FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

The week started with rain and we could breath again ! Even I had no excuse anymore to sit on the sofa the whole day and do computer work or watch a movie. This time I had to go out for shopping. I asked Adeline if she also needed to shop and she too was relieved that her eyes were not swollen anymore and she felt much better. 

We filled our caddies and my little car was full ! I don't know why but there were no choice in fruits, only apples, peas, and Kiwis, besides the classical oranges and Bananas. When we came back we met Lou another neighbor in the garage and surrounded by our shopping bags we chatted for a while ! Now it wasn't the Covid anymore now it was about the French elections, poor France had the choice between a Putine fan, extremist, and nationalist Marie Lepen and the former president Macron, who is a bit snob but at least for the European Union. To avoid a Putine fan you really had no choice. 

The next day, I was in my bathroom and got dressed when a loud voice spoke something in the Living room. I thought it was the TV and didn't pay attention. Suddenly the doorbell rang and when I opened the door a red faced breathless Adeline was standing there looking at me as if I was a ghost and then said relieved, ah, you are OK. I didn't understand. In fact what had happened I am connected to Telehelp who does a check once a month. So they had called me on the device which is installed in the living room and this was the voice I had heard, then they called me on my phone and as I didn't answer they had called the next number on their list in case of an accident and this was Adeline who had a spare key. Adeline had thought I was half dead or at least somewhere laying on the floor, and was near a heart attack. I called the Telehelp and told them that I am OK, that I just hadn't heard my phone. 

I had bought juices, cheese cubes and the obligatory waffles for Rick, so that he had something to nibble while watching TV and went to visit him. The chief nurse when she saw me came to tell me that Rick had a crisis again, had pulled out all cables and had made a mess in his room. He also was fallen and they had to give him a sedative shot and he might be asleep now. 

We talked a bit and both realized that his condition had worsened. When I entered his room, he hadn't fallen asleep but was completely confused. I quickly put my stuff in the fridge because he was upset again that I wasn't sitting on his bed, and before falling down again or getting angry I sat down quickly. I gave him a glass of orange juice and drank one too but there was no reason  in staying, it just made me sad. He was half asleep anyway, the injection had finally worked. 

 

 

I stayed a little longer with the others who were sitting in the garden and playing a game. Then I drove home. My friend and ex neighbor just came over to help me with my printer but we ended up talking. about Rick who she has known since she was 5 years old ! 

 

To end the week I had an appointment with another bank, to change the  joint account on only my name, since I am now solely responsible for everything related to administration and banks. For this I needed 3 attestation, one from the doctor, one from the health insurance and one from his residence that he now lives there. That sounds complicated, but is justified, because if one of a married couple want to cheat, and empty the account it's impossible. But in my case it was done immediately as  Rick can't read or write anymore.

 

After that I went to Nicole, it was quite some time that I was with her, but we called each other almost every day.  Despite her brain cancer, she is in pretty good shape, she walks very slowly and forgets a lot, but otherwise her head is quite clear. We talked about our lives now and how much everything has changed. We laughed about travel adventures because we had traveled a lot together. 

 

 

Isis enjoyed the company and ate her grass it was nice and warm on the terrace and it was good for both of us to be together, it's just so sad that we can't travel together anymore. But it's better to make the best of our situation and not grief about the past, we can go to the cinema! for example. 

 

I took this picture of a very small garden of her neighbor, but she had made a little "Versailles" out of it with 5 parasols, and as I am looking for one, it gave me some inspirations. 

My car hadn't been washed since before Christmas it is white and I always thought it isn't dirty, but it was and while I was sitting in the car which was slowly pushed through the Carwash I took these "artistic" pictures. 

 

And another week is over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

HODGEPODGE APRIL 28

1. What does the word values mean to you personally? Where did your values come from? What are some of the values that have guided you throughout your life? 

What does "Value" mean to me ? First I thought something of value, like a ring or jewelry in general, but then I opted for a more personal meaning. Values to me are :

Loyalty, fidelity, compassion, honesty, and kindness

2. Your favorite vanilla flavored something? 

Nothing ! I don't like vanilla flavor only when it is mixed with chocolate (an ice cream for example)

3. What's something you've seen/done recently that you found to be very difficult, very confusing, very helpful, very interesting, or very special. Elaborate. 

It was not very interesting or special but very difficult, very confusing  ! To connect my computer HP to a HP printer. It was said that it is very easy. First I didn't even try, I had never done it that had always been Rick's job. But now that he hardly knows what a computer is I had asked my young neighbor girls if one of them could do it. She spent two hours and one afternoon and hurrah, it spit out two pages one saying in German "Congratulations your printer is now connected" hopefully everybody knows German and then in English all the references, but I live in a French speaking country, fortunately most of the words remained English also in French ! Next day I tried to print again and nothing happened. Now it was my ambition to find out what was not working. It was connected, everything looked right, the German congratulations had confirmed it but still the printer didn't print. After a whole morning I gave up and called another friend. She came next day stayed 3 h and then left, she had to go to the doctor and my printer is still connected, the paper is right, everything is OK but it doesn't print ! Now I have to wait that somebody has time to find the "error" which is now mentioned in my computer. Phewww ! 

