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.
Sometimes, there is this feeling of mind-flight when I work with the camera.
It's not about me in a place, planning out a series of shots ... hyper-aware of angles and light and lenses. It's simply about turning up and falling into that space where all is obvious and instinctive.
Could I explain it to anyone?
Probably not. It's about feeling and it's mostly unconscious.
I love finding that flow ...
I do minimal work on my portraits in Photoshop ... minimal because I think it's more important that people see that they are beautiful and not in need of photoshopping however ... my daughter goes in there and tweaks just the subtlest things in the most beautiful ways
She is an artist in Photoshop ... and she gave me three variations of the same photograph, having done minimal work on them.
There was a huge amount of squawking and hysteria out in the chicken coop this morning ...
Immediate investigation by the Australian bloke revealed the Ms Inquisitive Chicken had climbed the ladder to the first floor and was completely ignoring her Rooster bloke's demands that she come down.
She spent some time up there and at the time of removal, was busy admiring herself in a mirror she'd found.
The lovely American risked life and limb ... well, attack by said rooster, and brought her back to the yard. Here they are, posing together.
