AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND NOVEMBER 2

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WEEKEND

Saturday we had a strange weather, it rained cats and dogs and at the same time a strong wind was blowing at 80km/h !  There was not a big choice for going out as it was the 2nd November the day of the dead, where people after all Saint's day were still running from cimetary to cimetary to put flowers on all graves, my neighbor even on her great great grandparents whom she had never seen, but the great grandparents and the great parents were all in the same family vault.

Nicole and I decided to go to Ikea, where it was warm and walk around there. First we had lunch of course and I had salmon with broccoli and chips. We didn't buy big things except a very  nice lamp for Mr. G's bedside table, the old one was broken and some little bits and pieces for the kitchen.

As a lot of other people had the same idea as we had Ikea was packed, even more then usual. When we had everything and walked through the whole store we had enough and went home.

During the whole night the wind was howling around the house and I feared  for our garden furniture, although well wrapped in a plastic cover. Fortunately nothing had been blown away, but I found our terrace full of leaves, although there is no tree with leaves around !! A mistery.

I had a few invitation cards to create on my computer and renew the framed picture of Toby in the living room.




In the evening Mr. G. had his formular 1 to watch and I surfed the net to find a new coat which I really need and also some other things for  Mr. G.

All in all a very "exciting" weekend !

FRIDAY's FAVORITE FIVE

The week began with a terrible storm during the night and in the morning I checked around the house if something had fallen, but besides a flower pot and the plastic cover over the garden furniture there was nothing else. Others were not so lucky, trees had fallen and roofs blown away. It was still very windy and cold and I had to put the heating on again, so I stayed home and did some computer work and sorted out some old pullovers.  Now I have two bags full of clothes to give for the homeless and poors.

The kids had started their Carnival holidays and really have no luck with this bad weather.

Our Scrabble was at Ilona's who lives 15 km from Waterloo, and it was cold this day, but she lightened her stove and it quickly became warm.



This time I was second out of 5 which was very good for me, as usually I am always the last one, or nearly.


I was forced to go out because I had to pick up a fluff razor which I had ordered on Internet, because the armchair had been used as scratch post for one of my cats and a lot of fluffs were hanging out. That thing works terrific, the fabric looks like new !!

And as I was already out, I filled up my stock of cleaning products, a new computer wireless mouse and some other little things.

Nicole was looking for a new wardrobe and I am flirting with a new Television furniture, because I am really fed up with our old thing which is not practical for a new TV as it only has a limited space.
We thought to have a look at Ikea. We walked around found the furniture, but the wardrobe was too large and not so nice, and the TV cabinets were all white or grey. I don't know why but all furniture had the same colors white and black ! I don't like either white nor black I think these are dull colors.
But we had a very good lunch, the food is always very good there and so cheap !

We were quite tired from walking around and thirsty too, and wanted to stop at the Ikea restaurant,  but there were so many kids running around and it was so noisy that we preferred to have our drink somewhere else.




We stopped in a little village on our way back in an ancient Guild house which had been converted into a café. I was really tired when I arrived home ! Ikea is so huge !



And in the evenings we are watching Television together, Arthur on my lap and Rosie just besides, sometimes it's the other way around it depends who arrives first !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

1. As usual on Monday after aqua gym, I go shopping for the week,  to fill in the freezer to feed my hungry Mr. G. These were the only physical actions I did this day.



The afternoon I spent with blogging and tried to make a selfie of my cat Pookie, but she wasn't very cooperative.

2. I had gotten a letter from the city that my new identity card was ready to be picked up.



Fortunately there was nobody and I got it right away ! Our city hall is a very pleasant modern building, as you can see on these pictures.



Just besides is the Police station, which looks very welcoming, the few criminals we have here have a pleasant welcome. The police cars were nearly all there, probably because the Belgian police is on strike, they protest that they have to work until 62 years now instead of 57. Apparently only politicians want to work until their 80, if you look around in all countries of the world they are really not the youngest once.

3. Mr. G. when we bought his new office chair didn't want to have arm rests, but now he does, but didn't want to return to Ikea, he hates this kind of stores. As it was raining anyway and I like to walk through Ikea, I went there and bought the arm rests.




and now the chair looks better and is more comfy. I noticed that the new fashion color for all furnitures is grey, black and white. I walked through kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms and saw only grey and black. Not very cheerful !

I got bored and thought I will go to the Garden center which also has decorative items, to cheer me up looking at colorful flowers.



and what did I see .... grey black and white ! When I saw a black rose in a grey vase, I had enough and returned to my car,  and the sky was grey ! Apparently it was my grey day !

On my way back I stopped at Ilona's at least her home has a warm and cosy feeling and there is NO grey, white and black ! We discussed this fact and came to the conclusion that the younger generation must be rather depressed, living in grey houses with grey and black furniture. Sometimes you also find a poop brown. This and what you hear in the News looks like a not very cheerful future. I wonder who invented this fashion, it must have been a very pessimist person.

