16 Jul 2011

SATURDAY FUN - Hearing problems

Mr. G has hearing problems, but for nothing in the world he would admit it. No, it's all our fault, we whisper, the cats included. He has a hearing aid, but he doesn't put it on, he pretends he doesn't need it. Therefore he lives with built in earplugs and I am accused by "normal" people to have a loud voice.

Mr. G. says I whisper, my son on the phone tells me not to shout ! Only my cats don't complain. But they too are a problem, if I ask cat Arthur, "have you catched a mousie today" ? Mr. G. would confirm "Yes the weather is lousy today".

Mr. G. always thinks that I talk to him.

And not only this, I sent him to a store to buy a foldable "visitor" bed. He didn't know where the store was. I explained him that it was at the place of the ancient store which sold household appliances. Instead of "place" he understood "face" and thought the store would face the other side of the street. (It sounds better in French) Nevertheless he turned around to find the store and complained bitterly afterwards that I hadn't explained the way properly. But he bought the bed !

The worst was when I forgot my keys and when I returned with Dominique home at midnight from the movies, I couldn't get in the house. I rang at the door. Nothing. I rang and rang and rang without success. He apparently slept deeply. I called his mobile, I got the voice mail. I rang again, nothing to do. Finally Dominique and I called together at the same time she our fix phone, I his mobile phone and rang the door bell. Suddenly we heard a little noise and the door was opened by a half asleep Mr. G. who asked what happened. I told him that I only wanted to get into the house and in my bed.

That was it. Fortunately I didn't have to call the firemen.

15 Jul 2011

FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE



more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.

1. As we had a quiet busy weekend with our little grandson and parents and my birthday celebrations, I started the week feeling very very lazy ! I thought I had done enough for the next weeks. Fortunately my laziness didn't last too long, I had to do some shopping and as I found a nice red blouse on sale, I bought it, and stated at home that I had the same blouse already ! Couldn't change it because it had been "on sale". Doesn't matter, so when one is dirty I just take the other one and people will think that I never wash my clothes.

2. A friend had downloaded Picasa on her computer for her photos and had asked me to explain her how it works. So I spent the afternoon with her explaining and also make folders for her photos to file them by theme, because she had a real mess in her whole filing system.

3. I tried out my new GPS which I had got for my birthday ! I put the name of a garden store in it found it and took me there without any detours or problems. She also told me when a radar was hidden in the bushes and the speed limits of course. People who saw me in my car must have thought that I just escaped from a madhouse because I was laughing my head off sitting alone in my car. Madam GPS spoke English because I had choosen this language for the settings. Unfortunately she tells me the names of the streets and that sounds so funny because of her pronunciation ! The street names being in French or Dutch, it is hilarious. Fortunately the names are written on the map, otherwise I wouldn't know where I am.

4. I had to put my car in the Garage for the yearly inspection and check up. Besides the usual things there was no major problem (except a hole in my bank account) so I am OK for another year.

5. We had our last painting class before it starts again in September. We finished quiet late this year because 3 classes had been cancelled in winter due to heavy snow. That's why we recuperated our classes now in summer.



As it was the last day, we didn't paint very much but had a lot of "big discussions"

BTW summer ! Today was the coldest day since years in July ! we had royally 12°C (53 F) and it rains cats and dogs together with a strong wind ! I had to take out my autumn anorak and in the evening we warmed us up in front of our open fire !

14 Jul 2011

MOVING WITH ARTHUR

Jenny Matlock
more participants at Jenny Matlock's Alphabet Thursday





Arthur watching the neighborhood

Since the 36 years I live in this street, some of the owners have moved away because their house became to big once the children gone. This was also the case of my neighbor Victor. His sons were gone long ago and he was a widow since some years.

When he met a widow in a charity thing, and living in our street, he fell in love and decided to move into her house. You have to know that our street is virtually divided into two parts , one AFTER the roundabout and the other BEFORE the roundabout where cows used to live on a field. From this part we don't know very well the new people who have replaced the cows and living in the new built houses. The old houses are still there but I only know few of the owners. The widow's house is just opposite to where the cows once had been and which she regrets dearly.

