AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 30

Arthur loved accompanying Rick. Here he waits for him to come back from the neighbor's house to led him safely home across the street.

 

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WEEKEND  

This Saturday I was quite busy, 

 

I waited for the lady who should pick up my paintings which I gave to the largest Belgian animal shelter for sale and the money raised is of course for the cats and dogs. There are so many, and money is always needed. Even small sums can make a piggy bank fat . So many people had adopted cats or dogs during the Covid period and now that they were free again, they had no time anymore for their "toy" and gave it back. Disgusting. I thought if I can help a bit then I do it with pleasure, what should I do with over 20 paintings which lay since 2000 in the basement and here in a chest.

Anyway I have them all on photos. Nobody from my family had ever asked for a picture, now they are gone and now they probably will complain that I hadn't asked them.    

The transport to her car went quite smooth, we put the biggest one on an Ikea carrier with wheels, fixed them with a cord and she put them in her trunk. She had to do that twice, the smaller once fitted in shopping bags.  We both were very happy and hoped that a lot of people will buy them.

Then came a man to pick up a book and then my friend who had lost her husband 5 month ago and was feeling like I did just after Rick's death. To chat a bit we went to the Lunch Garden and had mussels. They were very good and we had a nice time. In fact it's strange that we both feel exactly the same and even have the same aches and pains, like rashes, dizziness etc.

Sunday was a wonderful weather it seemed like summer.  So lung problems or not, I wanted to go to the market. Which I did. I had to sit down twice because I was breathless, but that was nice too, I watched the people bought a cardigan and then I returned home.

 

Unfortunately I felt as if I had done the F1 on foot. I dropped everything and waited until I could breathe normally again. I ate the Moroccan flatbread filled with cheese, watched a movie, and read the emails and the day was over.

I thought that less then one year ago, when Rick had gone already, I have been in Switzerland with the Patrick' club and had no problems at all. I walked and climbed and could follow the others. What a shock can do ! I hope next year it will be better !

 

                                                           

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 On a market - cheese for a Raclette

more participants here, and Image-in-ing

WEEKEND FEBRUARY 16

After having been locked in the last weeks, I was really happy when the weather suddenly changed and from winter we immediately went to spring, with the result that many people are coughing and have a red nose ! Cold is in the air. So far I escaped. On Saturday we had 16°C (61 F) !

Looking for another park to discover from the around 130 parks in Brussels,  I found one I had never been and which was very close to Waterloo. My friend and I drove through areas I had never been, with beautiful old mansions, and apparently not a municipality for the poors !



The park was quite hidden and we suddenly arrived, I got a parking space and off we went. In the wood it was of course cooler and that shortened our visit a bit, but I still could take photos.

Unfortunately we didn't find a café or Brasserie, for a drink, and had to return "thirsty". But Nicole had the good idea to stop at a riding school. It turned out that it was very close to where I live just on the other side of the big boulevard leading to Brussels, and just behind my English shop ! And I didn't know !

I had a whole bag of dry bread with me, for the geese and swans in the park, but feeding was forbidden. I thought horses like dry bred too. Since my childhood I was afraid of horses and never went close to them. I loved them as animals but they seemed so big and I thought if I am to close they will hurt me or bite or whatever. But this time a miracle happened ! I looked at all the horses who stretched their heads out of the boxes and I was not afraid at all anymore !! I took pieces of bread and fed the white horse which was standing in the first box. The bag with bread was eaten up in no time and  I had petted all their heads without any fear ! I really was proud of myself !



Now I think I will ask them if they let me ride for once in my life ! I mean it's never too late if 80 years old women jump with a parachute for the first time, I will manage to climb on an old horse and ride in a circle !! I have been several times on camels and that worked very well, so why not a horse !

The Bar was closed, no chance, so we returned home it was already late. Next time when it is such a nice weather I will go back and watch the riders.

Sunday I went to the market in the next little town, just to walk a bit outside, but it was cooler than I expected. Still I found a very nice red Italian rain jacket for Mr. G. and a pullover for me.




There was a mini piggy on the market which looked well fed and very friendly, it (or rather the owners) collected money for animals.

I didn't buy any fruits, I had enough I should have put on a warmer jacket.




I returned and found Arthur sunbathing in the garden.

LAST WEEKEND IN 2018

When I think that we will enter 2019 and that it is already 18 years ago that from one day to another I went into another century ! The last person I know who had this chance was my grandma. She was 6 years old when from 1899 she arrived into 1900 ! And then me. Both of us if I think had a lot of changes and inventions in our lives. She unfortunately had to go through two WW, while I was lucky, I was born in the century of inventions. From washing machines to bread baking machines, from travelling in trains and then being able to buy a private car which only had been possible for rich people.

What is new in this 21 century is that we are not going "back to the future" as in the movie but far more to the past. We want to grow our own vegetables again, only eat organic or bio, and after having been forced to use plastic for all kind of things, now we are told that it is not good and spoils the environment.

