#nursing homes belgium

[morbidology]

Andrée de Jongh was a member of the Belgian Resistance during World War Two. She also toured and organised the Comet Escape Line, the route between Belgium, France and Spain which was used by hundreds of Allied airmen to escape from Nazi-occupied Europe.

Andrée got involved in resistance work as soon as the Nazis advanced into Belgium. She initially volunteered in the Red Cross, nursing injured soldiers and finding them safe homes once they were healed. She, along with her father, organised the escape of the abandoned allied soldiers, creating the Comet Escape Line which would send these men from their safe houses in Belgium through occupied France and finally to Spain. It was estimated Andrée helped over 400 allied soldiers escape imminent death by the Nazis. 

Andrée de Jongh was captured on the 15th of January, 1943, and sent to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp and then to Mauthausen. Andrée survived the concentration camps but her father, Fredericnde Jongh, was executed in 1944. Following the war, Andrée went to Coquilhatville to work with a leper colony. She died in 2007 at the age of 90.

[lostintimenl]

A video of this nursing home: https://youtu.be/yn6dxzZDS8M?si=BUssh-6GnFAtoWhV

Abandoned Nursing home (L'Herbergement De La Verité) Belgium Oct 2010

[umlewis]

lewis hamilton, p1, is interviewed during the post-race press conference, belgium - august 29, 2010 (transcript under the cut)

Interviewer: "Please welcome the top three finishers in the 2010 Belgian Grand Prix: the winner, for Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton; second, for Red Bull Racing, Mark Webber; and third, for Renault F1, Robert Kubica. Congratulations, Lewis. Brilliant win, but not without its nervy moments." Lewis: "No. [laughs] It was a great weekend. Very, very tough race for me. I think the same for everyone, but … Praying for just a race that went smoothly, but obviously with the tricky conditions when it started to rain, losing temperatures in the tires and not really knowing how much you can push in each corner… And I braked quite late and locked my wheel and went wide in turn eight, and geez, the Lord definitely had his hand over me there because I was able to get away with it and then stay ahead of the guys here. But the team did a remarkable job this weekend. We're constantly pushing, and obviously some places we're not as fast as these guys, but it's great that when we are close we maximize, and so very proud of the job they did this weekend and just I'm so happy to be up here." Interviewer: "Talk us through the struggles. As the rain came down you looked like you really wanted to come in for a change of tires a lap earlier than you were allowed to." Lewis: "Yeah. It's a difficult call because the team are telling you there's rain coming, and the previous times it was just a little light shower and then it dries up very quickly, and so you didn't know what to expect. And although there was very dark clouds above us, it begun to rain and quite heavily, and yeah, you wish you could come in, but it's too late once you come past the pit lane, and fortunately I got 'round and changed the tires. They had a fantastic pit stop, probably the best one I've had this year, and I guess that's what helped get us out there." Interviewer: "And then just the one safety car to try and survive towards the end of the race." Lewis: "Yeah, I was hoping the safety car was going to stay out longer. [laughs] I don't know about you. But fortunately it didn't rain anymore and the track got a little bit better, and at the end it was just about nursing the car home, just bringing it back in one piece, so try and just keep a small gap between myself and Mark and try to bag those points, because it's not many times we're in this position, so…"

[thewinternighttrilogy]

Katherine Arden’s new book’s title and summary are available on Goodreads. The books is called The Warm Hands of Ghosts and it will be out January next year.

“During the Great War, a combat nurse searches for her brother, believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise, in this hauntingly beautiful historical novel with a speculative twist from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale.

January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, she receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about haunted trenches, and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else? November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with an enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter—each of them grievously wounded. Against all odds, the two men form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.”

[crazyforkasey-blog]

When we met

Chapter 14

German Field Hospital Somewhere in Belgium

"Captain Hendrick…Doc Hendrick…Can you come here for a second" A young nurse called out for Katie.

It was Christmas Eve and the German Hospital was overcrowded. Katie did the best she could for the German soldier, but she never talked or got close with them, not as she had done with her American Patients, her friends.

Katie missed Winters, she would dream of him at night. She longed for him and she needed him more than her next breath.

Katie walked towards the young nurse; suddenly the German commander blocked her path.

"Ah Doctor Hendrick…Kommen Sie mit…Bitte" The Commander motioned for Katie to follow him

Katie followed him into his office, the commander closed the door, Katie swallowed, she was afraid he heard how she helped Mia escape.

"Doctor, one of your nurses has gone missing…Do you…how do you say, have a finger in the escape act" The commander sat down in his desk chair.

Katie swallowed hard "I don't know what you are talking about I didn't even know a nurse was missing" Katie bit her cheek. Mia must have made it since the commander decided to interrogate Katie.

"Are you absolutely sure you don't know anything about this flucht…escape?" The commander got on his feet.

The commander walked over to Katie. Being young and away from home, he couldn't help but being attracted to the young doctor, she was a beauty.

Katie looked at the commander. He was a poster boy for the Nazi's he was tall, slender and blond with blue eyes. Katie hated the commander, he never hurt her, but she knew he was playing her. He wanted something from her and she had a feeling it was her in his bed and that was why he had been so nice these past few weeks.

"I don't know anything" Katie looked the commander right in the eyes

"You know what I think you are lying" the commander walked over, lifted Katie's hair away from her neck, and kissed the spot right behind her ear.

Katie shuddered and the commander took it for lust not the fright it actually was, he grabbed her hand and kissed her. Katie tried to fight him off. When he pulled back, Katie spit him in the face.

That turned out to be a big mistake, the commander slapped her hard across the face, the door opened and a soldier stepped in, the commander stepped away from Katie. The commander looked at the young soldier

"WAS" his eyes never leaving Katie?

"Haupt sturmbahn fuhrer Schmidt" The young soldier stepped away and a German SS soldier stepped in the room.

The commander stepped up to the young soldier and whispered something in his ear and the young man grabbed Katie and pulled him alongside of him. He stopped in front of a cell. Katie started to protest she knew no one made out of the cell a live.

…

Christmas Eve, somewhere in a cold forest in Belgium

Dani sat in a crowded foxhole with Malarkey, Muck, Penkala and Bain. Malarkey passed out Lucky stripes.

Dani was shaking like oak leaves and she missed Ron. It was Christmas Eve and she was supposed to be with the people she loved, not sitting in a foxhole freezing her ass off.

It was quiet and the only sound was some guys coughing, which had become as common as breathing.

Suddenly the Germans started to sing Silent night, the sound traveled over the snow. Dani closed her eyes and started to sing as well and the men in the foxhole became quiet. Dani opened her eyes and saw the men all staring at her.

