Thursday 30 November 2006: Heidi, YMA and Sarah do lunch out for once in a long time!!!! Check out what the Flemish are up to!

Sarah says:
No time to talk really. Was happy though to have some time at lunch with Heidi today to chit-chat and chew the fat out and about once again! Heidi even whipped em out and fed YMA right there in front of masses and masses and masses of people, well – actually maybe just three other people – but she was proud nonetheless and YMA was well-fed and happy. Heidi and I LOVE our BIO Planet in Kortrijk Sheep-Cheese Sandwiches! Everyone should try them! They are fantastic.
Read this article about this: Wed 29/11/06 - Flemings spend almost half of their time on personal hygiene; a large-scale study by the Free University of Brussels (VUB) has shown…

Wednesday 29 November 2006: Sarah looks as worn out as she feels. Heidi has crying eyes. The sun is welcome, beautiful and lovely….

Sarah says:
What am I thinking putting this ugly tired and worn out head on here for all of you to see! What a day yesterday! My back went out at work. I could not move for a few hours without being in terrible pain. Agony really. I thought – okay, this is it. I am done. From now till the surgery on the 14th I’ll have to stop working and stay still. Miraculously, however, after a very long and hot shower and a good sleep (thanks to valium no less) I slept straight till 4:30 am and woke up able to move again. The back is amazing in the way that it just locks itself up like that and then starts working again just as fast. I am so happy that I can move again today. I got scared yesterday. I’m not ready to breakdown yet. I’m saving that up for the day I go into the hospital and am ready! If only we actually could plan these things!
Heidi had a bit of a scare today and that’s why she has crying eyes but everything is okay now!
The sun is grand! It’s warm! Loving it! This is a great fall day despite tears, hurts and pains.

Tuesday 28 November 2006: Sarah wants all of you to sit at a 125 degree angle as she starts to flip-out a little... Heidi, are you out there? Join me!

Sarah says:
All right. I was calm for a day or two but I am flipping out again - quietly, but still... Same old story. Broken record. I NEED SOME SLEEP!!!! Lack of sleep makes you feel high, stoned, trippy -- that's how I sort of feel, which isn't bad actually but I have too much to get done so it's sort of hindering me. Oh well. Oh well. Oh well. I need to re-look into pot as a pain-killer. That's probably what I need - a good pain killer. The real ones hurt my belly so I don't take them. I need some good old ole' fashioned dope -- that would come in handy after the surgery I'm sure. Christmas present?

While you're here, pull up a chair and check out this article about the right way to sit at a desk with or without back problems and see photo below...

Monday 27 November 2006: Heidi and Sarah finally find some natural light and look all the better for it....

Sarah says:
Heidi surprised me at lunch today. Well not really -- I had this feeling she'd show up at my door and there she was with YMA! It's always good to see those two! Today was more relaxing than usual. I remained calm. No stress today. That's good and important. Sadly, when I stepped out of my car after work I tripped on the cobble-stones and really hurt my back even more! Now everytime I move I get this surge of pain that stops me from even being able to move. It will pass. It always does. No stress. Stay calm! With all that said, check out how bright and healthy Heidi and I look today - outside for once in real light!!!!

Sunday 26 November 2006: Heidi morphs into a cat a few minutes after her birthday ends....and Sarah is sick of how pain defines her!

Sarah says:
Heidi's birthday ending with her sprouting cat ears and a wild cat's tail. I guess her birthday wish came true! All she needs is some fur and a purr and she'll be a wild cat...
Here's my favorite Post Secret entry this week about pain and how it can define you so you want to hide it but fact is you can't because it takes you over. I can relate to that - to say the least. I really look forward to all this back pain not defining me. I really, really hope this operation helps me. I hope this prosthetic disc helps me to move, move on and redifine my life without pain being the major-player in it. I can't wait for the day that I don't think about it at all. Not one bit. That will be a wonderful day indeed!

Saturday 25 November 2006: It's Heidi's BIRTHDAY!!!! Happy 28th Birthday HEIDI!!!!!!

