Due to Delays

I arrived in Brussels 3 hrs later than expected. This meant I had to can the idea of going to Bruges (next time, I promise), and stick around the big city. I was lucky to run into an ERDC colleague who had some ideas of what to see and do.

1) Atomium:

The Atomium is a monument in Brussels, originally built for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. Designed by André Waterkeyn, it stands 102-metres (335 ft) tall. It has nine steel spheres connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.

Tubes connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the centre. They enclose escalators connecting the spheres containing exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere provides a panoramic view of Brussels. Each sphere is 18 metres in diameter. Three spheres are currently (2008) closed to visitors, others can be reached easily by escalators. The vertical vertex contains a lift which was very fast and advanced at the time of building (the speed is 5 m/s).

2) Belgian restaurant, complete with Belgian beer, a menu we could not muddle through without help (roast chicken goes by waterzooi over here) and dessert was, in a word, delicious. Chocolate crepes.

Happy Birthday, Brionna

To my youngest niece, here's to the Terrible Twos! I am looking forward to seeing you more often now that your parents have relocated to Sweet Home Alabama.

Last Chance Delta Diners

Liz is leaving Vicksburg, again. We piled into cars, and set our sights on serious pieces of red meat. David and I consoled each other, he losing his girlfriend, me losing one of my best friends. We'll be visiting!

Channeling the Warmth of the Tropics

Exotic supper club headed to the South Pacific, or at least closer to the equator this month. Jay and Denise got a Maui cookbook for Christmas and prepared two great dishes, a beef stew with vegetables, raisins and peanut butter (sound weird, but really tasty) and Hawaiian chicken. Sara and Philip made tostones with a spicy mango salsa as well as tropical fruit salad.



I made lomi lomi salmon and banana pineapple upside down cake. And sprung for Hawaiian coffee (though it was a product of canada?).

Deep Freeze

Here's hoping the camelia bushes can withstand the ice and bitter cold weather. If not, here are some memories.

This Means War

Mom and Dad gave me a new birdfeeder for the backyard for my birthday in early December. By the end of the month, the monstrosities called squirrels had their way with it. They somehow got it off the shepherd's hook, broke several of the perches and dumped the seed out. I am offering bounties on their heads, should you want to teach your children hand eye coordination with a slingshot.