"De laatste loodjes wegen het zwaarst"

It took the movers 3 days to pack all of our stuff. What a sad view to see our home full of cardboard boxes!
Anyway, we finally got the house clean today.
What a relief that the cars and appliances are sold, although only for a charity price.

But there is still no end to our to-do list.

I see how naif it was to think we will spare some time for more trips.


Luckily we managed at least to visit our favorite pumpkin patch and Maarten had even more pumpkin fun at school. By the way, his school is one of the things we are going to miss badly. I may come back to this later...

Among of all those sad good byes it seems I finally came to terms with the local police...since Maarten became a Junior Officer of the San Ramon Police yesterday morning!

I've already brought up my concerns about Maarten's adjusting to the changes but actually it's me who is going to have difficulties with that.
Only the fact that we are staying in a hotel only one mile away from 'our home' gives me a stomach ache. Suddenly everything 'American', seems to me just wonderful, even the Applebee's !
As for Maarten, he really has a blast. He can use the hotel elevator several times a day and instead of oatmeal he gets the colorful cheerios every morning!
What more one can wish for?!


To spare this post any further wailing I should mention our Angel Island outing we did a week ago.
We took the ferry from Tiburon and climbed Mt. Livermore, the highest spot of the island.
Here you get incredible 360-degree views of the stunning San Francisco Bay Area nearly the entire trip.

We couldn't wish for a better good bye to this absolutely marvelous area.

It's raining; it's pouring.

I usually complain about the sunny, hot and dry weather here in California...

This morning's storm, partially the remnants of Typhoon Melor, which blasted Japan late last week, obviously brought more troubles for the Californians.
Next to the threat of devastating flooding and mudslides, we can also expect power outages. This is quite a scary idea. We experienced how badly such a power outage can damage your household just when we moved into our San Ramon home 3 years ago.

Gusty winds and heavy rain already caused a lot of traffic problems this morning.
Wrapped in his 'Dutch' rain gear, Rob had a safe bike ride to work despite the bad weather.
Yet this was a long drive to school for me and Maarten. The freeway was completely congested due to several car accidents.

But our 'California boy' was totally thrilled about the raindrops drumming heavily against the roof and windows. I wonder if he'll still appreciate the rainy weather in Belgium.

I know how this might sound, but the rain is actually really needed and welcome in this dry area. And unlike the previous years, more wet weather might come for California this winter!

Maarten's First Belt Promotion

Maarten had his first belt promotion ceremony this afternoon.

Together with his fellow students of different belt levels he had to demonstrate the forms, defenses and other techniques he had learned in his Taekwondo classes.

I'm sorry now that I wasn't able to attend the event.
Maarten still seems to me to be too playful for such a serious opportunity.
I didn't want to see him disappointed and therefore I simply chickened out.

I should have more trust in my little 'hard man' (as Maarten calls himself!) since, according to his proud dad, he was doing just great.

Tomales Point

Rob is not only busy with his global projects, they've already asked him to work for the Belgium office. And there are so many matters to arrange for our relocation in the end of October: we have to book a hotel here in California, then another for the first month in Ghent, transportation, make arrangements with the moving company, get the sailing permit, terminate all our contracts and obligations here, sell our cars (pretty difficult in such a short period), sell appliances...


No wonder we are trying to escape this daily hassle and worries on a trail.
Though the blackberry's buzzing follows us everywhere.

This morning while driving the country road among the old dairy farms we suddenly lost cell coverage. Here at the north end of the Point Reyes National Seashore even so close to the San Francisco Bay Area metropolis we temporarily escaped civilisation.


Here you are surrounded by water: the Pacific Ocean and Tomales, Bodega and Drakes Bay.
There were a few tourists at the trailhead but most of them seemed to be already satisfied with the views from the parking lot. They were after the tule elk. You didn't have to travel too far to see elk from the trail. But if you looked carefully you could spot them already from the car.


This nearly 10 miles trail is open and very sandy in spots, and it was also quite hot for the season, so we prized ourselves we didn't bring Maarten. One rolling hill after another; when you think this hill is going to be the last, there is one more. Pretty tricky but also adventurous.
And the hike seems rather neverending on the way back.

The views are spectacular in all directions.
You hear only the waves crashing against the cliffs, barking sea lions and a
lighthouse fog horn when you are nearing the end of the Tomales Point.


And what about the V-shaped tracks (and poo!) on the trail. There are hundreds of elk living on the peninsula.
We met an elderly couple. They were overenthusiastic about the bull elk chilling by the pond.

You really have to come and experience for yourself to understand.

Jack London State Historic Park

So little time left and still so much to do and see even only in the immediate surroundings.

We were waiting a couple of months till Rob finally got some days off.
Even though it is a bit late for our planned mountain trips we still can use the time to make short trips around the Bay Area.
You know, those kind of trips you keep postponing as those 'you can do anytime later'... at least you hope so.

Today we went to the rolling hills of the Sonoma Valley. Just a few minutes from the town of Glen Ellen here among the natural beauty, Jack London and his wife Charmin once lived.

