FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

I had ordered a case for my Samsung tablet, it should arrive in three days, it still hadn't arrived and I had to ask why. Impossible to get a human on the phone, everything went by email. Finally I had enough and answered what I thought to a "no reply". Strangely, I got an immediate response. I should (again) fill out a form saying to return the item, so that they give me my money back and then order a new one! But how can I return something I have never got ? And this is the Company Samsung and not a public administration !

Since two years two trees had died in our garden and were full of large white mushrooms. I was typing on my computer when I heard a terrible noise. I went on my terrace and saw that men with chainsaws and other equipments had arrived and were beginning to remove the two tree skeletons.

It took them 4 hours to cut them off and just left a nice wooden plate in the grass ! Great work !

When I looked in the mirror I decided to go to the hairdresser. Although I live alone, with my cat who is not interested at all in my look, but only in her food, I always dress and don't stay the whole day in a pajama. I also put on some makeup I don't do this to please, I do it for myself. I just feel better then. 

My hairdresser is a young woman and is very interested in my travels, when she saw me coming she said, "hello, nice to see you, can you tell me something about the English coast ?" and yes I could.

and so I left. (not with the cat of course)

Yesterday I went to my neighbor Nicole, and found the other neighbour also there, so we had a little chat, I think they also feel lonely. But what to do together, One only loves running around and watch all sports on television, and the other loves cleaning. No way to get them out for an exhibition, or whatever event.

There are also the summer holidays and lots of people away. So I start to get bored and that's not good. I force myself not to let me go, but more and more I think that life without Rick is very difficult. I need a support and miss him more and more.

I tried to pull myself together and decided to walk from my apartment to the park ! It's really not far but apparently it wasn't my day. 3 times I had to sit on a wall and use my pouf. There weren't many people, most of them had already packed up and left, stands had been set up, and a tent for the singers and musicians and a dance floor.

Tomorrow it will be full here, it's the 21st of July the Belgian National Day. I haven't seen many flags, but our King making his speech in the News.
 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE JULY 20

1. What's something bizarre you've seen or heard recently? 

It seems to me that I only see and hear bizzare things. This morning I found a feather in Rosie's water bowl, now can you explain to me how it is possible that a feather arrived in the 4th floor ? Rosie without doubt wanted to wash it first before to play with it.

2. July 18th is National Sour Candy Day. Who knew? Do you like sour candies or other foods with 'sour' flavors? Kimchi, rhubarb, gooseberries, tamarind, dill pickles, sour cherries, sauerkraut, cranberries, and grapefruit...of the sour foods listed which is your favorite? 

I like rhubarb and sauerkraut, but not as a candy ! 

3. Share a favorite memory of an aunt or uncle. 

My American aunt was a chatterbox like me. So when she talked and talked my uncle switched his hearing aid off. After a while she realized that there was no reaction and she screamed HARLAN switch you thing on !!!

4. How would you describe your ability to manage stress? 

That's a difficult question. Normal stress I manage quite good, but the stress of the last years is only coming out now, in form of all kind of diseases, allergy, asthma, etc I hope it will disappear with the time. Sitting at the beach and watching the waves, helps me to forget everything which causes stress. 

 

5. What do you think about when you let your mind wander? 

About my future, I can't stay alone forever in this (beautiful) but very big apartment. The people here are strange, they don't want to communicate with their neighbors : "each for himself and God for all" that's a French proverb. I tried in the beginning to form a little neighbor group, but after a year they acted like snails, they withdraw in their "houses" again. I am now convinced for my well being to leave this place as soon as I can and move into "my castle" 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Now I can't think about anything else then the forthcoming change in my life ! In one moment I am happy and full of ideas of what I would do there, and then I have dark moments when I think, how can I get rid of all my belongings ? how to organize the move and then the address change it will all start over again, like three years ago when we moved from our house to the apartment. Rick couldn't help anymore and I did it alone with friends. But now ?  

