FRIDAY'S FAVORITE FIVE

On Monday after having dropped off Mr. G for his Whist, I did some shopping and returned home. The snow had melted and the sidewalks looked quite dirty. I dedicated as usual the day for my beauty and watched some movies and tried to write some posts in advance. The phone rang twice but when I saw the number I knew immediately that it was somebody who wanted to sell me something, so I lifted the receiver and hang off immediately. 

I had got a convocation from the Technical Car Control which every car has to do after 4 years. My Aygo was already 4 years and I had to take an appointment to have checked everything which was needed for the check up. Then I wanted to make an appointment with the Control service, had to fill in a formular on internet in short they don't have a telephone anymore and everything is done online. Poor elderly people. If you go without appoinment you risk to have to wait for hours !

Our Scrabble meeting this time was not in Waterloo but in Nivelles because one of our Scrabble girls lives there. We could go there because the CARNEVAL OF NIVELLES (pictures) parade had been cancelled just like all other events due to the Virus which poisons our life ! In normal times the town is packed with people in fancy costumes and the parade and it is impossible to cross the town. This year, for the first time in ages no fun, no distraction, in fact it's probably worse then in a real prison ! At least there are activities and movies I suppose !

We had a nice afternoon as usual and her dog Sheena was happy to have so many other girls as guests especially when we ate the two cakes ! I lost (as usual) but that didn't matter at least it seemed to be a normal afternoon, as we had when the Coronavirus was not yet born !

Mr. G. went for the second week to his kinesitherapy to learn to walk again and when he came back I had to buy just some coffee but took the opportunity to loose my red case with all my bank cards, driver licence, identity card etc ! I was really down when I came home and thought I will call them maybe somebody has found it. While I looked for the telephone nr, I got a phonecall from Aldi, that somebody had found my case and I could pick it up ! Was I happy and also exhausted so Mr. G. who shouldn't drive disappeared and returned to Aldi to pick up my bank cards ! 

And when we had put everything in place he suddenly stated that he had lost one hearing aid ! What a day ! I think we have the first signs of the lockdown symptom ! We looked everywhere even in the street where he hadn't been and finally gave up. Fortunately they were insured, but still for one ear 200€ to pay ! When we came back I saw something under the cushion of the car seat and ..... it was the hearing aid ! The second miracle ! 

Now after all these excitements, worries in one day I told Mr. G. that I will spent the money on clothes, shoes etc but for what ? You can't go out to show your new feathers ! Everything is closed and it's cold so you have to wear a thick jacket or a coat and nobody sees your new outfits !! Therefore I continue to move around in Jeans and T-shirts and only dress up a bit when I go to our "Lockdown Babble Club" or Scrabble ! 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

HODEGEPODGE FEBRUARY 18

1. This week's Hodgepodge lands on Ash Wednesday which signals the beginning of Lent. Do you mark this season in some way? If so tell us more. Did you grow up 'celebrating' Lent? Is attending church part of your weekly routine? Are churches open for in-person worship where you live? 

We always celebrated Carnival in Germany where I came from it is a very important event in Cologne, like in Venice or Rio. Ash Wednesday people recovered from all the festivities and were sad that the 4 days of celebration were over.The church is only important to believers. Belgium is a catholic country and religion has no influence whatsoever on either politics or the municipality of the city. When lent begins we see in the calendars, maybe in some regions they celebrate it, but I really don't know.

2. When is the last time you sat beside a 'real' fire? Do you have a fireplace in your home? Wood or gas logs? Favorite thing cooked over a fire?

We had an open fire in our living room, which worked with logs. It was not so for heating but rather for decoration and it was so romantic to look in the open fire. In Belgium all houses had this kind of open fire even in apartments. Ours has none because since a few years it's only built on request and not automatically. 

3. Something that's currently got you fired up?

In these times nothing got me fired up ! What should it be ? Day in  day out it's the same for going somewhere remain parks and woods, but with this cold weather I prefer to stay inside. The day restaurants, bars and cafes will finally open then that will fire me up and go out with my friends having a meal or only a drink !

4. February also happens to be National Cabbage Day. Who knew? Do you like cabbage? Is cabbage on your menu Wednesday? Of the following cabbage dishes which is your favorite-coleslaw (mayo or vinegar?), sauerkraut, cabbage rolls, cabbage soup, kielbasa and cabbage, grilled cabbage, bubble and squeak, kimchi, or haluski? 

Mr. G. being Italian he seldom eats cabbage and I am not a cabbage fan neither ! We don't have a National Cabbage Day, here it would be the Belgian fries which are wrongly called French fries. That makes the Belgians angry because they were invented in Belgium and have nothing to do with France. From time to time we like sauerkraut in the winter, but that's it.

5. Do you hang on to pennies? What do you do with them? Last thing you purchased for $1.00? Last thing you purchased for $5.00? 

Last time I purchased with a Dollar must have been in 1997, when we visited my aunt in Madison/Wisc. Now I spend Euros !.. In general I don't like coins, I prefer to pay by card and not carry cash around with me.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

That's not the day to ask me  my thoughts ! There are days you better stay in bed ! First Mr. G felt sick and the doctor came, she has her cabinet just in the next house. This settled, I had to go shopping, which I did and lost the case with all my bank cards. While I was looking for the telephone nr of the shop the phone rang and a friendly lady told me they had found it and I could pick it up whenever I want ! That at least was a nice thought because apparently there are still honnest people around.

 

 

The only one who enjoys the lockdown and probably has no random thoughts besides eating is little Rosie I wished I could swap with her !

 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 Charlie and his "soldiers"

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

EVENT CANCELLED - CARNIVAL NIVELLES

In normal times when we are not prisoners of a vicious virus and are living in a lockdown with curfew there is a lot going on in February and the most important festival in many European countries is the Carnival. 

Of course this year no parade took place and left a lot of frustrated people ! We used to go into the next town called Nivelles 15 km from Waterloo and there each year a very nice Carnival parade took place. 

These are photos I took some years ago !

You can read more about the parade here in my Countries & Cities Blog

more participants here

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND FEBRUARY 13

 

Linking to AWWWW MONDAY 

 

 

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WEEKEND 

Saturday I spent my day with taking photos of Rosie the cat and as the snow was melting on the balcony I tried my artistic talent and draw a memory for the first snow this year !

On Sunday we had our Lockdown babble afternoon and there were a lot to babble about ! Have a nice week !

 

 

SUNDAY SELECTION

Instead of deleting these pictures I kept them and made kind of "modern Art".  The first three I really don't remember what it is, I think the first one was the inside of a barn, but the others ??

Colors I use for painting
 

and the bubble we are still sitting in !

 

 

Linking to Sunday Selection