THE FIRST THING

When I wake up in the morning it's still dark and the first thing which comes into my mind is, why do we have this winter time, now it's 8 am and in summer it would be 9 and already daylight. Strange logic, because in the evening it's dark at 5 pm and summertime would be 6 ! But this is not always the first time what I think. 

Mostly I try to make a plan for things I would, could, and should do ! That's usually my first thing which moves slowly in my brain. And then I realize that besides staying home and try to put some order in my million photos, try to write when my head is empty or watch a movie. For household scores I don't make plans because I know I won't keep them and with the promise to mysellf I would comfort me and say, you do it tomorrow. Of course there are things they have to be done this very day and that of course I do.

Today for example I have no special plan I wait for Maria the cleaning lady who arrives at 8 am still in the dark. Since the never ending lockdown I don't get up before 9 when it's daylight ! So once a week I can watch the sunraise, which mostly doesn't raise but only gives me light to turn off the electric light.

 

When I saw a beautiful sunrise for the very first time here in our new home I thought I should always get up, but when the days become longer I have to set my alarm clock to see the sun raise.
Then it's better to watch sunsets because they are also beautiful and to a decent time. Anyway when I sort out my photos I sometimes don't remember if its a sunrise or a sunset !

I switch on the TV for the News while I am waiting for Maria and as each day I see a graphic with numbers and arrows that show how many dead, how many infected and how many have been discharged from the hospital. The vaccinations started here in the retirement homes and the medical staff. Now they have to discuss for a while where the vaccination centers should be installed. Meanwhile we are still under curfew at 10 pm and all restaurants and hairdressers are closed. Our politicians who should look like Hippies by now, are always well groomed like cats (strange).  They probably all have a wife at home who is a hairdresser.

This post was the first thing I did this morning and now I think about another plan for today.

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FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

When the week's end comes near, it becomes more and more difficult to remember what I have done during the week, I think I should write it down. It is as if I should describe a basket full of white eggs which of course look all white.

As usual the Monday now is declared "MY" day, dedicated to my "beauty" ! Mr. G. is away the whole day, I mean until 4pm which makes me think of school times, when at 4pm the peace was finished and the house invaded by one intruder. So besides phone calls, TV and movie watching, I relaxed. I have to say that this long lockdown doesn't suit him at all and makes him feel unwell. Besides the household scores which we share he spends his days behind the computer and TV. 

Then his mobile gave up it's soul and as it was the very old model he wanted the same but it's not sold anymore everybody has a smartphone now. Or at least one which looks like. I thought there must be smartphones for seniors easy to handle and understand ! And I found one ! Mr. G. very reluctant to everything new and only used to computers as it was his job, finally agreed he had no choice either he absolutely needs a mobile, he is nearly 80. 

I went to the shop and had to order it because it was not in stock. Now he has it ! and it has everything he would need even Internet and Whatsapp, emails, camera, video, calendar etc the basic things of a smartphone. The keys are big and easy to read. And you push the buttons and don't have to slide !

Now, the problem is it's so easy to use that he is looking for complications !  He will get used to it. Over the weekend his friend will come and intall everything. For the moment he can call, receive calls and see his emails. That's the most important. 

We had our lockdown meeting twice this week which is really a good therapy. Many people suffer depression everybody is tired and has a lack of energy ! We were informed that the lockdown will last until beginning March !!

The vaccinations continue now it's the turn of the medical staff and then it's the turn of the over 65 and then the others. It's not an obligation, it's more subtile ! Because those who refuse to be vaccinated can't travel into another country ! And Belgium is so small that if you drive 200 km in all directions you arrive in France, Germany, Holland, and Luxemburg !

A new tourist attraction has been discovered a little Flemish town 30 km from Antwerp, where the COVID vaccine is produced !  

And if after walking around and taking photos, there is also the Brewery of a very famous Belgian beer in the same city !

Where in normal times you certainly can have a few beers ! For the moment all restaurants and cafes are still closed. Duvel means Devil and you can try if the name is right !

Besides that to close the week it's snowing !!

view from our Balcony

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

HODGEPODGE JANUARY 14

1. When were you last a guest at an event or in someone's home? Tell us about it. Do you enjoy having guests in your own home? 

