Belgium is pretty

Finally finished editing all my photos from Belgium and thought I'd do a quick post to share a few favorites. I've got a list of other stuff I want to blog about but geeze is life work keeping me busy these days. Yes still. It's a problem. I'm looking into it.

First things first, CJ is a-ok. Thanks for the positive thoughts and well wishes and such. The anesthesia was indeed risky and they had a close call, but they made the proper adjustments and he pulled through just fine. He's got a little shaved spot on his leg where the IV was and he smells like a dentist's office, but aside from that, he seems to be doing well. I'll be even more excited when his pupils return to normal size and the funny smells go away.



Here he is earlier today, back in his usual window post. Must send out my most sincere thanks to Metro Paws Animal Hospital in the Lakewood area of Dallas. They were really fabulous and very kind and I'm so glad I've found a good vet here, since the next few years will probably be pretty bumpy with CJ getting so old and such. They had a chart up in the office so you can calculate your pet's age in people years (it's a little more complicated than just multiplying by 7) and CJ is 80! He's like a grandpa. My own little grandpa. Yay!

Okay, so onto Belgium. Which is just in time, as I plan to take lots of photos of Chicago when I'm there later this week, at which point I'll again be behind in photo editing. Sigh.



Of course any photo of my niece Suzy is a winner. Here she is with her dad on the train to Bruges.



And this was taken in Bruges itself, in a church. Have you ever seen that movie In Bruges? As I was walking around there, I couldn't help but hear Colin Farrell in my head saying "Fawken Bruuuges!" like he does through the whole movie. By the way, be forewarned if you watch that video I linked to there, it's a crapload of curse words and funnier if you've seen the movie itself, so you might want to just take my word for it..



Taken on the Rue de Bouchers, the restaurant row of sorts in Brussels. Mom and I had moules et frites (that's mussels and fries) at a place near where I shot this.



That's Mom and me in a mirrored Christmas tree, near the Grand Place in Brussels. I think I might have taken this the day I flew in? Yep, I did. Christmas day.



This one was on the front steps of the Bourse, a few blocks from the Grand Place.



And this one was taken in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts - just a cool find in a stairwell.



Taken from the top of the Musical Instrument Museum. I love how the old rooftop frames the hazy skyline.



And this one, of mom poking her head out of her building, is really cool. Her apartment was just an absolute perfect location for setting out on foot daily to explore the city. Thanks for putting us up, mom!