"What" she asked

Malarkey shook his head "You should sing more often that was amazing, merry Christmas lieutenant"

Dani blushed "Merry Christmas boys"

….

December 26th somewhere in a holding cell in Belgium

Katie was going insane; she knew all the signs from her psych classes. She was hallucinating and she was itching all over and she was sure she heard voices. Katie crept into the corner of the cell.

The door to the cell opened and a soothing voice sounded, "Ok, its ok, it's over"

Katie looked at the soldier standing in the door and sighed with relief, it was over, and by the look of his uniform, he was a part of Patton's third army.

The Soldier picked up Katie, carried her up to the hospital ward, and put her on the bed. Katie passed out, the next time she woke up, she saw the German soldiers were gone and replaced by Brits and Americans.

One of the young nurses stopped when she noticed Katie was awake "Oh Doctor…oh I can't believe it, you are awake" The nurse motioned for one of the doctors to come over and examine Katie

"Doctor Kent" Katie mumbled and let the other doctor look her over. Katie knew she was ok physically, she was just dehydrated and starved, but emotionally she was beat, she felt like she lost a part of herself somewhere between the beating and the cell.

….

A frozen forest in Belgium, December 31st

"Glen Miller's plane has gone down somewhere over the channel" Roe brought back news from town.

"Wow…Can't believe we won't hear any new music from that guy again" Malarkey mumbled and returned to watch the line.

"Well I got some more news…Patton has liberated the 326th" The 3rd army had penetrated the German lines and had rolled into town, the circle was broken and Easy would finally be resupplied and the wounded would finally be evacuated.

Roe ran off, he needed to tell Winters. Roe knocked on the tent pole at the CP, Winters looked up at him "Doc…what can I do for you" Winters asked

"Well, sir, I just wanted to…the 326th was liberated by Patton

Winters starred at Roe "Is there any…is there any news about the…"

Roe knew Winters wanted to know if he had heard anything about Katie "No sir, Nothing"

Winters sighed "Ok, thank you for the news and Doc if you hear anything…"

"You will be the first to know" Roe turned and walked back to the foxhole he shared with Spina, he hoped the nice doctor was ok.

The tarp over the foxhole lifted and Mia slid into the foxhole "Is it me or is Dike the biggest moron on the face of the earth"

Roe and Spina looked at Mia. Mia never complained so Foxhole Norman must have screwed up "What…never mind…the 326th has been liberated" Roe told Mia

Mia just smiled and snuggled up in her blanket. She was happy but she wondered what shape Katie would be in when she showed up.

Mia heard Dani run by the foxhole just as a barrage started. Dani was shouting at the men trying to get them to take cover, she pushed the men into the foxhole. A German plane swooped low and fired an anti personnel bomb. Toye pushed Dani out of the way and in return, he took some shrapnel to the wrist.

"Oh god Toye, I am so sorry are you ok" Dani was crouched by Toye's side and she was almost crying.

"Damn it…don't worry about me Lt, just remember to tell Speirs how I saved your life" Toye joked

Spina came running and he patched Joe up. Malarkey and Luz was standing by the Jeep joking with Joe "You lucky SOB"

"Hey Malark I will be back" Joe said and the jeep took off.

Dani stood and looked after the jeep as it disappeared. She felt guilty she looked at the small crowd gathered around her.

Luz walked over and hugged Dani "Don't worry Lt, he will be back"

Dani nodded and sniffled "I know"

Dani looked up and noticed Speirs standing a few feet away, if looks could kill Luz would have been dead.

Speirs held his hand out and Dani walked over and put her hand in his. Speirs walked Dani back to her foxhole and jumped in and then grabbed Dani by the waist and lifted her into the frozen hole.

Speirs pulled Dani close "I thought I told you to stay away from Luz" he mumbled into her hair

Dani sniffled into Speirs' chest and nodded. Speirs just held Dani tight and waited for her to calm down. He knew she felt guilty for getting Toye hurt even though she had nothing to do with it, But Dani was sensitive and he knew she just needed to feel like it was ok and that she was forgiven.

A few minutes later Dani felt a different presence in the foxhole, she looked up, Luz, Malarkey and Muck were all there. Speirs looked at Dani and then at Luz "Behave" and then he disappeared into the snow-covered forest.

Luz looked at the other soldiers in the foxhole "How does he always just show up and disappear without anyone noticing, he always know when you need him Lt"

Dani sighed, "I know, he is just…"

"Scary, we know," Muck joked.

"You know what," Malarkey asked

"No" Muck said and waited for his friend to continue

"It's new year's eve," Malarkey said

Dani looked at the men, in all the madness they forgot a year ago, they all celebrated the New Year in England Warm, wild and all the food you could eat; now they sat in their foxholes talking quietly. Buck jumped in the foxhole and wished them all a happy New Year.

"Buck can we fire off some mortars rounds," Malarkey asked

"You got ammo?" Buck asked

"Yeah" Malarkey waited for the response from his friend

Buck looked at Dani "I don't know, what do you say Dani?"

Dani looked at the men; they looked like boys waiting for permission to fire off firecrackers on 4 July.

"Oh go ahead" Dani smiled

The boys scurried out of the foxhole and fired off six rounds, just to let the Germans know it was not over yet.

On January 2nd Easy was called upon to push the Germans back through the Bulge. Easy were sent to clear the Bois Jacques,  third platoon were moving out, they met little resistance, at one point, Buck stopped and ordered Malarkey to squad down, and he placed a map over on his back.

Buck and Lipton were discussing where they were, and which way to proceed.

"That means, we must be right here," Buck said and tapped Malarkey on the back of the head.

Malarkey protested "Hey take it easy"

"Quit whining, or I will nail it to your head," Buck said

Guarnere snickered "You should, it's made of wood"

Dani and Lipton was walking next to each other "Man I glad to be out of my foxhole, at least I keep warm walking" Lipton said

Dani looked at him "I don't know Lip, I don't like it, it's only a thousand yard attack, and we already had casualties, I don't like it"

Easy reached the MLR and dug in. Darkness was setting in; defensive positions were set for the night. A German soldier came roaring through the woods on horseback, like something out of legend of sleepy hollow, he scared the hell out of everybody there. He encountered a patrol and did a one eighty turn and headed back. Hoobler pumped three rounds in the soldiers back, the soldier fell off the horse and Hoobler finally got his luger.

The company dug in as best they could, Dani was swearing and cursing. Lipton finally decided to help her and shifty dig in.

"Hey Lip thanks for the help" Shifty was grateful for the help, Dani had always been petite, but after weeks in the forest, she was now weak and she looked pale and sick. Speirs checked in on her occasionally, but there was nothing anybody could do, without rations and water Dani would not get better.

