WRITER CRAMPS (Main)

2012-12-31T09:03:00.004+01:00

This blog is the continuation of WRITER's CRAMPS

For all PHOTO memes

please go to my photoblog
here

INTERNET DIFFICULTIES ? CALL THE PLUMBER

2009-11-28T06:03:00.003+01:00

During my holidays in Egypt, I had met a 76 year old German lady who comes here in this hotel since 2000 and always stays for 2 months, except in summer and at Christmas.

She is alone, and spending three times two months in this Hotel costs her less then living in Germany, she has no heating costs and doesn't have to cook or do her shopping, and the most important thing is, she always finds somebody to talk to, and meets new people from all over the world. The only problem with her was, she knew everything about everything and of course was always right.

One day I was the victim. Each day after the beach and my shower I was sitting on the Hotel's terrace and was "working" on my computer, when she sat down besides me to chat.

I told her, that I had difficulties with Internet connection.

Yes, she said, we had that already last year when the water pipes broke, it's due to the broken pipes.

Water pipes ??? I said, water works perfectly, I mean internet connection for my computer, that has nothing to do with water pipes it goes through satellite. (I thought it would be a simple explanation)

Yes, yes, she said, I know that, don't take me for an old stupid woman ! They already had water pipes on the satellite in the 60th !

I gave up and smiled at her and sincerely hoped that Internet would go through water pipes, at least they was no problem.

So please next time you have difficulties with your Internet connection call the plumber, he will fix it for you.

See you learn new things every day !

SHOW & TELL

2009-11-27T06:00:00.002+01:00

More participants here

Today I will show you what I have brought back from Egypt. I did some Christmas shopping and also got some gifts for my friends.

There is a lot of junk souvenir articles to buy but I found these quite nice. Cups are usually very beautiful and little blocks in leather to put besides the phone very pratical. I also bought ballpens, address books, book signs out of papyrus, pencil boxes and two cats of course. The necklaces are made out of beautiful shells. I even bought some medication because they are exactly the same then ours, but the price is not even half of what it costs here !

For myself I bought these two necklaces which Rosie inspects with some doubts.

The other things I can't show, because they are a Christmas secret !

THURSDAY THIRTEEN - Back from Egypt

2009-11-26T06:00:00.006+01:00

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As you may have noticed I am back from Egypt

13. random tales

1. On the flight back, no problem with the wheelchair, I had complained. We were received by a friendly man with the wheelchair, conducted through check in and customs.

2. At the pass control, I pushed Chantal's wheelchair, ~~unfortunately~~ also over the feet of the policeman. It was his fault he didn't move a bit to make me some space !! He really got angry but a gave him my sweet "sorry" smile.

3. I noticed again, that as soon as a man wears an uniform he takes himself for very important. Especially cops. Without, and naked they all look the same I suppose, I didn't check.

4. A truck with an elevator picked us up and drove us to the plane.

5. Over Brussels the plane moved like a happy dog tail it was very windy

6. Mr. G for once found us immediately. Usually I have to call him and find him standing behind me because he hadn't seen me. But this time he couldn't miss us because of the wheelchair.

7. The cats noticed my coming back with different reactions.

8. Next morning I opened the shutters and wanted to close them again right away. Instead of blue sky, palm trees and a bright sunshine I saw all grey and wet and the wind whistled around the house.

9. I did like my cats, I refused to go out ! There was still some food in the fridge and Mr. G. had done some shopping.

10. I missed the fight to get a coffee spoon, cup and plate. Everything was there. Mr. G. refused to play a Russian.

11. Then normal life had me back ! I unpacked my suitcase and throw everything in the washing machine

12. I went shopping and didn't have to haggle (how boring)

13. I spent the morning at the phone informing everybody about my holiday adventures

you can biggify

The truck with the elevator drove us directly to the plane's door. I think it is wonderful what had been done to help handicapped people to travel

*****

To all my American friends

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-11-25T06:00:00.001+01:00

Check in !

Idioms with cats are here

MY WORLD

2009-11-24T07:34:00.001+01:00

more participants here

"My World" is here

FUN MONDAY - No Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T06:55:00.005+01:00

Wendishness our host this week said :

I thought we could consider Thanksgiving Day which will be the following Thursday in the USA. Though I know a lot of us aren’t in the US so don’t celebrate this, it might be nice to share some of the things we are thankful for in our lives.

