FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

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1. This week was as exciting as a walk on a modern graveyard ! Not an old one like above it might be interesting. Before I really collapsed and felt lousy I mowed the lawn, that means I put the robot in the grass pushed the button "start" and watched it from time to time behind the closed French windows (see post below)

2.


As I couldn't live or die, I took my medication suffered in silence and blogged a bit.

3.



I have no personal press service, therefore I answered the phone myself and kept my dear friends updated about my miseries.

4. As so often when you have too much time you discover things which I didn't even know that they existed. For example that Blogger keeps your spam mails since 2011 (or maybe 2010) in your spam folder ! I thought if I would delete them they disappear forever, but that's not the case.



I went into the "comment" section of my travel blog



clicked on "spam" and discovered more than 3000 spams in there !! I almost fell off my chair. It was the same in my other blogs.



I clicked on delete, 100 spams per page and deleted them all. It took some time I tell you !



But now my blogs are spam free and I watch now that I delete spams definitively at least once a week !

5.



The rest of the week I spent counting the days ! I hate not to feel well and it gets on my nerves

And then happened what had to happen in a perfect couple, when one half is sick the other half has to be sick too !




Mr. G. got it too !

Now that I am feeling better .... !

MY FIRST ROBOT !

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday

I never was especially interested in Robots, until the day when I was walking through a Farmer's market and felt followed by something strange. I turned around and saw a little lawn mower following me and while it did that mowed the lawn ! I had never seen such a thing and of course wanted to know a little more about it. I went to the stall and a man explained me, that I could do my shopping, watching a movie or whatever I wanted to do in the house, while outside the robot mowed the lawn. Unfortunately the price was priceless nothing for my narrow wallet and the robot remained a dream. After all I had a living robot at home to mow the lawn in form of Mr. G.

Four years went by and meanwhile, Mr. G. couldn't mow the lawn anymore for health reasons so I did it myself. It was perfectly doable because I felt in great shape. But last year I still felt in great shape but not for lawn mowing anymore, it became too hard especially when the grass grew higher because I had no time. I didn't want to do like Lady Chatterley in the novel of D.H. Lawrence . She was a young married woman (which I am not) and when she saw the new gardener she started a love affair with him. 
Love affairs for me are too complicated and I want to continue my peaceful life. Therefore I decided to stay faithful as I had always been and not to commit a sin only because of our lawn !



Instead of taking a lover I bought a robot lawn mower ! Meanwhile the prices had dropped and they became affordable to people like me. The robot is easy doesn't involve feelings I can switch it on and off and put it aside in the garden shed, which would be impossible with a lover.

The one and only day last week when the sun came out and the grass was dry I put the robot in the middle of the grass and switched it on. It purred like a cat and started to run slowly in all directions. It was quiet cold outside so Mr. G. and I closed the French doors and watched our "gardener" working. I called him Oscar. And while Mr. G. watched a movie and I answered emails on my computer, Oscar worked. From time to time I checked but Oscar wasn't finished yet. When he had decided that the grass was perfect now, he stopped. I took it in, connected it to charge the battery, Mr. G. cleaned it with pleasure and then put it back in his Ikea bag ! Since then suddenly I hear a lot about these robots from people who own one too and because they are also used to mow golf courses ! Not Oscar of course, he is too small !



Oscar at work !

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

ABC Wednesday is here


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"LES MAROLLES" - BRUSSELS

The Marolles is an ancient district of Brussels. During the Middle Ages, lepers were exiled to this area in a leper house.The heart of the Marolles district is situated south of the Law court  The name 'marolle' is a reference to the sisters maricolles  a  religious order which was present in the district from 1660 till 1715.

In this district at the place of the leper house,   is now the Saint Pierre hospital and the administration of the CPAS (Public Welfare Center) of the city. 

The Marolles are known for their social authenticity. Before the modern industrialization, the work was concentrated in the lower part of the city, near the river. It is there that we find the street names which evoke the craft industry of the Middle Ages.

Today the Marolles are famous for it's Flea and antiques market and the old Brussels'cafés. There are lots of art exhibitions here, and it's also a meeting point for artist.  Folklore shows are often taking place here.

Just besides the "Palais de Justice" (Justice palace) is a huge lift which takes you down to the Marolles, as the palace sits on a hill.



It's quiet an experience itself to be in this elevetor from where you have a wonderful view over whole Brussels.



Looking down, there is the little place where we arrive.



There are lots of little restaurants and bars here





The heart of Brussels, here the locals, at least the old once still speak a very special dialect which is a mixture between French and Flemish words.



Men are sitting in the old cafés and play cards on Sunday morning



The Flea market is very special, there are real antiques to buy but also a lot of junk. I have been told that once a man bought a black clock for his mantle piece and when he tried to clean it, the black color suddenly went off and underneath was pure gold ! Somebody must have painted it in black to hide it during WW I or II ! He really did a bargain !

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of March 16. If you participate please put the little logo on the top of your post and leave your link.



As Nicole and her 82 year old neighbor had some troubles with their computers, this time Mr. G. came along too, because in computer cleaning and other technical stuff I am a zero ! He connected a printer to Nicole's computer and then we went to Simone, were he started cleaning the computer, but after nearly 2 hours not even 25 % had been cleaned. I then showed her how to answer emails and meanwhile her brother with wife came along and brought a mouse ! Simone's grandpa was a very famous painter and on her walls hang a real fortune as the prices of these painting vary from 30.000 € (39000 $) to over 100 (130 $)  and more ! She has a cozy very huge apartment with full of antiques, but also loves stuffed animals which sit in a basket (above picture) ! We had a glass of wine and spent a very nice afternoon with all of them.



On Sunday morning I had my little "chat" with Toby, but he wasn't so much in a chat mood ! He has learned the word "No" by now and uses it with pleasure ! I couldn't keep his attention for long although I showed him a book with animal pictures, he preferred to walk away with his legs in two boxes ! Maybe it will be the fashion for the hopefully once upcoming spring !

After that, as it was not raining at least I went to the market in Brussels,



and had my coffee in this Café as usual, it's a real melting pot in there, locals together with all other nationalities ! People were even sitting outside in this cold weather !



I also admired the huge Moroccan cooking pots to make Couscous and the Raclette and Pierrade appliances.



On my way home I took a picture of the "Porte de Hal" a remain of Brussels' city wall. As you can see the weather was not inviting to go out for further adventures, so I stayed home the rest of the day.