THE RIGHT SENSE OF ORIENTATION

Where normal people have a sense of orientation, I must have something else, it's like the countries where the cars drive on the right side and others where they drive on the left.

I often  do the opposite of what I should do, but really not on purpose, it just happens. So it can happen that I might have the best intentions but am completely wrong.

Everybody says that I am a good driver the only fault I have is that I mix up right with left and the other way around. Even my 9 year old grandson when he sits besides me does not only tell me "turn right" but also points his finger in this direction, because he knows his grandma's difficulties in turning into the right direction.

The best and most sophisticated GPS (satnav or whatever it is called) always tells me the right direction but if I don't look on the screen I would not turn left when she says left, but right and when she says turn right you can count on me that I turn left.

This has brought me some unwanted adventures, which in the very moment I didn't appreciate, but which today make me laugh.

Once I was invited by a friend, she gave me the address, I put it in my GPS and started to drive. I followed the instructions but didn't look on the screen. It was a strange area, certainly not one where people lived, but where they usually are buried after their death. I had taken the wrong direction on a very long street which led from Waterloo to Brussels over 15 km and I had landed in front of a graveyard and not in front of my friend's house. Later I heard that this cemetery is very famous, because all the VIPs of Belgium where buried there, and beautiful statues decorated the graves. Through the grids I saw some, and it was confirmed that I wasn't in the yard of my friend. I called her that I would be late because I had landed at the Ixelles cemetery and she must have shaken her head because she said how the heck did you arrive there ? I don't know.

I never drive without my GPS even when I know the road by heart, because with my steady mixing up of left and right I once landed in the middle of two fields on a small cobbled farm lane, and the cows who were happy about this unexpected company all came to my car and looked through the windows. There was a fence on both sides so there couldn't get into my car, but I tell you a cow head is real big when it looks at you through the window.

Another time I wanted to go home, took the wrong direction and almost landed at the sea, which is 150 km from Brussels. Fortunately I realized that I was on the wrong line when I read the city names.

I could go on for hours, with all the adventures I had, but I think each time it happened I wrote it down in this blog.









Linkingt to Linda G. Hills SOCS-ght

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

After our Scrabble game these delicious "Merveilleux" (Marvellous) called cakes comforted us about the rainy weather ! Nicole's uncle is a retired baker and was only too happy to show us ladies his talent. He had made 6 merveilleux and one chocolate cake with cherries the day before and they were absolutely delicious.



I have to confess that we ate them all (we were 5) and not one little piece was left !!

Poor cat Arthur needed some litter and I went to the pet shop, I really don't know what happened but suddenly my feet disappeared I fell on my knees and then with the forehead on the floor, not that I heard angels singing but I was a bit KO. Somebody helped me to get up and sat me on a chair.
Besides my knees nothing hurt and I refused the ambulance. I felt good enough to finish my shopping and went quickly to the drugstore to buy a special creme.

In the evening I had difficulties to walk but the next day it was better and thanks to the creme my knees were not blue. I even went to aqua gym. Our trainer was a happy man, he had become Daddy of a little boy after 5 years of waiting ! Of course he got a lot of advices which he probably immediately forgot.

After aquagym parts of my body suddenly hurt and I kept quiet the rest of the day. Today I am feeling nearly normal.

Mr. G badly needed a new haircut but also a new hairdresser. After 30 years I thought it is necessary. Unfortunately Mr.G. hates changes, even if his hairdresser had become an alcoholic and between the haircut had quickly to go outside to drink a bit to keep him in shape. Poor guy. With my hairdresser Mr. G. was very happy because she listened to all his miseries after his surgery and did a real good haircut. And it was even better when the women in his Whist club told him that he now looks much younger !

I am very productive in our painting class, I started a new painting and was surprised how nice the one I had done last week had turned out once dry.



Since Myriam and I took over the class we have 5 members more and it starts to become full. We probably can still accept one or two but not more ! Good for us, we are really happy because at the end of the school year we just had enough to pay our teacher but no extras ! Now we bought a little coffee machine, have enough money for coffee and other extras.



We have accepted one very young looking mentally handicapped woman, because to our surprise she is already 50 ! She was so proud that her pouring came out so well, it was really touching, because painting or drawing is difficult for her. I forgot to take a picture of my new painting so I will see it next week when it is dry.