In Belgium and the rest of Europe we don't celebrate "Thanksgiving" for the simple reason that we stayed in the "old" world and didn't emigrate to the "new" one with the Mayflower pilgrims. The "first Thanksgiving" was the celebration at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in 1621. The Plymouth celebration occurred early in the history of what would become one of the original thirteen colonies that became the United States. The celebration became an important part of the American myth by the 1800s.

Being part of the once whose ancestors stayed here, I have other things to celebrate today for which I am thankful.

I just returned from my holidays in Egypt and arrived yesterday evening safe and sound at home, my head is still full of memories and I was very thankful for the most simplest things in the world :

- That my bed didn't break down again in my room
- That I found a cup to drink my coffee (finally I bought my own)
- That there was a plate to put food on
- That somebody had filled the coffee machine
- That we got a knife a fork and a spoon. The dream of a coffee spoon we gave up.
- That I didn't have to run behind 3 or 4 waiters to get a paper napkin
- That they only asked me once to empty my half full glass because they needed it to prepare a cocktail for another client and apparently that was the only cocktail glass they had in a 4* lol Hotel, and I only had an alcohol free beer in there.
- That we found a beach bed every morning
- That we got toilet paper and towels

And as we got this all and my bed didn't break down again, I am very thankful and decided not to go back to the Regina Beach Hotel again !

It looks so beautiful, but the service is lousy.

WEEKLLY WINNERS - Souvenir Shop

2009-11-22T05:58:00.001+01:00

More participants here at Sarcastic Mom Weekly winners

I take you on a walk through a typical souvenir shop in Egypt. It has a lot of success because the owner understood our mentality and has fixed prices so, you don't have to haggle. You will find Gods, pharaohs, kings and queens on all kind of things from a lighter through plates until toilet paper holders.

these should bring luck

and this is the God of Fertility, nice on your mantle piece or window sill

cats of course

mother of pearl boxes

When your read this I am sitting in the plane to fly home into the cold and grey Belgian weather.

A BED STORY

2009-11-21T06:00:00.001+01:00

Today is our last day here in Hurghada at the Red Sea. To leave me a good souvenir of our journey, this night my bed broke in the middle and I found myself surrounded by bedshits sitting on the floor. I switched on the light and in the first moment got very furious. Years ago I would have alerted the whole Hotel, manager included and pulled him personally out of his unbroken bed, made a mess and fuss with everybody until I got a new bed immediately. . But with the years I became more philosophic and I didn't want to wake up Chantal who was sleeping peacefully in her room.

I decided to pull down the matrass on the floor, switched off the light and slept like a baby, except that with the light a moskito had moved in, which showed its love for me by singing around my head. I tried to kill it but apparently I am not a talented killer, it didn't work. Fortunately I had put a creme on so it couldn't do its vampire job.

In the morning I went to the reception at 8 am and told my story. He said he will sent somebody immediately to repair the bed, I had my doubts about repairing, but I didn't object. At 11, the somebody hadn't shown up yet. I called the reception and asked what he meant by immediately because it was 3 h later.

He excused himself and said he will sent somebody right away. At noon still no "somebody". Outside our flat I saw an employee called him and showed him the disaster. He scratched his head, then kneeled down put the bed together and hammered with his fists. The bed didn't want to be repaired and broke again.

I suggested a hammer.. He nodded and took the bed with him, demolishing nearly the door. That's a good idea I thought I will get a new bed. 5 min later another showed up with a hammer and looked around for the bed. I told him the bed was taken away by his friend (all are friends here), he nodded went to the bedroom with the hammer and looked at Chantal's bed. I feared the worst ! At this moment the first one came back with a "new" bed, and now I had what I wanted : a bed and a hammer ! The man with the hammer disappeared and the other put the bed together and I hope it won't break down again under my elephantic weight. I think I need a diet I broke already a chair here ! (see wordless Wednesday)

the sofa still resists

Little recompensations in the evening for my damaged soul

SHOW & TELL - Bouquets out of Vegetables

2009-11-20T06:00:00.001+01:00

More participants here

As I am still in Egypt, I thought I show and tell you about some very special art, I saw here in nearly all big Hotel Restaurants.

