AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND DECEMBER 21

 

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WEEKEND

On Saturday I expected my family to celebrate Christmas together. When they arrived dog Leia went to Rosie's basket to sniff if she was still there, Rosie opened an eye and then went to back to sleep. Leia turned around and did the same. The problem of dog/cat was solved. 

Then we went to a very nice restaurant which is famous for its meat quality. My son and grandson wanted to eat a good steak, while my DIL doesn't eat any meat but had a very good salmon dish. The building dates from the 18th century and is a restaurant since 1976.!!!

It is very cozy inside, has an open fire and a big garden, where you can sit in summer. We had a great meal and far too much, I had difficulties to finish my plate. Leia was very brave and lay under the table and slept.

Then we returned home and celebrated our Christmas. I had no Christmas tree, but had made a nice Christmas decoration.

I have got a special USB key which allows me to use it for my computer, my mobile and my tablet.

There was a little Christmas market in our restaurant and we made a walk through, but didn't buy anything. Poor Toby had probably eaten too much and didn't feel well, so he lay down for a while on my bed. 

At 5 pm they returned to Amsterdam, unfortunately in an awful weather, rain and wind but arrived safely home. Although we had celebrated a bit in advance, it was a nice Christmas day, the first different one in my new life.

Sunday was terrible, it was snowing and hailing at the same time! We played a kind of bowling and Litchi, our therapist's dog, let the people pamper him but didn't chase a ball.

Kim who is our "entertainer" and my son.

 

V

A very happy Christmas and a healthy good year without any problems !

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

Unfortunately, I'm still suffering from this damp weather, I only feel good when I'm sitting  and not doing any physical moves.

Fortunately, we started the week with a very interesting quiz. It was about Christmas, how this holiday started, why and where, etc. It was very interesting and I was able to answer almost all questions, as I knew that celebrating Christmas originated in Germany and from there spread all over the world.

 The next day, cookies were baked and Christmas music played. That put me in the Christmas spirit, even though I only watched two people kneading the dough, no wonder they did it so well, both had a bakery!

Tomorrow I'll celebrate Christmas with my family, a bit early, but my DIL's family is spread out across Holland. I'll celebrate with my flatmates or alone. It depends on my mood.

I wish you 

 

 

                                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE DECEMBER 19

1. What's one thing you want to get done before the calendar flips to a new year?

Improve my health (but how ?) and finally start my new life as a widow and enjoy life again.

2. What's something that brought a smile to your face this year?

A lot, because the sadder I am, the more I seem happy and funny and laugh all the time

3. What do you like on a cracker? Do you have a favorite cracker variety?

It's fun  ! Especially the pieces of paper that lie inside and predict the future. 

4. Do you have plans for ringing in the new year in a fun or special way? Are you typically awake at midnight on the last day of the year? 

We, and now I try to wait until midnight, watch the fireworks if there are some.  We always used to celebrate with friends and it was always very funny. 

New Year, long ago, together with friends.

This year I don't know, probably I will buy some salmon or sushi and a bottle of champagne (without alcohol) and watch a movie. Maybe others will join me.

5. What are three words that describe your 2024? 

Ups, downs, lost 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

This year during the Christmas season. I think about all the Christmases I have celebrated during my life. I think the best were those in England. We celebrated the first years of our marriage with my parents, but I have very bad memories of that. When they had passed away,  we changed the way we celebrated and it became fun. And now ? I don't care, I just want this time to be over as quickly as possible. Despite that I decorated my room and it looks very cozy and even though I was sick,  I found all the presents and they arrived on time.

 Rosie is a bit surprised she had never seen a mouse like that !

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - Brussels Royal Palace

Once a year since 1965 the Royal Palace in Brussels is open to the public after the National Holiday on 21 July until end September. There is no entrance fee, it's for everybody. 

The last time I had been there must have been in 1966 and I could hardly remember a thing. This year you were allowed to take pictures without flash. 

The Royal Palace of Brussels is the King’s administrative residence and main workplace. Here in his office the King receives the representatives of political institutions, foreign guests (heads of state, ambassadors) and other guests. In addition to the office of the King and of the Queen, the Royal Palace plays host to the services of the King’s Household: the King’s Cabinet, the General Secretariat, the Civil List, the Military Household, the Protocol and the Queen’s Secretariat. The other members of the Royal Family also have an office at the Brussels Palace, where their staff work. The Palace comprises also prestige reception rooms where various activities of the King and the Royal Family are organized (work meetings and, receptions, concerts, lunches, etc.).

