Let's go back a month or so!

Mom and Dad getting inspired at Salvador Dali's house (Port Ligat, Spain)

One month ago today my parents where here and we were celebrating my fathers birthday. It now seems ages ago, except occasionally when I go to the coffee maker and have a cool idea for our house, then it feels like they where just sitting there exploring all the cool things we could do. Next time we will spend more time dreaming and doing fun projects and less time traveling. Although, they had a wonderful time and saw loads, I think we tried to fit in to much. In the end it seemed they where running for the taxi to the airport only minutes after they arrived. There was so much I forgot to tell them and show them and so much more we could have talked about, but I am not complaining to much. It was brilliant to have them here and we did see a lot from grape picking to Dutch pottery making and from playing in the park around the corner to searching for a surf shop and swimming in the Mediterranean sea in France. I am already planning of the next trip, although I am sure that it will come and go way to quickly. If only they could move Iowa and Belgium just a bit closer together.

Kai is serious about helping with the boats. (Port Ligat, Spain)

Natan and his friend feeding the horses at the neighbors vineyard.

Isobel, Simon and Kai at dinner after grape picking.

Bringing the grapes into the cave.
Pieter scoops them into the bin while dad looks on.

The original press in the cave of Pieter's father.
This is the first year wine will be made there.

Pieter drinking the juice from the new grapes,
which have been in the wine vat for 3 weeks.

Everyone enjoyed the little yellow train up into the Pyrenees mountains.

Goodbye, grandma & grandpa we miss you very much!

Welcome the 4th Verbeelen Girl! Now, we are 4 girls vs. 5 boys

Julie Verbeelen (born just before 6am on October, 22 2006)

T.G.I.F.

So, I have still yet to blog properly yet or get any photo's downloaded from my camera in the last month or so!

What have we done then?

Well, we have been working hard at creating a company or two. We have finally decided for now to focus on the bvba (Dutch abrv. for normal profit company) and see how it goes before seeing if it is necessary to make Turtlewings a non-profit (vzw). So now all our design activities are officially under Studio Verbeelen. We are now in the process of buying a company car. Yes! You heard correct, we who preach a carless lifestyle to all who live in the city, are looking for a car. It will be mainly for business meetings, which are not within convenience with public transport.

Two weeks ago Sat. we began to plaster the back wall in our studio. Getting it all ready for the Turtlewings grand opening in Jan. It started modest because we had our wine&design party the following Friday night. So, because I really didn’t want to stand in the way of progress we continued as I tried to keep it all clean and organized for Friday. Well, by Sunday I lost control and everything in the studio was piled in the middle and there was plaster and dust everywhere. After Pieter had spent two days straight plastering and all the dust settled I spent 4 hours sanding and 8 hours painting during the week and it look fabulous. Pieter plastered the back wall and the front walls and we painted the front a very dark charcoal brown! Wow, amazing, but it was Thursday night and everything was still pile in the middle. Well, to make an exhausting story short. I organized; Pieter cook and we had a brilliant party with 25 friends and friends of friends.

This weekend we are doing absolutely nothing!

p.s. Will try to put pictures up soon, but at this point won’t promise!

Sitting and Writing

Bad blogger, bad blogger! 

So no excuses this time it has been weeks maybe even months since I posted. I still have yet to put up pictures from mom and dad's trip, but tonight I just downloaded a great Widget to my new laptop, which allows me to sit in my favorite chair and post. So, does this mean I will post more often. Perhaps! It could be mainly words, which I will have to get used to because I like having the picture to say most everything so I don't have to carry on so, but I believe that I can do it!