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Wiertz

7 October, 2004
Posted in: Reading etc.

Yesterday, the Princess and I went off to the Wiertz Museum.  I regret deeply that I have never done this before.  The place is fantastic.  Mr. Wiertz was a romantic artist, a very romantic artist.  His work reminds me a bit of Blake but on a monumental scale.  Housed in this museum are some of the largest canvases I have ever seen in my life.  The Princess and I wandered around saying “wow” and cackling. Cackling because to modern sensibilities Mr. Wiertz’s creations are hilarious and over the top.  Well, that was why I was cackling. I think that the Princess was cackling because we were the only visitors and she could roll around the wooden floors and run about like a headless chicken.

Let me give you a little taste of how weird Mr. Wiertz was, this from the official guide in the Museum:

“Wiertz died in his museum.  His remains were embalmed in accordance with Ancient Egyptian burial rites.  It was his wish to be buried in his garden, but this was refused him…[h]is heart was embalmed separately, and placed in a leaden box, which was handed over to ….his native town of Dinant…”

The rough guide has this to say :

“[the museum] is devoted to the works of one of the city’s most distinctive, if disagreeable, nineteenth century artists.  Once immensely popular (so much so that in Tess of the d’Urbervilles Thomas Hardy could write of “the staring and ghastly attitudes of a Wiertz museum”)…”

And here are some of his pictures’ titles:

“The thoughts and visions of a severed head”

“Premature Burial”

You can check out these pictures (and more!) at this useful site.  Well, useful, if you’re looking for Wiertz pictures.

Frankly, no trip to Brussels is complete without a visit.  Also it is free. And adjacent to the European Parliament (ok, that’s not much of a draw, I grant you).

Comments
poggle

on 07 October 2004 at 14:10

That’s fab. And how appropriate that the Parliament Building on Rue Wiertz. If only I’d known it was there when my boss was still an MEP ……

pub exec

on 07 October 2004 at 14:38

Goodness! I particularly like ‘The Reader of Novels’. A must for my next visit, please.

silveretta

on 07 October 2004 at 14:57

Yes, ‘The Reader of Novels’ captures exactly the way that I like to disport myself when perusing a text. Well, ‘The Tale of Lazy Jack Silver’ at least.

belgianwaffle

on 07 October 2004 at 21:47

HJB, it’s the lesser of two evils, otherwise I have to chase her round the house. Pog, yes, I know… Pub exec, absolutely. Silver, is it any wonder I thought you were a girl with a figure like that?

Random news from other people

6 October, 2004
Posted in: Miscellaneous

The best dressed diplomat telephoned me from Brown Thomas in Dublin the other morning, having stopped off briefly on her way to New York. She wanted to report the following comment.

Middle aged sales lady on lingerie floor calling to colleague “Mary, are we out of the black bras with nipple tassels?”

The heart surgeon called to say that she is off to a heart surgeons’ love-in in Washington DC.  Will it be fun?  “Well, I’m looking forward to the interactive bit where we ask questions to a doctor performing surgery.”  “In the auditorium?” “Oh no, by video link up, she/he has a headset”. Yes, and apparently the 1,000 bods in the audience ask questions of the on screen doctor while he/she works. What kind of consent forms do you imagine these patients sign?

And finally, check out this friend of Dervala’s who heard her husband won the nobel prize on Monday morning.

Comments
NorahSplog

on 06 October 2004 at 13:06

I used to have to phone a surgeon in Wales. After a few months I asked one of my colleagues what they supposed the slurping noises were when I spoke to him on the phone…I’m annoyed that the black bras with the nipple tassels have sold out though.

silveretta

on 06 October 2004 at 13:45

I’m petitioning the Nobel committee to introduce a Prize for best nipple-tassled bra. Physics seems so exclusive – it’s got maths and stuff in it hasn’t it? Who understands that.

poggle

on 06 October 2004 at 16:49

Gosh. Dublin’s so racy these days!

belgianwaffle

on 07 October 2004 at 21:57

HJB, of course, that’s where they’ve gone. Norah, distressing. Silver, Nobel blog? Pog, I know, I’m terrified that I will never settle back due to overwhelming lack of raciness.

