A NEW CHAPTER IN MY LIFE

Today the 8th of July I enter the age group starting with an 8, at least so says birth certificate and my passport. 

I feel strange when I think that I am 80 that sounds so old. I would have loved that Rick could celebrate with me, but he is gone forever. So the rest of my life I continue as a widow. That's also a word I don't like. 

But I still have Rosie she is as old as me, so we are both two antiques, who live together. 

Now that everybody becomes green, bio etc I have the impression to forward to the past. Growing our own vegetables, do all yourself, had been normal when I was young, because we had no choice. We had to take a bike because we didn't have a car. We had to go to our neighbor to ask for something instead of calling. 

So now I start the 3rd and last chapter of my life.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

The week started again with a cool and grey weather, after having been so spoiled in June with temperatures over 30°C it was not surprising that lots of people caught a cold.

On Monday I didn't feel so well, but now that I know that I am suffering from hay fever and not colds I don't worry so much, but I am tired and without any energy. I spent my day with blogging, shopping and watching TV.

My neighbor came very excited, her phone had no light anymore. First I thought it was an Apple but then I saw that it was an Android. But she was so hysterical, that she didn't leave me the time to look what happened. I thought she has only to shut it down and start again, but she didn't even know where the buttons were ! 

They were at the same place like on my phone, but before I could push on one, she tore the telephone out of my hand and said she wanted to go to her provider so that he could sort it out for her. In fact it was so simple, she just hadn't pushed hard and long enough to switch it on again ! But she had already disappeared. 

Later she told me what had happened and it was exactly what I wanted to do ! She had bought this thing without asking anybody about what to buy had bought the most expensive thing, I don't even know the brand recommended by a young vendor, who told her it was very easy ! Of course they are easy when you start with 6 or 7 and not at 70 and more.

I have stated that seniors were often taken for ignorants (and in this domain they are, but not all) therefore they are offered the most expensive and difficult phones. 

Then I had an appointment at a beauty salon to clean my skin. It was a very long time I hadn't done this and I really needed it after these years of stress. It was a new salon and had been recommended by several people. I wonder why,  because this beautician was false, very friendly and charming, but she tried to sell me all kind of beauty cremes and things, and then talked all the time at the phone. I felt neglected, how can you relax when somebody is a chatterbox on the phone and you are supposed to relax with a mask on your face ? 

At home I stated that she had counted 35 € too much. I was furious, and convinced that she had tried to cheat on me. I called her and wanted my money back. She told me a story full of explanations and lies, I cut her short, and answered that's all her problem and not mine I only want my money back. 

The next day I returned and she gave me the 35 €, again explaining but I took the money and returned to my car. It's terrible I never realized that you have to pay attention to everything not to be cheated.So when I got a mail from the post announcing me that I can pick up my parcel (???) I hadn't ordered nothing, I first called the post to ask what it was. It was a gift for my birthday and not a scam, which happens often and was even said in the News to be careful. 

The week ended with apparently bad air, because I sneezed and had a running nose and was tired. So I stayed home except that I went two floors down to say hello to my neighbor Nicole. 

It had been a very calm week, but I learned a lot by reading posts from my Blog friends. 

This will also be the last time I write before I will celebrate a new milestone and will start my birth date with an 8 on my passport.

 

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SILENT MOVIES

The Silent movies ranged from 1894 to 1929 and were just that - movies that did not have any talking or music in them. The silent movie producers brought famous films such as Ben-Hur, the Ten Commandments, The Circus and many others and it must have been quite an event when they were first  shown. .  To provide drama and excitement, the  film was accompanied by a pianist who expressed them in music . The more dramatic the scene, the harder he pounded on his piano

The actors had to had to express feelings or situations in exaggerated gestures. (Maybe that's why so many actors of Italian origin became famous !) By the early 1930s, the silent film era was over as "talkies" became the cinema sensation.

To us today the silent movies really look too funny. There were a lot of famous actors and they were all adored. Charlie Chaplin was the first actor in a silent movie. But when the sound film came out, most of them didn't find a role anymore because they had an awful voice ! What a disappointment.

Here are a few pictures and how the actors where categorized.

 

This Lady was considered a "Vamp" I think there are a lot of "vamps" running around today 

 

which is probably not the case anymore for "Virgin". Charly Chaplin with a virgin (I have my doubts)

 

A nude was represented like this and made already a big scandal. If the producers would see the "nudes" today .....

 

Buster Keaton also "posed" nude. Today a topless torso is not considered as a nude but at this time it was. 

 

 

Believe it or not, but this is Gary Cooper, he also was an actor in silent movies but could switch over to sound films. He filled in the category "Cowboy".

 

 

The famous Valentino played "Sheiks"

 

 

 The movies of Laurel and Hardy are still liked to be seen. 

 

movie posters

 

Animals played in the silent movies too and probably the pianist hammered some special notes to make the piano bark.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 Berber camp in Zagora desert (Morocco)

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

THE ATOMIUM, BRUSSELS,

Atomium is the monument to the atoms for peace 

The Atomium was created in 1958 for the Expo-58. The futuristic construction symbolizes the atomic age, the huge capabilities of the atomic energy and its peaceful use for scientific purposes. 

André Waterkeyn, the Belgian construction engineer was the author of the project. The building began in 1957 under the leadership of André and Jean Polak. Initially, the surface of the construction was made of aluminum. However, during the renovation in 2006, it was covered with a steel coat. You can read more here

 

 

  In the inside of the tubes which connect the balls are either steps or escalators. 

An elevator takes you in seconds to the highest ball, which has a restaurant inside. For the first time we will eat there for my birthday, you have a wonderful view over whole Brussels and the restaurant turns, so you can really see everything. When I have been there I will write  more about

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JULY 1

 

Linking to  AWWW MONDAYS

 

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I spent the whole Monday on my computer and created "Art" pictures and collages etc. It rained and the day went by so fast, that I didn't even realize that suddenly it was 7 pm and I was hungry ! Rosie only eats during night, so she never claims for food during the day ! She is a night owl ! 

I also made this

collage as I had the blues with this dark weather on a first of July a text which I found on Internet and thought it sounds just like my case !

But then I look at this photo and it makes me laugh again ! This little boy is so heart warming and makes so many grimaces that he has become my "mood lifter" (if that word exists)

On Sunday I gave me a kick to get dressed and go to the market in the next little village. I needed some summer trousers and I knew that they have beautiful ones to very cheap prices ! It had been 3 years that I wasn't on a market, I just had no time with Covid and Rick, before this all happened I went each Sunday !

Nothing had changed even the dogs were there and sniffed at each other ! 

I quickly found my trousers and bought a blue and a white one and the guy had his stall still at the same place and it seemed to me that the prices hadn't changed much either or not at all. I got two for 15 € which is really cheap, in a boutique you can add a 0 and it looks the same.

He had also nice long and half long and classical dresses, skirts and Blouses. I have to clean out my wardrobe and replace the whole stuff, at these prices I have no bad conscience to give them away when I don't like them anymore and quality is not important to me for clothes, because I won't live for another 20 years !

On my way back to my car I saw this beautiful "tree" which were standing a little everywhere and gave a cheerful look. The cafés were full of people of both sexes, drinking their beer or a glass of wine. 

Then I returned home and continued with my pictures and watched a movie. 

CATURDAY ART

It's the first time I participate in this meme ! here is the result !

The original

 

My cat Rosie, the last from my four cats who is now also 16 years old, but still looks like a kitten.

CATURDAY ART