Flower bouquets made out of vegetables only !

some of the ingredients

he carves and sculptures flowers and birds

the birds are made from big carottes

and here is the result of all that work. Isn't it beautiful ?

THURSDAY THIRTEEN - Egypt Hotel adventures

2009-11-19T06:00:00.002+01:00

more participants here

13 surprising things happening in our hotel

Our Hotel unfortunately had made a contract with a Russian travel agency, not thinking that these people couldn't leave their country for decades and have no education at all. Of course not all of them but certainly 80 %. They had to line up to get the simplest things and also had not much to eat. That's why they think when they payed for "all inclusive" all is inclusive.

Hurghada is a very cheap tourist place for sea, sun and good food we only payed 950 € for 2 weeks, flight and half board included. That's why Russia discovered Egypt because it is affordable. Yesterday I met two Canadian couples, and we have a little group of friends from Germany, Sweden and Finland too.

1. At the beginning we wondered that there were no coffee spoons until we were informed that the Russian tourists took them with them to furnish their home in Russia.

2. One day there are no cups, one day there are no saucers

3. They permanently run out of dishes, they are stolen and the Hotel can't follow with ordering new once

4. Napkins are a seldom luxury because the once in fabric disappear immediately and packets of paper napkins are taken away for other purposes

5.. If you don't arrive early in the restaurant, you will never find a knife, fork or spoon. They land misteriously in some pockets.

6. You will find twice salt in the holder or twice pepper but seldom pepper and salt. It must be the same for them

7. Glases have various forms. Or they are so big that they look like a bucket or so small like a mustard glass

8. Tea bags you only get on request, because when they were laying on the table they disappeared too. They probably think that as they payed for "All inclusive" they can take them home.

9. Be careful when you line up at the buffet, because they overrun you and push you aside to shuffle food on their plates. It doesn't matter what it is, fish, chicken, meat spaghettis, potatoes rice all together on one plate.

10. Beach beds can brake down under you due to the weight of a big Russian guy who used it before

11. Toilet paper, is something rare and only available on request. I don't know what they do with it

12. As they are not used to a toilet with a water container and flush, they pulled the whole cover out and broke it in the entrance hall restrooms.

13. Of course I first complained about this leak of service in a 4 * hotel, but when I heard that they can't buy quickly enough new plates and cuttlery because they disappear permanently , or repair broken things, I rather pittied them and laughed and told them that at least it's not boring here.

Since then we get first class service as soon as we show up, have own cuttlery, plates, tea bags big smiles and waiters dancing around us ! First class service and I have something to write for my blog !

and last but not least sunshine warm weather, palm trees and the blue sea !

Our "home sweet home" ! We prepare a drink in our (unused) kitchen ! We got a new sofa !

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-11-18T05:51:00.000+01:00

This happened to me when I wanted to sit down. Suddenly I had the arm of the chair in my hands ! We bursted out in laughter because each day we discover some new "catastrophies"..

MY WORLD - Still Red Sea in Egypt

2009-11-17T06:00:00.001+01:00

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For another week my world is in Hurghada at the red Sea in Egypt. As it is very hot during the day, we do our window shopping tour in the evening.

It's always very animated

The Egyptians are very cheerful people and like to laugh and make fun all the time. Here I just wanted to take a picture of the shop, but they wanted to be on it. In Morocco they almost spit in your face if you take a picture of people, because they pretend that taking a photo takes her soul away, but curiously if you give some money the soul stays inside. They say it is written in the Koran. I dared to remark that at Mohamed's or Jesus time there were no cameras yet.

A view on Hurghada's beaches

A friendly Egyptian couple enjoyed the sea too. I found her outfit very elegant and she swam like a fish !

Each evening we had the pleasure to be smoked like sausages, because of the moskitos. It smelled horrible but it was efficient !

The water was very warm and so salty that you didn't need to swim, it carried you just like that. Besides the red cap Chantal is swimming.

There is also a diving center in the Hotel, but we never saw the divers because they left early morning and came back late night.

The beach camel was not the same as last year, this is Ali Baba, the one of last year was Oscar.

The appetite of the Russians hasn't changed, they eat whatever they can get. You really see that they suffered from privation over decades. Most of them haven't even seen an orange in their life. Unfortunately they behave like savages. Hotels now start to refuse Russian groups because they damage too much.

