FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

With the strong wind we have since a week, the leaves of the trees fall everywhere on the ground !

The next days were the same and I did my "writing" work in the morning and played all kind of games in the afternoon and then we had our coffee chat. 

On Thursday our group went to visit the a famous cathedral situated in the next town from Waterloo in Nivelles. Five successive churches, built between the 7th and 10th centuries, preceded the Romanesque church. Beneath its nave, an archaeological site allows visitors to explore its ruins. The first Merovingian church, built around 650, houses burial vaults of the first religious community of Nivelles Abbey. The last church is Carolingian.After a fire, the religious community founded by Saint Gertrude built the current church between 992 and 1046. 

Today, the church serves as a parish church: the convent buildings were destroyed in German bombing raids during the 18-Day Campaign in May 1940 during World War II.

The church had been restored but to my opinion not so good. It was cold in there, and my companions were freezing. For once Kim had badly organized. There was no access for wheelchairs and we had two or walkers, so while those on feet went to see the caves, the others were freezing in the church. I didn't go either because I have seen so many catholic Cathedrals, churches or whatever and at the end they are more or less all the same.  

The statues were very nice, my favorite was the little frog besides the foot of the lady. 

I ended the week with a wonderful show Le Cirque du Soleil ! 

It's nearly impossible to describe this show; it was like a fairytale. I had invited Isabel, who always does so much for me since my son lives in Amsterdam. I had booked seats back in August and never imagined they would be among the best. We sat in the fifth row and had a wonderful view of everything. There were 2,500 people with us in the huge tent, which seats up to 5,000!  If ever the Cirque du Soleil comes to your city or nearby, go there, you won't regret it ! They have shows all over the world. 

The show was named "Alegria"
 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE OCTOBER 30

1. Are you a risk taker ? To what degree? 

To a certain extent, I'm willing to take risks. I love an adventurous life and have already gotten myself into some of the worst (and ultimately funniest) situations. For example, I was locked in a toilet with an iron door. 

 

The worst part was, I didn't know where I was, somewhere on a highway in France. The toilet was a square with a hole in the middle, like they have in Turkey. Although it was a very new building they had put an old toilet system in it. I stood there, the space between the door and the ceiling was too high and as there was no toilet I couldn't stand on it. I threw myself against the door with all my strength several times, kicking with my feet, and suddenly the door opened, and I flew into the opposite toilet square with the hole. My friend, who had been waiting outside, asked me where I'd been for so long! Funny enough, I wasn't scared or nervous. I just had to laugh like crazy. This is just one of my many adventures, but I don't shy away from taking risks where I might get caught, and I wouldn't climb a rock and risk my life.                                 

2. What's your favorite candy? Would you say you have a sweet tooth? 

Not at all ! If I eat something sweet it would be fruits, black chocolate and occasionally a cake, it depends what, and of course ice cream but never candies. When I got some when I was a child, I always gave them away. 

3. Somewhere you've been recently that had you feeling 'like a kid in a candy store'? 

No, not really, I just feel good here, surrounded by my co-residents some of them became friends, so it's easier to live without the love of my life.  

4. What do you think is the most effective way to make a positive change in the world?

Unfortunately difficult or impossible to realize, just give poisoned candies to all political troublemakers.  Halloween is a good occasion and they are gifted to trick and treat, or put them in a boxing ring so they can beat each other to death! Unfortunately, they're like octopus if you cut off one arm, two new ones grow back and this applies to almost all countries in the world. 

5. Do you like surprises? 

Not always ! 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Apparently I started a kind of winter sleep, I have no special thoughts, only that it annoys me, that many shops have already started with Christmas decorations and are even playing Christmas carols. I probably won't be able to listen to them at Christmas because I'll have an overdose !

Angels singing in October ! 

 

But first HAPPY HALLOWEEN
 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

When my father  retired in the early 80s after working for the EU in Brussels for over 20 years, they returned to Germany. 

They had a house in Bad Breisig, a beautiful little SPA town right on the Rhine, only about 64 km from Cologne and is a town in the district of Ahrweiler, in Rhineland-Palatinate. I have never lived there myself and only know this little town from visiting my parents. What I find particularly special about this region are the cute little, or sometimes large, half-timbered houses. There are many in this area, and indeed throughout Germany.

 

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AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND OCTOBER 26

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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WEEKEND

The last weekend of October was truly the last. We had a lot of wind, almost a storm, it rained, and it was cold. Luckily, our castle is nice and warm. 

In the afternoon, we had to answer questions about autumn. It was very interesting, for example, why do leaves turn orange or yellow before they fall, or whether autumn always starts on the same date. I wasn't able to answer many questions, but I learned a lot.

 

And while the leaves danced in the wind, we had our coffee klatch and teased each other.

On Sunday it was the same and as our animators had their Sunday off, we played cards and amused ourselves alone. 

 

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

I don't know what happens, but the sun must be on holidays or visiting the moon, we had only grey skies and humid weather. Not very inspiring to go out if you don't have to. 

Fortunately we always have our animation afternoon and the whole week we did "brain training" or played cards, or games like Scrabble, Triominos, and Anagrams. Only the last day we played Golf.

