A Postcard a Day - Tuesday 5 January 2016 - T for traveling

Hello everyone! Happy New Year! Especially a big Hi to the T for Tuesday gang! Why don't you joing us at Elizabeth's Altered Booklover. As long as there is a drink involved, you are very welcome.

I'm still away from home and traveling. We're staying with my mum in Rotterdam, Holland, where we raised our glasses of bubbly at midnight to toast on the New Year. Then we spent a long time enjoying the fireworks that just happened to be in front of mum's house.

Sunday we went to see our friends in the traditional village of Spakenburg.

The above photo is the front door of our friends house.
They have an old farmhouse in the centre (there are no more farms in the centre but the farmhouses are still there).

Our friends took us for a walk through the village, which is lovely. There is a small harbour for the old fishing boats.

They are no longer used for fishing though because the sea (Zuiderzee) is no longer there. The Dutch have reclaimed the land where before there was sea.

Spakenburg is in the middle of the map. As you can see, the parts of land with the names Almere, Lelystad and Flevoland has been reclaimed from the sea. Almere is a large commuter town for Amsterdam.

There was one boat in the harbour that wasn't covered with canvas:

This part of the harbour is for the old boats and on the other side (out of view) there is a marina for motorboats.

We stayed for a meal and I helped lay the table. Here I am with a glass in my hands qualifying my for T for Tuesday:

This village of Spakenburg is known for its tradidional costume. My friends'parents still wear it, but I haven't been able to photograph any of them (they don't like it) so here is a postcard:

Here are two more images of this beautiful village.

That's it from me in the Netherlands. Wednesday we wil be flying to Copenhagen in Denmark. So next week (If I can) I will blog from there.

Happy T-Day and have a good week,

Blessings

Lisca

A Postcard a Day - 1 Jan 2016 - Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone! This year has just flown by! I wish everyone a year of peace and health (the most important things as far as I'm concerned. If you have those two, happiness will follow).

As usual on a Friday I will link up with Wipso at Friday Smiles and Rocking your wolrd Friday, if they have done a blog that is....

I am in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, my home town. I was born there in 1951. It has changed a lot since. It was bombed almost completely during WWII and rebuilt. Now well known for its modern architecture.

(This is the only postcard in the blog today). These are the cube houses, behind them the building called 'the pencil' for obvious reasons and behind that (with the yellow tubes) the central library. Here I am standing by the cube houses a few days ago:

My DH and I are celebrating the holiday season with my elderly mum

She is in her nineties and still going strong.

We went to see the windmill is in the adjacent town of Schiedam. The mill would grind the malt, that later would be roasted and used for gin making (jenever) for which Schiedam is famous. In the 20th century this particular mill (called the Noordmolen)was used for milling grain and now it is a lovely restaurant (where I had my wedding reception!)

Now I finish with  some funnies:

 

Are you smiling? Well, I wish you a New Year with lots to smile about. There will be tears too, that is life. But if you try and find the good things in life and keep smiling, life will continue smilingly (sorry, I couldn't help myself).

Blessings

Lisca

A Postcard a day - 29 Dec 2015 - T for Netherlands

Hi Folks!

Have you all had a lovely Christmas? Still bloated from all that rich food?

We are in the Netherlands at the moment, celebrating the season with my elderly mother. (92 and very with-it)

My DH cooked a Turkey (overnight) for us and our Dutch friends, with all the

trimmings   they do in the UK.

Yesterday (Monday), everything is going fairly normal again after all the festivities. Shops are open again etc. DH and I went to town (Rotterdam). It is my home town, but because I have been living abroad for so long, some of the newer sights I had never seen. We went to see the new market hall.

It's a modern structure. All the little windows you can see are appartments where people live. Residents have windows inside too so they can look at the market on the inside.



The walls have large photos of exotic fruit on them.

The market has deli type stalls, with lots of yummy stuff.

Here I am looking at all those wonderful olives.

Outside he Market Hall we saw the famous cube houses. They date from 1982, so I do remember them. I wanted to show my DH.

After all that traipsing around we were ready for some coffee, which qualifies me for Elizabeth's  T for Tuesday.

Do come and join us if you have anything drink related on your blog. This is the link: Altered Booklover.

I wish all of you a very happy New Year.

See you next week... perhaps... I don't know if I will be able to write my blog next week. We will be in Denmark and I have no idea if I can borrow someone's computer. (I have a tablet but it is sooo difficult to do it on there!).

Blessings,
Lisca

WOYWW from Holland - 23 Dec 2015

Good morning folks! Happy WOYWW!

(If you don't know what I''m talking about, here is the link to Julia's blog, who hosts this snooping/bloghopping fest).

Yesterday we arrived in Rotterdam (Netherlands). The flight which is only two and a half hours should have been a doddle, but the flight was delayed by 5 or 6 hours. By which time the (regional) airport of Rotterdam

was closed and we had to divert to Amsterdam. We were looked after well, got meals and drink vouchers. Complimentary drinks on the plane etc. There were coaches waiting for us in Amsterdam to ferry us to Rotterdam. What a palaver. But we arrived at my mum's at 7 in the morning (in stead of 11 pm). I don't get stressed by delays. We have good books to read, but the I'm not as young as I was, and a night without sleep has really knocked me for six!

So this is the desk I am sitting at now:

It is my mother's computer. She is 92 years old and can't see very well, so she has a huge screen! The screen on the right is an electronic magnifier, so she can read important letters, documents and sales receipts. (she checks everythng!)

We have just come back from the market just outside mum's appartment. This is her view today (and every wednesday):

She only needs to cross the car park to get to the stalls.

This is me and my mum chatting at the table unaware that we were being photographed.

That's it from me. No craft at all, but I wanted to join you anyway.

