27 Sept 2019

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE



Monday was probably the last time we could play scrabble outside ! It was like a summer day and little Isis was watching the birds besids the lamb. After scrabble we had to decide which of the two paintings should be chosen to represent our group in the City Hall exhibition, as all Waterloo painters participate in this contest. It's called "Artist course" and after the vernissage in the City Hall, the painters expose where they want. Our group will expose in our usual painting place.

After long discussions it was decided  that my painting should represent the group



It's this pouring painting, and probably it was Isis the cat who had the last word. Of course I was happy and also a bit proud, it's a long time that I haven't done something nice.

One of my friends had her birthday and had invited us for champagne, coffee and cake.



We were six and had a very cheerful afternoon. One took this picture of Mireille and myself as we are now the new "presidents" of the group together with the animator of course. The former president is now 85 and had done this for 25 years ! Now she will be only pupil and has no responsibilities anymore ! We had to split her job in two now with Internet, Facebook pages and  blogs, it became necessary. I took over all the publicity and artistic things the blog and Facebook writing, photo shooting etc, and Myriam will do the accounting and secretary work. So we needed a picture of the two of us to put it in the next circular mail.

We had our painting course and as I am into the pouring technique now I did two.



here they are, but I don't know at all what will come out when they are dry ! That's always a surprise.
We got 3 new members and two old once who came back, now that a "fresh" wind blows through the class !

In aqua gym we also have one couple more and these were the first "victims" of the not yet "Brexit". Instead of waiting until the show is over and a decision is taken to stay in the EU or go out, they had become Belgians together with more then 3000 other ex British citizen. They live in Waterloo since 45 years the children were brought up and went to school here, so they don't want to go back to the UK as they also have a beautiful house here. And as all the other UK citizen in all European countries they can't understand what has happened and only find one sad excuse the ignorance of the common people ! Now they can visit their family in the UK as Belgians !

Maybe they will wake up with the Thomas Cook bomb which also touches modest families, it went bankrupt because nobody wanted to invest in the UK under these circumstances. 20.000 employees lost their jobs. How sad.

Normally I always go in November to Egypt with Thomas Cook Belgium. This time I don't know why I haven't booked ! Lucky me ! My friend Chantal lost her advance, although it was said that there is a special insurance for such cases in Belgium, but with so many people to reimburse, who knows when she will get her money back. No Egypt in November for me, I wait until the storm is over and take another travel agency or book on my own.





more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

25 Sept 2019

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY







European Union Building



Brussels without cars, each year on a Sunday in September






more participants here,
and Image-in-ing

24 Sept 2019

BRUSSELS SIGHTSEEING TOUR

I have done sightseeing tours in almost all big cities I have visited except in my own town Brussels. As the weather was beautiful and it was the Sunday "Brussels without cars" I thought it would be a good idea to make this tour. My two neighbor girls came with me.

Read more here



more participants here

22 Sept 2019

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKKEND SEPTEMBER 21





Fountains in St Petersburg

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS




*****
Weekend

I was busy almost the whole day with preparations  for our exhibition  in October



I had made this flyer to distribute to people, hairdressers, doctors and shops, and then it will appear each week in our local Newspaper. We hope to get a lot of visitors not like last year where it was rather poor.



As not everybody is on Facebook I started to create a blog for our painting group, so everybody has access to it. After x trials to make a nice header,  I decided finally on this one.



I also finished my painting, I had forgotten to paint the sides ! But it was quickly done.

This Sunday was "Brussels without cars" which takes place each year since ages ! One Sunday per year no car is alowed to enter Brussels, only the public transport and ambulances or special services. I had the idea to do a Sightseeing tour in my own town. I have done this in so many towns in the world, but never in Brussels. Nicole found that a good idea and I invited my neighbor who had helped me so much when Mr. G. had broken his hip. I thought that's a bit of a special thank you then inviting her into a restaurant. Her sister came too !

We took the train to Brussels central station where the Sightseeing bus stop was. Dispite the fact that they had announced rain the sun was shining it was warm, it was just the perfect weather. The two girls are both nurses and I know them since they were 6 and 8, at that time of course I was friend with their mother, today the age difference has disappeared and since their mother has passed away, we go out together from time to time.



here were two lines and we made them both, the blue and the red. The Brussels of my teenage years had disappeared and like in all big cities the glass boxes had grown and the beautiful houses disappeared, at least in the center. Now all capitals have the same look ! It was fun to see all the people on bikes or scooters or whatever only no car !

We were all excited, because the girls hadn't seen parts of Brussels for a long time and didn't recognize either. When we had done our two rides we were in an excellent mood. In fact everybody was, and people joked and laughed in the streets.




Before we returned with our train, the 3 had Brussels chips, the real once and then faked to ride on the scooters ! In the train was a Goth, dressed in a black dress, he looked like a woman but was a very young man. The skull you see behind me was one of his accessories.

When we arrived in Waterloo it started to rain ! What a perfect day !