This last weekend 2018, was grey and humid and foggy in the morning. The market in Waterloo had only a few stalls the others didn't even come. It was the same in the next little town where a lot of stalls were missing too. The boutiques were closed, although they had a special permission to open on this last Sunday, but anyway nobody would go shopping because Sales start on January 2, and of course nobody wants to buy anything for the full price if 2 days later they can get the same thing for half.

We were all hanging around and rather lazy finally Nicole had the good idea to hang around together and called two other friends so we were four to share a good fruitcake and coffee. For all of us the year had been rather good, except for two who had some health problems. But there were no family problems.

On Sunday I thought the sun would come out and went to the market but as there were only fruits and vegetables for sale and nothing else I returned home after half an hour.

The rest of the day I spent with phone calls to wish a happy New Year to those who live far away or I haven't seen for a while. For some the year had been very bad for others good.

Now I will see what this year brings !



The market wet and empty !

To all of you

WEEKEND OCTOBER 13

This is the weather map of Belgium ! In October 24°C (75F) in some places even more ! Although everybody says that it is unusual which is true I don't complain !


and Rosie either

Our Electricity company had informed us that on Monday we will be in the dark, which means no electricity at all in the morning from 8 am til 1 pm ! When you get an information like this you realize how depended we are on electricity. We have to open all the shutters before 8 am, not open the freezer and coffee ??  Do I have to heat water over a candle ? I will make the coffe before 8 and put it in a thermos ! But the worst was organize my weekend. All computer work has to be done before Monday.

Therefore I started on Saturday to prepare my post for Our World Tallinn (Estonia) and a few other posts for my photo blog. In the afternoon I had to buy some strange things for my new painting technique "pouring" i.e. a straw, (there were only a package of 200 available !) a scraper, cooking paper, plastic cups and a little pot which doesn't let in air. I found a little box for kids with "Cinderella" on it, which will do the job and keep my colors fresh.

On my way back I stopped at a friend and we talked about our forthcoming exhibition, because she is in charge of the shopping of drinks and snacks for our visitors.



The Belgian Tourist Federation for Brabant/Wallon has sent me the pictures on which I pose for the next year's brochure.



Sunday I went for a little walk to the market it was such a nice weather and as it was voting day in Belgium for new mayors there was a lot of traffic on the roads, worse than during the week and the market was packed too. I didn't find anything to buy and returned home.

The afternoon I continued my computer work but also spent some time in the basement to choose the paintings I need for the exhibition. My neighbor came over and asked me if I could take care of her two cats, over next weekend, of course I do that with pleasure. It's not a big work I have to go there once in the morning and once in the evening, the cats have a catflap and can go in and out just like they want. 

WEEKEND JUNE 2

As it happens so often, when the weekend arrives the weather changed and the temperature dropped and it also rained.

Therefore we hesitated to go to the Waterloo Apero, because the grass was wet and it was rather cool at 5 pm. But we didn't want to give up our meeting and we choose a nice and cosy Brasserie called "The Apple"



It had been quite some time I hadn't been there, and Monique although she lives in Waterloo since over 30 years had never been in there. We had a lot of fun especially when I talking with my hands knocked over my glass and the beer flowed over the table on Monique's lab. Can only happen to me. The waiter cleaned the table and I got a new beer. At 7 I went home, because Mr. G. was waiting with the supper while the others went for a Pizza there was no man waiting for them at home. And they stayed until 11 pm !

After having got rid of household scores, we went to a garden show (yard) nearby.



Myriam's sister in law (here on the picture) participated in a competition in her area "who has the most beautiful garden"

I would have given her the first price ! Her garden was absolutely gorgeous. I will write more detailed and with more pictures on Tuesday for "Our World". I had never seen such a garden in my whole life ! It was a sea of flowers, blooming shrubs and plants I didn't know at all ! I could have stayed there the whole day !




Sunday morning Monique and I went to the market in the next little town. Nicole joined us there.

Monique had never been on a market to buy clothes and couldn't believe how cheap the prices were ! She even found a brand she always buys in a boutique for a lot of money while here she could get it for 5 Euros ! We laughed because the cardigan she wore and which was rather expensive she could have  bought it on the market !  There was the same brand !!

Nicole bought a blouse and a pullover and Monique too, while I bought the red blouse you see in the picture.

When we sat down on a terrace happy with the things we had bought a huge black man came with rings, bracelets and watches. 

I think we were quite noisy because we laughed so much when Nicole tried to haggle and Monique couldn't decide which ring to take. I took the one in the picture, they were all for 10 Euros. That was really a lot of fun. Then she also bought a watch, and as there were two in the box one for women one for man, she offered the one for man to Mr. G. He likes to collect watches.

The afternoon was warm again and I could blog outside.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

1. After my aqua gym class we had a long chat about our grandchildren's parents. We all wondered what these kids will become later as it seems that they all have the same manual ! One Grandma complained that it took 45 min to get a two year old in the his seat in the car. They worked at three on him, grandma, grandpa and pregnant daughter, but he made himself stiff like a plank, until they finally managed to get that poor tortured child in the seat which screamed then the whole way back.

2. I felt tired and didn't do very much. The shops were all closed, it was a day off, because of the 11th of November, the anniversary of the 1st world war battle. Most of the people didn't even know why they had a day off, but nevertheless were happy especially because the weather was sunny.