Sarah says:
So Heidi is now 28 years old! Woo Hoo! You go girl! I hope you had a nice birthday and have a fabulous year! I hope my carrot-tofu-garlic-ginger soup didn't disturb yours or YMA's bodily functions too much! In the photos above, you can see Heidi celebrating her happy day with some friends, a cake and some sheep. Below you can see Heidi celebrating her birthday last year at age 27 - drunk and wild as can be! A lot has changed in a year! Enjoy Heidi dear! I love ya kid! And I love your beautiful smiling daughter too! YMA smiles now! It's so very cute. And Heidi sure looked cute in her cat ears! There were great food and drinks from everyone there. I hope Heidi could enjoy herself a bit even though she had to tend to YMA a lot of course and wasn't able to totally relax I'm sure...

Friday 24 November 2006: Heidi feels a little 'cold' and Sarah is happy it's Friday and don't forget Heidi's birthday tomorrow!!

NEWSFLASH: This is Sarah here reporting to you that for the first time at the same time without knowing it Heidi and I were making today's Face The Day entry and blocking each other - at least she was blocking me! Anyway - we must have pressed "publish" at the same time because all of a sudden each of our entries were there for all to see. Anyway - I'm going to fix that and delete the other one and have already added my entry below-- we can't have two on the same day!! Very exciting isn't it! I knew you all would want to know. In Face The Day World - this is breaking news!!!!!


Heidi says: I have a cold and a headache. But that's ok. Nothing major. I do feel a bit lonely too today, and I think that's worse. But hey, tomorrow is a special day and I'll love that!!! I can't wait for Nico to get home now. I need the weekend to start and I don't want to do that alone. Well, I do have my sweet baby darling girl but I also want my man! Come home!!!! :))


Sarah says:
The week is over - work week- and I'm glad because I am really tired and feel like by back is giving out a bit more than usual! I need a little rest I think. Tomorrow we have to buy a rail for our attic stairway so I can make it up and down those steep stairs safely with an unsteady spine. And other than that and some food shopping, I have no weekend plans besides celebrating our dear Heidi's 28th birthday tomorrow!! I have to make some soup. I still don't know which one! I'm going to look in cook books soon -- I'm thinking something with carrots and celariac -- gotta be careful what I put in this soup as Heidi is still breastfeeding YMA so we wouldn't want to give that little munchkin gas! I look forward to seeing Heidi in person! When did I last see her face to face -- not this week! I think it's the first full week I have gone without seeing her in a really long time! So all the better reason to shower her with food, presents and good times tomorrow!

IF ANYONE HAS ANY GOOD SUGGESTIONS FOR A SIMPLE BUT TASTY NON-GAS CAUSING SOUP - PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT HERE TODAY OR BEFORE 10AM BELGIAN TIME SATURDAY! AND TOMORROW, DEAR FACE THE DAY VIEWERS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE HEIDI YOUR BIRTHDAY WISHES AND LET HER KNOW YOU ENJOY SEEING HER FACE ON THIS SITE EVEN IF SHE IS BORED WITH IT!!! LET HER KNOW IT'S NOT THE SAME HERE WITHOUT HER!!!

Tonight I'll head over to Unie der Zorgelozen for their last Friday of the month meal and after that I will sleep early I hope!
Sunday - no plans!!! Yippy! Rest! Relaxation! I am way too high-strung and stressed out lately! It's high-time for me to slow down a bit. I shall do my best this weekend and then just 8 more work days and then a few days off and then the back surgery on the 14th! Time is a ticking!!!! Have a great weekend everyone!

Thursday 23 November 2006: Heidi is bored with face the day and wants to find new ways to make it exciting and on Thanksgiving Sarah is thankful for

Sarah says:
Happy Thanksgiving all you Americans out there I know and love! Hope your turkey or whetever you eat has been grand. I celebrated by working way too hard all day and eating oatmeal for dinner! That lovely girl in the photo above is the one thing I am most thankful for for sure in my life!! She is my greatest joy and I am so lucky to have her!!! THANKS to her dad too for that of course!


Heidi says: No, it's not that I want to give up, but I'm just bored with my face and the way I take my pictures. They are not saying anything anymore. I need inspiration. I'll think about it...

