FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

On Monday the coffee arrived so late, that I just wanted to call the kitchen and ask whether they had forgotten me, in this moment the coffee came. When I went to the reception around midday, I found out that I had missed a big excitement, a resident packed his suitcase and somehow managed to escape the secure unit on the 4th floor. How he did that will probably remain a mystery forever. The entire staff and other people searched the house and the park and finally found him on the quay at the train station! The Station is only a 10-minute walk away, and he probably hasn't forgotten that.

The rest of the week we had each day another activity to do, starting with baking Halloween cookies, fortunately I had to go to the health insurance, and just arrived for the coffee where we could try the self baked cookies. They tasted real good. (because I hadn't participated) 

They made fun of myself, I pretended that I had baked the cookies alone ! 

We still have 4 contributions to make to the competition with the other residencies, and since what we are supposed to do is so stupid that I'm no longer taking part. We are not in kindergarten anymore. The last game was to hit the table with a soup spoon in a certain rhythm, of course ! Only a few very well-behaved and disciplined people took part, the others joked. Finally Kim and Elinor also stopped because they didn't think that it was appropriate either. Then we just listened to “our” music and dug up memories.

We have a very nice bar, which was closed the whole summer when all visitors needed it badly. Now that it is autumn and winter moves in, there was a big inauguration of the bar with a long speech of the coordinating doctor. Nobody could understand him, because he had a whispering voice and didn't articulate. Most of the residents took a nap or looked around or disappeared into the restroom. 

Twice our Gilberte (101 yrs) asked him to speak louder and better, but he did that for 2 minutes and then continued to speak for himself. Luckily afterwards, countless champagne bottles were opened and beautiful music from the 60s was played, people were dancing and there was a great atmosphere. Now the bar is open, but there is nothing to drink and no bartender!

And to end the week we went to a very nice restaurant. It had a a large stage with a red curtain, which is why the restaurant was called "Le rideau Rouge, the red curtain". Once a week there is a menu for the seniors,  with an orchestra that played very well. With the meal there was as much red and white wine as you wanted and my neighbor enjoyed it and got very red cheeks. She also danced a lot! It was also so nice to see the 100 year old lady dancing and the others finding their youth again !

 

The menu : Aperitif, 1. course : Carpaccio or Calamari, 2. meat or salmon with Belgian fries and salad, 3. Ice raspery or profiterole with chocolate sauce and coffee. For me they even made a real Espresso.

I can only say we were more then full ! This excursion brought us even more together and we all were in a very cheerful mood, it was as if they fear of dead had completely disappeared and that it was still time to have fun and enjoy life.

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE OCTOBER 10

 1. Thursday is National Walk To A Park Day. I know these celebratory days are mostly made up, but some are fun to think about. Do you live close enough to a park to walk to one on Thursday? Will you? The most famous park in the world is Central Park located in NYC. Have you ever been to Central Park? What did you think? If you haven't been is this a place you'd like to see? 

A funny question for me, as I live in a 200 year old castle with an enormous park around ! Therefore I can go whenever I want not around the park that's too big, but at least a part of it. It is very beautiful and so peaceful, everybody can find a little space for him or herself to be alone.

The park and my son playing with his dog. The dog loves to come for a visit, she has a lot of space to run around !

Yes I have seen a part of Central Park when we were in NY, quite a long time ago.

2. Something you've done recently that turned out to be a 'walk in the park'? 

As soon as I put my feet on the terrace and do a few steps I am in the park ! There are benches and also picnic tables. 

3. Can you parallel park? Do you have to do this often where you live? 

Probably not necessary because there is a parking in front of the castle entrance and if ever it is full, there is no problem to park in the street. 

4. The colors of fall...red, brown, russet, golden bronze, golden yellow, purplish red, light tan, crimson, orange red, and scarlet. Are these colors you like to wear? Is this your season in terms of color? What about your home? Would we see these tones in your home decorating? 

Red, golden yellow, purplish red, crimson, orange red, are colors I would wear, brown doesn't suit me and the others I don't like particularly.

5. What part of history do you find most interesting? Elaborate. 

The history of the castle ! The Chateau Chenois has been part of the history of Waterloo since 1835 when the Raucq family lived there, who owned a chemical factory. In 1919 the castle was acquired by the Annonciades Sisters, and transformations and additions to the existing building were undertaken and today the castle is as shown below

 

The castle without transformations

and when the nuns had bought the castle they added the convent, transformed the greenhouse into a dining room, extended the building to the left and so it looks seen from the park today. It became a Retirement home when a French company bought the whole estate.

Of course the nuns also built some religious statues, like here a Madonna in a Grotto. Vandals had tried to demolish it but fortunately were interrupted ! And sometimes when you look  between the shrubs and things covered with ivy,  you can find a little angel or other religious items.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I notice more and more that many people and even our two entertainers are unable to  put themselves in the shoes of an old person. Especially men. So our entertainer suggested a bowling game ! When I look at my roommates, who are sometimes so petite that you can blow them over, aim at the keys with a 5 kg metal ball with big holes in their hands, I had to laugh. I then described to him what it would be like and he ran away laughing. The son of an almost 100-year-old lady booked her in our excursion, which meant sitting in a  bus, the wheelchair out of reach and a five-course meal, plus a show, The poor thing told me that now she cannot sleep anymore. The son had paid and didn't listen when I tried to explain him, I gave up.. I only hope everything goes well. there are many examples where people are asked to do something that they can no longer do because the people who decide, have no fantasy to imagine being in their place. 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

This is the wedding registration book of my parents during Hitler's time. It is written in  Gothic which was the official writing. After the end of WWII, Gothic writing was banned because the occupants could not read it. I never learned this writing either and can't read or guess a bit, what my mother used to write in albums!

There were 10 pages foreseen for future children !! Here is only my birth certificate

I think with this page you had to confirm that your parents were not Jews

And fill in all these pages with the names of your grandparents until the 4th generation, still to prove that you are clean and don't have Jewish blood in your veins !  The following pages were printed with a text how a good housewife and spouse has to behave ! Unfortunately I couldn't read all, or maybe fortunately !

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND OCT 5

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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WEEKEND

On Saturday we had a fairy tale book weather ! A blue sky no wind but it was a little cool but still nice to make a little stroll through the park. It had been a long time I hadn't done that, because of the rainy and windy weather. I had to walk inside along the long corridors of the castle ! 

 

After my walk it was time for our games and this time we played Roulette ! I was the only one who had been in several casinos and loved playing Roulette, only here it had to be simplified because the rules were too complicated. This simplification caused me troubles, I didn't recognize my roulette anymore and didn't understand these new rules ! It was as if I was used to drive a car and had to rebuilt it into a bicycle, not simple. For those who know roulette, we only played red and black and pair and impair ! Very confusing. The roulette was real cute, a "family" version !

The ball was so tiny as a pellet, and of course I throw it too far and it jumped out and was never found again ! We had to take a little dice !

Rosie had the visit of a dog, it's Kim's dog a Border Collie named Litchi. They looked at each other then Rosie turned around and rolled into a snail and continued her sleep, while Litchi first emptied her food and then did the same on the floor. No war at all ! She is a very nice dog and loves to come here and be petted by all residents ! 

On Sunday it was also very nice, and I could go out again, I even managed to visit the castle cats in their little cabana. 

They were all sleeping in their baskets or cartons in the sunshine. 

When I had finished my walk it was time for our activities. It was a Quiz and we answered all kind of questions, geography, movies, songs, countries, cities etc. and everybody did his best.