You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Off Topic Chat
>
Watcha' Doing - 2023
Happy thanksgiving to those who celebrate! I'm guessing it's tomorrow? All I've seen here for the past two weeks everywhere is awful black friday deals.
It's election day here, and the exit poll was just announced and it seems one of the nationalist very right wing parties has won by a landslide. It's a sad day and I feel kinda worried now :(
Peggy wrote: "It's election day here, and the exit poll was just announced and it seems one of the nationalist very right wing parties has won by a landslide. It's a sad day and I feel kinda worried now :("I know how you feel, Peggy. It seems that a lot of countries are leaning to the extreme these days.
Peggy wrote: "It's election day here, and the exit poll was just announced and it seems one of the nationalist very right wing parties has won by a landslide. It's a sad day and I feel kinda worried now :("I 100% understand that feeling Peggy. We felt it all here a few weeks ago with our referendum. Waking up and not really being sure where the country is headed or who the people within it are.
I read about the results before coming here - Aus far right groups have really liked Geert Wilders for years.
As a friend of mine reminded me a few years ago, nothing solidifies people than a coherent goal. Protest and organisation, political and social, is the way.
But a week or two (or 20) in denial and streaming services is totally okay as you deal with the country.
Waw, Sandra, you're very busy! Don't forget to take a moment for yourself from time to time.Thanks, Peggy ;)
Peggy wrote: "It's election day here, and the exit poll was just announced and it seems one of the nationalist very right wing parties has won by a landslide. It's a sad day and I feel kinda worried now :("I can understand you completely. Unfortunetaly, I think this will be the course here too. We've got elections next year and I think 3 sorts of elections.
Happy Thanksgiving for everyone who celebrates. I hope you can enjoy a lovely diner with the ones you love.
Oh yes Rus, I read about your referendum. Incomprehensible..@Saar: it wouldn't surprise me if Belgium heads in the same direction.
Happy thanksgiving all!Peggy, I was just listening to the news report about about your election. It makes me very sad to see how right wing the world is becoming and fear it's going to worse with so much political instability around. It is possible that ireland will elect a strongly nationalist party next year too. Why can't people look to the lessons of the past and think again they vote radical parties into power?
We've been without all day, most of it planned, while while repairs were being made to the grid after the the last few storms. It's been a long chilly day, so so happy to have WiFi back!
I feel like my head is going to explode! The last week I've been studying and practicing the computer program Excel for my exam next month. It's not my cup of tea, but I hope I'll make it.On the bright side: next Saterday I'm going on a day out with my best friend to Maastricht (The Netherlands). There's a church that is converted into a huge book store! I always watned to go and now it finally happens!
Maastricht is my favourite city in the Netherlands, Saar. I always feel like I'm not in our country anymore. It's so beautiful! I lived there for a total of 6 years when I studied at Maastricht University. And that bookstore is heaven!! It has a nice little cafe inside too, Coffee Lovers.
I'm so curious, Peggy! Oh, it has a coffee bar too? Nice! Just got a text from my friend that she is unsure about the weather for Saterday. There's lots of rain predicted, but we are still a week from that day, so hopefully she doesn't cancel.
That sounds so good! Enjoy the trip Saar ;-)
I will if the weather doens't interfere :)
Sounds amazing, Saar! Take pictures! Finger crossed the weather will be cooperative.
Thanks, Janice and Sandra, if I'm not too dazzled by all those books, I'll take pictures. The weather forcast seems okay now: dry and cold, but nothing you can't solve with a good, warm winter jacket and a hot beverage ;)
Hey Rusalka - what kind are your 6-7 week old chicks? inquiring minds, you know. ;o)
Cherie wrote: "Hey Rusalka - what kind are your 6-7 week old chicks? inquiring minds, you know. ;o)"They are snuggle bunnies. But the big one is Ria and she is a Rhode Island Red x Australorp. She is 10 days older than Ella, who is the little one, and Ella is supposed to be a pure bred Australorp. Her eyes and the splash of red on her chest suggest she is not (which is completely fine), and a RIR has snuck into her parentage somewhere.
This is a blurry photo but this is what we are dealing with. This was on the desk at least, usually they are on our wrists/arms.
Aww, such sweet snugglers! 🥰
They're lovely Rusalka. I've acquired a new appreciation for chickens, thanks to you.
Rusalka wrote: "Cherie wrote: "Hey Rusalka - what kind are your 6-7 week old chicks? inquiring minds, you know. ;o)"They are snuggle bunnies. But the big one is Ria and she is a Rhode Island Red x Australorp. Sh..."
what cuties they are.
Heh thanks all. They are adorable, and also complete monsters.