4. Something you own and love that is violet in color? 

I have quite a lot of purple in my home mostly combined with orange. Maybe what I like the most is an amethyst ring and necklace

 

The cover of Rosie's armchair has also purple colors
 

5. Do you have vacation plans on the calendar this summer? Tell us more. 

I would have plans and my head is full of destinations and things to see, but unfortunately I can't go far because I don't want to be away when Rick is so ill. I will do some day excursions. That's better then nothing.  I will see.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

This week I stated that the days are too short, and I loose time when I have to do my weekly shopping for food. I hate it but if we (cat Rosie and I will not starve, I have to  !) I am so busy with my blog posts the best once which I want to have printed as a book. Now imagine I have to check each post from 2006 on, correct it a bit and divide it into chapters, childhood, my time as a single, the adventures of a young married couple, motherhood, and then towards the end (not really) It takes a lot of time, and I am not always in the mood either, but I enjoy it because I notice that I had a quite adventurous life. 

And when I want to rest my eyes, I just lift my eyes and see this 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

Tower (London)

Smurf, Central Station Brussels

 Husband and wife

Sculptures of different countries

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

THE GAASBEEK CASTLE OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

The Gaasbeek castle was built in the 13th century to protect Brussels. Over the centuries, the castle was repeatedly devastated and rebuilt. After that the castle was occupied by a succession of noble families. The Count of Egmond, was one of the chateau’s best-known owners. In the late 18th century, the castle became the property of the Italian aristocratic Arconati Visconti family and the Castle became a meeting place for students  and artists and is open to the public.

This of course is a photo of the castle I "stole" from Internet.

 Unfortunately the castle was closed when I visited it, but the park and the castle itself is beautiful.

 

 Linking to

TRAVEL TUESDAY

THROUGH MY LENS 

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND APRIL 23

 

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

 

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WEEKEND

I spent an awful weekend ! Never ever I had such breathing problems in my whole life ! Since about 5 years the pneumologist diagnosed that I had COPD. It never bothered me that much, when I had  breathing difficulties, a spray helped me. It didn't happen very often and I lead a completely normal life. I have a very good pneumologist and I do a check up each year. So far I am stable. But this year the air must be very bad because all people who are allergic to pollen suffer and have to stay inside. I am not allergic, but since 3 days when I walked or did the slightest effort like picking up a crump, I make the same noise as a steam engine and have to sit down and take my spray. 

Fortunately to go to Rick, I take my car in the garage and am not outside only the 3 steps to the door of his building. Unfortunately he was again very agitated and this time he had pulled off all designs grandson Toby had done for him and also all the Ferrari photos. I said nothing put everything together and put it on his table. No idea what came into his mind. It was nearly impossible to talk with him, because he jumped from talking about a train station to a prison, and wanted to go out. But when I asked him to walk a bit with me outside, he was tired and wanted to sleep and I left. And to lift my mood,

I saw a woman sitting in a wheelchair with a oxygen bottle in the back ! Exactly what I needed now !

We had our first Facebook meeting after the Covid circus and I really wanted to go, but when I came home I was so tired that I called and cancelled. I was angry with myself, because I have to be a strong woman, as everybody believes it, and I am also convinced that it would have been good for me to be with the group and have fun..  I ended the day by looking for a curtain which keeps the insects outside and then watched a crime story which was really funny and not bloody at all.

On Sunday morning I got calls to ask how the Facebook meeting was, and I had to say that I cancelled in the last minute, only to hear, that everybody was tired and didn't go either on top of all kind of different ouchies. I wonder if we now that the worst with the Covid pandemie is over it has transformed itself into the "sleeping beauty" pandemie ! 

The sun was still shining but unfortunately there was a strong wind which made it quite cool. I decided to make no plan, which anyway I often change and just let me go ! 

I started with my Blogwork  then had lunch with my TV, although I watched a short thriller apparently for me it was an excellent sleeping pill, because I have seen nothing ! I slept. After a coffee I felt better and wanted to print some papers for Rick. This time it was an attestation that he is unable to sign. Unfortunately my printer who had printed at least once, and made photocopies without problem, for printing the attestation it went on strike. 

I couldn't leave it like that! So I spent 3 hours with the printer, everything is fine now, only the stupid thing doesn't spit anything out. After that I didn't feel like it anymore and looked for photos for next week. Suddenly the afternoon had passed and I wasn't even done yet. So I've found out that I don't necessarily need to have someone with me, since I'm talking to people from all over the world when I reply to comments and read the posts. There was even a comment from Singapore this morning.

 Rosie moved out of her basket because the sun grilled her, of course I closed the curtain and she waited until it cooled down.

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

SUNDAY SELECTION

Each Sunday morning there is a flea market in Waterloo, which starts at 8 am and finishes at 2 pm

It's amazing which kind of things you find here ! The worst I have ever seen was a basket containing false teeth !

It started with an emergency, fortunately there was a bench

Of course there are also a lot of tourists. Usually I always see them with a camera here it was with nappies !

I wonder where this poor head will hang on a wall !

Need glasses ?

 Lucky little doggy 

Linking to 

 

SUNDAY SELECTION