Today my sister has the afternoon off from work, so we can already pack our suitcases for our upcoming trip to South-Africa.
I was taught to pack a suitcase by my grandfather - an officer in the Belgian army (fought in WW1 and WW2). He was very organized! Even when planting in the garden he used a tape measure... And because I spent most of my early days with him and grandma, I took up quite some of his little attitudes.
When you pack a suitcase, the trick is to place everything in even layers. Shoes are the first to be put into the suitcase. Then you fill up the holes created by underwear and other small items (like socks, handkerchiefs, bathing gear, ...). Thus created an even layer, you can add nightwear, t-shirts etc. Again see to it that you make it even. Then come the clothes on top.
Another piece of advise: never take too much. That was my dad's advise. Only pack a suitcase so full that you can still carry it, when necessary for some miles. So you have to pick you clothing with utmost care. I always take items that are basic and interchangeable. For trousers in a warm climate I go for linen. It's a bit more expensive, but it's allowed to wrinkle. And pure cotton for the t-shirts or tank tops.
I'll also take a sun hat, but that goes into the hand luggage. I have this big carry-all that can hold a lot of stuff and is always accepted on board.
We often get the comment that we travel light, even for a longer time. Why need too much clothing? When you stay in a good hotel, there is always laundry service and it even doesn't cost much.
Hello everyone! I'm a writer of historical fiction next to being a pensioned teacher. I like to share my views on life and actuality, along with bringing you interviews with bestselling authors and guest blogs.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Sunday, February 16, 2020
After Ciara, now Dennis
The west of Europe has barely recovered from storm Ciara, and now Dennis is heading to the British Isles! They are already suffering from it, with high seas, lots of rain and a stormy wind. Two people died in it already.
Here in Belgium the storm damage caused by Ciara was not too bad. Only one person died, by a tree falling on the roof of a car. Of course some roofs have gone (and other items) but all in all there was less damage than with the storm of 2019, when a wind hose raged along the railroad, skipping from left to right and vice versa (and luckily missing our side) when some houses were totally destroyed.
At our house, there was no damage at all. One thing to be thankful for, having an almost 100-year-old house. They were at least strongly built and the roof has slates, which are more sturdy than what they use nowadays.
One again I've made my preparations for the coming of Dennis. Let's hope everything will go well once more!
Here in Belgium the storm damage caused by Ciara was not too bad. Only one person died, by a tree falling on the roof of a car. Of course some roofs have gone (and other items) but all in all there was less damage than with the storm of 2019, when a wind hose raged along the railroad, skipping from left to right and vice versa (and luckily missing our side) when some houses were totally destroyed.
At our house, there was no damage at all. One thing to be thankful for, having an almost 100-year-old house. They were at least strongly built and the roof has slates, which are more sturdy than what they use nowadays.
One again I've made my preparations for the coming of Dennis. Let's hope everything will go well once more!
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
The Perfect Lap
Please welcome author Sedona Hutton today. Sedona's doing a virtual book blast tour for The Perfect Lap, a contemporary romance available now from Rocky Top Book Press. The book blast tour will take place February 10th-14th, 2020.
The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes&Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3285/
Blurb
Excerpt
Author bio and links
The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes&Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f3285/
His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line?
AJ Ryan is a publicity nightmare. After a questionable photo surfaces and his biggest sponsor threatens to pull out, the NASCAR champion admits it might be time to hit the brakes. Thankfully, his new no-nonsense image consultant knows just where to start… too bad she revs his engine so loudly he can barely think straight.
Ella Fisher’s career is a welcome distraction from her poor taste in men. Fresh off another easily avoidable heartbreak, rehabbing AJ’s career is just the diversion she needs. But when the pulse-pounding client actually listens to her advice, Ella wonders if there’s more to the man behind the hot mess.
When Ella is granted guardianship of three boisterous children under the misconception that she and AJ are a couple, AJ surprises her by going along with the charade. Before long they find themselves in a make-shift family that feels more real than pretend.
As their professional relationship takes a hard turn for the personal, a single overheard conversation could make it all go up in flames. Will Ella and AJ’s romance hit the wall, or will love take the checkered flag?
The Perfect Lap is the second standalone novel in the Racing Hearts of Serenity romance series. If you like bad boys with a heart of gold, strong women, and love stories with a new age twist, then you’ll adore Sedona Hutton’s fun, sexy tale.
Excerpt
“I bet you have a beautiful smile,” he drawled, then lowered his mouth to hers.
She should have pulled away—she didn’t know this man from Adam. But everything inside her protested. After gazing into each other’s eyes, she felt like she knew him intimately.
His lips were warm and tingly, his kiss pure perfection…and he drew back way too quickly. He blinked those deep blue eyes and gave her a lazy grin. “I knew it.” He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her lower lip. “Beautiful.”
That’s when she realized she was smiling.
