Tuesday 12 January 2010

Better late than never!



A bit late, I know but Happy New Year Everyone! Thank you for all your kind get well messages and Christmas/New Year wishes. I hope that you all had a wonderful time.
I am looking forward to catching up and seeing what you have all been up to.

I have just recently returned from having spent Christmas and New Year with my family in France. I also popped over to Belgium.

Starting a New Year is a chance to reassess things in your life and reflect on the previous year. Like many of you, I have made my list of resolutions, it's quite long .... Somehow beginning a new year helps re-enforce your intentions, which is not a bad thing.


Bruges (in 3d)


One of many chocolate shops in Bruges


Miss P and I on a mission to buy some freshly made waffles


I always go to this place to buy waffles. The aroma is wonderful as you walk in.
Their freshly made waffles taste almost as good as the ones my Aunt Suzy and My Grandmother Gaby used to make. These waffles taste nothing like the supermarket ones! Soooo much nicer.


You can't beat the smell and taste of a real Belgian waffle


The Christmas Market was still there a few days after Christmas




Pretty tins full of chocolates


The chocolate shops always have such fantastic window displays


Belgian chocolates ...the best in the world... Chocolate Line is one of my favourite chocolate shops

Meanwhile back at home, it's looking like this and with more snow on the way forecast. Miss P is delighted by this, no school today because of hazardous access to the school!

Mr Snowman keeping watch in our garden


Snowy scene nearby


The fire has been lit every day since coming back. It is such a welcome sight when coming in from the cold. I have just restocked the log basket and coal bucket ready for the heavy snowfall they are predicting.

Off to relax a bit by the fire and do a spot of crochet. I started a couple of crochet projects whilst away. More in a future post.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

54 comments:

Lululiz said...

Ah, you bad bad woman, showing us freshly made waffles and Belgian chocolates! Last time we had freshly made waffles was in September, in France, and boy, were they delicious! My mouth is watering now.

Unknown said...

We were in Bruges about 12 years ago, all the way from across the pond. It is our favorite city and on the list of "I want to go back"... I think I even remember that waffle shop. I can taste the chocolate now... We scootered one day out to the coast, what memories this post brings back.

Welcome back home and back to blogland.

dots and spots said...

Hi Isabelle
Happy New Year to you and your family! Looks like you had a lovely time away. Enjoying the snow? I'm watching it still snowing now - wondering if we'll make it in to school tomorrow!!
I know what the children are hoping for!

Best wishes for 2010
Becky

Pomona said...

I think if I had spent Christmas with you I would be at least a stone heavier! Best wishes for the coming year!

Pomona x

Reading Tea Leaves said...

Good to see you back Isabelle! After reading your lovely post I feel all Christmassy again!

Jeanne x

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

Hmmm I wonder why I fancy waffles right now!

Victoria xx

Enitram said...

Very lovely holidays ! Beautiful pictures and good memories !
The snow is anywhere !

Unknown said...

Happy New Year!

Those waffles look absoloutely delicious, as do the chocolates. Yum!

Pink Feather Paradise said...

Oh wow those tins are amazing... I love tins ... do you think they do mail order?

loving hte snowy pictures... we haven't had that much snow here but it has been fun but i think its going now and i doubt if we'll get the predicted snowfall here...

warm cozy crochet hugs
Alex
x

Annie said...

Bruges looks so pretty and the chocolate and waffles mouthwatering. The colourful flower chocolates look lovely, nothing like you would find at home. I know what you mean about an open fire, we have had ours lit every day and it's so cosy.
Ann x

Lx @ Twelve said...

Hello Isabelle - Happy New Year.

Belgium looks delicious - opps, I mean beautiful. I went to Holland last November - think Belgium should be next.

Take care in the snow.

Love Lydia xx

Blondie's Journal said...

Happy New Year, Isabelle! How lucky you are to have spent time with your family in France and Belgium. I so enjoyed the pictures. Not only interesting to look at, they satisfied my sweet tooth somewhat!! I would love to try real Belgium chocolate...it looks like such a treat!!

xoxo
Jane

Laura @ 52 FLEA said...

