FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1.The week started with the preparation of the entry of Mr. G. into Hospital ! He had a benign growth under the skin just besides the carotid and the doctor preferred to take it out. So on the sofa in his office he stocked all things he would take along for a 4 day stay in hospital. I mean besides a pajama some underwear and a bathrobe you don't need anything more. But when I looked on the sofa I got the impression that he will go on holidays for at least a week ! The cats were happy and slept all on the fresh laundry leaving generously their hairs. I told him he can't go with cat hairs to a hospital, and that I had to prepare fresh clothes now, but he said it wouldn't matter, a few cat hairs wouldn't disturb. No comment ! The whole day was very hectic, of course he was stressed so I shut up and was a good punching ball.

2. On Thursday morning at 6.30 am I drove him to the hospital. It once had been a little local hospital when we moved to Waterloo and now had been taken over by another big one and had been extended and extended so that it had become enormous. The entrance was closed, we were too early. So we stood there with the different bags and I thought it is easier to go into Ford Knox then into this clinic. Suddenly we saw a a huge Harley Davidson arriving with a guy all dressed in black leather and a black helmet, and I feared, with the luck I have lately, we will certainly be shot and our belongings stolen. The guy got off his bike, took off his helmet and said that he was a doctor and that he would let us in with his badge ! We followed him and not one single human being was in view. The reception also was closed. We sat down and waited. Mr. G. got more and more nervous and I absorbed his stress like a sponge. At 7 sharp, the reception opened and we could get the papers done for the National Health insurance and could finally go into his room on the 4th floor. There the door to the "section North" was closed too. I rang a bell and after a while the door opened from alone. A very friendly nurse showed us into his room. Maybe I should explain that all rooms only have two beds not more. In some other hospitals there are sometimes 3 beds but that's in mostly very old hospitals. We have an extra hospitalization insurance to get a single bed room.






The room was very pleasant, very modern with a huge bathroom and had a nice view on the fields (except the electric installations) The nurse was slightly surprised when she saw the bags, gave him a nightgown and told him what to do or rather not to do, while I unpacked and put his belongings in the closet. Then I kissed him goodbye and left the hospital.  First I had to sit down on a bench to calm down ! Then I drove home and waited for 4 hours to finally get the good news that the surgery had went well. Our son had sent a few sms to ask about news, which comforted me as I felt less alone. During the morning my friends called too and asked me out for a restaurant but I couldn't swallow a single thing.

In the afternoon finally I could go and see him.

As it was early I stopped at Nicole's and we sat on her terrace in the sunshine and had a NA beer. (non alcoholic)



Her dog Charlie tried to distract me playing in the rubbles of the terrace which was in full repair.
And then I left and only got lost twice in this huge hospital and found my man decorated with tubes and connected to all kind of things. First thing when he saw me, he complained that he was hungry and nobody wanted to give him something to eat. That was a good sign. The only thing which worried him was not me or our son or anybody else, but Kim our cat which I had to take to the groomer in the morning, which already had left me exhausted, because catching her alone and put her in the carrier is a very difficult work ! After having listened to his complaints I returned home, fell on the sofa and wanted to cry I was so exhausted. Finally I could let myself go and relax. In the evening our son called and proposed to come this weekend, which I found really adorable that he worried so much about his father, but for a visit with his family would have been far too early. I am completely worn out and need a few days rest.  Mr. G. anyway, will probably spend the day in his bed. I suggested the weekend after when we are both feeling better.

3. the next day in the afternoon I went with Dominique to visit him. He was in a very good shape, feeling well and of course hungry. He had told me that I shouldn't bring anything to eat as he would get out the next day. So I came with nothing.



The King was not happy about that because I should have brought something. So I went to the hospital shop and bought a sandwich (which of course was not the right one) Poor Dominique tried to calm him down and proposed to buy some cookies, which he didn't want either.



After the visit we went to a store, she needed some things and I needed colors for my paintings and came out with this beautiful lamp after the motto make yourself some pleasure !

4. The next morning fortunately I had my painting class and of course everybody wanted to know about Mr. G. I called him to know how he was and he told me that he is waiting for the doctor to know if he can leave the hospital already.



