A Postcard A Day - Friday 26 August 2016 - Friday Smiles

Hello everyone! It's Friday again. For me this is an exciting Friday as I am writing this just before going away (well, actually I have written the bulk of this last night and had it ready to copy and paste). Yes, I'm flying to Italy! Remember the photo last Tuesday of my elderly mother with my son and my grandson? Well, that was in Holland. And said son has now returned to Italy and I am on my way to see him and that lovely little son of theirs:

If that doesn't make you smile I don't what does.

We are driving to Malaga in the campervan and spending the night near the airport so I can get my early flight tomorrow. The other reason is that we like to go to Ikea, which is not far from the airport. Last time we were there we bought bedside cabinets. Only we forgot to buy two and bought only one! How silly. So today we have to get bedside cabinet number two!

The postcard today is one I received from South Africa:

This beautiful tiger was sent to me by Niki who wrote to me in Afrikaans. That is fun as it is very similar to Dutch. For my final exams (secundary school, in 1971) I did a special project about Afrikaans. My examiners were impressed and interested as it was something they didn't know much about. Needless to say I got good marks  just for trying something different. I can understand the written Afrikaans and I could write back to her in that language. I'm not sure how I would fare understanding the spoken word as I never hear it spoken of course.
The stamps are awesome:

The top left, bottom left and bottom right are all images of beadwork!

I am linking up with Annie at Friday Smiles and perhaps with Virginia at Rocking Your World Friday if we haven't left already by the time Virginia posts.

I've finished my list list of preparations like sorting out my PAYG phone so I can have 'roaming'. I've never taken it abroad. I don't use my phonemuch but my D-i-L does and she might be able to teach me a bit more. I'm a bit of a luddite when it comes to phones! I can just about make a phone call and send a Whatsapp message and that's my limit.

I have packed and weighed my case, printed out my boarding pass (No I don't know how to do it with my phone...) sorted out money and food for my hubby who will be 'home alone'. I have charged everything that needs charging and have put my clothes ready that i will be wearing on the journey. I will be arriving at Rome airport and from there taking a bus to the other side of Italy, the Adriatic coast, which will take three and a half hours. The bus company have let me know that all the roads are OK (there has been an earthquake) My son will pick me up and then we have another half an hour's drive to his house. So if all goes well I will be at my destination at 10 pm tomorrow night...

Here are a few funnies: 
Some of you might identify with this...

Or this?

I can definitely identify with the following:

Sorry that I won't be able to comment much. I'll try but we'll be on a campsite tonight and the wifi at the airport is not very good. (I've tried on previous occasions.)

See you all in a couple of weeks,
Be good,
Have lots of smiles,
Lisca

A Postcard A Day - Tuesday 23 August 2016 - T for coffee and grape tart

Hi Tuesday gals! I'm back! We've been away for a week in our campervan/RV. Here it is parked outside our house ready to be loaded.

We went to a camp site in the mountains with lots of trees as it is so warm here. We were parked up amongst the trees and it was bearable. It was a forced rest for my hubby. To make him stop working we have to literally leave the house. So that's what we did.

My postcard for today has a coffee theme:
(I'm going to link up with Elizabeth at T for Tuesday where we share drink-related things  and feature something with a drink in it.)

It was sent to me from Germany. It looks like 1930(ish) to me, looking at the shoes and clothes. Don't you think? Ingrid, who sent it to me writes that she lives near Koblenz, between large forests, old castles and rectilinear vinyards. How lovely!

I've been busy making lots of jam as people keep giving me plums. We also have loads of grapes and hardly know what to do with them. We took a large bag to church for people to help themselves. And brought a large bag to house group for people to snack on. I also made some tarts. (Very difficult in a hot climate). I made a pastry and blind baked it over the bottom of a round cake pan. Then made a pattisery cream and put the (halved) grapes on top and then just glazed it.

 It looks great, but the sides collapsed as soon as I tried to transport it. Oh well, it tasted yummy and that's the important bit.


I must say I'm getting excited! I will be driving to Malaga on Friday, spending the night there and taking an early morning flight to Rome on Saturday morning. Then I will catch a bus to the Adriatic side of Italy where my son will be picking me up. I will be spending ten days with him and his wife and my nearly two year old grandson. So I will probably not join you next Tuesday (unless someone can show me  how to blog on my Android tablet).

