FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

There were no activities foreseen on Monday, so I decided to go to my hairdresser, after 6 weeks I look like a scarecrow ! Next time I will try the hairdresser of the residence. I think she does a good job, when I look at those who go to her, the haircut is always really nice.

I always wondered how many window cleaners were needed to clean all the windows of the castle ! Somebody knocked at the door and Rosie welcomed the window cleaner ! I have two very big windows in the living room and two smaller once in the bathroom, and my neighbors two, but it went very quick 

I went to say hello to my neighbor Pauline, and met her granddaughter from Israel. She lives in Tel Aviv. She was a pretty girl, and spoke perfectly French with her grandma who doesn't speak Hebrew, as she lived 45 years in the Congo and then in Belgium. I asked the grand daughter, if she noticed a lot of the war, but apparently not because she told her grandma what birthdays and other events they had celebrated lately and that the dishwasher broke down. I didn't ask more, when it comes to Politic we only know what the TV tells us and it was probably the opposite that what we heard from Israel. She had no troubles either to come to Brussels.

When it is not raining, I try to walk half an hour as my doctor had ordered. This time I was very proud, I walked through the whole park, through the gate and was in the Waterloo park with a little lake. Unfortunately the ducks with their little ones and the swans were hiding somewhere, at least I didn't see any, but I did see a lot of dogs who all said "hello" to me and one even brought me a branch !

Then I sat down to play Scrabble with my tablet,  it was warm, but I couldn't even start, that others came out to keep me company. It's funny when one resident sits outside it doesn't last long and others will join ! It was a very nice afternoon with a lot of laughter. Then we had to return inside, it started to rain again. 

As I didn't feel well the whole week, probably it was too wet, I didn't take my car to go somewhere, I just had no energy and felt good staying home and to benefit from the beautiful park. The eternal restlessness in me that I would miss something had completely disappeared.

In the afternoon we played a fun game called "The Right Price". For example, we were shown a pearl necklace and asked for the exact price! The prices that were estimated were really too funny. After we had to estimate the price of a popcorn machine, I was amazed that some people didn't even know what popcorn was. After I explained that you eat it in the cinema, some people knew, but not that there was a popcorn maker!

The right price

The week ended with a meeting, everyone together, our director, the head of each service, and of course us, the residents. The director sat down next to me and explained that I was his assistant because she was on vacation. 

 

Everyone could say what was on their mind, complain or suggest something better. It was pretty funny because my neighbor didn't hear very well and I always had to scream in her ear. Some people didn't understand the manager because he used too difficult words, which I then "translated" into children's language. He found it very funny. 

 

One who participated very actively and who had a lot to say was our 100 year old! When the manager said the terrace would be raised so that the wheelchairs no longer had to roll up, which most people could no longer do, she accused him of throwing the money out of the window and that those who were still like her should just help .  

 

The woman was just great, she talked like a politician in Parliament ! She is the perfect example of how one should grow old. She has no help getting dressed and is in excellent health.

 

It was really nice and coffee and waffles were served. Then it was time for dinner and I disappeared into my little kingdom.

 

The 100 year old lady

This is my room now completely finished, my cave into which I can retreat

 and little Rosie

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE MAY 16

1. What impresses you? 

I really don't know for the moment what impresses me.

In my life I have witnessed so many new inventions, even the first flight to the moon, from electric lawnmowers to robots and the same with vacuum cleaners. Central heating, bathrooms, inside restrooms, the huge American cars, I experienced the hippie era, Woodstock, Elvis, the Beatles,the laws for women changed, so really what else is supposed to impress me? Everything seems like "déjà vu" to me. 

2.  Where are you in your family birth order? Do you fit the stereotype of that particular slot? In what way?

Easy, the queen or the president just as you like, I am an only child !

3. What motivates you more-a reward or a consequence? Elaborate. 

I think consequences, rewards wouldn't motivate me

4. May 14th is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day. Who thinks biscuits deserve their own day? Do you like biscuits? Make your own? Grab one for breakfast at a drive-through now and then? Which drive-through makes the one you like best? What do you like to put on a biscuit? What's your favorite food or dish that calls for buttermilk? 

In Belgium Buttermilk is not known very much, I like to drink it cold when it is hot, but that's coming from Germany, there Buttermilk is well known. Nobody to my knowledge goes through a drive through for breakfast, there is not even a understandable word for that in French. I think here it is called "Take away". The English expression of "take away" moved into the French language and other languages too. 

At Mac Donald's you can "take away" "or home delivery" and compose a breakfast. Usually it would be a coffee and a croissant. In my family Breakfast was mostly ignored, nobody was hungry early mornings when we had to get up to work. Often a hot coffee was sufficient. For tourists maybe it's different, I have met some here in Waterloo, they arrived at 6 am and nothing was open for breakfast ! They had to wait until Mac Donald opened at 7 am to get a little breakfast. Of course I am talking only about the region I live,  I don't know if in Brussels a "Take away" is open during night or early mornings.

Classical Breakfast "Take Away"

5. Are there any weddings on your summer calendar? What's your favorite part of a wedding/wedding reception? 

On my calendar, there are no weddings anymore, no christening, but many funerals, which is normal for me at my age, because most of my friends are widows and  would never marry again, or passed away.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm feeling a bit down at the moment. It's raining again and I'm having breathing difficulties. I would love to travel, but I don't dare because I don't know whether I can walk properly or whether I have to sit down all the time to get back my breath.

 

Fortunately I'm here, I have company to distract me and also medical care. Luckily I haven't needed it yet. It looks like permanent holidays !

 

 

 

 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

Morning grooming and a little stroll outside

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND MAY 11

 A farmer's market

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

 

 

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WEEKEND

Saturday we had such a wonderful weather that a lot of "children" suddenly remembered that they had a parent in this residence with the beautiful park. Therefore we had a lot of visitors sharing our huge terrace. 

We enjoyed the sunshine walked around from time to time had our coffee and discussed the evolution of women rights over the years ! Especially that a married woman had no right to have a bank account in her name until  1965 ! She also was not allowed to work without the permission of her husband. I never noticed this because I was already working and had an account before I got married. To get married you had to have the permission of your father until you were 25 years old. Fortunately I was, The discussion was quite animated and suddenly it became cool and we went inside ! 

Women have to vote to avoid wars
 

On Sunday there were some white clouds in the blue sky, but it was still warm, even warmer then on Saturday. I went out immediately after lunch and sat on the terrace a few people had the same idea and as it was Mother's day this day, slowly slowly lots of visitors of all ages came visiting their mothers. We were all together and young and old talked together, Pauline told the story of her 45 years in the Belgian Congo, which the others found very interesting. On a table stood coffee, tea and different juices, wafels and muffins for the visitors. Suddenly around 4 pm the sky became black and from far we heard thunder rolling ! We all hurried inside, and just made it not to get wet. 

I expected my friend Laure who became also widow recently, and we talked about the complicated succession laws and taxes and about the fact that in London some houses are standing on King's ground and you have to buy a lease for for X years depending if there is still one or not. We gave up to understand, her son bought an apartment in London in the posh part at the Thames ! I forgot the name.We spent a nice afternoon together while outside the thunder made some noise from far and it rained. Fortunately little Rosie is not afraid of a thunderstorm.