FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

Now that I feel better, I decided to go to the restaurant and join the others. When I arrived all tables were occupied and finally I ended up with 3 ladies. One couldn't see, only a little bit through a hole in her eye, waiting for a surgery. The second was a little funny lady, she had forgotten her hearing aids and I had to scream, but she was full of humor and made me laugh. I couldn't believe that she was nearly100 years old a few months missing, but all her brain was 20 ! An example to follow. 

The rest of the day I spent with computer and TV, and little Rosie was watching the birds outside.

She almost caused me a heart attack, I woke up at 3 am, the room was full of light people were speaking loud and it took me a few minutes to understand that Rosie had walked on the remote control of the TV !

Rosie's bird watching place !

The next day I went again to the restaurant, but before I had to give a paper at the reception and of course got lost in this enormous castle. But I also could see other rooms, because the doors were open, and also parts I hadn't seen yet.

I had less luck this time with the people at my table, there was a man hanging in a wheelchair and sleeping deeply. His wife told me that he doesn't eat anymore and that he sleeps all the time and she is bored and said it would be better that he wouldn't wake up anymore. I agreed. Soon or later it will happen, I think, it will be rather soon. The other woman had also lived in Waterloo and we talked about the village it had been before and now a city with a lot of traffic. We both said how lucky we were in our castle with the huge park around, where nothing had changed. 

In the afternoon I was invited by my friend Laura and we chatted the whole afternoon. We know each other for such a long time since she married my Indian colleague in 1970. We lost contact for a bit, but now that her husband died shortly after Rick, the old friendship has blossomed again and we have both realized that friends we have known for a long time, have remained, while the others have disappeared or died for some reason.

I have also emptied my last bag and there are a few things missing. Fortunately they were all still in the living room, so it was not so dramatic ! 

On the 6th was Saint Niklaas day which is or rather was very much celebrated in Belgium, and especially in the elderly generation. So they were so happy to get a special breakfast with a chocolate St. Niklaas and 2 slices of raisin bread called "cramik". Some of them were happy like little children

 

Each day at 3 pm there are games or other things to keep us busy. One afternoon we decorated  the first of three Christmas trees ! The others followed the next days.

We had a lot of fun especially when a ball fell on the floor and those who still could run picked it up.

and here is nr. 2 ! In the restaurant

and here is our Restaurant.

We have also made a game with finding words, to keep our brains fit ! Was very interesting. So now I think when next week I give the keys to my landlord, I will jump to the ceiling for joy, and then I can finally settle in properly without any worries.

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEEKEND DEC 22

To all of you I wish a

The weekend was a bit hectic, with shopping for Christmas Eve the arrival of son and grandson DIL will follow today.









Besides running around for food which was in itself a challenge,  the shop where I went was so packed as if people feared a 3rd WW !

Now it seems to me that everybody only thinks of food, and expensive wine which at least here in Belgium is so important. Whoever I talked to these two days was "What do you eat on Christmas Eve (or day) " ? The hit here is "foie gras" which is quite expensive and in my eyes disgusting when you read where it comes from and how it's made. But it is a "must" for Christmas. I don't buy it and nobody in my family eats it.

We always celebrate on Christmas Eve and while drinking an aperitif we open the gifts and after that we have our Christmas meal, and  on Christmas day it starts again !

So these to days I spent with preparing everything I just made a break yesterday afternoon when I went to see son and grandson at his friend's house and forgot to take pictures !

MY WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 20

On Saturday I bought the last Christmas gift, which was for Mr. G. I blessed the fact that I had done all my Christmas gift shopping before I went on holidays to Egypt ! Despite the so said "economical crisis" I have never seen so many people in the shops and cars on the streets ! The whole town was full and you had almost to kill somebody to get a parking space ! I had never seen that ! It took me twice the time I usually need to drive into the center ! Just mad ! On top of that it rained and it was very windy, a real joy to go shopping ! As I knew what to buy, I only went into the store to buy the gift and returned home immediately !

The rest of the day I spent with sending Christmas cards making labels for the gifts and did some phone calls to my school friends in Germany.

On Sunday morning, my friend Christiane and I went to the Brussels Midi Market just for a walk and maybe buy some more gifts if we would find something special. Christiane found some nice leggings and a shirt for her husband and I a nice pullover to wear for Christmas. I also bought some fruits. We had a coffee and then took the bus back to Waterloo, just in time before it started to ran again ! 

In the afternoon I started to wrap the Christmas gifts.


Before and after

An hour and a half later, it was finally done. My legs were stiff, my back ached, I felt very Chrismassy ! When I think that the paper will be torn off in seconds ! Mr.G. during this time soaked in a nice warm bath. He pretends he can't wrap gifts. Good excuse !

Now everything is done, I just have to put all this in a suitcase for our trip to Amsterdam where we will celebrate Christmas with son and family.

MY WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 21

I thought I had everything for the Christmas suppers, but as usual I had forgotten something ! The cheese for the Pierrade we have  on Christmas Eve. It was so cold and stormy that I didn't stay long and returned quickly home !



The whole afternoon I spent with working for Santa Claus, I wrapped all gifts he should put in the stockings or under the tree. He should think about bringing wrapped gifts ! I had created little labels with our faces on, so that also Toby can "read" whose packet is for whom. Then I hid the laundry basket in Mr. G's room. As Santa is supposed to come through our chimney I also cleaned the open fire, so that he doesn't get too dirty. After that I pushed a big sigh of relief and spent the rest of the afternoon with sending Christmas greetings per email. Last year I had written two by snail mail, one for the State
s and one for another country far away and they arrived "already" end February. I should have included the Easter bunny at the same time ! That was a real slow snail !

Our neighbors went on holidays and we are in charge to feed the cat. He is a purely outside cat and lives in a spacious doghouse. But as it had rained so much he was wet and therefore the blankets in his house were wet too, so I took dry once I had laying around and replaced them It breaks my heart to know him outside, in this awful weather but that is his way of life. He only stays inside a couple of hours when my neighbors are there in the evening, but then he wants his freedom again.

I wanted to make my little walk on the market, but it was so rainy and the wind blow that I feared I would land on a vegetable stall, and decided to stay home. I don't remember what I did, but suddenly it was supper time and besides chatting with Dominique on the phone and "working" on the computer the day suddenly was  over.