AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JULY 20

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

 

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On Saturday I had the visit of my friend and ex neighbor, who had helped me to move into my "castle" ! We know each other since 23 years ! We lived for at least 10 years side by side and we could look into each others kitchen. Rick helped her with her computer and walked her dog and as she lived alone she came often to us to watch a film together. We also traveled a lot together and she came with me to my yearly holidays in Egypt. Unfortunately the poor girl has got Parkinson but a different type of Parkinson's.

She had the typical symptom, her hands were shaking, but Rick had it all in his head. I had only seen her on the phone since the beginning of the year but not in person. So I was pretty horrified when I saw her. Her hands were no longer shaking but her entire upper body was shaking. 

I had ordered a menu for her in our restaurant and we were very spoiled. Since there are so many people here with shaking hands, because they are old, she wasn't noticed at all. She had difficulties with eating, but luckily she enjoyed it. Afterwards we sat on the terrace and looked at the albums from our travels together. 

Suddenly several  residents  came who wanted to see it too and  we spent a very nice afternoon all together. We told everyone what had happened to us and there was a lot of laughter. 

Time went by so quickly and she had to drive home, it takes an hour. She still drives without problem and called me that she had arrived safely home.

Dominique and I having lunch together in our restaurant. We had stuffed red peppers with rice and for dessert a "white lady" (Dame blanche) a vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

On Sunday we celebrated our National Day, but I stayed with the others and we played a very interesting game about Belgium. All questions concerning the country, languages, the Royals etc. I was surprised that most of them only knew a few things, and finally I won ! No wonder I had written enough about Belgium !

And this was my breakfast ! I thought maybe they think that Domi stayed over night and I hid her behind the sofa, because I got 5 croissants and one "couque au chocolat". That's the same dough just a different shape and filled with chocolate. I couldn't eat it all, and kept the left overs for the evening. 

The Royal Family, King Philip, Queen Mathilde, Crown Princess Elisabeth (in red) and one brother. Another brother and the youngest Princess Eleonor are not on the picture but were standing besides her siblings. Tonight there will be a drone show with 300 drones and a firework, while I while I will be in my bed and probably hear the noise of the festivities and firework in Waterloo.

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE - FIVE ON FRIDAY

1. The week started with a heatwave ! We really fell from one extreme to the other. Now it was 30° and it became more !





For our National Day festivities I had been asked to be a volunteer. My assignment was to keep out the people who wanted to enter the park where the festivities took place despite the barriers. There was a meeting with the Police Chief inspector and other members of the city administration to explain us what we had to do. When I arrived I saw the new statues besides the city hall and found them really cute. It gave back the image of the country side, which Waterloo had once been.

2. The National Day was on the 21st but it started already one day before.



I had to wear my Waterloo jacket from last year's bicentenary so that I looked "official".  Despite the barriers some people still wanted to go through so I had to explain that for security reasons there were only two entrances to the park and not like the years before where you could go into the park from everywhere. The majority of the people understood and was very friendly, but there were also some who were not happy at all to walk three houses farer and nearly insulted me. I was sitting or standing there for 2 h and had quite a lot of fun.

3.


The first picture shows our stand from where all volunteers were dispatched. There were already quite a lot of people who drank their beer and listened to a Karaoke show. Some singers were very good, but some had never heard themselves singing. My cat Arthur sings better.

4.


For once Mr. G. came with me (because he knows quite a lot of people from Waterloo)  and we arrived when the official part of the festivities just started. The mayor marched in with men carrying flags then the national anthem was played. Our mayor is a pretty women, very clever and mother of 3 children. It's the blond one with the white blouse. After that we walked around met lots of people Mr. G. knew, had a coffee and before the big heat started we returned home !

5. The Facebook group "Vivre à Waterloo" (Living in Waterloo) met at the basket ball stand and



there we were celebrating and meeting each other life, it was very nice. As table cloth we had the Belgian flag !



and a 10 year old girl had painted her finger nails with the Belgian colors !



The police too looked relaxed and enjoyed the cheerful ambiance, despite the fact that the day before our Carrefour supermarket had to be evacuated because a suspicious parcel had been found. Fortunately it was not dangerous, I don't even remember what was in it. Anyway we have to live and make the best out of it.

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

more participants here at FIVE ON FRIDAY

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of July 20 . If you participate please put the little logo on the top of your post and leave your link.

This weekend was very special, because Belgium celebrated its National Day as usual on July 21, but this time there was also the abdication of King Albert II and the enthrownement of his son Philip. All on the same day.

We had over 30° (86 F) and it was quiet hot.



So Ilona  and I decided to go into a park near Brussels which has also a huge swimming pool and is surrounded by trees, so we could lay in the shade. Ilona tried to get some colors while drying her bathsuit. I prefereed not go into the water, because I am still under antibiotics. We had a real nice afternoon !

On Sunday morning I watched the Royal celebrations.



It started at 9 am with a "Te Deum" (mass) in the St. Gudule church, where royal weddings and funerals are always celebrated. This time it was the enthrownement of the new King. The whole royal family was present (except the little children, the new King has 4) Above you see the "old" King and Queen and the once to be, Philip and Mathilde. The church was packed with government members and no one else ! No royal guests at all, which was rather disappointing.  I saw the old King laughing in the church I thought he is certainly happy to retire and enjoy his hobbies.

