Aachen Market and a Snow Day...

I went to Aachen Germany yesterday for  shopping at the Christmas Market with the school German club trip.  The market is in the shadow of the the Aachen Cathedral, which is the oldest cathedral in Northern Europe.  It was consecrated in 805.  We did not tour it, we went for shopping.  Aachen is only about 2 hours away, so definitely a day trip.

I bought a couple of Christmas items; the small boot shaped cup contained an Irish Coffee that was a little coffee and a lot of Irish.  And there was a Starbucks...a new mug for me.

Today, a snow day for Anna...and I will be doing some sewing.

It snowed in Belgium

I woke up this morning and there was a beautiful snow fall...really nice fluffy flakes.  I don't know how long it will stick around, but it is pretty this morning.  CashUs acted like he had never seen snow, this is the dog who would run/jump into snow piles in MN.

Hubby and I ventured out and went to the Farmer's Market; they have the best roast chickens ever and that is what I had planned for Sunday dinner/Monday leftovers. We made it no trouble and chicken for dinner it is.

Something to Bring Home...

A serving plate

Butter Dish

With Butter...it comes in a brick.  This is a medium
size.  Some are quite large.

There are many items the Ex-Pats collect to remember there time
abroad.  Some collect the glasses that go
with the Belgian beers.  Some collect Starbucks Mugs from the
different cities around Europe, or t shirts from the
Hard Rock Cafes, etc.  I am going to collect Polish Pottery.  It actually does come from Poland, and it mixes and matches very well.  There are several different patterns that all incorporate the same colors, but not the same designs.  I have always loved china.  Both of my grandparents worked at Crown Pottery in Evansville and I have 2 sets of dishes that were my moms and grandma's.  The wives of 2 of Hubby's co-workers also are collecting this.  There was an "Open House" I went to today and purchased these pieces.  It truly was an open house, in a neighborhood, in the seller's bonus room...tables and tables of pottery, some even sitting on her sofa.  She was British and she had the coolest kitchen and stove.  It is an AGA cooker and she brought it with her from England.  Originally it used wood, but they had it fitted for gas.  It kept her kitchen very cosy.  She didn't seem to think it was odd I wanted to take a photo of it.

Oh Happy day...

I found a store in Waterloo that carries these beautiful things I love.  I looked at the price of the fabric...
and I don't remember how much it was.   I really don't need any fabric or tools, but it is nice to know where I can get some.

My neighborhood will celebrate Halloween this Thursday.  It is not a Belgium holiday, but the school Baby Girl attends celebrates it.  The kids go Trick or Treating through the neighborhood across from the school.  Families have been bringing in candy to the school and today I helped sort it and distributed it to some participating families.  Lots of varieties...can't wait to go through Baby Girl's bag when she gets home!  I hear I will probably need every piece...one mom gave out 600 pieces of candy last year.

It's Fall

Hubby sent a picture of the view from our
town home patio.

I live in  neighborhood with older trees.

I love how they frame the street.

This is a bush in my back yard.  It is so pretty
and the leaves are very feathery and soft.

Back in Belgium

I went back to the US for about 12 days.  I got to see my son, meet his roommate, see his dorm room, go to a ISU football game, shop with my son and feed my son.  It was wonderful!  Number one son is doing very well.  Making his parents proud.  He has made a good transition into college life and dorm living.

I also got to go on a quilting retreat.  I sewed and slept and talked and laughed.  It was fun and I even got to feel cold MN wind.

Best of all I got to see lots of friends that I miss.  I didn't get to see everyone that I wanted to, time flew by.

Hubby, Baby Girl and dog all did fine in my absence. They were pampered by the very welcoming community here.

I have been back now a couple of nights, my sleep is still messed up. I did errands today and I forgot how aggressively they drive here.   The trees are changing now in my back yard, it is very pretty and very wet.

Saturday in Maastricht

Even the entrance is pretty.  (No, that's not CashUs)

A shoe store named Cinderella

Hubby and I spent a lovely Saturday afternoon in the Dutch town of Maastricht.  Really nice weather and so much to look at.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Soup for supper takes a little longer that opening
a can of Campbells.

Directions on the back of the can, in Dutch and French.

Typing the directions into Google Translate.  The
best invention ever.

Still shopping

You can purchase 1 fresh Chicken breast for just under
$3.00.  I love that.

There is a store called Media Mart in Waterloo which is very
similar to a BestBuy. The entrance way has
a gift wrapping station.  

A Little Shopping

Shopping is fun, interesting, sometimes frustrating, and time consuming!

I wanted a can of Chicken Noodle soup.
(I know make it myself, but I want to have a "go-
to" brand ready before winter and cold season.)

They look the same right....one is in Dutch and the
other is in French.

I guess this one has White meat and more carrots.
I bought this one and the French one.

More Out and About

We like exploring around, and I love all the flowers everywhere.

Out and About

These are some things in my neighborhood I find interesting.

There is a house on the street that has
a "robot" lawn mower.  I have never seen one before.

The trees along the streets
have tags on them.  I don't
know why.

A walk in the neighborhood

We finally have internet and cable at our house.  It has made a world of difference in my mood.
Baby Girl and I had orientation at her school this morning.  She is still there as the new high schoolers meet teachers, find classrooms, eat lunch, etc.  She should be home in about 2 hours.   I think the school is doing a great job helping newcomers be at ease.

Hubby and I took the dog for a walk around the neighborhood recently, and here are a few things we spied.

These are recycling bins for clear glass
and colored glass.

We think this is clothing drop off, next to the
glass recycling.

A house with a thatched roof in
our neighborhood,

Yes, that is a windmill.  On the back side of our
neighborhood is farm land and in the distance you
can see this windmill.  I like walking past it.

A Little Update

I haven't been on the internet much this last week.  I thought while Hubby was back in the US getting our son moved into the dorm, I should unpack and get things more settled feeling.  Mostly I am done, odds and ends to find a place for and more things need to get hung up on the walls.

We had a couple of really hot days, in the mid 90's and for the most part it wasn't terrible in a house without air conditioning.  Luckily, it only lasted 2 days.

Entrance to the park we went to,

Bungee jumping on the trampoline.

Anna and I met a couple of other moms and their children who will be attending the same school with Anna.  They are very friendly and welcoming and we had a picnic at a beautiful park in a neighboring town.  They have young children, so Anna goes between the adult women and the kids.  She finds the adults boring as all we talked about was local grocery stores and cleaning products.

The search for vanilla extract is over.
I found this in the British grocery store in
Waterloo.  This little bottle must have flown
over first class by the priced I paid.

Brownies and Church

I made Brownies from a mix I picked up at Carrefour...Mrs. Oekter brand.

I was concerned about baking in my oven because, there is not a heating coil in the bottom of the oven the way I was used to.

Hubby and Number 1 son left yesterday. Time to get the boy moved into the dorm.  Baby Girl and I headed out to church and went to an English speaking Mass.

No coil at the bottom, but it heats up fine.

The finished product

The directions were in Dutch and French, but luckily enough
pictures with them that I could figure it out.  They were ok.

St. Ann's in Uccle Belgium.  Built in 1912.