MY WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY 22

In a sudden attack of cleaning our entrance, I took the opportunity to clean it before the attack disappeared. It was raining and then it stopped so I took a bucket with a lot of chlorid and a scrubber, threw the solution on the tiles from the letter box to our entrance, scrubbed the moss away and waited for the next shower to wash the chlorid away. Ever since it hasn't rained, and my entrance remains unfinished but looks almost clean.



Arthur checked and found it satisfying.

As the weather forecast had announced sunshine at the Belgian coast, Ilona and I went to Ostende where Nicole owns a little flat.

We arrived just before noon had an aperitif together enjoying the wonderful view on the blue sky and the sea. Then we had chicken with rice and vegetables and went out for a walk. Although it was not cold at all, with the wind it felt cold and we were glad that we had warm clothes on.

Before going out, Nicole had to bandage Charlie's paw. He had a surgery and a claw had been taken out, leaving a quiet large hole and a deep wound. Inside she takes the bandage off so that the wound can dry, but for a walk he needed a bandage.



Nurse Nicole bandaged the paw and put a plastic around so that no water could get inside. We decided to order a little boot for Charlie, I had seen some on Internet.



Then we walked along the beach, and sat down in the sunshine, taking a little sunbath. After that we had a nice cup of coffee with a Belgian wafel and whipped cream in a restaurant. The terrace was heated so we could sit outside.

When the sun went down we returned home. We had spent a real nice one day holiday.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

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1.  The week started with snow again and I was quiet upset I thought this snowing would be over by now. But no, it snowed the whole day. Offended I spent the day inside sorting out pictures making new folders and had a guy on the phone who wanted to sell me a new leather sofa set ! I hadn't checked the number ! I told him that I am only the maid and that my employes were not there.

2. Fortunately we had aqua gym, but the street was so slippery, that it was quiet dangerous to drive no salt had been put there. After our tea together I went home.

3. To comfort myself I bought two polar cardigans one red and one dark blue. That always comes on purpose because they are nice and warm and ideal to wear when it is so cold.

4. Then the weatherman announced sunshine and nice weather without snow. As Nicole was in Ostende at the Belgian coast, Ilona and I took the train and went there to spent the day with her. We bought some Greek salad and little roasted potatoes and had lunch at Nicole's flat enjoying the beautiful view over the sea.



After lunch we made a long walk along the seafront. There was still some snow on the beach, and Charlie, the Golden Retriever enjoyed to run around and jump in the snow.



But when we returned and didn't go back to the apartment, he sat down and there was no way to get him move. Nicole pulled and we tried to convince him, but nothing to do, and then, Nicole remembered. He is used to go on the terrace of a little bar where a bowl filled with water is offered to the dogs. We told him that he could get his drink, and he got up, went straight away to the bowl and drank all the water, while we laughed and waited ! The white arrow shows where Nicole has her apartment. Then we went home and had tea and muffins, enjoyed the view and did our job as chatterboxes. At 6 pm we took the train back home, which was full, but at least we found two seats. The trip lasts 1 1/2 h and by 8 pm I was back home.

5. The next day the trains going to the seaside were delayed  by frozen railway switches and the trams along the seaside were not running in the morning because of ice ! We were really lucky. I didn't even do my shopping it was stormy, very windy and cold. I collected the rests of a bird which my cat Arthur had brought and eaten inside on the oriental rug (he is a posh cat) and although I told him that he is a killer and murderer, he wasn't bothered about that at all, leaked his whiskers and rolled up into a "little" snail.

OUR WORLD - Ostende James Ensor

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Last week while I went with Dominique to our friend Nicole in Ostend, she showed us the place where James Ensor the Belgian painter has lived most of his life and was burried in the little graveyard of the Maria Kerke church. His father was English and his mother Belgian. In 1929 he was named a Baron by King Albert I.












The Maria kerke (church) history and pictures) and Ensors grave



Beautiful ceiling paintings



The Altar



a typical old confessional



The house or rather doll house of his friend the painter Maurice Boel is just a few meters away.



He lived in this house together with 8 daughters, 6 sons and his wife of course. I wonder how they all found a place to sleep ?





The side of the house and the entrance door. It's still a private property and not open for visitors.



After our visit we rested a little in the sunshine




and then walked back along the sea

OUR WORLD - Ostende

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Just a week before I went to the French Riviera I visited a Friend who has a holiday flat in Ostende at the Belgian coast. (I wrote about Ostende here)

Unfortunately it was a cold and windy day in February, so we didn't do a big walk.





Directly in front of the Station is the leisure harbour of Ostend, the big habour where the ferry boats to the UK are anchored is just besides the station.





Unfortunately only very few old typical houses are still standing in the city center,



along the beach they all had been destroyed to make place to high modern buildings with a lot of appartments ! Business before beauty. This makes the seafront really ugly.





Despite the wind there were people walking on the beach



The North sea is always a little grey even when the sun is shining and very grey when it is cloudy.





To keep the kids and also adults busy they can rent a vehicle (picture above) which is called "Cuistax". It exists in all sizes for all ages and for 2, 3, 4 or more persons. Belgium is the only country which builds the "Cuistax" and they are used all along the Belgian coastline. Apparently they have a "copyright" on this kind of vehicle because it doesn't exist in other countries.



Like in the Netherlands the Flemish part of Belgium is flat like a pancake and therefore uses a lot of bicycles as means of transport.