tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:38:20 +0000Fun activitiesMusicKabouterVacationOstbelgien Canton de l'EstBeertjeLeuvenFamilySocietyMade in BelgiumwedraaiendoorMiscellaniousHome sweet homeFriendsWeather godsBlogs blogs blogsReflectionsRenovationsargggghhhHealthWork work workCount your blessingsFranceHihihihiMotherhoodCanadaFoodTVUSBooksDivingSadSportPoliticsSingular SaturdayPersonalityMobile SchoolArtTrafficUKabsurdWeddingCatWijvenweekGermanySo sweeeetAmsterdamDen HaagLondonsoap opera sundaymovingGentMusic FlashbackReviewScaryArghNon digital nativeNatureRestaurantsFraSociety; Health; argggghhhfunSometimes goofy, sometimes tired and grumpy, sometimes cheerful and sunny, sometimes lazy, sometimes too busy.... welcome to my world!!https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Goofball)Blogger5279125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-7892797513946790881Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:38:20 +00002026-06-09T18:38:20.367+02:00Fun activitiesI have very mixed feelings for vacation parks such as Landal, Center Parcs, Roompot, ... In general I find them expensive and busy.  In a way I prefer the independence of a little independent vacation rental home. The added value of the parc is all the services around: the tropical swimming pool (horrendously busy and an attack to our senses for noise and heat), the internal playground (https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/06/staying-cool-in-shade-at-centerparcs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-2632079206188241662Sun, 07 Jun 2026 16:55:00 +00002026-06-07T18:55:00.114+02:00FriendsFun activitiesMusicOn Sunday we returned to the festival for day 3 of Blues music in Peer.   It was another hot day so we quickly positioned ourselves with our chairs in a shady spot on the field with our friends. For some Blues Brothers it wasn't too hot though to wear a suit all weekend in the sun and to never sit down. Amazing man he is. I had the impression I absorbed and enjoyed the music https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/06/at-blues-peer-again-part-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-5957020070760922772Sat, 06 Jun 2026 15:42:00 +00002026-06-06T17:42:00.208+02:00FriendsFun activitiesMusicIt had been 3 years but in May we picked up our old routine to go to the Blues festival in Peer again.  We've been there a couple of times, it feels familiar even though we don't go every year at all.The decision had just been made a couple of days before when we saw the nice weather and our free agenda (that previously had other plans).  Then we noticed a good deal in Center Parcs and https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/06/at-blues-peer-again.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-5452399487980274569Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:27:00 +00002026-06-04T17:27:00.119+02:00Musicwedraaiendoor Each Tuesday and Thursday Anne from Satur9's World and myself, play a musical pingpong game where we choose a new music song based on each other's previous choice by association of a name, style, lyric, style, location or whatever crosses in our mind. We never know what the next song will be chosen and are forced to explore beyond our comfort zone due to each other's choices. You can https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/06/we-keep-on-turning-wedraaiendoor-tame.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-7692841618824749987Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:06:00 +00002026-06-03T18:06:00.115+02:001) don't remember where and when but a Cornet is always tastefull.2) Rodin is a LEGO cat..always amidst the ongoing constructions and potentially in the box.3) Darth Vader was lost in our house.  Kabouter went out to buy a new one downtown. Of course we found the other one back at home a few weeks afterwards and then there was another one in the set of Beertje's birthday LEGO. So I share thehttps://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/06/42-random-pictures-of-6-months.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-5049058263250201627Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:58:00 +00002026-06-02T17:58:00.118+02:00LeuvenAfter some great sunny days mid-May turned very whimsical and colder with lots of showers. Not ideal when Jan with the local Rotary club would open a beach bar on the main shopping street during the Bondgenieten event.  I feared they would be totally rained out (at times they were) and would not see anyone.But I checked the rain radar after judo training and the boys really wanted to go https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/06/visiting-rotary-stand-at-bondgenieten.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-7777494798862819905Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:11:00 +00002026-06-01T17:11:00.116+02:00FamilyFun activitiesAfter a nice visit to Tongeren, we drove off mid-afternoon to explore Limburg a bit further with my Canadian Rotary sister.  The weather was so gorgeous so I was really tempted to go and visit some wine-domains.  Genoels-Elderen is very close to Tongeren so off we went to enjoy some quality sparkling wine from Belgium at their domain. So lovely! And after the wine Jan proposed to https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/06/visiting-wine-domain-of-genoels-elderen.