 

 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

on strike

 

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

MANNEKEN PIS (LITTLE PEEING BOY) SYMBOL OF BRUSSELS

There are several stories about the statue of  Manneken Pis (Peeing little man). I only know this story :

Manneken Pis is actually the young Duke Godfrey III of Leuven. When he was two years old, his father died and two noblemen from the house of Berthout declared war. Godfrey’s guardians asked the Count of Flanders for help. The Count agreed, and placed little Godfrey in a basket that hung from an oak tree as a symbol of encouragement for the troops. And encourage them he did – every now and then the little Godfrey stood up and peed on the heads of the enemies. Godfrey’s allies won the battle and celebrated in Brussels, where they planted the oak tree. Legend states that this is why the street next to Manneken Pis is named Rue du Chêne, meaning ‘oak street.’ And, of course, next to the oak, they erected a statue of the young peeing lord. 

It’s a tradition in Brussels to dress Manneken Pis at special occasions. His wardrobe, which contains more than 1000 costumes including the expensive outfit gifted by Louis XV of France, is kept at the Maison du Roi. 

The first clothes Manneken Pis ever received were gifted by Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria, who was the governor of the Austrian Netherlands. As well as historical clothing, the wardrobe also contains modern costumes, such as a Mickey Mouse, Elvis, Michael Jackson and many more.

Between 1919 and 1940, Manneken-Pis received one new outfit each year. After World War II, Manneken Pis' wardrobe grew on average by five to fifteen outfits per year. And by the 1980s, the number of costumes rose to twenty-five. Today, around 20 to 30 new outfits are added on an annual basis. Here are the some of his costumes.

 

 

The whole year long tourists from all over the world look for Manneken Pis ! Often they just stand in front of him but don't see him. It happened often to me that I pointed out that he stands just behind them in the corner ! And always hear the same comment : Wow ! is he small, it's like a doll, I imagined a little boy ! But his pee is "normal". Sometimes on a certain occasion he even pees beer !

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JULY 15

 

Where is the mistake ? 

linking to AWWW MONDAYS

 

**********

WEEKEND

On Saturday when I woke up I jumped out of the bed when I saw the time, I had forgotten to set the alarm on my phone and Maria should come in half an hour. I just felt lousy, the air was bad and the slightest effort, such as putting on my home dress, left me breathless. I was furious because last Saturday I felt so good. In short, Maria worked and I hang on the sofa.

Isabelle called me from France to ask me how to open the fuel flap as she absolutely had to fill up, she had rented the same car  as I have. It's easy to find, when you know, so it took her a while to find the handle. I couldn't understand why she suddenly had the same car as me. I thought she had already arrived in Brussels! Afterwards we both had to laugh when she told me that she still was in France at the airport.

Meanwhile it started to rain while the sun was shining and a very strong wind suddenly blew away my parasol ! I took this for a sign not to go out and do any shopping !  I had bookmarked a kind of photo shop program and started with one picture. That took me the whole afternoon, I nearly missed supper time, it was Rosie who reminded me that it was time to eat something. It was already late.

This was so much fun, that I spent the whole afternoon playing around with photos !

Sunday it was still very windy and probably during night the wind had played with my flower pots. Fortunately nothing had fallen down on the terrace of the first floor. 

After lunch I went to one food shops which is open on Sundays to buy some fruits, with this heat and unhealthy weather, I eat all kind of fruits, whatever I can find, because sometimes some are missing.

As in my car I felt well, I drove to our former house, because Isabelle had told me that they had closed one of the enormous windows and had made two little windows instead. Unfortunately I couldn't see the transformation, because there were so many bushes and a high hedge. 

So I continued and ended up at the Waterloo Lion, to see if there were a lot of tourists and there were ! As apparently each Sunday a few Soldiers, 3 horses and one canon, played the battle, I had seen this so often since the renovation of the battle field, that I only took one picture. From the battles before 2015 I have a lot of pictures, there was a camp for the English, Scottish, Dutch and German soldiers. What they do now is really ridiculous.  The battle field now

 Finally I thought why do I go here, each time it makes me angry. Maybe because I had been volunteer to help the English, German and Italian tourist, when Waterloo celebrated the 200th anniversary of the battle and all tourist complained about the organization !

I returned home and wrote this post ! I just heard in the News that Jane Birkin (singer and actor) has died at the age of 76, I thought she was the same age than me. She was very famous in France.