Last week I showed you the outside, here is what I saw inside !

The ceiling is covered with scarab wing cases.

The palace  was tastefully renovated by the previous Queen Paola and is a unique work of art. Light and simply beautiful.

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AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND DECEMBER 14

 

 

 

 

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I had hoped that I would be able to jump to the ceiling on Saturday,  because finally I got rid of all my diseases, but unfortunately I just made it a few meters and then I realized that I had to sit down and catch my breath. Another day locked inside because outside it rained again and it was also cold. 

Meanwhile the parcel with Toby's Santa Klaus gifts which should arrive before the 6th  has arrived and now I have to wait for the Christmas gifts. This weekend was the Christmas market of Waterloo, but thanks to my lungs I couldn't go ! Never mind, I have seen this market maybe not a thousand times but nearly. 

Hopefully tomorrow I can do some shopping, driving is no problem because I sit, but walking is another story ! 

My personal nurse checks me during the night, I am not thankful ! I would prefer to be checked during the day and sleep during night !

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

This was really a very bad week for me ! I probably caught a cold  in the lovely restaurant last week. Anyway, on Monday my doctor came and prescribed me antibiotics and other things for bronchitis, and that combined with my chronic lung disease was terrible. I was wheezing so loudly that I couldn't sleep. Several of my friends had a cold and my friend of almost 100 years is in the hospital with pneumonia. I was cared for very lovingly, didn't have to worry about anything and someone from the staff often came to ask me how I was doing. I'm so glad I found such a nice home here. 

The new director, whom I called "The Phantom" because she was never seen unlike the previous one, was fired! I have to say that I was rather happy, she made such a mess here, amongst the staff. 

In any case, I always told the truth and said all of what I heard in a questionnaire. Now I have become the representative between staff, residents and management. 

For the first time I went today to participate in a Quiz which was very nice. As I was sit I felt normal, my "pump" didn't have to work and we all were in a good mood and laughed.

Cat Rosie felt that something was not as usual and unfortunately checked on me each hour. The noise which came out of my chest, worried her. So she stayed with me and watched that I didn't fall asleep ! 

Despite everything, I slowly, slowly decorated my room, because I can't do it all without Christmas decorations. This will be the second Christmas I'll be without Rick. But I have to learn to cope with my third phase of life as best as possible. 

 

 

 

 

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HODGEPODGE DECEMBER

1. What's one task you'd like a little Christmas elf to sneak in and take care of tonite? 

There is no little elf sneaking into my apartment, the only one who sneaks around during the night is my cat Rosie and distributes her fake mice all over the place. I wish she would do that during the day and not the night. 

My sneaking elf

2. What's your biggest challenge during the holidays? 

As I am retired and live in "my" castle, I have no challenges anymore, but I had enough during my life ! The biggest challenge was that my parents came over Christmas and my mother wanted to change my whole house ! Christmas was always very stressing ! 

3. Are you a cookie baker this time of year? If your year had to be summed up in the shape of a cookie cutter what shape would it be? 

I never baked in my whole life and Christmas cookies I got from my mother who baked for a whole army, she loved baking and they were very good. I wasn't allowed to watch how she did it, I was in her way. I had no favorite shape.

4. Santa likes milk with his cookies. Do you like milk? What kind of milk is on tap in your house? (whole, 2%, skim, almond, oat, etc). What's the last thing you made that called for milk? 

Our Santa preferred a glass of Cognac on the open fire and 3 carrots for his donkey. Usually Rick took care of the cognac and I ate the carrots ! Nobody in our family drinks milk, we are all allergic !

5. Share one favorite line from a Christmas carol or holiday tune? 

"Rock around the Christmas tree"

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have no special thought, maybe with each year Christmas is less cozy and warm. I have decorated my room but without tree, because I have done it since I knew Rick and he loved my decoration and we always had a big tree. Now everything is different, no gifts anymore, under the tree because we have everything, my grandson prefers money he is saving for an electric bike. I just follow I have to look into the future and not back in the past, Rick is gone and my family celebrates in another way. Which is OK for me. The most important is being together.

