MY WEEKEND OF JANUARY 4, 2014

My friend Nicole called me and ask me to help her to put an advertising on Internet to sell her apartment at the Belgian coast. Of course I went to her, had already made a text, but when I arrived she told me that she had changed her mind, as somebody has rented the flat for whole February, June and July. Of course then it was impossible to sell it now. Instead she pointed on her old laptop which is really an antique, you can hardly read the letters on the keyboard anymore, thanks to her teenage grandchildren who probably had used fingers full of grease and other sticky stuff. The thing also worked like a snail and it took a loooong time until it was finally functional.

Therefore she decided not to sell her apartment but to buy a new computer. I am used to mind changes, I have them too. Off we went to look for a laptop. She wanted a small one a real small one to take along on travels. Now Nicole is not a computer specialist and has still not understood that Internet and a computer are two different things, and that she would never use it on a trip, she already avoids to use it at home. That's female logic. Finally I convinced her to take a normal size with a decent screen. She wanted a computer who also took pictures. I told her that this is only possible with tablets and not with a computer, for that she needs a camera. After some discussions, she finally agreed to buy a laptop and a camera. Then started the problem what to buy ! She didn't look at the technical features, she lifted all computers to test if they were light and not heavy and she wanted a white one and not a black one. I am sure the poor salesman  put an invisible finger to his forehead and looked quiet desperate, but I reassured him by telling him, that she is looking for a computer who also does her laundry. After an hour or so, I finally found one she liked and which was a good brand and had enough memory etc. She was happy and decided to buy it. Of course she had no credit card or money with her. The salesman gave her a paper with all information and she wanted to go back on Monday. When I returned home and told Mr. G. the whole story, he only shook his head, while I was still laughing, he knows her from the computer classes he does, and he had tried since 3 years to put some computer knowledge in her head.

Fortunately she has a lot of humor and is well aware of her problems so we had a very nice and rather funny afternoon. The same thing happened then with the camera, she was only fixed on a color, she wanted red no matter what for a camera it was. For that I will probably have to return with her on Monday. An another adventure in perspective ! Don't doubt about her intelligence ! Ask her how to place your money, which bank is the best, about laws, house building, what material to use etc etc. Everybody has his special skills, and she has helped me too with a lot concerning other things.





A for everybody useable computer



I also had to go to the post office to send the little sleeping companion of Grandson Toby, which his parents had forgotten ! What a drama ! Apparently they had left in such a hurry that the "Doudou" as they call it in French, was still laying under the bed. I hadn't been in the guestroom since Christmas and Mr. G. although he had checked the room when our son had called, hadn't found it either. Sending something by snail mail becomes a luxury, for this little thing I had to pay 10 € (14 $ !!) on stamps ! I could almost have bought a new one for this price ! But a Doudou is a Doudou and can't be replaced.

The "parents" of Chouchou, the cat I took care of during their holidays, returned too and it was about time, because the poor cat did only eat a little and was not well at all, although I had taken him to the vet. Hopefully he will get better.

I also went to the big Brussels market which becomes more and more a tourist attraction, you hear languages from the whole world and I even saw a group of Chinese, Chinese are always in groups and never as individuals. There are more and more British people too. It is also very multicolored ! 4 policemen were in the same café as I drinking their beer, which didn't bother my cigarette supplier. Somebody else also wanted to sell me a Rolex and a Swatch, and a "golden" bracelet. I told him that I have a lot of this stuff in my bank safe ! I bought fruits and a little purse and then took the bus home. Just in time as the sun disappeared and it started to rain.

BTW those who have red my post about Google + the poll gave following results :

DO YOU LIKE GOOGLE + ?
Yes 33%
No 67%
no opinion 0%

A lot of them slipped into it with no intention to do so !