Sarah continues:
And I'm thanksful I lost a little bit of weight and can wear horizontal lines (though I have to say, seeing the lines in a photo, I do agree it makes one wider!) - I love my new shirt from Mexx! I can fit into Mexx size large now! Before I had to squeeze into it!

Wednesday 22 November 2006: Sarah's face is in a twist today...

Sarah says:
My face says it all today. Not a great day. I am stressed out. It's my own fault but it's the truth Ruth. Too much to do and too little time to do it. A good sleep will do me well right now. Good night...

Tuesday 21 November 2006: Heidi thinks of Sarah and the Hema

Heidi says: I also miss our hema-days, Sarah. They'll come back! I love you Sarahtje!

Sarah says:
Awe shucks kid, you shouldn't have! Thanks Heidi! The feeling is mutual my friend! I got leggings and a long sweatshirt-like thing that you'll like that I am trying to show you in this photo. I got a few things to wear after my operation that are comfy but presentable. And Heidi, I got a strapless black dress at the H&M that fits!
Oh, here's the report - I have lost 6 kilos since the last time I weighed myself which was about 9 months ago I think. It's not a lot but at least it is something, right? My BMI is now 28, which is 5 to 10 kilos too much and which means I am overweight but I am not obsese so that's good. If it were 30, I wouldn't be able to have the back operation so I'm lucky! Anyway, I'll have blood test results soon but the bad news is that for the first time my blood pressure was too high, probably due to stress no doubt! So I obviously need to relax a bit more! Heidi, let's try to watch a movie soon! I would love that!

Monday 20 November 2006: Sarah is all alone with the big grey Belgian rainy sky with no Heidi at the Hema...

Sarah says:
Today made me think of Heidi. I went to the Ring Shopping Center at lunchtime as I do once a week as it is so close to my work. It was rainy and grey and cold. It made me think how cozy it used to be sometimes going to the Hema at lunch with Heidi and having a cup of coffee together. I sort of can't wait till next April when we are both perhaps back at work together, Heidi from her long pregnancy and parenthood time off and me from my sick-leave and we are at the Hema on such a grey day having a coffee and warming ourselves up! I really miss those times. LIfe has changed a lot since the last time Heidi and I met at the Hema. I promise you next April when we hit it together for the first time on a lunchbreak we'll take a photo to celebrate!
What a day it was today I am wiped out! Tuesday I don't work because I have some tests I need to have done before my operation. It will be good to have the day off. I need some time to get my head together and get some errands done in between before this operation on the 14th of Decmber. Just things like Christmas presents and arranging stuff - this all has to be done before I get the operation. I have a lot to do and so very much work to finish up. There aren't enough hours in a day. I can't believe or imagine that I stop working in just two and a half weeks...

Sunday 19 November 2006: Sarah sparkles today and gets religious and political for y'all (well anti really)... Oh Heidi, how's your weekend girly?

Sarah says:
Met up with some old friends in a lovely cozy home and ate a lot today! Saw these bumper stickers on the fridge at the house and couldn't agree more with both of them! Don't I sparkle today? I dare say I do. Must be the makeup. It covers my tiredness I guess. This weekend was an okay one - nothing special partucularly. We got a couch! That's exciting! I can't wait until it's delivered and I can fall down into it and watch TV or read a book! There's hardly a seat in my house or anywhere that's good for my back. I hope the new one will feel okay. Oh yeah, I nearly forgot. I saw Hawai last night at De Kreun. I love their new CD called Keep the Wild Nudes Ahead. Their gig was enjoyable because I already knew all of the songs. If I hadn't, I think it must be hard music to get into blindly. You have to play the CD a few times. I urge you to. It really grows on you! Balthazar also played last night. It was a bit too Sioen -like for my tastes but if those guys and gal keep on playing, in ten years they just might be very well-known musicians in Belgium. They are talented for sure and their music is quite all right - radio friendly, small festival friendly -- but it doesn't grab you by the balls -- it needs to have a little more punch still. Ex-Greyn drummer Filip Tanghe produced both bands' new CDs. He did a great job if you ask me.
Here's my favorite Post Secret of the week. I kind of feel like I am at a crossroads of my life right now. I have made the decision to have the prosthetic disc put in my spine and I have no idea how it will change my life. I can only hope it takes away my pain, restores my movement and gives me the chance and the renewed energy to live it up again! I am of course afraid that the operation won't take - that there will be secondary problems, more surgery, temporary soulutions, continued pain - and that my life will change further due to all that. Every crossroads comes with its set of challenges - the fear of the unknown - the where will this road take me, where will I end up. But there's also the well-worth excitement involved of this might take me to a great place where I'll feel all right. You walk that road and your head races with every scenario out there. It's a time of re-thinking and re-evaluation -- and those things are never bad. We all need to reassess sometimes. I guess I'm good-busy with that...