I guess I'm not the only one who knows London as a novelist and journalist. But visiting his Beauty Ranch and wineries teaches us that he was also a farmer and rancher. He raised many domestic animals, cultivated a wide variety of crops, he even tried to grow spineless cactus for use as a cattle feed in arid areas!
He was quite innovative in his way of farming and after what I've learned today I would call him a pioneer of organic farming.

Passing London's Cottage, barns and several ruins we strolled along the wineyards. Climbing through the redwood forest we reached the shallow lake built by London for recreation. Even though today it's more a muddy and mossy pond but it's still a very serene place. Especially if you share it only with a couple of deer.

The trail to Wolfs House was a less cheerful experience.
Their dream house burned down just weeks before the Londons were to move in.
Also the grave of London and his wife is found on a little hill along this trail. Just next to the grave site of two pioneer children who lived on this land in the 1870's.

This park is a dreamlike nature setting especially for those who like outdoors and historic places.
It is magical!

People keep asking me

‘Are you excited to go home?’
Home??!
My home is still here in San Ramon! How can I be excited about living in Ghent which I know only from The Ghent Festivities?

But yes, somehow I’m excited and frightened simultaneously.
What’s wrong with me? I used to love the excitement of change and I didn’t mind to start again.
Now I feel tired and dull.
I live in a kind of grey world, I feel like I can’t enjoy it anymore here and even though I’m anxious, I’m very curious to learn what’s about to come out there.

Anyway, I really try my best not to make this moving a big deal. Maarten is quite a sensitive boy so it should be better without any 'big goodbyes'.
But we still had to prepare him for the change.
He is looking forward to live ‘close’ to his grandmas and all the friendly uncles and aunties, but...there are a lot of ‘buts’ and 'whys'.
And I've already noticed ‘some’ changes’ in his behavior.

Quite understandable since California is where he grew up. His home is here, even though he actually was born in Belgium.


As the experts say, growing abroad has a lot of advantages for our children. They may learn foreign languages and their exposure to varieties of cultures may add to more respect and tolerance for different norms and values.
But how about their friendships? They have to start again and again. Will their relationships remain shallow because they know it’s only for the time being?

As for Maarten, I guess, we don’t have to worry about that. Not yet.

Change isn't scary - it's growth. And growth is the essence of life. Getting sentimental?

My mom enrolled me into a German class when I was about 8 years old. Despite the fact that she was partly German, my mother was never allowed to learn the language.
I had to do that instead of her.

I hated it but there were some nice parts as well.
I liked my teacher who was originally from West Germany. She used to tell us about her travels in the 'distant West'; about skiing in the Alps and about the huge trees growing only in California!
I still remember all those dream away stories.

Then the year 1989 came and suddenly we were actually allowed to travel wherever we wanted to.
I did a lot and I also scanned the bookstores in search for guidebooks about all my dream countries.
Once together with books about India and Australia I also bought one about California.

Unfortunately I didn't have a travel buddy then...you may guess, the money was the issue!
Thanks to one of my colleagues I came in touch with her ex-schoolmate and we were planning on going together. To California!
But then at last she made up her mind and decided to put her money into her wedding and into a house she was about to build with her fiancé!
How could you choose settling down over a trip to California?!!

Continuing travelling and moving around I kept my guide books.
Then, four years ago, while we were packing again to move to the Ardennes I found those books and seriously considered to throw them away.
As a fresh mom I was not that much into travels anymore.
But, maybe out of nostalgia, I kept them.

Only one month later Rob came home with this job offer and so... here I'm, living in one of my dream-to-visit countries, hugging the huge trees myself!!


After the years the places on the pictures in my guidebook don't seem to me that exotic as before.
But don't get me wrong! California is definitely a place of indescribable natural beauty and it was worth using the opportunity of living here.
Even though I'm ready for the change I'm going to miss California immensely.

But cheer up!
There are still some unused guidebooks left!

They are back!

Playing, cooling off with their flippers up or just floating and relaxing.
Some were swimming quietly along looking at us for a while and then back under the water to reappear some place else a little later.


If it wasn't so foggy and drizzly I could sit and watch them all day long.

Sadly, we found again four more sea lion corpses!




We walked the beach all the way to the historic distillery.
It's fun to hop on the slippery rocks, though some places were difficult to pass because of the drift seaweed.
Many birds were feeding there.



Along the bluff and on the beach there are still some remnants of the Ocean Shore Railroad once following northern California's coastline. You can still see the bridge support, rusted iron, bricks and concrete walls.
The rest has gone into the sea...

One morning at the beach

I like the foggy mornings at the beach.
We are trying to get there as early as possible to explore the tide pools. Sometimes we are lucky to see the abundant marine life on the exposed rocks.
We did not managed to be there during the low tide at 6:30! this Sunday, but there is always enough to do and see on this beach anyway.


There are usually many sea lions resting on the reef at a safe distance.
But this time there were none.




We noticed some of them swimming curiously around and playing hide and seek with us.


Couple of death sea lions washed ashore may be the reason.
Did they die of natural causes?

Our little diver

Maarten used to refuse swimming with his head down when he was asked to do so by Mister Rob, the swimming instructor.
Naturally he could, but he simply didn't see any reason for doing it.
Why should I put my head down when I can keep it up!
Sooo stubborn!

One year later nothing is more fun to him than swimming underwater.
And he can swim all across the pool by himself!
What a relief.