very happy with the results and impressed by Heidi's cutting abilities. So was I!

The above photo is from Sunday the 17th when Heidi came over to cut my and Ayla's hair. I have no idea why the photo is sideways but no matter! You can see Heidi is good busy!

Above you can see me first thing Sunday morning at about 1 am just driving home from some friends' house. It was a good day! Saturday was the open door day and then we had a nice dinner at the house of some friends and then we watched a movie and hung out at the house of other friends, where Ayla slept over. It was a day full of people, which was nice! Good to be part of the living! Makes you feel alive.
Heidi says (saturday): IT IS MY MOTHERS BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! HOORAY HOORAY!!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!!!!!!!!!!

Sarah: There above on Saturday the 16th of May you can see me with a little ghost getting up to no good behind me! Isn't that a lovely photo hanging there of Ayla? This was really an AYLA Weekend! We went to her school's open door day on Saturday and watched her dance the day away! It was wonderful to see her so sure of herself up on stage. She's really growing up! Both Tom and I had tears in our eyes watching her perform. I'll post videos later of her 4th grade class performance and her playback show with her friends.

Friday 15 May 2009: Sarah faces the day and you and is glad it is weekend!

Sarah says:
I wish my face looked that skinny always! My daughter was telling me she got her dad's forehead and not mine. She was telling me she has a huge forehead and that she has to cover it with her hair to make it look smaller. Of course I think she looks wonderful with her hair totally pulled back because her eyes jump out and you just see her face so clearly. My hair is always in my face and I have a very good forehead - if I do say so myself ;-) so today I thought I'd show it for once! Heidi will trim my and Ayla's hair on Sunday!!! I'm very excited to see how it looks after! I love being a guinea-pig for such things.