FUN MONDAY - Old things on holidays

2009-11-16T06:00:00.003+01:00

Our host Ari 1965 wants to know :

What is the oldest possession in your house or flat? Describe it or show us a picture. Where did it come from? Why do you hang on to it?

I have to change a little this challenge, as for the moment my home is in an appartment in a hotel, in Egypt at the red sea. I tried to find some old or even very old things, but unfortunately I haven't taken pictures of our flat yet. There are certainly some old things like our sofa which has to be newly covered, so they had taken the matress out and we can't use it, but we have 2 beautiful new armchairs. There are also some damaged furniture which look from pharaons times, the fault is not the Hotel, but the Russian tourists who broke everything and housed in there like wild people in a cavern.

Now the Hotel refuses most of them, because they had broken and stolen so many things like toilet covers, towel hangers, faucets, cuttlery, plates, cups not to talk about beach towels. One russian "lady" had taken only 20 towels to take them home. They probably think because they have"All included" the furniture is included too. Their country is still very poor for most of them and things which are so normal to us are still hard to get.

But the staff of the hotel is so adorable and friendly they help wherever they can, so that quite a lot of people come here every year and some retired once even 3 or 4 times.

So here are some photos

The Diving club is old but so colorful, maybe not the modernest one, but divers like it.

and old advertisement which I found so cute

rusty anchors

and here is our new sofa just being covered. It will be beautiful I am sure.

WEEKLY WINNERS - Farouk palace Cairo

2009-11-14T16:51:00.006+01:00

More participants here at Sarcastic Mom Weekly winners

When we visited Cairo, before going to the pyramides, we had a coffee in the Palace of the last King of Egypt, Farouk. It had been transformed into a hotel now.

The inside was breathtaking, all that gold and carved wood, mirrors and paintings....

The palace from outside

the garden with swimming pool

Famous guests who stayed in this hotel

VISIT TO CAIRO

2009-11-14T06:30:00.002+01:00

Yesterday we went to Cairo, an appropriate date, it was Friday the 13 ! but everything went smooth and we had a wonderful time. We wanted to drive by bus to see the most of the Egyptian landscapes instead of taking a plane where you sit for half an hour and see nothing else but tourists. We were very lucky, as 4 other people desisted in the last minute. We had a new Van with 12 places, a guide and a driver all alone for us for only 125 € (a little more in $) !

As we are rather tired today, we left at 2 am and came back at 10 pm I just post some pictures and tell more about our trip later. (we made 1000 km in one day !)

We discover the pyramides and the sphinx

Chantal is the best example that even handicapped you can enjoy life very much ! We took a camel ride and here you see how she was sat on the camel ! My camel had the nice name of Michael Jackson. Fortunately it was very good and didn't dance like him. Moonwalk on a camel ? My poor bottom ! We admired the pyramides and Cairo from high above on our camels ! It was a wonderful feeling and I am sorry that we have no camel for sale and use in Waterloo ! It would be so nice to do my shopping and it could also mow the grass !

We also visited the biggest mosque in Cairo. For that we had to wear these green garden dwarf costumes. As I had a scarf I only had to wear the habit, but Chantel had it all and on top of it, they put her plastic bags on her shoes. She can't walk without the difference of her legs is too big.

You are only allowed to enter without shoes, which is understandable. They have beautiful carpets and tiles in there and they would get damaged with all these people. We laughed and laughed seeing each other and all the tourists were laughing when they saw themselves. The Egyptians laughed with us, it is very free and open there, some men were praying (or sleeping) on the carpet floor, some read a book, others walked around with their families.

We had a coffee just under the pyramides in a palace which belonged to the last King Faruk and had been transformed into a hotel and restaurant. I will show more pictures later. What a luxury and gold and gold!

More about Cairo tomorrow<

SHOW & TELL

2009-11-13T06:49:00.000+01:00

More participants here

Being on holidays at the Red Sea in Egypt, I don't have to show much, but to tell a lot ! So far we haven't bought anything special, we just walked around and had a glance on what to buy for us and also for Christmas gifts.

We found little things, but of course I can't show them here. But for ourselves we bought these little cats. My friend Chantal is also a cat lover.

