Alittle giddy but is a good giddy, I think ...

I returned to Belgium 3 days ago and just in time to participate in deep-cleaning the apartment ready for our much-loved guest who flew in yesterday. Deep-clean because for the first time in my life, I've run into 'the problem with ants' problem ...

Yesterday I leapt out of bed at 8.10am, ran to my phone in the lounge worried that I had slept through any urgent phone calls our guest might have made as she landed, knowing she would be on the 9am airport bus ... all going well.

She hadn't needed to call and we arrived at the bus stop ahead of her, delighted to see her after so long apart. We dumped baggage and headed out to Ruben's House for a lunch at the delicious restaurant just next door to the painter's place. Unbelievably, we were bathed in sunshine and I actually had to take shelter under the shade of a big umbrella.

Next on the list was a quick visit to Hans Anders, the optician with a fantastic deal on glasses and sunglasses at the moment. Gert and I both needed new glasses, my lenses are so scratched that I am visually challenged with or without my spectacles these days.

And tea, two large packets of Earl Grey and English Breakfast tea leaves were purchased from the little tea shop in the city centre.

I slept deeply last night.

This morning dawned and I was prowling around at 6am after falling into my bed at 9pm, something I rarely do.

The New Zealand lamb was prepared, roasted and removed from the oven, then the potatoes, kumara (sweet potato) garlic and onions were dropped into the meat juice to cook. I do believe I made one of my best gravy's with the resulting bits and pieces.

Simon and Paola arrived with their children and today was one of those lovely days where you get to spend time with some of the very best people you know. Vanilla ice cream accompanied Gert's speciality dessert - cherries in a slightly thickened sauce to finish the meal ...

Tomorrow is another day.
Let's see how things go.