FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

A weekly routine had moved in ! Except that I started the week with work outside the house. Two men came put a new lamp with movement detector over the entrance door, and one over the garage.






They also replaced the wooden  border which was completely rotten. Now it looks nice !

We agreed that I am visiting every second day otherwise it is too tiring and I have no time to do anything else. I have to do the laundry, shopping etc.  On my "free" day I went to Myriam and we had a nice Scrabble. Laughing with my friends was real good for me, even if I lost as usual !

Mr. G. has gotten used to his new life and starts to feel better. He is still to weak to start the reeducation only a few movements and massages.



The view outside the window. In spring and summer it must be a very nice view. I even saw picnic  tables and benches.



Twice per day he has to wear this oxygen mask I don't know really why. Anyway something very positive came out of the whole story, he, who smoked like a chimney and since months had tried to stop or at least to reduce, doesn't smoke anymore and does not miss it either ! That's very good !
I only hope that he won't start again at home, then you will read in the Newspaper that a wife killed her husband by throwing lighters and cigarettes at his head !

Soon he will have his birthday and I created a birthday card for him !



Arthur says "Happy Birthday to my beloved servant"

The last time I was there I got into a terrific traffic jam, lost one hour and came home half dead ! I hope it won't happen anymore !

We have Easter holidays here and therefore I have no aqua gym and no painting course. Instead we went to an Asian restaurant which has delicious food and "all you can eat" formula. We were 5 and had really a nice time. I was almost exploding when I came out.



In the evening we watch TV together, one cat on each side.



and then go to bed, Arthur at my feet, Rosie at my head ! Normally Arthur sleeps with Mr. G and Rosie with me, so she was not so keen to share my bed ! But now they are used to.

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WEEKEND APRIL 14

The gardener came with 10 packages of bark to cover the piece of garden on the side of the house. He first he cleaned the ground and made it even, then he covered it with a tarpaulin, so that no weeds could grow. And then he put the bark.



Now I just have to put my cat statues and a flower pot and it will look great. At least something done. The do it yourself time is unfortunately over. For me all this would have been too heavy and Mr. G. with his arthritis is handicapped too. Fortunately the guy was very honest in his price and I am sure it will not be the last time I have to call him. I found him through Facebook ! Sometimes Facebook is good !

Mr. G. had his 77 birthday and we celebrated with a chocolate mousse cake.



Of course Bunny celebrated with us as they are born on the same day and the same year ! We had a very nice afternoon and the cake was delicious.



While we were watching the News, suddenly a thunderstorm arrived and it hailed terribly. Our terrace and the garden looked as if it had snowed. We had no damages but in Waterloo there was also flooding, restaurants and streets and the fire service had a lot to do.



My hibiscus plant honnored us with another flower, it's always one at the time looks beautiful, but only lasts one day.



My cleaning lady had crocheted a bed cover for me some time ago, and now for Mr. G's birthday she
had crocheted this one. Of course cat Arthur had to inaugurate the cover. Isn't it pretty. 



My seven year old grandson Toby had made a painting in the style of the painter Keith Haring  at school. It had such a success that it is used in merchandising and printed on mugs, table sets, etc.

You can imagine that we are very proud. My DIL helped of course, she also has an artistic talent.

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

1.



I finally managed to make a picture of our aqua gym class, with everybody in the water and the view we have from the swimming pool.

In the afternoon I went to Ilona to bring her some pictures on my USB key which she had lost when her computer broke down. There were holiday pictures and also pictures from her cats.



She showed me her painting which is now finished and I like it very much.
We sat on her terrace in the sunshine and in the evening I saw that I had taken some colors.

2. Nicole came for a short visit and dog Charlie's first action was to empty all the bowls of my cats. Then he made his tour in the house met my cats laying on the beds, which seemed of no interest to him neither to the cats before he settled down with us in the garden.

3. I finally bought some flowers to plant in my pots and gathered all my courage to plant them ! It's hard work when you don't like to do garden work !



Arthur my little helper and supervisor followed me to each pot and probably thought I was preparing new litter boxes for him. What a disappointment when instead I planted flowers ! I am quite happy with the result.

4. After a long pause I returned to my Yoga class and noticed with pleasure that I hadn't become rusty at all, thanks to the exercises I do each morning.

