Good to be home

Hi everyone! I am back home for just a few days before I travel again for Christmas. I took advantage of my cousin driving to Warsaw today, which made it easy to transport humongous amounts of gingerbread cookies (photos later), pierogis of various types and other homemade goodies.
Ah, I've had a lovely time. The best family time one can have. I won't mention I'm brewing after a tough phone quarrel with my father, that's another story. I'll stitch to cool down ;-)
I so enjoyed spending time with everyone... going to the movies (to celebrate St. Nicolas on Dec. 6) with my cousin's teenager kids, baking cookies with them, laughing and chatting with my aunt... My cousins always say I should visit more often, because it's so "funny" then :). She has a wonderful sense of humor anyway, but she might laugh a little bit more when I come to visit :).
These are special days with grandma. Who knows how long she'll last.
Thank you for your comments and wishes for her... I am very touched for her :). Her birthday is not until January 23 but we are preparing the day already, about 40 persons will attend (well, less would be easier but so many people want to come on that special occasion).
When you think she was born well before the FIRST World War... Her life wasn't easy, she lost her mother very early, was then brought up by nuns, had to flee her home with grand-father and two young kids in 1943, I think, when the village was being burnt to the ground (and that part is not Poland anymore). She was a teacher, as her husband was, and after the war they ran an orphanage full of post-war children, most of them with a terrible history behind. Many of her pupils kept in touch with her until recent years.
She looks very good for almost 100. Her head is amazing too. Since I last saw her in September, however, there has been a big change for the worst, she walks with a stick as usual, but needs someone holding her other hand as she walks to feel more secure. But she still walks and eats and talks normally, and I know it's amazing. I know each of you could name several much younger persons in a much poorer condition, so I guess she's lucky - or has good genes. Actually, my aunt (picture below), who is my best friend and a real mother to me, looks very young at 72 as well.
Grandma has waves of weird questions and moments where she loses it a bit, but is back to normal short afterwards. It is however not easy, not easy at all to take care of an elderly person, as you all know perfectly, but I feel for saying so, thinking of my aunt who is literally glued to home - and I so wish she could have a life. So when I'm there, I ask her to visit friends, and I stayed a lot with grandma this week-end. Both my cousins do the same regularly so she can leave home a bit :).
This morning, I left:

- my aunt,

here with the youngest female cut, a real witch, if you ask me, very playful, I am told, but all I see and experience regularly is her claws thrown in random directions - actually in a rather dangerous way. If you ask me, that is.


She and my very own Toska (below) HATE heach other, with each and every hair and claw. Below, you can see Toska hunting her from her viewpoint. Viewpoints are very important in a cat's life when the enemy is in town, uh, at home. That evening, I and my aunt were very scratched when trying to divide both ladies. My forearms still look very special :)

Toska will stay with my aunt till February. Me, I wish her (my aunt) a lot of luck ;-)

- this morning, I also left the only male cat in the household, named after my own cat. The most amazing cat I ever heard of. Females can fight, doggie can bark, he won't move a hair. Or his tail. He'll just walk out, to have PEACE. I've never heard of such a patient cat. If I could, I'd steal him. But I won't - he's used to his own extensive harem and the great outdoors. The macho type. He wants food, hugs - and PEACE.


- and then there's the older female, a very sweet and gentle cat - highly respected by the other ones. Amazingly to me, Toska doesn't even hiss at her and leaves the room. I've come to think that she feels and respect her age, because two years ago, they were enemies. Can it be so? Do cat (devils like mine) respect older ones?


- Happy was of course... happy:

- my cousin is building a new house. Which makes it difficult to find a way out, sometimes.


- just a part of the big family garden, with a few of the many beds of roses. Flowers are a big specialty of one of my cousins.

Ah, but don't think I haven't stitched. I made this:

Homespun Elegance - 2008 ornament

ABC Noel House

If I may say so, I loved how it turned out! In the corner, I made a small bow with a tiny button:


I also stitched

Goode Huswife
The Goode Huswife's Book of Designs Vol 2
"Santa Claws"
stitched on Lakeside Linens, 36 ct.
with my choice of silks and overdyes

I made a funky tie-up :

and here's the fabric on the back:


And the recent LHN Baking - already sewn as a small easy pillow, but I need to add some embelishments.

I hope you all enjoy this pre-Christmas week!