That's it from me this morning. Have a lovely T-Day and a fab week ahead!
Blessings,
Lisca

A Postcard A Day - Friday 19 August 2016 - Friday Smiles

Hello Friday gang! 

I'm back! We've been away for a week. My husband works very hard and he is no longer a young man so we do need to go away regularly as he never stops! We took our campervan to a mountain campsite with lots of trees (for shade as it is very hot here).
But what happened on the last day? It rained! It doesn't rain here at all in the summer, so it was a memorable occasion. So unusual that I took a few photos. Here you can see the rain pouring down the awning (by the pole):

Hubby had to clean all the pine needles off the awning before rolling it up. Luckily all this happened the evening before we were due to go home.

I know this blog is about happy things and smiles. Well, here a bit of rain is a happy occasion as the land needs it so much.

I just looked at my previous (Friday) blog and of course you were all quite right that my 'mystery' object was a feather duster. 

It works a treat! Very posh. I had never seen one like that. This is what I am used to:

So there, I now know why they call it 'feather' dusters....

I have been smiling a lot this week. My son from Italy took his wife and baby to see my 92 old mother in Holland. They sent me photos every day. What a momentous occasion! 

How about a postcard? I have so many to choose from as I have received loads.

 This one came from Holland. It is a poster that used to hang in school class rooms (a  little bit before my time) probably by the famous illustrator called Jetses. 

This is the letterboard that Dutch children used to learn to read from. A lot of the subjects are found in the larger poster. My mum was taught with this method. 

Now for a final 'funny':

Caption left reads: Finally it's Friday! On the right: I have to work Saturday!

I'm off now to link up with Annie at Friday Smiles and with Virginia at Rocking Your World Friday. I hope you'll join us there.

Have a great week with many smiles,

and blessings,

Lisca

T for Tuesday - Tuesday 9 Aug 2016 - Finnish aunties ,ATCs, a party, and hall furniture

Good Morning Tuesday gang! And a happy Tuesday to all!

We've been at it again! I mean we've had people over for some food Sunday evening. 

I took lots of photos but when I downloaded them onto my computer I noticed that none of the photos had drinks in them. Oh well, luckily I received a postcard of the aunties yesterday.

Here are 'the aunties':

It is another addition to my collection of postcards illustrated by Inge Löök. Inge is a gardener as well as an illustrator. She was born in the same year as me (1951) and currently lives in Pernaja in Finland.

These 'aunties' have something to celebrate in their little greenhouse and they have opened a bottle of bubbly.  I reckon that qualifies me for T for Tuesday, where we share something with a drink in it on Elizabeth and Bleubeard's blog.

The card was sent to me by someone in Germany and here are the lovely stamps:

Erika from MyNameIs Erika/Bioartgal is back from her trip to Iceland. (I have been drooling over the awesome photos on her blog). Before she left she sent me some happy mail. I haven't showed this yet as I wanted to wait until she got home again. 

A large envelope with 5 beautiful ATCs, two little stamps and what I call 'bits 'n bobs'. 

The ATCs are a series of five on the theme of tea and coffee. Thank you Erika! They are truly stunning! I think I will frame them!

The Egyptian mummy things are actually playing cards! The playing card with the swords is  from a Spanish (or Italian) set of playing cards. I love playing cards as cards are fun to use for crafting. Here is an image of some other cards (from the internet).

Building update: Last Tuesday I showed you the stairwell. Since then I have put a hall table and mirror on the landing by the door to the living quarters.

There is yours truly with camera in the mirror. You can also see that the tiling is still in progress. I have asked my DH to leave it for now and concentrate on my craft room. 

I'm going to do my house work now quickly, then shower and choose something to wear as we are going out for lunch (as we do every Tuesday). I'l try and visit you before we go out, other wise it will be later in the day.

Have a great Tuesday and a great week ahead,

Blessings,

Lisca

A Postcard A Day - Friday 5 Aug 2016 - Friday Smiles

Good Morning! It's Friday again. It comes round so quickly! 

No postcard today as I haven't received any sofar this week, but I have lots of smiles to share.

It is raining a lot in the UK I heard. Some people have problems with the water running the wrong way....