After class 6 of us went to an Asiatic restaurant "Le Jardin d'Asie" where we took the lunch which was excellent. I took one take away for Mr. G. for supper.

And another week went by !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - HUMAN (CAR) WASH

more participants here,
and Image-in-ing

*****

 HUMAN "CAR" WASH

When I had posted the two car wash photos above, I suddenly thought that I don't know nothing about a car wash only that it washes cars. I started to google just to know who had invented the car wash and was surprised that when I googled in English it was two Americans from Detroit and when I googled in French it was a German inventor. So I still don't know who it was maybe somebody should google in Chinese and the inventor would be Russian. But !! I discovered something else during my surf through the net ! The Human Car Wash !!

An inventor has spent three years creating a human carwash, complete with rotating brush and emergency stop button.



Matti Paaso 70, from Helsinki Finland went through four prototypes to create the 4.750 Euro machine which he claims will help those in hospital and with mobility issues.

It is built with two motors which rotate the brush and move it up and down during the shower - similar to the brushes in a real car wash.



Mr Paaso claims the machine is fitted with two motors which control the rotating brush and the vertical movement of the brush

'It also has an emergency stop button and automatically stops after 15 minutes.'

He said : 'I designed it for people who have mobility issues, or are injured or are older and struggle to shower themselves.'

Mr Paaso hopes the unique shower instalment, which means users don't need to scrub with their hands, will fill a gap in the market.

Apparently the installation is very straightforward, with the machine simply having to be mounted. next to a shower

'The user can wash their entire body in two or three minutes, but as the brushes are designed for a gentle massage the normal washing time is about 10 minutes.

'One of the prototypes was trialled in a hospital for one month and they loved it.'

To operate the Humanwash, users must press the foot pedals or buttons installed on the side of the device.



More participants at Linda G.Hill One liner Wednesday

THE BERLAYMONT - HEADQUARTERS OF THE EU

When I last published a picture of the Berlaymont, I realized that it is not known by many people when I saw the comments and I thought that I should explain a bit to those who only know now about the European Union thanks to the publicity of the Brexit.

The Berlaymont is an office building in Brussels, that houses the headquarters of the European Commission, which is the executive of the European Union . It has the shape of a star, which are also on the flag and is located in the "European Quarter". The unique form of the Berlaymont's architecture is utilised in the European Commission's official emblem.

The building has housed the European Commission since its construction, and has become a symbol of the Commission and the European presence in Brussels. The Commission itself is spread over some 60 odd buildings, but the Berlaymont is the institution's headquarters, being the seat of the President of the European Commission and its College of Commissioners. (sort of white House representing the United States.)

The Berlaymont was built in 1967, it’s striking but by no means beautiful, despite a billion-euro rebuild between 1991 and 2004 that removed asbestos-tainted construction materials. Information panels dotted around the building give insight into the history of this neighbourhood and Brussels’ international role.

In the European quarter many European institutions and embassies are located. It's interesting to visit this area.



These photos I have taken from Internet



When I was there I took these photos, now every day there are people here protesting against the Brexit.



They are coming from the UK



There were quite a lot when I drove by in my sightseeing bus

more participants here

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND NOVEMBER 2

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS


WEEKEND

Saturday we had a strange weather, it rained cats and dogs and at the same time a strong wind was blowing at 80km/h !  There was not a big choice for going out as it was the 2nd November the day of the dead, where people after all Saint's day were still running from cimetary to cimetary to put flowers on all graves, my neighbor even on her great great grandparents whom she had never seen, but the great grandparents and the great parents were all in the same family vault.

Nicole and I decided to go to Ikea, where it was warm and walk around there. First we had lunch of course and I had salmon with broccoli and chips. We didn't buy big things except a very  nice lamp for Mr. G's bedside table, the old one was broken and some little bits and pieces for the kitchen.

As a lot of other people had the same idea as we had Ikea was packed, even more then usual. When we had everything and walked through the whole store we had enough and went home.

During the whole night the wind was howling around the house and I feared  for our garden furniture, although well wrapped in a plastic cover. Fortunately nothing had been blown away, but I found our terrace full of leaves, although there is no tree with leaves around !! A mistery.

I had a few invitation cards to create on my computer and renew the framed picture of Toby in the living room.




In the evening Mr. G. had his formular 1 to watch and I surfed the net to find a new coat which I really need and also some other things for  Mr. G.

All in all a very "exciting" weekend !