FRIDAY 13

Yesterday was Friday the 13, I didn't know it at all and anyway I never pay attention to that day as I am not superstitious at all.

The day began nicely when I climbed out of my bed, started my yoga exercises and put my foot in something wet and disgusting, one of my cats had barfed on the carpet of course and not on the parquet. That's to easy to clean. I hobbled on one food to the bathroom and cleaned my food.

Then I went to the kitchen to prepare my first cup of coffee the best of the whole day, which I then carried to my computer. Instead of putting it on the side table, looking at the screen, I dropped it on the floor. Apparently the table had suddenly shrinked. Still without my first cup of coffee, I cleaned the floor and finally could drink my first cup.



We have a Philips Senseo coffee machine and for those who don't know what it is you have to put in a coffee pad push the button for heating up the water and then another so that the hot water runs through the coffee pad. Usually it's delicous if you change the pad each time you make a new cup. My second cup tasted like hot water with a little coffee aroma which I only realized after having emptied the cup. I had forgotten to change the pad. Disgusting !

Mr. G. who had followed my misfortunes with interest, told me that it is no wonder because today it's Friday 13 ! He better shouldn't have told me because from that moment on, everything what happened to me was the fault of Friday 13 !

In the afternoon I mowed the lawn. When the first basket was full I emptied it into a paper bag delivered by the city against payment of course. Then I continued, wondering why the grass flew into my face. I looked around and stated that I had forgotten to put in the basket of the lawn mower ! I comforted myself by telling me "don't get excited, it's only Friday 13" !

Besides my with green grass covered face which I saw when I looked in the mirror, I survived the afternoon without any major problems, except that while I was cutting chicken breasts, Arthur the cat stole one piece, I only had turned my head for a second.

I didn't suffocate under my pillow during the night, neither fell out of my bed before midnight, the house still stood, and my computer worked. Therefore I was able to write this post today !

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1.





On Easter monday, after Toby's breakfast we drove home in a rather bad weather, it rained and rained nearly the whole way from Amsterdam to Brussels. I had taken the above pictures of Toby before we left and had noticed that his first walking shoes have the brand mark "Gattino", which I found quiet funny. When we came home we were exhausted, and didn't do anything but unpacking and watching TV.

2.



The next day I had a lot to do with sorting out the pictures I had taken and that took me almost the whole day. I had also done a little video about grandson Toby searching his Easter eggs which if you want you can see here

Anyway it was cold and grey and I had no desire to put my nose outside.

3. As I had lost my camera's spare battery I finally went to a big store which sells everything from household appliences, TVs, Computers and cameras plus accessoires, DVDs CDs etc. The young salesmen looked suspiciously at me, strolling through the Computer and Camera department instead as a brave housewife through the household stuff ! I finally found my battery and also bought a card reader as my old one didn't work very well anymore. And to make myself a pleasure I bought a wireless mouse ! I was fed up when travelling the cable was always in my way and I just can't use the notebook without mouse.

4. Some of my blog friends had told me that I had to absolutely see the film "Indian Palace" which I did together with two friends. It was hilarious and one of the best comedies I have seen ! So touching and still so plenty of humor.



If you want to see an extray of the film it's here

We lauged so much that our bellies hurt. After the film we went to a Pub and had a Kentucky salad and much fun.

5. We had celebrated Mr. G's birthday already in advance in Amsterdam but today at the right date we celebrated again. I invited Dominique our friend and neighbr, ordered 3 Sushi menus, which were delicous.Cat Pookie sat also at the table but behaved well.



Doesn't it look wonderful ? We enjoyed our meal very much.



I had bought two commedies to watch after supper and we watched one the very good French comedy "Nothing to declare" which Dominique and I had already seen in the Cinema, but Mr. G. never. He laughed the whole film through. The story happens on 1 January 1993, when two customs officers, one Belgian and the other French, learn of the future closure of their small customs post because of the European Union.

Both a hereditary francophobe and an over-zealous Belgian customs officer, are forced to create the first Franco-Belgian mobile squad. This movie had such a success that in 8 weeks this film reached over 8 millions spectators.

We had spent a nice evening.

UNHAPPY MISFORTUNE

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday

One night we woke up because we heard awful screems, just like a baby in a horror movie would do. But there are no babies here around.

