FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

Summer still stays away in fact I only see the seasons at the trees in front of my balcony. They are still green besides the fact that it still cold and it still rains every day. While in other countries there are terrible heat waves and fires, we have water and flooding. 

On Monday I prepared the room for my friend Claudie who would arrive the next day from the South of France where they have 32°C ! I hope she won't get a cold here now ! 

I picked her up at the Waterloo station when she arrived and she  had to put her jacket on immediately. As it was late afternoon we went home and I showed her around she had seen my appartment only on photos and was enthralled especially the view. We had a nice supper and caught up on all what had happened in the last 2 years. It was so nice to see each other again !

The next day we went together with Myriam to our favorite restaurant "La dolce Vita" and had an excellent lunch. Then we returned home because Chantal wanted to come and also say hello to Claudie. She could come and have lunch with us because her jaw was stuck and she could only eat liquid. In my street here is also an osteopath and she hoped that he could unstuck her.

We also visited Mr. G. who was happy and proud to show her his room and new home and we stayed with him the afternoon and had fun with the other residence. I know Claudie since 2007 through our blogs and ever since we meet each other once in my home once in hers ! The last 3 years it was not possible first there was problems with the airplane companies and then the Covid spoiled our lives and put us into prison. 

Today we visited the African museum in Brussels/Tervueren, which had been closed for 5 years and had been completely renovated. I knew the old one but not the new.

 It is very interesting and tells the story of the Belgian Congo and African culture. I will write about it when I have more time, for the moment I enjoy my time with Claudie.

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

Where is the spider ??

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

DINANT - A QUAINT LITTLE TOWN IN BELGIUM

Dinant is one of the most beautiful little towns in Belgium. ... So if you are wondering if Dinant is worth visiting, my answer is yes, absolutely! It's a local's favorite and a great place for those looking to explore Belgium deeper and beyond the most popular tourist cities in Flanders. That's why I made together with three friends and excursion by bus to this city. Unfortunately the weather was not the best but at least it only rained when we were inside !

As we were all a little rusty and didn't want to walk too much, we decided to take twice the cruise which took us along the shore with all these beautiful and colorful houses and also the rocks. 

And here I show you what we saw !

Our little group the one to the right is my new neighbor

You could rent electric boats and drive yourself without driver licence

All the long of the Meuse river there is a rocky landscape

The inventor of the saxophone Adolph Sax was born in Dinant. On this bridge all European countries had put a special  saxophone. This here is from Germany

Above Dinant there is the famous Citadel of Dinant, an ancient fortress

lots of restaurants in front of the river

Our boat

 

It is a very long time ago that a coffee was served this way. When I first lived in Belgium I had never seen such coffee filters before. I didn't even know that these filters are still available !

more participants here

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND AUGUST 14

  

LINKING TO AWWWW MONDAY

 

***** 

This Weekend was a little animated ! My son and family came back from their holidays in Normandy where they had stayed two weeks, unfortunately in the typical Normandy weather where it mostly rains.The area a part from the war things is also famous for its rainy weather. But they had rented a nice mobile home in a camping place. Sometimes it was so cold in the mornings and evenings that they had to put the heating on ! 

I first had the idea to pick up Mr. G and bring him home, where we should wait for them, but I was told that it was not a good idea and he would get too excited. The best thing to do was to meet in "his" home, I went there a bit earlier to bring his laundry and to prepare him  for the visit. Unfortunately he was not in a very good mood and even the fact that he would see the little family changed anything. When they arrived, we sat outside on the terrace where it was warm and the sun was shining. I completely forgot to take pictures which usually never happens to me and the once my son took I will probably get when I can see the roots of the flowers or the lawn over me !

Grandson Toby has grown again a little, it seemed to me, he nearly caught up on his mom and he is only 10 ! I asked her if she has a new "boyfriend" Mr. G. looked quite good  and even agreed to sit outside !

My DIL had never seen the home and she found it very nice. Toby was impressed by the old people sometimes hanging in their wheelchairs and sleeping while others elegantly dressed sat in the chairs and chatted. We asked Mr. G if he wants to come home with us, but the word home is now here where he lives so we have to say to come with us and see Rosie ! 

But he didn't want to, he said he is not feeling well enough and that he would prefer to come another day. I thought maybe we are too many people and he wants to be with me and our "nurse" friend for the first time. So we left him in his room and I returned home, leaving them a little alone. 

A little later they also came and my DIL saw for the first time the new apartment. She had never come with my son. She found it very nice and liked the view from our balcony. She was surprised that we live in the middle of the town where I could walk to the theatre, the movies, the boutiques the city hall, etc.

As they had to return home to Amsterdam they didn't stay very long, but still Toby could enjoy an ice cream. 

I was feeling exhausted, watched a movie and the News and went to bed. It's still very stressing for me to visit Mr. G with people even the own family because I don't know his reactions !  I have to learn to get used to this and take it easy, just not think too much and just let it go and see what happened.

On Sunday it was assumption day when Mary went to heaven, very much celebrated in all catholic countries and therefore also here in Belgium. I stayed home and sat on the balcony with my computer and answered emails. Two pigeons sat on the bar of the balcony. Rosie didn't even open an eye !

It was nice and warm  and I stayed there the whole afternoon. My neighbor who has a house with a garden which could rather be a park, had made a bbq and the smoke entered in my living room ! Keeps young, like the smoked sausages stay fresh !

Hopefully the summer weather will stay a bit, I have heard we had the hottest summer ever with temperatures  over 50°C but not in Belgium, Germany, and Holland where it was rather cold and rainy and we had terrible floodings where lots of people lost their houses..
 

SUNDAY SELECTION

 

 A variety of modern art or artistic photos

 

Linking to SUNDAY SELECTION