FRIDAY's FAVORITE FIVE

Another week towards Christmas which I really fear this year. I had to bring fresh laundry to Mr. G, fortunately it is only his personal laundry and not the bedsheets or towels. My neighbor Adeline wanted to come with me to see the retirement home. For the moment she is a real  young woman despite her age of 83, younger anyway than I feel for the moment ! 

When we arrived, they were busy playing "Bingo" ! I watched a while and found that they all played very well. Mr.G. didn't want to participate because he doesn't know the game. His disease makes him very stubborn ! Fortunately the host didn't leave him in peace, so one day he will join in ! Adeline  was enthusiastic about how nice and friendly everyone was and how beautiful the building and
greenery around. We stayed a while and watched the game, then we returned home and had a drink together. 

I had to take little Rosie to the groomer because now that she is an inside cat her claws become long despite the scratching board.  She didn't protest when I put her in her new carrier, which is like a handbag for me but sang operas in the car. In no time all claws were trimmed and the young woman whom I hadn't seen since Arthur passed away, had so much to tell that she didn't want any money. She said it was so quick that she couldn't put a price on it ! Rosie returned into her carrier, meowed a little less and was happy when I let her out at home.

The owner of my apartment came from Spain where he lives his retirement life just to say hello and if I had a complaint, fortunately I hadn't so we chatted a bit and then he left. He is very kind, a real old fashioned gentlemen !

Nicole wanted to say hello to Mr. G, so we went there and this time they played another game,  to find words. It was so interesting that Nicole and I participated, but there were women between the players they were quicker then us ! 

 

We left when the game was over and Nicole who is already on the list, will go there too. With her brain cancer, she is still in a good shape, but it becomes difficult to live alone. 

That's what I did this week, I don't know I am really not motivated to go to an expositions or events, there is still this Corona Virus hanging  over our heads. I don't care, but some people are really hysterical !

This is how the the Covid certificate looks like I have it in my smartphone. In France you have to show this when you want to go into a restaurant, Theatre, bar, in short everywhere otherwise you are not allowed to enter ! In Belgium and other European countries they are discussing heavily to do the same, lots of people refuse the vaccine ! I think that's stupid.

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

HODGEPODGE SEPTEMBER 14

1. How would you define 'old'? At what age is someone old ?

For me personally the numbers written in my birth certificate don't count at all but how i feel and honestly I'm still as goofy as I was as a teenager and my son even calls me childish. There are people who are born old and stay old all their lives! I'm really sorry for them. 

 

2. A place you've been that's old? Tell us something about your visit there. 

Living in Europe we have a lot of old things if they were not demolished and replaced by glass boxes. I have been this week in a restaurant which was the old farm Mont St Jean dating from the 18. century which Wellington  used as hospital  for the wounded soldiers during the Waterloo battle in 1815.

 

3. Something you miss about the 'good old days'? When were they anyway? 

Good old days ?? I don't miss anything, I am always for new inventions, had already a dishwasher in the 60th, of course a washing machine too and a car. When I compare my life to that of my grandma I certainly miss nothing from the so said "good days" !

4. In what way are you a 'chip off the old block'? Or if you'd rather, in what way is your child a 'chip off the old block'? 

Once again I had to google to understand the "chip off the old block" ? Apparently in my case I am the second  edition of my aunt, my mother's sister. We not only looked very similar, but we also had the same adventurous character. Lots of people thought she was my mother, which made my mother very jaleous, and she once said "you are just like my sister" which in her eyes was an insult, for me a compliment.

5. Old fashioned, Old Testament, old timer, same old same old, old glory, good old boy, old wives tale...choose an 'old' phrase that relates to something in your life or the wider world currently and explain. 

I like the "old wives tale " where storks bring babies. There is a town in Morocco near Rabat called Chellah were hundres of storks stay. I have never seen so many storks in my whole life and thought if every one brings us babies the world will explode !