I have  no idea if this these sudden worries in my life brought me into another direction of painting, but the cat painting I had almost finished I  hated suddenly, so I took the largest brush I had and just painted without thinking, making fun of myself and telling that I am liberating myself ! The result was rather surprising for everybody the teacher and I included and she told me to leave it like that, and to continue to "liberate myself" whatever that means ! The last cat painting above remains unfinished ! (for the moment)

5. I bought some grapes and cheese for the man and food for the cats before I collapsed on the sofa and watched a crime story, while I ate my toast some cheese and an apple.

I just had finished when I got another phone call from my son still insisting to come this weekend ! Men have no imagination ! How can I clean the guest room where Dominique's budgies have housed and the floor is full of grains  while I was in France, change the bed linen which the last guest had used, and the bathroom, not to talk about the meals and things to buy which usually we never buy, in the state of exhaustion I am ? And then risk to hear that the room is not clean ? And on top of that running around to fulfill the wishes of his highness ? I just hung up I couldn't speak anymore I needed my spray for the asthma attacks which I get occasionally when I am very excited. I mean the intention was very kind, but we wouldn't be able to enjoy their visit and the little grandson.

Then I drove to the hospital still a little breathless, Mr. G. already waited for me, kissed the nurses good bye and then we left. The afternoon ended with a cheerful Mr. G. and a half dead Mrs.G. But at 8 pm he suddenly became very tired and went to bed. This was the moment when I woke up ! 

I also got good news, tomorrow we have to go to sign the contract for my new car and maybe I will get it next week ! 

PS. This oh, so busy week is also the reason that I was unable to read my friends blogs and comment. Sorry for that. 

SHADOWS

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday

When I was a little girl playing outside in the street or garden, I discovered a strange black figure which seemed to be attached to my feet. Whatever I did jumping left or right, sitting down, changing direction laying down this black monster stuck on me, and it was even worse when I layed down it became long and skinny. I also realized that the monster took different shapes or it was long and skinny or looked like a fat frog. My grandma watched my rather strange behavior, shaking my feet or running around. Living on the countryside with my grandparents, I didn't have any little friends, because I didn't go to kindergarten and my cousin was too old for me that's at least what she thought at that time. In the 40/50th there were no many toys either, so I had to be very creative to keep myself busy.

I asked my grandma why I had this black thing attached to my feet. The poor woman raked her brain, but she didn't belong to the people who never gave explanations to a child, so she tried to explain. She said : "Go in the shade and it will disappear". She was right. She said it only happens when the sun is shining and I could play with my shade. That sounded more interesting.



She showed me some examples with her hands against the wall of the house. I was delighted ! What a game ! I wasn't angry with my shadow anymore, it became my playmate. I became a real specialist in creating animals, faces, and other things I have forgotten.

When my parents finally picked me up to stay with them, my father found this game stupid, my mother as usual didn't say anything. So I forgot about playing with my shadow meanwhile I went to school and had real playmates.

Later when I was a young girl I had many "Shadows" but they were not attached to my feet, but pursued me in another way. They were male human shadows.

Now that I am older if not old, before I wrote this post I looked up shadow in Wikipedia. It's quiet interesting how the shadow effect is explained. But honestly I preferred the one of my grandma.

Now I discovered that you can do very creative photos with shadows.



This is not very creative, I just wanted to take a picture of Arthur sitting in the middle of the street.


I realized that my shadow has become big and bigger and my head smaller and smaller. I hope it doesn't influence my brain.



This morning my shadow was rather creative. I looked like  a hedgehog !



and poor Pookie is surprised that the mouse has no shadow at all.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

more participants here

MY WORLD - Brussels without cars

Each year in September there is one Sunday without any car in Brussels. The different municipalities and Brussels center is closed to cars, except of course emergency, taxis and police cars. Read more here ....

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of September 28 . If you participate please put the little logo on the top of your post and leave your link.

