25 Jun 2021

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

Half of the year is already gone and there are not many changes finally I get so used to my restricted Corona life that I don't even know anymore if I miss the "free" life or not. Anyway I can't travel Mr. G. still being in the clinic. So I started the week with resting on my sofa relax did some blogging and fell asleep while I watched a movie. That was my day !

Scrabble this time took place here and again I forgot to take a picture as for once we were all there, the group was complete ! I was even afraid that I didn't have enough cake, but there was even one piece left. As usual it was a nice time and I forgot my worries for one afternoon. 

I lost a lot of time by calling the health insurance only to take an appointment  in the agency 5 min from my building by pushing on all buttons one by one and listening to what it corresponded until I arrived at number 9, the last one which was for "all other questions" It's a real scandal people get more and more angry, finally we do all the work and what are the employees should do. 

My friendly neighbor is 84 fit like a young girl but of course has never learned to use a computer, she always has to ask one of her sons and she hates to be dependent. I have gotten an invoice from my health insurance which was refused and somebody had written (on the invoice) see annex. But instead of an an annex there was only a blanc page ! How can you explain this through the phone ? 

While I was typing it made "bing" like an interrupted phone call. I checked the phone and my mobile there was nothing. After a while it made "bing" again, and again I checked the phones and even the remote control !! Nothing. Then suddenly I saw my neighbor's head looking around the balcony door and made big signs. She had rang the door bell on our floor which I had never heard ! People usually ring the entrance bell. And when I told her that the day before all Scrabble girls took their mobiles out of their bags because they had all heard "bing". We really had a good laughter. 

My neighbor invited me for a cup of coffee in the afternoon and we chatted about our life now here in the building and it was really nice. Then her son arrived very nice too and he told me if ever I had problems with carrying things to the basement or something to fix I should ask him,  he comes every day to check on his mother on the way back from work ! Isn't that nice !

The next day I had a "family" meeting at the rehabilitation clinic of Mr. G.  As I arrived a little early I had the opportunity to see the other side of the building where a way leads into the woods. Benches everywhere it really looked nice.

Then a lady came and led me to the conference room. Sitting there was his female doctor, and a speech therapist. Mr. G was present to at least for the first 15 min then he asked for going back in his room he couldn't concentrate well anymore. At the end of the table was a tablet on which the head of our son appeared. 

Now all they wanted was how we will proceed for the future. As it was impossible for me to take appropriate care of him even with a lot of help we had to find a retirement home. But I had already made sure of that. I suggested the one  we both knew, Mr. G has taught the seniors there how to use a computer or tablet and did that for 7 years as a volunteer. And I had or have there (depending on the virus) my painting course. He know the place the people and most of all for the beginning the building the rooms and the whole internal environment. 

The speech therapist asked Mr. G. if he agreed with this compromise and he said yes ! I even had the impression he was relieved. That's the ideal place, he knows many people, it's close to our home and I can pick him up for some afternoons. Was I happy that even in his conditions he agreed and remembered the place. Anyway when it is time I will follow, for me and all my friends it's the best. Nicole when she can't live alone anymore has also asked for a room there, so probably in a near future they will find each other there ! And they both like playing cards !

Now I will go there and they will recognize me as "Madame Chat" (Mrs. Cat) and as we are both on the inscription list hopefully he will get a nice room. 

When I came home I had the feeling as if a bag of stones has fallen off my shoulders, I was so content and will be happy when it is for sure that he gets a room ! This retirement home was shown as an exemple on TV and was the only one which had no Corona virus infected people.

It is really hard to find the right decision for a beloved person which would be the right solution for both of us. Our son was a bit reluctant, he only wants the best for his father, as if I want to put him in a storage room ! Finally the Social assistant told him that his father couldn't be better then there.

So one step into the future is done ! All depends now on Mr. G. progresses. 



more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

24 Jun 2021

HODGEPODGE JUNE 24

1. What's something that reminds you of your grandmother? Tell us why. 

 Why ? Every time I look at old photo albums, especially the ones where my grandma was young, I think she looked just like me. We also have the same character (says the family) and we were both born at the wrong time. 

My grandma is from the 19th century and could have become a very successful business woman 100 years later. And I was born too early because computers and all art work connected with it only appeared when I was already retired! But at least I can use it as a hobby. My poor grandma had to play the housewife !

