FRIDAYS FAVE FIVE

I started the week with a face cleaning. It's years I haven't done that and now I think I have to take a bit more care of myself, to do it for me as I have always done,  and not for others. Rick was always proud of me when I looked good and the people around him made him compliments about his "pretty" wife. And it's also better for me when I look in the mirror to see a human face and not a witch. And if Rick sees me from wherever he is, he will be also proud. 

I came out of there with a red face but quite relaxed. 

We had a wonderful weather when I went on an excursion to Lille/France to visit the museum Marcel Marlier, who had created the children book MARTINE especially for little girls.

 

 

 In this old farm the museum was located

 

 

Of course you could see many original drawings of Martine, merchandising articles, and personal belongings of the artist. For me it was very interesting because he had invented a new technique of drawings involving photographs. Lots of my travel companions exchanged childhood memories of themselves or their children, being all brought up with "Martine".

 

 

After that we drove further direction Lille and had lunch on a peniche with the name "Archimède". It was fixed to the ground of the little river, and had been transformed to a very nice Restaurant. There was "Carbonade" similar to Goulash with salad and fried, red and white wine, and then coffee with little cakes, which were delicious. 

Then we drove for half an hour to the next destination  which was outside Lille.

and visited the museum "Terroir à Villeneuve d'Ascq" which the family had taken over and transformed into a museum, to show children and young adults how people lived in the beginning of 1900.

this was their bedroom with "bathroom" and craddle

and the kitchen/living room ! Imagine to have to cook on this oven with these very heavy pots ! I remembered most of these things from my childhood when I lived with my grandparents on the country side. 

My hair needed badly a cut and Adeline's too. So I took her with me and now we both have new heads and another week went by.

And for once Rosie agreed to do a selfie !

After the hairdresser we wanted to visit Nicole who had to move into a retirement home, the same where we had our painting classes.

She was just for one day in her room, when she got all symptoms of a cold. Of course they did a Covid test and despite her 4 vaccines, she has got the virus ! Now she is in isolation since nearly a week and the worst is we are not allowed to visit her and she is very depressed. For the first time she told me that she was going to die ! I tried to cheer her up and told her to think about all the travels we had made together, what fun we had with her dog, and that she is not allowed to leave me here alone now, that all the other "friends" have disappeared and I still struggle with Rick's death.

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1. I started the week with shopping for us and for Dominique, who can't move due to her backache. It was awfully cold for a middle of June we only had 10°C (50F) during the day with on top a cold wind ! Nevertheless the grass grows and I had to mow the lawn, fortunately Oscar the robot did it for me, he doesn't mind temperatures or wind. I didn't know that this thing is so strong, I had put a chair upside down to protect a piece of lawn, and suddenly when I looked out of the window I saw the chair moving to and fro with the robot underneath. I should have taken a picture because it looked so funny, but I rather ran outside to lift up the chair and free the lawn mower before it broke !

2. When I wasn't feeling well I didn't mind to stay inside, but now I start to feel like a prisoner. So after some household scores and blogwork I went to my Indian House (store), just to escape, I always feel on holidays there. Other women had the same idea and sat in the corner around a tea table and had Indian tea. I joined in and we chatted a bit. Then I walked around to see if there were new things and of course couldn't resist to buy two necklaces which were on sale !

3. On my way back from aqua gym, a street was closed. Unfortunately I had left Madame GPS at home for an update ! To find the way home should have been very easy, but not for me ! I followed my instinct and did a sightseeing tour through Waterloo in places I didn't even know that they existed. After 15 min (which is usually the time I need to arrive at home) I thought I do the other way around and when my instinct tells me to go left, I go right. Indeed that helped and suddenly I was in front of the station ! From there I knew the way home. Mr. G. who wondered why I was so late, asked me where I have been and I had to admit that I had no idea ! It didn't surprise him at all, he was only too happy that I didn't end up at the sea front which is 100 km far from here. From now on I will always take my GPS with me, even if I just go to the shop around the corner or across the street to my neighbor !

4. Being both fed up staying home all the time, Dominique and I decided to go out for a little lunch together. She can walk a little and it is OK for her to sit. Only standing hurts. We choose "La Pomme" (the Apple), a kind of Pub which has excellent salads, spare ribs and steaks. No baked potato unfortunately! The food was excellent, we had a funny waiter and laughed a lot. Satisfied with our little excursion we drove home and she could lay down again.



The weather was warm enough for me to install my "office" outside. The carton helps to keep the light away and I can see the screen normally.

5. Each year when the schools end, Waterloo city organizes a trip for their seniors. This time we went to Lille in France. At 7.15 we had to be at the parking place where 4 buses waited for us. 



Our first stop was in Lessines to visit the old hospital "Notre Dame à la Rose"  which dates from the 13 century.



Better not to be sick at that time, the instruments were horrible and when you see the syringes there certainly would be less drug addicts !



Then we stopped in the middle of the countryside at a very beautiful restaurant, surrounded by a huge park, llamas, alpacas, and horses. Ideal for wedding receptions or other celebrations.



The menu too was very good, the starter was "foie gras", followed by "turkey à la normande" and vanilla ice cream.

Then we continued our way to Lille in France. Unfortunately it started to rain and when we arrived in Lille it rained so much that we went into a shopping center instead of visiting the city. There at least we stayed dry.



So I didn't see very much of Lille, but enough to wish to go back there when the sun is shining. It looks like a nice town, especially the old center.

Then we returned home and we all agreed, we had a wonderful day !