FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

Finally the weather got better and we felt good, unfortunately it was still too cold to sit outside. On Tuesday there was a big party! Jeannie turned 100 !! The whole castle celebrated with her in the the afternoon. At noon she celebrated with her family, even her 99 year old sister came ! (the one with the bun on her head. 

At 2 pm the Waterloo city representative came with a picture of our royal couple and their signature. Then she had to sign the "golden book".

Afterwards, the champagne and white wine flowed freely, a huge cake was brought and everyone sang "Happy Birthday. From the director to the cleaning lady, everyone was there and clapped and sang and there was a great atmosphere. Jeannie's son gave a speech and praised our beautiful castle with everyone who worked or lived there as one big family and that his mother was happy to be able to spend her last days in such a beautiful place with such nice people. 

And then we danced, the wheelchairs swung around, it was just great. I didn't know that you could learn to dance with wheelchair users. Our 100-year-old also "swung" her dancing leg or chair and was in an excellent mood. It really was a very nice party.

Here is Jeannie (under the balloon)  Above the family and the Waterloo officials, underneath the manager (in brown, the nurses Elinor and two residents. She got from all of us a beautiful scarf and I had bought her this elephant in the Indian shop as a lucky charm.

The next day we had a lot to talk but played our games again, which was so nice that suddenly the staff played and the residents watched !

With so much laughter, we forget our problems ! Which is very good.

On the last day of the week, the fun was over, an epidemic of gastritis had broken out and those who had it were not allowed to leave their rooms. There were no more activities either, luckily it was almost summer weather so we could escape into the park. In the evening my face looked as if I had just come back from vacation. The poor staff who have to clean up all the mess !

 

 

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. 

THE MOVE

Today is the last day in my apartment. Tomorrow I will move definitively. Therefore I will have no time to comment. I feel a bit strange because this will be my last home, and therefore I took the one which I found so beautiful and will spent the rest of my life as a princess in a castle !

I hope I will get rid of this bronchitis, which loves me so much that it is still there and I feel weak. 

As soon as I have recovered I will try to get my normal life back, or at least half of it. Meanwhile I will enjoy and feel protected here.

On the second floor is my room and the views I have from there !