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. 

MY WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 9

Since 5 days now, when I look out of my window I have this rather sad view.



It rains and rains and I wonder from where all this water is coming from. But I shouldn't complain when I see the News, and what happens actually in the Philippines. But still it is rather depressing and on top we have a quiet strong wind.



Looking around me doesn't inspire my energy either, it's a dormitory wherever I look.

The morning I spent at my computer with blogging and also creating cards for different occasions.



This one I will add to Toby's gift for Saint Nicolas on December 6, which is more celebrated in the Netherlands then Christmas. All our life we never really celebrated Saint Nicolas, just as child with a little gift in a boot, but when you live in another country you have to adapt to the customs too.

Dominique had also the blues, so we both went to Ilona who had lightened a nice fire in her stove and we had cake and tea and chatted the whole afternoon, while outside it stormed.

Sunday morning it wasn't better. Fortunately it cleared up a little around 11 am and I could drive to the next little town where a Sunday market takes place and where I have found a little boutique which therefore is open on Sundays too. They have very nice things to interesting prices. To cheer me up and because I had emptied my closet from old stuff, I bought a cardigan and a nice pullover to fill it up again.

Dominique had problems with copying her pictures into her computer so I went over to help her. With coffee interruptions and chatting it took the whole afternoon.

Today is a holiday in Belgium where the end of the first World war is celebrated. I wonder if there is any veteran left. People don't care, they are only interested in one more day off, which makes a long weekend.

MY WEEKEND OF OCTOBER 12

We have celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary, with a nice plate of Sushis as supper and a fruit cake as dessert. Nothing special, as we both considered that a new car was enough for an anniversary gift. We condoled each other to have "suffered" together for so many years.



as you can see.

The theatre season has started and we had our first play. We are four to have taken a season ticket. My friends Nicole, Dominique and my other neighbor Vivienne. As I am blind like a mole when I have to drive in the dark, I suggested to take my car and with the help of Madame GPS I hoped to find the way back when it was dark. I just wanted to get used to drive in the dark as the dayslight becomes shorter and shorter. As Dominique has the same car, she could always replace me on the way back.



We first went to the restaurant which is part of the old farm which had been transformed into a theatre, and also has a reception room for weddings and other celebrations. After a nice meal we watched the play and it was so funny ! There were only two actors, but they did a great job. The theatre was full, they even had to add some chairs. Still laughing we returned to my car and I managed to drive home without any problem. I just followed the little car on the streets shown on the GPS screen. So even when I didn't see the road, I knew when I had to turn. I was very proud of myself.

Unfortunately like so often the weekends are rainy but I had to go to the Brussels' midi market to buy a few gifts and also of course meet my cigarette supplier.I quickly bought what I had to buy, it rained and the wind was so strong that stand owners started to dismantle their stands because everything blew away.

At the bus stop I met a quiet posh looking lady in late vintage age (old and elderly doesn't sound so good)
In no time I knew her whole life. I must have a face like a confessor. Divorced, 3 children, 1 grandchild and nobody visits her. She is in love with a married man, which I found quiet exceptional as married men usually are not looking for vintage women, but rather young flesh, as they have already a vintage at home. Poor lady waited for nothing because he didn't show up what he was supposed to do. I gave her an advice to rather go out with girlfriends and not bother with men anymore at our age (I pointed out our). But she told me that she would wait for the next bus which was in two hours, to see if he would come. I climbed in the bus and thought that age doesn't protect you from stupidity.



The rest of the day we spent at home with the heating on while it stormed outside. That's a view out of my window. Arthur doesn't bother, he sleeps close to the radiator.

My friend Anne from the UK skyped me apparently they have the same kind of weather and she showed me her new cat. After the last 3 of her 6 cats had died in a short distance, they both swore that they would never take another cat. But one showed up, squatted the garden and then moved in and is now the king of the house. Typical cat ! 

MY WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 28

On Saturday Mr. G. thought he felt better, men seem not to know themselves. He had agreed to a visit of his friend Pierre who wanted to come in the morning.



Which he did, he showed up at 10 am, bringing a box of the best Belgian chocolates. Unfortunately Mr. G. is not allowed to eat them, because he has a slight diabetes and as Pookie doesn't like chocolate either, I am the happy victim to eat them all !

