5 Sept 2009

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE "SWINE" (Piggy) FLU

Last time I went to my painting group which takes place in a room at the Waterloo retirement home, I read a notice that it is now forbidden to kiss the inhabitants of the home and shake hands. In Belgium it is the use to kiss everybody 1 to 3 times on the cheek. Everybody does it when he knows somebody and shaking hands is polite. Now how to explain this to the old people there, where some of them are not able anymore to understand ? As nobody kisses them, they think that they are not loved anymore, which I think is very sad.

Each day I am reminded that I live in a very dangerous world, where birds, cows and pigs disguised in a dangerous flu attack the humans . First this plague was called Mexican flu, the Mexicans protested and it became the swine flu, but the poor creatures were innocent so they looked for another name which wouldn't hurt anybody and came out with a chemical formula called H1N1 or something like that. In french it sounds like "ash-eww-ain-eww" so it's difficult to keep in mind. The Britts found a better solution and stayed with the swine or piggy flu.

Although the expected piggyflu massacre hasn't happened yet, there are lots of preparation to do to affront the danger. Graveyards are instructed to foresee more graves, in supermarkets wet tissues are at your disposal to clean the trolley handle, your hands and everything you touch. I think I should wear gloves, a mask or better I should stay home. Or maybe we all should live like Howard Hughes. But there are my 5 cats, potential cat flu candidates and if the piggy flu is over maybe there will be the cat flu.

This morning I found an email in french which I translated for you. I don't know who made this text but I really think there is a lot of truth in it :


Each year

1 million people die of Malaria, while a simple moskito net could help, nobody talks about it


2 million children die of diarrhea a simple serum could help, no newspaper mentions that

10 million people die of pneumonia, measels etc, which could be prevented by a simple vaccin and again no Newspaper mentioned it.

Fortnately 10 years ago the bird flu appeared and Newspapers all over the world had finally a wonderful subject. The most dangerous plague ever, they said a terrible desease very very dangerous ! And what happened ....some 250 people died in 10 years of the bird flu, while the ordinary flu killes half a million per year in the whole world !

So why governments worldwide made such a fuss out of the bird flu ? Because behind there was money ! The International company Roche created TAMIFLU which was sold per millions to the asiatic countries and the UK too bought 14 millions doses to protect its population. Thanks to the birdflu Roche and Relenza the biggest pharmaceutical companies made billions of dollars benefit.

And now it's the turn of the pigs, yes now the psychosis starts with the swine flu and the worldwide mass media only talks about that. So what should we think about that ? After the very good profit making with the birds now it's the turn of the swines or better said of a big sow. The shareholders of the above mentioned companies are happy and rub their hands in glee. The different governemts need again a lot of Tamiflu and the new developped vaccin.

and we just should pay and panic



Are you the only survivor of this planet ? Yeah, they forgot to vaccinate me !

4 Sept 2009

SHOW & TELL



More participants here

During my sunday walk on Brussels' midi market, I saw these morrocon purses in all colors. I thought they are very nice for holidays or even now for summer and I bought a red one for me. It has little mirrors on it and I only payed 5 € ! (little more then 5 $)





the table


and the ashtray

When the weather is not so nice I like to go in our "junk" shop where you can find, furniture, decorations, plates, books etc, modern stuff, and beautiful antiques, sometimes really very interesting. That what happened yesterday. I saw this ashtray in Onyx and it has exactly the same color as our sofa table. Amongst our friends there are still some normal people, (now considered as dangerous health killers) who are not health fanatics and dare to smoke !

I just had put my hand on it when a lady behind me said "Oh, that's beautiful exactly what I need for my living room I have an onyx table" ! I took the ashtray in my arm and said, "yes, I too and that's why I will buy it right away !" I only payed 10 € ! A real bargain !

This shop is also a source for photo memes ! From odd shots to ruby reds etc you find everything there.




My cleaning woman came back from her holidays in Poland and brought me this beautiful little drawing of her home town. It's also a SPA town. She always brings me something.

3 Sept 2009

THURSDAY THIRTEEN


more participants here

13 funny News headlines

1. Something Went Wrong in Plane Crash, Expert Says

2. Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures

3. Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

4. Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft

5. Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors

6. Miner Refuses to Work after Death

7. Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge

8. Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over

9. New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group

10. Kids Make Nutritious Snacks

11.Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide

12.Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

13.War Dims Hope for Peace

2 Sept 2009

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY









My neighbour next table

Where you see "Title" put your name

1 Sept 2009

MY WORLD - London Pubs


more participants here

That London' Pubs are my world is fortunately not true, but I love the way they are decorated. When my son lived in London I used to go into Pubs for drawing people. When I look in my drawing book I must have been in around 60 Pubs over the years. They all were so special each of its own cosy, with red plush sofas and armchairs, beautiful old drawings or pictures, an unbelievable variety of victorian or older furniture styles.

This time I only saw them from outside while a strolled through London's streets, and I took these pictures.









In Covent garden























The last two pictures I took from a typical red double decker bus from the 2nd floor.

31 Aug 2009

FUN MONDAY - TV



Janis wants to know :

What kind of TV viewer are you? Do you like sitcoms or do you prefer drama. Are soap operas your cup of tea or murder mysteries. Game, variety and reality shows are big this year too.

Before I started blogging I watched TV a lot ! I had stopped working, had nothing to do and was bored to death.

Today I only watch TV in the evening together with Mr. G when we meet so that we still recognize each other. We first watch the news and then sometimes a Quizz or other games, but mostly we both like crime stories, or rather murder mysteries and if they are full of humour it's even better.

I don't like the CSI series at all. Too much blood. I don't like to sea the stomac content of a murdered person while I am eating my spaghettis, or the intestins of a serial killer. I don't know why they show all these body parts in such details, I am more interested in the crime story then in a bloody hole created by a gun under a microscope.

We both like murder mysteries, but then real mysteries, presented with some psychology and humour, I don't need blood for a thriller ! In Agatha Christie movies you hardly see the body and Columbo with his invisible wife is always very suspenseful too.

I like the "Midsummer" crimes of Inspector Barnaby, were in average you have around 4 murders without blood. It's always very decent. The corpses are well dressed or half burried. The murderer is usually the one you expect the less, for example the brother of the sister in law of a cousin whose uncle, aunt and the chauffeur were all stabbed because 20 years ago they had killed his dog.

Sometimes I also watch "Royal Place" where I see the latest news of all Royal families just to inform myself if they have a new love affair or if a new marriage is coming up etc. This is my romantic side.



Cat Arthur likes to watch swimming and not dead fishes.

30 Aug 2009

WEEKLY WINNERS - Blankenberge


More participants here at Sarcastic Mom Weekly winners

Last Monday I went to the little town Blankenberge at the Belgian coast. To get there, read my post below !


Coming out of the station I was greated by this lady


Amongst all new buildings, there was one old left.






a terrible rush to the beach






ugly buildings all along the beach to house sun hungry people


a nice beach

and a 350-m long pier, constructed in 1933.






many people enjoying the sea


isn't that fun to dig in the mud ?