2 Feb 2018

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE - FIVE ON FRIDAY - SKYWATCH FRIDAY





One day sunshine ! Our street



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1. I am glad that this long and humid January is over ! But not for our weather because it continues. The worst is that the temperatures are too high for the season and flowers come out and the fruit trees start too. If we now get frost it will damage the trees ! As usual we had our scrabble and I made real progresses I had never had such a high score, but still I was the last one but only for two points.

2. One day we had blue sky and people couldn't believe it, finally a bit of light, that's when I took the pictures above. But there was something in the air which made it hard for me to breath so I stayed inside and looked over the sunny gardens.

3. I had been lucky I had finally decided to go to my respiratory physician and got an appointment immediately because somebody couldn't come. Normally you have to wait at least a month but here I got an appointment for the next day. The result was not very good I only have 40 % of breathing capacity even when I do only a little physical effort. So she prescribed me a medication which I have to take for 2 weeks and then it should be better. It's due to the humidity. She told me that she is overloaded with work and the hospital is almost full. Now I will wait and see. I feel already better because now I know that it is not too bad !

4. Our friend which I always call my adoptive son (because he is only 3 years older than ours) came visiting us. He always says he will only stay for a short while this time it was from 10.30 to 4 pm. He had so many things to tell and empty his heart. He will come back on Saturday and install the big TV we have in the guest room in our living room and the smaller one will go in the guest room. There is also an external lamp to install with a movement detector. He is always so helpful.

5. The Belgian Television came to film our connection to internet, telephone and Television still laying on the street. It goes from the electricity box in front of our neighbors house, along the side walk over the street on our little wall into the garden and then through the cat flap in our garage were the connection is.


That's how we are connected to the outside world !



The TV team had contacted me  because I had put the above pictures on Facebook. A journalist asked me if I would agree that they filmed the whole "installation". Of course I agreed. The sun was kind and came out when I had to stand at the box explain the whole adventure then walk along the cable then they filmed me when I showed them the big hole we had had to dig in the garden because they were mistaken in the measurements. Then inside our garage I had to show the cat flap and the connection. Unfortunately no cat came to assist me for once I was a TV "star" !! It was quite funny and the team was very kind. With the journalist was the cameraman, and one for the sound. I hope I spoke clear and fluently although I still had the impression that one could hear my breathing. But never mind in this bad weather you are allowed to catch a cold. They will communicate the date when I appear on TV it's a program for consumer rights.




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31 Jan 2018

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE




above the clouds



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1. Speaking of endings....at your wit's end, at loose ends, a dead end, burn the candle at both ends, all's well that end's well, or no end in sight...which 'end' phrase might best be applied to your life lately? Explain.

For the moment I am at my wit's end, due to the grey and rainy weather ! When I open the shutters in the morning I don't know if it's day or not ! We are all without energy and morose



2. What was a must have accessory when you were growing up? Did you own one? If so tell us what you remember about it.

I don't remember any accessory I had to have, and if I did it changed probably every day

3. Something that made you smile yesterday?

I laughed sometimes during our scrabble game, but I can't remember that something made me smile. Not even my cats they sleep the whole day !



4. January 30th is National Croissant Day. Do you like croissants? Sweet or savory? We're having chicken salad for lunch...would you rather have yours served on a croissant, a wrap, a bagel, bread, or a roll of some sort?

Unthinkable for me ! a croissant is served with butter and jam and nothing else and usually eaten as breakfast. Can't imagine chicken salad on a croissant, but well on a wrap !

5. Sum up your January in fifteen words or less.

Lousy

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I think the weatherman can copy and paste his weather forecasts for a long time.


etc etc etc

That's what we had since November with a few temperature differences











30 Jan 2018

POMPEII EXHIBITION BRUSSELS

I visited this exhibition which took place in "La Bourse".The building is simply called "La Bourse" and housed the Brussels Stock Exchange until 1996. It had been founded in Brussels, by decree of Napoleon in 1801. This year it will become a museum.


La Bourse


and inside

The Pompeii exhibition plunged us into the heart of the drama and the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii. Models of machines and 3D reconstitutions allow the visitor to experience the destruction of the city and to identify with the inhabitants of that time, immobilized by the ashes of the volcano.

Over one hundred archaeological items originating from Pompeii, including a large number being exhibited for the first time, demonstrate the knowledge that the Romans had about nature as well as their scientific and technical know-how at the moment Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.

And while we were still hunting in the woods covered in fur (I think at that date), on the other continents lived the original inhabitants and no white immigrants.


The exhibition started in a round room where you stood and it was as if you were in the middle of the drama ! you saw the roofs collapse the people running and under our feet the floor was trembling. What a sensation !








In this round room we experienced an earthquake and how approximately it must have felt



It was amazing what utensils they already had ! Hasn't change a lot ever since. Pots for different uses, jewelry and candle holders.



The statues too were perfect



They had taps, and tube connectors, bath tubs and even underfloor heating !



kind of cranes, wheels and carriages







The posters on the walls showed how the city had once been



They also had all kind of items to make and measure the quality of wine



And there were also 2 bodies, in the position they had been found.





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29 Jan 2018

MACRO MONDAY - WEEKEND JANUARY 27



Rosie's little nose


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I didn't do much this weekend ! My friend (and neighbor) since 1975 had passed away fortunately at home where she was in palliative care. Her daughter a nurse had taken a month off from work to take care of her mother. I was with them when they took the body away and honestly it was terrible. I tried to comfort the two daughters a bit, and then went home.

In the afternoon I absolutely had to go out because I needed some distraction. I called Monique and Nicole and we went again to our Tea Room. This time I took some pictures. We had the cream tea and as always when we are together the good mood and cheerfulness came back.



We talked to two ladies at the other table, she had a broken arm and her friend had to help her eating, while Nicole has a tendinitis in her left leg and had put her leg on another chair. We joked that it looked like a hospital !

We once had this store in the center of Waterloo, but ever since it moved to the main street leading to Brussels, I had never been in this new store. But I want to make a cream tea brake on Monday when we play scrabble and it is my turn.



In this store they only sell British things, like a little Tesco. I found my sour cream (!!!) I found scones for my girls and for Mr. G. his beloved gammon steak he hadn't eaten for ages ! So tonight is English food on the table. I also bought Cornish pastries which he loved very much. I know now where I have to go back when I need a speciality which I can't get in our supermarkets.





The rest of the weekend I spent as doormanwoman for Arthur, when he was out he realized that it was still cold so he wanted to come in. He tried 3 times more, but at the last time he tried,   I didn't let him out, so he settled down on my lap and slept while I was watching a movie, using his back as computer support.


28 Jan 2018

CAMERA CRITTERS - SHADOW SHOTS



My cat Rosie loves to sleep on wires and cables



This friendly dog greeted me at the entrance of a restaurant.




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Shadow shots











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