When we came back from the beach, we found this beautiful flower arrangement on the bed. Our room boy did it with the fresh towels he brought.

here is the entrance to our flat with a little patio and garden

watching people (of course, we are women)

the view from our patio

and along the little street to the beach

THURSDAY THIRTEEN - Egypt Holidays

2009-11-12T06:00:00.003+01:00

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Our arrival in Hurghada (Egypt) in 13 points

1. Chantal and I went to Egypt on Sunday. I had asked for wheelchair assistance. (Chantal had polio when she was 3 years old and can't walk long distances) It worked in Brussels but in Hurghada apparently they first needed to built one until they can pick up people.

2. We were told to wait a moment. The moment became 20 min. Loosing patience, I stormed behind the counters, were 7 men were busy with lines and lines of incoming tourists to give out visas for 15 $ each.. Under the horrified eyes of the stuff I claimed again for a wheelchair.

3. Finally I was surrounded by 3 employees in uniform and two policemen to help me to get a wheelchair. They discussed and discussed and gesticulated, I thought it would be nice to make a little video now.

4. After 45 min, a breathless man ran through all the people pushing a wheelchair which dated from the first World War. Now we could go on.

5. The taxi driver agreed to the price of 5 € but suddenly wanted the double, otherwise he would call the police, that made me laugh because they are very afraid of police in general and I not at all. I told him it was an excellent idea there was just one, but he didn't stop and without any more discussion dropped us at the RIGHT hotel !

6. Never be in a hurry, our "time is money" doesn't exist, so it took at least 45 min to check in, because they always need big discussions between them with with flying hands, just like the Italians.

7. We got the same appartment as last year, but first didn't recognize it because they had recovered the furniture (was necessary) there was only one bed, we asked for a second.

8. When I touched a towel, the metalic towel holder broke out of the wall and dropped with a big noise on the tiles.

9. The cable of the kettle had nude wires hanging out of a rotten cable, which was probably more efficient then an electric chair. I didn't try, I had brought my own.

10. there was no toilet paper, which should be brought immediately and arrived 4 h later, fortunately we had tissus, and didn't have to use our hands

11. We got one bath towel for two persons, I asked for a second which also arrived when we had lost all hope

12. The next day our towels were folded into a heart with red Ibiscus flowers around, it layed on our beds

13. We are happy to be in a 4* hotel, the food is very good and the staff very friendly. You get everything what you want .... but you never know when.

Moral of the story, if it would have been perfect I had nothing to write about.

But the weather is warm, the sun is shining the sea is blue and warm and the palmtrees spent us shade. A paradise for two girls coming from a rainy, grey and cold Belgium.

Beach, appartment and camel !

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2009-11-11T06:00:00.002+01:00

View on holiday pleasure

MY WORLD - Red Sea Egypt

2009-11-10T06:00:00.002+01:00

more participants here

Some of you know that I am on holidays at the Red Sea in Egypt, just like last year at the same time. We have wonderful sunshine and warm weather 30°C (83 F) good food, and a lot of fun. Only Internet is as slow as a snail on strike !

Here are some pictures of our hotel, the parc and the beach

restaurant entrance

Vegetable sculpture

I am sorry if I can't answer all comments, for the above mentioned Internet connection reason.

FUN MONDAY - A day

2009-11-09T06:13:00.000+01:00

Mama Rehma's challenge is :

Your Day: please describe to us your typical weekday, from when you wake up until when you go to bed, what do you do to get you up and going, how do you wind down in the evening and what happens in your life in between those times. For some of us, the drama is in the mornings and evenings and for others, it is during the day.

*****

My days all year around are now the same, because I don't work anymore, I only realize that it is sunday because all shops are closed.

I could describe my normal days like a pearl necklace, they are all the same.

I wake up, do my yoga exercises under the watchful eyes of 2 to 4 cats, push on the button of the perculator, feed 5 hungry cats, evenutally pick up a dead mouse out of Rosie's food bowl, take my cup of coffee and sit down at my computer to read emails and check if the posts I had prepared the day before were published at the right time.

Around 10 it's telephone time, chatting and updating news with my friends, after that shower and getting dressed. With the help of usually 2 cats I make the beds. If there is some time left I go shopping then we have a little lunch usually in form of bread, cheese and Italian ham, while watching a little crime story we had recorded before.