 

 

 

We all like these games because it makes your brain working and it is amazing that the 90 and even the 100 years old, solved a lot of problems. There is a 92 year old man, who is a champion in Quiz questions and very difficult once while we "youngsters" of 75 to 85 give up. 

 

I was finally able to take a clear picture of one of the 6 castle cats, they are taken care of, but you can't pet them. 

 

Of course they go near the rooms in the first floor and get a lot of food from the residents. And on top there is a man coming every day to feed them "officially" mornings and evenings. 

 

On Thursday we had a storm and I was happy that the walls are so thick. I heard on TV that it blow up to 90 km/h. 

 

 

I think in a few days there will be so many leaves that they have to hire a machine to collect them. Above is only a corner besides the kitchen. 
 

 

and the weekend ended like this !

 

 

   

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE OCT 23

 1. What do you like most about your family? 

Everything and nothing ! We are only 4, one teenager, one midlife crisis man, my DIL and the Nonna (grandma) 

2. What's something nice that's happened to you recently? 

I am just under the X

 

 to go to the theater with my girlfriend and watch a very funny play.

   

3. Do you like the color orange? Besides a pumpkin and an actual orange, what's something orange you love?

 

my room
 

I really like orange, it's a cheerful color and my curtains and the bed cover are also orange.

 

4.  What's something you have now you couldn't have imagined having five years ago? How does that make you feel? What's possible now because of it? 

What I have now ? A new life, I became a widow and I live in a castle which is a retirement home.  I like to live here, it makes me feel less lonely and I feel safe. 

 

And I also have this beautiful view out of my window

 5. Let's wrap this one up with an October this or that...

• pumpkin bread or apple cider donut
• cozy sweater or cozy hoodie
• apple picking or pumpkin picking
• scary movie or Hallmark movie
• hay ride or corn maze
• twinkle lights or candles
• autumn hike or autumn bonfire 

Nothing of the listed things, besides a bit of Halloween decoration, Halloween is not celebrated here. Insert your own random thought here. The elderly have only heard about it through their grandchildren. The young generation celebrates Halloween ! 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

This morning I heard an interesting interview with an actor. He spoke perfect German, and I thought he was German. But then he said that his mother was Russian and his father was Ukrainian. They met in Russia and lived in Moscow. then they fled to West Berlin, the wall had not yet fallen.

He himself was still a baby and grew up in Berlin. He lived there until he was 19. He still speaks Russian and Ukrainian. His native language, however, is German because he went to German schools.

He then went to an acting school in New York. After he finished his studies, he didn't want to stay in the USA he didn't like life there. 

He ended up in London, where he still lives.

Somehow I thought people like him and I, can't talk about a homeland, we don't have one, at least not the one on our passports. 

I've lived in Belgium for almost 70 years, but I still speak German. It's a country I hardly know at all. Besides, I married an Italian, and our son married a Dutch. So when I hear the word "homeland," I always say I don't have one, except for Europe, which includes all the countries of my family, but an united Europe doesn't exist yet. 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

  

the Liège train station in Belgium. 

 

It was designed and built by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and officially opened on September 18, 2009.  Some say it's a draft station, designed for Spanish weather but definitely not for the Belgian climate. Wherever you stand, there's a draft! At 0°C, that's very unpleasant, but when it's 30°C, the station is very nice !

 

This new station is made of steel, glass and white concrete. It includes a monumental arch, 160 m (520 ft) long and 32 m (105 ft) high.   

 

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AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND OCTOBER 18

 

Isis

 

 

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WEEKEND 

On Saturday I went to the theater here in Waterloo with a friend. 

 

Town hall and theater 

There's a cultural program for seniors 60 and older at a very reasonable price of €7! And since there are quite a few oldies in Waterloo, there are four performances scheduled over two days. The first performance was at 2 p.m. and the second at 5 p.m. We got a very nice seat at 2 p.m. The play was called "La Grammaire" and was set in a family who wanted to speak French correctly and were constantly discussing the grammatical errors. It was very funny, and the whole audience laughed. The actors stay in Waterloo for a while and perform it for the "regular" audience. We all left laughing, and everyone said it was a really beautiful play.

I returned home right at coffee time and stayed until we all went to our rooms. I was very happy with my day, it really cheered me up. 

Sunday was my "beauty" day, and the chiropodist arrived just in time. The poor girl had her tonsils taken out, which is very painful for an adult. 

Now my toes are good cared for again. In the afternoon, we did a rather difficult quiz because the questions were quite abstract. For example, how can electricity, water, and air be transported together? After a long while, the answer finally : a "tube." Our heads were spinning. 

Over coffee, I learned what had become of the woman who was still very beautiful and had a Madonna-like face. 

Unfortunately she has her beautiful eyes closed which starred at you without seeing you. She reminded me of Rick in his last days. 

She never spoke, but whenever she saw me, she tried to smile. She had the final stages of Alzheimer's and had (finally) died. She passed away peacefully and hadn't suffered. That's the most important thing. In her life she had been a famous model.