An unhappy Mr. G. climbed groaning out of his bed and went out to check the garden. The cries came from our weeping willow tree. Approaching in the moonless night he saw a white spot far above him, on a branch.




Arthur's favourite place from where he can overlook the whole neighborhood

Mr.G. asked me to look after a pocket lamp as he couldn't see nothing. Which I did. Mr. G. took the lamp and pointed it to the white spot. It was our cat Arthur. He was sitting there, and just meauwing a whole opera. Mr. G. started swearing (in italian of course or fortunately) in his descreet Pavarotti voice. It was past midnight and the neighbors probably all slept happily and hopefully not unhappily. (amazing how the letters U N can change a whole sentence !)

I suggested to take a ladder and try to get Arthur down. Which he did, cursing under his breath. when he had to go into the garden shed and take it out. It's amazing what Italians have a treasury of bad words ! And on top of it, it rather sounds nice not so ugly as when you are swearing in another language. Apparently dispite all efforts we were quiet noisy and suddenly some windows had opened and heads looked out. The scenery must have been worthwhile to look at. Mr. G in his pajama, buggering about with the ladder, me with the flashlight in my old T-shirt and both reasuring poor Arthur still singing in the tree.

Finally the ladder was in the right place, and a creaking Mr. G. climbed up and told Athur to jump on his shoulder. Arthur found it very funny that his beloved feeder also wanted to sit in the tree. So he welcomed him by scratching his nose. The feeder unhappily scolded with him about this kind welcome, when Arthur suddenly turned around and jumbed on another branch. No way to catch him. I called Arthur and tried to calm down the now very unhappy Mr. G ! By now Arthur had reached the lower branches and like a flash jumped down on the grass just besides my legs. Then he sat by my feet and looked up.

Mr. G. was still sitting on the ladder up in the tree ...

Because of the darkness I couldn't see his face but he certainly looked quiet unhappy !

Arthur thought it was enough now, and went in the house to take a nap on a bed of his choice.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

more participants here






Seen at the French Riviera

OUR WORLD - Ostende James Ensor

Click on logo to join other participants

Last week while I went with Dominique to our friend Nicole in Ostend, she showed us the place where James Ensor the Belgian painter has lived most of his life and was burried in the little graveyard of the Maria Kerke church. His father was English and his mother Belgian. In 1929 he was named a Baron by King Albert I.












The Maria kerke (church) history and pictures) and Ensors grave



Beautiful ceiling paintings



The Altar



a typical old confessional



The house or rather doll house of his friend the painter Maurice Boel is just a few meters away.



He lived in this house together with 8 daughters, 6 sons and his wife of course. I wonder how they all found a place to sleep ?





The side of the house and the entrance door. It's still a private property and not open for visitors.



After our visit we rested a little in the sunshine




and then walked back along the sea

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of April 7, 2012.

On Saturday I had finally finished the Easter decoration to take with us to our son in Amsterdam to celebrate Easter with little grandson Toby.



With his 15 months he is a little to young to understand but he loved the colorful basket and the Easter bunny.

We had a nice trip to Amsterdam without any traffic.



We spent the afternoon playing with him and in the evening we went to a nice restaurant. Toby behaved very well, as you can see he even studied the menu card.


On Easter Sunday, we hid some plastic and fabric eggs and bunnies and he went around with a little basket and was happy when he found something.



Very proud with Nonno and Nonna and yellow Easter eggs.



Then we had a brunch sitting at a nicely decorated Easter table.



Toby tried to break the plastic eggs with a felt hammer and found it very funny when they jumped away.




In the afternoon we made a nice excursion to a small but beautiful and very touristic village Vollendam, which was packed with people from Germany, UK, Italy etc. Despite the quiet cool weather people were even sitting on the terrace.




A shop made photos with people dressing them in typical Dutch costumes, I took a picture of them as a paparazzi (as usual when it is not allowed) and fortunately I did because when we came back they couldn't find the picture ! So we got the money back and returned home.

In the evening we had a nice Easter meal with special Italian tortellinis filled with cheese and nuts, eggplants and tomato sauce and as dessert a typical Italian Easter cake, called "Colomba di Pasqua" which means Easter dove, tomorrow we will return home.

HAPPY EASTER