A Time passsed from my visit

Time has passed quickly from my weekend visit to see Bushra and the girls in Oostende.. a long weekend travelled out on the Thursday and back on Tuesday of this week. A concentrated time to merge in with the family now they are established with friends and business. Like many modern day families the children have much time with their Ipads and techy gear. I did take over some English books for Leen and Celine as they do like the books I take and it is good to develop in reading all the languages they speak.  Celine had some time with a fun maths times table book I got from WH Smith in Uxbridge and I was very impressed with her grasp of maths.  On Monday evening she brought home her homework on arithmetic from the extended homework class the teachers conduct. She had grasped the problems and understood the solutions as a 7 years old now. 

Leen and Celine wanted me to teach them crochet and they got the basic idea of loop through a loop and need to build up the holding skills. Holding I showed to see the right hand is the working hand with the hook and the left hand the lazy but helpful hand of guiding and the yarn. hhh we had fun with this as they kept winding the yard round the hook. 

I had a good time visiting Bushra's Beauty Boutique on the Friday but her partner Hajan had also created shelves of other products like cleaning and disinfectants! lol I recommended he watch the film with Mel Gibson "What women want" as the day you go to a beauty shop you want to escape from the housework chores. You go to have some Cleopatra time to recharge and refuel on beauty needs.  He makes me laugh as like an Arab version of Del Boy from Only fools and horses getting bargain stock to turn around. One point came into the shop with his mate, with arms legs and torsos of bargain shop mannequins! But I think between them they will succeed in building a business. 

i enjoyed meeting customers that thankfully spoke English to have a good natter with women from the Congo, Cameroon, Iraq and Syria It was a good time of sharing. The customer from Cameroon came with a need to buy something for herself to uplift her, to reconnect with the Goddess within.  She loved the Arabic dresses and kaftans and bought four for a planned holiday back to her homeland to visit her family. She felt they were perfect to add some glamour to hot days and even in an heat wave in a Belgian summer.  She glowed with the purchases and was magical to see the change in her stance and elegance..  This is what I feel Bushra will do with her theme in the shop of what women want and so need in busy demands on time and life of a being a woman.

I love my gift of a bracelet from the shop, the pretty colourful pattern will go with many of my outfits. Scroll down for more on my reflections of the visit..  

I enjoy my time around the shops in Oostende love the spring flowers now in the local florist. After school pick up of the girls was a nice treat to go to the local cafe and have hot chocolate together. The cafe owner did us a nutritious pack up of goodies to take back to the apartment. 

I bought some Dutch Children's books for Leen and Celine this one on the baby mouse unable to sleep was good to read with Celine. I did an overview of the story in English once I grasped the storyline. The beautiful illustrations helping me and Celine understand. Made me smile as Celine said "like me awake!" she has always been awake till late then struggles to get up in the morning. Leen at this time was already asleep so me and Celine had this story time together. Sweet story of how Mama mouse tries to help baby mouse to sleep.. love the page with Mama mouse sat knitting down stairs in the tree home thinking she had succeeded then KLOP KLOP baby mouse bounds down from the bedroom awake lol .. The only success is from an Knuffle a Cuddle.  So with a cuddle of Celine she climbed into bed by her sister and slept. 

Was busy weekend and I struggled with my tiredness from the growing problem of Sleep apnoea .. I am under Harefield Respiratory team to see if I need CPAP again. I have completed a sleep study and await further appointments.  But I coped well with travel and visit as next Saturday will be my 70th Birthday.  Family Link Up has given me a raison d'etre  and given me a journey of discovery, understanding and being a voice for refugees in their need to rebuild their lives.  I will always be part of their lives and they part of mine.  Shukran Allah for this project of befriending.  Global family connecting is so important. Thank you for my daughters treating me to this visit to have time with Bushra & the girls.