To bring some animation into the house, my cat Pookie brought a bird in ! The poor thing was still alive and Mr. G. ran behind Pookie to safe it. Although Pookie is 16 years old and has problems with her hind legs and can't jump anymore, she has nothing lost in her speed and disappeared with the bird in the Garage. Mr. G. who has no leg problems was not quick enough and could only clean the Garage later which was full of feathers !

5. After our painting class Ilona came to pick up dishes and cups for the birthday party she will give on Sunday for her mother's 90 birthday.



I made a little birthday card which I will put together with my gift. She doesn't look her age at all and still lives alone in her apartment. She cooks her meals, bakes cakes goes out and travels ! With 87 she made a tour through Egypt, Israel, and Jordan ! To me she is an example how you can age without medications ! She doesn't need any !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

MY WEEKEND OF MAY 17

As the sun was shining I had no excuse anymore to avoid garden work ! Most of my friends love to work in their yard, and it is a hobby and a relaxation to them. For me it is a chore I don't like at all, but have to do it.





Under the watchful eyes of my cat Arthur, I pulled out weeds and planted a new Hortensia at our entrance. The one which stood there for 36 years and which had bloomed each year, suddenly died and Mr. G. had to take it out. I hope the new one will grow the same way !

My neighbor saw me working and came out and we started to chat. I told her about my adventures in Normandy, as I hadn't seen her yet since I came back. As it lasted and lasted her daughter brought her a camping chair and I sat on the steps. We had a nice pow how and people who walked by laughed when they saw us. When finally she crossed the street and went home with her chair, I wasn't up for continuing, gathered my things and put them in the Garage. Then I made myself a coffee and took a sunbath in the garden. Mr. G. sunshine or rain, always prefers to stay inside.



And while I was staying peacefully at home Brussels center was completely closed to cars. There was the Belgian Pride Color parade, for the equality of homosexuals. About 45.000 people were on the streets watching the parade and even our prime minister who is also homosexual was there. In some African countries but also in Russia they are still persecuted and killed.

On Sunday morning I went to the midi market in Brussels.



There were lots of people of all countries. They enjoyed a glass of wine or beer on the terrace of "my" café. The lady next to me had put her handbag on the floor just besides a little wall and when she wanted to leave the handbag was gone ! A pickpocket had stolen it.  The poor woman had all her money and bank cards in her purse and of course was very upset. Nobody could understand how it disappeared we hadn't noticed anything suspicious. There is no chance to get the purse back !

On my way back in the bus an elderly lady admired my scarf which I had knotted around my head. She wanted to know how I do it ! As she had bought a scarf on the market, I showed her how to put it around her head, fold it and knot it. The whole bus watched and I got an applause !



The afternoon I spent in our garden. Mr. G. was rather surprised to find a carton with legs underneath sitting in the chair and took these pictures. I was busy to watch the "New Tricks" series on my Kindle !

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1. Sometimes it happens, you just have an idea and wonder why you hadn't this idea years before ? Since 2006 I had created a little office space in my room, just at the end of my bed.



Mr. G had found a little table which just had the same size as the bed and so we squeezed it between bed and wardrobe with a chair. In this corner it was rather dark and at rainy days I had to switch on the light. Now that the days are shorter and it's always grey outside, I had the light on almost the whole day.

2. Overnight I had an idea and with the help of Mr. G. we moved my little desk just under the window, and fought with the Computer cables which were all entangled and mixed up and we first had to find out which cable was for what. At the end we found 2 useless cable connections and USB keys which we didn't know for what they were. Once everything put up and looking nice, I suddenly couldn't type anymore. That was the wireless keyboard USB key which we had found. Then the same happened with the mouse. Unfortunately I can't describe the (Italian style) show we made during these operations. I suppose our neighbors thought we would kill each other.



But now I am very happy. I have light, I can watch what is going on in the street and my legs are warm because I sit against the radiator ! So why took it 7 years to have this idea ? So far the street is rather empty besides the garbage men who emptied the bins, unfortunately without any corpse in them.

3. When for once the sun was shining Nicole asked me if I would go with her to walk Charlie her dog. Of course I agreed, some fresh air is always good.



Another friend joined in with her little Bichon Kiwi, and the two had a lot of fun together despite the size difference. We were dressed like Eskimos as it was rather cold and had a hot cup of tea to warm us up afterwards.