Buck moved from foxhole to foxhole to check on the men asking if they were ok and telling them to keep moving. When he reached Lipton and Dani, he motioned for them to follow him

Where is Dike?" Buck asked

Dani shrugged "He is around"

"Can you be a little more specific there?" Buck asked her

"Not really Buck" Dani told him

"God damn it, I didn't see him coming through the woods, and I haven't seen him all day. I have figure how we ended up" Buck said

"Two wounded" Lipton told him

"Who?" Buck asked Lipton

"Browns and Stevens" Lipton said

"Damit, Where is Dike? Where the hell does he ever go?" Buck was pissed off, and damn near his breaking point, a missing CO was a big problem

Malarkey and Shifty was digging a foxhole next to Dani and Lipton's, the two of them retorted, "I don't know, but I wish he stay the hell there, and it would be nice if he took lieutenant Shames with him"

Lipton knew talk like that could lower morale, and he told the two men to shut up.

A gun went off nearby and a soldier screamed. Hoobler had been fiddling with his luger in his pocket and accidently shot himself. He was squirming in the snow, the blood gushing from the main artery in the right thigh.

"Help me, help me, oh god help me," He cried

Mia came running thru the forest and skidded to a halt when she saw what she had to deal with "Ok, we need to get him to the aid station" Mia was working frantically, but she knew Hoobler was a going to die and he did at the aid station alone in the night.

Lipton, Mia and Dani walked back to CP to report the incident, Lipton were telling Winter, Nixon and Lane how they couldn't find the artery underneath the layers of clothes Hoobler had been wearing

Nixon looked at Lipton, "Oh hell Lip, you cut that main artery in the leg and that's… that's it"

Lip looked at Dani and the rest of the officers" I am going to head back, to make sure the boys are alright." Lip turned and disappeared into the falling snow.

Winters looked at Dani "Where is Dike?"

Dani shrugged, yeah where the company commander was, that was the big question "I don't know, why you want to talk to him"?

"No, I just expected to hear this kind of news from him" Winters gave Dani a stern look

"Well, if I see him, I will send him your way" Dani said

Peacock, Shames, Buck, Lipton, Welsh were gathered around Dike, he was trying to hand out orders, but everything that came out of his mouth made absolutely no sense.

Buck asked him what formation to use while dug in, and he got some crazy answer about how Dike would clarify that with him at a later time.

Dani shook her head; Dike wasn't a bad leader because he made bad decisions. He was a bad leader, because he made no decisions at all.

Dani and Lipton took a walk, to make sure the men were secure for the night. They found Liebgott, Bill, Malarkey, Skip and Talbert in a foxhole.

Lipton walked up to them "Hey boys, what's you doing"

Skip looked at Lipton and Dani "Nothing, just sitting here singing Dike's praises"

Lipton and Dani sat down on the side of the foxhole, Lipton looked at the men "Yeah well, I would hate to be a replacement officer coming in here, getting thrown in with a group of guys, who have known each other for what two years? Who has been in combat together since Normandy, is he just supposed to show up and lead them? How does a guy do that, how could anyone really earn the respect of the toughest, most dedicated, professional sons of bitches in the ETO? So if you ask me a guy would have to march of to Berlin and come back with Hitler's mustache or something"

Lipton got serious again "Anyway, you all do your jobs and we will be fine" Lipton got up and so did Dana

Dani put her arm around Lipton's shoulder "How do you do it?" she asked him

"How do I do what?" Lipton asked

"All ways know what to say" Dani answered him

"I don't know, I just say what I think they need to hear, I don't always believe it, but we need to protect the integrity of the company" Lipton stared into the horizon

Mia walked up to Lipton and grabbed him "I am going to steal this one away for the night"

Dani nodded "Ok, goodnight" She looked after the couple she sighed and decided to seek out Speirs

…

Winters, Lane and Nixon were gathered at the CP, they were also discussing Dike.

"You know what Dike's problem is don't you? He is just one of those arrogant rich jerks from Yale" Winters teased Nixon and Lane.

Lane looked at Winters "oh god, another one of those"

Lane was sitting on Nixon's lap, she was freezing, and she wasn't looking forward to walking the line in three hours.

Winters continued, "Division isn't going to let me replace him, just because I got a bad feeling about him, even if they would, who would I put in his place? Shames, he have seen to many war movies, he thinks he has to yell all the time"

Winters continued "Peacock? God bless him, no one tries harder, but he is not fit to take the men into combat, I sure as hell isn't going to make him company CO, when I don't want him as a platoon leader"

"How about Compton" Nixon asked him

"Buck is the only real choice, but I want Easy to have at least one experienced platoon leader, not that it matter anyway, because I can't get rid of Dike"

Nixon looked at Winters "well we all know who you like to have around Easy, problem it isn't your job anymore"

Lane nodded in agreement, Nixon and Winters looked at each other, and they knew Lane was right, but Dike was a favor to someone at division and he was sent to Easy to get some combat experience under his belt before moving on.

The truth was, Buck had changed since he got back from the hospital, and he was more serious. Lane was walking the line, the men were reinforcing their foxholes and Buck was talking to his men, telling them not to do anything stupid.

Dani was sitting, talking to Luz and Skip, when Buck showed up, and gave them don't do anything-stupid speech.

Skip looked at them after they left "Don't do anything stupid; who the hell is he talking to? A bunch of morons who volunteer to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, don't do anything stupid, can you get any more stupid than that?"

Skip continued to tell a story about how he once swam across the Niagara River, and how Faye, his girl gave him hell, when he mentioned Faye, Luz, Dani sang out "The sweet Faye Tanner"

Lane walked on, she found Lipton sitting in a foxhole and Dike was standing on the edge, it seemed like they were talking, when Dike suddenly turned and walked away.

"What was that about?" Lane asked Lipton.

"He wanted to know where I was from" Lipton said

The group went silent; they all tried not to think about home, it was too hard…

…

The next morning Nixon and Lane were sleeping in a foxhole, when a jeep stopped and a runner yelled for Captain Easterday and Captain Nixon.

Nixon woke up and shushed the runner, so he wouldn't wake Lane, she was sick, but refused to go to the aid station.

Nixon grabbed the piece of paper the runner was handing him and dismissed him. Nixon read the paper and knew he had a solution to one of Dick's leadership problems.

Nixon walked around the CP and found Dick drinking coffee, he poured himself a cup and said "good morning" and held up the piece of paper

Winters looked at Lew "Eviction notice?" he asked him

Lew laughed a little "Not quite, but I think, I got something that will help you, with your leadership problem"

Winters smiled "Dike is being transferred?"

