FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

I had sworn to myself that I would make a note in my calender of what we have done each day during the week. I have started with Monday and then I forgot. 

We still have the 3 girls as trainees and they had to "use" us for their practical exam.

The girl on the left choose a word game, which was very nice only she spoke with a little accent but really very little for the short time she is in Belgium, she is a Brazilian. Half of the residents don't hear very well or nearly not at all, and the others not used to any accent couldn't understand. Therefore used to all accents and to the opera voice of Rick I shouted the question for everybody and the girl was very thankful. 

The next day was the turn of another who had prepared little garlands and we should make flowers out of them. I was a bit reluctant because it's something to do with patience which I don't have. But I was very surprised that I made a real nice yellow flower which you can see in the vase. It was amazing what the very old residents could do ! We always have a lot of fun when we tease each other afterwards when we take our coffee together. 

On Thursday I had an appointment for my car, just for a check up. It was always standing in a garage and here now in open air, which in one sense is very practical, it is always clean the daily rain washes it thoroughly and it looks always white and clean ! The car had nothing everything was OK, so that's one good thing. As usual it rained again, it hasn't stopped since two weeks now. Or it rains in the morning and stops in the afternoon, or it is the opposite. Anyway to not forget how a blue sky and the sun look, I have to go through my albums !

Son and grandson should come this weekend because I hadn't seen on the poster that the egg hunting was on the 6th for the residents and family and on Easter Sunday for the schools, the kids come in our park or rooms to collect chocolate eggs. As it is the first time for me I hadn't payed attention and my son either, because he hadn't looked at the date but on the hour when it takes place (good excuse !) So they will come next weekend to hunt eggs and I have little works, like hanging up 3 paintings. Finally it's good, because the weather is so miserable, I wonder how the kids can look for the eggs, probably they have to go through the whole castle ! There is room enough ! I don't even have an Easter egg or an Easter bunny in my room, now that they are not coming I don't have the energy to decorate. Rosie doesn't care anyway ! 

I had finally the opportunity to take pictures of the brave man who comes twice a day morning and evening to feed our not so homeless cats !

Here he comes with two big bags and the first cat is already there !

He fills in the bowls

 pets them and goes away, the baby in the corner is my son, when he was my son and not a man !
 

 

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE MARCH 28

1.What do you love about your life right now? 

As my life has changed completely since Rick's death, I've gained a bit of mental balance since I've been living in my "castle". I love my large room, which is very cozy and shows visitors how you can combine a room as a living room and bedroom. This is my cave where I retreat when I want to be alone.

Then I love the huge beautiful park where you can walk and sit on the benches, to rest if needed or to watch the birds, or just empty your mind.

The social life we have here, there are no visitor hours, I can go out and come back when I want, and each afternoon we have an activity, playing darts, bowling, cards or mental word games. It is so nice that the son of my 99 year old friend comes every day just to play with us because he gets bored at home, and his wife is happy to have 2 h "off". Same for the daughters of two other ladies, and even the 4 year old great grandson adores to play with us. Dogs are also allowed often these are very big once and very friendly. I have noticed that I don't like to go out anymore, I feel secure and at home here.

My room

The games

 

 

The park

 

2. March 26th is National Spinach Day...are you a fan? If so, how do you like yours prepared/served? 

 

I like the spinach in the Italian kitchen and there are so many recipes ! Here are 3

Canneloni

Penne with ham and spinach in a white sauce

Spinach with salmon in a creme sauce

I often made a plate with spinach and pasta when we had guests, because it's not so well known here.

3. In this current season would you say you need to spend more time looking inward or that you need to get out of your head? Tell us why. 

I prefer not to look inward, that makes me sad. Out of my head is difficult, but maybe better.

4. Are you following the 'March Madness' madness? (That's US college basketball in case you're out of the loop) What's something that feels like actual madness to you right now? 

Not very original, but it's the weather ! It makes me mad, one day it's cold, one day its warm,  one day it rains, one day the sun shines ! It's a real potpourri you never know how to dress ! I only know basketball because my son and now the grandson play. But I don't know the rules.

5. How will you celebrate the Easter/Passover holiday this year? 

There is an Easter egg hunting for family and friends of the residents here in the park of our castle. That will certainly be fun, old and young together ! My son and grandson will come and hunt eggs !  They will take their dog along, of which I only have seen pictures. 

 

 

here she is still a baby, now I think she is 6   month old and already very tall !

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I am happy that I start to feel much better and hope that I will continue like that.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

When I made the tour around Ireland, we stopped in Waterville, a village on the Ring of Kerry, it was the favourite holiday location for Charlie Chaplin and his family. He and his family always stayed in the local hostelry, The Butler Arms Hotel.  Charlie Chaplin and his family enjoyed the anonymity of life in this picturesque location. They appreciated the remoteness of the location, away from the trappings of fame, and Charlie enjoyed many hours of fishing on Lough Currane.

Of course I had to hug Charlie who didn't move. A beautiful place indeed. 

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND MARCH 23

 

Arthur left us forever in March 2020, during 19 years he played the clown for us ! He was a special cat, very intelligent.

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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WEEKEND

Saturday my former neighbors had asked me to come and report my adventure with the justice of peace. The "To rent" advertising had been removed from my former apartment, because the judgement hadn't been signed yet. My want to be gentleman of landlord had hurried from the judge to the bank to ask the guarantee back. I saw it in my bank accounts that the money wasn't there anymore. 

Instead of nearly paying 4000 € he claimed for the damages I had caused (living probably alone with an elephant) he got 2500 which was the amount of the guarantee, and I added generously 100 € and told him with this amount I offer him a restaurant. The judge had difficulties not to laugh and my owner became red like a tomato. I feared he would explode and we had to clean the walls, but it didn't happen. 

My neighbor girls had a lot of fun because they didn't like him either. They were sure that I would win. They told me that there are no works anymore but that he had asked them if it was true that I had never used neither the oven nor the hood as I only used my microwave. He had written in the damages I had caused that the hood was dirty and the oven too ! What a liar.

Then I had to hurry home, because at 3 pm we played "Darts" I just arrived in time ! But I was a catastrophe. My dart landed everywhere except on the target and I was lucky that I didn't hit the bar or break any glass. Useless to say that we did our share of laughter exercise ! I had played only once in my life and that was in the 80th in London !! But there I won, as I didn't know the rules, I closed my eyes and throw the dart !

Fortunately we didn't play outside because there was a meeting of crows which made a terrible noise ! Probably somebody had put food in this place. 

On Sunday was an awful weather, cold, sunshine, rain, sunshine rain etc. Of course there was more rain then sunshine. That suited my mood, because I hadn't slept well and would have liked to kill the person who brought me the breakfast and said "Good morning, breakfast is here, have a nice day!" and he slammed the tray on the table. I mean, that's really nice, but not if you wake up because of it. To excuse him,  I have to say that you can't see my bed from the door.

Every Sunday we get croissants, but not this Sunday and I was almost out of musli. A nice start in the day !

It also rained and pottered around for once and in the afternoon I went to the restaurant where we had a nice memory game ! There were so many people, the circle became big and bigger, because the visitors participated too. We had to complete 3 letters into a word. Surprising we were all very good. Especially the 99 year old Jeannie here in her wheelchair. Then we drank coffee all together and the visitors helped with carrying the cups. We had a nice time old and young mixed together, that was really funny !