Anyway, Victor wanted to move and live with his widow, so he had to get rid of some furniture and other stuff. I was just at the window while making my bed and saw him putting an old table on the sidewalk. My cat Arthur had observed this too and showed up in all his glory. When something is going on in our street, Arthur is worse than a paparazzi. As soon as Arthur had spotted the table, he hurried over the street, jumped on it and settled down to have a better view of what would go on now. Victor saw him sitting there and probably sighed, because it was not the first time they met. Once Arthur had climbed through an open window in his basement and hidden behind the logs. When Victor had to take some for his open fire, Arthur suddenly jumped out of the logs and Victor almost got victim of a heart attack.

Arthur greeted Victor with his usual kindness by turning around his legs. Unfortunately Victor was now busy with carrying an old TV and almost fell over Arthur. I heard a for a lady unspeakable word. I have to admit that it took me as long as Victor and Arthur were outside to make my bed. I am not a curious person.

Victor put the TV on the table and returned into the house followed by Arthur of course. Then he came back with a little book shelf which had also seen better days, went down the steps, stumbled over Arthur and could hardly keep his balance. He ordered Arthur to go away. Arthur suffering from bad hearing when it suits him, sniffed at the floor lamp and I thanked God that he was not a dog. Then he sat on one step, watching what Victor would bring out next. Another lamp with a string hanging down !! Arthur probably thought what a kind man Victor was, he even brings him toys on the sidewalk, and jumped at the hanging string. Victor stepped back and stumbled against the steps. He again asked Arthur to disappear, but Arthur wanted absolutely to help. Moving away doesn't happen every day.

The third time he came out with a plush armchair a dream for a cat ! It must have been quite heavy as poor Victor's face became completely red. While he put it down, Arthur happy, jumped in it and settled in for a little nap, still keeping one eye open for the next events.

Finally I really pittied Victor and hollered over the street if Arthur did disturb him. He shaked his head and said, that Arthur really is a cute and very social cat, but if I could lock him in until he finished with his moving ? Of course I agreed, crossed the street, tried to pick up a wildly struggling Arthur and carried him over to our house. He was really angry and tried to jump off my arms. I quickly put him down in the garage and closed the door. He gave me a killer look and sat at the closed door. Then he said "meow" just once with his Hitchcock horror movie voice. Good heavens I thought, now he will sing all cat operas he knows and in all tone scales. And that indeed happened. I tried to escape into a room far away from the Garage door, but I still could hear him.



This event probably has traumatized me so much, that I will never forget the day Victor moved away to his widow, where he happily still lives. Arthur doesn't go until there since the cows are gone.

13 Jul 2011

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

more participants here






Has to be done ! Tourists in Brussels.

12 Jul 2011

A CRUISE ON THE BOSPHORUS



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As Blogger had a hangover again and was unable to work, my post about the Grand Bazar in Istanbul remained unknown (or nearly) so if you want to read this post and see some pictures, go here

11 Jul 2011

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND



Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of July 10. 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.

This weekend we celebrated my birthday together with our son and family. Of course the main figure was Toby our 7 months old grandson.

There is not a lot to write, the pictures say it all. Fortunately the weather was nice and we could sit outside in the garden. When Toby was in bed, we had a nice Sushi supper together and then Nonno and Nonna (Grandpa and Grandma in Italian) dropped happily exhausted in their beds !



The sushis were really very good



Nonno prepares some toys before their arrival



In the afternoon they watched Formula 1 together for 10 min, then Toby had enough and wanted to do other things.



Nonna took the relay



and then he played in his playpen for a while



Cat Arthur wanted to share the blanket and wasn't afraid of Toby at all.



I have got beautiful flowers,



and the most important gift : My new GPS ! If now I get lost then I am hopeless !

On Sunday the birthday celebration continued, this time with my best friends.



Here we are all together around three birthday cakes (that's why I look so fat on the picture). We had a lot of fun and laughter all together.

It was really a nice weekend.

10 Jul 2011

THE GRAND BAZZAR, ISTANBUL

In French you say "what a bazaar" when in English you say " what a mess !" and I really understood this expression when I visited the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. Of course it's one of the major tourist attractions, but real worthwhile to see. You can walk in there rather unbothered and look around without being pulled or pushed into a shop like it was in Morocco's Souks. Of course they ask you to come into their shops but if you walk by, the vendors don't insist too much. Haggling is a must just for sport. I don't mind and find it rather funny.

continue to read here