He rose, and she gave him a quick once over, taking in the sexy stubble on his face, the taut muscles of his chest, his lean physique. As good old-fashioned lust rolled through her like a quick-moving thunderstorm, she silently bemoaned her situation. This was a hell of a time to have a newly implemented man-ban.
“Keep smiling.” Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he winked at her. “It suits you,” he added in that low, sexy drawl. Then he sauntered off.
Her breath caught as she spun around to gape at him. He’d just kissed her and now he was leaving? She contemplated calling him back, then reconsidered. She had other fish to fry.
Even so, she couldn’t stop herself from tracking his every move as he swaggered toward the party, his backside looking every bit as fine as the rest of him. Pressing a hand to her chest, she let out a slow exhale. Even though she was one-hundred percent committed to her man-ban, she could admit—at least to herself—that the sexy, charming stranger had intrigued her.
Author bio and links
Author Sedona Hutton finds inspiration in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and curly-coated retriever. In addition to writing, she’s a Reiki Master and a certified Chopra Center Meditation instructor. She enjoys reading, yoga, gardening, and experiencing the great outdoors on boats, motorcycles, and Jeeps. Sedona pens a “Peace, Love, & Joy” blog on her website. Visit her at her website or any other social medium.
Sedona’s novel, Cloud Whispers, was a Finalist in the 2018 Readers’ Favorite Contest, an Official Selection in the 2018 Summer eBook Awards for New Apple Literary, Shortlisted for the Books Go Social Best Indie Book of 2018, and a Bronze winner in the 2019 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Nora’s Promise was awarded the Bronze medal in the 2019 Reader’s Favorite Contemporary Romance category and was a Finalist in the 2019 NIEA contest. The Perfect Lap was the 2019 Reader’s Favorite Contemporary Romance Finalist.
Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sedonahutton/
Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17837575.Sedona_Hutton
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Big storm coming
The west of Europe is expecting the first big storm of this year, Chiara. At the moment, it's already going over the British Isles and it's expected to come our way in the afternoon. Wind speeds up to 100-110 km per hour. And at night, it would get even worse, up to 130 mm/h.
All outdoor sport activities (like soccer) have been cancelled. Parks have been closed to visitors and at the coast, it's forbidden to go on the piers. Brussels airport has announced that as of 4 pm a lot of flights will be cancelled as well.
Let's hope there won't be too much damage. I've put my garbage bin (which normally stands outside the veranda) in the shed, as the lid easily blows off. Nothing more I can do, just hope that this old house of mine will stand the storm like it did many times before. The walls and windows are pretty secure, but there is always a possibility that one (or more) slates on the roof could fly away. I remember this happening in the 1980's and when my dad called the firebrigade, they refused to come (they had a big party) and he had to climb onto the roof in the howling wind to fix the slate. I was scared to death!
And... it could be nothing bad at all. Last year they also predicted a heavy storm. Everyone was prepared, all precautions taken - and nothing happened. A bit of wind, that was all.
All outdoor sport activities (like soccer) have been cancelled. Parks have been closed to visitors and at the coast, it's forbidden to go on the piers. Brussels airport has announced that as of 4 pm a lot of flights will be cancelled as well.
Let's hope there won't be too much damage. I've put my garbage bin (which normally stands outside the veranda) in the shed, as the lid easily blows off. Nothing more I can do, just hope that this old house of mine will stand the storm like it did many times before. The walls and windows are pretty secure, but there is always a possibility that one (or more) slates on the roof could fly away. I remember this happening in the 1980's and when my dad called the firebrigade, they refused to come (they had a big party) and he had to climb onto the roof in the howling wind to fix the slate. I was scared to death!
And... it could be nothing bad at all. Last year they also predicted a heavy storm. Everyone was prepared, all precautions taken - and nothing happened. A bit of wind, that was all.
Thursday, February 6, 2020
New lead in search for Van Eyck's missing painting
The abbey of St. Baafs in Ghent houses one of the most important painting of medieval artist Jan Van Eyck - and of course it attracts thousands of visitors, especially now that it has been carefully cleaned and all the details are once more obvious to the eye. Most likely you'll have read about it in the newspapers.
But one of the pannels of this painting is a copy. That of the Rightuous Judges. The reason is that this pannel of the famous painting was stolen, somewhere in the period between the two World Wars (1934). Nobody know who ordered the theft, but we do know the thief was one Arsène Goedertier. On his deathbed he confessed and let it be know the painting was hidden somewhere.
Many people have gone looking for the missing painting. Every few years you hear about it. It would be a great feat to finally find back something that has been missing for nearly 90 years! Last year they made an attempt in Ghent, but it came up with nothing.
Now a certain Martin Claessens claims the painting is hidden under the Great Market of my home town, Dendermonde. Apparently, Arsène Goedertier had a brother-in-law who lived in Dendermonde, and there's a possibility he has given the painting in his keeping.