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I notice that people have changed since these lockdowns. Wherever you go to have a bit of fun

 you still have to play bank robber and wear a mask, except when you assist a football match (soccer) there your face can be uncovered ! Everybody is tired, quickly aggressive, and the shops or boutiques have old stuff on sale from two years ago ! I wonder if we will ever get back to what we called normal.

 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

 

 Have a nice meal

 

 

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ORCHARD FESTIVAL

Each year except the last two years there is an Orchard Festival in Waterloo. Usually it is always very nice, people meet and chat, there is a lot to eat and drink and quite a lot of games for the kids.  

This year it was a "Covid" Orchard Festival. Almost nothing to see except "organic" stuff, like glass cases in fabric, or covers in fabric for school books ! The animals which each year were the joy of the children and adults weren't there either, apparently the protection of animals had forbidden it I wonder if they were afraid that the sheep, alpacas, horses, goats and chicken etc would catch the Covid version Waterloo. 

I walked around I wanted to take nice pictures with my new smartphone, but there were not many people there and those who came and had a look returned quickly home ! It's really a pity. Or you should organize this festival like each year or better don't do it at all !

And that's what I saw during my walk. I was glad that my grandson and his friend weren't with me, therewas not even an ice cream.

When I arrived I saw  a few kids climbing on a tree with the help of a cord, but not much spectators

This tractor attracted the attention of a few children, who climbed on it and suddenly the thing started to move ! A police woman saw it, screemed hysterically another policemen arrived and also a few men and they tried to stop this heavy thing. That at least was a kind of "Show".

When I saw this dog I immediately liked him he was only 6 month old and a mixture of two breads. Such a friendly dog he liked me too because he followed me and his young master had to follow his dog

This was the only food stand where you could eat fried sausages !

Not many people compared to the crowds of the other years, where you hardly could find a bench to sit

Go green !

empty spaces

Normally this way is packed with people !

 

 

Something to see ! The police demonstrated how important safty belts are !

Then there was a show with police dogs who are able to find drugs, money, jewelry, 

corpses etc but not yet the Corona Virus

And here was the same festival three years ago ! There the children my grandson included had a lot of fun.

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AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 10

Get out but slowly !

Geez ! Look at all these people watching us !!

 For once  ! Behave yourself  they will watch every move !!

 

Seen in Pairi Daiza animal park/Belgium

 

 

 

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On Saturday afternoon my son and Toby came from Amsterdam, first to pick up Toby's little friend Benji and then Mr. G who wanted to see the three of us together so I proposed that he should come with son and grandson to his "old " home. 

They arrived around 3 and we spent a nice afternoon together

Father and son

Grandson and friend 

Later Benj'is father arrived too , and then Mr. G. wanted to go home he was afraid to miss his supper which is quite early at 5.30 - 6 pm. Both son and grandson spent the night with my son's friend so that the "little" once could play together and the young fathers who know each other from teenage on too. No problem with wine drinking because nobody had to drive. In Belgium it's 0° tolerance. 

I was a bit disappointed that they left me alone, I don't know if it was a misunderstanding because next day when I saw Benji's mother she thought I was too tired to come ! Which was certainly not the case !

Sunday was a complete flop. I had understood that my son would come after Brunch or Lunch and spend the afternoon with me, because Mr. G. had his formular 1 but he informed me that he would go first to him and come to me at 4 pm. I must say I felt more then disappointed,

 

I had some little things to have him do, and then I also wanted to talk to him about the future. Probably he thought he only will hear problems and shortened the time to a minimum. So I went alone to the Waterloo Garden festival of which I will talk tomorrow. 

Finally he arrived and hang my painting on the wall; It's a wall in concrete and you need a driller to make hole. 

 

and here are the two Dads drilling the hole in the wall. The blond one is the Dad of Benji. 

Then they had a well earned beer and Dario also repaired my TV, the hard disk was blocked and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't watch my recorded movies.

Now they all left and I thought now that I live alone friends of my son who used to pop in to say hello, don't come anymore they probably think I will only talk about my miseries ! In fact company is good for me because then I can forget all my worries for a while.

SUNDAY SELECTION

Flower arrangements

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