This evening I went to Louvain-la-Neuve for the vernissage of my better half’s book, Le jour aux ignorants, which she illustrated (the poems are by Véronique Wauthier). The event was held at La Baraque which probably all former LLN students know well. Véronique got a few friends with gravelly voices to read a few of the poems, and then the two authors offered drinks and snacks. Both the reading and the viewing were great fun. It was a predominantly Belgian occasion – Francophone Belgian, that is – and very sympa but once the conversation got onto the inevitable subject of politics there was a sense of disbelief and of concern about the future of the country. For the Belgian government seems certain to fall once again – and this on the eve of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.