Five weeks. Four over stuffed suitcases. 3,500 miles of driving. A one bedroom condo: our blogger V-grrrl is doing the Math after a gruelling trip back home.

Five weeks.

Four over stuffed suitcases.

3,500 miles of driving.

A one bedroom condo.

A long list of people to see, things to do, places to visit, items to buy.

A tight schedule.

Somehow we thrived and survived our summer holiday in America.

Our biggest accomplishment? Buying a house to move into when we return to America next spring.

We looked at many houses, agonized whether we should buy now or wait, and then after deciding to move forward, spent a few long days and nights making a final selection.
After all the anxiety and details were negotiated and settled, and I had time to sit back and reflect,  I realized how much my time in Belgium had influenced my selection of a house in America.

Our new house is red brick and has a fan-shaped paver entry area and back patio that remind me of the driveway and terraces in Belgium.

Like our house here, it’s rich in dark burnished wood--paneling, floors, cabinets, and trim.



The kitchen isn’t too big and has beautiful tiles and dark wood cabinets, just like in the house we live in now.



The yard is landscaped with stone walls, flowers, shrubs, a variety of plants and ground cover. There isn’t any grass to mow, and it reminds me of a Belgian garden.



Best of all, the house backs up to a huge park with miles of trails and paths to explore on bike or foot, an echo of the parks and wandelings I’ve admired in the Brussels area.
I like to think when we re-settle in America, we’ll feel at home, not just because we’re in our native country but because we’ve surrounded ourselves with some of our favorite parts of Belgium.

August 15, 2007  

©2007 V-Grrrl  and Veronica McCabe Deschambault. All rights reserved.