Car Free Sunday

Brussels Car-Free Sunday (click for more pics)

Today was Car Free Sunday in Brussels. This is our favourite day here in the city, and I suspect many peoples favourite day. From 9 till 5 car travel is prohibited in the city. The hush that falls is amazing! Today was a fine day and I went out for a bike ride (with thousands of others) first and took some photos. You can see them on our Picassaweb site (click on the picture to the right).
Later we went to church and cycled all the way! Sam and Ellie are getting better and better on their bikes and we had no tumbles or spills. And they both made it easily, even cycling up the long hill to the church. Sam cycled all the way (with a few rest stops)!

There was quite a party atmosphere on the streets as people were playing in fountains and catching up with and greeting those they bumped into. I kind wish the city was like this all the time as it really is lovely and so QUIET! It really makes a big difference when the car engines are silent. I hope Electric cars become affordable and useful soon!

First words!

First words are always important: today Colour our budgie almost spoke. How exciting! His words? “Pretty Birdie”!

How exciting!

Kevin

Disclaimer: This is what I, Kevin, think I heard – other people may claim to have heard  something else or nothing at all.  Official sound recordings will be posted when Colour is in better voice!

Ellie’s joke of the week

Thought you might like to know Ellie’s current favorite joke of the month:

Ellie: What do you call an Owl who is on the bottom of the sea?

You: I don’t know

Ellie: Hey, I’m not dead yet, Mate!

Love is in the air

One of the things I love about Brussels is being here for Valentines day. All the shop keepers try to out do each other with shop window displays. But most of all I like the traffic lights!

Apparently, a Flemish civil-engineer started the craze of placing a heart shaped mask over the red traffic light. Now he and his friends beautify 1000’s of Brussels traffic lights each year! I love the fact that the police, were not consulted and turn a blind eye to this! It kind of sums up Brussels!

I also saw this sign! I like this too, although I am not sure it is such a good idea!

Kevin

From 8am till 9am

I (Kevin) have had a packed morning so far. I thought I would tell you about some of the things I have done between 8 and 9. This is the time in which I take the kids to school but as Ellie was a little late getting dressed, having her hair sorted out etc. I was truck by the fabulous sunrise outside the window. It’s cold and dry here and very lovely.

Sam also took the chance to show me his latest oeuvre – a Wallace and Grommit, type invention in his new Wallace Invention Pad. It’s a Porridge Machine. so I took a photo of that whilst we were waiting for pony tails to be pulled into shape.

We hit the streets in our hats and gloves (6C here just now) and made our way first to Eellie’s school and then on to Sam’s. As we were approaching Sam’s school his headmaster was standing outside dressed in a Top Hat and cloak and carrying a cane! He looked rather fearsome and I asked if he was changing the name of the school to “Dotheboys”. It turned out that Year 4 are having a history lesson on the Victorians. They will be taken to the basement later in the day to have to do some work!!!! Sounds more interesting than many of my history lessons. None of my teachers ever dressed up for us!

When I got back home I took this picture of Ellie’s girls. She loves drawing pictures of Princesses, Herself, Herself as a Princess and Ponies. So she has made these for me. I think they are cute and will add this to my collection of computer wallpapers!

I have an enjoyable hour this morning and I hope this will cheer you along too!

Love,

Kevin

Something we did on a wet summer sunday in Brussels…

Yesterday we whilst watching Walace and Gromit we were inspired to create our own family oeuvre so we arose at the crack of dawn (well 11am) and embarked on our epic. The results are here: “Polly Pocket and the dinosaur attack“.

Nicki and I were thrilled with how well the kids got into it all and really concentrated all the way through. Stop- frame animation is really hard!!! I hope you all enjoy it. I will try to post instructions so you can make your own at home too!