In lovely news, Little Miss 8 has returned to Belgium. We've spent these last couple of weeks, lying on the bed, reading for an hour or two most days. We have now reached Book 5 of Harry Potter.
We re-enrolled at her old school today and everyone seemed very pleased to see her again.
I am.
Sometimes, our house just fills right back up again and my responsibilities change.
I am currently buried in the cleaning of this quirky little Belgian house, babysitting, and stuff.
They booked their visit months ago. It was written into 'the book' and then time passed, in its usual haphazard manner. Being me, I lost track but suddenly, despite this non-participation with regard to time, it was 25 August and voila, they were here.
I met Clare in Istanbul and adored her there. She left, we stayed in contact and Gert and I had the joy of photographing her British wedding to the lovely Chris ...
This friendship, it's been lovely so far.
Yesterday we wandered the city ending our day at Taverne Ter Rivierenhof, with unlimited exceptionally exquisite Mosselen a Velonte, Scampi in Lookboter, and Stoverij. Bliss!
This morning a traditional Belgian breakfast was enjoyed by all, conversations too, and then afternoon saw them disappear on our bikes, exploring this city Clare has only visited during colder months. Chris has never been here ... it was therefore imperative that he went wandering.
Last heard of, they were leaving the Open Air Sculpture Park called Middelheim, heading for the famous Het Elfde Gebod - a pub full of religious statues, bought when the Catholic Church entered its minimalist phase.
There have been a couple of serious downpours but we're thinking they're fine. She's an intrepid soul, as is he ... and we're looking forward to the stories that will surely be told over Shepherd's Pie and Pavlova tonight.
Oh ... and red wine too. Belgian beers for the boys we're thinking - in the style of an anthropological-style ethnography. Gert's been introducing all the blokes to the new beer by Duvel Tripel Hop. So far, everyone he has introduced to this new limited edition beer to, has looked like they have partaken of a miracle upon supping from their Duvel glass.
Even Clare toyed with not returning Chris's glass to him after a taste of the Duvel, despite the fact that we in the midst of our own red wine religious experience. That, my friends, is how good the Duvel Tripel Hop is ...
Anyway, meet Chris and Clare.
This shot was taken out in the cobblestone yard of the big old house in Wallonia. The white background came courtesy of an old wooden barn door and the hat was a treasure recently found by Alysha at the Waterloo Market.
She used cosmetics on her eyes but that was it. What the light did with her skin, was nothing short of miraculous. I was stunned, once again, by the magic of eyes.
We had such fun. I'll put up a gallery of this shoot, and the shoot with that lovely Australian bloke, soon.
One of the wildcards, in terms of my photography, is that I have no set way of doing things ... there is no structure or formula.
Each person ... each portrait shoot, is a new journey. A setting off into the unknown
Sometimes I think about being terrified in these unfamilar settings, working in unknown or ever-changing light, with a person who may or may not trust me in my attempt at capturing them. But then I remember ... this is the space where the magic happens.
And so it was with the American ...
I didn't realise how much I love a bunch of flowers in a new place ... not just in Genova but in anyplace new. They are surely a way to arrive ... a way to feel 'at home'.
The Sweetpeas have been abundant in the garden herein Wallonia. They remind me of my childhood back home in Mosgiel. My mum loved them.
We were up early out here in the country this morning, a pavlova made from freshly-laid eggs went into the oven straight after breakfast. Gert whipped up a batch of his sultana and frangipani bread ... Welcome home gifts for the family who gave us their beautiful house for a couple of weeks.
Now to clean and leave for 't stad. Meanwhile, my beautiful flowers ...