It was very nice of Pierre to come and see him and they had a lot to discuss. The poor man was happy to escape home, because he has to stay in bed until his wife has cleaned the house (or rather disinfected !) and this every day ! Therefore the visit lasted until it was lunchtime.

Although Mr. G. had enjoyed the visit very much, he faded slowly more and more and when Pierre finally left, he was so exhausted that he hardly could eat something, before he fell into his bed and slept for 3 hours !





I had downloaded his favorite game "Solitaire" on my Kindle so that he could sit in the living room comfortably instead of sitting behind his computer. First of course he refused but then once he had learned how to handle the Kindle he was quiet happy.

Besides resting, there is not much to do, he has to take antibiotics and I have to change his plaster. It's also not so easy for him to eat because the movement of mastication hurts. So on the menu are easy meals with not much to chew and the bread crust I cut off. Everybody says that he looks good.



Before and after !

Which is not at all my case. I avoid the mirror now ! I look like the shadow of myself.

I never thought that this surgery would affect me so much ! I did mechanically and efficiently everything what I had to do, but now the stress comes out and I feel worn out. Mr. G. now is worried about me I had always been the strong woman (at least that's what everybody thought) . Even after 45 years of living together and sometimes just wanting to send him on the moon or to hell, there is a strong bond between us and I just had feared so much to loose him. I dug in the past when we started our life together, the fun we had together, the up and downs, the fights, but still looking back the fun and happiness won over everything else in our couple.

Usually being an optimist, I suddenly surprised myself of thinking how I would organize his funerals and then my life without him. I tried to pull myself together but without a big success.

What had hurt me the most were the harsh words of our son, when I refused that they come this weekend. It really would have been impossible, even if they would have gone into a hotel. We were so tired.  Fortunately I have my very good friends who tried to cheer me up and were very supportive. I can't remember when I was so tired the last time. But life goes on and now the worst is over.

I just did some shopping for food, otherwise I spent my time distracting myself, creating new headers and just relax.



I thought I would need some fresh air, but was unable to walk for a long time so I decided to potter around a bit in our garden. I cut the ivy who invades each corner but couldn't clean it up. No strength left.

In the evening very early we watched a movie together and then he said "how was the movie ?" with a big smile, I had fallen asleep !

Obviously I don't have the strength anymore I used to have to cope with difficult situations. I can't remember that I had these reactions 11 years ago, when Mr. G. had a prostate cancer.

We are getting old but we are getting old together.

On Sunday morning when I got up after an almost sleepless night, I am still not myself. Instead of turning around in my bed, I got up made my post for the photo theme, which I had forgotten, returned to bed and reading my blog friend's posts on my Kindle, helped me to fall asleep again. That doesn't mean that the posts were boring !! Now I really bless this gift my son has offered me for my 70th birthday.

Then I had to play the nurse ! What an operation ! I had to wash his hair which was very sticky from the sterile product they had put on his head. He had to sit on the bathroom floor, which took some time and groaning and  moaning then leaning back his head on a blown up half moon cushion, wash the hairs, squeezed between the toilet and the bath tube, get him up and sat him on a chair to change the plasters. First I took the old once off (he was very brave and didn't say a word) then I saw two scars a small and a longer one with decorative blue yarn stitches covered in dry black looking blood. Thanks to Midsomer murders I was used to this view.  I cleaned it, put a brown looking anti infection liquid on them and then glued the plasters under and besides the ear. Now he looks clean again ! Conclusion,  to a wife's duties also belong nursing knowledge !

After lunch, I went over to Dominique. We had decided to paint together on Sundays when we both have nothing special to do. She has a little atelier which she had arranged for the two of us. There were two easels, two tables and two taborets. The sun was shining in the room which made it very cheerful and we started to paint and chat of course. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of our nice place. She finished a portrait of a little girl, while I finished my second abstract painting.When we made a break in the garden, Mr. G. showed up too joined in a little chat and laughed about our colored hands



And while Arthur hoped to sneak into the house and watch the budgies in their cage, which of course he didn't manage, I waited that my painting was dry and then returned home. I felt much better and relaxed. Painting is an excellent therapy. Mr. G. was happy too he had spent the afternoon laying on the sofa and playing solitaire on my Kindle. After supper at 8 pm, he was so tired that he went to bed.

I think it will take some time until he fully recovers from a surgery which had lasted 4 hours where he was under anesthesia.

Tomorrow starts another week and I feel my energy coming back !