FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE - RANDOM FRIDAY

1.
During the night of Monday to Tuesday I woke up several times and stated that something was wrong with me. My whole body was aching and I didn't feel well at all.

2. I panicked because on Sunday I am going to Germany near Cologne, to visit my oldest friend whom I knew from 1951 on. First thing in the morning I called my doctor and went to her consultation. She said that I had the beginning of a flu ! How nice. 



While she did the prescription for a special medication to prevent that the flu really comes out, I observed a squirrel which ate from the feeder she has in her garden. Was it cute ! Our squirrels are reddish and much smaller than the once you see in the States and in the UK.

3.
I went to the pharmacy to pick up my medication and spent the rest of the week between computer, bed and TV !

4.


Even the bin men seemed interesting to me, especially because it was not the normal garbage, but furniture, mattresses and all kind of stuff people got rid off. The whole day cars went by to collect mostly the metal, before the official bin truck arrived.

5.


From my window I saw a squirrel in the neighbor's garden, I can't remember when I have seen one here around.

Of course I couldn't go to my painting class, I couldn't go nowhere, I felt lousy and had no energy at all.

Today I feel a little better and hopefully will have recovered by Sunday when I go per coach to Cologne where my friend picks me up at the station.



and here we are as children and then as adults. That was the last time I have seen her.

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

MY FIRST POPCORN

When my mother's sister had married an American and moved to the States in 1950, she always sent us parcels with food and clothes, which were so much needed in the destroyed after war Germany.

Once my grandma got a parcel with a package in it which looked like rice ! That was something very special and almost impossible to get. So she opened the bag and cooked the rice, it didn't get soft. She let it boil for hours and the rice was still hard. In short uneatable. She complained to her daughter in the next letter and got the answer from my aunt, she had forgotten to tell her that it was not ordinary rice, but popcorn rice ! She also sent a recipe.

The next parcel arrived at my parents house, and my mother was keen to make the first Popcorn in her life. She followed all instructions and then we waited. Suddenly there was an explosion,  the popcorn jumped out of the pot and spread all over the kitchen. She hadn't thought to put a cover on the pot !  My mother and I even had to protect our faces. I found this very funny and could not stop laughing. My mother's expression on her face will forever stay in my memories.  We tried to safe what was savable and I ate the first Popcorn of my life. This must have been in 1951. Nobody knew Popcorn and I was so proud to fill in a bag with Popcorn and distributed it to the children playing on the street. We had enough Popcorn ! I loved it very much and my aunt continued to send us Popcorn. My mother never forgot again to put a cover on the pot !

10 years later, Popcorn was sold in Germany too and today you find it in whole Europe. It even became tradition to buy a huge bag in the cinemas and munch it during the movie, which doesn't not always please your neighbor.



PS. I am sorry, I didn't realize that we were already at the letter Q !

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

My mood today

(Science museum Brussels)


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OUR WORLD

Please read here

MY WEEKEND OF MARCH 7

Once again the city had invited the seniors for a theater play.



It took place in the city hall, which has a beautiful theater inside. Ever since we had the scandal with our mayor, I had seen this hall everyday on TV !

Before the play a lady held a speech in honor of the mayor who had done so much for the community for 30 years. There was a big applause and people stood up.



At the entrance I saw the first advertisings for the "Waterloo Battle bicentenary" which had also been organized by the mayor.



The play was a comedy and very funny, a family fight which could happen in all families of the world. We laughed a lot.

After the play we were invited to see the new building project in the center of Waterloo.



It looked very modern and the maquette should give us an idea how it would look like when it's finished. We were asked what we are thinking about this project. I only had one question : "Who is going to pay for it ?" which made the others laugh, because our city taxes are one of the highest in Belgium. Anyway before this thing is built with I don't know how many flats and shops etc, it probably will be finished when I can admire it from heaven or hell.



Then Nicole and I went to a Pub like restaurant where also drinks are served and our neighbor was this little doggy sitting in his bag. There was a birthday party and everybody was in a good mood and we chatted all together; Had been a nice evening.

On Sunday for the very first time this year, we had real spring weather ! 16 °C (61 F) sunshine and a blue sky ! I took the opportunity to drive to the next little town where they celebrated Carnival ! Normally Carnival is finished by Ash Wednesday, but there are still towns which celebrates !



In all Belgian Carnival  the Gilles have to be present. They are originally from Binche and wear huge hats with ostrich feathers. They have bells on their costumes and wear clogs. They dance to a monotonous music with trumpets and drums move so that the bells are ringing and stamp with their clogs on the ground. It's very noisy !



They were followed by this group of girls, unfortunately I don't know the origin of their costumes.



The crowd followed, so did I for a while, then I had enough and returned to my car.



On my way back I saw an unhappy princess, a bride, a little tiger (?) and Spiderman who probably called Spiderwomen on his smart phone.