AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND DECEMBER 13

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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WEEKEND 

Saturday morning I crawled out of my bed, looked outside and found that the park had disappeared behind a grey veil ! After my coffee, I pulled all my strength together and took out my Christmas decoration.

I had bought it last year, because my old Christmas decoration I had all given away when Rick had passed away and I thought I will never celebrate Christmas again. But then my son and family came and I thought I can't leave my room naked for Christmas. So this year I will use the new decoration again, as they will come and celebrate with me. 

In the afternoon we played an interesting game how 25 countries in the world celebrate Christmas. It was very interesting, because not in all countries it's a father Christmas who brings the gifts. I knew two, it was Baby Jesus (Christkind) in Germany and the witch Befana in Italy.

 

La Befana

 

Das Christkind (Baby Jesus) 

On Sunday I started my Christmas decorations, but I could only do a little bit before I was breathless. So I'll continue tomorrow. 

In the afternoon, the Waterloo Choir came to sing Christmas carols. It was quite a big choir, but luckily our dining room is huge—after all, we are in a castle ! 

The choir sang very beautiful Christmas carols, including the traditional "O Christmas Tree," "Silent Night," and "Hallelujah." The first two were in French, then came English songs and even a Russian/Ukrainian song. It was truly lovely. Unfortunately, I must have done something wrong; at least, my video didn't turn out very well, but you can hear at least a bit the sound

Looks like "modern art"
 

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

The week started with spring temperatures ! 15°C is very seldom in November. Unfortunately it rained and I couldn't go out for a walk. I slept badly, kept waking up, and had wild dreams that I can't remember. My cat Rosie was happy and wandered all over me until I fed her at 3 a.m. When I woke up again, it was already after 9 a.m., and my breakfast was already on the table. After I inhaled my medication, I tidied up a bit, and then it was time for my pedicure to cut my toenails. She is also of Italian descent and we chatted a lot together.

In the afternoon we had a funny game, it was a box with plenty of little cubes in which were herbs and we had smell and guess what it was. Our 100 year old made not one single error, while I only found one smell, the others were not much better. 

The next day we tried to make a creche, which was a disaster. The girl brought completely the wrong materials, so everything went wrong. They can throw the result in the trash.

Here is the result 

The Christmas tree in our restaurant looked real great. It was Kim who had done it alone. We just supervised !

 

And this is the decoration at the entrance. 

I wanted to take a nice photo with Rosie and Santa Claus for my Christmas card, but that ungrateful cat just kept sleeping. 

Our Park looked rather neglected, the lawn was not mowed and all the leaves covered the grass. From far you could think it looked like a hayfield. But this morning two gardeners came with machines and made a huge racket. It took almost all day, but now it looks beautiful.

 

It's the end of the week and I am relieved ! I did my Christmas shopping today and found everything I wanted. 

On this occasion, I also saw how the Christmas tree in front of the church in Waterloo was being decorated. The baubles were as big as footballs! The main street was already quite decorated.

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE DECEMBER 11

 1. Do you struggle with the commercialization of the holiday season? What helps you keep your focus when the season’s busyness and commercialism start to take over? 

Honestly, I don't care. There are so many made-up holidays, like Grandmother's Day! It's all just business, but people forget that and start hearing Christmas carols in November, so by Christmas they're completely overdosed! 

2. What's one small thing you want to savor before the year ends? 

 

No idea, I savor  during the whole year ! Why wait until the year's end ?

3. December 9th is National Christmas Card Day. Do you still send Christmas cards? If so does yours include a photo or is it a more traditional card, or maybe homemade? How do you feel about the tradition of exchanging cards at the holidays? If Hanukkah is the holiday you celebrate in December do you send cards to mark the occasion? 

I send self created Christmas cards but I do everything by computer. Of course I include pictures and send them into the whole world by WhatsApp or email. I don't know anybody who doesn't own a tablet or a smartphone or even a computer.

These are from previous years, 

4. What's your least favorite holiday related task? What's your favorite? 

All the preparations. But I don't need them anymore. Apart from packing parcels, I don't really have any specific tasks. Once that's done, that's my favorite task.