 

past

 

present and future

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Once a year during July-September the Royal Palace in Brussels is open to the public. I took the opportunity and took pictures of the outside of the Palace. Officially it's the office of our King Philip and you can see him arriving each morning in his car to work !  

The facade you see today was only built after 1900 on the initiative of King Leopold II. the grounds on which the palace stands was once part of a very old palatial complex that dated back to the Middle Age.

The Royal Palace of Brussels is not used as a royal residence, as the king and his family live in the Royal Castle of Laeken on the outskirts of Brussels.

 

 
The balcony for the royal family to wave to their subjects 

Front side left

and front side right.
You may notice that there are no guards anymore. The previous King Baudouin didn't like to see his guardians outside in the heat, rain, snow and cold and had them removed inside.

 
  

In front of the palace is a huge park, the Royal Park.
 
 
 
 


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AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND DECEMBER 9

 

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Saturday the Christmas market officially started in Waterloo. Unfortunately it was very stormy and wet outside and the umbrellas were of no help, they turned over in all directions. The ideal weather to stay inside and listen to the wind howling around the thick walls of our castle. 

I hadn't decorated my room for Christmas and the box I had taken out last week was still on the floor. My cleaner was happy so he could clean around all the decoration on the floor. 

In the afternoon somebody knocked at the door and who entered : Santa Claus ! 

He admired Rosie who made big round eyes, but didn't move. We chatted a bit, I got a bag of chocolate, and then he went away. Of course I wanted to know who he was ! He was so tall that it couldn't be somebody from the staff or the residents. Finally Kim told me that it was his father in law ! He did his job real good. 

Sunday was the same weather and I was tired, I had coughed the whole night like an old dog and hang on my sofa. Finally I found a nurse who gave me a syrup and it got a bit better. I wonder if I haven't caught a cold in the restaurant on Thursday. In the afternoon we had a nice game "True or False" and we all were very good. 

While I finally decorated my room I realized that I have to buy some Christmas balls, but it looks already nice and cozy. I don't have a Christmas tree, but other little decorations. Fortunately Rosie didn't muddle up angels with a mouse !

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

On December 6, 1969 we got married. Today it would have been 55 years ! But he got very sick and sadly passed away in 2022. Happy wedding anniversary, wherever you are !
 

The whole week we had cold and humid weather or it rained ! Fortunately we had a lot of work decorating the castle for Christmas ! First comes Saint Nicolas on December 6, who is very important here, or rather was, because now people celebrate more Christmas. So he oldies told us stories about their childhood when Saint Nicolas brought little gifts. On Christmas there was only family gathering and a lot of eating. 

Christmas trees didn't exist, they moved slowly into Belgium in the 70th. I remember that it was real difficult to get a fir, today it has become a real industry. I had to replace the real fir with a fake one, because I had a baby, 3 cats and a dog ! 

First the entrance, somebody had put father Christmas into the tree as if he was drunken ! It took us nearly the whole afternoon. 

The next day it was the restaurant, and there I was surprised how many residents had never seen how one decorated a Christmas tree ! 

 

It seemed as if everybody counted on me for the decoration, because the Germans were the first ones in history who made a Christmas tree. I did my best and at the end it looked nice. We also had a crib Joseph was OK but Mary had lost her head ! I put her in a corner with some straw and it looked OK. It was real fun and at the end when we had our coffee, we had a lot to tell about our childhood. 

The next day we went together to the same restaurant we had done a month before. The menu was very good, better then the first time and there was an English singer, a girl with a very good voice and she sang all English Christmas songs, which most of us had never heard. So it was very interesting for them. One of us got up and danced and a gentleman from another table joined her. The third generation of teenagers !

When we came home, we were all wet, just from walking from the bus to the entrance ! 

I had a surprise visit, my son was in Waterloo for a funeral and took the opportunity to come and see me in the afternoon, which of course was a pleasant surprise. We chatted together and he could see my Christmas decoration. We made a plan for Christmas, which would be suitable for everybody, they will come the weekend before Christmas and we celebrate here, and then the weekend after it's the turn of the Dutch family. 

 

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