18 Dec 2010

SATURDAY FUN - Fun Play

When I was on holidays in Egypt each evening we had a show, and this one was particularly funny !




If you also have a fun post please link here

17 Dec 2010

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE



more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.



1.My neighbor Paulette came to visit me and brought a gift for little grandson Toby who is today one month old. This is the last picture I got from him. Our guest room fills up with gifts from friends and neighbors, I hope we don't have to hire a truck !

2. This week I had acqua gym again it had been cancelled twice because of the snow, so we were happy to see each other and while drinking a delicious tea after our exercises, we talked about women's rights ! Fortunately no man was around !

3. I also acted as hairdresser, Domi wanted to change her hair color a bit and she asked me to help her because she had never done it herself. I can tell you we had a lot of fun while doing it, and we behaved like two school girls giggling and wondering what color would come out !
Fortunately it came out perfect and she was very happy with it.



She had put up the nativity scene her 86 year old mother had made herself when her 6 children were small. I found it the cutest crèche I had ever seen. It was made out of ceramic. I love its simplicity.

4.



After two days without snow, it had started again and as the streets were a mess as usual with 3 snow flakes, I stayed home and did some filing which was quiet necessary. I also cooked a big pot of Chili con Carne, Mr. G's favorite dish and put 6 portions in the deepfreeze !



I went to bed early because I love to read in my bed, and Rosie likes to keep me company.

5. The snow had melted again so we had our painting class. It also had been cancelled twice but yesterday morning I could finally go.



our classroom was nicely decorated for Christmas



and the public retirement home where we have our class, was also very beautiful. From left to right, the entrance, the reception, the entrance hall, a Christmas tree standing in a corner, the coffee tables and the entrance to our classroom, which is also used for feasts, parties etc.

16 Dec 2010

LAUGHTER THERAPY

Jenny Matlock
more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday

Letter L


Last week we were talking about laughter therapies to make our life better. By curiosity I used my dear friend Google and googled laughter. Of course the first one which drawed my attention was "Laughter tips for relationships". I thought that would be perfect for my 42 year lasting relationship (with the same man).

The program starts early morning ! Each morning we should laugh together for 5 to 10 min. But there is a difficulty, how could we laugh together when I see Mr. G. climbing groaning out of his bed and stumbling over a cat or stepping barefoot in some cat vomit. Of course I have to laugh but he doesn't laugh at all, apparently he has no sense of humor. There must be something wrong with this therapy. Anyway I think it's rather hard to laugh in the morning, especially when you are in a hurry to get to work, have to swallow your coffee in a few seconds and try not to forget half of your things.

Once a day we should point out the day's absurdities to each other. Being a retired couple we live in a 24 h absurdity. It would be easier to point out the normal day happenings.

We also should seek humor together in a serious situation. This will be very easy when one of us drives the car against a tree, of course it is so funny to sit in a car wreck and laughing our heads off.

I should also play "Teasing Telephone Tag" by leaving outrageous messages ! I did this once telling him a tax inspector would come at 10 am, and I will never understand why he didn't laugh at all. Again this therapy hadn't worked.

The nicest tip is to "Practice laughing without control. Spit out food, wet your pants, wet each other's pants" Spit out food in the best restaurant is easy to do but I don't know how I could wet his pants, I would have technical difficulties ! or should I use a water pistol ?

And amongst other tips there also was "count the number of times you laugh each day. Compete and share them". I promise you from tomorrow on I will count ! Maybe I should set up a laughter poll.


15 Dec 2010

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

More participants here



Baby squirrel catched by dog



mom arrives



saves her baby



Where is my toy ??

14 Dec 2010

MY WORLD - CHRISTMAS TIME


more participants here

As the rest of the Christian world Waterloo too put on its yearly Christmas dress and I took some pictures of



The "Galerie Wellington" also called the "old" Gallery




with red carpets and red decorations



and the "Nouvelle Galerie" just in front of the old.



The owners of the Belgian chocolate shop watched me with suspicious eyes.

This weekend was also the traditional Christmas market, this year rather small in a tent



with a few stands, ice skating and a workshop for children






Besides the traditional hot red wine, there were also filled mushrooms to take away.

13 Dec 2010

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?



Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of December 11. You never know if you need an alibi ! If you participate please put the little logo on the top of your post and leave your link.

As the weather was ideal to catch a cold, humid, chilly and with some raindrops falling on my head, I thought I will have a look on the Christmas decorations of the two Galleries we have in Waterloo. There is the old one, called "Gallerie Wellington" and the new one called " New Gallery" which is very original indeed.

I don't know if I am spoiled now after 3 years of Christmas decoration reports, but I found the decorations rather poor.



The old Gallery was decorated in red



while the new one just on the other side of the street was decorated in an elegant silver look !

I took some pictures for "My World" and went home without buying anything.

I also went to the Waterloo Christmas market, which was rather a "Christmas tent" not a lot to see either, at least nothing of interest to me,



But there was hot chocolate melted in front of your eyes which were served in little cups to be licked out and of course the traditional hot wine.

The afternoon I spent with Dominique we always have a lot to chat, while Mr. G. was watching an action movie on TV. I think I have action enough in my life and anyway I don't like these kind of films.

Sunday wasn't better but eventually I went to the Waterloo market, just to get some fresh air, and came back with eggs from a farmer. On the way back I stopped at the Indian shop, the 4 weeks before Christmas the shops are open on Sundays so lots of people were shopping, just because it was a Sunday and of course all shops were full !



This shop is just unbelievable, it doesn't look like a shop at all, it's just as if you enter in an Indian palace. Another world. It is a shop who sells only things made in an Indian village and all the money collected goes to them to help the people. I think this is a very good idea. Lots of people were there to do their Christmas shopping.

Late afternoon my neighbor Vivi whom I know since 35 years, came for the 3rd advent, so we lighted the 3rd candle, had tea and the traditional Italian Christmas cake. Unfortunately her 94 year old boyfriend had a cold and had to stay home.



and while we had our Panettone and the German Christmasstollen, we listened to the latest news of our street reported by Vivi ! She is the best local newspaper !

12 Dec 2010

DRIVING WITHOUT LICENCE PLATE ?

One of my painting class mates got a letter from the Belgian transport administration, informing her that her licence plate has to be renewed because they had invented a new one, and slowly, slowly we all have to change.

Honnestly I don't see any difference between the old and the new because the letters are still in red on a white background. That's again the European Union who can't come to an agreement on a licence plate model which would suit to all concerned countries.
Michelle did what was requested, she filled in a formular with all the informations and sent it back.

After a while she got an answer that she would have to come personally to this office, which btw is in Brussels and about 20 km far from her home. An employee told her that she has to come with her car and fill in the formular in his office and give him her old licence plate. When she asked how she should drive back home, without licence plate which is illegal and would cause her quiet some troubles, nevertheless the employee suggested her just to drive without licence plate and this for 3 weeks the time it would take to make a new one. I wonder if they are handmade. .

I know that people working for the government are not especially gifted with an extraordinary IQ, at least in this country, but this, I think just takes the biscuit !

The old and new Belgian licence plate, they love red !




Luxemburg


the Netherlands


and the UK love yellow

Italy

Irland

France

and Germany, love it in black and white !

The same happened with the passport color. After 15 years they came to an agreement. The passports should be in auburn, indeed they are but all countries in a different shade and material ! Carton for the Germans, plastic for the rest.