3. On this occasion, near Ilona's in a little Flemish village was a huge market which takes place each year on this day.



The streets were packed people had a lot of fun and beer flowed freely we walked around and had a coffee. As the prices were as high as in a shop, so we didn't buy anything.

4. Nicole had invited me and another friend for a coffee.



I had caught a cold over the weekend with my son and DIL  who had opened the windows all the time because they felt too warm and I probably had been in a draft. So I was feeling cold, Nicole felt normal and the third one took her pullover off because it was too hot for her. We had a lot of fun.

5. It had been the last day before the cold or flew really started and I felt lousy.



I still feel awful, so I spend my time between bed and TV !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

MY WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 27

Although it's a little cool in the mornings, it seems that summer has come back !



A nice opportunity to return to the Abattoir market in Brussels, this time with Nicole who had never seen this market as it was the abattoir of Brussels before, and of course that's not really a place you want to see ! We walked around bought fruits and Nicole found a case for her Asus tablet, perfectly fitting for less than half price she would have paid in a shop. I found finally a purse for winter, I had looked already for a long time, but all purses looked so dull, or were too small or too big, but here when I had no intention to buy a purse I found the right one.



I love it, everything I need fits in it ! Arthur seems rather bored. But as a white background he is OK.

After our walk we were hungry and as there are lots of restaurants or snacks in the market, we had a nice lunch.



Before we sat down we picked up Charlie whom we had left in my car to protect it (you never know). Nobody can approach the car he becomes ferocious ! He put his head on my lap, waiting for some pieces of meat and was delighted that our portions were too big for us so that he could clean up the plates just like a dishwasher !

A friend of my painting class has put her house on sale and to get rid of a lot of useless stuff, she did a Garage sale.



Of course I went there not to buy something, we have enough useless stuff ourselves, but just to say hello. There were others too and we sat on the street and she served a glass of Rosé. We had a lot of fun and she also sold several items. I finally bought a seat, which when you unfold it becomes a bed. This can always be useful when you have guests overnight.



On Sunday morning we had a chat with grandson Toby who enjoyed his breakfast. Skype is really great when you have family living far away from you.

Maybe for the last time I could sit outside in the garden, it was summery warm. Fortunately we hadn't put away yet the garden furniture for the winter  !

MY WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 7

On Saturday morning I got a Skype call from Grandson Toby to show me the gifts he got from St. Nick. It was the once we had already left there when we were last in Amsterdam. I had bought a little computer, very educative and talking in French. It even had a little mouse. In the Netherlands St. Nicholas is more celebrated for kids then Christmas.


It looked a bit like this

Apparently he liked it very much and the funniest thing was, as we had no instruction manual, Mr. G. had tried it out and had found some things but with difficulties, and this little one handled his new computer like a professional ! We had to laugh how he had found out different functions in such a little time, and Mr.G. spent quiet some time with this thing to find out some !

I had to buy cat food for my 4 always hungry little monsters. On the way back I stopped at a store who is called "Destock" and that's what it really is ! They sell almost everything from all kind of retailers who have too much stock ! Of course the prices are very cheap. I wanted to buy some new Christmas tree decoration, more childrenlike, as my grandson is now 3 years old and certainly will enjoy Teddybears, angels and Father Christmas and Disney items more then the classical balls.

First I only saw very little and nothing interesting, but then the shop owner told me that all decorations are just arriving they sell only after St. Nick, which is also very important in Belgium. And indeed the 2nd floor was packed with Christmas decoration, so much that I couldn't really see any details and at the entrance stood a little truck filled with another load. I told the owner I would be back during the week when he has made his displays. In this mess it was impossible to see something.

The afternoon was cold, windy and rainy (as usual on weekends) and I went to Ilona's who had already nicely decorated her living room and had put up her Christmas tree. As you can see she also is a cat lover !



It was very cozy and we chatted the whole afternoon about important and less important things and also about the life of Nelson Mandela who had done so much not only for his own country, but had brought his ideas of freedom and racism through the whole world.



We also celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary, with a big plate of Sushis, we both like very much.

Sunday morning I wanted to go to a Christmas Market in one of the Brussels' communities, but it started to rain a bit and for taking photos it wasn't the ideal weather. So I went to the next town which almost melts into Waterloo and could take some pictures there.

In the afternoon Mr. G's young friend (he is only a little older then our son) came for a visit and after staying a bit with them, I escaped to Dominique, she had asked me how to do photo collages with Picasa. So the men were able to complain about women and I didn't disturb or contradict them. 

OUR WORLD - Market

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My part of our world is rather rainy and grey, but still I managed to go to the market in the next little town, when the sun appeared for a few minutes.



I didn't see a lot of people when I arrived



Unsold Christmas trees were laying around and still some Christmas decoration was there



A flower stall, rather hidden



People tried to warm up themselves with hot Hamburgers, Hot dogs, and hot snails in a bowl



Or with beer or wine in this little café







Not many people




As Sundays all shops are closed, the streets were empty too.

When I returned to my car, it started to rain again ! What a start in the New Year.