FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

On Monday summer decided to show its nose after half a year of more winter then spring and a lot of rain. I did a little bit of walking but the air was not so good, I quickly got breathless and spent the afternoon with the others on the terrace and we all enjoyed this day.

I didn't even go out to do my shopping I had enough fruits in my fridge and decided to be on holidays now ! While a few attended the mass, the others were sitting in the shade on the terrace and told stories of their childhood. Some visitors came and it became quite animated, one servant brought a table on wheels

outside with coffee, juices, water, fruits and cookies and later came another one with ice cream ! We were really spoiled

 

Even one of the 6 castle cats settled down on an old armchair which should be thrown away, but she enjoyed it and observed us from far.

As the sun became very hot, the umbrellas were taken out from their winter place and brought us the very welcomed shade !

 

 

On Wednesday a primary school class came to perform dances. I saw them arriving and watched from my window. As it was so warm they danced outside on the terrace, watched by residents, they got a lot of applause !

During the night I woke up and my room appeared in a blue light. It was so clear and then I saw why, from my bed I could see a huge moon that appeared like an enormous ball in the sky.

It looked a bit eery but romantic at the same time ! I had seldom seen such a big moon. 

After this hot day, the temperature dropped by half and suddenly we had 16° in the morning.

I took the opportunity to do my shopping, and returned quickly, as I wasn't feeling "normal" ! Fortunately the afternoon was nice and we all had a lot of fun playing "Mikado" but with sticks made for half blind people. As we all still had a good view we had to laugh when we saw the sticks ! And believe it or not, the once who looked real frail won and pulled out the most of sticks !!

This week I really felt like being on holidays, the only thing I was missing was swimming. I have to look at the new built Swimming pool in the city, apparently it is very nice. 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE JUNE 27

 1. What do you think has remained the same about you your whole life? How has your perception of yourself changed over time? 

Ever since I learned to read and write, I always have been a bookworm and also loved to draw or paint. My perception of myself has changed when suddenly males no longer were friends but always tried to go further. It started with the father of a classmate. I suddenly realized that I was not ugly as my father pretended, but just the opposite and had to push the males away. 

I trusted no man anymore until I met Rick, who was everything I ever wanted from a man, and with no hesitation we married and 54 years later we still were until death took him away from me.

50th wedding anniversary with the mayor and her assistant

2. What was the first thing you learned how to cook? Do you prefer to cook or bake? 

I really don't remember, I had learned nothing from my mother, because she didn't let me in the kitchen, she was afraid that I would mess it up ! I learned to cook with Rick, he loved cooking and I loved the Italian kitchen. In the past I loved to cook, not to bake and with the years I became more and more lazy and now I don't cook at all anymore, and honestly I don't miss it !

3. What are some of your current priorities in this season of life? Elaborate. 

To be left in peace and without any worries and being alone since Rick died.  I also love people around me, and then I try to be the same person as I have been before. Somehow I feel like I am two persons.

4. How much time do you spend on your hair each day or, put another way, what's your hair care routine? Do you get it cut regularly or just whenever the mood strikes? Do you go to the same stylist every time? Do you tell your stylist everything? Any other beauty treatments you indulge in throughout the year? 

I wash my hair and let it dry, certainly not every day but twice a week. When it's dry I comb it and that's it. Yes I go since a few years to the same stylist, as I am satisfied with the haircut. Usually it's all 6 weeks, my hair is very punctual. I don't tell my stylist my whole life, we just chat about everything, nothing special. Sometimes she asks for an advice. I used to do a face cleaning, but I was so occupied the last 4 years, that I didn't even think of such things. I took a few anti stress massages, but that's all. 

5. What is the most awe-inspiring place you've visited? 

I have visited so many countries and a few continents, that it is impossible to only have one "awe" place ! There were landscapes which took your breath away, palaces, lakes etc.  

From left to right, Dolmahbace Palace, Istambul, St. Petersburg Palace, Russia, middle : Turkey desert, Tunisia Salt Lake, Morocco Atlas,

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have no special thoughts, they are always the same since I am here, fortunately I don't have to worry about anything anymore. That's all I need for the moment.

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Different decorations for sale in an Indian shop

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JUNE 22

 

 

 

Arthur was the most intelligent and funny cat who owned us for 19 years. Then he fell asleep on a kitchen chair and never woke up again.

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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Saturday there should be the reconstitution of the Waterloo Battle, difficult to do because it was raining cats and dogs ! Poor soldiers ! I had thought about going there, but I have seen it so many times, that I didn't want to risk a cold. The air was not good for my lungs and finally I stayed home. 

In the afternoon I went to Jeanine who lives on the other side of the castle which makes me walk almost as long as I should. We chatted a bit and then we went to the restaurant and met the others for coffee, cookies and fruits.

This time there were a few residents who were a bit brain-damaged, who normally are not there. A very tall man who never says a word always sneaks around the fruit basket and takes a banana, then he goes out on the terrace, eats it and comes back and takes another one. He usually does this 5 times and we call him the banana eater. He is harmless so he can eat in the restaurant. I was told all sorts of stories that happen in the restaurant during the meals, I think I have to eat with the others again to "experience" something. 

A really small man with incredible strength picked up his table in a fit of anger and threw it over. After that he was missing for a week, probably he was in hospital and now he is peaceful, they probably changed his medication. At the beginning he also kicked me and I pushed him away, I didn't know he could be so dangerous, fortunately he was so surprised that he didn't move. The war for chairs at the same table,  starts at 4 pm for some people, even though the meal isn't until 6. On the one hand, I feel sorry for the old ones, but if I'm really honest, I have to laugh, some situations are so funny that you just have to.

This is the restaurant, so there is really space and chairs for everybody ! After one woman sitting at our table kept complaining that "her" seat was occupied by a nasty woman and we tried to explain to her that she still had 2 hours left to get to her place, we went to our rooms. 

I now always get a nice cheese plate in the evening after I had told the chef that I don't eat a warm meal twice. It took a week for everyone to understand this, but after I always sent the warm food  back to the kitchen, I now get my cheese. 

Finally Saturday wasn't boring after all, on the contrary, at least we laughed a lot. The oldest residents talked about how it used to be when they lived on a farm, the toilet was outside and it was quite cold to go there in the winter. 

We had full moon and laying in my bed I saw it, because I couldn't fall asleep, so I made this picture. It's not professional but I like it.

Sunday a miracle has happened ! The sun was out ! not only the nose but the whole ball ! I don't remember when I woke up with sunshine in my room !

After a telephone conversation with son and grandson, I went for a walk in the park. It was nice and warm 23° which had never happened this year. Solange who is here with her husband, came with me. She is still very nice although 90 but her husband is not able anymore to leave his bed and always stays in their room. I have never seen him. We walked for a while but then it became too warm and we went back and sat on the terrace together with other residents from our little group. It was like on holidays, the only thing I missed was a swimming pool. I think I was the only one, a lot of the others had never learned to swim !

Then it was already time for supper and I returned to my room. What a nice afternoon. 

 

Rosie still sleeps the whole day and plays around during night. She also doesn't eat anything during the day, but has a very good appetite during night. 

I think she had been a night owl in her former life ! The similarity exists after all