"No, I can't help you with that, but division has decided to pluck one officer from each regiment, who have served in the heroic defense of Bastogne and send them back to the states on a thirty day furlough. Get them out banging the drum for the war bond drive, that sort of thing, turn out I been plucked" Nixon handed Dick the order

"That's great, good for you, but how in the world does you leaving help me?" Dick asked him

"Well I am not going, I have already seen the states, I grew up there that's why I came to Europe. I just wish they told me there was a war going on. The point is this thing is wasted on me, but I am sure we can find an officer somewhere in this battalion who can use a long trip home" Nixon and Winters just nodded at each other.

"If you even consider sending one of my girls home, I will kill you both in your sleep" Lane breezed past the two officers, in the end Peacock was the one they sent home, and the men were glad to see him go.

….

Sink, Nixon, Winters, and Lane was in CP "If the Camera comes by here remember to smile for the folks back home"

"Why" Nixon asked Sink

"Hell if I know" Sink said

Lane was coughing bad, "Maybe you should stay away from the camera," Sink told her.

"Ok, Captain Nixon what do we have waiting for us in Foy" Sink asked him

Nixon started to explain what he and Lane had spotted in Foy, when Winters excused himself, he had seen two soldiers get out of a jeep and one of them was the love of his life.

[nevinslibrary]

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday

Okay, so we’ll title this week, ‘unintentional early 1900s week’. Oops…

This book takes place around the great war though, not the Jazz age, 1917, 1918, and it was intense. Laura was a field nurse until she was discharged because she was wounded. She goes home, and, then, she gets a message that says that her brother Freddie has been killed, except, maybe she hasn’t. So, she goes back to Belgium and seeks to find her brother. Meanwhile, Freddie is going through his own thing that not just involves an interesting alliance with a German, and a mysterious man who maybe has some weird supernatural sort of power?

The story was told from both siblings’ points of view as Laura tries to find Freddie and Freddie goes through his ordeal, trying to make it back to the world and to Laura too. As I said, it was intense, and such a different look at the issues that were present during, after, and around the First World War.

You may like this book If you Liked: The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner, The Haunting of H. G. Wells by Robert Masello, or The Witch's Lens by Luanne G. Smith

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

[beckysbook5]

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden - ARC Review!

January 1918. Laura Iven has been discharged from her duties as a nurse and sent back to Halifax, Canada, leaving behind a brother still fighting in the trenches of the First World War. Now home, she receives word of Freddie’s death in action along with his uniform -but something doesn’t quite make sense. Determined to find out more, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital.…

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 2.5/5

Book Blurb: During the Great War, a combat nurse searches for her brother, believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise, in this hauntingly beautiful historical novel with a speculative twist, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale. “A wonderful clash of fire and ice—a book you won’t want to let go of.”—Diana Gabaldon, author of Outlander

January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, Laura receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital, where she soon hears whispers about haunted trenches and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.

As shells rain down on Flanders and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.

Review:

A combat nurse searches for her brother during the Great War while a darker strange force intercepts him. The story is set during the Great War and follows Laura Iven and her brother Freddie Iven. Laura is a combat nurse who was discharged from the corp while her brother was still fighting in the front. She's living in Halifax, Canada but receives word of her brother's death along with a few of his things yet something doesn't ring true to her. Laura is determined to find her brother and what actually happened to him, and that begins with her journeying to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. While there she begins to hear a strange rumor about a strange hotelier who's wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion and Laura just knows he is connected to her brother somehow. While Laura's story takes place in 1918, we also follow Freddie's story set in 1917, where we get to see what has happened to him. Freddie wakes up after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German man named Hans Winter. Freddie and Winter work together and form an alliance as they find a way to escape. Yet their escape is short lived as they soon find refuge with a strange man who has the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear... Can Laura find Freddie before it's too late? This is a beautifully written story that really captures the PTSD and trauma of war. Despite that, this one definitely was not for me. I was expecting something a bit more, yet this was really slow and honestly, not for me because I found myself getting bored over and over. I adored Arden's previous books but this one just did not work for me personally at all. I think if you enjoy war time stories this would be for you, as someone who does not, and was expecting a bit more paranormal/magical elements in the story this one was definitely less magic and more historical. The story focuses on trauma and sibling relationships and the historical war time, and if you enjoy quiet slow burn stories then give it a go, I feel like it would work for you. I just didn't find myself all that invested in the story and the characters felt flat to me. About the 30% mark had me just not caring all that much about what was happening and finishing the book felt a bit like a slog. I will continue to read Arden's books though because the author has a really beautiful way of writing and I look forward to what she comes up with next.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[euryalex]

15Qs / 15 Mutuals

Tagged by the super amazing @shadowsofrose hiii i love u <3

Tagging: @nonbineraryitinerary @cobb-vanthss @captastra @roofgeese @detectivelokis @softbutchesbian @pyreios @mangosteine @fadedjacket @swingxilly @aavara @the-halo-of-my-memory @strangefable @ziorre @autisticbisexualemaskye

1. Are you named after anyone?

For the longest time, I didn't think so because my mom said she heard the name in movies and TV shows a lot and liked it, but apparently I am named after a lady in the nursing home my mom worked at!

2. When was the last time you cried?

Uhhh I think I had a mental breakdown earlier this week?

3. Do you have kids?

I am kids

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't? I swear, my speech pattern changes in phases. Sometimes I use more sarcasm and sometimes I don't use any at all!

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

I am one oblivious bitch. I don't notice ANYTHING. At most I notice whether or not there's an instant connection.

6. What’s your eye color?

Grey

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Scary movies WITH happy endings

8. Any special talents?

Uhm. Not exactly a talent but I Sense things. For example if I'm about to receive an e-mail. It's a gut feeling, y'know? Like when I'm commissioning someone I'll have a gut feeling they're about to send me an update and 99% of the time it's right - if it's not, it's a friend of mine who got an update xD

9. Where were you born?

Belgium

10. What are your hobbies?

Video games, art, writing, reading

11. Have you any pets?

No :( Although there's a silverfish in the bathroom who refuses to leave - does he count?

12. What sports do you play/have you played?

... Pretty much none? I used to dance (professionally) for a year and a half when I was 8. If I wasn't depressed and mentally ill, I probably would've done badminton or hockey professionally.

13. How tall are you?

5'8" I think.

14. Favorite subject in school?

I'm a high school dropout for a reason :/ (jk it was English and Art first, then Math, and now I really love the web design class I'm taking!)

