There goes a way toooo carefree life...

My blog is experiencing some effects of the economical crisis. Yes people, everyone has to share in this horrible crisis, so also me, myself and I. And with me, my blog too. My last posts merely got twenty visitors, while in the past, I sometimes reached 100 visitors per post, or even more. So I should do something, alright. I posted on my Facebook that I wanted to write a post, but that I was out of inspiration. And one of my friends requested a "light" post, because the stuff I usually write can be quite heavy and way too serious. So it's time I wrote a "light" post, in order to satisfy my readers :)

A month ago, I was packing to go to Belgium. To be honest, back then I wished I could stay in the Netherlands, because I knew I'd miss my friends and the people from the church a lot, and I didn't really want to celebrate the holidays, I just wasn't really in the mood. Anyway, now I'm on the verge of packing again, but this time it's to return to Leiden. And history repeats itself: I wish I could stay a little longer at home and I already know that I'll miss my family when I'm back in Leiden. I know, I'm quite a complicated person. Well, that makes life interesting, doesn't it?

I know exactly what I'm going to miss once I'm back in Leiden. The delicious gourmandise prepared by my mom, the fact that I'm not alone when I have lunch and dinner, the fireplace at home with its cozy flames and its warmth... Back home in Leiden, it'll be just me, myself and I and my lovely Chico. And the weather is going to change from Sunday on. So that'll be shaking and shivering when the temperature goes below zero! 

 

I've practically lived in a  five-star hotel for a month. Well ok, let's make that a four-star hotel, for I had to do the dishes every now and then, although sometimes my dad was a good and loyal companion, I've vacuumed the house a few times because I've got this lovely bird that is losing his feathers again... but for the rest, this house in which I grew up as a child has been a comfortable home for the past four weeks. Furthermore, I've visited the loved ones that I always have to miss when I'm in Holland: my grandparents, my nieces, my aunts and uncles, some cousins... and all these people really seem to care about me! Isn't it a wonder?!

My lovely grandparents: pépé Etienne and mémé Marcella

I also had a good time with some of my cousins. I went to the movies - and afterwards to the Mac for one of those tasty McFlurries - with my cousin and I went over to her brother's place last Friday where we had a lovely typically Flemish dish: stewed meat (or how do you say 'stoofvlees' in English :P). She's a good cook, my niece! And it was all very nice to be with them, have dinner with them, after some nice bites, and afterwards have a chat and enjoy a good movie. That was truly some quality time! Also, this week we went for a walk together, my niece, her cute labrador Luna and I. I quite enjoyed it, because that's when I feel most at ease, just being outside with some good company!

Furthermore, the weather was in fact hor-ri-ble. Only the night of New Year's Day was acceptable and pretty beautiful, because that evening, I went for a walk with my dad. We were outside for about an hour, and the second-most brilliant planet in the sky was shining down on us: Jupiter. I already expected that I would get an opportunity to observe the sky at night, but unfortunately, at 9 PM, when we came back from my grandparents' place, the sky was fairly clouded. There went my only opportunity to wake the astronomer inside of me... For the rest of the time here, we've seen few if any stars. It was clouded at all times, so unfortunate because I don't get many opportunities to use my loyal 5.9 inch telescope here in Belgium.

So once more, it's been proven that beautiful moments always come to an end. Sunday, I'll be heading back to Leiden to pick up the student life again: thesis, thesis, thesis. Remember, I've got thesis issues ;)

PS: If you, dear reader, have any suggestions about improving the quality of my blog so that I can reach more visitors once again, please inform me about it. New possible topics are welcome! I've been like this, out of inspiration, for weeks now, and I don't like it. I blog just to blog, but it doesn't give me any satisfaction anymore. I seriously consider to write more about my relation with God, but I know that the more skeptical readers among you won't be waiting for that stuff to read. Anyway, this is probably what a blogging crisis should be: out of inspiration for a while, without getting any satisfaction from the few posts I do write. Hell, crisis everywhere, but hopefully there won't be any crisis in my head when I'm back in Leiden! Cheers!