Ken Van Alsenoy
A blog about Family, Podiatry, Research and other goody stuffArchive for June, 2008
Second baby to be born in Hemiksem
Today, I went to do a registration of our Annabelle her birth at the register office of Hemiksem at the Sint-Bernardus abbey.
Apparently but not surprisingly she’s the second baby to be born in Hemiksem this year. Most of the ’mothers to be’ assume they will be having their baby in hospital because that is what their friends or relatives did or it is what they have seen in the television programmes lately to be seen on the commercial channels. Some of the advantages of a birth at home can be found here Jef was the first baby this year.
Super Veggie Crunchy Cauliflower
As promised, another highlight of fantastic Czech food. Today, we had cauliflower with a crunchy jacket (coating with breadcrumbs) and plain cooked potatoes. 
Accompanied by tomatoes, onion and a light vinegar dressing, this dish is light and easy to digest. To make it at least a bit less healthy, you can throw in a spoon of tartare to dip your potatoes.
Funky Turkey Surprise Rolls
HEAVEN… a beautiful thing! For me, being close with family, good weather and … Fantastic Czech Food!The coming forthnight, I’ll be bringing you the cooking art of my mother in law. Lucky me, my wife Katerina has her cooking skills after my MIL. So read and look at the mouth-watering pictures.
Today, I’ll introduce you to the Funky Turkey Surprise Rolls. I named them this way, because they look like ordinary turkey, but when you open them up, and by every bite you go further, different ingredients and colours pop up!
What’s in there: smoked ham, mustard, pickles, Paprika and other ’salad-like’ stuff, scrambled egg, pepper and salt, cheese. All of this is put on a Turkey breast and then rolled and stuck together with a couple of toothpicks. Together with some Basmati Rice and a sauce based on onion, soya-sauce, herbs and then thickened with flour, this was a divine dinner.
I hope you are at least a bit jealous?
I’ll keep you posted!
I Passed my Research Modules!
In the fuddle and excitement of our New “A”rrival, I almost forgot to bring you up to speed concerning my MSc Podiatry which I’m currently undertaking in Edinburgh-Scotland at the Queen Margaret Uni.
I received the greatest news this week:
“The exam board was last week so the results will be posted out but I am happy to let you know that you have passed and both research methods 1 and 2 and can move on. Well done! 30 credits in the bag.”
I’m happy to share with you my 2 papers:
The assignment of the first paper (research methods 1) was to discuss the issues involved in when using quantitative and qualitative methodologies in research. Click here for the result.
The aim of the second assignment (research methods 2) was to write a scientific paper which reports the results of a hypothetical research study. The 2,000 word research paper should be presented in a style appropriate for submission to a professional journal of my choosing (JAPMA in my case). Click here for the result.
Enjoy!
Annabelle
After a very short night, my wife gave birth at home to our lovely daughter Annabelle.
a poem for her by Herman De Coninck
Dochter
Wakker door kinderen, meedogenloos blij
op mijn buik. Zijn die allemaal van mij?
Weer zo’n dag waar niks anders mee te doen
valt dan hem te beginnen,
grommend, en met een dochter waar niks
anders mee te doen valt dan beminnen.
Kusje, vraag ik, en het plezier dat ze erin heeft
om dicht tegen mijn wang aan en heel snel terug
trekkend p te zeggen, verrukt kijkend naar
het ontploffingetje wat dat geeft,
verzoent me met niet-langer-dromen:
vijf vingertjes rond mijn wijs-
vinger, om tot mezelf, of toch
tot bij haar po te komen.
more pictures here
Don’t mess with a pregnant woman!
`Up to 10% of pregnancies are not delivered by 42 weeks… and only a small number of pregnancies that go past 42 weeks have problems. In fact, about 95% of post term babies are born without problems.` –American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG, 2005)
The endless waiting, one subject conversating, period is taking longer than expected…
My spirited and courageous wife is reading a book called “Dochters van Eva” – wisdom of all times on being pregnant, birth and motherhood by Deborah Jackson.
Picture this: “A Hiuchol Indian father shows a solidarity beyond the call of duty—a string is tied around his testicles, which can be pulled by his wife during contractions, so that he can share in her pain.”
I would prefer normal Haptonomy, but the last time this wasn’t to successful either! Anyhow, don’t mess with a pregnant woman!
Scarymakki
Me and my main man PJ have some very nice memories of our visit 2 years ago in Savonlinna, Finland. We went over there for a staff exchange, and had the opportunity to visit the surrounding fascinating nature and monuments. The Kerimäki christian church is the largest timber built church in the world.
watch this:
We’re going back in November but I can get to minus 30°C in wintertime… 
Where is the baby…
As our son Mattias is watching Ice Age, where the tiger is trying to calm the crying baby by playing the “where is the baby… there he is” game… We are wondering where our baby is. 2 days over the calculated due day. To keep ourselves busy and perhaps also for some further mentally preparation, the next video is quite illustrative
Preparation mode
As the due date is coming near (15/06/2008 ) I take the time to mentally prepare myself for the “situation-at-home-to-be” . My favourite website to bring back the good and not so good memories is the one and only Dadlabs.com. I found this amazing video on “poo-diapers“. One thing that needs a bit of mental training and preparation is diaper changing. Changing a poo-diaper is one thing, changing a full poo-diaper bag from the specially desinged diaper bin is something else… enjoy… 
