The children have no respect for their elders (or for anybody else, for that matter). When a pregnant woman asks for a seat on a bus, she is told that “they pay just as much for the bus as she does”.
People used to be friendly, respectful. These days, the kids just say whatever comes to their mind.
The north is warmer than the south because of the influence of the North Sea.
This is because of the Gulf Stream.
In the year seventeen hundred and something, the Great Place burnt down in Brussels. The guilds had to rebuild it and, seeing that they all wanted their building to be prettier,
all the buildings are pretty.
Once, on a flight to the US, she was allowed in the cockpit when flying over Canada. The pilot said it was one of the prettiest flights ever, and she agreed.
It was very beautiful.
She has 4 grandchildren. Aged 16, 18 and two younger (11 & 8). One of her daughters lives in Bruges, the other one close to Ghent.
The lace of Bruges is actually made in china. They send the cloth to china, where they make the lace for a little money & then send it back.
She knows this because she knows a friend who has a lace shop.
They don’t speak Flemish in a lot of places. In Flanders, in the Netherlands & in South-Africa. And also in some other colonies of the Netherlands. Because the Netherlands made a colony in South-Africa. There they use Dutch, but pronounce it differently,
but you can still understand it…
French goes back in Flanders.
When she looks at her feet, she is pleased to have her snow boots.
Though she has shoes in her bag for the new years.
She always asks questions to strangers. If they want. If they don’t want, she keeps quiet. Isn’t it nice to have a little chat? They [the couple she is talking to, two Spanish people, one of which is a pilot] are very nice.
Very charming.
She always did much sports: swimming, gymnastics, cycling and ice skating. When they were young, every winter was like this [as cold as it is now]. There was ice on all rivers, and you could skate all around Bruges. It used to be a fortification.
A natural defence.
Being with young people keeps you young too. She has always been with youngsters. She was severe, but never cross. She liked them, but she didn’t like their manners. And if they changed their manners, she would like them more. [she used to be a teacher].
She still gets lots of cards from pupils.
She is called Renée.
The Spanish guy is called Dionysos, apparently.
Every day, she fills in her diary.
The Spanish couple will be in her diary.
Spain is interesting. She likes art. And museums.
She likes that.
She hopes Belgium will remain together. Flanders & Wallonia.
She hopes so.
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