Bakker Bugle Blog Say it three times fast. In Luxembourgish.

21 September 2015

Random Happenings 9 – Part 1

Filed under: belgium,europe,luxembourg,mental state,travel — Anita @ 16:47

I have found this a difficult post to write. May was a busy and emotional month for me. I believe I have put off writing about it because I haven’t fully processed the changes. I know I’ll want to remember May 2015 in the future, so I will do my best to document it all here.

The events of May/June actually started a few days before, in late April. Will departed for a three week trip to the US, with a side-trip to the Dominican Republic for meetings. While normally I might be a bit lonely while he is away, this was no normal May. (more…)

19 June 2015

Random Happenings 8

Filed under: belgium,cycling,germany,luxembourg,mental state,travel — Anita @ 12:26

[Anita’s note: I wrote this blog post on the last day of April with the intention of inserting the photos and publishing in the first few days of May. Then…. May happened. You will hear all about it in Random Happenings 9, but let’s just say May was a bit busy! My apologies for the long, long delay on this post.]

In movies and on television, occasionally they will use a clock that starts spinning faster and faster to illustrate time flying or life getting out of control. At this moment, I feel like our clocks are spinning faster and faster. Both Will and I are grabbing precious time with our friends as best as we can, but we cannot stop the clock. It’s moving season in Luxembourg. Moving season is the hardest season of them all!

March and April were two months where the clock spun faster than ever. While work slowed down a bit for me, it was as busy as ever for Will. Thankfully, he was able to free up time to do lots of fun things during our time together on the weekends. Never let it be said we aren’t good at balance!

March started not with a bang, but with a bark. Dexter the dog arrived to stay with us for a week. Dexter last stayed with us in June 2014 when he got to tag along with us while we watched the Tour of Luxembourg. (more…)

28 August 2013

We’re Back (again)

Filed under: administrative,B&B,luxembourg,mental state — Anita @ 18:33

We’ve been busy. Unfortunately, we were so busy that we neglected our blog. In fact, we neglected our blog so much that we forgot to pay the bills and the domain agent pulled down the site. There was a tense week in early July were we feared that we had lost over six years of content and memories. Happily, for a small fee the domain agent restored our site and the content.

Unhappily, there was some link broken between the database and the blah, blah, blah. I don’t understand all the specifics, but it was difficult enough that Will didn’t have time or the desire to tackle the final fix. After several weeks, I suggested we ask our buddy Rachel if she would be willing to be hired as temporary Bugle staff and see if the problem was that terrible. Thankfully, Rachel was willing and with her magic touch, the BBB is back and running!

Over the last four months, we have done a few interesting things (and a few boring ones), we have developed new hobbies and we have made some new friends. We also watched a LOT of dogs.

Chester in June

Hana in June

Dexter in July

Dexter and Willow, together

Willow in July

Chester in August

Over the next weeks, I hope to tell you a few stories — and some of them might not even involve dogs.

10 November 2012

Stuck on You, Lionel Richie

Filed under: mental state — Will @ 12:04

I have been waiting a long time to post the following image, and now I have an excuse.
by LennyMud
The excuse? Mr Richie played a concert in Luxembourg last week. That is all.

10 August 2012

“Bugle Blog Back,” Bakker Beseeches Boosters

Filed under: administrative,mental state,photos — Will @ 22:18

So, it’s been awhile. I did get your messages. I really don’t have a good excuse.

You know, let’s just try to re-start on a pleasant note. How about some flowers?

I’ll be better from now on. I mean it, just watch. I don’t blame you for being skeptical. But you’ll see. I’ve got lots of great ideas and I genuinely do want to do better.

Plus, that goat is making me feel extra guilty. I don’t really care what it thinks, but it needs to stop looking at me.
(more…)

10 March 2011

Killing us softly…..

Filed under: consumer,luxembourg,mental state — Anita @ 8:26

I love cut flowers, especially the spring bulbs (tulips and hyacinths) and the summer garden flowers (zinnias and the like). Unfortunately, cut flowers can be a bit pricey here in Luxembourg, so I was having to make do with the occasional (and small) bunch of Gerber daisies.

But recently, we have been going to the Farmer’s Market at Place Guillaume. The market is open on Saturday mornings and we love getting some fresh produce, delicious apple juice for Will and cut flowers for me.

The prices are so reasonable, I’ve been going…. well… a little flower crazy.

Hence last week’s purchases:

This was taken five days post-purchase, so they aren’t at their very best. But aren’t they beautiful? Beautiful…. but deadly! (more…)

18 February 2011

I speak French with a German accent, apparently

Filed under: french,germany,mental state,travel — Will @ 12:19

I had to travel to Morocco to get a straight answer. French adults don’t acknowledge my accent, bless their hearts. French children just say that I talk funny.

Morocco’s unofficial second language is French. (Arabic is the first language, and the Berber family of languages are second, officially.)

Anita says that it is like Florida for France, with all the French retirees in campervans for long vacations, and in the resorts for slightly shorter trips. That certainly appeared to be true in Agadir, a city rebuilt for the purpose of foreign tourism.

My first diagnosis was from a supervisor at one of the resort’s restaurants; she simply assumed I was German. (more…)

20 January 2011

Living, in the pantry

Filed under: consumer,mental state — Anita @ 19:45

Contrary to what you see most of the time here at the Bugle, our lives are not completely filled with travel, history and fun. In fact, most of our time is spent working and maintaining our domestic world here in Luxembourg.

For those who haven’t been counting, we have lived in Luxembourg for just over a year and a half. In the last 20 months, we’ve created a home that we love and enjoy.

Except for the pantry. (more…)

6 October 2010

Oh, American Press, bless your heart

Filed under: culture,europe,expat,france,mental state,news,usa — Anita @ 14:57

The US State Department released a broad travel advisory for Europe on Sunday. It cautioned Americans who are traveling to Europe to be extra vigilant. As one would expect, some of our loved ones in the US expressed concern over our safety. Suffice it to say, I have felt safe and continue to feel safe in Luxembourg. In fact, I cannot imagine a safer place to be.

But feeling safe and actually being safe are two different things. So, in the interest of learning as much as possible, I checked my usual online newspapers on Monday. The most prominent piece was in the Wall Street Journal. The article was reasonable in its tone, but the photo and video captions made be laugh. Not a “ha-ha” laugh: I was laughing at you, American newsmedia. You amuse me.
(more…)

17 August 2010

You know you’ve settled into Europe when…

Filed under: culture,europe,mental state — Anita @ 10:39

…you are stunned each time that somebody thinks your Visa has expired because it is dated 04/09/2010.

Culture consists, in part, of the customs that you take for granted. So we know that we’re adapting to European culture (or Western European or French-inflected or whatever) when we’re surprised by how things are done in the good ole USA. Some more examples: You know you’ve settled into a European state of mind when…

  • You find it unspeakably rude when, at a restaurant, your server brings you the check before you ask for it.
  • “Of course it’s a topless beach. Why not?”
  • You are uncomfortable when someone takes your credit card out of your sight.
  • You get frustrated at having to sign a bill for small purchases with your credit card.
  • You are excited to find a parking space within a quarter-mile of your destination.

We think of these little differences several times a week, and we’ll post more in the future. Guests of the B&B, what seemed alien to you about daily life in Ireland and Luxembourg?

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