Happy New Year! Those Belgium waffles and chocolates look so delicious! Thanks for sharing your holiday with us!
Take care, Laura

maría cecilia said...

Good night Isabelle, what a lovely trip you made... those chocolats must be delicious.
Impressive all the snow you have at home, hope your fire warms you all up.
Muchos cariños,
Maria Cecilia

Josephine Tale Peddler said...

Hello Dear Isabelle, I am pleased to see you return. I have missed your posts. I was going to pop in and wish you and your family a Happy New Year but thought it best I wait so you have a proper break. The fire looks so cozy. Sydney is so hot at the moment. I am not fan of summer and always long for the cooler weather. Your snowman looks fun. I have had a measly old start to the year with bad back pain and all our holiday plans of beach and picnics had to be cancelled. Early tests indicate it could be osteo-arthritis which was a shock to me as I thought only people in their seventies got such things! Anyway, your post has cheered me up. I have never eaten a Belgian waffle but I think I would be up for the challenge. When I was a child in Tasmania, it used to snow in Winter. It rarely does now. I was like Miss P and always happy for the chance to miss school! Daisy would die of heaven in those chocolate shops. xx

Sal said...

I have always wanted to go to Bruges!
Your photos are lovely...especially the sweet tins!
Hope you are all well..and a Happy New Year to you!
xxx ;-)

Tilly Rose said...

Hi Isabelle! happy New Year wishes hun!
Bruges looks a gorgeous place to visit....maybe one day?
All that wonderful chocolate and waffles!
Enjoy your crochet....
Hugs Karen x x x

Cinzia said...

All is wonderful...
Cinzia

Coco Rose Diaries said...

Happy New Year Isobelle! Bruges is beautiful, used to visit there and Antwerp when I was smaller as had distant relatives there. Would love to visit there again. Lovely to have you back in Blogland! Have a lovely week! xxx

BusyLizzie said...

Welcome Home & Happy New Year Isobelle! I expect you have woken up to even more snow this morning> We have, so it looks like another day of sewing & making! Hoorah! Lizzie x

Niki Fretwell said...

Happy New Year and welcome home Isabelle!
What a wonderful time you must have had over Christmas and New Year...everything looks so traditional and pretty.

Shame about all of this snow...I was supposed to be going to Shepton today to move stock into the shop - we've hired a big van and everything...but that just might not be happening today... :(

Keep Warm!
Niki x

Hen said...

Hello Isabelle,
Good to have you back, Happy New Year to you and your family. I am loving those tins in the chocolate shop window and would have snapped up a good few. I'm sure I'd somehow have managed to force down the chocolates from inside!
Hen x

Gill said...

welcome back
i have missed your cheery blogs!
love the tins of chocolate
gill

Sarah said...

Happy New Year! Oh how lovely - those chocolate filled tins are to die for...
x

Floss said...

Happy New Year!

What beautiful photos - I would love to visit Bruges.

elsy said...

bruges is on my list isabelle....looks wonderful....hny to you too!

bellaboo said...

Hello Isabelle,
Welcome back and a Happy New Year!
My husband went to Bruges many years ago,and is promising to take ME one day,he loved it so much there.Ooooh....those chocolates and waffles look so tempting!

Bellaboo

Guenievre said...

Bonjour et bonna année 2010 !
Bruges seems to be a beautiful town, my husband went to Bruges many years ago but I don't know this town at all.
"Miam",les Waffles/gaufres ont l'air délicieuses, c'est la gourmande qui parle, lol.
Vous avez entièrement raison, les gaufres "maison" sont bien meilleures que celles du supermarché !
Bonne journée !

Andi's English Attic said...

If we don't have the same design fireplace, they are very similar - only our fire is gas. I miss the scent of a real fire (real fires are good for cooking jacket potatos in the tray underneath).
Thanks for the photos. What a lovely opportunity to visit other parts of the world without leaving home. It looks a lovely place, and those waffles! Oh my! xx

Heloise said...

Happy New Year.