They are so cute, Rusalka. Are they staying in permanently or are they going outside too?
Oh, that was magnificant, Peggy! We did a tour through Maastricht first, did some shopping and then had something to eat. It's such a beautiful city. A bit like Bruges, but still a bit less crowded and with more interesting shops. We had to search a bit for the Dominicanen bookstore, my friend didn't know exactly anymore where it was, but then: when we were at the front, before entering, you wouldn't think it's an actual bookstore! It was very crowded, but we were in there for an hour. It's maybe a strange location, but a perfect location for a bookstore. For most of the books you needed to know what you were searching for, because you could then browse the bookshelves, but there were enough standards with books in the picture to search through. The YA - section and English literature was very interesting. I had a lovely day and it's just 2 and half an hour by train. Perfect!The catch of the day was:
Legendy i Latte
Empire of the Vampire
Murtagh
The Journey: Big Panda and Tiny Dragon
The Goodbye Cat: Seven Cat Stories
De theorie van de 1 of 2
The Strays of Paris
The Cat Who Taught Zen
My friend bought 2 more books than me and most of them were my recommendations. She must trust my opinion, it seems, haha! This week I bought a new bookcase, so most of my books will go in there and a pile of them will be donated.
So glad you enjoyed your visit and returned back home with many books! :D
Thanks, it won't be the last time I'll go :) The weather was very cold, but dry and sunny. It snowed in Bruges, so I was glad it stayed there.
Do you actually live in Bruges? I've been there only once or twice but such a lovely city!
Yes, not in the centre, but at the edge.10 minutes by bike. It's very lovely, but very touristic. We used to have lots of tourists in summer and quiet winters. Now, since many years, there's tourists all through the year.
Saar The Book owl wrote: "Yes, not in the centre, but at the edge.10 minutes by bike. It's very lovely, but very touristic. We used to have lots of tourists in summer and quiet winters. Now, since many years, there's touris..."I visited Bruges long ago. Loved it.
If someone ever visits again, maybe we can do a meeting 😉
I had no idea you were near Bruges, Saar! I've been there too, in 2016. Loved the city, although I can see what you mean about the tourists. But as one, we still enjoyed the place. It's beautiful. We stayed in the suburbs with a friend of a friend.Chickens will stay inside for at least another month. They will then be outside based, but will still manipulate their way indoors for snuggles at night before bedtime, and when it rains. Or when it's cold. Or when it's too hot. Or when they look at us nicely...
I'm amazed that a lot of the group here visited Bruges! I think that your chickens will stay indoor chickens, Rusalka ;) They will overpower you with their cuteness.
I visited Bruges too, in 2019, during our sabbatical year in France. Beautiful city. It is true that it was packed with people, even the weather was really bad that day, with rain in the morning and a very windy afternoon. Still beautiful. :)
Oh you know it, Saar. Our just about to turn 4 year old chicken is sleeping on my desk next to my arm now, before I put her in her coop when I go to bed. After having a sick chicken about 9 years ago who needed to be nursed for weeks, our girls are 50-50 inside and outside of the house. Just too cute.
One of my favourite travel stories is actually a Bruges story. We were outside your very famous church (which I am so astounded by as it doesn't look like a church, but a house to us untrained eyes) and our host was asking if we would like to go inside and see the relic housed there. A real life relic?!? These things don't exist in Aus! Of course we would, what is the relic? we asked.
"The Holy Block of Cheeses."
"... I'm sorry, I think I misheard you."
"The Holy Block of Cheeses."
...
this continued until I realised with our host's Flemish accent she was actually saying "the Holy BLOOD of JESUS."
We obviously then needed to see it, after all of us recovering from the 5 minute laughing fit. I paid the 2 Euro and was a little disappointed it wasn't cheese lol.
Lol, I can identify with that kind of confusion.
Saar The Book owl wrote:In the distant past visited Belgium, but not Bruges, at end of a campervan tour of Europe.
After visiting Liege plan was to head towards Antwerp and then to coastal port to return to UK. Came to a large roundabout with multiple exits (in the day of paper maps!), and could not find the exit for Antwerpen. Ended up driving in an never ending loop trying to work out what to do. Eventually chose the exit for Andvers (French version), maybe because it started with 'A', which was the right city!
Problem with languages which no doubt has been fixed years ago.
My enduring memory of Belgium, a delightful country with lovely historical cities.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
De theorie van de 1 of 2 (other topics)The Journey: Big Panda and Tiny Dragon (other topics)
The Goodbye Cat: Seven Cat Stories (other topics)
Murtagh (other topics)
The Strays of Paris (other topics)
More...
Happy Thanksgiving All!