Back home in Brussels

Three months away was a long time but it hasn't taken long to get back into the routine of family life.  This morning I walked Duncan to school, and then went shopping.  Malcolm has his birthday today, and so we are going to have some boy-centred foods.  Maggie had already picked up some ribs, but there were more on sale, and the boys wolfed down some liver, bacon and onions that I made them for lunch (this being wednesday, their half day).  News flash: Papa is a carnivore.

As well I think we be mega-decadent and have homemade frites.  I am hoping for a clear enough sky that I can cook them outside, as frying inside leaves the whole house smelling like the inside of a chip truck.  Duncan and I worked today at making Malcolm's birthday cake (he's have the Mennonite carrot cake recipe from Food That Really Schmecks that Bruce sent us as a present at Christmas), and my homemade barbeque sauce has been on the stove since noon, so we should be ok as long as the rain holds off.  Welcome back to Belgium, where it alternates rain and sun every ten minutes!

The flight home was uneventful... although there was a very young child seated right next to me, with a parent who obviously believed in the non-interventionist mode of parenting.  Fortunately when I was ordering a large whisky from the flight attendant, she recognized the situation and asked if I might like to move to an unoccupied seat.  I did like to, and their family was reunited, while I had a chance to sleep a bit.

The changeover at Heathrow was fine, a bit more walking in a large airport than I would have liked, and the shuttle bus to change terminals was something I had forgotten, but it was all handled smoothly and soon I was picking up my bags at Brussels, and waiting for Maggie to come by in the car... it was a tearful and joyful reunion for us, followed by additional ones at home as the boys got home in turns.  I have never been away this long so we have had lots of catching up to do.  Fortunately no major fights yet, which is something that I have come to expect after the initial joy of returning home, but of course we are still in the early days!

There are a ton of things to fix around the house.  Fortunately our chiming mantel clock - thought to be out of order - was quickly made right.  However the oven regularly trips the breaker, and has to stay unplugged, while we make use of a table top oven; the balcony door won't open, and there are a few other things that I must get sorted.  Fortunately I only have one concert to come this season, and it is not a difficult one, so I am happy for the rest after a "killer" three months.

Here are some selected photos from the last couple of weeks of the trip:

an evening view from the Rose's cottage home, Skootamatta

an afternoon paddle, the view of the cottage from the water

  

Sharbot Lake Secondary School's replacement building

 a cigar following my last audition of the trip

our backyard patio set, still serviceable, set up on Bruce's patio

a little hammock time at the cottage

a brief stop at our old Sharbot Lake house en route to Ottawa

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update: Thursday morning.  The birthday dinner was a big success!  Malcolm received a new leather bound watercolour book for his sketches and studies from Maggie, some silver and mother-of-pearl cufflinks from me (so he can now stop plundering my collection) an Amazon gift card from Bruce, and a b.d. from Duncan that should arrive in the next day or two by mail.  The carrot cake was also a big hit.  Happy birthday Malcolm!