HODGEPODGE DECEMBER

1. What's one task you'd like a little Christmas elf to sneak in and take care of tonite? 

There is no little elf sneaking into my apartment, the only one who sneaks around during the night is my cat Rosie and distributes her fake mice all over the place. I wish she would do that during the day and not the night. 

My sneaking elf

2. What's your biggest challenge during the holidays? 

As I am retired and live in "my" castle, I have no challenges anymore, but I had enough during my life ! The biggest challenge was that my parents came over Christmas and my mother wanted to change my whole house ! Christmas was always very stressing ! 

3. Are you a cookie baker this time of year? If your year had to be summed up in the shape of a cookie cutter what shape would it be? 

I never baked in my whole life and Christmas cookies I got from my mother who baked for a whole army, she loved baking and they were very good. I wasn't allowed to watch how she did it, I was in her way. I had no favorite shape.

4. Santa likes milk with his cookies. Do you like milk? What kind of milk is on tap in your house? (whole, 2%, skim, almond, oat, etc). What's the last thing you made that called for milk? 

Our Santa preferred a glass of Cognac on the open fire and 3 carrots for his donkey. Usually Rick took care of the cognac and I ate the carrots ! Nobody in our family drinks milk, we are all allergic !

5. Share one favorite line from a Christmas carol or holiday tune? 

"Rock around the Christmas tree"

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have no special thought, maybe with each year Christmas is less cozy and warm. I have decorated my room but without tree, because I have done it since I knew Rick and he loved my decoration and we always had a big tree. Now everything is different, no gifts anymore, under the tree because we have everything, my grandson prefers money he is saving for an electric bike. I just follow I have to look into the future and not back in the past, Rick is gone and my family celebrates in another way. Which is OK for me. The most important is being together.

 

past

 

present and future

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Once a year during July-September the Royal Palace in Brussels is open to the public. I took the opportunity and took pictures of the outside of the Palace. Officially it's the office of our King Philip and you can see him arriving each morning in his car to work !  

The facade you see today was only built after 1900 on the initiative of King Leopold II. the grounds on which the palace stands was once part of a very old palatial complex that dated back to the Middle Age.

The Royal Palace of Brussels is not used as a royal residence, as the king and his family live in the Royal Castle of Laeken on the outskirts of Brussels.

 

 
The balcony for the royal family to wave to their subjects 

Front side left

and front side right.
You may notice that there are no guards anymore. The previous King Baudouin didn't like to see his guardians outside in the heat, rain, snow and cold and had them removed inside.

 
  

In front of the palace is a huge park, the Royal Park.
 
 
 
 


more participants here, and Image-in-ing

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND DECEMBER 9

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

******* 

 

Saturday the Christmas market officially started in Waterloo. Unfortunately it was very stormy and wet outside and the umbrellas were of no help, they turned over in all directions. The ideal weather to stay inside and listen to the wind howling around the thick walls of our castle. 

I hadn't decorated my room for Christmas and the box I had taken out last week was still on the floor. My cleaner was happy so he could clean around all the decoration on the floor. 

In the afternoon somebody knocked at the door and who entered : Santa Claus ! 

He admired Rosie who made big round eyes, but didn't move. We chatted a bit, I got a bag of chocolate, and then he went away. Of course I wanted to know who he was ! He was so tall that it couldn't be somebody from the staff or the residents. Finally Kim told me that it was his father in law ! He did his job real good. 

Sunday was the same weather and I was tired, I had coughed the whole night like an old dog and hang on my sofa. Finally I found a nurse who gave me a syrup and it got a bit better. I wonder if I haven't caught a cold in the restaurant on Thursday. In the afternoon we had a nice game "True or False" and we all were very good. 

While I finally decorated my room I realized that I have to buy some Christmas balls, but it looks already nice and cozy. I don't have a Christmas tree, but other little decorations. Fortunately Rosie didn't muddle up angels with a mouse !