Christmas in the past with a lot of parcels

5. Let's do a little holiday this or that? 

• shopping or wrapping
• baking or decorating
• eggnog or wassail
• real tree or artificial
• turkey or ham
• white lights or colored lights 
• ugly sweaters or matching pjs
• peppermint or cinnamon 
• presents Christmas Eve or presents Christmas Day
•  
• The only "this or that" would be to give the presents on Christmas Eve, which is tradition in my family and in Germany, we are no morning people. And the kids sleep better when they get the gifts in the evening and not having to wait until the morning    

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I feel a bit like living in two worlds. The past and the present especially now during Christmas time. I help decorating the castle's Christmas trees, but in my room I haven't done anything yet.

I just let it go. Now my mini family will come on the 20th and we will celebrate Christmas a bit earlier, because then they have to go to my SIL's mother and father who are divorced since ages, one lives far away from Amsterdam at the German border and the other only 60 km far, but still the poor once have to drive from one to the other. 

Tomorrow I intend to go Christmas shopping, just little things not like when we were a young couple and then grandparents.  

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - CANDLES

candels

 

more participants here and Image-in-ing here

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND DECEMBER 6

 

This is Cookie, I know him for 16 years since he became the star of my Animal Food and accessories shop. Unfortunately he doesn't speak, but .... he whistles behind each woman !

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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WEEKEND 

Saturday was a a rainy day, but it was rather warm for the season we had 10°C ! The weatherman even announced up to 16°C, which is very unusual for the season. I wanted to decorate my room, but then I was too lazy and thought, I will do so if I suddenly get a burst of energy. Hopefully not after Christmas !

To get everybody a bit in Christmas mood, Rahnuka proposed to make a Christmas decoration for each table. I was a bit reluctant because I had a lack of inspiration and most of the others too, but afterwards we all were surprised when we saw the result ! It looked quite pretty. 

 

 my creation is the one with the father Christmas in the first range just in front of my hand. 

 

The others watched us, or they couldn't because of trembling hands or they had no idea what to do. So we had a funny afternoon and the rain didn't disturb us. The new woman said, am I happy to be here, otherwise I would be bored to death, staying at home alone. 

On Sunday it was still grey, and I thought I will do some Christmas cards with Rosie, but she was not cooperative at all. I wanted her to sit besides Father Christmas, but she refused to leave her basket. So I got this result !  

First she was surprised, then she sniffed at that strange thing, in her opinion not interesting at all, so she returned in her basket and started her afternoon activity. 

In the afternoon St. Nick came for a visit ! He went in all rooms to say hello to the residents and asked them if they had been good. Of course everybody was good ! 

Then we all gathered in our restaurant and he came too with 25 kids from a youth group, who had made Christmas cards for us. Then they sang St. Nick's songs and it was very cute. The grandmas and pas were happy and sang too. I don't know these songs or only a bit because my son had learned them at school, because I can't remember if we had songs for St. Nick in Germany, I only remember Christmas songs

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

This week it was rather cold and grey, nothing special happened, we have two new residents, fortunately very nice who fit in our group. 

We had our activities every day and the new animation girl with the nice name (I can't keep in mind) is RANUKA, she is from  Romania and speaks excellent French. On the third day, she wanted to play a game with us that required very good hearing. I told her that 80% of our residents wear hearing aids or have hearing difficulties in general, and that's why it wasn't a good idea. She laughed, she hadn't even thought of that.

My son has sent me a picture of their Christmas tree, just to show much Toby has grown ! In the past we had to lift him up to put the little ornament on the top of the tree, now he is taller then the tree ! I suggested to put something underneath.  

 

I haven't done anything yet, to decorate my room, maybe I will do it tomorrow, I have decided that I will decorate my room for me, even if I am alone with Rosie.  Anyway I always have celebrated on the 24th evening, as all Germans do, and Christmas day I have my friends here around. 

The 4th floor is finished and now they have started to empty the rooms of the 3rd floor, what a work, I have the container just under my window, where I can see what is all thrown away, it's unbelievable !  

In front of the "white house" stands the container in which they throw the furniture. Our parking is full of cars from the workers who renovate the 3rd floor. Fortunately I have my disabled place (and card) so I don't have difficulties to find a place. 

Yesterday it was sunny and I went with Jeanine for shopping, and then we didn't want to return immediately and we had a glass in a nearby Pub. It was nice to change routine from time to time. Jeanine is a young girl of 93 and was a farmer's only daughter with 5 brothers !

