Archives for 8 May, 2007

More random odd stories from the kingdom of the Belgians

8 May, 2007
Posted in: Belgium

Belgium is a country divided by languages, namely French and Flemish (nobody seems too worried about the German speakers).

Belgian Friend: L is a Leo (lion in French).

Me: Ah, like the symbol of Belgium.

BF: No, that’s the symbol of Flanders.

Me: I think it’s also the symbol of Belgium.

BF (darkly): I wouldn’t put it past them.

The Belgian army is divided along linguistic lines. Batches of troops (companies, battalions, divisions, who knows?) are put in the same linguistic groups. So, when they meet doing NATO manoeuvres, they speak to each other in English until they have established the language regime applying to the other troop.

Finally, Belgians are given a licence plate at the start of their driving careers and they keep those numbers forever. Given developments in licence plate numbering, you can tell the really old drivers by their plates. I find that strangely satisfying which makes me wonder whether I have been married to my husband for too long.

Procrastination is the thief of time

8 May, 2007
Posted in: Mr. Waffle, Reading etc.

Him: You know it has to be in by Tuesday?

Me: Yes, absolutely but let’s go to this European Open Doors thingy this morning.

We live in the capital of Europe, it is a thrill for us to enter its institutions. We went to the Committee of the Regions (don’t ask, you don’t need to know) where the Princess sampled sweets from 41 European regions and the boys were wafted to the ceiling by armfuls of helium balloons. We all came home with a lot of pins. We had intended to go to the Berlaymont and inspect the farm animals, face painters and Beatles tribute bands imported to make the head office of the European Commission seem open and approachable but our children were too light headed from their Committee of the Regions treat to face it. A friend told us that though enjoyable, it was an excellent introduction to bureaucracy as children wanting to participate in the fun had to colour their badge, laminate it and then tick a form before they could fish for treasure.
Him: You know it has to be in by Tuesday?

Me: Yes, absolutely, but it’s F’s birthday party this afternoon.

Him: You know it has to be in by Tuesday?

Me: Yes, absolutely, but we have a babysitter coming. Let’s go to the cinema. Spiderman 3 or La Vie des Autres? A high budget Hollywood blockbuster, predictable fare yet strangely enjoyable or a film about the Stasi in East Germany in 1984, in German (obviously) with French and Dutch subtitles by the outrageously named Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck?

So, we went to see The lives of Others and it was absolutely brilliant and I see it has won all sorts of awards so you’ve probably all seen it already but, just in case not, well worth seeing. Truly, despite the obvious handicaps of subject matter.

Him: You know it has to be in by Tuesday?

Me: Yes, absolutely but I’m going to the toy museum this morning.

Him: You know it has to be in by Tuesday?

Me: Yes, absolutely but the barbecue this afternoon?

Him: You know it has to be in by Tuesday?

Me: Yes, absolutely but I’m exhausted after the weekend’s activities. And there’s the laundry. No, no, I’ll do it. I WANT to do it.
Him: You’re going to end up doing it tomorrow night after your work dinner, aren’t you?

Me: Yes.