April 2012

  • strict warning: Non-static method view::load() should not be called statically in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/views.module on line 906.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_argument::init() should be compatible with views_handler::init(&$view, $options) in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_argument.inc on line 744.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_filter::options_validate() should be compatible with views_handler::options_validate($form, &$form_state) in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_filter.inc on line 607.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_filter::options_submit() should be compatible with views_handler::options_submit($form, &$form_state) in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_filter.inc on line 607.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_filter_boolean_operator::value_validate() should be compatible with views_handler_filter::value_validate($form, &$form_state) in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_filter_boolean_operator.inc on line 159.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_plugin_style_default::options() should be compatible with views_object::options() in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/plugins/views_plugin_style_default.inc on line 24.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_plugin_row::options_validate() should be compatible with views_plugin::options_validate(&$form, &$form_state) in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/plugins/views_plugin_row.inc on line 134.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_plugin_row::options_submit() should be compatible with views_plugin::options_submit(&$form, &$form_state) in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/plugins/views_plugin_row.inc on line 134.
  • strict warning: Non-static method view::load() should not be called statically in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/views.module on line 906.
  • strict warning: Non-static method view::load() should not be called statically in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/views.module on line 906.
  • strict warning: Non-static method view::load() should not be called statically in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/views.module on line 906.
  • strict warning: Non-static method view::load() should not be called statically in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/views.module on line 906.
  • strict warning: Non-static method view::load() should not be called statically in /home/cvwuaemp/domains/bartlog.be/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/views.module on line 906.

Dreamliner

First up, a confession: in my youth I was a bit of an aircraft fan. Well, fan... more of a fanatic really. I used to be able to distinguish 500+ different aircraft types, plus for many of them different sub-types, with design details, history, usage around the world, different capabilities and payloads, weapons types (of military aircraft)... You get the gist.

It's a hobby that I've put to rest, because as a young dad with two kids, a wife and a giant DIY project on your hand, you really don't have the time for hobbies. But because I have to travel a lot, I do have the occasional interesting encounter.

A couple of weeks ago for instance, I was in between flights at Frankfurt airport having a meal, when I spotted this beauty.

My first face-to-face encounter with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. And then I noticed something special was going on. Ground personnel was gathering on the tarmac, right in front of the airport terminal.

Notice those two fire truck standing on either side on the access to the runway? This is how they baptise new airplanes.

Congratulations ANA 787, many happy landings!

Look at her go!

Meanwhile, I got a glimpse of another airplane I hadn't spotted in real life before: the Airbus A-380.

On the right you can see the tail fin of a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, for more than four decades the biggest passenger jet in the world until this European upstart took her place. Humph, she'll have nothing to do with that snotty A-380 and she turned her back on him.

I'm doing regular long-haul flights now, but on the routes to and from Africa, the Airbus A-330 and its four-engined brother the A-340 rule the skies. I've flown in a 747 before, when I went to Central America, but the A-380 is still on my wish list.

And now I'll put the aircraft geek in me to rest once more...

Mytho Logique

C'est génial quoi

Sleepless in South Antwerp

in

Been at home today all day, with a sore throat. I've been sleeping much of the day, so now I'm wide awake at 11.30 PM.

I've been to the doctor's, he said I have to stay home for the rest of the week as I'm a hazard to public health.

Shipping Lane

Driver

Walking Without Training Wheels

'There's a sale in the bike shop', Mrs.B anounced during lunch. 'We should go and look for a new bike for Wolf.'

She was right of course, the boy's current vehicle is a patched up second hand fixer upper his grandmother got him from the flea market. He's outgrown it, and since a couple of weeks it's also clear that he's ready to ditch the training wheels.

So we went to the bike store, and upon seeing the very first children's bike he saw - a bright yellow and red one with teddy bears on it, Wolf exlaimed 'I want this one'.

'Yes well, let's have a look at the other bikes first', I responded. We found another one he liked, but when he tried it we were still in doubt. It was ok, but it was a 16 inch (whatever that means) and it looked asif Wolf would outgrow it rather fast. However, the other bikes were 20 inches (tall? wide? wheel size?) and they were definitely too big. But then my eye fell on the yellow-and-read-teddy-bear-bike again, which seemed bigger than the one we'd selected, but then again not too big.

So we took it for a test drive. It had no training wheels, but that didn't stop Wolf. Within seconds, he was riding on his own, without daddy's assistance. Just like that, a milestone in my son's life.

Sold! We want this bike, and nothing else! The bike shop man took it away to set it up properly (fine tune the breaks and everything), which gave us the time to eat fries (yes, in Belgium you get complimentary fries when you go to a bike sales) and to try out the inflatable jumping castle (they sure know how to woe their future customers). Tyl liked the fries, but was a bit afraid of that inflatable monstrosity with the giant clowns head towering over it. So he stood in front of hit, looking at his big brother go and bounce from one side to the other. And then he let go of the bouncing castle, and stood on his own for a while. And then he took a step, and another one. Without training wheels!

I tell you, this bike shop is a place of miracles and wonder. Next time a kid of mine needs to get potty trained, I'm going there to buy something.

April Fool

Today I was going to make lasagna. I've got a good recipe for lasagna, and it's been ages since I last made it, so I was really looking forward to the opportunity. Yesterday, Wolf and I went to 'the big store' and got us some veggies and minced meat.

The recipe is quite simple, really. You just make some tomato sauce with a couple of other veggies thrown in for good measure and taste. And you have to make bechamel sauce - easy peasy - and bake the minced meat of course. Then it's a layer of tomato sauce (with the minced meat thrown in), a layer of bechamel, a bit of grated cheese, a layer of lasagna leaves, and then repeat until your oven dish is full.

However, I'd forgotten to purchase a wee little detail for the tomato sauce: tomatoes.

I checked if we had any canned tomatoes, but all I found was tomato paste. Still I managed to make a bloody good lasagna. As they say: the proof of the lasagna is in the eating. I think I made about five pounds of lasagna, for a family of two adults, a four year old and a baby. We almost finished the lot, not in the least because of said baby who ate lasagna until it came out of his diaper.

Must make it more often. With tomatoes, mind you.