FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

On December 6, 1969 we got married. Today it would have been 55 years ! But he got very sick and sadly passed away in 2022. Happy wedding anniversary, wherever you are !
 

The whole week we had cold and humid weather or it rained ! Fortunately we had a lot of work decorating the castle for Christmas ! First comes Saint Nicolas on December 6, who is very important here, or rather was, because now people celebrate more Christmas. So he oldies told us stories about their childhood when Saint Nicolas brought little gifts. On Christmas there was only family gathering and a lot of eating. 

Christmas trees didn't exist, they moved slowly into Belgium in the 70th. I remember that it was real difficult to get a fir, today it has become a real industry. I had to replace the real fir with a fake one, because I had a baby, 3 cats and a dog ! 

First the entrance, somebody had put father Christmas into the tree as if he was drunken ! It took us nearly the whole afternoon. 

The next day it was the restaurant, and there I was surprised how many residents had never seen how one decorated a Christmas tree ! 

 

It seemed as if everybody counted on me for the decoration, because the Germans were the first ones in history who made a Christmas tree. I did my best and at the end it looked nice. We also had a crib Joseph was OK but Mary had lost her head ! I put her in a corner with some straw and it looked OK. It was real fun and at the end when we had our coffee, we had a lot to tell about our childhood. 

The next day we went together to the same restaurant we had done a month before. The menu was very good, better then the first time and there was an English singer, a girl with a very good voice and she sang all English Christmas songs, which most of us had never heard. So it was very interesting for them. One of us got up and danced and a gentleman from another table joined her. The third generation of teenagers !

When we came home, we were all wet, just from walking from the bus to the entrance ! 

I had a surprise visit, my son was in Waterloo for a funeral and took the opportunity to come and see me in the afternoon, which of course was a pleasant surprise. We chatted together and he could see my Christmas decoration. We made a plan for Christmas, which would be suitable for everybody, they will come the weekend before Christmas and we celebrate here, and then the weekend after it's the turn of the Dutch family. 

 

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Our Christmas decoration

 

 

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

 Christmas

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SUNDAY SELECTIONS

 Christmas is approaching, I checked the decoration from last year !

 

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FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

On Monday I had nearly the whole day for myself, because the four Whist pals of Mr. G. had decided to start playing at 11 am until 4 pm !! They are always in the same place and now they are eating a sandwich there too ! So I did what I wanted, when I wanted and had no hours to respect !

Our hairdressers are still closed and I wonder how it is possible that our politician's hair never grow and they are all well combed !

 

 

 

 

 

 

(except the UK prime Minister who is an example for closed barbers). Anyway as usual when I look for somebody to work for me I look in Facebook in this case for a hairdresser, I found one in a discrete mention and I sent her a message ! It was quickly done, she came the next day, a very nice girl who only works for people at home. She came with everything needed except the bassin to wash the hair, that would have been a bit too obvious  ! I don't understand why the hairdressers are closed and the carwashs  open, therefore I listened to my inner self and the hair department told me go ahead ! 

I was very happy with the haircut, it is alway a surprise when you have a new hairdresser. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then as she was already shere she also cut Mr. G's hair he started to look like a hedgehog ! Now we are ready for our lonely Christmas ! But will look good at least on the screen !

Some Christmas balls were missing and I returned to the second hand shop and got a whole bunch of red and golden balls for nearly nothing. It was cold outside so I quickly returned home ! 

 

Decoration on the balcony

 

  

A part from a few garlands I won't put more, and no Christmas tree. The huge plants with garlands  will replace it.. We are only the two of us anyway.

We had our little lockdown meeting this time at Nicole's. She too has a lot of little decorations and a beautiful crib and she will also be alone on Christmas Eve. I wanted to invite her, but she preferred to go to bed, she is sometimes quite tired because of the chimeo therapy.
 

The crib, a mini tree a huge ball and Isis who listened to our conversations.

Tonight in the News we were told that  the curfew will be extended until midnight instead of 10 pm on Christmas Eve. We have never celebrated Christmas Eve that late. But on New Year it will remain 10 pm ! I wonder how you can wish "Happy New Year" ??? I only see with all these rules lockdowns, curfews, closed restaurants etc etc, the Corona Virus continues to spoil our lives, the number of death increases, and the infected people are sitll around and generously distribute the virus ! And now the new vaccine has side effects ! Sometimes I wonder how the Spanish flu was handled, without media and not such a developped science ! It was just nature who killed the weakest and let the others live. I start to believe that we will come to the same result despite lockdowns and sanitary restrictions ! 

 

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AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND DECEMBER 12

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WEEK DECEMBER 6

On Saturday it was quite cold outside and I thought I will do (another) lazy day ! But first I finished my Christmas decoration, tried to make a Christmas header but didn't find an adequate photo. I gave up and went shopping through Internet. At least it was warm here and I had not to line up in the cold to get a disinfacted caddie and walk around keeping distance ! 

I ended up at Myriam's who also had taken out her Christmas decoration and it looked very cosy. This year she said she will be alone for Christmas Eve, due to the lockdown rules, I wanted to invite her but she prefered to stay home. So probably we will be just the two of us and not to forget little Rosie !

 

On Sunday it was all white outside and the cars had white roofs ! It was freezing and the weatherman had announced snow ! Which didn't arrive ! In the afternoon Myriam and Nicole came for our lockdown meeting and Mr. G had 3 women to chat with ! He ended the afternoon and watched F1 ! Fortunately it started only at 6 pm, and my friends had left. It's getting so dark now very early and I wonder where the daylight saving is, probably in the mornings because when I get up the daylight is there ! 

 

With this lockdown really nothing happens except tragedies or catastrophies ! It's really a very special year !!

