This was 2024

 January 2024

We started the year with a little wise man singing and following his star.

We were surprised by an unexpected 10cm of snow in Leuven for the first time in a decade and while working from home I profited with a long winter walk to pick-up Beertje from some friends. 

While in Leuven all snow left again, we had a glorious sunny weekend in the east of Belgium with more snow fun. 

With all that snow we were prepared to leave on our long weekend for a short-ski near the Mont Blanc.  I took my courage to get on ski's again on easy slopes while the boys had a private trainer and picked up skiing marvellously well. 

Unforunately it didn't end well for my knee when I fell wrongly when leaving the ski lift and couldn't stand on my feet anymore.  It resulted in an evacuation from the slopes and a trip to the Mont Blanc emergency room.  I left again with an impressive brace supporting on my knee, but that did allow me to take baby steps. 

Before getting back on the plane home in Geneva, we reconnected with my Australian host sister that I hadn't seen in about 10 years.  Despite my physical condition an awesome reunion. 

February 2024

February was a sort of lockdown month to me because I was hardly mobile and Jan was travelling half of the month. I had free time for the boys spring break so we had to resort to a lockdown vacation with many board games. 

I got some visitors to check how I was doing and slowly I started to hobble with my brace in the nearby locations in Leuven eg to show my mom our local cat café. Jan's family came over to read the last New Year's Letters. 

Kabouter visited multiple high schools in a first prospection of the choice he needs to make in 2025 for a high school. 

My new professional look includes glasses. 

March 2024

After getting some lifts by a colleage to the office and taking the bus & train a few times,  I finally got to pick up my new car after a waiting time of 16 months.  Since it is an automatic , I managed to drive again for the first time since my knee accident and therefore I got my mobility back.  Also end of my increased homeworking.  

Beertje celebrated his 8th birthday with his friends in the wall climbing facility. 

April 2024

With the Easter vacation , we left for our long awaited vacation to Guadeloupe where we hunted for all "Death in Paradise" filming locations or we snorkelled searching for turtles.   I was so relieved that I had gotten green light from the knee surgeon and that I was not requiring knee surgery. 

After a gorgeous tropical vacation it was quite an adjustment to return to the rainy Belgium that even had spels of hail and snow at the end of April.  But I had to go for some walks in between showers. 

May 2024

In May we celebrated the communion of Beertje on one of the only sunny days of May.  A glorious day celebrated with family.

The other days we just got depressed by the endless rain. 

I went with my mom and the boys to the Raveel Museum. 

June 2024

At Father's Day we enjoyed a sunny walk in the east of Belgium. 

I picked up my flute out of the cupboard again to perform for the retirement of my old flute teacher in my home town. It felt great to perform music again. 

Jan and I dressed up for a party and had great fun.

July 2024

I was low on energy early July but got all my energy squeezed out to attend Bruce Springsteen in Werchter after a stressfull day. 

The end of that week we took the train to visit our Texan friends in Maastricht (and we stayed overnight to avoid nightly driving). 

I further chilled at some local festivals in our neighbourhood. 

Alas, my energy didn't get better when I got Covid from my co-workers. 

Fortunately I was better by end of July when both our boys were on scouting camp and Jan and I went out for some fancy dining together. 

August 2024

August is our traditional vacation month and with all the travelling we've done in the last 12 months, we did a stay-cation.  We profited to the fullest from our little pool in the east of Belgium and I bonded with the neighbour cows . So I was so happy to witness a calve getting born live next to us. 

I continued my running training as part of my knee revalidation. 

We did a little visit in the Eiffel in a nature park.

For one week we stayed at the Belgian coast , "the true vacation" to the boys. 
We started a reading marathon that we didn't stop anymore for the rest of the month. 

After the Belgian coast we returned to the east of Belgium for 2 more weeks. We walked a bit and played but mostly we relaxed and were doing nothing beside reading books. I loved it.

September 2024

Early September is traditionally a time of gathering for the Men of the Year. 

The boys started school again in year 3 and 6 in the renewed school building that finally reopened. 

I joined a friend on a wine walk in Leuven...something that I'll be happy to repeat in the future. 

When the pope visits at 10 minutes walking from your door to celebrate the 600th anniversary of our university I took the boys to go and see the pope. 

At the end of Septembers we spent a day selling our old toys at a flee market. 

October 2024

The world cup gravel raced through Leuven early October and we cheered for Lotte Kopecky in vain.

Kabouter had a late birthday party in Bokrijk with his friends. 

At the last days of October we went to soak up some sun back in Gran Canaria, that feels a bit like home after all our visits.  Halloween in the sun...

November 2024

So we continued the first days of November splashing in the sun and in the pool and enjoyed the south of Gran Canaria. 

Weather was not great upon our return but we picked the most perfect day for a forest walk with friends around Leuven. 

I was also relieved to finally find some time to return to the east of Belgium  even if it was iwthout Kabouter (who was on a scouts weekend).  We enjoyed a walk to the Baheyon waterfall.  

In the last weekend of November Jan and his friends enjoyed more time in the east of Belgium with lots of snow.  I took the boys to the Folon Foundation.  We also crossed Sinterklaas already at the end of year. 

December 2024

December was a busy social month. It started with an international family meeting in Aachen with my Canadian and German cousins. The day after I continued to show my Canadian cousin all of Leuven. 

Mid December I walked DuwMee for many friends

With our Texan Maastricht friends we visited the Christmas market at the Park Abbey and in the city center.  In the latter we volunteerd at the Rotary stand to serve hot cocktails. 

The Christmas days were filled with family gatherings. 

For the last days of the year we were in the North of France with friends to wave out 2024 and welcome 2025 together.