NEW YEAR's EVE

We had a very nice New Year's Eve at Nicole's !
mit



Although we were only 5, we laughed the whole evening. Chantal had suggested to play a game she used to play in France on New Year. We all had to prepare a little gift for each person. Then for example I thought of one of my gifts and the others had to guess what it was ! It was very hard to find out what Nicole meant with her gift but finally by asking all kinds of questions, where to use it, the size, the material etc, one finally found the solution, it was a sponge ! Besides that we had a question and answer game, which was very funny, Chantal got the question "Are you wearing a slip ?" and asked Mr. G. for an answer and he got the answer card "Only on Mondays" !

Everybody had brought a plate, I had made a pasta salad with seafood, Chantal a Tiramisu and Nicole the starters. We ate and played and Charlie took care of the gift paper which he tore into thousand pieces !



We almost missed midnight ! But then poor Charlie suffered ! He was so afraid of the noise, he trembled and wanted to hide himself and started to dig the tiles. As he just had a nail operation we feared that he would hurt himself. Finally he sat between my legs and each time there was a boom, he put his head between my knees and I squeezed his ears, so that he couldn't hear anything or at least he felt sure. That was so funny ! Fortunately the fireworks didn't last too long.

At 2 pm we left and returned home, everybody happy with our New Year's Eve.

Despite the fact that the firework in Brussels center had been canceled, many people arrived anyway, just to show that they were not impressed by the terrorist threats.They wanted to celebrate as usual



Nobody was angry about the police controls and showed everything they wanted to see before entering the Grand'Place



There even the soldiers posed for tourists or people and there was a very cheerful ambiance.

The mayor was booed because of his decision. The Belgians just didn't want to be cowards. And nothing happened only the usual incidents of trouble makers.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE - RANDOM 5 FRIDAY

1. In view of our New Year's party, I did some last shopping bought paper streamers and some other little decorations. The rest of the day I spent with answering New Year wishes ! If all these wishes come true then I will be a lucky girl in 2014.



The next day I went over to Dominique to help her to prepare her living room for the party !  We had a lot of fun doing it, her little 3 year old granddaughter Lucy "helped" too, I think she had never seen that in her life !

2.


For the buffet we all had to bring one plate and our drinks. I prepared salmon sandwiches which I cut in triangles of course supervised by Arthur who fortunately had got his share of salmon before, so that I could work in peace ! I was quiet happy with the result. I had also bought a "Pain surprise" (litteraly translated Surprise Bread) a loaf of bread which had been emptied so that only the crust remains and which is then filled with all kinds of little sandwiches.

3.



At 8 pm, when everybody had arrived I quickly took a picture of the untouched buffet ! There was my "Surprise bread", a very yummy potatoe salad, a terrine of smoked trout (the white circle) slices of meatloaf and Hungarian/German potatoe pancakes which Ilona had prepared. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the delicious apple cake and the Tiramisu Chantal had made herself.



and here we are, all my friends Dominique,  Ilona, Chantal, Nicole and Marianne who is also German. We are all 70 to 76, except Dominique and Chantal ! For once Mr. G. joined the party and therefore I had asked to make a picture of us ... in memory !



Dominique lit the fire in the chimney and dog Charly and little Kiwi were happy to have such a lot of company. Of course they wandered from one person to the other in the hope that they also got some of the food. There was an other man too, a friend of Mr. G, the husband of Marianne. So they had to endure 7 chatting women, but from time to time they also managed to place a word !



Then came the moment where we did the Lead pouring Bleigiessen, a German New Year tradition. Everybody got a piece of lead in the shape of a clover leaf, anchor, etc, which was put in a special spoon, held over a candle and when it had melted the person with the spoon throw it into cold water. Ilona was fascinated by this game and we all tried to see what figure had come out, she had an abstract looking dolphin and I a bird with strange wings. Now we have to find out what that means. I don't remember what the others had. Mr. G. made raindrops !

At midnight we all lifted our glass of champagne and wished each other a happy New Year. Poor Charlie trembled like a leaf although the 9 of us tried to comfort him but he is so afraid of fireworks. Poor boy. Unfortunately no lap was big enough for him to use, but he tried !

At 2 am we were tired, and they all went home, Mr. G. and I helped Dominique to put the furniture in place, then we left too. What a nice New Year's Eve !

5. Now all the festivities are over and we can relax again. That's what I did the whole day, I just went to Dominique to put her pictures on my USB stick, then I was busy with my photos after having watched a nice crime story and a life series called "That's your history", where adopted children tried to find out their biological parents, sometimes with a disastrous result.




more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.



More participants here at A rural Journal.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1. This week I stayed 5 days at my friend Claudie's in the South of France for the New Year's Eve.



From a grey and cold Waterloo I arrived in Ollioules' almost Spring weather. We made a walk along the Sea and could even sit outside.



After our walk, I helped with preparing the buffet for New Year's Eve. I was in charge to make the Foie Gras sandwiches, while Claudie with the help of her SIL opened the oisters.

2.



We ate and danced til midnight, and then everybody with a glass Champagne, wished for a happy New Year !




We had a lot of fun, but the next day we found paper streamers and little paper balls everywhere in the house ! Even in our beds and in our shoes (work of the children !).

3.



While Claudie went to the doctor with her daughter, I walked through the little town and admired the beautiful Christmas decoration. The Christmas trees, on the left below, were made by the school children's different classes. The one in front was made by Claudie's class.



The whole town was decorated and little Father Christmas were hanging at the windows.

4.



On my last day I took some pictures of their property, the vegetation is so different to ours in the North.



Claudie's husband Pierre loves to cook and decorate and prepared our last brunch together.

5.



Then we went for a walk along the sea again, and sat there for a long while in the sunshine ! It was a wonderful weather 20° ! After a coffee we went home, and so ended my year's end holidays.

When you read this I am probably sitting in the plane, I'll arrive late afternoon home and into the winter again !