FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

On Monday I decided to go to our Smartphone provider and have Mr. G's senior smartphone reactivated because he couldn't remember the codes and password.  

What a story ! The employée told me that "Monsieur" has to come personally and show his identity card. I said that he is in hospital and can't move (wasn't true of course) then he answered, "we can't do anything". I asked him to come with me to the hospital which of course he refused. I proposed to come with his identity card and then he could activate the mobile. For that he said I needed a letter from his doctor that he is unable to walk and I have to have an official paper from the city administration that he gives me authorization to act in his place ! I thought what an idiot ! There must be another solution to activate the phone !

I proposed to cancel Monsieur's  phone number and give me another one with my identity card.  He said that it was impossible. I didn't understand why and before I killed him I left. 

The next day I went back and this time it was a different seller. I told him that I want the phone in my name with a new number. He at least did it right away and there was no problem ! 

It had gotten warmer and we could scrabble on Nicole's terrace. As always, we also solved all political problems and others of course  but nobody listens to us. 

The next day I spent explaining the smartphone to Mr. G. I had made a drawing and indicated exactly which key he was allowed to use. He tried twice and it worked. Satisfied, I took the dirty laundry with me and drove home. 

The next morning I wanted to try it out and called him on the new phone, but of course he had done something and the thing no longer worked.

 I have to find another solution  as he needs Whatsapp to receive calls from Italy and Amsterdam. 

 

 

Nicole still looks great with 82 and a brain cancer ! She is just amazing and fights like a lion.

The week ended with beautiful sunshine and we went for lunch in our Italian restaurant. We sat on the terrace under palm trees and felt like we were on vacation. 

Then the two came to me and we sat on the balcony and drank a cup of coffee. An apartment just like mine is for sale in my building and now Myriam is thinking of selling her house and possibly buying the apartment here. That would be fun if we became neighbors. 

Rosie too enjoyed the sunshine but inside !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

HODGEPODGE AUGUST 31

1. As we begin this brand new month tell us, on a scale of 1-10, where does your life fall in terms of being in 'apple pie order'? Please elaborate. (1=nowhere near it, 10=practically perfect in every way) 

 I only eat apple pie from time to time. I prefer appels like they fall from the tree ! I peel them, cut them in little cubes and that's my desert every day ! 2 for lunch and two for supper. Sometimes as a special treat I put some whipped cream on the cubes. I do this for years and friends wonder that I don't have enough of all these apples per day ! I only make an exception when I am on holidays.

Rosie presents one of my appels

A modern art apple

2. An apple a day keeps the doctor away...are you doing your part? Red or green? Sweet or tart? Ever played the game Apples to Apples? Do you like apple pie? If so, ala mode or just gimme the pie?

It seems that the proverb is right for me, I can't remember when I had a cold or was sick ! I love both apples, red or green, doesn't matter, but they have to be big. I have never played a game with apples, or known a game called Apples to Apples

3. Tell us about a time recently where you 'upset the apple cart' or the last time someone 'upset your apple cart'? 

As I have no idea what I should write because I don't really understand  its meaning and as it was used since Roman times and the precise idiom dates from the late 1700, I have an excuse I wasn't born yet.    

4. What are three words that come to mind when you think of September?

I prefer to show my September feelings in pictures

End of summer, colored leaves, rain !  I don't like this month it smells autumn already !

5. What are you most looking forward to this month?

Nothing, except that it doesn't influence my mood and I will see all in black, that also concerns October, November, December, I hope that it goes quickly by and we can hope for spring !

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

With the rollercoaster health of Mr. G I prefer not to think too much. Some days he is OK but has still difficulties to speak the words are missing, and then the next day he is so confused that I can hardly understand what he wants.

 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 The landlord and the cook

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

A CRUISE ON BRUSSELS ALBERT CANAL

For my birthday some years ago, I organized a cruise on the Albert Canal in Brussels. It is the waterway connecting the cities of Antwerp and Liège in Belgium. The Albert Canal is about 130 km (80 miles) long. It was completed in 1939.

It's a funny cruise not because it takes you along Brussels bank, and not always the most beautiful places! From garbage dump to car cemetery to the luxurious sailing ship club. You get on the boat in Brussels and back out in Vilvoorde (a municipality of Brussel). Then you can take the next boat back and see the other side of the canal. It's a very cheap Cruise as it is also considered as public transport.

 

The boats look like this. 

and here we go !

the death of cars

an outside building from the Royal Palace

Factories

Brussels' trash

concrete factory

Citroën

A stop

But also beautiful places

Interesting to see all the trash people leave ....

Very nice place to live

Apartments are very expensive with view on the canal

and here we are enjoying our cruise !

more participants here

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND AUG 28

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

 

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Due to the cold and wet weather I decided not to move and make a computer work and beauty day. I also watched two little crime stories, but in the afternoon I realized that I needed batteries for several devices and also a little table for Mr. G. on which he can put all the decorations he had taken from home to his new residence.

 

Rosie was happy that it had rained so much because then she could drink the rainwater in the little bucket and a bowl I had put outside.

I tried to call Mr. G. who didn't answer, so I called the reception and it turned out that he hadn't charged his phone, at least I knew that he was OK. 

From my living room I love to watch the skies and as I had my new phone I thought I will try how the camera works.  Compared to my old smartphone there was a big difference and that's why I didn't do a lot of pictureswith my phone,  I used my camera. Now I don't have to take it along anymore.

 Belgian sky promising three kinds weather in the next hours, white sky, blue sky and thunderstorm sky.

Night sky moves in ...

Sunday three of us intended to go to the Waterloo annual flea market with a parade of Napoleon's soldiers and an orchestra, but when we saw that it was only 17 ° and very humid, nobody wanted to go. Instead I went to Mr. G. to check his phone and tidy up his wardrobe. He wasn't too well and had difficulties to deal with the remote control. There was the Formular 1 on TV and I helped him to find the channel ! 

On my way back I stopped at Nicole's and found Myriam there and we had coffee and cake and chatted and told each other next year there is the same festival hopefully with August weather and not winter temperatures.

When I came back I saw from far a huge crowd walking on the main street, which was closed for cars and I could hardly believe that so many people were there. But on the other hand we had been prisoners for so long that now people rush to all events they can get. 

Obviously the pictures had been taken two years ago when there were no masks and sunshine ! Only the poster is from this year. But the crowd I had seen from far before turning into my street was the same or even more.

I hope that Belgium continues the way to deal with the virus, we  nearly have our normal life back. More and more people now agree to the vaccin. School will start on Tuesday which will bring back a lot of traffic.

Rosie was my model to try out my new phone, but she forgot to smile !!