UNDER STRAIN

I have been under a lot of strain recently so I have no imagination what to write about strain, only to enumerate what causes my strain, but that would be boring, because everybody has his own worries. I think I will hang this over my desk :

Don't strain at gnats and swallow camels. There are worse problems than that around here.

Linking to SOCS - Strain

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

.Due to awful "spring" weather, I stayed home because it hailed, rained, stormed, everything to make you feeling spring ! Fortunately there is the Television and the computer, because everything was done in the house. My friends were still on holidays so it was a lazy day !

I had to go to the pharmacy because I ran out of medication for my pulmonary problems It turned out that with all the troubles with Mr G's accident, I had forgotten that I had absolutely to go to the lung doctor because I also needed a test and an authorisation to be reimbursed for the medication which would cost over 100 € without the health insurance !



My cat Arthur had watering eyes and looked not good, so I went to the vet ! What an adventure ! The so brave, cute and social cat suddenly was transformed in a furious mini tiger, we couldn't even take him out of the carrier, he growled and hissed had all crocks out and the claws too.



Finally with a stick through the hole of the carrier, the vet pushed Arthur in a corner to give him an antibiotic shot ! She couldn't do anything else without an anaesthesia and he is already 18 years old ! We hope that the antibiotic helps for his eyes. On the way home he sat behind in the car, looked out of the window and nearly waved at the children, who watched him, the white cat from other cars. At home he was again the sweet cat ! I never thought I would be afraid of Arthur !



After a one month break from aqua gym I was surprised that I could still do all exercises without any problems. We were almost all there and had also a lot of fun

We also had our painting class again and after that, Nicole, Myriam and I went to the Asian restaurant. The two others who usually come with us couldn't they had the runs, apparently a virus runs through the population because I heard of several cases



We had a very nice meal and it was so much that all three asked for a doggy bag ! So for tomorrow we have already our supper ! A thunderstorm came and we quickly returned home.

I am still very tired and without any energy, I have to force myself to do at least the most important things, like paying invoices. Mr. G. calls me every day 3 times and wants to come home. It's useless to tell him that it is not my decision but the one of the doctors and his doctor told me that he is far from being ready to go home ! So he complains and complains and will not understand that it would be irresponsible and dangerous to let him go. He can't stay up for long and if he falls I am unable to pick him up and no insurance would pay eventual damages.

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

It's an advantage to be cross eyed ! I see treats twice !


more participants here
and Image-in-ing


HOW DO YOU GIVE A CAT A PILL

Pick up cat and hold her on left arm like a baby, open cat's mouth with right hand and put pill in. Keep mouth closed for a while, then release cat. You just have time to see pill spit out and rolling on the floor.

Pick up pill and cat and try it once more. Cat struggles and frees herself scratching your hand

While looking for plaster and disinfection lotion you just see cat disappearing under bed

Put on leather gloves, pull cat out from under the bed, keep her firmly in your arm holding paws and repeat operation. Cat jumps from your arm, leaves a scratch on your neck, disappears in the garden and the pill in the sink.

Take a new pill and call cat. After 2 hours, you see a tail. Jump on cat, keep her between your knees, and hold the paws with both hands. Ignore cat's hissing and call husband.

Husband opens cat's mouth wide put pill far in the throat and keeps it closed for 5 min. Cat protests. Sweat is over your whole body and you are breathless from effort. Cat bites husband, scratches you and disappears somewhere.

You call cat again, put bandages and plaster over husband and yourself, look for disappeared pill. Clean carpet from blood stains. Cat is sitting in neighbour's garden on a tree and watches you

When cat is back home, you take a syringe, delete the new pill in water, put on a thick jacket and leather gloves and try to get cat out of behind wardrobe with special catnip.

You catch her hold her on the floor with one arm and legs and shoot the liquid in her mouth.

Cat struggles, scratches, hisses and flees on the wardrobe. You collapse on your bed. Husband calls vet, tries to get cat from wardrobe with a ladder, falls down, breaks his arm.