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

On Monday's Mr. G plays Whist and I have the whole apartment for myself ! Not that he is always in my feet but being alone is sometimes good too. So I used my time for beauty purposes, in the hope that it would improve me at least a bit ! Hairs, nails, long shower and peace !! Little Rosie had started her dayly sleep after having slept the whole night.

 

According to the sanitary rules we are allowed to shop now nearly everything, but only one person for 30 min ! This is theory. In practical life it looks a bit different. Nicole who doesn't drive anymore due to her cancer therapy needs a driver and I proposed to take her with me ! I went in the shop took a desinfected caddie and rushed to the place where Christmas ornaments and decoration where displayed ! Nicole meanwhile had entered the shop too and was looking if there was something interesting to buy. Occasionally we met and said hello to each other and continued chatting with 1.50m distance between us.

 I found quickly what I wanted and made a good bargain. And then it was really funny

 because we met our third lockdown friend who was there by coincidence. So we were 3 ! Nobody checked how long we stayed but anyway we didn't  and returned home ! 

On Wednesday I drove Nicole to a store where she had ordered new frames for her round windows. Of course they didn't know, Corona is a brake for everybody who wants to work ! After that we went for a coffee to her house. Since restaurants and cafes are still closed you have to have your drink at somebody's place ! Poor owners ! what a loss of money. 

When I had finished with my decorations I stated that a few light garlands were missing. Reluctantly I went to one where usually people line up in long lines to be allowed to get in. To my surprise there was nobody ! I was the only one and in the shop maybe 3 people. Was I lucky and I could buy what I wanted but I didn't take an alarm clock with me to ring after 30 min !

Now as it had become cold I noticed that there was something wrong with the heating. The thermostat didn't  indicate the right temperature. I called the service and they came early morning and had to replace a piece ! Fortunately it's done know, and not when the temperatures are going under 0° !

and so another week went by the difference for the next week will be that we are sitting in Christmas decorations ..... ! for the next three weeks !

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AWWWW-MONDAY - WEEKEND JANUARY 5

A happy camel rolling on his back !




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On Saturday the city was full of "Sales" addicted people ! Fortunately I was not at all in the mood to buy something, I only went to the pet shop to buy pads for Arthur and litter sand. This shop usually full was nearly empty, of course they didn't give 30 to 50 %.

As Nicole lives nearby I thought I will have a coffee with her, but first I went to a store where I always buy my trousers or Jeans, because they fit on me as if they were especially made for me. I quickly stopped to see if they had the jeans I wanted and they had ! Exactly the same which I had damaged in my painting course they were full of a color scale and just to be thrown away. I was happy that I had found the same and even the same color and of course I couldn't resist to also buy a pullover which fitted with the Jeans. Then I stopped at Nicole's and we had our coffee, she also had found trousers and a blouse, and we decided that it was enough now for "Sales" !

In the evening somebody made a firework in the street, it was already around 10 pm and no New Year anymore,  I stormed out of the house and shouted to stop it, I was so furious because not only it is not allowed in our area but I heard the poor dogs bark ! Unfortunately the neighbor's son got my whole fury, he tried to interrupt me, but I just went on, until I realized that for once he was innocent, he only went to work !

I had shouted so loud that suddenly there was a silence and nobody did a firework anymore ! Mr. G. called me back, he had been already in bed and he knew when I am furious I am furious !

Sunday morning I had difficulties to get out of my bed, I was so lazy again ! But finally I managed to write my cat post.

In the afternoon we were invited at my oldest friend, I know her since 1963, each year she does a beautiful Christmas decoration, it nearly looks professional and each year also another color. Last year it had been pink, this year it was white and gold.



a part of the decoration, she had decorated the whole apartment



The kitchen and a nicely dressed table



Nicole talking to Mr. G,  and the table decoration.

We had delicious cake and spent a nice afternoon together the time went by so quickly so that suddenly it was already 6.30 pm.

We said good bye and returned home and had spent the first weekend of 2020 very nicely.

Before going to bed we had a little snack, we still were full from the cake and watched a short movie.



Miss Rosie was my lap warmer and behind the TV you see my last paintings.

Awww MONDAY - WEEKEND DECEMBER 14

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I had a rather busy weekend ! The TV furniture I had ordered had finally arrived in the shop and I just had to ask my two men who help us with garden and other "men" jobs to pick up the furniture, and  put it together. Fortunately there were not too many pieces but lots of screws and the notice was not in Chinese but in French.



They carried the old furniture in our front yard and I put a notice on it "to be taken away" ! Nobody wanted it not even for free and I had to ask the communal service to pick it up ! They gave me the 7th of January as pick up date so our front yard has a TV furniture as decoration if nobody takes it away before.



Finally the corner was empty, and inspected by Rosie. There were a lot of cables behind the old furniture, half of them not used anymore but left there. I thought I was in a cable shop. It took quite some time to find out what belonged to what and the rest was handed over to me for the bin or to give away. Then they checked if the TV was working and it worked perfectly !

I was very happy with what I had bought, it looked even better then on the Internet picture.



Now I could also finish the Christmas decoration and put some angels and Father Christmas on it.



Amongst all the decoration I had found another 3 garlands and we put them around the plants and along the window. It looks very nice at least to us ! Now the living room is ready.

I also wanted to go to the Waterloo Christmas market, but it rained heavily and there also was a very strong wind. I decided to stay home and watch TV and worked on my computer.

On Sunday the sun came out, the wind was still very strong, but after my blogging work I went to the Christmas market to have a look. This time the city had promised a huge market in several places and also a light and sound show.  I was really curious.

When I arrived it looked quite small not much more then the other years but on a different place.



I walked around met a few people from aqua gym and Facebook and then returned home, I was freezing.



The rest of the Sunday we did like our cats, we rested and admired  the work we had done.