CAR WASH ADVENTURE

After my last car wash adventure, where I forgot to close the window after I had paid and had taken a shower, I suddenly remembered another adventure with my car cleaning !

As usual I paid the guy, he cleaned my wheels and hosed the car, he made me a sign to go on the rails which would take me into the car wash. So I advanced, but instead of leaving the car without gear and let the car go, I pushed on the accelerator and drove through the car wash in one shot !

When I came out on the other side, I was surprised that my car hadn't been washed at all and that there was a silence. I saw two men stumbling through the tunnel screaming, I don't know what, because I couldn't hear, meanwhile I had stopped the car and the two men white as bedsheets asked me if I had nothing. I still wondered why the car wash had gone so quick and why it hadn't been as usual with the swinging straps. Then suddenly I realized what I had done. I excused myself and wanted to go back and start the whole thing again, but one of the man asked me to get out of the car and said that this time he will go through the car wash himself and that I should wait here at the other end !

I felt quite stupid, still not knowing why I had driven like a flash through the car wash ! Call it absent minded !

and then ....








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THE BEST SOLUTION

A friend in my painting class told me a rather strange story about her little grandson. Having a grandson is nothing special but in this case it is.

Jeanine has 3 children one girl and two boys. They are all grown up and out of the house. Her daughter is married and wanted badly a baby since several years unfortunately without any success. Then came the confirmation of the doctor, she can't have any children. A catastrophe for her.

One of her sons was in a relationship but they had no intention to have a baby yet. The other was just 21 and had a girlfriend of 17. And as it happens, those who don't want children they get them without any problems, and sometimes very quick.

This happened to the 21 year old boy Philip and his 17 year old girlfriend Lisa. She got pregnant ! A catastrophe, both far too young and both studying. There was only one solution ... an abortion.

When Jeanine heard about the pregnancy of Lisa, she had the best idea of her life. She invited the girl and talked to her and asked her if she would agree to have the baby. First the girl was very reluctant to the idea, and her son too, but there was the sister who couldn't have children and she was ready, and eager to adopt her brother's child together with her husband and raise it as their own.

After some hesitation, finally Lisa agreed, and after 9 months she gave birth to a healthy little boy. Immediately after the birth she gave it to Philip's sister who from birth on now had a little boy. She and her husband were so happy and of course my friend too. Not only she had a healthy grandson but it was also her own blood.

Today they all live in harmony. The biological mother has disappeared shortly after the birth. The little boy is meanwhile 4 and happy with his parents. The biological father considers him like a nephew and behaves like an uncle.

A strange story but with a very happy end !



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MEMORIES OF A PREGNANCY

When I was in the south of France, staying with my friend Claudie, her daughter Anna was pregnant but still had at least a month to go. It brought back memories to me. Like her from behind you didn't see anything but in front we both had a big belly as if we had swallowed a football (soccer), although her belly looked more like a big beach ball.



While I was fit like a fish in the water and full of energy, she was very sick during nearly the whole pregnancy except the last month and lost a lot of weight because she couldn't eat anything.

And how times have changed ! When I was pregnant in the 70th, you had to hide your belly and wear special pregnancy clothes which mostly looked like tents. Today women show there bellies and at the beach don't hesitate to let the baby in the belly take a sunbath !

A very posh colleague of mine had given me all her pregnancy clothes and they were just wonderful all very expensive brands, even a silk long evening cloth. The whole outfits must have cost a fortune and she just gave it to me, and was happy to get rid of them.

I still was slim, although nearly end of the 5th month. Each day I watched if my belly grew, because I wanted so much to wear these beautiful clothes. But nothing. I had to wait until the 6th month before I finally could start to wear some of them. That lightened my mood even more and I wanted to go out and show my new feathers, fortunately I was still working and everybody could admire my beautiful pregnancy dresses.

All these memories came back when I sat besides her and saw her belly moving. One evening I really got a shock, suddenly little Alice inside gave her mother such a kick, that I thought now the belly will explode and she will just jump out. Fortunately it didn't happen and I had to laugh about myself because I had already thought what to do, if I should run for hot water and towels or call and ambulance !




Modern pregnancy



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LAUGHTER ....

That's the only thing to do which helps .....



after terrorist attacks !


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THE DAY AFTER THE BRUSSELS' ATTACKS

I think that everybody knows by now about the terrorist attacks in Brussels at the airport and in a metro station. Usually people are believed to be rather uncaring, everybody lives for himself. But when it comes to a tragedy, we get a completely different picture of the people who surrounds us.