15. Dream job?

Video game design! I'd love to do concept art stuff but there's only one college nearby that teaches video game design. I'm also kinda scared because what if I'm not good enough, what if it's not the right job for me? Plus nightmare stories you hear from people who do art professionally :///

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 6.9

Holidays

Accession Day (Jordan)

Ananda Mahidol Day (Thailand)

Bill and Ted Day

Birsa Munda Shahidi Diwas (Madhya Pradesh; India)

Clothing Poverty Awareness Day (UK)

Community Day (La Rioja, Murcia; Spain)

Coral Triangle Day

Cornflower Day (French Republic)

Denture Day

Donald Duck Day

Feast of the Birth of the White-Breasted Giantess

Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day

Global Maintenance Day

Home Sweet Home Day

International Archives Day

International Batten Disease Awareness Day

International Day of Celtic Art

International Dough Disco Day

La Rioja Day (Spain)

Light Industry Workers’ Day (Former USSR Nations)

Meezer’s Colors Day

Monkey Spank Day

Murcia Day (Spain)

National Cancer Thriver Day

National Earl Day

National Earl Baltes Day

National Helen Day

National Heroes’ Day (Uganda)

National Krewe of Tucks Day

National Long COVID Awareness Day (Canada)

National Meal Prep Day

National Mitchell Day

National Sex Day

National Sex Educator Appreciation Day

National Stripper Appreciation Day

No Apologies Period Day

Profess Your Love Day

Purple People Eater Day

Rockman Day

609 Day

South American Football Day

Toy Industry Day

Traverse Myelitis Awareness Day (UK)

World Accreditation Day

World APS Day (a.k.a. World Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome Day)

Writers’ Rights Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

International Dark ’n Stormy Day

Kraft Cheese Day

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

Independence & Related Days

Flevelt (a.k.a. the Confederation of Flevelt; Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Självstyrelsedagen (Åland Self-Governing Day; Åland)

2nd Sunday in June

Abused Women and Children’s Awareness Day [2nd Sunday]

Bunker Hill Day observed (Massachusetts) [Sunday before 17th]

Canadian Rivers Day (Canada) [2nd Sunday]

Father’s Day (Austria, Belgium) [2nd Sunday]

International Drink Chenin Blanc Days, Day 3 [2nd Sunday]

International Shiatsu Day [2nd Sunday]

LEAF Open Farm Sunday (UK) [2nd Sunday]

Mother’s Day (Luxembourg) [2nd Sunday]

Multicultural American Child Day [2nd Sunday]

National Career Nursing Assistants’ Day [2nd Sunday]

National Children's Day [2nd Sunday]

National Garden Day (Germany) [2nd Sunday]

National Puerto Rican Day [2nd Sunday]

Race Unity Day (a.k.a. Race Amity Day; Baha’i) [2nd Sunday]

Ride the Wind Day [2nd Sunday]

World Pet Memorial Day [2nd Sunday; also 2nd Tuesday]

World Swallowtail Day [2nd Sunday]

Write To Your Father Day [2nd Sunday]

Weekly Holidays beginning June 9 (2nd Full Week)

National Automobile Service Professionals Week (thru 6.15) [Week with 6.12]

National Clay Week (thru 6.15) [2nd Full Week]

National Email Week (thru 6.15) [2nd Full Week]

National Flag Week (thru 6.15) [Week with 6.14]

National Little League Week [2nd Week]

National Pet Wedding Week (thru 6.15) [2nd Full Week]

National Right of Way Professionals Week (thru 6.15) [2nd Full Week]

Festivals Beginning June 9, 2024

Annecy International Animated Film Festival (Annecy, France) [thru 6.15]

Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival (Beacon, New York)

Community-Wide FELStival (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

International Dairy-Deli-Bake Seminar & Expo (Houston, Texas) [thru 6.11]

Jewish Cultural Festival (Dayton, Ohio)

New England VegFest (Worcester, Massachusetts)

Peabody Awards (Los Angeles, California)

Savor Idaho (Boise, Idaho)

Feast Days

Aidan of Lindisfarne (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)

Architects of the Middles Ages (Positivist; Saints)

Bathe in Marinara Day (Pastafarian)

Bede (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)

Cloverfield Dairy Cow (Muppetism)

Columba of Iona (a.k.a. Columbia or Columkille; Celtic Christian) [Poets]

Edmund (Christian; Saint)

Ephrem the Syrian (Roman Catholic Church and Church of England)

George Pérez (Artology)

James Collinson (Artology)

Jim Jones Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Joe Haldeman (Writerism)

José de Anchieta (Christian; Saint)

Jotunheim Day (Pagan)

Liborius (Christian; Saint)

Lord Buddha's Parinirvana (Bhutan)

Michael Ancher (Artology)

Paul Beatty (Writerism)

Pelagia of Antioch (Christian; Virgin and Martyr)

Pieter Jansz. Saenredam (Artology)

Primus and Felician (Christian; Martyrs)

Ralph Goings (Artology)

Remembrance for Sigurd the Dragonslayer (a.k.a. Siegfried; Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Richard, Bishop of Andria (Christian; Saint)

Robert Indermaur (Artology)

Vesalia (Feast of Vesta; Roman Goddess of the Hearth)

Vincent of Aden (Christian; Martyr)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Tomobiki (友引 Japan) [Good luck all day, except at noon.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [33 of 57]

Premieres

Bill of Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1962)

Cars (Animated Pixar Film; 2006)

The Coo Coo Bird (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1947)

The Crying of Lot 49, by Thomas Pynchon (Novella; 1966)

Dire Straits, by Dire Straits (Album; 1978)

The Empty Chair, by Jeffrey Deaver (Novel; 2000)

Gone in 60 Seconds (Film; 2000)

How Do I Know It’s Sunday (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

Invisible Touch, by Genesis (Album; 1986)

Jelly-Roll Blues, recorded by Jelly Roll Morton (Song; 1924)

Kids Say th Darnedest Things!, by Art Linkletter (Humor Book; 1958)

Labour of Lust, by Nick Lowe (Album; 1979)

Loki (TV Series; 2021)

Mr. Tambourine Man, recorded by Bob Dylan (Song; 1964)

The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco (Novel; US Translation 1983)

The Nine Billion Names of God, by Arthur C. Clarke (Short Stories; 1967)

Ode to Discord: A Chimerical Combination in Four Bursts, by Charles Villiers Stanford (Song; 1909)

A Pirate Looks at Fifty, by Jimmy Buffett (Memoir; 1998)

Party Girl (Film; 1995)

Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, by Elvis Costello (Album; 2009)

Some Girls, by The Rolling Stones (Album; 1978)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Film; 1989)

Stroke It Rich (Radio Game Show; 1947)

Super 8 (Film; 2011)