After the church they were driven to the parliament where the abdication and enthrownment took place.



For the first time since I "know" Philip, he wasn't shy, not a sleeping pill, but a completely other man, very cool and he swore on the constitution without any hesitation in his voice as if he would do that every day.




After the ceremony they were driving in an open car to the Royal Palace and waved from the balcony to the crowd.

Of course my friends and I hadn't the courage to go to Brussels in this heat and preferred to celebrate in
Waterloo.



In the Waterloo park everything was ready for the National Day and to celebrate the royal events. We went there for a drink and listened to the different bands which were performing. There was also a tea dance.. From Rock to Pop over Glen Miller we heard everything.

Of course we discussed the dresses of the two Queens, and had all the same opinion. Green didn't suit Queen Paola, it gave her a green face, and the white winter dress of Mathilde looked a little old fashioned.  We sat there in the shade under a tree and discussed and laughed and had a very nice afternoon. If you live so long in a little town as I do here in Waterloo since 38 years, you know a lot of people too, so finally we were a whole group sitting at a table. The mayor and some other members of the municipalty greeted us and we joked together.

Tonight there will be a big firework in Brussels, but also here in Waterloo, maybe I can see a little bit from our house because I am too lazy to go out at 11 pm, although I could go to my friend who has a balcony just there were the firework will take place. I pity the poor dogs who live there !

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

This meme helps you to remember what you did on the weekend of 21 July.

As Saturday was the National Day in Belgium, there were lots of festivities going on everywhere ! Of course also in Waterloo. I went with Ilona to her mother who lives just in front of the place where the festivities took place. After a good chat and laughing, (her mother is 88 but in full shape !) we went to have a look what was going on.



This was supposed to be a country music show, but the dancers were as stiff as brooms and their faces were as if they had swallowed a glass of vinegar ! Poor Ilona who is a very good dancer and has the rhythm in her Hungarian blood, couldn't stand it so I just took these pictures and we continued our walk.



People had a lot of fun by sitting together and mostly drink the good Belgian beer. The mayor walked through the crowd and said hello to everybody he met.



There also were a lot of activities for children.

We didn't stay long and I returned home. The weather was nice and I could have mowed the lawn but on official holidays and Sundays, mowing is not allowed.



The grass is growing and growing and I wonder how I can mow all this !



Only Rosie and the other cats are happy to have such a huge salad field !



and of course after 3 weeks of non stop rain, the flowers rot away ...

On Sunday the sun finally came out and I took Nicole to the big Brussels Midi Market. She only had been once there and enjoyed it very much. This market is the second biggest one in Europe after Ventimiglia in Italy. It has up to 450 stalls of food, clothes, leather goods, household appliences etc.


Nicole searching in a mountain of T-shirts and pullovers

We walked through the stalls and were looking for bargains and enjoying the special atmosphere, not only it's very international, but also because of the locals. This is the place where you still can find the real Brussels' people speaking their special "French" which is a mixture between Flemish and French. On the picture above left, you see a typical Brussels' gentleman explaining something. This language is so rich and funny that only listening is a pleasure. These people too have a lot of humor. We sat there in the sun and drank a beer and then continued our walk. Nicole was spending some time at a stall with blouses and T-shirts for 1 € (1.21 $) ! She bought two ! The prices there are just unbelievable.

After two hours walking we were tired and took our bus back home.

Late afternoon a friend of Mr. G. came for a short visit, and the day ended with a crime story on TV

FRIDAY's FAVE 5

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

Our weather luck continues in our usually so rainy country, besides some heavy short summer rains, it's dry and of course the farmers complain. Usually they complain because it's too wet.



1. On Sunday I did a little walk through the weekly flea market in Waterloo and as always was quiet surprised what kind of stuff was for sale and that people bought it ! I didn't find anything. In the post below you can see the kind of things I could have bought there.



2. I also had to drive my neighbor to a hospital which I knew by name because it is quiet famous, the reception looked like a big Hotel hall, at least that was my impression. My poor friend has to go there once a month to get a shot in one eye, so that she wouldn't get blind. This desease can't be healed but at least stopped. The doctor a young woman and the staff were extremely kind and friendly and we even joked together.



3. As it was so hot inside the country Ilona and I went to the sea, only one and a half hour away. We took ombrellas, seats and pic nic along and had a wonderful day. It was very hot, 32°C (90 F) which is very unusual at the North Sea. Apparently it was the hottest day since ages, but supportable because of the little breeze. Before going home we ate the traditional crepes and had a good strong coffee and then an alcohol free beer.



4. Our "4th of July" is on the 21st of July. Of course I went there with my friend Jacqueline just for the ambiance. In the morning the major held his annual speach (on the picture he is besides me) and then greeted the people. He also came over to me, I wonder if he remembers that 30 years ago we fought about a chair and I winned and he fell on the floor.

In the evening was a concert with a Freddy Mercury imitator, he was quiet good and also sang the Jailhouse Rock from Elvis. We all had a lot of fun. The evening ended with a nice fire work.



5. The rest of my time I spent blogging and and the usual household duties. I must get very strong with the age because I broke the knife while cutting an omelet.