After the attacks, it warmed my heart to hear and see how people helped each other. As the public transport was completely interrupted lots of people living outside Brussels couldn't get home or leave the city. Spontaneously transport propositions appeared on a special Facebook page and a phone n° was given on TV and Radio, where people could ask to be picked up and driven home by volunteers.

Lots of women offered to pick up children from day care or school in case the parents were stuck in Brussels until very late.

Hospitals and the Red Cross had to stop blood donors for the moment, there were so many who offered their  blood to help safe lives. They have to come back later

A bus driver stopped his bus when he saw a blind lady who seemed to be lost and helped her into the bus.

Others offered rooms for those who were stuck at the airport or elsewhere in Brussels and couldn't get home.

Brussels' Place de la Bourse became a focal point for grief, solidarity and resistance to Belgium's worst terror atrocity, as messages of support poured in from around the world on Tuesday night.
Old and young of all colors  held hands together.

They left flowers, candles and even beer bottles, while scores scrawled colourful measures on the paving stones, many in English, paying tribute to the victims and calling for love and unity.




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A LITTLE GIRL AND THE HORSE

My best friend when I was 9 or 10 had a one year old little baby sister who had to go out for a walk every day. For my friend it was a burden for me a pleasure. I was the same age and was very proud when I was allowed to take little Anna out in her stroller.

One day I thought I will take her to a field where horses grazed.



There was a fence so that the horses couldn't escape. I have to say that at that time I really was terrorized by horses, I liked to watch them but from far, very far and I really don't know why I just choose this way. When we arrived at the field I showed little Anna the horses which were at the other end.

Suddenly to my horror, one of the horses probably thought I was there to bring some treats and galloped towards me ! I screamed and turned around and pushed the stroller as fast as I could. The horse had managed to get out despite the fence and followed me ! The picture must have been something for the hidden camera. Me running with the stroller Anna screaming and the horse behind us, it even tried to sniff at my head. It was a friendly horse, only I didn't know for me it was a monster.

Finally a man saw me running and the horse behind, he came over, stopped the horse and comforted me. He tried to explain that a horse is a nice and friendly animal, but I didn't really believe him. Meanwhile other people had gathered around us and comforted me and the baby, somebody informed the farmer to lead his horse back. I returned home my heart still beating at 100 miles/hour, returned Anna in her stroller back to her mum and went home.

This fear of horses lasted nearly my whole life, although I really found them beautiful. And one day I have no idea why the fear suddenly stopped, but I was already 60 by the time. Today I pet them talk to them and my wish is before I leave this world to once ride on a horse !


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A VET WHO ADORES HER JOB

My vet is an extraordinary woman. You can feel that she adores animals and that's not only her work for an income. My neighbor's cat was old and sick and the decision was taken to put her asleep. The vet came over to my neighbor's house so that the cat could die at home. My neighbor was devastated and cried and cried and what did our vet do ? She comforted her, asked for a box, put the cat inside and buried her in the garden. Have you ever heard of a vet like this ?

My cats when they have to go there are not afraid at all. She is so gentle. Arthur had been bitten in his tail and almost lost it. So he got a surgery to keep his tail. When I wanted to pick him up he was walking around in the consultation room, and watched all sick animals laying on the table, because he had meowed that loud that she couldn't keep him in the cage and as he is such a social cat she let him free walking all over the place. Even the biggest dogs shut up !


Arthur

Charlie my friend's dog had to get his yearly shots. When he got out of the car, he pulled her to the entrance as if a big bone would wait there and not the vet ! He greeted her with a waggling tail and even forgave the shots. The vet said that Charlie is getting too fat and that he must eat lighter and then she gave Nicole a huge bag of 12 kgs dog food, for free !


Charlie

Everybody in our street who has an animal is going to her, it's now at least over 20 years that we know each other, she was just a young new starting vet. She knew all my cats over the years and never forgets Arthur the crooner, each time I met her by coincidence in the city !



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HOW TO MAKE EASY THINGS DIFFICULT

Mr. G gets a little, very little pension from Italy about 300 $ per year (!!).

For that once a year he has to prove that he is still alive so that his dear wife doesn't get this generous pension after his dead.



He got a letter from Germany, from the "Deutsche Post"



Inside was a form in Italian on one side and French on the other, to be filled in by the Belgian authorities that Mr. G. is still alive. So yesterday morning he presented himself in full glory to prove that he is still part of Waterloo's citizens. The employee checked the form, could only state that he is not dead put a stamp on and a signature.