Tangled (Phantasies Cartoon; 1944)

3, by Honeyhoney (Album; 2015)

Tumble Weed Greed (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1969)

Ups an’ Downs Derby (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1950)

The Wise Little Hen (Disney Cartoon; 1934) [1st Donald Duck]

The Year of the Mouse (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1965)

Today’s Name Days

Annamaria, Ephraim, Grazia (Austria)

Diomed, Efrem, Kolumban, Ranko (Croatia)

Stanislava (Czech Republic)

Primus (Denmark)

Elar, Haljand, Hallar, Helar, Helari, Hellar (Estonia)

Ensio (Finland)

Diane (France)

Annamaria, Diana, Ephram, Grazia (Germany)

Rodanthi (Greece)

Félix (Hungary)

Efrem, Primo (Italy)

Gita, Liega, Ligita, Naula, Valeska (Latvia)

Felicijus, Gintas, Gintė (Lithuania)

Kolbein, Kolbjørn (Norway)

Felicjan, Pelagia, Pelagiusz (Poland)

Chiril (România)

Stanislava (Slovakia)

Efrén, Feliciano, Julián (Spain)

Birger, Börje (Sweden)

Cole, Coleman, Colman, Dean, Deana, Deanna, Dee, Dena, Diana, Diane, Dianna, Dianne, Dyane, Prima, Primavera (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 161 of 2024; 205 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of week 23 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 1 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Geng-Wu), Day 4 (Jia-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 3 Sivan 5784

Islamic: 2 Dhu al-Hijjah 1445

J Cal: 11 Blue; Foursday [11 of 30]

Julian: 27 May 2024

Moon: 12%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 20 St. Paul (6th Month) [Architects of the Middles Ages]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 1 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 83 of 92)

Week: 2nd Full Week of June)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 20 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Dag (Day) [Half-Month 12 of 24; Runic Half-Months] (thru 6.26)

Duir (Oak) [Celtic Tree Calendar; Month 6 of 13]

[two-crabs]

Adventure for Amity, Kiss for Lemon, Friend for Maudlin!!!

<3<3<3 under the cut bc this got wordy lol

ADVENTURE: What was your OC’s first adventure? Is it something they’d call an adventure? How did they feel about it?

If you asked Amity what her first adventure was she would tell you about how when she was 15 she spent a month in Belgium with a Distant Aunt™ and had all sort of plans to have a hot Lizzie McGuire Movie summer until it turned out The Aunt lived in the middle of nowhere so she mostly spent it traipsing around the Belgian woods and looking at Belgian cows and sheep practicing her French EXCEPT for one day when The Aunt had a migraine Amity snuck out and caught a train to Ghent where she got rained on, lost an earring, had a really disappointing coffee, and then went back home. (What she's doing now is not an adventure. It's just Toronto.)

KISS: What was your OC’s first kiss like? Who was it with? Do they remember it?

(This is cheating you already know about Lemon's first kiss.)

"Well this buddy of mine...Varden and me...we were just shootin' the shit right? We was out in the woods, trekkin' out on our own for a minute, decide to take a breather one night. Killin' time. Drinkin' a little, smokin' a little more than a little...and uh...well it's safe to say that V was a little stressed at the time, bit tense, bit pent up. Nothin' a lungfull of the good old Lagamorpha leaf won't help. And well, all a'sudden he goes from leaning up against this big old tree we'd found...to leanin' up against me. Lookin' up at me like....well. Shit. If you'd been in my position, you'd've been hard-pressed not to kiss him. And the rest is history I s'pose."

FRIEND: Who was your OC’s first friend? How did they meet? What was their friendship like? Are they still friends now?

Maudlin didn't grow up with a lot of other kids, but they were very close with their mother and very fond of everyone else on the housekeeping staff, but I don't think they made their first real friend until they were on The Abandon. Like a child who finds solace in the nurse's office, Maudlin got close with Dudko first after visiting him for his sea-sickness and sunburn remedies, then for comfort in Maudlin's grief, and then for conversation while he practiced his work on every available square inch of Maudlin's skin. Theirs was a sort of foxhole friendship that Maudlin misses, but is so inextricably connected to the horrors of the ship that they find it difficult to be nostalgic for it.

[lostintimenl]

An urbex video from this monastery and nursing home: https://youtu.be/wbwUghgIxb4

Abandoned monastery and nursing home (Agnus dei) Belgium Sep 2009

[beardedmrbean]

The number of nursing homes under heightened surveillance has fluctuated between 10 and 15 in recent years. But in recent months this number has increased to 25. Never before have so many nursing homes appeared on the “blacklist”, De Standaard reports.

The blacklist is a list of residential care centres that are unable to get rid of deficits identified by inspectors and require additional checks. These nursing homes are only removed from this list when they have made sufficient “structural improvements.” Those that fail to take steps to improve affairs will eventually be forced to close.

In recent months, many nursing homes have been added to the list and have yet to be removed. Currently, there are 24 nursing homes and several assisted living facilities under increased surveillance.

The Agency for Care and Health has already announced that six of these 25 institutions will lose their accreditation – including Antwerp’s Park Lane, the most expensive care home in Flanders.

The agency states that the main problem at care homes is a lack of personnel. Belgium is the fourth largest spender on care homes for the elderly.

Nearly one in four Belgians enter nursing homes prematurely, the European Commission believes, placing strain on public finances. Belgium has almost twice as many people in residential care as the European average.

[brookston]

Holidays 10.9

Holidays

Abolition Day (Saint Barthelemy)

Buckwheat Day (French Republic)

CATober 9th

Commonwealth Cultural Day (Northern Mariana Islands)

Community Day (Spain)

Constitution Day (Sint Maarten)

Curious Events Day

Day of National Honor (a.k.a. Day of Dignity; Peru)

Earth Science Literacy Day

Felicitas Asteroid Day

Fire Prevention Day (Canada, US)

Fungus Day

Give Peace a Chance Day

Global Work From Home Day

Hangul Day (a.k.a. Korean Alphabet Day; South Korea)

Indian Foreign Service Day (India)

Instant Karma Day

International Subscription Day

International Walk & Bike to School Day

Leif Erikson Day (Iceland, Norway; Minnesota, Wisconsin)

Magic Lantern Day

Manhattan Project Day

Messenger Appreciation Day

Mop Fair (Tewkesbury, England)

National Absentee Ballot Day

National Chess Day (Original Date)

National Class Ring Day

National C60 Day

National Dance Marathon Day

National Day Commemorating the Holocaust (a.k.a. Ziua Nationala de Comemorare a Holocaustului; Romania)

National Day Without Stigma

National Digitool Day

National Heritage Day (Turks and Caicos)

