Today ...

I learned that my Nederlands SERIES of examinations begin December 19 ... why why why!! It's Christmas ... in New Zealand we would be preparing for strawberries and cherries, the children would be finished at school for 2 months and the days would be getting longer and hotter. Instead the news is all ... well 'interesting'.

I have the exams ... one for listening, one for speaking and one for writing ... I was counting on a writing one, quite frankly. I have to get 60% or higher to pass and move onto the next level. Sigh.

And then there was this today: Severe winter forecast for Western Europe. Amid forecasts the Belgian Ardennes will be covered in snow by the end of the week, British forecasters have warned of a severe winter across Western Europe.
An old saying suggests that if October is warm and fine, a severe winter will follow and British meteorologists are forecasting the same. The warning has sparked deep concern in Britain where government authorities fear a shortage of gas.
The southern part of Britain is expected to be hit the hardest, along with the bordering area of Europe — including Belgium, Flemish newspaper 'Het Nieuwsblad' reported on Monday. It is being forecast as the coldest winter in 50 years.
"We have had a pattern of very mild winters in recent years, so this will come as a shock," Royal Meteorological Institute spokesman Ewen McCallum said. http://www.expatica.com/source/site_content_subchannel.asp?subchannel_id=24

However, Katherine Neville's latest book arrived in the post, a birthday gift from my lovely man, and he did make a rather exquisite shrimp risotto for dinner, and we did have to finish the white wine he used to cook it ...

I'm off to Brussels tomorrow - to hang out with Alison, the Canuck. A tram and two trains are involved, so I'm not certain sure about getting there quite as planned, there may be a tale to tell of wandering between floors in Brussels Centraal Station ... but let's see it. I always feel so remarkably clever when I find myself on a train traveling to Brussels ... don't ask me why but there's just this quiet feeling of 'oh wow, I'm a grown-up'.

Goede nacht.