 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE DECEMBER 4

 1. What does it mean to have the 'holiday spirit'? On a scale of 1-10 how is yours this year? (10=off the charts, 1=still looking for it)

I would say 1. maybe it will come later. 

2. What's your favorite character from a (December) holiday-themed movie, book, or TV special? Tell us why. 

The only thing which comes into my mind, is the song "Rock around the Christmas tree", and the French movie, which has become a classical "Le père Noël est une ordure" (Santa Claus is a stinker). It's a hilarious comedy, a bit dark humor, but we watched it each year, it became a family tradition.

3. Do you like gingerbread? Are gingerbread houses part of your holiday tradition? 

Yes, it is a tradition in Germany, less in Belgium, I am not a fan of ginger bread. 

In some German regions a ginger bread house is a must. Cookies anyway.

4. Much of our vocabulary is determined by where we live or where we grew up. What say you-

sprinkles or jimmies? lightning bugs or fireflies? soda or pop? sneakers, trainers, or tennis shoes? sub, hoagie, grinder, or hero? freeway, highway, or motorway? frosting or icing? sauce or gravy?

This is a rather difficult task for me. I only know the words I learned at school or with English speaking friends. So I would say sprinkles, lightning bugs, soda, sneakers (or tennis shoes) hero, highway and motorway, frosting, and sauce. (or gravy)

5. Share a favorite holiday memory from your childhood.

In Germany when I was little, it was not Father Christmas who brought gifts, but the baby Jesus, and not on the 25th morning but the 24th evening. 

Do you need help little Jesus ?  

 

I was not allowed in the room, until around 6 pm when a little bell was ringing which meant that now I could enter (storm into) the room ! The first thing I did was running to the open window to see baby Jesus flying away, but unfortunately I always missed him ! A tragedy of my Christmas.  

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm completely lost, unsure where and how I should celebrate Christmas, or even if I should celebrate at all.  I can't go to Amsterdam because my son is renovating his house and doesn't know if it will be finished. Besides, I don't know if I'll be able to go because of my illness. So I avoid thinking about it. I wish I could work magic and suddenly be in warm springtime and all this Christmas nonsense would be over. But everywhere you look there are Santa Clauses and angels, stars and garlands, and I have given my heart at Christmas, or at least that's what I keep hearing, because my heart is gone with Rick.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nativity Scene Grand'Place in Brussels, Belgium
 

Little Jesus

and the one from last year

The new nativity scene has made a big scandal in Belgium, even Baby Jesus' head was stolen, but there are also many people who like it. 
 

more participants here and Image-in-ing here

AWWWW - WEEKEND NOVEMBER 29

When I saw this dog, it made me laugh and my mood improved a lot!

 

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

  

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WEEKEND 

In the morning News there was a heated debate about the nativity scene that adorns the Grand Place in Brussels every year. Until now, it had been a traditional nativity scene, once even featuring real people and sheep, but since then always with life-size statues.

The classical nativity scene, each year a bit different

This is the controversial nativity scene, made by an artist entirely from pieces of fabric. The figures don't even have faces. Personally, I like the nativity scene; after all, nobody really knows what Jesus, Mary, and Joseph looked like. The baby Jesus's head was stolen the very next day! Another scandal. Even the politicians got involved and talked a lot of rubbish. The head will, of course, be replaced. Now the nativity scene is under guard ! While we still not have a government, now they fight over little Jesus' head !

On Friday I had invited Jacky (Rosie's pedicure) for a cake and coffee at Paul's.  We had never been there and were pleasantly surprised. It's very cozy and they have excellent cakes, cookies, muffins etc, but also salty take aways. It is a bakery and everything was fresh. To our surprise the place was full and we just caught the last two places at the window, I couldn't take a photo, there were too many people. We had a very nice afternoon together. I had met her in our castle, her husband also had Parkinson's and died a year ago.  

When I got home, there was a lot of commotion, and the staff was running around looking for a Marianne. They even came into my room, but I was alone with Rosie. I don't know this woman, she's on the fourth floor, which is usually a closed-off floor. She must have seen a hole and run away. That's terrible, of course, because it's cold and raining. I certainly know tomorrow when they have found her. 

 This is a screenshot of the Grand'Place this evening, 

and the Christmas tree

Brussels Christmas market