4. 



The flowers in our front yard were still in full bloom but I took the opportunity when the sun came out again and took them all out of the pots, which I only did reluctantly, but I thought if I don't do it know and it will freeze the next day then it will be even more difficult. With gloves and a warm jacket I worked for two hours



And this is the result ! I replaced the flowers with fake plants and fixed the balls with a hook in the pots. Now that will last at least until spring and then I can put them away for the next winter. At least I have no more garden work to do !



In my painting class I finished a new picture. I started with soft colors and this was the result !

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1.What a boring week ! On Monday morning after a rather sleepless night with wild dreams I don't remember, I felt so lousy that I took my temperature and I had 38.5°C (101 F) ! That was fever. It didn't worry me too much because I belong to the people who have high fever or nothing.

Mr. G. called the doctor, he stated that I had a relapse of my bronchitis I had just before I went on my UK tour. All this is Shakespeare's fault and the cat in Stratford upon Avon (see post below) It was so sunny that I forgot the wind and hadn't dressed properly.

2. Mr. G is a very efficient nurse, he ran to the pharmacy got everything for me and informed all people around that his poor wife was almost dying in her bed ! Then he watched with eagle eyes that I took my medication  in time and checked twice, with the result that he got on my nerves. He also popped in all 5 min to ask if I am feeling better, which made me feeling worse. I like to be alone hide in a corner (in this case behind my computer) and suffer in silence until I feel better.Don't tell me what a kind and loving husband he is, he makes me think of people who ask sleeping people if they are sleeping !

3.



The flowers I had bought needed to be planted so with waggling knees and under the watchful eyes of Mr. G. I managed to put them in the earth. They should spread out and cover the earth completely. Then exhausted I watched TV. Mr. G. tidied up behind me and after this big effort collapsed himself. What a couple !

4. I had a lot of phone calls from friends and neighbors who wanted to know if I was still alive. I was.
Dominique visited me keeping "long distance" to bring over her "Piou Piou" the canary  which will stay with us for 10 days in the guest room, far away from the cats.



Still Arthur once managed to sneak in and slept on the cage ! The canary didn't mind. It looked almost like that, only that his head and the paws were hanging over the cage !

5. I had to go for my car check up, and I drove to the Garage. Mr. G. followed me and dropped me off at Nicole's for a drink until my car would be ready. I arrived and felt as if I had climbed the Mount Everest !



We sat on her terrace and I admired the beautiful garden of her neighbor who is 82 and has no gardener !!
I told her about my UK trip and if I am not too weak maybe I will join her on Sunday at the Belgian coast where she has a flat at the seafront. The air of the seaside is always good for an ending bronchitis !

FRIDAY's FAV FIVE

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1. My week without Mr. G who is on holidays in Italy, started with garden work !

I went with Dominique to buy more flowers to plant into the pots standing on the bark in front of the house. We then had a little lunch in our favorite Greek restaurant and started both working in our yards in the afternoon.



and while from time to time I made a little break, Oscar, the robot mowed the lawn ! How pleasant to watch without doing nothing !!



When I had finally finished, I was quiet happy with the result !



I even found a new use for an old plastic cat basket, put earth in it and used it as pot on our little grave yard where all our animals are buried.

2. The weather was beautiful and I met with a friend I hadn't seen for a long time to have lunch together.



We choose a nice restaurant where we could sit outside, unfortunately we were not the only once who had the same idea. The place was packed, the service lousy, I had to call the waiter several times and the food was not good either, quiet unusual as I am not belonging to difficult clients. I can't even say that I enjoyed lunch together with her very much, as she only talked about her different booboos, and nothing else. She has changed so much and had really become an old grumpy woman.

3. Two of my flower pots had broken because of the unusual cold weather and I had to buy two new once. Instead of continuing my garden work, I landed up at Nicole's whom I had met in the same store !
She was together with another friend and we had a coffee and lots of chats together in her flat. As besides the cats nobody had to be fed, I stayed there until 7pm !

4. Her neighbor Simone (86 !), called me for help with her computer, she just had learned to use it, but had mostly forgotten everything and panicked because she couldn't read her emails. I helped her out explaining again, and she was very happy that she could use her computer again.