4.



My grandson Toby's creche has a Blog where parents and grandparents can have a look what their kids or grandchildren are doing during the day. At least he wasn't wearing grey and I found this picture so cute. I thought he has already a good taste to choose a girl !

5. I went to visit Ilona's mother who with her 90 years had a hip surgery and is again home and fit like a fish in the water ! This woman is a miracle, she is straight like an "I" and I can tell you she walks quicker than me,  does her shopping and looks like 70 ! She is one of the persons who have NOTHING which is rather rare at that age ! She was happy to see me and we had a coffee together. After that I went to Nicole, she had a few questions about her new tablet and I took the opportunity and installed Skype for her. Now she can speak with her granddaughter who is in Peru with the Erasmus student program !

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On wednesday I really felt in prison. Outside it was raining cats and dogs and the wind blow the so said beautiful yellow and red leaves around. I decided to spent a visit to Ikea. There it's warm and I can walk around. On top I needed a lamp for the guest room, which had given up it's soul.

When I opened the garage a bunch of dead yellow leaves stormed in, I quickly got in the car and closed the garage door.This time I arrived at Ikea without any problem and even without my Madame GPS.

The parking with more or less 1000 places was full. Rather amazing for a day in the middle of the week. Instead of turning around I stopped and had luck, somebody had finished its shopping and left me the space.

Inside it was the same. Ikea was full, it seemed to me that everything was free today ! In the restaurant no place either. I decided to first go to the restroom. There was a long line of women at the entrance door. I found this strange because the restroom is quite big. Under furious eyes of some women I walked up the line, went inside and found an empty restroom ! I asked the young woman who stood there at the entrance why she didn't go inside and make room so that the other don't have to stand outside, she looked at me very surprised with big brown cow eyes and said : "But I don't have to go, I am just waiting for my friend who is inside !"

For a second I was wordless, but only for a second. I told her she could have waited inside and then shouted at the line of these patient sheeps that they could go inside the restroom and all toilets were free (except one) ! Then arrived a basket ball sized black man with huge toilet paper rolls under his arms and shouted with a big smile "Where is paper missing ?"

I found my lamp, meandered through the crowd to my car, while the wind blow off my beret and I had to run behind, and finally arrived at home.

What happened there, gave me an idea. Next time I go shopping I will just stare at the ceiling and then I will see how many people will do the same !

MANIC MONDAY - MISS

MANIC MONDAY LINK

Pookie just has missed a moth !

Last week I wanted to go to the new Ikea which had been opened in Brussels. We already have one but I had never seen the new one. So I called my friend and asked her if she would come with me. But she had no time and I decided to go alone. She explained me the way, that it would be very easy and I couldn't miss it. Now I have to say I have no sense of orientation at all and it's even a miracle when I find my way to the toilet. Even on a straight way I manage to mistake.

I followed the way she had indicated to me which was the motor (high) way until Anderlecht and then go out there on the chaussee de Mons. I drove and payed attention and for once I didn't miss the right exit. I looked up the street name, and yes it was the right way. She had told me that as soon as I am on the chaussee de Mons I would see Ikea right away. What I saw were houses, buildings and shops, Anderlecht is a district of Brussels. When after a few miles I arrived at an Underground stop I thought that's impossible, I must have missed Ikea, I was too far in the city and Ikeas are always a little outside. I returned to my motor way exit stopped the car and called my friend. I told her I didn't see any Ikea and that I was on the right chaussee. She couldn't understand that I had missed it and said to return again and then go under a bridge and then it would be right after the bridge. That's what I did. But I couldn't see any bridge. Finally after a long ride I saw a bridge and noticed with horror, that I wasn't on the chaussee de Mons anymore. I decided to follow my instinct which is always wrong. If it tells me to go right I better should go left. Finally I saw from far the South station of Brussels and realized that now I was completely wrong. I tried to go back and find my chaussee again. Suddenly I was along the Brussels canal where I hadn't been since at least 40 years !

I stopped and asked a lady who just came out of a shop. She didn't speak any french, she was spanish. I drove a little farer, stopped and asked a man. He was arab and could hardly understand me, but showed me the way with his finger. To my big relief I now saw that I was on the chaussee de Mons again. After quite a few miles I finally arrived there where I had started from and still no Ikea in view. I asked again another lady she was flemish and only spoke dutch. It was my day. But I understood that I should go in the other direction go under the bridge (a bridge !!) and on the left side would be my Ikea and it would be impossible to miss it. That's what I did, not very convinced but what did I see in long, large and big ? Ikea ! right after the bridge and indeed it was impossible to miss it if I had turned to the left instead of the right side when I left the motorway ! But again I had followed my instinct. Mr. Gattino told me that it would be completely normal that when I wanted to go to the Northpole I would certainly arrive at the Southpole and unfortunately he is probably right.