Heidi says: my weekend was okay! We had Yma-watchers today :)). One of them made an Yma-T-shirt. She printed her name and two pink flamingoes on the baby shirt. It's really nice! Too bad I can't upload pictures on here since yesterday... rrrrr...

Saturday 18 November 2006: Heidi lost one leg but Sarah knows exactly where that leg went...

Heidi says: here is a bodyshot of how I look right now! Very feminin!:)) Too bad I lost a leg...


Sarah says:
Hi Heidi! I'm sorry! It's just that this diet I'm on makes me so very hungry and I couldn't help myself! Will you ever forgive me for eating your leg?

Friday 17 November 2006: Heidi and Sarah meet for a game of Duck, Duck, Goose and wish all you quacks out there a lovely weekend...

Sarah says:
Heidi's haircut looks really great! She looks like old Heidi again. Of course you can't see that in this photo because she looks straight out of the Borat movie, which YOU ALL MUST SEE, if you haven't already. Tonight I'm hitting De Kreun to see the Hawai gig. If my feet and back leave me a little bit alone, I think I'll have a good night. Tomorrow it's off to Ikea to check out couches and Sunday it's great food and friends and a nice afternoon I'm sure. Heidi's birthday is a week from tomorrow folks. Just so you know! Have a GOODY! Seee -- I am still making a big effort to be cheery and less gloomy!

Thursday 16 November 2006: Sarah is trying to be happier and to smile a little and be awake and be positive and lose weight....

Sarah says:
So today I am really trying to Face The Day without such a heavy load on my head. Mind over matter and all that. I put on a bit more make-up. Changed my clothes. Made an effort with my hair. Cracked a smile for the reversed belly-shot below. Offered such a full body view here in an effort to not be so harsh on myself and show you and myself that I still am losing weight. Trying to stop beating myself up. Always look on the bright side of life... Maybe it will work! I hope so. And most importantly, I am actually in a better mood for real and I know why - because that time of the month has come to its end and I feel all the better for it. It came at a bad time. I was already exhausted and in pain and it was a bit too much on top of that all. I cracked a bit. Today I am slightly stronger. I look better for it and I feel better too. So there!

Wednesday 15 November 2006: Sarah shows you she’s not afraid to look really, really ugly here…right? And Heidi feels beautiful with a new haircut!

Heidi says: I have a new haircut!!!!! Yahoo!!! I love it! It's like the old days! Remember those? I am going backwards and I like it. I am young again :)) Tomorrow I am going to Bellissima for a small facial. Isabelle from the beauty shop Bellissima calls it a 'reiniging' which means: pain and pain and some relief at the end with a mask. Phew!

Sarah says:
Once again I am sick of my face here so I offer you this piece of my face. It’s about time I get a new angle up here. Today I am better in my head and back than yesterday but I remain in a funk! Trying to ride above it and look forward and be hopeful and all those good things and bits of advice, I know, I know. But sometimes I guess you do just have to wallow in your own crap. I guess life tastes even sweater when you climb on out from under the piles of stuff. It’ll happen. I don’t know when but I know it will. I feel dark indeed but I don’t feel doomed forever. It’s all going to be okay…. (say it enough you start to believe it, right? And say the bad stuff too much and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, right? You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time, right? You win some, you lose some, right? He who laughs, lasts, right? There is no dark side of the moon, right? It’s all dark, right?)

Tuesday 14 November 2006: Heidi feels good and Sarah has had a right awful freaking mofo dang dumb annoying day!