National Nanotechnology Day

National Send a Booty Pic Day

National Sneakers Day

Nautilus Night

Naval Forces Day (Turkmenistan)

Pans/Pandas Awareness Day

Puerto Rico Friendship Day (Virgin Islands)

Realtor’s Day (Ukraine)

Region of Valencia Day (Spain)

Samitinget Establishment Day (Norway)

Scrubs Day

Steam Calliope Day

Strawberry Fields Day

Tavistock Goose Fair (Devon, England)

Valencian Community Day (Valencia, Spain)

World PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day

World Post Day (UN)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Beer and Pizza Day

Canadian Beer Day

International Beer and Pizza Day

National Moldy Cheese Day

National Polenta Day (Italy)

Submarine-Hoagie-Hero-Grinder Day

Yukon Gold Potato Day

Independence & Related Days

Cambodia (Declares Itself a Republic, Changes Name to Khmer; 1970)

Frivia (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Guayaquil Independence Day (Ecuador)

Hobart (Founded; Tasmania; 1804)

Malvern (l.k.a. Malvern and Roslyn; Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Republic of Skovaji (Declared; 2014) [unrecognized]

Uganda (from UK, 1962)

Union of Piedmont (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

2nd Wednesday in October

Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day [2nd Wednesday]

Emergency Nurses Day [2nd Wednesday]

Energy Star Day [2nd Wednesday]

Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day [2nd Wednesday]

Hump Day [Every Wednesday]

International Day For Natural Disaster Reduction (Hawaii) [2nd Wednesday]

International Top Spinning Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work & School Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Curves Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Fossil Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Pet Obesity Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Stop Bullying Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day [Wednesday of 2nd Full Week]

Sauerkraut Day (North Dakota) [2nd Wednesday]

Stem Cell Awareness Day [2nd Wednesday]

Stop America's Violence Everywhere (a.k.a. SAVE) Today [2nd Wednesday]

Wacky Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Website Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Walk & Roll to School Day [2nd Wednesday]

Watermelon Wednesday [2nd Wednesday of Each Month]

Workout Wednesday [2nd Wednesday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 9 (1st Full Week of October)

National Fire Prevention Week [Week of 10.9]

World Rainforest Week (thru 10.14)

Festivals Beginning October 9, 2024

BFI London Film Festival (London, United Kingdom) [thru 10.20]

Film Fest Gent (Ghent, Belgium) [thru 10.20]

Paraty International Literary Festival [FLIP] (Paraty, Brazil) [thru 10.13]

South Carolina State Fair (Columbia, South Carolina) [thru 10.20]

WOMAD (Johannesburg, South Africa) [thru 10.13]

Feast Days

Abraham the Patriarch (Christian; Saint)

Andronicus and Athanasia (Christian; Saints)

Atilla the Hun Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Bill Tidy (Artology)

The Count (Muppetism)

Curious Events Holiday (Shamanism)

Day of Tuonela (Pagan)

Demetrius of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Denis (Christian; Saint)

Denis Ghislain (Christian; Saint)

Dionysius the Areopagite (Christian; Saint)

Divine Wisdom Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Domninus (Christian; Saint)

Felicitas (Old Roman Goddess of Good Luck & Joy)

Festival for Venus (Ancient Rome)

Frank Duveneck (Artology)

Ghislain (a.k.a. Guislain; Christian; Saint)

Innocencio of Mary Immaculate and Martyrs of Asturias (Christian; Saint)

Jaqueline Carey (Writerism)

Jean-Baptiste Regnault (Artology)

John Doubleday (Artology)

John Henry Newman (Christian; Saint)

John Leonardi (Christian; Saint)

Knot Day (Pastafarian)

Louis-Simon Boizot (Artology)

Luis Beltran (a.k.a. Louis Bertrand; Christian; Saint)

Mike Peters (Artology)

Nicholas Roerich (Artology)

Publia (Christian; Saint)

Robert Grosseteste (Church of England)

Roger Bacon (Positivist; Saint)

Savin (Christian; Saint)

Simeon Solomon (Artology)

Simon Drew (Artology)

Takayama Autumn Festival begins (Japan)

The Waters of Sul (Celtic Book of Days)

Wilfred Grenfell (Episcopal Church (USA))

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [47 of 57]

Premieres

Babe, by Styx (Song; 1979)

Big Top Scooby-Doo! (WB Animated Film; 2012)

Boulder Wham! (WB MM Cartoon; 1965)

The Boy Bounders or Plane Punchy (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 61; 1960)

Buzzard Bait or The Carrion Call (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 167; 1962)

Carry On, Jeeves, by P.G. Wodehouse (Novel; 1925)

Couples Retreat (Film; 2009)

Dance Dance Dance,, recorded by The Beach Boys (Song; 1964)

Holy Man (Film; 1998)

The Iceman Cometh, by Eugene O’Neill (Play; 1946)

Le Siège de Corinthe, by Gioachino Rossini (Opera; 1826)

Libeled Lady (Film; 1936)

Life Begins for Andy Panda (Andy Panda Cartoon; 1939)

Little Big Man, by Thomas Berger (Novel; 1964)

Little Einsteins (Animated TV Series; 2005)

Lucky Ducky (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1948)

Microcosmos (Documentary Film; 1996)

Mogambo (Film; 1953)

The Mole Men, Parts 3 & 4 (Underdog Cartoon, S2, Eps. 7 & 8 1965)

NBC (Television Network; 1926)

Night Life of the Bugs (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1936)

The Olympic Champ (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

A Peek at the Peak or Your Climb is My Climb (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 62; 1960)

Phantom of the Horse Opera (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1961)

Phantom of the Opera (Broadway Musical; 1986)

Prisoner of Love, recorded by Russ Columbo (Song; 1931)

Pursuit of the Po-Ho (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #4; 1964)

Rocky Rides Again or Small in the Saddle (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 168; 1962)

Roof Top Razzle-Dazzle (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1964)

Rover’s Rival (WB LT Cartoon; 1937)

Rushmore (Film; 1998)

Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Movie)

Shaving Muggs (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1953)

Thomas & Friends (Animated UK TV Series; 1984)

Timewasters (BBC TV Series; 2017)

Under Siege (Film; 1992)

War Dogs (MGM Cartoon; 1943)

Wild Night, by Van Morrison (Song; 1971)

Today’s Name Days

Doings, Dionysius, Günter, Johannes, Sara (Austria)

Abraham, Dionizije, Sara (Croatia)

Sára, Štefan (Czech Republic)

Dionysius (Denmark)

Mariina, Riin, Riina, Riine (Estonia)

Ilona (Finland)

Denis (France)

