FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

On Monday I had an appointment with my ophthalmologist, but when I arrived at 3 pm it turned out that they had given me a wrong hour, so I have to go back. I took the opportunity and bought my fruits and things I needed and then I returned home, and joined the others on the terrace, which is enormous and has become our meeting point when the weather is nice. 

In fact there are a lot of visitors when the sun is shining. They take the opportunity to stay with their relatives in a beautiful park and participate in our games ! That's nice a very good mix of old and young without being organized.

 

I took one of the residents with me to a discount shop ! She had never seen one before, although she is only 7 years older then me ! I have noticed that most of the women here, are still living like my mother used to live, they prefer little shops (for a little chat) go to the butcher, to the fruit shop etc, because there was no choice at that time, the supermarkets didn't exist. I prefer one big store where I can find everything quick and in one shot ! I never wanted to loose my time with shopping ! She was so surprised about the prices that she was convinced that all goods were copies ! I had to explain to her that the prices are so low because they are overproductions that are bought by this shop. 

Now I have lived 65 years in Belgium and thought that I know the people, but here are some, I have never met so far. They only count on their children who have to bring fruits and other food, as if we would live in the bush ! 

As the country is so small, of course the family is around you, for them 20 km is very far ! I pity these poor "children", they have their adult live and also family ! But "mum"  would prefer to live with them, although many of them need a nurse and are in wheelchairs !

They have never traveled or seen another country, therefore their view is a bit limited ! Only the ones with Italian origin, are different, because they have a different character are open and usually funny.

I have bought a new fridge the one in my room was broken and also a very small one that looked like a big cube. Since they couldn't give me a larger one, I bought one and now I have room for ice cream too! 

We have a new one! At first I thought it was a woman with beautiful thick hair, but it was a man ! Tanned and with a pleasant face and very bright eyes. He sat folded in his wheelchair and watched us. He later told me that he is 99 years old and will be 100 in February! I almost fell out of my chair, 100 year olds were mostly women, this was the first man of that age I saw ! And in a very good shape ! He looked like an artist, or an old playboy. 

Yesterday I wanted to take a picture of him, but he stayed in his room. His daughter in law comes every afternoon to look after him, his son, her husband died a few years ago ! She is a nice woman full of humor and we talked a lot. He is still living alone in his apartment, and came here only the time she was on holidays, but she wants to convince him to stay with us permanently. I am sure he will stay, all people I know who were here for a months change their minds and remain.

On Friday morning when I got up I felt a bit  dizzy, I absolutely have to go to my doctor, there must be something wrong with me. I am not feeling "normal".   

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE AUGUST 8

1. What's a task you do on a regular (or semi-regular basis) that feels like it should be an Olympic event ?

I have no clue, because all I do is not for the Olympics, and on top I am not interested at all in these games !

2. What's in the trunk of your car right now? 

 Shopping bags, breakdown triangle, a yellow signal vest and a blanket

3. Summer foods vs. fall foods...which do you prefer? Would you rather-watermelon or caramel apple? iced coffee or pumpkin spiced latte? potato salad or sweet potato casserole? barbecued ribs or roast turkey? ice cream sandwich or apple pie? corn on the cob or candy corn?

Without hesitation summer foods ! I love watermelon they are so refreshing, ice coffee and potato salad, but roasted turkey (I don't like ribs) of course a lot of ice cream and fresh corn.

4. August 7th is National Lighthouse Day. Have you visited any lighthouses? Do you have a favorite? Is a lighthouse something you seek out if you're visiting an area known for theirs? 

 Lighthouse at Beachy Head / England

I love lighthouses they are so romantic ! I have visited a few in the UK and also in Belgium.

5. Light at the end of the tunnel, out like a light, give the green light, a lightbulb moment, in a new light, in the limelight...of the 'light' idioms listed which applies in some way to your life lately? Explain. 