Mr. G then retires with two cats for a nap. I am busy with my virtual life, and in real life, in summer a little garden work, in winter usually nothing. At 6 pm I shut down my computer for the day, prepare the evening meal, eat, watch TV and go to bed.

This sounds pretty boring, but of course I also go out photo hunting, have my painting course, meet my friends, visit expositions, and wherever there is something going on in a town I am there. Belgium is so small that you can do all in one day. You drive 250 km (155 miles) in all directions and you are in Germany, Holland, Luxembourg or France.

Householdwise I am very lazy. I put the washing machine on from time to time, no ironing anymore since Mr. G. is also home and I only buy things which don't need ironing. I also push the button of the dishwasher when it's full. For cleaning I have Janka once a week, who takes care of us as if we were two children.

And for the moment I am here in Egypt enjoying the sunshine ! Retirement is nice !

AWAY TO THE RED SEA (EGYPT) and WEEKLY WINNERS

2009-11-08T06:00:00.001+01:00

When you are reading this I am sitting in the airplane to Hurghada in Egypt.

I was there the last three years always around the same time. It is a wonderful break to prepare myself for the winter. There is no rain there and it's always around 30°C (86F).

As last year, I'll take my Ordino with me, which means little Computer in Italian, and I will write my posts from there when I have enough of the beach.

And to escape this, these are my Weekly Winners :

More participants here at Sarcastic Mom Weekly winners

Stripteasing trees and dying leaves !
As you may notice, autumn is really not my cup of tea !

LINE UP

2009-11-07T06:00:00.000+01:00

On wednesday I really felt in prison. Outside it was raining cats and dogs and the wind blow the so said beautiful yellow and red leaves around. I decided to spent a visit to Ikea. There it's warm and I can walk around. On top I needed a lamp for the guest room, which had given up it's soul.

When I opened the garage a bunch of dead yellow leaves stormed in, I quickly got in the car and closed the garage door.This time I arrived at Ikea without any problem and even without my Madame GPS.

The parking with more or less 1000 places was full. Rather amazing for a day in the middle of the week. Instead of turning around I stopped and had luck, somebody had finished its shopping and left me the space.

Inside it was the same. Ikea was full, it seemed to me that everything was free today ! In the restaurant no place either. I decided to first go to the restroom. There was a long line of women at the entrance door. I found this strange because the restroom is quite big. Under furious eyes of some women I walked up the line, went inside and found an empty restroom ! I asked the young woman who stood there at the entrance why she didn't go inside and make room so that the other don't have to stand outside, she looked at me very surprised with big brown cow eyes and said : "But I don't have to go, I am just waiting for my friend who is inside !"

For a second I was wordless, but only for a second. I told her she could have waited inside and then shouted at the line of these patient sheeps that they could go inside the restroom and all toilets were free (except one) ! Then arrived a basket ball sized black man with huge toilet paper rolls under his arms and shouted with a big smile "Where is paper missing ?"

I found my lamp, meandered through the crowd to my car, while the wind blow off my beret and I had to run behind, and finally arrived at home.

What happened there, gave me an idea. Next time I go shopping I will just stare at the ceiling and then I will see how many people will do the same !

SHOW & TELL - My Grandma and I

2009-11-06T06:00:00.000+01:00

More participants here

When my grandma still lived, and I had the occasion to ask her about her life, I didn't do it. I just didn't think of asking her. Now there are so many things I wished I could ask her about her life, because finally I only know very little.

Yesterday I was looking for a picture and stumbled over these pictures of my grandma in 1907 when she was 21 years old.

I love these old photos where you had to dress up, go to a special photographer who put you in a pose, and then you had to stand still and not move a bit, otherwise you could get 10 heads instead of one.

and here I am at 21 not dressed up and on a bike, but we look very much alike I think.

The typical family photo, my grandpa of course stood straight up, because he was a little smaller as my grandma and a man of course had to be taller. My grandma was a quite tall woman, for that time, actually she had the same size as I.

and again the two of us at the same age.

DONA NOBIS PACEM - Grant Us Peace

2009-11-05T07:05:00.001+01:00

PEACE AN LOVE TO ALL OF YOU !

it's not to late to participate go to Mimi's Blog