A weekend of impulse. One after another. And all great choices.

After class on Friday I was high and low all at the same time. Ready for anything, even a flight on a Boitsfort hot airballon. The night almost drifted into the totally wonderful land of night in and movie time....but, with the injection of some hot tea at the scene of the first crime it was onward and upward towards the pee soaked streets of almost-north Brussels.

It was decided: saw the movie Control . Amazing film, great cinematography (thanks Anton a la U2-cover-glory). The acting was superb and the music was amazing. David Bowie cracks the story open and you are treated to a well done array of live and studio versions of some long-missed (at least for me) Joy Division tracks. I was taken by the black and white decision - it was fetching from a visual standpoint. Only 23. And dead.

I indulged in some popcorn and a peanut butter sandwich - one of the best meals I have had in a while. Funny, that. But so true. The night rounded off with the wheezing creaking of an old vinyl sleeve and the smell of paper from the 1980s. Breath it in. I don't know if it was the pear for lunch and the petite sandwich and popcorn combo, but the wine hit me like Ian Curtis in a spasm. I was knocked out and half way to the floor when it became apparent that I needed to hit the hay.

Saturday was Newt day, but I had to cure my fuzzy head with a pedicure from Angela, my slow-speaking-french-friend. It was quite wonderful. I met Kevin at the Coffee Club on Balli and ripped into The Guardian's Books and Literature section. Ondaatjee, Atwood and a few other Canadians were featured in these pages. It made me miss Hamilton for some reason - a totally undiscovered and under appreciated city. I miss Stanley Street so much.

The rest of the day included a purchase of two, still unnamed lizards, another trip to IKEA (with Stephanie) and the ordering (and unrepentant gorging) of pizza.

The pizza came from a shop around the corner and was mega simple - like, really, super simple: crust, tomato sauce, and mushrooms. I figured that no amount of gorging would be a problem.

I am adding some photos from a second and much smaller beer fest, and a totally spontaneous trip to Oostende's shore, which, for a variety of reasons, was a most memorable trip of massive proportions.

Sandy and his S.Hs to The Rescue!!!


I think that yesterday might have been the day of my true induction into Brussels. Somehow I must have misplaced the notice, because I was no where near ready for the crazy, and yet, miraculously hilarious events that transpired.

The day started out as normal as a bank of clouds sitting above the horizon here in the sunny capital of Belgium. Actually, I should have known there was something in the air - as I headed for my 'tech integration' meeting the sun was bright and I made it all the way to the bus stop without stepping in dog poop. And so my morning passed rather uneventful - a good couscous salad and a trip to the science cabin - that's about it.

But than.....1, 2, 3....where is Cheryl....4...and Sarah...and Tammy and Steph. Whoah. All these folks and a set of keys to a Toyota van without any seats in the back?? Amazing. And who is driving they ask??? "Lyndsay" they say!!!

From 3 pm, until the last drop off at 8 35 pm, I managed to embark with some good friends on the adventure of a lifetime.

Why not have your first European driving lesson on the highway? Why not pile dining room tables, wardrobe, various examples of tropical plant life, some beer (yes, one euro and you are drinking in the IKEA front lobby), chairs, bookshelves, hangers, loads of little things and...oh, 7 grown ups into the van.

It was hilarious to watch the men look as a big white van pulled up to our respective houses, being driven by a stunning, if not sweaty, woman who was accompanied by her super hot, super strong furniture wheeling friends. We got some laughs....to say the least. Hence the title of this post. Speaking of posts...despite it all - I only hit 2.

On the tram ride to our long awaited respite we stopped for take away drinks at a DVD shop (!) and the journey was interrupted by a troop of regularly scheduled (friday nights) roller bladders - about 300 of them! It was quite spectacular to see.

Throughout the later part of our evening, where we enjoyed a patio, I felt like a foreigner in China as I was thanked and gumbaied. I tasted some fantastic beer, "TRIPLE", which, apparently earns its name from the 3X alcohol it incorporates into its receipe. I also had the chance to rush over to a poor teenage boy (who was not expecting to be accosted by the crazy, and now smelly, Canadian girl) to meet the CUTEST puppy jack russell. Not only that - I had some amazing rice 'ice cream' at a nice little cafe, while everyone else was scarfing some double fried (yes, double fried) frites.

It wasn't a usual way for super-nerd (oh, sorry, kevin: "mini-nerd") to spend her Friday nights - but, it was so worth it. Something I will never forget - even if my f'in IKEA alarm clock doesn't bloody well work!!!