Heidi says: I do I do! I slept a lot and therefor I am awake and alive and DANCING! I danced to the Gossip today and it felt great. Since I am a lot heavier than I used to be, I cannot dance very long because my knees start to hurt quite fast, but at least I can be wild again! And it will only get better!

Little smiley girl
Sarah says:
Big fat not smiley girl! I had a hell of a day and I am tired and annoyed and on the rag big time and feel fat and am in pain and I want to crawl under a rock and find myself a cane because it hurts my feet and back to walk right now. So blah blah blah and sorry to be so negative but I feel like a big piece of poo today! I hope tomorrow is better. Right now sucks! In one freaking month from now exactly I will be going under the knife. I am scared and feel sick about it and I hate my back. I hate it hate it hate it hate it hate it!!! I hate how it has changed my life and I don't want this operation for this prosthetic disc! I don't want this in my life! I am so tired and fed up from it and about it and I feel like I am about to break. Last night I couldn't even bend into the shopping cart to get the groceries out onto the check out counter without being in agony and breaking a fever and sweat from it! And I looked up ready to cry and there's this long line of people and the check-out clerk isn't helping pack my food in my bags and there's no room for the groceries anymore as they are piling up and I se a good friend of mine at the end of the line looking at me worried because I am almost in tears -- like I had been caught -- she came up to me and told me to stop -- not to lift anything. She took my cart and brought it to my car and packed in all the bags and boxes and then she climbed in my car with me and went to my house and carried all by bags and boxes up to my kitchen and I drove her home. Hers was a caring, loving, friendly and at the moment heroic good deed of an act. She happened to be there when I was really about to crack. She knew I'd get through it and fight the pain and put on a good face and go home and struggle to carry everything up to my kitchen myself and break myself more because I am stubborn and I don't want to give in to this all!! And she stopped me in my tracks and made me really stop and took over and helped me. I love her and thank her for that. I have trouble accepting help but I guess I do need it. I hate admitting that. I feel awful today because of all this and these thoughts and because I exposed my real self last night in utter pain unable to do it myself. I should feel strong but I feel weak and terrible. I am in agony right now. My head is a mess. Thankfully I have family and friends and the great escape of work. I am going to collapse tonight. I have to. I am so very worn out. Can you hear the damn loud violins?

Monday 13 November 2006: Heidi and Sarah do lunch and offer you some different light for once even if they look sort of strange in it…

Sarah says:
The sort of Monday you wake up and count the hours till you have to go back to bed…it is! Rainy too on top of that. Dark. I keep getting tears in my eyes today. I saw YMA! My how she has grown! Her head grew. Her cheeks. She’s adorable, really she is she is! I wondered why I was in a rage in my head this morning and all teary-eyed. Now I know. It’s that time of month again! I love simple explanations to things that seem complex. Voila!

Sunday 12 November 2006: Don't worry, it's only onions and Sarah wants you to know how much she loves her husband... and Heidi has no room to put c...

Heidi says: ...omments in the title.
So I will put mine here.
My daughter is baptised today. Yep, she is! I love the tradition and I believe in fighting against evil and living as a christian, even though I am not a big believer. Let's say I am a doubter and I am not sure about anything. The godfather (Nico's dad Johnny) and godmother (my mother Marie-Thérèse) are however true Christian believers and they meant everything they promised and will surely do a great job. We are already proud of them!
The Godfather Johnny and the Godmother Marie-Thérèse

The baptism




Sarah says:
Onions made me cry not life so no worries. I can't wait to eat my dinner. It's going to be so good! Almost ready. Doing this as the brown rice boils! Odd weekend but oday I did meet with a potential new band in Gent so I feel happy and excited about that! I'll tell you more as I know. We'll get together and play in a few weeks and see how it goes. I look forward to new stuff!

Here's my fave Post Secret entry this week. It expresses how you can feel about someone when there really are no secrets. It's with very few people that you can share everything. I'd say I share at least 99% of things with my husband. There is such wonderful freedom in that. I love him so much.

Saturday 11 November 2006: Meet Sarah's new gay deer friend Jeffrey! Long live Wout! And see how cute Yma is!

