The Waffleflingin Incident and other Interesting Scenarios

When Shanart and I were in Belgium in 1996. We went with an art history class and actually got 3 credits. We had a class once a week that would deal with the culture, the art and how to act as an American on European soil. We tasted Nutella on bread, we talked about wearing dark colors and not being too loud, and not "acting" too American. We were trained and read for the "European Experience".

We arrived in Brussels, Belgium and took to train to just on the outskirts of The Grand Plas (The Grand Place) and our hotel in the upstairs of a cafe/bistro. We dropped our gear and immediately met back downstairs to start the trip off right by a quick view of The Grand Plas. Shanart, and most of the rest of us had traveled in "American" clothes figuring that she would change when she arrived. We loved the walk of the area and on our return an hour or so later we just down the street from our place of stay, when Shanart was approached by a man who asked if she was an American. She replied that she was, and he proceeded to ask her if she wanted a Belgian Waffle. She promptly refused, and I just as quickly accepted (I have never been shy to accept food). He brought me over to a card table set up on the edge of the street, and the rest of the group followed as curious as I was.

There was a lady behind the card table, who asked if I wanted cream (whipcream) with my waffle, and I wasn't so sure that I didn't. So as she was putting the whipcream, we were smiling and talking about our good luck of free food, and as in a slow motion video I saw out of my peripheral view that she was throwing something at me. I instinctively ducked, but not low enough, as the waffle (for that is what it was) and exorbitant amount of cream bounced off of my shoulder and onto the black cashmere coat of the sensitive girl with our group who was presently enjoying the sites from behind me. In the confusion, while Dana is crying and others are offering her their condolences about her black cashmere coat, I am trying to figure out where my free food fun went wrong. The lady and as we see now, two men who are laughing hysterically and pointing, as a schoolchild would taunt another on the playground. We realize that one of the men has a video camera, not the kind that you use personally on a vacation, but a full fledge professionally camera, the kind that TV is shot from. When pressed by the only lady who spoke fluent French about what was happening, we were able to get a rough idea that we were on the rude equivalent of "Candid Camera", or more to date "Punked", but stepped up a notch and for lack of an actual name it was something to the effect of "Watch the Dumb Americans!" I did however get some justice out of this situation, as I demanded to have a waffle. It was quite stale, but never-the-less tasty. My first Belgian waffle!

I was so thankful to be going back to the hotel, Shanart and I fell into the tiniest double bed that is even humanly possible. As we both relaxed, we were aware that we were completely wedged together. The bedsprings were so weak in the center of the bed that we went where gravity took us...to the middle of the bed. As we worked ourselves free of the knot that this created, we devised a plan to allow us to make it through the rest of the trip. We laughed. I think this was a good plan as later in our trip we stayed in the Red Light District in Zurich, Switzerland. But that is another story.

Reply Blogging....
I have found that in replying to other blogs, that some really good discussions can come up. This is a reply to that of a blog by A Forrest read his whole blog here under
Monday, November 14, 2005 Random thoughts and activities from the weekend: http://www.aforrest.blogspot.com/
I added a few comments after the fact and some more stories.....

Forrest, get yourself a DVD. I still have a VCR as well, because I haven't changed over all of my tapes to DVD's. I have too many hunting tapes, and kids tapes to get rid of it. A DVD player is cheap and it has so many more extras. Besides, you don't have to rewind. Recently we went on a family vacation to good 'ol Branson. We took our lap top with the DVD drive in it and put it in the center of the seat between shanart and I and the kids did so much better driving. We only let them watch one movie, but they were so good for an hour and a half. Only 3 hours of whining! WOW! On the way back brother still complained about which movie we were watching, so only 3 and a half hours of whining. We had a great time in Branson. The kids loved Silver Dollar City (S and I did too). I got away for a morning and froze my butt off in the river, just off of the trout hatchery. I will have to blog about that on my site, but it was fun. I didn't catch anything, but it was cool seeing these trout swarm around my feet and jumping upstream. It is amazing how I loose track of what we were talking about. Shanart would say it is because I have a one track mind.
Back to the fishing. I loved getting to the river early in the morning, not the getting up part, but the part where the mist is coming of the river and the fish are jumping a foot or even two out of the water with their rainbow side gleaming in the predawn light. A beautiful thing is when the dorsal fin is just below the surface of the water and it streaks across the water so quickly. All you can see is a drawing of a line in the water in the shape of the way the fish darted. It is some of the most beautiful artwork I have ever seen. Not only this, but a group of men are gathered around the mouth of the output where the stream flows into the river. All huddled around and casting short roll casts with their bright glowing indicators showing the path of the river. It will disappear out of sight as they receive a strike, and more often than not, they set the hook to late and end up just jerking the line out of the water in a spastic action. The beautiful action of the fly casting and syncopated rhythm is amazing. All done as a single fisherman...this group casts together, allowing the line to follow the path of the river and then when to the end, a quick backcast and up to the mouth of the river again, all together now. I find out later, talking to an older (and wiser) fisherman about the reason I only got a couple of strikes. I didn't have this freshwater shrimp imitation called a scud. He graciously gave me a few he had tied himself. I offered a few of my own, which he responded that he had thousands of fly's and not to worry about it. Unfortunately I was not able to try these fly's as I was late to get going with the rest of the family, so we could swim in the pool at the "Boxcar Willy" hotel.
Such a Branson name. It was a beautiful trip. I enjoyed watching the kids enjoying their time and also watching my wife enjoy the kids. What a beautiful thing a family is. This reminds me about how Sister's(NEW) preschool read a book to the kids that said, this is a family with a daddy and a mommy and kids, and some family's have a daddy and a step mommy and kids, and others are two daddy's or two mommy's and kids. I about screamed. Talk about trying to indoctrinate our kids early on that having two mommy's as your only parents is a normal thing. I try and wonder where they misunderstand that in nature it can't work that way, or there would be no offspring. Do we wonder why? I could get started on other things like this, like Evolution, and the amazing crock that is, but maybe another time. I think I have riled enough people for today. Truth be told...and not hidden in fear. d