Then he had to send this form to the UK which fortunately is still member of the European Union.
Hopefully the office there understands French or Italian.

Now I try to understand the logic of the European Union ! Why sending an Italian form from Germany and then to the UK, for an Italian pension ??



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NEIGHBOR's WATCH

When I arrived at Nicole's one day, there were at least 10 people standing on the street, all neighbors. The reason was that Nicole had got a phone call from her neighbor's daughter, because her mother didn't answer the phone which was very unusual because the old lady of 90 years has her exact daily schedule and as it was afternoon, she should be up, well dressed and combed as usual. She is never sick and even mows her lawn still at her age.  The daughter had also tried the mobile phone but also without success.

Nicole proposed to go over and rang at the door. Which she did. She even banged and then other neighbors arrived for help. They knocked on the windows went around the the house to look in the French doors of the living room. But there was no sign of Simone the old lady.

A man proposed to break into the entrance door or break a window to climb through. As they were still discussing what to do, the daughter arrived with the key. Everybody watched with attention as close as possible when the door was finally open. After a while a uncombed and without make-up, dressed in an old bathrobe Simone showed up and looked at all these people with surprise.
Then she explained that she had a light cold, had switched her phones off and had gone to bed with an aspirine. That was all !

She thanked us to have worried about her and said it was good to know that people took care of her. Of course we were all surprised and relieved that nothing worse had happened, as she was never sick, and never sleeps during the day. I think it's better to act like this then wait until the house or apartment starts to stink, which unfortunately sometimes happens.

We chatted a bit together and then everybody went home.

The only one who really had enjoyed the whole situation was dog Charlie ! Having all neighbors around him was heavenly, he likes company ! On top I had brought him a bone which made his day.




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SPECIAL PARKING SPACES

Ever since I drive with my friend Chantal who is handicapped due to a polio when she was three, I realize how poor we are equipped in Waterloo or Brussels to help to make life easier for them. There are not enough parking spaces not to speak about the public transport ! Until 4 or 5 years ago, people in a wheelchair had to be carried up by two man to have access to the cinema ! Now finally a lift has been installed.

So it makes me always very angry when I see a car on a parking reserved for handicapped, with somebody in (man or women) who are as handicapped as I am, jumping out of their car and running in the building. These are mostly kind of Land Rovers owners far too big cars for our small streets, who probably think they are in the far west ! When I see one I tell him that I only wish that he or she never would really need such a parking ! Usually they make big eyes and pretend not to understand.

But one day I caught one ! It was a young man just arriving and of course on a a parking for handicapped. I got very angry, I was just parked besides him. I opened the window and made a sign and he opened his window too and saw my angry face and then I told him that it is a shame that at his age he steels these places etc etc. The young man listened and didn't say nothing but suddenly he smiled and pointed with his finger on the back seats ! What did I see ? A wheelchair ! I was shocked and then ashamed and excused myself a thousand times, but he said please stop excusing yourself, I wished there were more people like you !

I gave him a little smile and then drove away before he got his wheelchair out. Afterwards I thought how sad, he certainly had a car or motor accident for loosing his legs. There are no wars where I live.





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COMMUNICATE WITH DEAF MUTE LADIES

Nicole had invited two friends to "our" Chinese restaurant, which they didn't know. Of course I came too. The two friends turned out to be like giggling teenagers, despite their vintage age. We also behaved like this, but without smart phones, we just talked in direct and laughed loud. We made quite some noise, because one of the girls had a very loud voice, her husband doesn't hear very well. From time to time we told her to speak a little less noisy, but that never lasted for long.

Besides our table was another one with 4 ladies. They were not noisy at all they were very silent despite the fact that they seemed to have a lot of fun too. They looked like a group of Italian Mammas speaking with their hands but no voice, all four of them were death and dumb. They made big smiles and signs to us and we smiled back and made signs that the food was very good.

At one moment I was at the buffet and one of the deaf women hit me at my arm and pointed on the sauces. I understood that she asked me which of the sauce was spicy. I pointed to the one which was not spicy at all and shook my head and then on one where I opened my mouth and panted like an old dog. She understood and we both smiled.

Later I thought it would be nice to learn the sign language and read on lips. I wonder if in all languages the signs are the same. I asked Mrs. Wikipedia and learned that "A common misconception is that all sign languages are the same worldwide or that sign language is international. Aside from the pidgin International Sign, each country generally has its own, native sign language, and some have more than one, though sign languages may share similarities to each other, whether in the same country or another one.It is not clear how many sign languages there are. The 2013 edition of Ethnologue lists 137 sign languages.


