HODGEPODGE JUNE 18

1. June 17th, 1994 was the day of the infamous O.J. Simpson car chase. What were you doing in 1994? I'm guessing somebody is going to tell me they weren't born yet but that's part of the fun of the Hodgepodge. Lots of generations are represented here. 

 

After having made a travel to the past, I am quite sure that in this year, I spent a lot of time in London helping my son to furnish his house he had just bought and still has, he rents it. I loved this house, it is in the Victorian style and had been already modernized by the former owner. I loved going there, sometimes Rick came with me and then we went by car with the Shuttle.  We loaded the car with all things which were very  expensive in London, like alcohol, cigarettes (it was the time where everybody still smoked), and when we drove back our trunk was full with specialties we couldn't get in Belgium, and clothes too ! Rick loved gammon steaks, and we bought a lot, which I then put in the freezer. In general, the meat was better and far cheaper; our trunk was so full you couldn't stick a needle in it.

 

That was a time when London was still beautiful and did not look like a Dubai copy, all the old houses and the whole area were torn down for the Olympics. I also remember the Simpson's trial, but it didn't particularly interest me.

 

 

London today !!

 

2. What's your favorite summer salad that isn't the traditional tossed green lettuce kind of salad? Do you like fresh fruit in a salad (other than in a fruit salad of course)?

 

I have no favorite salads, they are all favorites, in summer when it was hot, I only made salads with pasta, rise, Greek noodles, couscous, etc in which I put all kind of vegetables like, Cucumbers, tomatoes, etc., and made the Italian dressing with just olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Basil and oregano were also added. It was always very refreshing. Sometimes a hard-boiled eggs, chicken pieces and shrimps were added as well

 

 

3. Is chivalry dead? Should it be? 

 

It is not dead, it depends where you are, I think it is normal and I educated my son so that he learned chivalry but also all household skills, as today most of the couples are both working so it is normal that they share the household too. For my son it was normal because as and example he had his father. And that a woman enters the room first and the man holds the door open for her should be normal too.

  

4. Would you rather spend a week of your summer vacation in Hawaii or Alaska? Have you ever been to either? Are they two places you really would like to see? How do you feel about 'Hawaiian pizza' aka pineapple on a pizza? Have you ever eaten Baked Alaska? 

 

No I haven't been to Hawaii or Alaska, all other States or nearly I have been to. I don't like the Hawaiian pizza it is to sweet for me and baked Alaska, I don't know at all what that is, now I know it's that what we call omlette Norvegienne.  Yes I have eaten the Norvegian  I really like it.

In any case I would prefer to visit Alaska !

 

 

5. World Cup play is happening now...are you interested? Watching any matches? Did you or your children play soccer/futbol? There are eleven US cities hosting matches-

-Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York with the stadium in NJ, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle

along with  three cities in Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey)

and two in Canada (Toronto and Vancouver)-

You get free tickets to one of these matches. Which city do you choose? Tell us why. 

Don't talk about the World Cup (football) The whole world gets hysterical, there is nothing else on TV in all countries ! I am not interested at all, but as everybody talks about it, I knew who won and who not, I really don't care. There are flags everywhere, a marketing about all players, all shops, boutiques mall are in World Cup fever. Trump is hated a bit more because he didn't let in players of a few countries ! And free tickets would be a dream ! The cheapest ticket for the game Belgium against New Zealand is 607 $ up to 1170 $ plus of course the plane, hotel, food etc, and for the final game you have to pay 9.076$ (!!!)  the cheapest price ! But there are crazy people who safe money for a year or more just to attend one game ! For that price I would prefer to travel around the world or at least a part of it.

 

The one and only sport who brings the whole world together

6. Insert your own random thought here.

My son came home alone yesterday because his wife is working and Toby is in the middle of his end-of-year exams. I continued enjoying AI and made a picture with him sitting at a table with a birthday cake; the dog didn't have a book in its mouth, and the background was a window. 

And this is what it looks like now. I had asked for a smoking head, so they added a cigarette. Shame on the AI and not on me !

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY JUNE 18

The RMS Titanic was a British luxury passenger liner that infamously struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. It sank a few hours later, killing about 1,500 of the 2,208 passengers and crew onboard in one of history's deadliest maritime disasters. 

A few years ago, there was an exhibition of items that were recovered from the sunken Titanic. It was very interesting, but also very sad, especially seeing the handprints of those desperately trying to reach the lifeboats.

 

A reproduction of the cabins

remains from safes 

the cabins

 

 

more participants here

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JUNE 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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WEEKEND   

On Saturday after lunch, the sun showed it's nose between two clouds and I used the opportunity to try to walk around our park ! To my great surprise I managed it and only had to sit down for a few minutes. Of course I was very proud. We could not sit outside and Kim had to change the program, he had planned to play ping pong, but we will keep that for next week when it is supposed to be very warm ! That's at least what the weatherman said. 

So we did a question and answer game, he gave us a letter for example A and we had to find professions, animals, plants, countries and cities starting with A.. 

Some were wrong and took US States for countries ! Was quite interesting. 

 

 

Besides that I am drowning in football (soccer) fever, even though I'm not at all interested in football, but since it's the World Cup, people are going absolutely hysterical. Even our restaurant is decorated with flags, and a Belgian flag was also found somewhere – I don't see any on our national holiday! The whole schedule, showing which country is playing against which other country, is posted here too! Luckily, the men don't talk about it too much, and we women anyway aren't interested. Huge screens have been set up all over the city so that no one misses anything, even on the street.

The shops are decorated and people are buying souvenirs like T-shirts, mugs, and plush toys. All the children outside are playing football. Luckily, Toby (my grandson) isn't allowed to play football anymore, as he's grown too fast and is now better suited for basketball. After all, he's reached 2 meters in height with his 15 years, and I'm sure he'll grow a bit more. I'll soon have to get a ladder if I want to give him a kiss.

On Sunday it was a little cooler but I did my duty and walked in the park, unfortunately only half then I had to go back. Unfortunately our park is in a terrible state with the roller coaster weather, the shrubs, trees, bushes have grown and the grass is so high, that I thought it would be a good idea to rent some sheep ! They had a lot to eat. 

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I thought this was an animal (from far) and now I discover that it was the robot to mow the lawn, it got stuck here.

 

 

The Belgian Football hero (or maybe not)