In Belgium we are at our second lockdown. So officially if you are more then one person in a "bubble'" you are allowed to invite one person. If you live alone you are allowed to receive two. As this is not logical at all, usually your guest arrive as couple, we have to break the rules sometimes or only invite devorcees and widows ! Since the lockdowns, we are in n° 2,  I meet every second day with two friends. We are always the same and keep distance. 

Otherwise I didn't go anyway restaurants are closed and all other places to visit too.  In normal life I always enjoyed to have guests in my house !

2. What has you 'tied up in knots' currently or recently? Are you any good at tying actual knots?

 Nothing comes into my mind besides my wedding 51 years ago, so I suppose that I misunderstood the sentence because it doesn't fit on currently or recently. Apparently I am not good  at tying actual knots as I am still knotted with the same man since half a century. Google translate didn't know either.

3. What's something you've been wanting to do and have decided 2021 will be the year you 'take the plunge'? 

 I want to return to Egypt to my winter home  for some well needed holidays and plunge into the Red Sea which is blue ! Missed already 2020 and it doesn't look much better for this year, if the Coronavirus continues to ruin our lives !

4. Something in your home that's old? Something new? Something borrowed? Something blue? 

I have several antiques in my home, but as we have moved 6 months ago I have a lot of new things too ! Everything I borrowed I gave back, and I have a few bath towels in blue.

5. Share a favorite quote, a verse of scripture, and/or a bit of wisdom for couples getting married in this challenging and seemingly unpredictable season we're currently/still experiencing. 

“Marriage is an alliance entered into by a man who can't sleep with the window shut, and a woman who can't sleep with the window open.” — George Bernard Shaw 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The only thing which goes through my mind is the fact that our lockdown will probably last until beginning March ! We have to be vaccinated to travel, which is very clever so they don't have to forbid travels, you just can't. Kind of blackmailing in the name of our health !!

 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Don't be surprised if you come to Belgium and notice that the population starts to look as the cattle above because our hairdressers are still closed due to lockdown.

Don't ask me why, because you can wash your car and also take your dog to the groomer. I have to cut my hairs and nails myself, while my cat can have the full beauty treatment with nail/claw cutting included ! 

 

                                                                         The solution !
 

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PEOPLE AND ARTWORK IN MOROCCO

I have been in Morocco four times, on a round trip. The first one was just a little one and then we spent our holidays in this country. This is long time ago and Mr. G. still travelled. But then I did three big once. The South, the North and then all Imperial cities. All three were very interesting. 

Here are some pictures which I took but have never published, it shows the Moroccan people on the streets and also how they work to make beautiful plates, vases and mosaic and work in a factory

As the main streets were really pretty in the evenings with all these lights I don't remember the city where I took this picture !

Women sitting on the benches along the street and chat and laugh.They were very friendly. As you see only the elderly woman wore a scarf.

a young mother with her little girl

 entrance into a house

a wall in the factory

Mosaic is made here

A lot of smoke came out of the factory

This man makes vases, bowls and plates

and this girl paints them

He paints the huge vases

Mosaic

It's quite a puzzle creating these mosaics

And the finished artwork

It seemed to me that the working conditions would never be acceptable in our Western countries, but these men seemed to be very happy and proud of their work ! 

And they can be, because what I saw was really very beautiful !

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AWWWW MONDAY

 

Bruges dolls in lace costume

 

                                                                      Swarowski cat

Crystal cat

 

 

 

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

 

 

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WEEKEND

Every Friday a committee meets to decide on our lockdown fate. 

 

 which makes me think of a "déjà vu"

After checking all the numbers from top to bottom and the fact that people dared to travel to other countries for the school holidays, the number of coronavirus affected has dropped. 

So it was generously allowed to reopen the driving schools ! That was of course nice for the young people but less so for the rest of the population who finally want hairdressers and restaurants to open. The general mood here is accordingly. 

A part from hanging around while I couldn't even go outside because of heavy fog and humidity, I moved the content of 2020 in my computer to my back up and created new folders in the hope they would be filled with cheerful NEW photos ! So the day went by like all the others.

The houses have disappeared

On Sunday it was freezing for the first time and the grass wasn't green anymore but white. In the afternoon we went to Nicole  to eat the "Merveilleux" which her cousin a former baker had made for us.

They were delicious ! 

   

Poor Isis was disappointed that we ate a cake and not a mouse ! 

We had a nice afternoon and made plans for when the lockdown finally would end !  When you can't do anything at all, not even have a cup of coffee in a café, then you get more and more modest !