All the things that made me smile TODAY

• I chatted for 10 minutes with Yen Ping from Malaysia before hitting the road.
• I had to drive through the countryside borded by fields of yellow flowers and green hills in the distance.
• A man said I looked pretty and that I'd make a more interesting photo than the display stand I was photographying for work.
• I chatted with Martin many times and had fun conversations, which suggests that he was not angry at me but was probably just having a bad week.
• I heard again that nice & groovy rap song that I like so much but still could not get the name of the band.
• I saw an old man struggling to climb up many stairs and felt shy to go and help him for a split second and told myself don't be silly, so I bounced up the few steps and helped him all the way, he was very pleased and we chatted for a while about the weather and the holidays and that he was born on Christmas day.
• Alex traded the tickets for James from Thursday to Friday next week, so I won't miss the gig when I'm in Dublin.
• When I stopped for lunch, I was surrounded by young families with toddlers and I watched as one kid started crying and 7 others started crying in harmony.


• I saw a pretty tree in bloom and the wind blow away the fine pink petals.


• I found a great pair of much needed black shoes for work and they were half price.


• I heard my latest favorite song 'dreaming of you' by the Corals
• I saw a yummy mommy with ginger hair goo-goo-gaga-ing her baby in his stroller
• I saw a good looking man check me out; and he blushed when he noticed I saw him
• I saw a grandpa seating on a bench across the river with 4 grand children playing around him.

• The car mechanic next street agreed to fix my car for half the price that I was originally quoted by a recommended garage.
• I am home early, kicked off my shoes, made a cup of tea and will now lounge in my pillows and resume playing Final Fantasy XII.

New Look

Well everyone has had a make over so I opted for more cheerful colours that reflect my happy chirpy mood. Hope you like it.

I want one of those!

stupid thing to say

I apologise to my American readers who might be very fond of their president... but honestly the man isn't very sharp is he? Come'on did you hear his speech at the Virginia Tech University public mourning?

He said, in his second sentence... "they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time"; well, NO! They were just where they were meant to be, in school, in class studying because they were good kids who had hopes and aspirations. There are hundreds things he could have said to show his empathy and sincere condolences, this was not one of them. His speech was pathetic attempt at showing he cares.

Pregnancy Q&A

Trying for a baby or not yet is one of our weekly conversation if not daily, if not every 5 minutes that we witness a child-parent conversation, cute or obnoxious...

Anyway, these were some of the questions I had, and got some interesting answers...

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes university.

Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational.
A: So what's your question?

Q: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labour, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labour?
A: Not unless the word "divorce" means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's nappy very quickly.

Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are in university.

Things I love

I love the sound of the train going past when I drive under the bridge at the end of the road
I love the feeling of the grains of rice through my fingers
I love the sound of water running
I love to hear I miss you
I love to say I love you and mean it
I love to give kisses, I love to feel through my lips
I love to look through the leaves of a tree to catch the sun
I love to stare at planes flying by and leaving tracks in a blue sky
I love to smell food, it's half the pleasure of eating
I love the feeling of water running down my throat when I'm thirsty

... and lastly I love Spring, it reminds me of all the things I love... It fulfills me.

Quick Update

What a week, with beautiful weather and trees in bloom with bright pink and white flowers everywhere.

Nicolas, Emilie and Antoine have come home from the clinic and they are happily settling in together; they were very happy with the hamper and allowed me to be Antoine's Tata (Auntie) although I am technically only a cousin. Which made me very happy

I had a very social week, with on Wednesday Nadine's birthday. I met her bride's maid Bridget and heard all about the wedding that I missed, it seemed hectic the planning with lots of last minute things going wrong but everything went well on the big day, and that's all that matters. They also had a dream honey moon in an exclusive island off the coast of Zanzibar, they had their love bungalow with own private beach and private swimming pool - woohoo!

Yesterday, I also caught up with Sudesh, which was great, I do miss chatting with him, we always had brilliant conversations, never got bored. Now it is too scarce.

I exchanged some lovely emails with Kitem and spoke to my cousin Chloe for her birthday, I had not chatted with her since Christmas, I miss her loads, and Alison, Dani and Clive from South Africa as they celebrated Alison's birthday. Very cool bunch.

For the occasion of Easter holiday and great results in Q1, Nick bought our team lunch, so we had a fun long lunch in the sunshine. It was brilliant.

And now we're off to Prague for the next four days!

V is for...

I have a new blogfriend... That's cool, I like new friends, who visit my page and leave friendly comments, and can't wait to visit their page and in turn leave comments... that's the philosophy of the blogsphere. However... here, V does not have a profile, nor does he have a picture, nor does he have a blog link, all that mystery is intriguing...

V is... short for Victor, I like that name for two reasons:
1) It is one-letter short of Victory, that's a nice word
2) I like the movie Victor/Victoria starring Julie Andrews

V is... a cool letter to look up in a dictionary
Lots of nice words start with V, on top of my head, it's also Valiant, Value, Virtue, Vivacity, Verocious, Vow, Vitality, Vocation, Vacation, Venerable, Vodka (oops).

V is... for Venice
On the top 10 of loveliest city in the world, it is build on water and has got lots of canal and bridges and churches and old architecture. I went there with mom, dad and Julien long before I thought it was romantic, but have no doubt it is a romantic city.

V is... for Visitors
Remember that 80's show with aliens that looked human and the women were literally man eaters?

Actually, all I could figure out is that he must be British (Maybe my neighbour?), and must be 81 years old, (lovely grandpa age, not my neighbour) and was in the Royal Navy for 24.5 years (that's how I figured British, but he could be Australian as they serve the Queen as well) and has a UN medal (Now that's cool, I need to get the tattoo).

V when you come back, don't be shy and let yourself be known.

Antoine is Born

It's a Boy!!!

Antoine is a lovely baby boy, 2.975 kilos, 49cm, no photo yet but the Dad says he looks perfect and very cute. He was born minutes after my last post at 22h20 on the 28th of March. Awaiting pictures impatiently... Mom is fine, very tired, suffered a lot during the 6 hours of contractions but had a quick delivery. They're all coming home on Monday and Mamie Ese is driving down tomorrow to see her third great-grandson.

I sent them a hamper, usually - like for my nephews birth and friends' babies I buy something for the baby, but here I thought there'd be plenty of presents for the baby, so I bought something for the happy parents, a bottle of Champagne Moet & Chandon, some Belgium chocolates, therapy bath foam and body lotions, and a Benjamin Rabbit soft toy for Antoine.

Good Luck and Be Brave Emilie

This is Emilie, she is the lovelst girl I know and she is my cousin's girlfriend. Nicolas is a few years younger than Julien and I but having spent a few years of our childhood on the same street, we grew up like one big happy family.

Well, tonight Emilie has been admitted to the clinique as her contractions started and Antoine (that's the baby in the tummy) is expected impatiently!!!

So all the best to my dear cousin in her labour... I hope to see some pictures very soon.