Lovely photographs. I have been to Bruges once, such a beautiful city.

It's snowing again now.

Les Cotrions said...

Welcome back Isabelle! Thanks for this nice trip in Bruges! It looks faboulous...and so "sweet"!
Big hugs and stay warm!
Vale

sarah-jane down the lane said...

Hello lovely Isabelle and welcome home!

Gosh those tins of chocoaltes are so wonderful, they look so lovely all in rows together. I must get to Bruges this year, note to self!

Love Sarah x

Thedarkerside73 said...

Lots of yumminess on your blog today. Looks like you had a wonderful time over the festive period. Happy New year to you and your family.

I have been trying to figure out how to crochet. Learning the new stitches are not too bad, but oh following a pattern even the really so called easy ones! hard very hard!


MBB x

Lynn said...

Welcome back :) I missed you!
Lynn

Parisienne Farmgirl said...

Oh la la - shame on you. I was just sitting here contemplating a cup if rich chocolat chaud and now I simple must pry myself off the couch to get one.

Lyn said...

Waht a lovely post. I went to Bruges years and years ago and your photos make me want to go back again.
Love
Lyn
xx

Carole said...

Happy New Year!!! It's wonderful to have you back! Yummy treats to tempt us with.
Thanks for bring us along with you on your holiday!
xo,
Carole

Country Cottage Chic said...

Mmmmm....it all looks wonderful & delicious too!

Jayne

Anonymous said...

Just had a look at the chocolate website as chocolate is my very favourite thing, is that really chocolate lipstick they are advertising, amazing. I love the picture of your fire, I really miss a real fire and feel quite vulnerable without any independent form of heating in this weather. Anyway Happy relaxing.
Adele

Rubyred said...

Happy New Year Isabelle,
I have been to Bruges twice, only for short trips but it's wonderful! The chocolates are divine.I'll have to go back again to try the waffles!
Beautiful photos!
Rachel x

hens teeth said...

Ah wonderful Bruges. So lovely to see you there Isabelle. I hope you keep warm and dry...happy crocheting. x

Sylvia said...

Happy New Year, Isabelle !
Nice that you visited Bruges.
I know our chocolates are delicious,
but a disaster for my figure.

Beautiful pictures,
Sylvia

Just Be Happy said...

Oh my goodness, the chocolate look so goooood!!!
Happy New Year to you too!!

Auntie Cake said...

Those waffles look absolutely delicious! I hope you ate enough for all of us who didn't get any. Oh my, I am going to go back just to look at those beautiful creations! Hope you are able to enjoy your snow, and Happy New Year!
Kate

Clara said...

Wonderful images. Photography should be a "virus" in your family!. I visited your husband's web site too and the images are touching. I say touching because they really are and because I adore GB and its landascape. Did I tell that I've done my homemade lemon curd? Best, Clara.

LissyLou said...

Happy new Year - what a lovely time you had. Bruge is the next city i would like to visit, don't think we'll get there this year though as already have a few hols booked. I love the look of those yummy choccies x

Lisa said...

Happy New Year to you all too.
Lovely post, so many gorgeous photos to look at. All that chocolate and those waflles, well words fail me!
Love your snowman.
Lisa x

Catherine said...

I love CHOCOLATE AND I LOVE BRUGES!catherine

Alice JEans said...

I have an award for you darling !! Just adore your blog !! Pop over to http://alicejeans.blogspot.com/ to see !! Much new year love! XX

LiLi M. said...

Starting the year with Belgium chocolate and wafres...what could possibly go wrong now, though I have to wish you a very happy and healthy 2010, just to be sure!

harmony and rosie said...

Nothing like Belgian chocs to get the mouth watering, you are naughty tempting us all like this. Love the tins.

Happy New Year and welcome back to Blogland. How are the resolutions coming along?

Kate x

AVY said...

It looks so romantic.

GardenOfDaisies said...

Those little tin houses are so cute!!!

prashant said...

I really miss a real fire and feel quite vulnerable without any independent form of heating in this weather. Anyway Happy relaxing.

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