HODGEPODGE JULY 29

 

 1. What was the last thing you celebrated? 

Rosie's 19th birthday ! She got a lot of birthday wishes from the staff and the manager ! It was very touching.  

2 July 29th is International Day of the Tiger. Besides the wild animal itself, when you hear the word tiger what's the first  person-place-thing-whatever that comes to mind? 

That I want to pet it ! It's just a big cat, in German we call cats "room tigers" 

 3. The expression 'eye of the tiger' describes someone with intense focus, determination, and the drive to succeed. What area of your life are you currently bringing that kind of energy to? 

I am learning AI and try it out ! That takes a lot of energy especially for a person who has a lack of energy, but it helps. 

 

Tiger's Eye Gemstone: It is also the name of a smooth, brown-and-gold quartz stone that people wear or keep to bring courage, power, and clear thinking. I saw a lot of these stones in Egypt and bought a bracelet.

In Buddhism it represents strength willpower and clarity   

4. What was the last meal you cooked? 

I swear I have not Alzheimer yet, but I can't remember when or what meal I last cooked, for the simple reason that when Rick had to move into a retirement home because of his Parkinson, I had no time and no energy to cook for me alone, and even before when he was home for a 6 months, I didn't cook, I had other worries. I suppose it was 5 years ago and certainly Gnocchi with Tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese, which was a meal he loved. 

 

5. Describe your July using exactly five words. 

Sick, weak, hot, cold, recovering,  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I was happy that I felt real good on Saturday when my mini family stopped in Waterloo to visit me ! They came back from Italy and had a long way behind them. From the Toscan in Italy they drove 800 km to Metz in France where they spend the night and arrived here a little after noon.  

 

Grandson Toby had 4 cm more, only dog Leia was still the same, I shrank again 

here we are the 4 of us, the Lilliput wives in the middle 

 

We had a nice picnic in the park, nobody was keen to go to a restaurant, it was too hot.

Leia was the happiest dog of the world, as she could run around in this big park, and she did several rounds 

  

I dressed my two men with the help of AI into Body guards, so I feel protected, never ever in my life I have been so little ! I had always been a tall girl of 1,71 m and still am, despite the fact that normally people shrink when they get old ! 

 

 

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JULY 25

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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WEEKEND 

After the nice warm weather on Saturday, today the temperature dropped by half today, and I had to change into warmer clothes because it was simply too cold.

From the window of my friend you have a great view on the original castle, it shows the little tower with a cross on the top. The building around was the castle when it was built. The part with the red bricks and balconies was added later, when the winter garden was transformed into the today's restaurant. As I have exercised to make old pictures new with the help of AI, I now try to create pictures by just writing what I want. Here I asked for a full moon in a cloudy sky and this came out !

and then a burning open fire

 

and then I asked for a sunflower field with a bench in the front. 

I was quite happy with my trials and finally the afternoon went by very quick ! Outside it poured cats and dogs,

 which gave me this idea .... and then the sun came out, just when I wanted to read a bit on my bed. 

 

 

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

 I am sorry but besides I am still on antibiotics, so I’ve been feeling quite tired. I’ve spent the week resting as much as possible, so there are only two events to tell you about.

On Wednesday, we celebrated all the July birthdays; since mine was among them, I naturally had to attend. Fortunately, the entertainment was lovely this time: a fun female singer performed songs from the 60s and 70s and really livened up us oldies —they were waving their hands enthusiastically and even singing along. It was truly funny. I received a very sweet card signed by the staff. Aside from that, there was a delicious birthday cake!

 

 Jacqueline and me 

The singer

 

Our manager Amandine and Nurse Marina 

On Saturday was wonderful weather and I felt much better ! Fortunately ! My son and family came back from Italy and stopped in Waterloo to visit me. They had a long way behind them, first 800 km til France where they spent the night and then 400 until Waterloo where they arrived at noon. 

It was so nice to see them all ! With this nice weather I I thought it would be best for us to have a picnic in our park. My son bought ready-made cold salads that tasted excellent. We sat under our 200-year-old tree, and dog Leia was so happy to have such a huge property to run around on which is exactly what she did the whole time. We enjoyed the Oriental rice salad, and they told me about their vacation. 

our picnic with grandson and DIL, Son took the photo !

 

and here is the whole family Marie and I with our body guards ! 

 

Nonna (grandma) and Toby with Leia, after coffee, and then they left. They still had 250 km to drive ! 

It was a real nice day ! 

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HODGEPODGE JULY 22

 1. Do your goals and dreams energize or exhaust you? Elaborate. 

They energize me, without them my life would be so dull ! I have always been an adventurous girl ! 

2. July 23rd is national lemon day. Are you a fan of this flavor? What's a favorite dish or beverage you enjoy that calls for lemons? 

I have no special love for lemons, sometimes a lemon slice is refreshing, but it is not one of my favorite fruit. 

3. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"...is this something you're pretty good at managing? Have you had to do this recently? If so tell us about it. 

That's a drink which would never come into my mind !  

4. Something you love that is lemon yellow in color? 

I looked around me in my room and didn't find anything in lemon yellow, I have a lot of red or orange but lemon yellow is such a cold color so that I only like it in flowers. 

5. How would you describe your attention to detail?

Details don't matter to me at all. The most important is that the result looks beautiful and perfect. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My son is now for a week at the Garda Lake where Rick was born and spent his childhood. When I saw these beautiful photos, I was a bit sad, knowing I would never see this beautiful lake again. But I comforted myself with the thought that, without Rick, the lake probably wouldn't have seemed as beautiful to me. In any case, my grandson Toby has the same big appetite as his Dad, when he was the same age,  back then, when the three of us were there.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

The Netherlands are famous for its bicycles. I took the first few photos in my son's garage, and the last one in a bicycle parking ! There are bicycles  I haven't seen in any other country, some people transport almost their entire family on a single bike.

 

more participants here 

 

 

 

 

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JULY 18

 

and today this little baby is 2,4 m (6,6 ft) 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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WEEKEND 

From one day to the other the temperature dropped by half ! No wonder that lot of people caught a cold, me included although I was very careful. If the day before it was so hot that it was impossible to sit on the terrace, the next day it was impossible because it was to cold !

I played again a little bit on my computer and then joined the others for the activity and the coffee afterwards.

I have never sat on a horse, but thanks to AI I learned it very quickly.

Rosie has gained a bit of weight

 

My Bodyguards (the left is the baby above)
 

On Sunday the temperature raised a bit but still to cool to sit outside. Our A/C "specialists" had left the A/C on and the restaurant was a fridge. I asked which genius had turned on the air conditioning when it was 18°C ​​outside.

 

I explained for the X time that the thing is designed to cool the room down, so you don't need it when it's already cold. I think it's hopeless; I'm going to let the director know that people simply don't understand how it works

 

There weren't many people there, so we just chatted together; there were quite a few guests present, too.

and to end the day I got this photo from my grandson who just enjoyed a "little" portion of Spaghettis !

 

and a picture from the Garda Lake (Italy) taken from high in the mountains ! He too loves his Nonno's (Grandpa) Lake !

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

The whole week we were sitting or laying in an oven ! It was hotter than ever! On Monday, I really needed to buy some things for Rosie, and since it was on the way, I called my doctor and went to see her as well. I just can't seem to shake this virus, and I’m having increasing trouble breathing whenever I do something physical.  She prescribed a medication that will hopefully help! Apart from that, not much was going on except for people repeatedly having to go to the hospital because they hadn't drunk enough. Old people don't have the feeling to be thirsty anymore. 

Things improved a bit starting Thursday, and we were even able to play boccia (except me); it was really fun. Afterward, Kim and Elinor brought out some tables so we could have our coffee under the giant tree. For refreshments, there was fruit ice cream, watermelon, coffee, and cake. Most people had never eaten watermelon before, but that has really changed; now, everyone dives right in whenever watermelon is served.

 

We all enjoyed the game very much and under this old tree it was nice and cool

 

The rest of the time I was spending in my room, windows and curtains closed and light on !! My ventilator turned full speed, so the room was nice and not to hot. I continued my new hobby, trying out the AI picture creations. My son and family are actually in Italy and now at the Garda lake his Dad's home..

 

He is like me homesick and goes there nearly each year, combining with other regions. He sent me pictures :

 

  Dog Leia in his normal look                                        Here I dressed her with a bathing suit and a cap

 

 

Father and son dressed normal and then as divers. 

 

Now I look at videos and photos with other eyes, you just can dress famous people like you want, put them where you want that could be dangerous. For me as a hobby and no celebrities it's fun.

 

I have written or rather AI has written an administrative letter, very nice. But other things I haven't tried yet. 

 

Next week we will get to normal temperatures again !  

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.