Part the fifth

5 October, 2004
Posted in: The tale of Lazy Jack Silver

LJS emerged from Jojo’s office shell-shocked and blinking in the sunlight and the intense glare of a photographer’s flash bulb.  “Paparazzi” he thought – really, that was all he needed.  “Over here LJS” called a woman he had seen somewhere before.  Could it be, was it really Bobble?  Before he could be sure, she melted into the crowd. “Wait” he called after her, pushing his way angrily through the group of paparazzi who had fallen to the ground to try to get a good shot of his manly jaw for the following day’s tabloids; LJS in police custody was a good story..

He caught up with the woman and grabbed her roughly by the elbow.  “What are you doing here” he said harshly “you were supposed to be in Italy..”  Bobble shrugged her graceful shoulders. Jack grimaced “Doing HJB’s dirty work, I suppose”. “How dare you?” exclaimed Bobble and gave him a ringing smack on his manly jaw.  LJS smiled reluctantly, she could certainly pack a punch. Perhaps she had severed her connection with HJB although he seemed to remember that she had done the photoshoot for HJB’s recent spread in Vanity Fair but then those Hello pictures had had No Mobile’s fingerprints all over it.. He didn’t bring it up.  “What brings you to Cork?” he asked.  “What’s it to you?” she said.  “Ah come and have a drink in the Long Valley and we’ll discuss” he said grinning at her.

In her Swiss fastness, HJB smiled grimly. You had to hand it to the Swiss, their satellite technology was outstanding and she could follow every move Bobble and LJS made.  She picked up the phone to Waffle and said “LJS has taken the bait”.  Meanwhile back in the Valley, LJS was saying to Bobble “I have just thought of an excellent pun…” HJB sighed and closed the satellite link, she could always get an oral briefing from Bobble later.

*Author’s note – and still no puns people.

Comments
Bobble

on 05 October 2004 at 21:29

I give good punch. But sadly no puns.

dmts

on 05 October 2004 at 22:05

that’s not fair. Why does bobble get to hit him?

Bobble

on 05 October 2004 at 22:10
(
Comment Modified) Want to swap your fluffy mound of pillows for my camera bag HJB? I need a rest.

Friar Tuck

on 05 October 2004 at 22:38

It would be more accurate to say no *decent* pun (no pun intended).

on 06 October 2004 at 11:59

I have come late to this party.
Marvellous stuff. It really is getting harder to pretend I’m typing reports while staring at the screen chortling to myself.
Can’t wait to see what happens next.

poggle

on 06 October 2004 at 12:44

On the punning front, how about something along the lines of:
‘Bobble’s views on LJS were, for the most part, unprintable. Her politest opinion was that he was a flash git – too glossy for his own good.’

belgianwaffle

on 06 October 2004 at 12:45

Heather, if you want to hit him, away you go. Lay off with the pun thing. Somebody give me a pun and I will use it. Sniff. Norah, welcome, welcome, and 2 sweeties to boot. Cool.

Bobble

on 06 October 2004 at 12:54

To be fair Pog as separate entities they have their merits but as a combo I fear any better qualities would be… I’ll leave it there.However, I feel that BW has a gift for teasing out the true nature of LJS. It would be nice to imagine the flashing aquamarine eyes and manly jaw were real though.

Friar Tuck

on 06 October 2004 at 17:35

“Carrot,” asked the rabbit of his girlfriend?
“I couldn’t possibly,” she replied.
“I’m stuffed.”

Bobble

on 06 October 2004 at 18:48

What do you call a French man in sandals?
Philippe-flop.

Locotes

on 07 October 2004 at 13:06

Bobble: excuse your cheek, I’ll have you know my jaw is extremely manly – much like the rest of me for that matter…
pog: Well I liked your pun anyway, even though it wasn’t exactly complimentary…I’m definitely noticing a negative vibe against LJS from the female contingent here…
waffle: good chapter, I’m intrigued now about what way the Waffle character will develop….the drama of it all.

poggle

on 07 October 2004 at 13:54

Thanks loco – tho’ I noticed too late that the pun was supposed to come from LJS.
Who does seem to be a bit flighty, to say the least ….

Bobble

on 07 October 2004 at 14:03

Locotes: having not had the pleasure of seeing you in the flesh I shall take you word for it. My humble apologies.

belgianwaffle

on 07 October 2004 at 21:36

Thanks for the puns people. Am saving them up…

The oddness of the US

2 October, 2004
Posted in: Reading etc.

This from the LRB review of the Republican convention:

‘The Muslims just hate us for our love of freedom,’ said a woman from Iowa wearing a cloth elephant on her head. ‘They don’t have any culture and they hate us for having a great one. And they hate the Bible.’

