AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 26

 

This is Spirou, a little Bichon, which my friend Isabel met in our shelter. He had been confiscated by the police along with other dogs because he belonged to Romanians who used them for begging. 

The little guy had never lived in a home before; instead, he had been kept in a cage. Isabel’s task was to get him accustomed to a normal dog's life. Naturally, she hadn't intended to keep him. But Spirou won her heart, and as soon as he was cleared for adoption, she adopted him herself ! He is so friendly, doesn't bark, is fine being left alone, and was in good health, apparently, he had been well-fed. The vet estimated his age to be two years at most. I also fell in love with Spirou, and bought him a stuffed animal. He has adopted it as his own little doll and carries it around everywhere with him. How lucky for Spirou that he was adopted by Isabel. The residents of our castle all fell in love with him too !

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

************** 

 

WEEKEND 

 

 

 

 

We could sit outside, exchanged the last news and played Bingo. Unfortunately later, one resident who lives on the same floor as me, knocked at my door and came in. 

 

She was weeping and looked terrible. She stammered something and was hard to understand, but eventually I understood that she wanted me to go with her because she believed her husband had died.

 

Naturally, I went with her though perhaps it wasn't all that natural, but having seen several dead people  since Rick passed away, it didn't bother me anymore. I have changed. I looked at the man and initially thought he had passed away; his face already wore the mask of death, and his mouth was wide open.

 

 I stepped closer and saw that he was still breathing. Then I called a nurse, who took care of Ivette. 

We sat outside in the afternoon, and I went to bed early that evening because I wasn't feeling well. The next morning, I was informed that Ivette’s husband had died around 5 a.m. When I went to see her, the room had already been tidied up; I hadn't heard a thing—he had been taken away so discreetly.

 

We all agreed it was for the best; he had cancer, was over eighty, and didn't want any more chemotherapy. That’s just how it is here, people come and go, but such is life: you get used to everything, even the things you never wanted to get used to.

 

 

 

FRIDAY"s FAVE FIVE

Monday we celebrated the birthdays of the residents born in September. It has never been this bad since I’ve been here! An elderly gentleman was hammering on our old piano, while at the same time, pictures of all kinds of animals—from chickens to elephants—were projected onto an old white screen (I initially thought it was a bedsheet)..... This was supposed to be "Zen" music.

 

It was so "Zen" that many people fell asleep, left the restaurant, or played on their smartphones. I played Scrabble and tried not to listen, but after a while, I couldn't stand it anymore either and went out on the terrace. Amandine our manager agreed with me that it was rather funeral music then birthday. And the tip of the top was that we didn't even get the excellent birthday cake, but the one always get and I don't like at all. In short this birthday celebration was a real flop. The Birthday residents weren't even there ! They probably had smelled the disaster. 

The next day we had a game finding words, which was very funny. On Wednesday I went with Jeanine picking up her new glasses she had ordered and at the same time we ate in the Lunch Garden, for a change. The weather was nice and warm and we liked to eat something else, although our kitchen is in general good.

Thursday we were 12 to visit the African Museum in Tervueren, one of the municipalities of Brussels. 

 

It was a real nice excursion and we all enjoyed it very much. I will write and show photos tomorrow or Monday, because it would be too much. The museum is really very beautiful.

Yesterday was the "Open House" day, and relatives, acquaintances, friends, and so on were invited.

From morning on the busy bees prepared the restaurant for the residents and their guests

and on the terrace others took a glass of Champagne 

While Amadeo our cook prepared the BQ ! which was very good !

our "do it yourself" man who repairs everything, a nurse and Beti the good soul of the house who has always an open ear for everybody.

and my friends Isabelle (with Snoopy) and Ilona who came as my guests and spent the afternoon with me

We looked at the new rooms and made this picture with a "Selfie" machine

 

They stayed until 5, they didn't want to go home! Ilona said she couldn't believe we were in a retirement home! The music from our generation was playing just as loudly as it is for today's teenagers; people were dancing, and the atmosphere was fantastic! Then we had crêpes, fruit salad, and coffee. We all agreed it was a real wonderful day and I think the visitors agreed that there are also other retirement homes then like hospital looking once, with the same price range. 

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE SEPTEMBER 24

 1. Fall arrives this week in the northern hemisphere. Does it look/feel like fall where you live?What's something you love to do this time of year that makes you feel its officially fall? 

2. What's a small daily task or chore that always seems to fall through the cracks when your schedule gets busy?

I really don't like filing papers or documents; I always put it off.

3. What's something you're falling for lately? 

Really nothing ! When autumn approaches I just fall for nothing, and certainly not for fall ! 

4.  Pumpkin is a popular flavor this time of year.  Are you a fan? What's your favorite pumpkin flavored food or beverage? 

I love pumpkins as decoration for fall or Halloween, but I can't remember  that I have ever eaten pumpkin. Neither soup nor any other dish. 

5.What's something you wish would never change? Explain. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

As October is approaching my mind drifts back to Rick. Seeing the world change colors makes me look back at the chapters we shared, tracing the lines of when we were us; I am now alone with my thoughts, wondering how time managed to move so fast and how a life can change so completely. We would have been married for 57 years now in October 2026.