Wishing all of you a very peaceful Christmas.
See you next week!
Lisca

 

A Postcard a day - Tuesday 22 Dec 2015 T for paella and sunshine

Good morning dear friends! 
It's Tuesday again and we are going to enjoy a nice drink, hot or cold via Elizabeth and Bluebeard's website and join in with T for Tuesday.

I have my cup of hot coffee ith me a I speak and I'm ready to show you my first postcard:

It shows a young couple enjoying their time in Kiev, the capital city of the Ukraine. Olya, who sent me this card writes: "Kiev has its own temper and even smells special. Chocolate, coffee and tasty cuisine are its essentials. Almost ten years ago I went to Kiev with my friends for the first time and one memory 'til this day remains a city symbol for me.That morning we got up early to have more time for sightseeing. A nice coffee house near the catholic church was our first stop. The air was fresh, the coffee with milk tasted nutty and we were sitting at the table at the veranda and the church bells were singing to us a melody of hope, happiness and eternal love. So no surprise that i still love Kiev deeply."

We, here in Spain, have been making our own sweet memories. 

 One of our neighbours invited us to celebrate his birthday with him and we went to a place 10 minutes drive from where we live. A cave hotel complex with a spa and restaurant. The weather was lovely so we sat outside and enjoyed the sun and the view as well as each other's company. (I am the second from the right)

The meal was paella, a typical rice dish of the area. It is served (and also cooked) in a large flat pan, which you can see next to our dinner table.

Again i am second from the right, next to my DH. It was an unforgettable afternoon. We have this view from our house as we live quite near, but we never tire of it!

We are travelling to Holland so my next post will be from there.

Wishing everyone a very blessed Christmas and until next week. (Or tomorrow for WOYWW).

Blessings,

Lisca

A Postcard a Day - Sunday 20 Dec 2015 - St John's Church, Keynsham

Good morning. It's Sunday today and I'd like to show you the church in the UK that my husband and I attended for 22 years while we lived there. It is the church of St John the Baptist.

The Church of St John the Baptist, is an Anglican parish church in Keynsham , Somerset, England. It was built around 1250 and has been designated as a Grade II listed building.
The benefice of Keynsham falls within the archdeaconry of Bath. 

Begun in 1292, the Anglican parish church of St John the Baptist gradually evolved until taking its present general form during the reign of Charles II, after the tower collapsed into the building during a storm in 1632. The tower, built over the north-east corner of the nave, now rises in three stages over the Western entrance and is surmounted by a pierced parapet and short croketted pinnacles and is said to have been built from the ruins of the abbey church. The south aisle and south porch date from 1390. The chancel, then the responsibility of Keynsham Abbey, was rebuilt in 1470 and further restoration was carried out in 1634–1655, following the collapse of the tower. 

There is a pulpit dating from 1634 and is also a screen of the same age which shuts off the choir vestry. 

A former organ is said to have stood in the church, but "had tones so mellow" that Handel bargained for it, offering a peal of bells in exchange. The offer was accepted. The musician went off with the organ and the bells were delivered. 

There are eight bells in total, some made by the Bilbie family of Chew Stoke, the smallest bears these lines:

"I value not who doth me see
For Thomas Bilbie casted me;
Althow my sound it is but small
I can be heard amongst you all."

The last ten years that we were in that church, my husband had taken early retirement and was able to be more involved. He became verger and full time caretaker. Because he was there every day, the church could stay open in the day (most churches in the UK have to stay locked during the week) and people can wander in from the High Street. My husband used to say, he became a good listener with a waterproof shoulder for people to cry on.

The church hall is next to the church. It is a 1960 building, that was completely renovated while we were there. Here we are in the renovated kitchen, preparing for a communal meal.

This is a photo of the Christingle service last Sunday that a friend sent us.

Last but not least, a fossil (ammonite) in the ancient wall of the church.

I hope you enjoyed these images. Some are postcards, some are my own photos and one is a photo sent by a friend.

Have a blessed Sunday,
Lisca

A Postcard a Day - Friday 18 Dec 2015 - Friday Smiles

Good Morning! 

It is Friday. Only three more sleeps before we fly to Holland! The suitcase is on the spare bed and every time I remember something I want/need to take, I fling it in the suitcase. Sunday night we will be packing and weighing seriously. I have made two Christmas cakes and they are flippin' heavy (full of brandy).

I'm joining in with Annie at A Stitch in Time for Friday Smiles, where we focus on the good and the positive.

Today I will (hopefully) make you smile with this postcard I received this week.

What a sweet kiss! It was sent to me by Irina from Tyumen City, Western Siberia. She writes that she has 'charged' it with "good luck and only positive emotions and happiness".
The stamps are really beautiful:

There is a bee, some gladioli and a 'pandion haliaetus' which in English is an osprey or a sea hawk. It is a fish eating bird of prey.

Now for a couple of Christmas funnies:

I'm making this into a Christmas card for a scrabble playing friend. 

Our little cat is doing fine and growing. He's still very playful. It's just as well that we are going away this Christmas, so we haven't erected a tree. I don't know how we could have put up a tree with so many shiny and dangly things that cats love. I found the solution on the internet:

I came across a lovely story, that really gets the positive message of Christmas across. It moved me to tears. It's a bit long so I'll put it right at the end. 

So if you haven't got time, you can stop right here and accept my best wishes for a peaceful Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year.

Blessings

Lisca

Here is the (anonymous) story: (It's in the vein of Papa Panov by Leo Tolstoy. Don't know that one? Google it, and read it with your tissue ready.)

Grandma and Santa Clause....

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid.

I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.

For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.

I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.

I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!
I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.
"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."

The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it.
Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.
Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.

Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were -- ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

May you always have LOVE to share,