Heidi says: Wout was good in the tv-program "Witte raven" on één. I know only Belgians can understand what I'm talking about but I just wanted to mention this and say congratulations to Woutie! Congratulations Woutie!!!
No comment on the picture. It speaks for itself. :)

Sarah says:
Got this cute thing in London for Christmas decorations for my kid. We call it Jeffrey. It's a boy because it has antlers but we think it's a drag queen deer. I'm so tired in his photo. This trip to London did my body in. I am slowly wearing myself down. I needed so much sleep this weekend I hardly had a weekend. C'est la vie I guess. I just want to feel full of energy and good again!

Friday 10 November 2006: A bit less tired... :) and Sarah has a big fat cold sore lip!!!

Heidi says: Yma let me sleep a bit longer this morning and the picture shows the result. I am much brighter and happier and rested. If she could only pursue this great behaviour... Fingers crossed!!! Another dream of mine is that she goes to bed earlier, let's say at ten in the evening instead of one in the morning... (yep, one in the morning, every freaking night!) But still, she is adorable and I am very happy with my baby girl. I do long for luxury treatments nowadays, more than I ever did. I want facials, massages, haircuts, nice (dermalogica) products, sauna and treatments in spas,... Maybe my birthday will bring some of that. A girl is entitled to some luxury on her birthday, isn't she? :))

Sarah says:
I woke up with a big fat lip! I guess I am tired and stressed because I so rarely get cold sores on my lips! I think it's another sign of being worn out! My body is holding me up all right but I am in constant pain. I feel so freaking tired!!!! Anyway, London was pretty hard this time. Getting around was hard and tiring. My hotel wasn't very good and that room noise kept me up. I got a tiny bit of shopping in so that was nice. London is expensive!!! Anyway, it's good to be back but honestly -- time is going fast and it's starting to freak me out a little bit. I have so very much to do before the 14th of December. I'll never be able to get everything done. It's making me stressed-out!

Hey Heidi -- congrats on keeping the site going! Good work! I wish we could get a facial and stuff together! I need one really badly! Some rest and relaxation is in order!

Thursday 9 November 2006: Tired...and worn out though bright-eyed...

Sarah says:
Second day in London! Morning time in my hotel. Wednesday was a long day and I was in the East, the North and the West of London! On Thursday I was in the South. MY body is aching. Can't take all this running around anymore. My hotel has a hotel noise! A creaking floor that woke me up and kept me up! THis is bound to be another long day!

Wednesday 08 November 2006: Sarah says “high five” and goodbye! And Heidi makes a small comeback.

Heidi says: bye Sarah!! See you soon!
Now, some of you might wonder why you hardly see me here anymore. Well, I have a baby daughter and she wears me out. She keeps me up until late at night (or better, early morning), she drinks my milk, cries out loud when she needs something and when she got it, she cries even more. But she is a doll besides all that! She is lovely!

Sarah says:
I’m off now! Thought I’d get a quicky in before I left! See you Saturday! I wish you sexy times as Borat would say and I high five you as he would do. No problems.

Tuesday 07 November 2006: Sarah is off the wall today! Too much to do…

Sarah says:
Busy day. Gotta go to London tomorrow. This sight therefore might be down for the next three days unless Heidi happens to find a few seconds to post her photo on here and give y’all a little something. Anyway, who knows what will happen on these pages. Heidi – if you do take care of Face The Day, please make sure there’s a post for everyday – meaning don’t skip a day because I’ll upload photos from London on the correct days when I am back deary. Anyway, too much to do now to stop and chat!

Monday 06 November 2006: Heidi and Sarah have a quick hello over lunch with nothing much to report to you. Bland photo. Bland day..

Sarah says:
Monday, Monday. Blah. I am so tired! My back is causing the secondary problem of strange foot pain. I stand a certain way to avoid pressure on my back and now I am getting problems in my feet because of that. No way to avoid it but it sucks! I am hurting all over and feeling more and more worn out. Mona was such a great distraction from it all. Mentally she woke me up a bit and added sunshine to my days. The pain can really get to you if you don’t have enough other good distractions around. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day and the last 5 days were so fun!