Wednesday February 18th 2015. Haybes to Chooz 20 km without horse but with Tosca

Today the weather was supposed to be nice, but looking outside the sky was gray and misty . 20 Rain days per month in the winter, reports on the internet on Ardenne climate. During breakfast we discuss today’s itinerary and also part of my way home. In my route book Santiago Route starts or ends at Namur / Namur, Belgium, and I do not want to go there. Crossing a city with packpony Leon is difficult and a little dangerous. And from here, Haybes, just South of the French-Belgian border, it is more direct to remain East of Dinant and Liege. Those cities with their traffic and trucks for sure will anoy Leon. Horse Leon remains until Sunday in an equestrian center. Until Sunday I will walk several days, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, without bajke (horse), but together with the sports club delegation, comprising two selected ladies. Next, on Saturday, one day alone with the dog Tosca. Saturday I will be visited by the staff of our medical office, with whom I will have a hilarious time in the same hotel. Then Sunday I hope my colleague Marietje, who takes her horse trailer with her, will drop me again, along with the horse, on the northernmost point that I will reach these days. From there I walk another 90 km. or so home. That implies that from now I will no longer follow the official route of Santiago.
During breakfast I mentioned that I wanted to roast some dry slices of bread. Soon after there was great alarm of the smoke detector. I hadn’t handled the toaster right. Delphine, the blonde boss, came rushing, and made it clear that the alarm came from the smoking dry slices. Delphine chatted with our somewhat reassured group. When asked, she said she would like to be carrier instead of Leon. We will work that out during the weekend.
Collegue Marietje had understood that they, being the regular office staff, were going to sleep in the a little more exclusive hotel next door, and I, because of the dog in the room ???, was supposed to stay in this, somewhat plainer hotel. But Tosca still sleeps in the garage, so the reason for this segregation and discrimination of the specimen “man” was eliminated. Result was that I am placed in the women’s section of the hotel. Let’s hope that I do not scare the “vrollu” (women) there, because the dog smells like me. Oh, one gets used to everything but a man.
Thus far my thoughts about the coming visit of the ladies of my work.
Today with the sports club we walked on a walking / bike path with the sports club along the river Meuse. Soon the sun came out and the weather was beautiful. Rather than picking a pub, was, as befits real little trekkers, a small kitchen and bowls unpacked by Carin, coffee was made, bread and waffles distributed, Ieëpener dröpkes (liquor) served, Neuburg beers of the Gulpener brewery, four-part singing for Marie-Jeanne’s birthday, which was immortalized on film, some anecdotes told, including those of Andy about a man who had wooded in the walks ( walked in the woods), the difference between a countess and a rabbit, etc. the group has a solution for anecdotes and comments that are inadequate, viz. Joep would say. … And the atmosphere rose again to new heights, while maintaining our normally reasonable group level. In a brasserie In Givet Marie Jeanne and her Wim treated us in honor of her 50+ birthday and it was great fun again. That promises much for the evening.
But the group is (tired) and prefers getting dressed in their puumke “(pyjamas) and going to the “puce” (the bed). During the aperitif we were talking about etymology, the origin of words, not confusing it with entomology (insects-logy). Marie-Jeanne, also erroneously referred to as Marjan, who can not help that she originates from Maastricht, demonstrates some nice Maastricht words: chevroaje, goose bumps, comes from chaud et froid. And Harry knew “bajke” which originates from the Spanish army in the Netherlands in 1600: caballo, horse. And thus a few more: “Ouw meun, ke’el”. Where does “meun” come from? I do not say! Wim and MJ, who live in France, talk about the French expletives , such as “putain”, which will be corrupted to punaise (pushpin).
The evening dinner was graced with a true firework for MJ. We sang more or less four-part, long she will live. After us there were fireworks at 2 other tables, one because of an anniversaire and one because their relation had endured for 3 years . Our songs in harmony filled the air, adding to the atmosphere.
After dinner we enjoyed one or more “nightcap (s)”/booz. The men birded the route for me, which of course is/was very sweet (!). That would have kept me busy for at least 3 hours again. Then started the usual infrastructuring around 1.5-2 hours, constantly with 3 men , where I had to be housed Friday when the group would be gone. Shiiiit . Until after midnight many , especially old , but maybe also new ideas were exchanged here, sometimes upgraded with a joke . < img src = "http://www.ponyanddogtrip.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/image154-300x225.jpg" alt = "the gym club delegation to the juice" width = "300" height = "225" class = "size-medium wp-image-100499" /> gym club delegation to the juice chairman Jan Sjef Jeuke