What a pity ! I thought at least the deaf and mute people had the same language all over the world !

If it would have been the same for all languages I would have tried to learn, I once had a deaf friend when I was 18, she read on my lips. At that time I would have learned, but there were no schools where I lived. Now I am too lazy and  so I remain with my personal body language. If I want to tell that somebody had been strangled, I just put my hands around my neck open my mouth and let my tongue hang out, while I have a cross eyed look. I think that is understandable for everybody.




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THE VIRGIN MARY IN MY DISHWASHER

A miracle happened ! I saw the Madonna, not the one who sings "I am a virgin" and isn't, but the real one !



When I opened my dishwasher to put in a plate, I saw something strange laying on the filter. I took it out and had a closer look ! It was a little statue of the Virgin Mary ! In MY dishwasher ! Now why did she choose my dishwasher ? I am protestant and don't have St. Mary's statues in my house I don't believe either that she is a Saint. Maybe by her appearance she wanted to give me a sign ?

I asked Mr. G. he is catholic and used to deal with Holy Marys, but he claimed his innocence he had no clue how this little statue landed in our dishwasher. I looked at my cats, maybe they brought it in taking it for a little mouse ? But that doesn't explain why I found it in the dishwasher. So far my cats are not yet trained to put their bowls in the dishwasher.

I raked my brain and found really nothing. The only explanation would be that it had been in a cake for Christmas, but that's a long time ago and meanwhile lots of dishes had been washed. So we still have no idea.

Meanwhile I keep the little statue as a sign of good luck, it doesn't happen very often that St. Mary appears nowadays and certainly not in a dishwasher ! .




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VINTAGE WOMAN AND A SMART PHONE

I had lunch with one of my friends. We just had taken the card to look at the menu, when her mobile rang. She fumbled in her handbag and got more and more angry because her bag was also a little portable shop. She carried everything in there from tissues to mobile, which now had stopped ringing.

She pushed a deep sigh and told me that she had never wanted a mobile because at least when she is out of the house she doesn't want to be persecuted by her family. She is the director, manager, administrator, and cleaning woman of a big family.

Now her daughter had offered her a new mobile and this gift poisoned her life. The one she had before was a mobile to call and receive phone calls and that was it.

The one she has got now does almost everything and has even a telephone function. But it is hard to find the right button. At least that's what she told me.

She pushed again a loud sigh pulled out of her warehouse bag a manual and her glasses put them on her nose and started to read what her mobile could do.

Sharing photos, video clips and captured memories with family and friends on a large compatible TV screen. For that she said, we have a digital camera and a DVD recorder. Which unfortunately she doesn't know how to use, because husband and children take care of that.

Internet access for browsing, uploading content, and sending and receiving emails. What should I do with that ? she asked me, I never even touched a computer, only for dusting !

Browse the Web, watch TV, listen to stereo FM radio and a digital music player and can also easily rip CDs and transfer music collection to the phone. And in addition, she could store up to 1500 songs !

I whistled (inside only) impressed. I imagined watching a football (soccer) game on my mobile and would probably see a bunch of flees running behind a point. She gave me a desperate look, and asked me :

What is browse, internet, web, email and what for a content could she upload and where ? Not to speak about 1500 songs she would never have time to listen to all and why 1500 with 6 she would already have enough !

I thought of my other friends when I had tried to explain something so simple as my blog and that it would probably take a year or even more or maybe for ever to explain it to her and suggested to ask her daughter who had offered her this generous gift.

The only thing she complained, I would like to do with my mobile is to call my friends and open my garage door so I don't need to get out of the car ! That would be so nice especially when it rains. But this thing cannot even do that !






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MEETING WITH A HOMELESS

When my friend Ilona and I went to the Brussels Christmas market, her friend Domi asked if she could come with us. Of course she could.

She absolutely wanted to buy a sandwich, I wondered why, because she just had lunch. But it was not for her but for a "homeless", she had met I don't know where and how, but she had taken him into her heart. He was a rather young man probably in his 30, who had lost his mother fell into deep depression, was fired by his boss and landed on the street. This is the short version. There he saved a little puppy and bottle fed him and he was his only companion.

Now the little dog was sick and he had no money to go to the vet. There is a vet clinic for the poors and homeless, which had been created by Prince Laurent, the King's brother. Unfortunately the clinic was far away and he had no money for the bus. Domi had arranged to find a vet nearby who checked the dog for free, but he had to pay the medication. I wanted to see the man and the dog and we went visiting him.  He sat on a cover in a corner of the street the dog well covered in a sleeping bag, he didn't move when we petted him. We asked the man how much he would need for the medication and Domi wanted to pay for that too, but Ilona and I gave him the money as Domi has not very much either for living. He was so grateful that we were ashamed ! We said good bye and continued our way on the Christmas market.

I noticed once more that the less you have the generous you are. Wealthy people are often stingy !

I didn't take a picture I thought it wouldn't be nice.

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BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR

This week is rather special, I feel as if I am on holidays without being on holidays. After Christmas people are running around to get rid of unwanted Christmas gifts, too narrow clothes (or too large), smartphones and tablets etc. In Belgium there is only one Christmas day, the 26 is a normal day and all shops open. Therefore there were many people in the center.

I had nothing to change only food to buy. I met with Nicole for lunch and then we had coffee at her home. Charlie greeted me with enthusiasm !

Ever since Nicole has fallen on her knees and has a muscle contortion under her ribs, (first they thought a rib was broken) she has difficulties to hold big Charlie on a leash. It hurts when he pulls a little bit and if he would see a cat it would be the catastrophe !



So she was walking very slowly and Charlie trotted besides her, not very happy when suddenly three about 12 year old boys approached and asked if they could help and hold Charlie's leash. Nicole was so surprised by the kindness of these boys, and  of course agreed. The boys walked Charlie and Nicole walked slowly behind, keeping an eye on them. They didn't want any money, Nicole had offered them a little bit for buying chocolate or something. I found this really very nice such things don't happen so often.

I observed in town that there are a lot of Miss Marples walking around and checking the prices in the shops. In Belgium "Sale" is only allowed twice a year in summer and now in winter from the 1st January on. Some of them have paper and pencil and write down the price of an item they like but wouldn't buy because they will wait for sales ! Some shop owners increase the prices before Christmas and drop them to normal after the first with a big label "Sales" ! Apparently some people think that when there is a sign "Sales" it is automatically cheaper !

Therefore the shops are full but nobody buys anything, the big rush will be on the 2nd when people storm the shops to make a bargain ! I saw many winter coats or jackets which hadn't been sold due to the unusual warm weather.


Sales !




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AT THE AIRPORT IN EGYPT

On our return flight from Egypt, we arrived at the Hurghada airport, which I had known as a little barn in the past and which has become a big very modern airport ! A man in uniform asked us with which travel agency we had arrived and then told us to wait outside.

Normally that wouldn't have bothered me, but it was very windy and therefore cool. So I asked the man if my friend and I could wait inside, where he was standing at the entrance hall. There was a bench on the left with two other men sitting there. He looked at me and Nicole and then said, OK, come in and sit down here. The men got up, smiled and we had a nice seat in the warmth, while the others were lined up freezing in the wind like a flock of sheep.

Then the man stood up on his toes and shouted : All old woman can come in ! Nobody came and we laughed our heads off. A more than vintage aged man with a crutch was also asked to come in and sit down, but he proudly refused.


The old women

Then the others could come in and the check in started.

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THE END OF MY FIR TREE

Once upon a time a little boy, our son got a small maybe 30 cm high little Christmas tree, as gift from his primary school. I suppose that this had happened in 1979. We planted it besides our house.

The little tree grew and grew and became a beautiful fir which protected our garden from drafts and also hid the view into the yard.



It looked very decorative



Our neighbor also had a fir and they grew together. While I was on holidays in Egypt, the neighbor had asked the city to cut down his fir and offered it for decoration in the town of course not by generosity, but he had heard that if firs could be used as Christmas trees they cut it down for free.



Mr. G. heard the noise and went outside to ask the city employees if they could cut our tree too ! Which they did and as our tree was more beautiful than the one of our neighbors ours was chosen



and it was cut down ! My neighbor fortunately took pictures.



Now our garden looks so empty and I am really sad. This fir didn't disturb anybody except dear Mr. G. who was afraid that if ever there was a strong wind it would fall on our house ! He was the only one in the street who thought so ! Now I am asked all the time why we had had cut this tree ? Difficult to explain, as I don't understand neither.






The only consolation is, that our tree now sits in the middle of the first round about in Waterloo on the main street. It's not yet decorated and I am waiting to take a picture ! Maybe I should sign it.

PS. Meanwhile it has been decorated see here



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