"A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in."~ Robert Orben

When I spent two weeks in an apartment in Gent, Belgium, my son and I came down with strep throat.  I have to say, being in a foreign country, sick like that and with a sick child, it’s a little scary, even with the trip insured to the hilt “just in case.” But, the Kid was sicker than I was, and so I found myself going totally “stir crazy” after a few days of antibiotics, with me feeling much better and him still feeling groggy and miserable.  I just about put myself into Debtor’s prison with calling my Mom to whine… she told me, “Go get your hair done, get out and do something, the Kid will be fine for a few hours lying on the couch and watching TV without you”… The Kid was 16 years old…he had the phone in the apartment to call me or my landlord, if necessary. 

So… my few hours away from the Kid, ALONE, in a lovely city in Belgium – I was in Heaven.  I went and got my hair washed, colored and styled… then I walked along the streets window shopping, sat on a bench by the river and watched all the little tour boats go by … then I went and did some shopping for a special dinner.  It was Summer, it was beautiful out, so I thought a lovely dinner on the terrace of our apartment overlooking the canal would be so perfect!  I picked up some items at a gourmet shop, cheeses at a Fromagerie, wonderful cherries and plums at a little corner fruit stall, bread and pastries from this incredible Jewish bakery, and then I went to “Dille & Kamille” on the corner by our apartment… bought a beautiful little hydrangea plant, colorful placemats, candles, napkins, tea leaves, a tea pot, tea strainer, and a few other things … and we dined outside in this little festive terrace, having this incredible meal I cooked… and the next day… Kid and I were both back out in the world of touring Belgium, together again…