Distribution of Wealth

Having nothing to do with distribution of wealth, but having everything to do with Belgium . . .

we were considering buying a new sewing machine.  No particular reason.  We looked at our local appliance/media/everything store - Best Buy equivalent.

Here's the Singer sewing machine we considered buying at 279 Euro (or $355).  That's right.  $355.

We considered buying it ONLY until Ross looked up the price if we were in America and could order it on Amazon.com.

The EXACT same sewing machine can be purchased, brand new, with free shipping, right to your door for $118.  That's right.  $118.

That is EXACTLY three times less than the price in Belgium.  Yes.  THREE times the price.  For the SAME.  EXACT.  THING.

Unbelievable.

 Actually it's not.

Things I never gave much thought to in the States are very thought-provoking here . . .

like un-refrigerated milk lasting for several months - this is a good thing, 

parallel parking on a dime - I will never master this,

biking in skirt and heels - she makes that look way too easy - I can tell you it is not. 

But money, in general - the high cost of nearly everything.  And I don't mean SIMILAR items to those in the U.S.  - I mean the EXACT. SAME. THING.


As they say, a picture paints a thousand words . . . distribution of wealth in the U.S. is pretty scary.

This next graph may paint the thousand words even better.

Nearly half of all Americans combined would own only that "red dot".

By contrast: Belgium.

Belgium was recently honored with the "nowhere in the European Union is disposable income more evenly distributed than in Belgium".

Some may say that it's simply taxes being redistributed from the "haves" to the "have nots" and that may, in fact, be true, but . . .

Minimum wage Belgium:  $11.69

Minimum wage U.S.: $7.25

However, it would need to be 3 times more to justify buying that Singer sewing machine.  Here.  In Belgium.

Ordinary and Average

International news.  Belgium.  This little country, in the middle of Western Europe and often in the middle of things.

I would be remiss in chronicling our time here if I didn't mention these latest events.

Belgium is probably one of the most liberal, tolerant, and diverse countries, perhaps making it one of the easiest for the radical to set up camp.

Speculation abounds about who, what, where and why.  It should come as no surprise - haters gonna hate. Whether it's here, there or anywhere - those trying to be ordinary, average, tolerant, and free are the ones who suffer for the minority who wants none of it. 

There's nothing new under the sun, they're just better armed, better organized and perhaps better funded. This centuries-long battle to be superior, have everyone think like you, believe only what you believe.  

We've come a long way.  A very long way.  The world is a big place and the vast majority of us simply want to be ordinary, average, tolerant and free.  

Why can't we all just get along?  Appreciate the freedom to say what we want and think for ourselves?    

The alert levels will rise and fall and security measures will be stepped up and then relaxed.  Most of us will go about our daily lives, fearful for a minute, but mostly grateful for this incredible gift to be ordinary, average, tolerant, and free.  

Thank you. Thank you to those who make that possible.

Labor of Love

Just a little update on Jim's project . . .

Seems every surface he could create in his little "workshop" is covered with supplies.  He will be ready for his next project - assuming it involves chisels.

All the parts are ready to glue together, using hide glue like the original violin makers used.  We won't go into too much detail about where that glue comes from, but this particular glue is used so the instrument can be easily taken apart (supposedly!) for repairs in a few hundred years.  He mixes it and keeps it in the 'frig., warms it up when he needs to use it.   When it molds, he makes some more!

I have no doubt that these pieces are a perfect fit with each other.  Patience is Jim's middle name and I don't mean just in violin-making either :)

It looks so small in his hands, but it's the standard size (4/4) for a violin . . . actually, violins do come in different sizes, but are not as common as the standard sized one.  The body (without the neck) of it is 356 mm (about 14 inches).

A true work of art.

Before gluing it together permanently, a violin maker, aka luthier, places a label inside with the maker's name and the date and perhaps a message he or she might want to include.  It's in Italian and he's practiced more than a few times so it will be just right.

Edinboro

We spent a couple of days in Edinburgh (pronounced Edinboro for whatever reason and by everyone but me).    

We stayed in a nice old hotel called The Scotsman.

I took this photo because it is quintessential Scotland with it's buildings of sandstone and granite.  I think it's beautiful. 

I did a little Christmas shopping and I thought this massive tree in a famous store called Jenner's was so pretty.

Since the holidays lighting was covering these beautiful railings, I got this photo from the internet.  Jenner's has been in this same spot since 1838.

We decided to have lunch at this famous little cafe' where, supposedly, J. K. Rowling used to sit and write some of her Harry Potter books.  Whether she did or not, they are definitely capitalizing on it.

It was a cute little place and the food was good too.  That's me, Becky, Faith, Elaine and Carole.

Faith took me on my first trip to a Build-a-Bear store.  I went just to see what it was like, but . . . 

of course, I couldn't resist buying Rudolph for Frazier . . .

and Clarice for Norma Grace!

These are in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

I just liked this photo of the rowhouses - every one just a little different.

Americans in Scotland

On our recent trip to the UK, we visited with our American friends who are living in Scotland.  Stirling, Scotland.  They, like us, came over to work for Norbord.  They've been Scots for about 3 years now.

They live in an American-style neighborhood with "cookie cutter" houses on a quiet cul-de-sac.  This is much more typical in the UK, but not at all typical in continental Europe.

This is their house and it was very nice and cozy.  It's way bigger than it looks - there's 4 bedrooms and 3 and a half baths!  Definitely not typical in Belgium - at least all the bathrooms!

Here's Jim getting the cocktails ready and Carole tidying up - Carole is very good at keeping things tidy.  I felt like I was staying at a posh hotel!

This is Steve's gin collection.  He refers to this time of day as "gin-thirty".

Steve and Jim deciding which one of those bottles of gin to try first.  Oh wait, looks like that part is done.  Cheers!

On our way to dinner, we drove out to the Stirling Castle to check out their Christmas gift shop.  Jim took these pictures while Carole and I were in shopping.

Here's the view from the castle.  That's the Wallace Monument in the distance.  It stands on the hilltop called the Abbey Craig.

The next morning we took the train to Edinburgh.  It was snowing!