FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

1. On Monday afternoon my son and Toby returned to Amsterdam. The weekend had been quite nice until the very last day where I realized that our son just can't get used to the fact that we are not as fit as we used to be and can't do things anymore he wants us to do. I remember I had the same with my parents when suddenly everything was too much for them, only with them it happened far earlier. The rest of the day I just tried to distress and watched TV.

2. It was cold and grey again but I still hoped it would clear up. Nicole and I decided to take Charlie for a walk if the weather would allow it.



but it didn't ! It started to rain. Poor Charlie has an eczema between the toes and had to suffer a treatment. He was very brave except for the little bootie he was reluctant because it disturbed him and he wanted to take it off.

3. I had to do some shopping our fridge was empty after having fed 3 hungry men. Imagine that for the cheese fondue they had eaten 1.600 kg of cheese, one kg of broccolis, 500 g of little potatoes and 5 thick slices of bread ! Toby and I were orphans against them, although he has a very good appetite too !

4. I had to go to a shop near Ilona's so I popped in for a cup of tea. It was very cosy, she had lightened her wood burner and some candles. Outside the wind blow and the rain hit against the windows and before I left I took this pictures of autumn pleasures !



Where to put all these leaves ? and there are more and more every day !

5. I woke up with a running nose and my throat hurt a bit, apparently I joined all the others who have the same right now with this changing weather. I swallowed my pills and put spray in my nose and lay down and felt lousy.


above Monika, me and her sister Ursula, on the back of an uncle, me, Monika and Ursula

I don't know if twists of fate exists but I had one ! I wanted to call a friend named Monique and instead I dialled Monica, which was written just underneath. I thought that Mr. G. had translated the name into Italian. To my big surprise I heard a voice in German announcing her name. I got a shock ! I had dialled the number of my cousin, the only relative I still have, but I didn't even know that her telephone n° was still in our phone list ! She is the daughter of my father's sister and we grew up together just after the war when we all lived in my father's mother's house ! She was as surprised as I and then we started to chat ! We hadn't talked to each other since at least 15 years, not because we didn't want to, but we were both so busy and finally forgot and then time goes by so quickly. Since years I had wanted to call her but it always had been the wrong moment and it had been the same for her. Unfortunately we couldn't talk for a long time because workers were arriving in her house and so we promised each other to call us back ! There are so many events to catch up ! Her husband was the inventor of the  Brita Filter which has become famous all over the world. Now he is retired of course and their son has taken over.

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

THE WEATHER

Since two weeks I have started to read my blog from the beginning in 2006. I noticed two things. My English has improved and I am always talking about the weather. My posts could help to calculate the average weather during the years of 2006 til now.

Mostly it rains in my posts, but from time to time there is also some sun shining through. Anyway in this season I always complain, it's wet, cold, humid, just a weather to hang yourself on the next apple tree, but I have none in our garden.

My cats Rosie and Arthur are my weathermen, they jump on me during the night with soaked fur and this way tell me that it rains again, this also makes me very happy.

The weather is and has always been the best introduction for a conversation. If you have nothing to say talk about the weather. It works everywhere, in shops, hospitals, public transport, administration, dentists, doctors etc etc. You only have to start with "Phew it's hot today" or "Phew is it cold today" or "Phew it's pours" ! and you get an answer immediately.

For the moment I am not in a very cheerful mood. Therefore I am talking about the weather !

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Zoo views


more participants here

MURAL PAINTINGS IN BRUSSELS

I had noticed that there are more and more mural paintings in Brussels, especially on the walls which would otherwise be ugly and naked. Some paintings were real good.

















Sometimes they were in little unexpected places.

more participants here

WEEKEND REVIEW October 17

This weekend we had the visit of our son and grandson. They arrived on Saturday morning. Unfortunately the weather was cool and very humid

After lunch, Toby has a very good appetite, we watched a little TV



Before we met with my son's friend and kids in the "Kid's factory"



We adults sat in the café while the kids had a lot of fun and were rather tired when we left after more than 2 hours.

Before supper, Mr. G. accomplished his grandpa duties, and played football (soccer) with Toby



I don't know who won, but according to the screams they enjoyed the game very much. Mr. G. had some difficulties to get up again, he has become a little (very) rusty.

Our son took the opportunity and went out, meeting with a friend, while we babysitted. In fact there is not very much to babysit, because Toby is very autonomous and does everything himself. There was no problem with going to bed neither. I left the light on a little and he was very proud when his Nonno gave him a pocket lamp in case he wouldn't find the switchers.

On Sunday after lunch, Toby cleaned the dining room and vacuumed the crumbs.



In the afternoon the sun had come out



So we went for a walk to the Abbey of Villers la Ville. It was the St. Hubert's day the protector of animals and there was a celebration in the morning. Animals were blessed and in the afternoon there was a folklore feast.

We missed the animal blessing but we visited dogs who couldn't use their hind legs anymore.



Toby was very impressed and watched a video of them on TV when they walked with their kind of "wheelchair"



After that we listened to the music and had a drink with all the people who were there and it was real fun.



Toby got a puzzle to put all European countries in the right place

I helped him a bit, but gave up quickly, although he couldn't read the names of the countries, he found where to put the pieces much quicker than I did.



Dad and Nonno tried to find the right flags for each country, but I got the impression that they both needed to revise their geographic knowledges.

We had a very nice afternoon and ended the day with a cheese fondu.