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-2813781254303862655Sun, 31 May 2026 16:21:00 +00002026-06-01T09:40:00.633+02:00Count your blessingsA long and hot weekend to start the month withNo plans in that first weekend but to enjoy that weekend in all laziness in the east of BelgiumCatching up with my Canadian Rotary sister. Lots of time together to talk about everything.Being tourist in Leuven and in Limburg with my Canadian sister. Enjoying gorgeous weather and our beautiful spots together.The boys spending a great judo camp at the https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/count-your-blessings-may-2026.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-4810590827649969099Sat, 30 May 2026 17:20:00 +00002026-05-30T19:20:00.131+02:00KabouterWeet je wat irritant is: ik heb altijd veel energie als ik geen energie nodig heb en geen energie als ik energie nodig heb. Ik heb een nieuwe geodriehoek nodig omdat ik die soort van kwijt ben geraaktEr is iets ongelooflijk gebeurd op school dat jullie nooit zullen raden(Tegen de koeien) wat vinden jullie van mijn lowpants die ik net heb gemaaktWeet je wat wel grappig is: tutorials for that https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/kabouter-conversations-may-2026.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-1913806265710075259Thu, 28 May 2026 16:19:00 +00002026-05-28T18:19:00.198+02:00Musicwedraaiendoor Each Tuesday and Thursday Anne from Satur9's World and myself, play a musical pingpong game where we choose a new music song based on each other's previous choice by association of a name, style, lyric, style, location or whatever crosses in our mind. We never know what the next song will be chosen and are forced to explore beyond our comfort zone due to each other's choices. You can https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/we-keep-on-turning-wedraaiendoor-alanis.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-8262709361021272189Wed, 27 May 2026 16:10:00 +00002026-05-27T18:10:00.117+02:00Fun activitiesIt was a glorious weekend early May and we debated what to do together with our Canadian visitor.  The typical must do's of Belgium might be pretty crowded (especially Bruges was to be avoided with the opening of BRUSK).  Canadians are very much outdoor people and we wanted to profit from the sun and not spend time inside musea... and as Belgians we didn't want to drive too much either.https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/exploring-tongeren.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-1628821754500993068Tue, 26 May 2026 16:25:00 +00002026-05-26T18:25:00.117+02:00BeertjeFun activitiesKabouterNatureOstbelgien Canton de l'EstCows can be so curious and social...all walking up to you if you start to talk to them at the fence. Before you know it you have a full line ligned up and staring at you. first there is 2Then there's 3Then there's 4Then the whole gang pushes forward to line up and get some attentionOf course the children also need some attention and do some posing https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/posing-children-and-posing-cows.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-4236250950265989156Sun, 24 May 2026 15:25:00 +00002026-05-24T17:25:00.113+02:00FamilyFriendsFun activitiesLeuvenI took my host sister for a long tour through Heverlee and Leuven to show her around in our environments... We started off at the Park Abbey close-by, crossed through Heverlee to the Arenberg castle. saying hi to the cows of the CSA farm that deliver us dairya picture for her sister that organizes IEEE congresses regularlyVia the sport campus we reach the city of Leuven at the big beguinage,https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/showing-leuven.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-3075155758076127127Sat, 23 May 2026 16:22:00 +00002026-05-23T18:22:00.117+02:00Fun activitiesNatureOstbelgien Canton de l'EstNature was budding enthusiastically in the first real heat at the start of May. It was gorgeous out! A big group of tourists were seeking refreshment in the water of the Warche https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/budding-nature-along-tour-de-la-warche.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-1951683774362312061Fri, 22 May 2026 17:18:00 +00002026-05-22T19:18:00.113+02:00A few text messages in April were a really great surprise. One of my Canadian Rotary sisters was planning a European trip and checked if it would be worthwile to plan the detour to Belgium. Hell yeah that's always  worth it. And being jobless right now, I would have the full time available to show her around. And we'd be able to simply hang around and she'd experience some of our lives.&nbsphttps://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/my-canadian-rotary-sister-came.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-1534876620521276557Thu, 21 May 2026 17:06:00 +00002026-05-21T19:06:00.110+02:00Musicwedraaiendoor Each Tuesday and Thursday Anne from Satur9's World and myself, play a musical pingpong game where we choose a new music song based on each other's previous choice by association of a name, style, lyric, style, location or whatever crosses in our mind. We never know what the next song will be chosen and are forced to explore beyond our comfort zone due to each other's choices. You can https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/we-keep-on-turning-wedraaiendoor.