Doings, Elfriede, Günter, Sara, Sibylle (Germany)

Avraam, Lot (Greece)

Dénes (Hungary)

Abramo, Dionigi, Ferruccio, Lorenzo, Sara (Italy)

Elga, Elgars, Helga (Latvia)

Dionizas, Virgailė (Lithuania)

Leidulf, Leif (Norway)

Arnold, Arnolf, Atanazja, Bogdan, Dionizjusz, Dionizy, Jan, Ludwik, Przedpełk (Poland)

Iacob (Romania)

Dionýz (Slovakia)

Abraham, Abrahán, Dionisio, Héctor, Juan, Luis, Sara (Spain)

Inger, Ingrid (Sweden)

Rebecca (Ukraine)

Denice, Denis, Denise, Dennis, Denny, Dion, Gunnar, Gunther, Leif (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 283 of 2024; 83 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of Week 41 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Jia-Xu), Day 7 (Bing-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 7 Tishri 5785

Islamic: 5 Rabi II 1446

J Cal: 13 Orange; Sixthday [13 of 30]

Julian: 26 September 2024

Moon: 37%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 3 Descartes (11th Month) [Joachim / St. Bonaventura]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 18 of 90)

Week: 1st Full Week of October

Zodiac: Libra (Day 17 of 30)

[zooterchet]

Services Performed (National Security Office)

Van Raaltan: The removal of fraud of State Police Ball, the farmer's market; defrauded in United States, by tax loans, film foundations, and compulsory insurance.

Bush: The arrest of Keanu Reeves, for performing an act of coitus considered homosexual; scheisse.

Meir: Shutdown of Colella's Supermarket, wholesale share of Canada through ATF.

McDade: The election of Governor Charlie Baker, to remove privately held homes for jurisdiction and jurisprudence of American courts.

Hayes: The direct breach of the FDA, into the Mayo Clinic.

Tomasic: The shortfall of German armored stocks, of nursing materials, for freedom of Germans in America.

Holmes: The Warrera Party, a Japan for video game designers; protocol programming, for kids, to escape crime.

Lennox: Dual banking ampersand, the downfall of Gotti.

Gast: The placement of five sets of kills, as Bond movies, to investigate double agents in MI-6; EON, called in as a contract cleaner, the IDF.

Brown: The murder of A-E-C organization liquor sales, proving worker's abuses through temporary agencies.

Lange: The print of FOX's "Gotham", the downsizing of Israeli technologies as having failed Halliburton, in original number, Roosevelt Trust.

Page: Placement of Hollywood spectacles, on heroism cults of the people; the old Belgium, returned; "Joker", "Pennyworth", "Penguin".

O'Nassis: The print of "The Crow", the paperwork against Rohypnol usage. Own story, alongside Bernice Lamb, "The Huntress"; Taft Lodge.

[sheniekimi]

Georgia’s Hospital Accreditation - A Crucial Step for Quality Healthcare

By: Professor Giorgi Pkhakadze, Chair and Founder of the Public Health Institute of Georgia Hospital accreditation in Georgia is becoming a cornerstone in improving healthcare services. This process introduces international standards that enhance patient care, safety, and hospital efficiency. Accreditation became mandatory for all hospitals in 2023, with a 2025 deadline for international accreditation to qualify for state funding. Since 2011, the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) has been a driving force in promoting hospital accreditation. PHIG, the first organization to focus on quality healthcare and patient safety in the country, has worked tirelessly to implement these standards nationwide. The Role of Accreditation in Healthcare Accreditation serves as a formal certification process, ensuring healthcare facilities meet global standards, from patient safety to staff qualifications. It drives continuous improvement by aligning hospitals with international best practices. Two globally recognized accreditation organizations, Joint Commission International (JCI) and Accreditation Canada (AC), lead the way in setting high standards for healthcare. JCI accredits over 1,000 healthcare organizations worldwide, and AC accredits more than 14,000, covering large hospitals, academic medical centers, clinics, and home care services. These two bodies set the gold standard for healthcare safety and quality globally. International Experience and Success JCI and AC standards have been successfully adopted worldwide, significantly transforming healthcare systems. In the Middle East, Turkey and Jordan have embraced JCI standards, which have led to improvements in hospital operations, patient safety, and care quality. Both countries have reduced medical errors and elevated patient satisfaction through these global standards. In Europe, countries such as Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Cyprus have adopted Accreditation Canada standards to enhance their healthcare systems, ensuring uniform, high-quality care across regions. In the Gulf countries, both JCI and AC have played leading roles in advancing healthcare standards. For instance, in Dubai, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) partnered with Accreditation Canada and Health Standards Organization (HSO) to improve emergency medical services through the “Enhancing Critical Care and Emergency Transfer Services” project. This collaboration significantly improved response times and patient outcomes by overhauling Dubai’s emergency system, demonstrating the transformative power of accreditation. The Benefits of Accreditation for Georgia The implementation of international accreditation standards in Georgia is already making a significant impact on the healthcare sector. Key benefits include: 1. Improved Patient Safety and Care Accreditation prioritizes patient safety. By adhering to international standards, Georgian hospitals can better manage infections, prevent medical errors, and ensure consistent patient care. This creates a safer environment for patients and healthcare workers alike. 2. Professional Development for Healthcare Workers Accreditation enhances the professional development of healthcare staff. Georgian doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel are receiving advanced training in patient care, safety protocols, and the latest innovations, ensuring they stay aligned with global healthcare advancements. 3. Enhanced Hospital Reputation and Attractiveness Accredited hospitals gain a reputation boost. International accreditation signals that hospitals meet the highest standards of care, fostering greater trust among patients and attracting top healthcare talent, both locally and internationally. 4. Uniform Standards Across the Healthcare System One of the most significant advantages of accreditation is the uniformity it brings across the healthcare system. Accreditation ensures that all hospitals, whether urban or rural, meet the same high standards of care, reducing disparities and improving overall healthcare outcomes in Georgia. Challenges and Opportunities As Georgia approaches the 2025 deadline for mandatory international accreditation, hospitals are making substantial efforts to meet these new standards. While the process requires investments in infrastructure, training, and technology, the long-term benefits are immense. A primary challenge is ensuring that smaller, rural hospitals have the necessary resources and support to achieve accreditation. Conclusion Hospital accreditation is a critical step in transforming Georgia’s healthcare system. By adopting international standards, Georgian hospitals are improving patient safety, care quality, and operational efficiency. With the leadership of organizations like the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG) and the support of trusted accreditation bodies like JCI and Accreditation Canada, the country is well on its way to delivering safer, more reliable healthcare and aligning with global best practices. #drpkhakadze #sheniekimi Read the full article