FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

The snow was still there, but melted slowly and became dangerous because it was cold it froze. My car was the only one behind the castle I couldn't get out too dangerous, I would probably dance in my car on the ice. But that didn't matter anyway I preferred to stay inside, on top it was cold. Now  that I feel much better physically, I participate in the animation program if I like it. 

Monday we played bowling ! That was something ! I hadn't played since at least 20 years, some had never played and it was very funny ! Of course the keys and the ball was in foam, otherwise we would have killed each other. Surprisingly the older the person was, sitting in a wheelchair, the better they played and the winner was .... my nearly 100 year old friend !! I only reached the 8th place.

I got again a letter and a phone call from my nagger (landlord) who complained that I didn't answer his letters and phone calls ! He had written one letter and sent one email the day before in the evening, and I should jump and answer that I don't have any answer. 

This gave me the idea to ask the Waterloo Facebook Club to publish only the prices of the expert without any name only the estimation for each item, I was curious what they had to say about this estimate.  I then received more then 40 replies telling me that I shouldn't put up with this and should contest this cost estimate and take a lawyer. Not one agreed with the estimate. 

But that wasn't not in my intention, I didn't want to involve official services to contest, I had another idea. In the Facebook group was a man I knew very well who was owner of 4 apartments and he should know. He came immediately and studied all the papers and came to the conclusion that I can't do a lot except contesting the work on the parquet and the cleaning which was counted twice. The reason : I had signed when we had made the entry expertise ! But that's the amount I should pay, so finally I have to pay 2 month rate. I hope because with this cheater you never know. Maybe I have dug a hole in the basement to look for gold and he wants his share and the reparation costs for the hole.

 

For the first time in my life I played Bingo !! I always wanted to play but didn't dare, I thought it was too complicated, when I saw the ladies playing ! Of course we didn't play with money but with buttons. 

The game looked really cute, 

It was a game for children, but so nicely made ! the little wheel and the little balls were so cute. 

My neighbor was Rina who didn't understand that she had to put the knob on the number which was named she always wanted to calculate. She was 96 years old and had started to work in the coal mines in Belgium when she was 11 !! And now people get excited when in poor countries the children have to work too. They have forgotten that not everybody had the chance to go to school.

 

I really like to help Amandine who is the "animator".  My housemates are so interesting and touching. I don't mind to push wheelchairs and explain for the 100 times that she is living here and doesn't have to go home. 

 

We spent a nice afternoon, had coffee together and then everybody went where he wanted too.

Slowly, slowly, I discover more and more old treasures in the castle, like here a little chapel, with beautiful little windows. It's not used anymore because there is not enough room. It was the family chapel. 

 

To end the week I visited my former neighbors and told them my miseries with the landlord. And now I understand why he wants me to pay the parquet which I alone have damaged, the former tenant took his bicycle with him and exercised probably in the apartment. He was a doctor, I wonder if he wasn't a psychiatrist ! 

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE JANUARY 25

1. Do you have a word for the year (WOTY)? If so, and you'd like to share, please share. How do you decide on a word? If you don't have a word are you still on the hunt for one for 2024? 

I can't find WOTY in our oh so clever Google, but WOT which is sometimes used in writing to represent what, to show that someone is speaking very informally or that they are being humerous. In all the thousand books I read during my life I have never seen WOT. Usually  I'm rarely short of words, after all I'm known as Chatterbox.

 2. January 23rd is National Pie Day...will you celebrate? Do you like pie? What's your favorite? 

Certainly not ! I am not a "sweet" person, at least when it comes to sweets. I eat pies when I am invited but I have never made a pie in my life. Rick was not for sweets either. 

3. Tipping. What are your thoughts, expectations, as to who, when where? Do you appreciate a store/restaurant giving a 'suggested amount'? Have you ever left an extravagant tip? 

Tipping is not obligatory, it's included in the invoice in Europe. however some people give tips, just to show that they have money, but they have none. Ask your partner to tip you for making the bed, serving his meal, cleaning his suits or clothes in general etc etc. I think he would protest, so he could do the work himself to safe money.