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-2170775683255999931Wed, 20 May 2026 15:07:00 +00002026-05-20T17:07:00.108+02:00LeuvenTheir house is a geographical impossibility, a sharp brick triangle squeezed mercilessly into the fork of two streets. Yet, within this cramped geometry, they have achieved total dominion over their surroundings.He is the pilot of the ground floor. The entire street level is nothing but a massive garage, into which he needs to maneuver his bright red car. When he does, traffic has to stop. Time https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/people-in-neighbourhood-perfectionist.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-6545509538270031900Mon, 18 May 2026 16:18:00 +00002026-05-18T18:18:00.123+02:00BeertjeKabouterLeuvenSocietyIt's been 7 years now that Kabouter joined the neighbourhood scouts in a field in the middle of our residential area.  I remember in Feb 2020 there were some big storms and we got a "reassuring" mail from the leaders that afternoon that they would play inside.  That was a big surprise as I had never seen them inside the little crooked sheds that were aligned on the edge of the field.&https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-scouting-group-will-finally-get-new.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-8044413890967238011Sun, 17 May 2026 16:15:00 +00002026-05-17T18:15:00.118+02:00Ostbelgien Canton de l'EstThe weekend of May first was a long holiday weekend and it was full summer. Woohooo. I enjoyed it by doing absolutely nothing in our little garden in the east of Belgium. I really had put on sunscreen but I must have missed a spot. The next day it already looked a lot better, don't worry.   https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/that-first-feeling-of-summer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-1820387710561029373Fri, 15 May 2026 15:17:00 +00002026-05-15T17:50:21.701+02:00BeertjeDa’s zo vervelend, telkens er een spawnt trilt mijn gsm zn ik be ze niet eens meer aan het vangen want ik weet niet wat ik er kan mee doen (cfr Polemon go)Oh het ruikt hier naar aperitief , toch zie ik nog geen aperitief

G: En wat heb je gedaan op de legervergadering van de Scouts? Drones bewaakt? De straat van Hormuz open gehouden? 
B: Nee niets van dat alles
G: Goh jammer, dat laatste was wel https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/beertjes-conversations-may-2026.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-8375027850790988627Thu, 14 May 2026 16:52:00 +00002026-05-14T18:52:00.114+02:00Musicwedraaiendoor Each Tuesday and Thursday Anne from Satur9's World and myself, play a musical pingpong game where we choose a new music song based on each other's previous choice by association of a name, style, lyric, style, location or whatever crosses in our mind. We never know what the next song will be chosen and are forced to explore beyond our comfort zone due to each other's choices. You can https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/we-keep-on-turning-wedraaiendoor-weeknd.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-3219256926679697944Wed, 13 May 2026 16:13:00 +00002026-05-13T18:13:00.125+02:00FamilyHome sweet homeMiscellaniousI mostly blog about my activities in my weekends but there's not always something specific happening. We more often don't go to the east of Belgium than we do, we don't always have special activities. But often they are filled with multiple small events that are not worth blogging about.  A myriad of to do's, meetings, tasks and activities.So was also the last weekend of April.  It https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/a-weekend-with-little-bit-of-everything.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-9171439558618436115Tue, 12 May 2026 16:13:00 +00002026-05-12T18:13:00.124+02:00Home sweet homeMiscellaniousThere's some days that all seems to happen and be planned at the same moment.  April 23rd was one of those days. For months already I knew our regular babysit was excused to pick up Beertje from school due to her school trip. No issue, I have plenty flexible time at hand so I would pick him up.Yet a bit later we got invitations for Kabouter's school for study option information sessions and https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/a-busy-april-23rd.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-1690401690866374243Mon, 11 May 2026 16:07:00 +00002026-05-11T18:07:00.117+02:00Blogs blogs blogsMiscellaniousI all of a sudden realised I haven't done an "On this day" in ages.  So I dove into my picture archive. 11/05/2008I assume we celebrated Mother's Day at my parents.  We all look shockingly young. There was also an artistic bird cage in which they did some concerts in the city center of Leuven. 11/5/2013We visted with the entire family my Australian Rotary host sister who https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/on-this-day-may-11th.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13851134.post-8619869406956097043Sun, 10 May 2026 16:22:00 +00002026-05-10T18:22:00.124+02:00LeuvenSportAfter the European championships running organized in Leuven for the first time, the city council announced that they'd organize a yearly marathon due to the success.  Hmm I heard that decision with mixed feelings since we live in the middle of the event zone.  While it is actually fun at the moment (even more so with the crazy UCI world championship cycling a full week in 2021!!) , it https://goofballsworld.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-leuven-marathon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Goofball)0