Pam Cooking Spray

About two weeks ago we made waffles.  They stuck to the waffle maker and it was a mess.  One of the staples in my American kitchen was a can of Pam cooking spray.  Unfortunately Pam is not sold in my local grocery.  One time I found a tiny can of something like Pam and then it disappeared.  Another time, I was given a Pampered Chef oil/pump/spray thing.  It worked great for two years then it broke.  So without Pam our waffles were a failure.  I know of a place that sells some of the things American love, but it about 20 minutes away and completely overpriced.  It isn't even a store really.  It is a gas station that happens to stock American/British food! 

This is the gas station that stocks the good stuff.  See the flags in the window?

 I knew that in less than 4 months we would be back in the country where everything I could ever need or want is available at any hour of the day, but I just had to have some Pam cooking spray.  So I stopped at the gas station/overpriced store.  In a weak moment I also bought a box of Lucky Charms, a box of Stove Top Stuffing, Martha Stewart Living magazine and Good Housekeeping.

Here is what I spent to fill the void of cooking spray in my kitchen.
Pam - 5euros
Stove Top - 4euros
Lucky Charms - 12euros
MS magazine - 8euros
GH magazine - 7euros
That is a grand total of 36euros.  So much to pay to make us happy. With today's exchange rate, that would be $48.  Outrageous.  You don't even want to know what they charge for a package of Oreos.

(picture redo)

:)

10 extra minutes

Right now I am waiting for my brownies to come out of the oven, then I have to pick up the twins at school.  I put those brownies in 35 minutes ago but they just don't seem to be cooking fast enough!  They need 10 extra minutes.

This made me think of time...It really flies by.  We have lived here in Belgium for 4 years and the time has just gone by so fast.  When we moved here the twins were 10 years old and in 5th grade.  Now they are teenagers.  When Bob and I picked them up back stage after their orchestra concert in Berlin, we witnessed 2 boys offering to carry their instruments for them!  Oh my gosh!  I was shocked but probably shouldn't have been.  They are cute girls.

Back in 2008 Maria was just turning 17 and a Junior in High School.  She was young and impressionable but handled the move well.  Now she just visits us on her breaks from Purdue University.  And for this last trip she brought her boyfriend with her!  I was shocked but probably shouldn't have been.  It was bound to happen sometime.

Bob and I haven't change too much but we have evolved a little.  We learned how to eat mussels and drink Belgian beer.  I can read mail in Flemish.  Bob can navigate any airport in any foreign city.  Together we learned to make excellent coffee one cup at a time and find really tasty wine.  I was shocked at how easily we built a life in Europe but probably shouldn't have been.  We have always been able to adjust to new situations.

And now we are moving back to the United States and our home.  I am shocked but I really shouldn't be.  This beautiful vacation had to end sometime.  When we were in Venice, it was so hard to leave.  I wanted to soak up all the sun and beauty.  As I gazed up at the Eiffel Tower in  Paris I knew I probably wouldn't see it again.  I wanted to spend a few more minutes there too.  I am sure the next few months will be bittersweet knowing I get to move back to the comfort of home but also knowing I have to give up the excitement and history of Europe. 

Like those brownies that just aren't cooking in my oven, I think I need more time too.  I need to remember to spend 10 extra minutes with all the things I will see in Europe for one last time...  10 extra minutes at the Neuhaus chocolate outlet,10 extra minutes at the famous Delirium Bar, 10 extra minutes at my lunch spots Jummy and the Country Inn,  10 extra minutes at Mannekin Pis, 10 extra minutes at Grande Place, 10 extra minutes at ISB, 10 extra minutes...


 

Beautiful Photos of Venice - March 15 and 16

March 10-17

Jenn and Leah on top of the Eiffel Tower

Jenn Maria Julie and Leah in Venice

Maria and Evan in one of the many famous beer stores in Brussels

Leah eating a giant calzone on Burano Island near Venice

Evan eating spaghetti and pizza on Burano Island near Venice.  Check out the music man in the background.

Julie and Bob in Venice

Maria with the Queen in London

Evan in Amsterdam

Maria and Evan at Sacre Cour.  The Eiffel Tower is right above Maria's head.

Evan and Maria in Venice

It's a Monday

Today is Monday and I have way too many things to do.  I should not even be sitting down! Last week Maria visited us during her spring break from Purdue.  I need to catch up on house stuff after spending the week playing and traveling. 

Maria brought her boyfriend, Evan, with her.  They are both 20 so their pace is a little faster than her 50 year old parents.  They were here for 8 days and saw Brussels, Paris, London, Amsterdam and Venice.  WOW!  Five countries in 8 days.  The entire family went along to Paris to see the big 7 sites - Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Mont Marche, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, Champs Elysees and Arc du Triomphe. We also went along to Venice.  This was a little more relaxing and so enjoyable since Bob and I really love Venice.

Evan and Maria were great to have at our house.  They got to see so much in such a short time and really experience Europe. I look forward to the day when Maria can come home from college for a visit without flying for over 8 hours to get home!  In my next post I will put up some of their wonderful pictures.

Eat the fries!

If you ever visit Belgium, you must eat the fries or frites.  We are famous for them!  Every establishment says theirs are the best but just about all of them are good.  The fries in Belgium are are double fried for crispness.    (I love this picture!)

Repost

A friend of mine reworked this photo of the girls.  Now they look brighter and even more mature and worldly!  Thanks Ted!

A few pictures from the orchestra concert in Berlin

Berlin was a tourist surprise!

 Leah and Jenn had a wonderful trip to Berlin playing their instruments in the Junior Honor Orchestra.  Bob and I got to enjoy Berlin on our own since we traveled there to see the girls in their celebration performance at the end of the week. 



Opera House across from our hotel



Most of Berlin was destroyed in WWII and rebuilt during an era when buildings weren't all that beautiful.  The city is not romantic or pretty and it has very little charm.  But something about it made us want to learn more.  On our first day we took a tour of the entire city but at the end of the day we had to study the historical facts. We really needed to understand how torn apart the city really was when it was divided at the end of the war.  After reading the information that we were probably taught in middle school history, we were able to spend another day in Berlin with better historical knowledge.  We understood where the Wall made East and West Berlin into two completely different cities.  It was all very interesting. The city of Berlin is proud of how hard they worked to rebuild after the war.  Some of the new buildings are really ugly and some are beautiful.  I know this seems shallow but the very best building we went to was the Ka De Wi department store.  Since we live in Belgium we unfortunately have the most boring and worst shopping so landing in this mecca was fascinating. It reminded me of the old Marshall Fields store in Chicago but 10 times better!  Berliners know how to shop!  Enjoy just of few of the many pictures we took 



This building is a museum now but the front is still from before the war and the back was rebuilt.



what's left of the wall



Jewish Memorial Museum




Check Point Charlie before 1989



Checkpoint Charlie now

Brandenburg Gate