‘Really?’ I said. ‘The Iraqis had a culture for thousands of years before Jesus was born.’

‘What you saying?’

‘I’m saying Muslims were building temples when New York was a swamp.’

‘You support the Iraqis?’

‘No.’

‘You support the killing of innocent people going to work? People who have to jump out of windows?’

‘You aren’t listening to me.’

‘No, buddy. You ain’t listening. These people you support are trying to kill our children in their beds. Where you from anyway, the New York Times?’

Also an entertaining link to campaign ads. Fascinating stuff…

Comments
Friar Tuck

on 03 October 2004 at 05:56

Sigh

DruidX

on 03 October 2004 at 18:29

Oooh dear…. How did people get that obtuse? Is it some kind of social disease? *sigh*

belgianwaffle

on 05 October 2004 at 20:07

Heather, Druid, be nice to poor old Friar Tuck, he’s an American left winger and these are difficult times for him…

Part the fourth

1 October, 2004
Posted in: The tale of Lazy Jack Silver

“IÂ’’m sorry, LJS, but our relationship is strictly professional and won’Â’t stand punning. JoJo tossed her head and her long, dark silky hair shimmered. Lazy Jack Silver was entranced by the hint of steel in her wide blue eyes. Not since Pog had refused to let him wear his favourite sweat-stained T-shirt had he seen a woman with so much determination. Attempting to recreate “the look” that heÂ’d perfected over the years, he gazed into her eyes but she pointed a perfectly manicured finger towards the door and whispered, “Leave, LJS. I canÂ’’t help you.”  She turned her attentions back to Elliot who had been happy to lie on his play mat whilst his mother carried on with her demanding career.

As LJS stumbled towards the door he heard her say “Perhaps you need to think about the one known as Waffle.  The woman who claims to live in Belgium.  As he closed the heavy mahogany door behind him he heard her muttering “what is it with this guy, why can’t he settle with a decent Cork girl?”

Meanwhile far away over the Alps HJB was propped on her goose-down pillows, sipping a glass of champagne and reading Hello magazine. Casting it to one side she decided that was the last time she invited No Mobile to take photographs.  Perhaps the time had come for her to join forces with the person known as Waffle who claimed to live in Belgium.

Comments
jackdalton

on 01 October 2004 at 18:07

Agreed. No one does hint of steel like JoJo…

dmts

on 01 October 2004 at 23:59

ah, JS doesn’t seem to take the hint of steel too seriously…

poggle

on 04 October 2004 at 12:02

Never mind all that, H – how are the goose-down pillows? Comfy? Mine are ….

Bobble

on 05 October 2004 at 19:11

I’d always imagined that is how you filled your afternoons Heather.

belgianwaffle

on 05 October 2004 at 20:03

Hello there protagonists, I feel like an update (cue crazed power hungry laugh). Bobble, do you feel that the story needs a photographer?

Bobble

on 05 October 2004 at 20:10

You always need a member of the paparazzi to take pictures of the hero-protagonist and his mysterious lady(ies) assailant(s).

belgianwaffle

on 05 October 2004 at 20:38

Bobble, careful what you wish for…

Goody bag and correction

30 September, 2004
Posted in: Siblings

My goody bag has just arrived from the publishing executive.  And it is wonderful.  I am so pleased.  It has three books including a very well reviewed just published hardback and loads of books on tape.  Oh yay.  I am thrilled.

Also, I wish to post a correction to my previous entry about Mr. Waffle’s brother.  I know what side my bread is buttered on.  Text supplied by the pub exec:

“…blog talks about how ‘like his brother’ he speaks perfect French. Like his brother AND SISTER, I think you meant! We have a new French inmate in our flat so I have been practicing with her, it’s very improving.” Yes, yes, of course that’s what I meant.  Must go off now and investigate my haul further.

Comments
silveretta

on 30 September 2004 at 14:40

Our turn soon then?

belgianwaffle

on 01 October 2004 at 12:00

Jack, book shrouded in secrecy. And somebody wobbled pog but it certainly wasn’t me. Silver, you are one third of an action hero. Be grateful and give me a pun for all seasons. Or an appropriate venn thingy.

jackdalton

on 01 October 2004 at 13:32

woose…. 🙂
And as for th pog-wobblin’ of course it was you or if not it was your hapless and tragic creation/creature – LJS.

belgianwaffle

on 05 October 2004 at 20:01

Down, silver. Jack, not tragic, steely eyed etc.

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