You finally manage to get the cat in a cage, husband in the car, drive cat to vet for pill and husband to hospital for broken arm.

Your recovery takes 3 days and cat is happy and healthy, purrs and enjoys food.







Almost based on personal experience !



Linking to One Liner Wednesday

MY WAY HOME

My world doesn't look like May at all, neither the weather nor personal. It's cold even frost in some areas and during the day not more than 8°. And of course it rains sometimes mixed with snow. This and the personal situation let me see the world in dark clouds as on the photos.



That's the rehabilitation center where Mr.G. stays, on a sunny day, after he fell out of his bed and broke his hip.

I visited him today to bring him fresh laundry and entertain him a bit, but his mood was like the weather outside nothing was good. So finally I returned.



The clinic is about 20 km far and the whole area was the Waterloo battle field where Napoleon fought against Wellington.



Some blooming bushes along the road



flat fields for miles



Finally I saw the Lion's mount from far, in memory of the battle



all along the road where old houses or farms which stood already there when the bloody battle took place.



Arrived in the city I noticed this Chinese massage salon, probably not there yet when Napoleon's soldiers crossed the city.



Somebody from the council had named the "Nouvelle Galerie" "WHAT" I wonder why what ?? He or she probably don't even know what "what"  means, anyway to me it doesn't sound like a name for a Gallery with boutiques, jewelries etc.



approaching home I saw the Tourist office which is beautiful building and fortunately not (yet) demolished !



Finally I arrived home and felt worn out. This photo too was taken on a sunny day !

more participants here

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND MAY 4

Where is Isis ?


Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

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On Saturday I went to to the clinic to bring some wafles and clean laundry to Mr. G. I was happy that he wanted to have something to eat, which so far he has refused. Everything which visitors have left I had either to throw away or give it away.

He is still very weak but can walk on crutches now.  We started to have a conversation about our house which becomes too big for the two of us and I am so fed up of the garden. It costs a lot when you have to pay somebody for everything because we can't do it anymore. Of course he was not very enthusiastic although he never goes in the garden or terrace, but he agreed that it becomes too much. There are reparations to be done and when we were young we all did this ourselves but now that we are belonging to the antiques it's not possible anymore. There are still our 3 cats, so it won't be before next year. They are very old anyway, 20 and 18. Rosie is only 12 years old. We discussed the whole afternoon and then he was terribly tired and I left.

It was really a lousy weekend. All my 4 scrabble friends were on holidays, Nicole with her children in Normandy for her birthday, Myriam visited her sister in the South of France and Mireille somewhere in the North of France. Ilona had another occupation, so I decided to go to the market, just to go out a bit. When I arrived it started to rain mixed with hail and everybody on the market ran to bring his things in the cars. As I was already out I thought I will do some tourist watching at the Waterloo Lion as I have often done years before.





First I comforted me with an Australian ice cream (in this cold) and watched little bikers learning traffic rules.



The Lion area was empty like my wallet, since the renovation there is only one new built restaurant  under the Lion and not the old romantic restaurants and cafés as before the bi-centenary ! At that time even with rain, snow or hail there were always lots of visitors.



The Lion was bored and looked over the green fields.



Suddenly a queue of old 2CV came from the parking to join an "Old Timer" gathering in Waterloo. Meanwhile I had enough of this cold weather although I didn't leave the car, but it was not very pleasant to drive when it hailed.

The "excursion" took me maybe one and a half hour and I was back home. I had some lunch and gave cat Arthur a slice of ham otherwise he didn't leave me in peace and I was exhausted. I watched a movie on TV and suddenly the phone rang and I realized that I had fallen asleep. It was my son to ask how I am, what should I say, besides the fact that I am still alive. I am worn out.  I think women can understand better then man. Or he doesn't realize that his mother is not 30 anymore. It's note the physical tiredness but the psychological. Things which didn't bother me in the past become mountains now !