FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

The week went by as usual, rain and storm, now my umbrellas on the balcony remain on the floor because they fell down a second time. 

I was busy to look for an adequate retirement home and found 5 of which I sent the addresses to the social assistant. Now I have to call them to see if there is a room free and visit the room,  they look very nice from outside.

In the afternoon my neighbor came and also Myriam, I had a problem with my curtains, but fortunately that was quickly solved. It was a nice afternoon we talked about our travels we had done  and thinking of something else then retirement homes was good for me.

Our scrabble day too was nice, it rained again cats and dogs apparently we will have to get used to live in water. This time we were all there nobody was missing, although Nicole hadn't heard her entrance bell and Chantal who had to pick her up had to call her, the phone woke her up and they were a little late. As usual the cakes were delicious. 

Each time I sit down on my relax I fall asleep, and so it was on my shopping day too, I went later fortunately got everything quite quickly mostly cleaning stuff. My cleaning lady came on Thursday and told me that she will be absent for 3 weeks, sha wanted to go to Northern Island to visit her daughter and the meanwhile one year old grandson, but despite her vaccination certificate she was not allowed to enter Ireland and her daughter couldn't go to Poland to meet her there. So she will visit her son and her other grandson who enters University after the summer !

She was a little sad because she had seen the little one when he was born until he was 2 months old. So Rosie and I have to fly through the apartment not to spoil anything and she is not allowed to loose one hair ..

I had already strange birthdays in my life but this one was especially strange. Mr. G was in his clinic but he had a nurse calling me with her phone because with his phone he can only get telephone calls. That made me sad and happy at the same time. I was so tired that I felt like a sleepwaker, and finally decided to call our doctor. I often feel dizzy too. My doctor was on holidays until Monday. I was relieved because usually I have nothing and doctors always find something ! 

My birthday in the Dolce Vita    

My friends had invited me to the "Dolce Vita" restaurant,and I had a very good salad with ham from Parma, and different Italian cheeses. It was as usual very nice, but I wasn't in my usual mood. They also offered me a beautiful travel bag, for our Bus excursions

My son and grandson are coming over the weekend, I think I will start to sing "I will survive" ! 

I never thought that I would get so many birthday wishes from all over the world, people with whom I travelled with the Expat Travels, who still remembered me after 3 and 4 years ! I was really touched. I hadn't said anything because I just wanted to forget my birthday but all these congratulations made me happy means that even after a long time or only virtually friends haven't forgotten me  ! 

 

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

HODGEPODGE JULY 7

1. July 5th is National Hawaii Day...have you ever been to Hawaii? Any desire to visit or make a return trip? Pineapple, mango, or guava...what's your pleasure? 

No,  I have never been to Hawaii, and now it doesn't interest me anymore, there are more intresting places in the world to visit.. But I love pineapples and mango !

2. Last time you were 'thrown in at the deep end'? Explain. 

Not last time, but actually I have to find a retirement home for Mr. G. I have no idea how that works, I just call and will see. I was just thrown in the deep end !

3. Sun, sea, sand, salt...your favorite when it comes to summer? 

 Hurghada my winter residence  

Of course I love the sea especially the red sea in Egypt where I usually go each year in November because in July it's too hot. The sea is so blue and the sand soft (and hot) and the water is so salty that you don't have to swim if you are lazy. Just lay on the water, the salt helps to carry you !

4. Bury your head in the sand, the sands of time, draw a line in the sand, pound sand, shifting sands...pick one and tell us how the phrase currently relates to your life in some way. 

That's not in my character at all to bury my head in the sand ! If there is a problem I will try immediately to solve it, even if it is very difficult.  I think that burying your head in the sand and pretend nnothing happens is just cowardly.

5. On a scale of 1-10 (1 = make your own rules and 10=like a warden, how strict were your parents ? wIf you are a parent where on the scale do you land ?

I would say one and even that is too much. I educated myself I suppose. I was  a rather shy child. Later it changed, but I was more strict with me then my parents. As long as I was sitting at the breakfast table at 9 am it was OK even if I had come home at 4 am ! I didn't need to ask when I had to come home, I came home when I had enough. At 18 my father declared that I am now responsible for myself. And I was ! I didn't need to leave my parents and get married at 18 because they were too strict. I stayed until 24  and decided myself that now it's enough I move out. With my son it was a little different, there I had to tell him when he had to be at home.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I wonder if summer will ever arrive ! Since it officially started it rains, storms and is cold which keeps my mood and energy on a very low level. We have school holidays  in Belgium but not many people travelled abroad and rather stayed here in our mini country. I live every day the same and am rather fed up !