FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE & A BIRTHDAY

I can't believe it that it is 3 years that he is gone forever. Time flies by so quickly. In one way this is good, I never want to live the last 4 years with him again ! It was hell. 

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This week was a taste of almost summer. The sun shone every day, and I suddenly started remembering things that I had simply tucked away in a corner and forgotten about. First of all, I had to sort out the banks; they still had the address of our house. I somehow thought that would happen automatically. Most things, yes, but some, not. So we arranged for an appointment on Tuesday, and I enjoyed Monday with my first sunbath. I was still dressed warmly, of course, but the sun shone so beautifully on my face. It felt really good. Tuesday I settled everything with the bank and when I came back I stated with pleasure that they had done an Ester decoration !

amongst several games we also played ping pong, unfortunately the tables were a bit small and not long enough. One Lady who is a bit crazy claps in her hands and laughs out loud all of a sudden, believe it or not this lady had been Champion of Belgium in Table Tennis ! Each time the ball flow over the net and then its own way, she claimed "and I have been champion of Belgium !" We comforted her and told her that she still plays very well. 

Kim who entertains us had a very good idea, which I thought was a very bad ! On his program was WII playing. Fortunately I knew what it was and had also played once bowling, but for all the others it was just Chinese, they had never heard of it and when I told them that it was played on a computer screen, they all wanted to escape, but curiosity won.

I couldn't believe it ! They all played very well, some had strikes it was just amazing. And the fun they had was unbelievable ! My bowling ball always rolled towards the left side and I never got all keys.

Even in wheelchairs it went well ! 

Chantal who always carries around her plush dog, had fallen and ever since she has lost a bit her mind. Yesterday she escaped and a friendly neighbor in the street brought her back. Now we have all to pay attention that she stays in the park. She also came at 3 am in Jeanine's room and wanted to lay in her bed ! J. brought her back and locked her room now. Hopefully she will heal again. 

Each day I walk around the park (not the whole, it is too big) and then sit on a bench and scrabble until 3 pm when our games start. 

 

 

The little house where the castle cats live, there are 6

 

Signs of spring in our park

and our cheerful group, always ready for new adventures, handicapped or not !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

As it rained as usual, and most of the shops are closed on Mondays, because they had to work on Saturday, I decided to make a lazy day. First I took care of myself, nails, hairs, etc, but it at the end I had still the same face and the rest was the same too. Maybe a bit lighter. then I watched a crime story and ate my lunch, and the murder at the end was the priest of the village ! Then it was time for our activities, and this time Bingo was on the program ! I like this game unfortunately I didn't win. 

The next day was almost the same, except the game, which was real funny and made everybody laugh ! You didn't need much for the game, just a metal tray and two large water containers. Cords were tied to the containers, but some weren't. Now you had to pull the cord that wasn't tied and the tray stayed on the containers. Of course, even for us oldies it was much nicer when the metal tray fell to the floor with a lot of noise. Kim covered his ears and some took out their hearing aids. We were probably louder than a kindergarten.

 

With this sad weather we needed some fun games!  The next day we made such a noise that our staff suddenly arrived, one after the other,  because we were almost louder than the drilling of the workers! This time we had to throw plastic balls into cups hanging between the tables! Of course, many balls fell on the floor and we all jumped around to pick them up.

 

 Here they are, nurses, caregivers, cleaners, the accountant etc. Everybody had forgotten the lousy weather  !

At the end of the week, we visited a Museum in the next town. We were 14 even two in wheelchairs. We saw the exhibition of Hergé, the creator of Tintin. It was very interesting, I will writer about it later.

And I ended the week with my still not ready new Blog. I wonder if it will be ready for next year ! 

Princess Rosie sleeps the whole day and from time to time counts the raintrops

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

It's not my fault that I am boring, but the weather hasn't changed, we are all suffering from the rain, grey skies and strong wind! A really dreamy weather and it has been like that for 3 weeks! I can't go outside at all because it is too humid. Luckily we have fun every afternoon with our games. 

 
Our animators have a lot of work to always find new games, one for the brain and one for our
muscles. 
Fortunately there is Mr. Google ! Above you can see our Micado game with large sticks so that
no one can say I can't see them or I can't feel them !  What surprises me is that those who aren't
quite so clear-headed play much better than those of us who are still in our right minds. 
When I saw this Micado game for the first time I had to laugh ! It seemed to me as if it was for giants !

We had the visit of a class of kids who are on holidays. The School had asked if the 

kids could play for an hour in our park ! They had a lot of fun ! 