2. Is your life currently more 'moonlight and roses' or a little more 'every rose has it's thorn'? Elaborate. 

At the moment my life is really not to be compared to a rose but rather to a cactus with many thorns. Mr. G is ill with Parkinson's and I don't know how the future will look like

3. June 23rd is National Pink Day...favorite thing you own in any shade of pink? Favorite thing found in nature in any shade of pink? Your favorite pink food or beverage? Your favorite shade of pink? 

Honestly pink is a too soft color for me. I like pink in flowers or maybe a nail vanish but that's it. Besides ice cream I don't see any pink food, and what I drink is not pink either. 

4. Last thing that had you 'tickled pink'? 

After having "googled" the meaning of tickled pink, I was tickled pink when I got beautiful bouquet from my son. 

5. What are two or three words that describe your style. 

I don't know but I always remember during one of my Expat travels an Australian guy told me that I am a party girl ! I was certainly in my youth but now in advanced vintage age ???

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The only thought I have is to get my husbands health problems solved and that he can leave the clinic.


 

23 Jun 2021

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY




“Sometimes losing a pet is more painful than losing a human because in the case of the pet, you were not pretending to love it.” – Amy Sedaris

 

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

22 Jun 2021

THE LOST VIEW OVER BRUSSELS

While my son visited his father in the clinic, I took  10 year old Toby to the place where the Palace of Justice stands and from which you have the best view all over Brussels ! He liked it very much, took pictures, ate an ice cream and returned very content home. We had seen Brussels in half  an hour !!

First thing I wanted to do at home was looking at the pictures. I opened my camera to take out the memory card and stated with horror that there was none, it still stuck in my computer from the last time ! I was really furious and angry but there is nothing to do, I still have pictures from this place but my  grandson Toby is missing ! Click here to see the place which overlooks whole Brussels and the way to "Les Marolles" where the Flea market takes place.



The elevater from the Palace of Justice to the "Marolles"




The view over Brussels



Toby who should be on the memory card !!



more participants here

21 Jun 2021

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JUNE 18






 

Linking to AWWWW MONDAY  

 

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The real hot weather where we all melted finished exactly on Saturday when people don't work ! That's not right ! I mean I don't care because I am in eternal  holidays. 

I had slept only 5 h because I couldn't fall asleep and at 7 the alarm clock woke me up to open the door for Maria. 

I wasn't feeling 100 %, I think it was because of my fall, after all my head was shaken too. My son and grandson were supposed to come, luckily I had misunderstood everything, they didn't come to me first but stopped at my grandson's friend for the birthday party. My son came to me later to fix some things for which I needed a strong man ! Now the board is stuck under the dishwasher and doesn't always fall on my feet when I empty the machine. It was nice that we could talk alone about the future of Mr. G. 

After we had our chat he drove back to his friend to celebrate the birthday with the 10 year olds. I was so tired that I fell asleep watching TV and only woke up shortly before 7pm just before the News started ! Again I didn't sleep enough and on Sunday morning I wondered how I would go through the day, 

I did my yoga as fast as a snail and still didn't wake up properly. An espresso on the balcony didn't help either. 

I packed the clean things for Mr. G. in plastic bags and then I waited for the two to come. Dario had bought Pittas and we ate them with pleasure on the balcony. The sun was there too but it wasn't too hot.

Then Toby and I went to the Palace of Justice in Brussels, because from there you have the most beautiful view of whole Brussels. He was very interested.And I explained what I could. 

There also was an ice cream stand there, and of course we had an ice cream. From a distance, we saw musicians playing which was very cheerful and some people even danced on the street ! Long expected liberty, although not yet official only from June 27 on, but people didn't care ! I even saw less masked people then in Waterloo.

On the Boulevard that leads to the Palace of Justice, pretty much all embassies with the appropriate flags are there. I was amazed that Toby could tell me the countries of all the flags! I didn't even know that there were so many embassies on this Boulevard ! 

Then we drove home and I wanted to upload the pictures to my computer and to my horror I discovered that I had left the memory card in my computer !! So not a single picture of our beautiful trip! And also the other pictures that I (did not) take !!


 Father and son, after I had put the memory card in my camera !!!

I am furious and will never forgive me ! I really have to pay attention I become too distracted.

When they were gone, I wanted  to watch TV a little bit, but fell again asleep until the News ! I wonder if a Tse-Tse mosquito has bitten me !!


I must have been a cat in my former life

20 Jun 2021

SUNDAY SELECTION






 I had seen an exposition of creative Art pictures, so I tried it out 

 

 

Linking to : SUNDAY SELECTION