As I was already there, Nicole too had a problem. She had no internet connection ! I checked, and indeed there was no WiFi connection ! She had this already before so we took the laptop and wandered around in her flat and yes, sometimes the WiFi worked and then died again !

We put it back on her desk, and ... it worked !



Then suddenly while she opened Firefox, it didn't work again ! And then we found out the most strangest thing ! When she put her hand besides the computer, Wifi was off, when she took it away it worked again ! Have you ever had a case like this ?? It was really incredible, and she just intended to call a technician of the Internet connection service ! When we had checked several times with our hands, we bursted out in laughter and now she knows why her Internet connection didn't work !

5. Together with Nicole and Ilona we had decided to go for a walk through the La Hulpe Park which is almost an annex to Waterloo. So we met at 2.30 and started our walk through the woods !



A friend of Nicole came along too so we finally were 4 plus Charlie the dog of course. We had a lot of fun !



There was a kite competition going on in the huge park in front of the castle.



After a long walk through woods and the park we stopped at the little Restaurant to sit down and have a drink. The place was packed, it was sunny but still a little cool.

At 5 pm we were standing in front of our cars, hesitating what to do now to end this nice day and I had the idea of my life, being on holidays in my house, I invited them all for a Pizza (which I always have in the freeze) !



We first had an aperitif and Dominique came over too, brought another pizza and chocolate mousse and we had a very funny time. Charlie the dog inspected the garden, the cats didn't bother, Charlie is a good dog, he first sniffed in the whole house, met Arthur who just opened an eye and continued to sleep on the cat tower. The others had a look on this sweet monster and then disappeared. It was the first time that Charlie came into our house, and he behaved perfect with my 4 cats !

Finally around 10 pm they  left and I thought what a wonderful day it was, especially because this morning we had no plan at all ! 

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of May 4. If you participate please put the little logo on the top of your post and leave your link.

Saturday morning I escaped Mr. G's travel fever,  he makes me think that he goes on a expedition to the moon, instead of going simply to Amsterdam by train and from their with son and grandson by plane to Italy on holidays ! But for somebody who isn't used to trains and trams and buses (which he has to take) it becomes a gigantic worry ! How can a man change that much ? He never cared before about travelling !



In the afternoon while he took a nap (he hadn't slept during the night) I started with my garden work !
I went to the garden center a little outside Waterloo, where I always buy my plants for the flower pots and the garden. There were so many people there, that I forgot to take pictures, choose around 40 petunias and begonias and some earth and returned home !

I still cannot understand that lots of people love garden work and even do it as a hobby ! For me it is an awful chore I have to do once a year, unless I would move to an apartment ! After having put nearly 26 plants in the pots, I had enough and stopped !

Then started the big comedy in the Italian way (I don't need to go to a theater) while I gathered all his stuff  he packed his suitcase ! Finally it was done and I was exhausted and collapsed behind my computer to rest !

On Sunday morning we drove to the Bus station and I went with Mr. G. to the Midi Station



I don't have to explain anything about this picture, it shows it all !



After having left him in the station, I went for a walk through the market ! The sun was shining lots of people there, and I had a well earned drink in a café sitting in the sunshine and chatting with other people !



We have a big community of Moroccans living in Brussels. Most of them were already born here and I wonder if they ever had been in Morocco !  I noticed that since wearing scarfs at school is not allowed anymore,  there are more and more Moroccan women wearing scarfs and long dresses, what they haven't done before. They liked to dress like Europeans. I have been several times in Morocco and never seen so many women in this clothing, they were even wearing mini skirts  in big towns ! I doubt very much that they are all muslims ! It seems rather like a protest to me !



The park around the old tower of the city wall was full of people who lay on blankets on the grass and enjoyed the sunshine.



I like riding in the bus, because it takes me through old Brussels municipalities, where fortunately the old houses are still standing and haven't been demolished in the 60th as so many beautiful mansions in the center of Brussels.



I also saw a group of scouts entering the Bois de la Cambre which is a huge park with woods in Brussels.

After lunch I continued my garden work !



After a couple of hours I was KO and happy that I run out of plants !

I took a nice relaxing bath and without looking at the watch I ate my supper ! My life as a "merry widow" has started !



I look like Arthur after this weekend !