From my kitchen table

Looking out of my kitchen window I can see a very fine dusting of snow falling outside. This is the first snow we've seen since the 16th of December when we had  a very quick and short lived snow fall. For the most part this winter has been more like spring.

I love the snow. It might have something to do with the fact that growing up I only saw snow twice. Which was a lot considering that Himself only saw snow for the first time when we moved to Belgium. And yes, your read correctly it's a Monday morning and I'm sitting at my kitchen table because of the strike! 

No I'm not trying to prove a point by going on strike of not doing any household chores anymore (they wouldn't notice in any case!). Half the country has gone on strike today to complain about the fact that our newly formed government has decided to increase our tax (and let me tell you we are already paying nearly half our income in tax) and the retirement age. 

So while half of the country is on strike about a half of the other half is sitting at home, like me because there are no trains running. Not a single train! Ok, I am available to work from home so I am keeping an eye on my email to be able to follow-up on incoming work. Which means that I'll be paid for today, which is a good thing.

My kids are also off school today. Unions are very big in Belgium so everyone has been under a lot of pressure to strike, including the teachers.  The kids, are loving the long weekend and who can blame them, not me!  Tiger is lying on the couch watching Transformers telling me, that it actually is a sad movie and Cat had a sleep-over at a friend last night so Himself will go pick her up later.

Speaking of things that kids like, we went to watch our first ever pantomime yesterday. One of my best friends has a friend who's girls were taking part. It was really good. 

The production was by the British & American Theatrical Society or BATS as they like to be called. It was called Cinderella in Monsterland. What a hoot! We were laughing so much the kids were embarrassed, until they got into the spirit of things and started taking part as well.

The only down side was that not all the non-native English speakers got all of the jokes. At times it was only Noreen & I laughing. But it was great fun. After the show Cat was running around chatting to all the 'actors'. My friend Noreen is also thinking of joining the troop so who knows, next year we might be there to support her as well.

Now I had better get another load of laundry going cause it's not going to do itself and we need to wear real clothes tomorrow.