Run with Ryun Don't Parachute off of Houses

Skinny D and Congressman Ryun @ Run for Revolutions

Police Biker and Run for Revolutions participates

WoodyD & Congressman Ryun

There was a run last week at The Seed as a benefit for Revolutions http://www.revolutionslife.com . Mr. B and I decided to go support this very worthy cause. Not only is it a great program, but it is also a friends brainchild, Skinny D. B did all or at least most of the graphics, including logo, website, animated logo etc. Very cool. Anyway, B and I decided that we didn't have stamina or time to do the 3.1 miles, so we went and I got my #106 and he got his #107 Race Number and all these goodies. I took pics of the prayer that Congressman Jim Ryun opened the race with, with WoodyD, friends and family in the crowd, the beginning of the race and then promptly entered the building to have some coffee and bagels (ok a few donuts too). Then we got out of there.

Did you know that Congressman Ryun, besides being the first 4 minute miler in High School went to the Seed quite a while ago?

I grew up with his twin's N and D. I loved hanging out with them. We were good friends into high school. Shanart and I went to DCCS (now Veritas) with all of their children.
Their oldest daughter HRT married a friend of mine. His name is DT. We called him Mad Dog because he was absolutely insanely fearless.

I remember one day we were at Lake Dabby and he saw a very large (I mean large) hornets nest up on the edge of the second story of the cabin. He thought it might be fun to get our large wooden john boat oar that was around 10 feet long and knock the nest down. He wanted to obliterate these things. Actually, I think he just enjoyed the challenge of swinging at these tiny flying insects madder than......well....er....a hornet(s). As far as I know he didn't get stung, but I didn't stick around very long to find out. I think I was in the lake as fast as a bolt. We always had an exciting time with him and his brother.

Which reminds me of when his brother (also named D, who was/is as nuts as he was/is) decided that Mr. B (my bother) and he should parachute off of his roof. The only problem is that they didn't have any parachutes. No problem says little D, we can just use garbage bags as parachutes. B is looking down from the roof of the house with a garbage sack stretched between each hand as little D jumps first. He lands in the emergency room with something broken. B decides to go the way of the ladder. I could tell you about the time after little D learned about gravity that he learned about gasoline inside his garage, but that is still a hot subject.

The moral of this story is to help start a Revolution and run with the younger brother of the son-in-law of your states congressman. Any questions?

Mr. B and his work out holding a large fish?


I have found that a whip cracking over my head works wonders in the area of working out (I picture the White Witch of Narnia and Edmund running before her). I started going to Dog Days again this summer after around 15 years off. I had to reintroduce myself to Red Dog. I was able to go 6-8 times over the course of around 2 months and I was becoming chiseled like the rock I knew I could be. Jda would quote a line from Naploen Dynamite in which the goofy uncle says, "Back in '82 I could throw a pigskin a quarter mile!" (Now what about the layer on top of the rock).

dwhitey & his work out regiment

Well, blown to poo, as they stopped dog days for a few weeks, and I haven't been back since. One of the motivations to go to Dog Days was also a small pond just a stones throw away from the stadium where we work out. I just happened to have my fishing rod with me and snagged onto a decent bass (around 2+ lbs) one day after working out. Shanart felt as though I was cheating doing both, since I was leaving her with the chittlins for longer, but I was back by 7:15 (most nights). I did however start running this week again. I huffed and puffed like the wolf at the three pigs. I took Mr. C out one day in his stroller and boy that hurt. Once I get past the first few days, it seems to be quite a bit easier. It is sad to say from working out 4-6 hours a day, to having it be a rare occasion. I miss my chiseled look, I want it back. I guess I will eat less steak tonight on my date to Longhorns with Shanart.

Sculpture Detail "Foundation: Purity III" 

Mr. Ed & Mr. C 

AJ & Mr. C at the Park 

NEW & ShanShan in a Tree 

Mr. Ed & Mrs. Piggy 

Mr. B & NEW in a tree 

NEW & ShanShan 

Mr. C with a Stick 

C up the Tree 

Mr. C in Lederhosen 

Mr. C and NEW waiting for a boat ride 

UP cheesing on the boat, his home away from home 

D dying after water skiing again. Ouch! I hurt for two days. 

2nd try ShanShan and Mr. C in boat 

Mr. C in the sand pit 

Summer Day at Dabby 

Lake pics 

These were supposed to post with the last images of the lake. I hope this works this time. D 

Here are quite a few images from a summer trip to Dabinawa Lake. Big John from Tiawan was having a great time, as well as everyone shown in the group photo, CR, Bony Elbows, Tiawanies student of H & MEW, Hugh, MEW, TyGuy, Mr. C, Shan, Pete, NEW and DWhitey. Shaun is taking the pic. Other images include water skiing, playing and having a good time.