FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

1. During aqua gym while we were hopping around in the pool, we complained that more and more things are falling into pieces or are not working anymore. So we had no light in one shower, the ventilation had broken down, the shower tube had a hole etc. But the worst thing was the banister at the pool, and what had to happen happened, when the first one wanted to get out of the water it broke and she fell back and the thing dropped with a loud bang on the tiles. The poor "girl" got a shock, and we had some difficulties to get her out with only one handrail still standing as she was rather round and heavy and stiff like a broom. Finally we managed pulling and pushing which caused a lot of laughter !

2. I had to drive Mr. G. to a specialized hospital for a pet scan. He had lost a lot of weight and his doctor wanted to have him checked to see if there was something wrong. I dropped him off and left, as the whole procedure lasted more than 2 h.

3. As I was not far from Brussels' most posh area, the Ave. Louise, I thought I will go there, I hadn't been there since at least 30 years !



Except the Gallery I didn't recognize anything. The whole area had changed. There were now pedestrian areas and little streets with one restaurant besides the other ! It was packed with people and as it was so warm, they all had their lunch outside. I had two wraps there, walked a little around and then returned to pick up Mr. G.

4. My son with wife and grandson was on his way back home from Southern France, where they had spent a week of holidays. He called and told us that he would stop to say hello.



Toby's first action was asking for his toys which were in our guest room. Mr. G. helped him to carry up the box. Of course when you haven't seen something for a long time it looks like new. So he was very busy to play with all the little cars and airplanes.



Nonno and Nonna played a bit too !

Finally they decided to stay for supper. Fortunately I had pizzas and a plate of pasta for Toby in the freezer ! It was so unusually warm for mid-September that we could sit outside until they left for Amsterdam around 7 pm. I hadn't seen Toby since July and he had changed again. He had grown and speaks a lot in Dutch, which we have difficulties to understand, but he also makes an effort to say some words in French. Besides speaking French with his father, i.e the father speaks and the son replies in Dutch, he hasn't much opportunity to learn speaking French.



But language is not a barrier or at least shouldn't be, and he ate his watermelon with pleasure !

5. We have our new teacher in my painting class, I know her very well, she was in our class 2 years ago. She is actually very good and suits us perfectly.



I finished my last painting and have to look for inspiration for a new one !

Mr. G. got the results of his pet scan and was pleased that he has nothing ! 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

WALKING THROUGH THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT

Letter : R

In 1978 I was working near Brussels North Station. Every day I drove with my car to the Waterloo station from where I took the train to Brussels North. It was a very easy commute. My office was just one street farer then Red Light District just at the exit. They were usually always at the stations, but since the areas around the main stations have all been changed completely, I have no idea where they are now. Maybe Google knows.

Coming out of the station I had to go through a street in which was one window after the other, side by side, nicely decorated with red neon frames and inviting signs, not for me but for men.

The girls usually sat on red velvet chairs had a little table besides them and were busy with knitting or stitching. When I went by I could immediately see if a girl was "working" because then the wool and knitting needles or the stitching work was laying on the table and the chair was empty. After a few weeks I got so used to them and they to me that they always waved to me to say hello and I waved back with a big smile ! They worked ... I went to work although it was another kind of work, I mean mine.

It was a special atmosphere in this street, old women armed with buckets and brushes cleaned the sidewalks and steps and chatted together in this very special Brussels' dialect which unfortunately is disappearing. It wasn't dangerous at all, it was rather more folklore and friendly. Prostitution is officially allowed in Belgium if the woman does it on her free will, only pimping is punishable. Of course it has to be discrete and in special areas.

I was quite surprised how many men were already clients so early in the morning ! My work started at 9 am. One girl told me that from 7 until 9 are the best hours ! When I saw the clientele walking along the street, I thought the poor girls, what a rough work, there were no George Clooneys or Brad Pitts amongst them ! They also avoided any eye contact and head down, walked quickly to their destination.

With the time I was so used to go through that street that I found everything normal ! Suddenly I had another view on these girls. Some of them were excellent mothers and showed me pictures of their children, they did this job to offer them a good life.

Today this street and its houses don't exist anymore. The whole area around the North Station had been demolished and a business center was built which is called "Little Manhatten".



I found a picture of this street on Internet, which must have been taken at that time. Today I probably wouldn't walk so innocently through these streets ! Times have changed !

more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday