AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JUNE 8

 

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WEEKEND 

Saturday we still were locked in, the temperature had raised but the rain hadn't stopped. A few residents were agitated and running around like headless chickens. The poor things had to vacate their rooms because they will be renovated. Others had to move back into the newly renovated ones. 

That's already unpleasant when you're 30, but at 80 or 90 it's a real challenge. Of course, the management suggested that relatives help, but there are also those who don't have any, and anyway, it's not the relatives' job but the staff's; after all, it's the management that is undertaking the renovations and, of course it wants to save money. I will have to vacate my room one day too so it can be renovated. That's supposed to be in fall of 2027, but judging by how the schedule is being followed, I assume I will have time until 2028.

Apart from my cat collection, I won't be able to help much because of my COPD. The nervousness of those affected was somehow contagious. Luckily, we had a rather difficult quiz in the afternoon about sea creatures, whether they are mammals or not, and other questions as well. Not so easy, but we learned a lot!

On Sunday our little group got together to play Bingo and for the first time I was first ! It was a nice afternoon. 

My little neighbor, who loved her red wine and champagne so much that she bought two bottles of wine and a small bottle of champagne (for breakfast) every day, was asked by her daughters, who thought she was spending too much money, to move to a smaller room  to have enough money for her fuel.  At 86 it is impossible and even dangerous to make her stop. I only hope that her new neighbor will be able to open her breakfast champagne bottle, as I used to do. 

She invited me to see her new room . I was naturally very curious, as I had been told that the rooms were really tiny and you could barely turn around. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that the rooms were a normal size, not as big as in "my castle," of course, but her furniture fitted, and it looked really cozy. Those who told me the rooms were small must have thought she wanted to share her room with an elephant. There would even be enough room for Rosie my cat. I found the rooms very tasteful, and the view of the park and the little chapel in the attic was lovely.

This is the view from her former room in the castle, the new single rooms are all in the annexed convent. The tower of the little chapel nearly disappears with all the new annexes. They managed to keep this special atmosphere which makes that our residence doesn't look like a hospital.

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND MAY 30

 

Isn't he cute ? This should be the smallest dog in the world. It's a shame he barks at everything from a fly to a St. Bernard. Otherwise, I would like him as a little dog.

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WEEKEND

On Saturday the temperatures had dropped from 30 to 28°C and that was very nice ! More then 30 without wind and aircondition is difficult to support. 

The sun had disappeared and we didn't really need the antique parasol at all, but there it was, and we hoped that the next strong wind would finally break it completely. Unfortunately, it was still there the next morning. 

 

For our game we needed an umbrella in which we had to throw little plastic balls. You could get from 10 to 50 points if your ball landed in the right place.  I just throw my 5 balls 4 landed in the part which gave me 4 times 50 ! I became second. It was quite funny !

 

In the evening we had terrible thunderstorms, never had I lived such a strong storm like this time. The thunder came from all sides and the lightning, which came non-stop, made the room  almost as bright as daytime because I always had one curtain open so that cat Rosie could look out ! It lasted quite long from 9 to nearly 1 am with some interruptions. 

 On  

Sunday people discovered the damages it was quite extensive. Houses were destroyed, cars were submerged, and there was mud everywhere. Such a thunderstorm with so many lightening had never happened in Belgium. We, in our castle with its thick walls, were unaffected. Not even the antique parasol had moved, and no water had seeped in. Most of the residents hadn't heard or seen anything at all because they weren't wearing their hearing aids. I heard everything despite my earplugs.

We couldn't sit on the terrace and play basketball, it was very windy and humid, really unpleasant.

One of the castle cats had hidden in Pauline's room and was meowing when I visited her, she hadn't heard it at all ! I looked in all wardrobes, but I couldn't find her. In the afternoon, she was on the balcony, and Kim tried to catch her with a cardboard box. Suddenly, the poor cat jumped from the balcony onto the terrace but wasn't hurt because she ran away immediately! I was standing under the balcony looking up when I suddenly lost my balance and fell on my backside. They helped me up, but I was just like the cat, I didn't hurt myself !

 Rosie who doesn't fear thunder or lightening, this time she came and sat besides me making huge eyes 

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND APRIL EASTER

I was really lucky that I could take pictures of one of our 6 castle cats, which you can't pet and usually run away when you come too close. But here she cleaned herself from top to bottom on the terrace of one resident room, while we were inside. The sun had come out for a few minutes. 

 

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WEEKEND

It was Easter Weekend, but honestly we haven't gotten anything special. On Saturday an Easter mass was held, which is normal, but what I don't understand is why so many people attended and why a priest was specially hired who only had an hour free that day to celebrate an Easter mass. I mean, if you never go to church for mass, except at Easter and Christmas, then that's rather hypocritical, and besides, they are taking the places from those who are really religious. 

We were four of us who didn't attend,  my friends, who felt the same way as I. Our animator, Elinor, was with us, and we played an interesting game it was a very pleasant afternoon. We were given a special room that's usually only used for family birthday parties.

Fortunately Kim had decorated the whole castle with bunnies, little baskets and flowers and it looked really like Easter.  

But that was all. On Sunday the Easter lunch was honestly disgusting, for that we all agreed, we haven't even seen one single Easter Egg. 

Last year it was completely different, everything was nice and we were all in real Easter mood.

After the activity, the coffee was served. Usually there is a cake, waffles or other biscuits, this time the basket was rather stingy there were a few biscuits and 3 waffles not enough for all of us. Fortunately we had a guest who had brought chocolate eggs more then enough for us. We will ask why it was so different then the other years ! 

 

The cutest card I have got !

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND FEBRUARY 14

 

 

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WEEKEND 

On Monday I did my shopping and when I came back a parcel waited for me. I had ordered table sets and a pullover, unfortunately I hadn't paid attention so the sets were in fabric and not in plastic as I had wanted. But I found another use for them and it looks very nice. 

I placed them on the sofa armrests so that Rosie couldn't scratch them.

On Sunday afternoon it suddenly started to snow ! It was the second time that a few flakes fell from the sky. I quickly made a few pictures, because it is possible that this will be the last snow ! 

Probably tomorrow morning it will be gone, that's at least what the weatherman said. 

We were without our entertainers but that didn't bother us, meanwhile Jeanine and I take the animation over and we played what everybody loves Bingo ! 

 

 

 

AWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JANUARY 31

 

 

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WEEKEND JANUARY

Absolutely nothing happened this weekend, just the usual routine. Luckily, I'm not alone, and if I want to talk to someone, I only have to leave my room.

In the afternoon, we played a rather difficult game called "Right or wrong," and it wasn't easy at all! But it was fun.

On Sunday, there was no activity leader, and since I was feeling pretty good, I gathered our group, and we played bingo again. Anyone can join in since we basically just put buttons on the cards. It's a pity, because I won ! 

 Bingo

 

It was quite cold outside, and nobody felt like going for a walk. Hopefully, next week will be a bit better. At least a little sunshine.

 It's so nice to walk around ! 

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND JANUARY 24

Leia, my grand dog's first snow !

Charley the best dog of the world, was my big love

 Cookie a friend's little dog 

 

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WEEKEND 

After having written my post, I tidied up my room a bit, then Pauline came to visit, and before I knew it, it was time for lunch. Since the sun was shining so beautifully, I thought I'd try a short walk again. This time it went better, and I was able to complete the route I had planned. Then it was already 3 o'clock, and time for our game.

Unfortunately, there was a staff shortage, and our activity coordinator had to help out on the 4th floor, where the patients who were most severely ill residents. Normally, I take over then, and we play Uno or Bingo. But I didn't feel strong enough to do that, so we sat around a round table, drank coffee, and chatted. That was quite nice, too.

On Sunday it was grey and foggy and I felt very tired. I still have my Christmas decoration laying in a corner but didn't feel strong enough to put them away. Fortunately in the afternoon we had a very nice game and on top Isabel came with Inaja, and as both like to play with us, they stayed the whole afternoon and had quite a lot of fun. That's so nice, visitors are always welcomed and invited to participate with us at the end we all had our coffee and wafels.

And here is some good advice for the coming week:

 

AWWWW MONDAY - WEEKEND

 

 

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS 

 

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WEEKEND  

On Saturday I was about 90% ready to go to the theater, I really wanted to. All week I'd been hoping I could go on Saturday. On Friday I was feeling better, so I watched my roommates play for an hour. I wore a mask, though. That went pretty well.  

And then a phone call came on Saturday, my friend's cat who had been very sick and was hospitalized, went out when she came back home and hadn't come back ever since. My friend was very worried which I could fully understand and I told her that we should not go because she wouldn't enjoy it and honestly I thought, the cat did it on purpose because I had not fully recovered. My friend was relieved that I didn't insist to go, but she knew that I a also a cat ma. So we decided that I go over to her and wait for the royal cat together.  

The cat and I arrived nearly at the same time, she in the conservatory and I at the entrance door. Was my friend happy ! The ungrateful cat disappeared immediately somewhere in the house,  no loving greeting, no meow, nothing. My friend was worried because her cat hasn't eaten for 3 days and she had to give her antibiotics. 

The dear cat didn't reappear, but at least she was in the house. She was offended that she had been taken to the vet. We spent a pleasant afternoon complaining not about men, but about all the cats we have had throughout our lives. It was quite fun, and we forgot all about the theater. We can go again next month.

 

On Sunday the sun was shining and it felt like spring was in the air. It was almost 12°C, quite warm for January. I bundled up and wanted to take a short walk in our park, but after only half a round, I had to sit down on a bench and wait until my breathing returned to normal. It was so pleasantly warm, though, that I stayed and played Scrabble on my smartphone.

 

Then I joined the others, but there were only six of them, including Solange's daughter, whom I've known since moving here and who is just as funny as her mother. So it turned out to be a nice afternoon after all, but then I was tired. I'm feeling better, and I hope to be completely healthy again next week.