I still have not discovered everything in our castle, and when I went to the 3rd floor to visit a friend, I discovered the family church of the previous owners. The windows are very pretty !

 

We have a new Manager a very friendly lady. She doesn't stay in her office the whole day like the previous one who was fired, no she comes to the restaurant every day and chats with everybody and once when we had a fire alarm she went from room to room to see if the people were not afraid and if everything was OK. She also took note of all complaints, one complaint made us laugh, it was our little alcoholic friend who asked if we couldn't have an aperitif before lunch, and a bit more vine for lunch ! We have already 2 carafes per table, one red and one white. We all laughed and she too, most of us don't drink, because of medications or just because. 

 

I am still busy with creating my new blog, but it is a catastrophe ! They have changed so many things that I loose a lot of time. But I have made a header !

 

That's all what happened this week, except I have a big wound at my leg, I stepped on cat Rosie's tail !!! And she bit me ! Now I have a nice plaster that I have to wear for a week so that the wound heals. I told Rosie to put her tail in another direction and not just under my foot !

 

 

On Valentine's day Kim brought us a red rose and a card. I found that a real nice gesture. Most of us are widows, but we loved it. 

I hope that next week the sun will finally come out, not that we have to wait until Christmas !

 

 

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JANUARY 11

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

 

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WEEKEND

I should leave a white photo here which without any explanation represents the weather we had over the weekend ! There was so much fog that you could hardly see the trees. The park still looked white, but everything on the paths had melted away and there was black ice everywhere and you could see lots of accidents on TV.

Isn't that a beautiful weather ?

We didn't see the fog, we played cards

We sat in the warmth but this weather makes you tired. On Saturday we played "Win 1 billion Dollars" which was a question and answer game, we didn't win the billion but made it to 97 thousand $! Not so bad.

Sunday was no better and not many visitors came either, the roads were still slippery. But we had a good time and the time went by quickly.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

The week started with typical November weather, cold, wet, grey, really mood lifting ! Fortunately we had our activity in the afternoon, we played a fun game, we had to smell at potty and find out what was in it.

That could be a mint smell or a special perfume or baked bread. After the third person who hadn't smelled anything, we finally looked at the expiry date and no wonder no one smelled anything, the potties were almost 10 years old and completely odorless! Of course that caused a big laughter and we continued talking and discussing other games.

I had changed my bank and had done something wrong when I tried to put the app in my smartphone. My card was blocked for 24 h. Fortunately I had another card and could do my shopping and pick up my medication at the pharmacy. When I came back I called the bank and asked what mistake I had done, it was really stupid, I had mixed up the code ! Now it works. 

As I was in the city center I thought I could say hello to my old neighbors. Which I did. They have the same apartment as I had before and there were no news at all, they are the only two who see each other every day, the others are working. In my "old" apartment lives a young couple, but they have never seen them ! It's the use to live 20 years side by side without knowing each other ! Crazy. I was happy when I returned into my castle found my friends in their coffee circle, laughing and chatting. I joined the company and finished my afternoon with them. 

The next day a movie was on the program. I didn't like the fact that it was a cartoon, after all, I didn't have any grandchildren with me who would be happy. It was an ancient Mexican film and so stupid that after 15 minutes I quietly sneaked out and went to my room. At four I was there again. Apparently no one liked the film, most of them didn't understand a thing, the others fell asleep and some did what I had done and came back for coffee. Finally Kim stopped the film after he also noticed that no one was watching anymore. The whole film should last 2 hours !! Apparently movies don't work that well, because or they are too difficult to understand or too childish and then it's difficult when you are 90 to concentrate on a movie which lasts so long. 

We still were locked in because of the awful weather, nevertheless we played Golf !! That was really funny and the balls flew in all directions, seldom in the hole ! 

"room" Golf

 Our nearly 100 year old won ! Was she proud ! I managed two balls and was second, probably I have to wait another 20 years for the 4th ball ! 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

I am still not completely rid of my bronchitis and sometimes wake up because of my own breathing noise which sounds like a walrus with a cold. Of course that takes all my energy but at least I participate in our games in the afternoon. 

As there was a day off because of "All Saint's day" there was a terrible traffic to all cemetery in the country because it is the use to clean the graves and put flowers on it. At least once a year ! Only a few of our group were missing and Kim our animator had the good (?) idea to make a Quiz with Saints. Now, I am protestant and we have no saints and the others didn't know them, but we found at least one ! the Saint of Brussels ! There was no saint for our dear Waterloo. Our ignorance and the fantasy some residents had, made that the afternoon was really very funny. 