Dominique wants to add a conservatory to her living room, which she wants to use as painting atelier. She had seen the one from Ilona and wanted to have something similar. As we had our pergola built by the same company, I suggested to go there and look what they had to offer. Off we went to Gibloux a little town 40 km far from Waterloo. I had looked on their website for the openenig hours but couldn't find anything, but we thought on a Saturday it must be open. When we arrived we found the shop and showroom closed and not even a ghost around. The Peugeot dealer just besides had left all doors open, we could have easily served ourselves with office materials, paper and computers. Not very commercial after all he wants to sell cars ! I shouted several times "hello" and after a while a man showed up with his mobile glued to his ears. We could have been potential customers, but apparently due to the crises they are not keen to sell or work but rather talk to their girlfriends or wives. I finally had enough and asked him "sorry, can you interrupt your conversation for a minute" which he did, giving me an angry look and when I asked why the conservatory shop was closed, I got the answer that it is ALWAYS closed on Saturdays/Sundays as if this was normal before he continued to blabla in his mobile.

We came to the conclusion that in the Wallon part people don't need to work, apparently they are rich enough. I am sure that would have never happened in the Flemish part of the country. Disappointed we returned, but decided to stop at Ilona's to see her conservatory. She had baked a delicious cake and we had tea together, so the afternoon wasn't lost completely.

Sunday was like a Friday 13 (if you are pessimist). Mr. G. went into the kitchen and found himself standing in water ! It was like his Garda Lake ! The kitchen flooded, the washing machine leaked !



I spent the next hour on 4 paws to absorb all this water. The filter was clean,  the door properly closed so I really don't know what happened ! At least I found the litte tube and could use a bassin. When I finally collapsed into my chair and wanted to continue this post, suddenly the electricity went off in the whole house. Fortunately it was daylight. We thought it was in the whole area but no, it was only the main fuse. Mr. G. put it back into the right position, and  light reappeared. But not on my freezer ! Catastrophe ! Finally he found out that the dehumidifier in the basement was the culprit and sizzled when he put the plug in. We left it out and the freezer worked again. was I relieved, I just had filled it up !

The cats were a little surprised that the TV went on and off, and that they needed boots for the kitchen.

But the worst was I couldn't get Internet ! It took me nearly an hour to get it connected again. What an exhausting Sunday morning !

It was also the Sunday where no cars are allowed to drive in Brussels. Usually it's always very funny, there are coaches with horses, or only riders, but this time I only saw bicycles ! What made me so angry was that they drove in the middle of the street, not even respecting the traffic lights with the result that they bumped into each other. Little kids who couldn't even bike were alone zig zaging around without any parents in view.  The poor bus driver had really a hard job.



The streets were empty besides parked cars, lots of bikers and people walking around paying attention not to be run over !



It's nice to take pictures when there are no cars disturbing !



On the Grand'Place a folklore festival took place and gallons and gallons of beer disappeared in dry throats !

After all this walking I had enough and took my bus back to Waterloo which was so packed that I thought to travel in a sardine tin !

THE FLYING SAUCER

After Prince Philip became King of Belgium on July 21, 2013, and after his holidays with his wife and the 4 children, King Philip and Queen Mathilde started their "Joyous Entry" in several cities of Belgium. I only had watched one so far, because I also was on holidays and what I watched was the "Joyous Entry" in Mons. As usual they were greeted with great enthusiasm by the population.

A Joyous Entry is a local name used for the royal entry - the first official peaceable visit of a inreigning monarch, prince, duke or governor into a city .The custom began in the Middle Ages and continued until the French Revolution, although less often in Protestant counties after the Reformation. A formal first visit to a city by an inheritor of the throne of Belgium upon his accession and since 1900 for a crown prince upon his marriage, is still referred to as a "Joyous Entry", a reminder of this tradition of the rule of law.



This was the only nice picture of Mathilde when on the façade of the Town Hall, she petted with her husband the Monkey of the Great Guard.  The origin is unknown, but it is now a symbol of the city. Touch his head with your left hand and you will find happiness for at least a year. That's what they did.



After that I could only see the face of King Philip in the crowd and only a half face of Queen Mathilde. It was only a coincidence that our Prime Minister has "Joyous entry" written on his forehead. Maybe it's for an entry of good ideas.



When I only saw a flying saucer instead of a person, I gave up. I thought it really wasn't an appropriate hat to wear for such an occasion. I get the impression that since  she became Queen her hats get bigger and bigger. Before she was mostly hatless or wore little once. After all she has a pretty face and nothing to hide. Or should the flying saucers replace a crown ??