HODGEPODGE JUNE 11

1.  How would you define 'the good life'?

The one I had as a young girl and woman, then together with my husband, then as a family, a retired couple and now a new life (not so good) as widow. 

2.  What's the most used app on your phone (and are you proud of that)? 

I think that's Whatsapp, I mostly use my phone as a phone, and camera. But I am not proud, I find it normal. Besides that I always say that my whole life is in my phone !

3. 'Every rose has it's thorn', 'everything's coming up roses', 'looking through rose-colored glasses', 'it's no bed of roses' or 'stop and smell the roses'...which rose idiom best relates to something in your life currently. Explain. 

Currently I would say "Every rose has it's thorn". The time I looked through rose colored glasses is long gone, that's for Teenagers. I never had to sleep on a bed of roses and I am not patient enough to stop and smell at roses.

4. How do you feel about floral flavorings in food or drink (rose, hibiscus, elderflower, lavender)? 

If it is only flavor I hate it and I wouldn't eat or drink it, except hibiscus tea. 

5. Over the course of your life what have you probably spent more time pondering than anything else? 

I never pondered about anything. I'm very spontaneous; I would jump into the water and only then ask myself if I can swim or not (of course I can). Even choosing the man of my life was spontaneous. We saw each other for the first time and then stayed together for 55 years, 54 of them officially married.

 

 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

I am still busy with the AI, and "bought" my new ball robe. My grandson asked me if I give them treats at least !

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - BELFAST

City hall 

 

 

 

 

      

 

 

    

 

This wall is called Peace Wall and is painted with graffiti concerning the ethno-nationalist conflict between predominantly Catholic and Protestant communities in Ireland, historically known as The Troubles, lasted for approximately 30 years. Of course we went along the wall and read the messages and looked at the pictures. The whole story was very sad, so many death in the name of God !  

 

 

more participants here

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JUNE 8

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

************** 

 

WEEKEND 

Saturday we still were locked in, the temperature had raised but the rain hadn't stopped. A few residents were agitated and running around like headless chickens. The poor things had to vacate their rooms because they will be renovated. Others had to move back into the newly renovated ones. 

That's already unpleasant when you're 30, but at 80 or 90 it's a real challenge. Of course, the management suggested that relatives help, but there are also those who don't have any, and anyway, it's not the relatives' job but the staff's; after all, it's the management that is undertaking the renovations and, of course it wants to save money. I will have to vacate my room one day too so it can be renovated. That's supposed to be in fall of 2027, but judging by how the schedule is being followed, I assume I will have time until 2028.

Apart from my cat collection, I won't be able to help much because of my COPD. The nervousness of those affected was somehow contagious. Luckily, we had a rather difficult quiz in the afternoon about sea creatures, whether they are mammals or not, and other questions as well. Not so easy, but we learned a lot!

On Sunday our little group got together to play Bingo and for the first time I was first ! It was a nice afternoon. 

My little neighbor, who loved her red wine and champagne so much that she bought two bottles of wine and a small bottle of champagne (for breakfast) every day, was asked by her daughters, who thought she was spending too much money, to move to a smaller room  to have enough money for her fuel.  At 86 it is impossible and even dangerous to make her stop. I only hope that her new neighbor will be able to open her breakfast champagne bottle, as I used to do. 

She invited me to see her new room . I was naturally very curious, as I had been told that the rooms were really tiny and you could barely turn around. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that the rooms were a normal size, not as big as in "my castle," of course, but her furniture fitted, and it looked really cozy. Those who told me the rooms were small must have thought she wanted to share her room with an elephant. There would even be enough room for Rosie my cat. I found the rooms very tasteful, and the view of the park and the little chapel in the attic was lovely.

This is the view from her former room in the castle, the new single rooms are all in the annexed convent. The tower of the little chapel nearly disappears with all the new annexes. They managed to keep this special atmosphere which makes that our residence doesn't look like a hospital.