I had to go to the bank and choose the day when the birthdays of the month are celebrated, because the last months the singers had been awful (at least for me) The bank was full as if you get your money for free, so I changed my bankcard number on the cash machine and quickly returned home. 

The singer still sang with full heart, but to my surprise not bad at all and she even tried to make the audience laugh ! Then it was coffee time and we talked about ..... Trump ! Our nearly 100 year old Jeannie, had a very special opinion about him, which made laugh the whole group. 

The weather is humid and I didn't want to go out but I had to buy my fruits. When I got back we started a game called "throw decapitated heads"! That sounds pretty babaric but it was very funny. It was a miracle that our glasses didn't break and the heads didn't end up in our faces, but everyone still hit the target. The heads were soft balls with scratch and had two ears and two eyes. You throw and they should stick on the target 

 

We got 5 heads each, and I throw 4 which remained on the target. 

Two "Inspectors" from the company came and controlled if everything is OK in our castle, but when they saw how much fun the residents had, they were really pleased. In the past year from 8 participants we are now 20 or more, and if at the beginning everybody made a face like that :😑now it's more like that😄!! 

The goal of this retirement home company is to make people having fun and feel useful. And that works very well ! One works in the park from morning to evening pulling out weeds, another folds the napkins and is very enthusiastic about it and some clean the tables after our coffee chat. We help clean up as much as we can (I'm particularly lazy) but I take the photos for the monthly newspaper. That's also something. 

 And I am still the mediator between management and residents, or simply have an open ear for concerns about the "bad" children who never come, even though that's not the case. 

The week ended with a quiz, one question was "which item brings luck"?

a) a calf's head

b) a pig's trotter  

c) a horseshoe 

Chantal's hearing is getting worse, and she answered "calf's head" which of course caused a loud laugh from everyone.

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND SEPT 7

 

 Kitten Arthur when he arrived in our home

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

 

 

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WEEKEND 

I spent a nice weekend despite the fact that I was still suffering from withdrawal symptoms because I  stopped taking cortisone and then wondered why I felt so bad. I was hoping that when my son and grandson arrived on Saturday I would feel better, but I still had blurry eyes and felt dizzy at times. 

They arrived at noon, with dog Leia and when they entered my room, cat and dog looked at each other, Rosie made huge eyes but remained in her basket and Leia must have thought that this cat must be a family member and lay down. That was the first time they were in the same room and it went very well.

Of course for the dog our park is ideal for running around and chasing her ball ! Then Dario my son picked up 2 or 3 hamburgers or cheeseburger each,  they both have a very good appetite. They sat at our picnic table in the park and they swallowed the hamburgers in no time, I had already eaten. 

They played in the park until 3 pm, time to sit on the terrace and playing a game with all the others. The weather was wonderful, and we were 21 oldies to play. Toby likes to play with all the grandmas and likes them in general, he served them cookies and Dario set the tables with cups and then poured the coffee. Of course everyone was impressed by the two giants (2 m and 1,95 m) and I was happy because they were so nice. Even Leia visited all the laps and got some cookie pieces.

Everybody was happy with the dogs, there was another one on visit and both got a lot of cuddles ! 

The afternoon went by very quickly, and at 5.30 pm they left, because they were invited for a barbecue at Dario's best friend.  

I was quite dizzy after they left, had supper and at 8 pm I was exhausted and went to bed.

 

 These are Rosie's eyes when she saw Leia 

 

In the picture posing like the organ pipes,  and sitting at the table for first our game and then coffee. On the picture below right, Leia enters my room and looks at my grandson and Rosie. 

Sunday the temperature dropped by 10°C it rained and there was a strong wind. I was still feeling badly, but at 3pm I went playing  a game that translated was named “hang on the gallows”. You had to find a word and each time you didn't find it a gallows was drawn. 

After having assured my little Italian lady (94)  that her parents are still alive and in good health and that they are waiting for her, I returned to my room. If you don't agree with her she gets very angry and then starts to cry. So I play the game and then she remains calm and forgets. 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

On Monday it rained as usual, what else could I expect ! If you walk on the grass it's like walking on a big sponge ! In the afternoon a magician was supposed to come, he arrived half an hour late, unfortunately he couldn't magic away the rain or the heavy traffic.

It was a very young man or at least he looked as if he was 16 with Harry Potter glasses on his nose. 

He made some tricks with cards, let disappear things, but he definitively wasn't a David Copperfield !  He did his best and we watched with interest, but for most of us it was a "déjà vu". 