Well, I don't believe this search will come to something, just like the others. In my opinion, nobody would hide a highly valuable painting under the ground or in some moisterous hole. No, I think the painting is hanging cosily against some wall in a house owned by a well-respected family (or in the mansion of some church lord). Somebody must have given the order to Goedertier to steal the painting - in an attempt at blackmail? I don't know, but it looks more likely than all the 'hidden object' theories...
But one of the pannels of this painting is a copy. That of the Rightuous Judges. The reason is that this pannel of the famous painting was stolen, somewhere in the period between the two World Wars (1934). Nobody know who ordered the theft, but we do know the thief was one Arsène Goedertier. On his deathbed he confessed and let it be know the painting was hidden somewhere.
Many people have gone looking for the missing painting. Every few years you hear about it. It would be a great feat to finally find back something that has been missing for nearly 90 years! Last year they made an attempt in Ghent, but it came up with nothing.
Now a certain Martin Claessens claims the painting is hidden under the Great Market of my home town, Dendermonde. Apparently, Arsène Goedertier had a brother-in-law who lived in Dendermonde, and there's a possibility he has given the painting in his keeping.
Well, I don't believe this search will come to something, just like the others. In my opinion, nobody would hide a highly valuable painting under the ground or in some moisterous hole. No, I think the painting is hanging cosily against some wall in a house owned by a well-respected family (or in the mansion of some church lord). Somebody must have given the order to Goedertier to steal the painting - in an attempt at blackmail? I don't know, but it looks more likely than all the 'hidden object' theories...
Sunday, February 2, 2020
The Brothers' Band
Please welcome today author Liza Malloy. Liza's doing a Virtual Book Blast Tour for The Brothers' Band, a Women's Fiction available January 30, 2020 from Teal Street
Publishing. The Book Blast Tour will take place February 3 - 7, 2020.
Blurb
Excerpt
Author bio and links
Liza
Malloy will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via
rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:
Blurb
Bookworm
Lily Mitchell vowed never to date another musician, but Dylan Parker is nothing
like the stereotype. Sure, he’s mysterious and sexy, with a flashy car and
serious bedroom skills, but he’s also smart, hardworking, and humble. He shares
Lily’s passion for classic literature and constantly surprises her with
romantic gestures. Their steamy relationship moves at whirlwind pace, and Lily
has never been happier.
It’s
all so perfect that at first, Lily wills herself to ignore the emerging red
flags. As her worries about Dylan increase, she finds friendship and comfort in
his brother and bandmate, Thomas. But Lily soon discovers that as much as
Thomas cares for his brother, he’s also fallen hard for her.
As
Dylan spirals further out of control, Lily must decide what she really wants,
and whom she is willing to hurt.
Excerpt
(From Chapter 2)
I turned and saw that Dylan was
staring at me. He leaned in slowly, placed his hands on my cheeks, and pulled
me in for the kiss. His lips brushed against mine lightly at first, then
relaxed into the kiss slowly. It was a polite kiss, the kind where I could tell
he was holding back. Dylan ended the kiss before I was ready, while my entire
body still ached to taste him. He’d offered me just enough to convince me that
our chemistry wasn’t limited to conversation. His hands dropped from my cheeks,
and he squeezed my hand in his. I blinked and tried to control my breathing.
“You’re terrible,” I finally
mumbled, smiling.
He grinned in response.
“I mean, really. A sunset walk on
the beach, a kiss at the top of the ferris wheel... So cliché.”
“And you love it,” he said.
“I do,” I admitted, glad he hadn’t
taken my statement as an insult. I loved romance, and there was no denying that
certain things were romantic. There was obviously a reason they became clichés.
“Are you hungry?” he asked when we deboarded.
“I could eat. What did you have in
mind?”
He glanced around. “Hot dog and
cotton candy?”
I laughed. Leave it to the
wealthiest guy I’d ever dated to buy me an amusement park hotdog on our first
date. “Works for me,” I said.
Liza Malloy writes
contemporary romance, women's fiction, suspense romance, and fantasy. She’s a
sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and she can’t resist a
man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where the heroine discovers her own
strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t reading or writing
torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other passions include
gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She lives in Hamilton
County with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming. Her books Sixty
Days for Love, For Love and Italian, and Forbidden Ink are available in
paperback and ebook, and can be found on Amazon, iBooks, Barnes & Noble,
and Kobo. More updates and fun bonus content available on her website,
www.LizaMalloy.com.
Social Media
Handles:
Twitter:
@AuthorLizaM
Facebook:
@authorLizaM
Instagram:
AuthorLizaM
Pinterest:
@authorLizaMalloy
Buy links:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/38VHMse
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2MEeOn0
Apple Books: https://apple.co/39m2cuz
Links to other
books on Amazon:
Sixty Days for
Love- http://amzn.com/B07PJL92PD
For Love and
Italian- http://amzn.com/B07RDXBY6N4
Forbidden Ink- http://amzn.com/B07V1Q3VC9
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