4. Share with us one household 'tip' that works for you. 

A cleaning lady and a cook

5. Influencers on social media are people who've built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a particular subject. Do you follow any influencers online? Have you made a purchase or tried something new because of that 'influence'? If there's one you particularly enjoy tell us who they are and why you enjoy them. 

 It's very rare I let myself be influenced . For me an influencer is a joke, but there are probably people who need something like that, because they are insecure.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I often think I did one of my best decisions in my life, living here like a princess in my castle. My health has improved, I can walk even longer distances without being breathless. I have started to take part at all animations, and I feel better and better. And now when spring arrives and I can discover my beautiful park, it will be even better. Tomorrow I will play Bingo (for the first time in my life)

 In perhaps 3 months the trees will start to put their green clothes on !

 

 

 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

To deliver the beer .... exposed at the Farm Mont St. Jean which served as hospital to Wellington during the battle in 1815
 

 

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JANUARY 20

 I was swimming !

AWWW MONDAYS

 

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Saturday it had stopped snowing, but as it was very cold all streets were slippery, many accidents happened of course. I couldn't go out, if if I wanted to, as I had parked my car behind the castle, it was standing there nearly invisible, because it is white, but the thick layer of snow was even more white.

I spent nearly the whole morning with googling after renting rights, my little Rottweiler  (landlord) had sent me such stupid letter that he could have earned a first price. On top it was full of faults.  Apparently for once he had written alone. I let him wait a bit, anyway the guarantee amount is blocked on my bank. He wrote that apparently I don't understand anything and that I should ask my son to handle this affair. The poor boy has never worked in Belgium and doesn't know anything about Belgian laws. I just imagined the little landlord dealing with my 2 m long son. This picture made me laugh.

In the afternoon I went in our restaurant which at the same time is the saloon. On a table against the wall was coffee, tea, orange juice, wafels, and cookies. I had taken the Scrabble game along, but we all were a bit to lazy. I sat together with my 100 year old friend and her son and talked a bit about everything.

Each day there is gymnastic in the morning, which of course I prefer to do in my bed, but once a week or sometimes twice it is at 3 pm. Here we are sitting and waiting for our physiotherapist a young man.

Slowly, slowly I like to live here more and more, everybody is so friendly and there is a homely athmosphere. There is no difference between director, his assistant,  the cleaning personal, the nurses, the kitchen people and us the residents. That might sound strange for people who are used to call everybody by their first name, but here in a nursing home it's quite unusual. Today for example a cleaning women showed me her family pictures and asked me if I knew the laws about heritages ! Apparently her MIL has 2 houses and one son and she is 86, so she wanted to know if they have to pay a lot of inheritance taxes. I told her as the laws change, it's better she should google and gave her the link and  the man who served me my lunch spent a while with me, because he has adopted a cat, and asked me how to handle it and what it needs etc etc. So he was at the right address. Rosie likes him, good sign. The time they "loose" they catch up with the residents who don't speak and lay motionless in their bed. I have never seen them they are in the annexed building which once had been a convent for nuns !

Sunday it was grey and the snow melted slowly, I still couldn't drive out the parking space behind the castle, but on a Sunday there is noting special. In the afternoon I went to restaurant to drink my coffee there, and I was content that I had done it, because there were 4 ladies I knew and one got visit from her eldest and youngest son and her DIL. I know her because every day she asks me what she has to do and where she would sleep this night. I changed the always the same subject and she told me that she was Italian and 96 years old, her father was "imported" to work in the mines here. She still spoke Italian and suddenly turned out to be very funny and we laughed a lot. The sons were happy that she had found one who spoke Italian and we talked about Italy. They were all very cheerful and we spent a nice afternoon together. 

I was right I thought to go into this castle, I have medical survey, I am free I can go and come when I want and the people are so friendly. When I feel a bit alone, I just go downstairs and find some others and we had a coffee together. Really ideal. I haven't regretted once my oh so beautiful apartment, where I spent the worst time of my life.

 

and Rosie is happy too, finally she is an only "cat" which she had always wanted. She  also has changed character, she is less anxious, has her sleeping and playing hours, and became very affectionate.