 

I will choose light at the end of the tunnel. I am probably stuck in the middle and see only a little light at the end, but at least I can see the end from far

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I had a little relapse with the end of the tunnel. My last friend who connected me to my old life is dying, I can't get that out of my head. I'm waiting for the bad news, but life goes on.

Nicole and I in Egypt

 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

The entrance

with a fountain

 an Indian bed

This is the Indian shop, which is actually set up like a home. Here you can drink a cup of Indian tea and talk to mostly English-speaking people. You can find almost everything here, Indian spices, clothing, fabrics, jewelry, carpets, furniture, bags, beauty stuff, etc.  Before Covid, I was there very often, this time I just checked to see if this shop still existed, and it was there ! There used to be a pink elephant in front of the entrance, now there were two, a little smaller and no longer pink. The display inside was also different, but still cozy. 

 

 

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

AWWW MONDAYS - WEEKEND AUGUST 3

 

Little cats out of my cat collection and the last picture of Rosie when (for once) she moved and played with one of her mouse collection !

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

 

 

*******  

WEEKEND 

We are all suffering from this unhealthy weather, it is very warm but also very humid, it is almost like walking in a sauna. 

I got a phone call from Jacqueline, who informed me that her husband died on Wednesday. I felt very sorry for her, she came to visit him every day, he had Alzheimer's. We became friends a bit and she also has trimmed Rosie's claws. Now she lives the same situation as I did two years ago. We talked for quite a long time and the morning was already over. She will come and visit me, when the worst is over and also in the future we will keep contact. She lives in the same street as the "Castle".

In the afternoon I went to the others even though I didn't feel in my shoes at all, but as they had chosen me to solve misunderstandings between the residents who have a light dementia and the others who still are "normal", I felt a bit obliged to take part in the game. After all, it was funny too. Some had forgotten their hearing aids again and misunderstood everything. I couldn't help but laugh, sometimes it was so funny! So the afternoon went by pretty quickly. 

In the evening my son informed me that they are still stuck in Switzerland on their way to Italy to spend their holidays at the Garda Lake.  It is the weekend and everything is closed in Switzerland, so they have to wait until Monday.

I don't know if it's so funny to start holidays being stuck because the car is on strike, and they are three, son, wife and son plus a big dog and they had to look for a hotel which accepted dogs on top of all their problems. I wouldn't have the nerve to do it anymore although I went for 15 years to the Garda lake, but fortunately we never had problems with the different cars ! 

During the night was a terrible thunderstorm with a lot of rain and on Sunday morning everything was wet and it had cooled down.  

During the night the water was cut off, fortunately I didn't need any. When I got up  and opened the tap and the water splashed into my face, it was a brown liquid that came out. I let the water run until it ran clear and then I was able to give Rosie fresh water! Otherwise she would have had to drink sparkling water !

In the afternoon I visited Nicole in the other retirement home. It was at least a month I hadn't been there, because I was too busy  and then it was too hot. 

During this time her condition had deteriorated a lot, she lay in her bed and could no longer move at all. I tried to not show my feelings, because inside I was horrified. She now had that stare that almost cuts through you, with no expression.

She was thirsty and I gave her something to drink in a special cup, she couldn't do it alone anymore. Where was the pretty, funny and lively woman with whom I had so much fun  and such a nice companion on our travels. Her face was still smooth and pretty, but those lifeless eyes didn't fit her face at all. 

Two nurses came to look after her and I went out while they were there. I thought this was definitely the last time I would see her alive, if you can call that alive ! She couldn't carry on a conversation either, so I told her everything I could to make her laugh. She also made a face once, which probably meant a smile.

Somehow all the events of the last 4 years had hardened me and I came to terms with the fact that I had lost her too. She was the last person from my old life when Rick was still there. Now everything is just a matter of time. I wish she doesn't have to stay in this state for too long.

Nicole with her dog Charly 

and we together with Charly in Normandy she was 80 and I 5 years younger

The last chapter of a happy life is now closed.  I have to learn to live with memories, but not forget my future. Life goes on.