Big news / Groot nieuws

For a while now I have been saying that I will be home more. Working there even. But, life keeps happening. First that phone call that made me make my way to Denmark. Then an earlier made commitment had me board a train to Brussels.
And now, when this 'probably my last stay abroad for a while' is almost over, I get news......
BIG NEWS! And most of all good news. Bobby has been granted a new hearing. I won't bore you all with all the details of his case, I may get around to typing all that up one day in somewhat understandable English to a lay person. But right now I still have not wrapped my head around the fact that it is all about the status of a case, rather than a human life, or that actual innocence is no ground for appeal.........
Anyway, the date for the hearing is set at March 6th, but his lawyer has filed to postpone this so he has more time to prepare so it may very well be in May or even June.
Being granted this appeal does not mean that he is off the hook now of course. But at the very least it buys us time, and most of all it gives us hope!
And you all understand that this means I will have to hop on a plane to Dallas now don't you???

Al een tijdje zeg ik dat ik meer thuis zal zijn. Zelfs weer 'gewoon' thuis werken. Maar er gebeurt van alles in mijn leven. Eerst dat telefoontje dat er voor zorgde dat ik naar Denemarken ging. En daarna een eerder aangegane verplichting waardoor ik de trein naar Brussel nam. En nu, nu dit 'waarschijnlijk mijn voorlopig laatste verblijf in het buitenland' er bijna op zit krijg ik nieuws....
GROOT NIEUWS! En bovenal, goed nieuws. Bobby krijgt een nieuwe hoorzitting. Ik zal jullie niet vervelen met alle details van zijn zaak, misschien typ ik dat ooit een keer allemaal uit in voor leken begrijpbaar Nederlands. Tot nu toe is het mij zelf nog niet gelukt te begrijpen dat het slechts gaat om de status van zijn zaak, en niet om een mensenleven. Of dat daadwerkelijke onschuld geen grond is voor beroep......
Maar goed, de hoorzitting staat op de rol voor 6 maart, maar zijn advocaat heeft uitstel aangevraagd zodat hij meer voorbereidings tijd heeft dus het kan heel goed mei of juni worden.
Deze nieuwe hoorzitting betekent nog niet dat alles nu wel goed komt natuurlijk. Maar op zijn minst geeft het ons extra tijd, en bovenal geeft het ons hoop!
En jullie snappen natuurlijk wel dat dit alles betekent dat ik dan naar Dallas vlieg binnenkort.

Details

Art Deco

The area where I live is full of the most beautiful houses in art deco style. Hard to choose which ones to show you. And what a shame I am not a real good photographer. But this should give you an idea.

Pop Art

Belgium is home to some famous cartoonists, who are honoured with murals like this one.

Manneke Pis

This has puzzled me for a long time. Why on earth is this statue so popular? It is 'the symbol' for Brussels, they even dress it up in the most appaling costumes.... I mean, I don't get it. Do you???

One year later / Een jaar later

Here is my ankle one year after I fell. I now think it really does not look too bad considering how long and how much effort it took to heal.




Dit is mijn enkel een jaar na mijn val. Nu vind ik hem er helemaal zo slecht nog niet uitzien als je bedenkt hoe lang het duurde voordat de wond genezen was.

I know

Oh I know, I know, I have been quiet again. All is well, had lovely holidays at home, even got to celebrate my birthday here too this year. And... if all goes the way I plan it too (which it never does so don't hold your breath) I will be spending the next holiday and birthday season at home too.
The Pound (in which I get paid) has lost way too much compared to the Euro (in which I pay my bills)to make working abroad for me worthwhile. I would have to work away from home more or less all the time in order to make ends meet. And that I do not want to do. I like being home. I love my family and friends here. Being part of the community and doing all my little volunteer gigs.
When I first realised that I may have to stop working abroad, I mentioned this on a board I visit and I got a reaction I did not expect: 'Hi Moni, it is good to hear things are going well for you'. That had me stumped for an answer. I am realising I cannot afford to work the way I do, and that is a good thing??? But you know what? It did make me remember to look at difficulties as opportunities.
Just after Christmas I did some temp work for my old agency. And I loved it! I had a real good time walking around my own city visiting families from different nationalities and I also like the more medical side of my job here. The pay is not good either of course, but it does feel good to be home and spend time with 'my people' here. So I will be working and living a lot more in Amsterdam again.
Having said all that, I better go finnish packing my suitcase. Leaving for Brussels today, maybe the last of my jobs abroad for a while???