First, apologies...

You know who you are... many lovely persons who are still waiting for an answer, a comment on their blog, news from me... I apologize for neglecting my friends over the past weeks and just in time for the New Year resolutions, I promise to improve...
Life has been *busy*. The water pipe works in my appartment are over, leaving a thick layer of dust and dirt which I've done my best to fight the past two weeks. Others were less lucky than me and when I was leaving on Friday, works continued... noisy and disturbing. I wish I could say it's now behind us, but we face the neat plan of centreal heating pipes exchange in the spring... and that, as I was told, is much, much worse... Can it really be? LOL
I am already at my father's, enjoying an evening at the 'puter while he and his wife visit friends. I am dog-sitting :) two lovely mix-breeds, a 2007 addition to the family. They're small and adorable, one is still young, the female is about 4 years old, both rescued from a shelter almost immediately after the last doggie had to leave... I congratulated them on that decision. When I think they always called me nuts to have two dogs! Well, now it's their turn and they enjoy it. One day, another cat, another dog will join my cat and dog, but for the time being I'll be reasonable, I travel too much and my place in Warsaw is way too small for a zoo :)
H. was in hospital for two weeks. After his heart operation he is taking daily doses of blood thining pills which are adapted after each blood control which he does more or less every two weeks if there's no need to do it more frequently. Well, the last time the doctor didn't take time to think and his blood became to thin, generating an internal bleeding in one leg. He's now at home but still walks difficultly and is in a lot of pain. I'm flying to Oslo on the 27th and I suggested I'll take the airport bus to his home (a > 1h journey) because he can;t drive either. For him, this Christmas is not the best one. At least the whole thing didn't disturb our plans - we had decided that this year, he would spend Christmas with his mother. He was always here with my family... but as much as it is important for me to be together at this special time of the year, it was me who suggested he should stay with his mother... she's over 75 and doesn't deserve to have each Christmas dinner without her only son, methinks :)
I also started checking the reason for my recent health problems. I am finally diagnosed with PCOS and almost happy to finally have an answer after 15 years of noone knowing anything. Then another little thing was found and I need to undergo a surgery early next year, but that's nothing dangerous - just has to be removed before it becomes a danger. Unfortunately the reason of my constant pain in the lower part of the belly is still mysterious so after my return from Norway, I will continue doing checks and visiting doctors.
As you see it's been a time of dust and worries, so again, I apologize for a long silence to all who felt bad about it...
My brother, wife and kid arrive on the 27th as they are spending the Christmas Eve on the 24th with my SIL's family. My father is euphoric : he'll have both his kids and his only grand-son soon around him! :)
I just wish we had some snow... it's getting colder but snow we'll have not, this year, one year more, unfortunately. Ah, global warming...

Watch this space - I spent half last night uploading pictures and now I'm about to post them all , just let me describe them :)

I reduced my participation in stitchers' groups and exchanges this year, so unlike many or most of you, I don't own/receive many stitched gifts. But at this end of year I still received a few very special gifties I want to share with you.