When they had their mass, I went to the part of Waterloo where I had the apartment and went to a shop which I can't find near the castle. As I was already in the area, I called my ex neighbor Nicole (another one) and asked if I could see her for a moment. She was happy to see me and told it to the other neighbor who also came over and we chatted together the whole afternoon. Now they are both in their 80 and still live alone in these big apartments. But both have family here who helps when they need them. They are not alone like I was. I returned home and was happy to find my cozy room, it has become my retreat when I want to be alone, without being alone.

What is so nice that every day we have an activity in the afternoon. Meanwhile we become more and more even the oldest are there 99 and sometimes  100 years old ! They love games with finding words, there are a lot ! This time we played one which is called "Hangman" (le pendu). You have to find a word and each time you choose a letter which is not in the word you have to add something on the Hangman, a head, eyes, nose etc

These games are very much appreciated and we always laugh a lot. Sometimes an outside game is foreseen but then it rains and Kim our animator has to be very creative  ! We should play mini golf, but as it rained we played in the restaurant, inside "golf". A box served as a gate and a cup stood in the middle. The golfer now had to shoot the ball into the cup. I managed 4 out of 5 balls and one who shot off blindly, all 5 balls! Was she happy ! 

 

 

The second animator is a girl and started on Monday. She is very nice and physically the opposite from Amandine who has started in another residence. Amandine was a beauty, dark hair and eyes, Eleonor is light blonde and has blue eyes.

Here we had to pull out a piece of wood without the tower collapsing! It wasn't easy, but I did it!

 

For the moment this simple life is doing me a lot of good. After all, I have to recover from almost 5 years of stress and poor health. In the morning I work on my blog and answer emails, then I'm served lunch, I prefer to eat in my room and not yet in the restaurant,  and then, if it doesn't rain, I go for a walk in the park. The doctor recommended this to me, I don't like doing it but I force myself to do it. And in the afternoon we play games together or I go shopping or visit old friends. I'm slowly feeling better, but I am still not completely comfortable in my skin. It's only 2 years, that Rick is gone and I still have to learn that now I am alone. I am here now since November and I think I made progresses. 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

The week started with mixed but warm weather and our animator decided to plant flowers in the pots.  

I personally don't like gardening, I only love beautiful gardens when they are done. Therefore I made the photos. Some of the residents really woke up and bloomed happily and stuck their hands up to their arms in the fresh earth. The result was also very nice and later, when we were all sitting around the table with coffee and cookies, they talked about their gardens at home. It was a wonderful afternoon that we spent in the sunshine.

Of course the next day it started to rain again, I had to go out to buy litter for cat Rosie and the cream for my face (what a combination) and also bought some Kiwis and apples. There was not a lot of choice of fruits, the steady rain even in the sunshine countries and the South of France were the culprit ! On top very expensive ! As the rain was very heavy in some areas of Belgium, there were again whole villages under water ! And it rained the whole day !

It didn't stop the next day and it was rather cool, I did my walk but not half an hour the air was to humid, but at least a bit every day ! We gathered in our Restaurant and chatted until the son of our little Italian mamma resident came to visit her and entertained us with stories out of his mother's life, she had raised 5 children and was 3 years old when her father followed the other Italians to Belgium to work in the coal mines. She didn't remember, because slowly her brain lets her down.

The guy was very funny typical Italian and while he talked he mimed his stories. I was used to talking Italians narrating a story, but the others not and were thrilled and laughed their heads off.

On Thursday it still rained and we were almost all there for the animation afternoon.

Each of us got a balloon to blow up for me and some others we made mini balloons and Kim had to blow them up.  Then we made gymnastic with the balloons with hand and feet and the balloons were so slippery that they went in all direction and we had to "run" to pick them up again. At the end we shot with hands and feet and worse then a primary school. Laughing is also a sport !

On Friday morning I woke up because of a terrible noise, I jumped out of my bed and saw a huge crane with a "stalker" standing on the platform and writing something. I thought it would be "fun" if they started repairing the roof now! But a little later that was all I saw through my window.

 

In the afternoon we played again another game which nobody of the residents knew it was called "toss cans" in English but "Massacre" in French. The title was scary but the game finally fun. 

We had to toss a mountain of I don't know how many red cans, we could do it three times and had to knock them over. Many people didn't have enough strength, I had strength but didn't hit no can because I always threw over the cans ! Afterwards we had our coffee as usual. 

Our Room cleaner Albert participated too, and poor Kim had to pick up all the cans ! Even a little dog was watching !

And another week was over, and no hope for better weather !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.