Allie and I got stood up for the same date. Well it wasn't exactly a date. See, our program has a thing where us English speakers can meet up with Francophone students at a bar called Monk to try practice French. Monk is right around the corner from where I live, and the first drink was on the program (big incentive). Allie and I got there on time(ish) and, seeing no Francophones, I decided to do some last minute grocery shopping before closing time. I figured the French-speaking students would show up fashionably late.
Unfortunately, after I rushed back Allie told me that we were stood up. The night was far from disappointing, though. Gino stopped by because I had left him a note saying where I was. He and I talked to my French teacher (who is hosting 3 students at her place). Then the program director felt bad about what happened, so he bought everyone a second round of drinks. Gino and I had wine and sat at the the bar.
He told me about the 5 hour business lunch he had earlier that day. The lunch was too much food, so would I mind eating out for the fourth time this week?
At dinner, I had my first experience with stoemp. Stoemp is pureed or mashed potatoes with celery or other root veggies (sometimes with cream, bacon, and/or sausage). My stoemp came with sausage and was so good that I burned my tongue--I couldn't wait for it to cool down to eat it.
By the way, Gino and I are going to see Stomp, the percussion show where they dance and bang on all sorts of things. Gino pronounces Stomp just like you pronounce stoemp. It confused me for a little while why we would go to Antwerp to eat stoemp when we could get it in Brussels. Once I saw the tickets, it made a lot more sense.
In case you were wondering, I've been logging what food we eat for each dinner. A few things from the list:
Ray (as in sting ray)
Rabbit/rabbit liver
Foie gras
10 types of cheese
Bye for now. Am I beating Allie for most posts? I hope so.
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Our thoughts on Belgium and other magical places
"A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us. To live is to be slowly born."
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
7 comments:
Stoemp, Stomp, Stumpf. Sounds like German noun declinataion to me.
It's not just that Allie hardly ever posts, it's also that she does this cliffhanger thing where she tells you she's holding back on the best part for a later post, and then she never gets around to telling it.
You, coincidentally, never answered my Feb. 11 question about what Gino does. Perhaps it's nefarious.
--Allie's Papa
My most humblest of apologies to our most loyalest of commentors. Let me first raise a stick (or stick up) for the cliffhanger crafter. One Allie Baker has much more to manage than I, seeing as she is responsible for her making own food all the time, cleaning her own living space, looking cute, etc. Whereas I am responsible for nothing like that.
Next let me address the second grievance. What Gino does has no equivalent title/name in English. One might loosely call what he does social work. He sits in a big building nearby that used to be the stock exchange and works for the government.
People who are unemployed are sent his way. He writes contracts with companies to employ them. The companies, such as Fortis Bank, then benefit because they pay the workers much less they normally would. Some of the difference in pay goes to Gino/Government. Some of the difference also goes to fancy restaurants when they have 5 hour lunches to sign the contracts.
More simply, he gets the unemployed skilled jobs with good employers.
He is also a vice-count.
Thank you. I want to be a vice-counter when I grow up.
And you are a very loyal boyfriend for sticking up for the c.c. I admire that.
In the same vein, I acknowledge the accolade as loyalest of commentors (-ers back here in the U.S. of A.), but offer the following defense of Allie's mama: She is very busy thinking of clever and thoughtful crafty things that are far beyond my humble ken.
--A.P.
i am a pretty good commentorer! acknowledge me!
Bigger seester is hereby acknowledged as a good commentator.
Hey, this conversation looks like fun, but I feel so inadequate. Not a Baker, not a boy/girlfriend of a Baker, not even much of a commentatorerorer. But I am officially the owner of PA's newest publishing company (UnTapped Talent LLC, as of 2/13/08), and I am immensely enjoying this blog!!
Ceejay -- you are the only one in the room who doesn't know me. I am Maria. Nee (can't make the accent) Montesano, but now Boyer. Old friend of the family. Met the Bakers P.A. -- that would be pre-Allie. LV connections that led to much bigger and better things. I count the Bakers among the dearest of those friends I rarely see (even though we are only 4 miles from each other). A.P. turned me onto this blog...and I hope you don't mind me checking in from time to time. One of my greatest regrets from college life is missing out on a semester abroad. I will have to live vicariously through the two of you.
I was fortunate (pre-kids) to travel a good bit through Europe, but never to Brussels. It looks amazing. More pictures please! Like of a Stoemp!
I'm looking forward to hearing much more! And if you want to publish your commentary someday, keep me in mind. I'm officially accepting the book right here and now. I'll post the company link when we "go live."
Nice to meet you. Please hug that Allie for me!!
Maria
Good of you to check in, Maria. Nice to hear from you.
The firstborn of the common taters (the one what wanted acknowledged) is coming home to Annville this weekend, from what I am told. Surely a good time will be had by all.
--Allie's Papa
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