Quiet Time with Zoë

It's rare to have "quiet" time with a 20 month old girl. There are many of these special moments, but either one doesn't have a camera ready, or, if indeed the camera is spotted by said "girl", there is no way that the moment remains quiet for long. After several observations of this interactive play with "Pooh and Rabbit", the Professor and I were curious as to what she was actually acting out.

We can recognize several of her own "Zoë words"....the cutest being her name for herself which is "Doey".....note to parents, if you want early speech patterns chose a name beginning with "B"!!!

Up, and Uppy are her words for climbing up, and just about everything else is open to interpretation.

There is definitely a story here. Whether it's the rendition of Rabbit helping Pooh escape from a hole he's stuck in, or just colluding to run away..there is magic in this creation.



They are on their way to Hollywood today:)

Down and Out of it.....

Back from a busy summer of worldwide travel and I'm felled with pneumonia! The words "six to eight weeks of rest" are not real to me yet.

I've spent the last two weeks on the couch variously in and out of dopey codeine sleep and paroxysms of coughing. The problem is that you can't lie down, so 'propping' is the challenge. I'm not going to spend any more time on the details, suffice it to say I haven't had a head for blogging in some time. I can't talk either, no voice...only coughing.


Yesterday I had some sort of weird free associated (probably drug induced) memory of a friend who was collecting and decorating her cottage with vintage paint by numbers canvas'. I was feeling just well enough to try some small activity and remembered having seen a very inexpensive kit at Wal Mart some time ago. The Professor couldn't decide if I'd finally gone completely mad or just temporarily GaGa, but seeing it as a sign of slight recuperation, set out to find whatever it was that I wanted. To be honest, I think he is still atoning for bringing home blue jello.


Wal Mart really let me down, but just around the corner the $$$ store had a few rather cheesy kits. I'm now working on the one with the Tiger in the bushes, nothing as handsome as this one, but just to give you some intricate idea. Having painted in the past, I'm always amazed at the non-quality of the brushes one is given to perform the task at hand. The brush is rather like a too large worn out toothbrush, all frazzled and losing hair. But that's the challenge. I was going to go and find my better brushes but decided NO....THIS is the game.

I hope my friend likes Tigers.

The Grandest of Girls

We miss our little one already.

As the time-adjustments fall into place some really strange things happen. I found myself happily ensconced on the couch watching the rain delayed, on-again, off-again US Open Tennis. One of my favourite sports events. I was also drifting on again and off again at one time jolting awake thinking I'd lost Zoë, and another, physically feeling cats curling up in my lap. I think I've now mastered that it is Friday, we are in North America, and I can actually close both eyes at the same time.

This photo was taken at the last meeting of the playgroup that all gave birth around the same time Zoë was born in Brussels. Jane has really captured Zoë magnificently here. She's so curious and focuses for very long periods of time. It's a beautiful age...now WHERE IS SHE????? Oh yes, did I mention ACTIVE. They are winging their way to the US with an October start date in LA. Who knows when the container of their stuff will arrive - creative camping.

Gotta go and take another nap and dream of all things Californian to go on the list.

And Finally...........We all fall down

Vimy - France

The Professor is starting with a new generation of historical outings. We took Zoë to France, to see the Canadian National Vimy Memorial on Vimy Ridge, the site of an important battle in April 1917. Thousands of Canadians died in the battle.







Compared to what the landscape became during the battle it is now peaceful as sheep safely graze.






There are 11,000 names engraved on the memorial. They represent Canadian soldiers who died in France during World War I and whose remains were never recovered. One of the names is Lance Corporal Robert Alexander Hood (1895 - 1917), a distant cousin of mine. He died on April 12, in 1917 during the final days of the battle of Vimy Ridge.

We found his name.

The Market in Sterrebeek

We love the Kip wagon - likely the original Swiss Chalet!
























There is likely some scientific explanation going on about a slushy machine...now that we know how it works, it won't be long before we want one...not right now!

A Day at the Park

When you're with your grandparents, sometimes you get a new stuffed animal.

Today it was a little Raccoon. Then it's off to the park! This one is called the twirly park, because just about everything twirls, including little girls.







Technically this is a big kid ride, but when Papi is there and the big kids are not on, you can ride the big tire...so can Rocky Raccoon!



It's a long road home, and that's enough twirling for today.

See you another day park!