It's August and the whole village is in holiday mode. Many businesses close for at least a week and this weeks sees the start of the Feria, a week long fiesta. People that grew up here but have moved to the big city for work all come home and the village is full of visitors.

Last weekend there was a Crazy Car Race. Home made vehicles come charging down the high street. No engines allowed, but the street is sloped. Halfway down the street there was a wooden ramp to make it all a bit more interesting:

As you know we live in a cave house and we sometimes get called Fred and Wilma, after the most famous cave house dwellers the Flintstones. Here is Fred and Wilma's stone age car....

This three wheeler came charging round the corner and nearly lost his balance:

These Ghostbusters sadly ended up in the straw!

Starwars was represented and they were firing water pistols! Everybody loved that as it was a very hot evening.

In many countries (Holland is one of them) the government gives new mums everything they need for a newborn. Including food and clothing, hygiene products, nappies etc (obviously sponsered by some large companies). I propose they do something similar when women retire.... 

I think when you hit retirement

 the government should issue 

a gift basket containing: chocolate, 

wine, pjs, a do-not-disturb sign, 

vodka, free replacement glasses 

for life (for those you lose or break), 

a pet, free Netflix for life, free coffee, 

a landline (to find your cell pone), 

a volunteer teenager to help you 

with your computer and iphone 

and possibly George Clooney.

I'm going to leave you with a little teaser. Does anyone know what this is? I have bought it yesterday in a local shop as I needed one...

I'm off now to link up with Annie at Friday Smiles and with Virginia at Rocking Your World Friday. I hope you'll join us there.

Have a great week with many smiles,

and blessings,

Lisca

Second on the second -This time two years ago....

Hi everyone,

On the second of the month I post something for the second time (Second on the second) as per Elizabeth's example (Altered Booklover).

This is a blogpost I posted two years ago. I have chosen this one because I am in vacation mode!  And to give my followers down under a bit of sunshine. And, as it is Tuesday,  because it has (several) drinks in it.

Portugal 

I haven’t blogged for a while because I've been away from my computer. It’s holiday time in the northern hemisphere and my husband and I drove to the Algarve in Portugal. A beautiful part of the world!

We went to the westernmost cape and looked over the ocean (nothing between here and America).

There’s a sort of fortress as in olden days this point was of strategic value.

We stayed in this beautiful villa with DS and DD-in-Law plus children. 

When the children had gone to bed we could relax and put our feet up with some supper.

One of the highlights was a boat trip along the coast to see the caves.

 Gorgeous beyond words.

This ice cream parlour had been there for donkey’s years and there was a black and white photo of the proprietors on the wall in the shop. Interesting....

The ice cream was lovely but this part of Portugal is renowned for its fish. 

We went to a brilliant fish restaurant and had a fantastic meal.

Thank you for your interest in what’s going on in my life.

Happy Tuesday,

Lisca

A Postcard A Day - Tuesday 2 August 2016 ATCs and building work

Good Morning,

And a very happy Tuesday to you all!

A while ago I mentioned on my blog that I was practicing drawing. I had bought the Flow drawing book and was practicing my tea cups. (as you can se in this rather dark photo). 

Of course the tea cups were going to feature on my ATC for the T for Tuesday anniversary. Three years of T for Tuesday was celebrated with an ATC swap a few weeks ago. I have already received my first ATC from this exchange:

 This one came from Linda K. Thanks Linda. I love it. Soo sweet. It came in this beautiful hand-made envelope which I shall treasure. 

 That was truly happy mail! Knowing that I collect postcards (and perhaps she knew that I particularly love map cards) Linda sent me a map of Pennsylvania, the state where she lives. 

I have sent ATCs to the people I arranged to swap with and I had made an extra one for Elizabeth, being the 'leading lady' host of this T for Tuesday blog. But Elizabeth has let me know that she would rather not receive it in the mail, so I will show it here:

(The green blobs are the digital eraser). The other side of the ATC features the 'extra terrestrial in tribal outfit' made with recycled bits of fabric. 

The black dots are shimmering but that's not so visible on the photo.

I finally have been able to source transparent pockets to put my ATCs in and they have arrived eventually (there was a problem with the courier). So I am very happy. They (the ATCs) are all nicely put in the pockets and can be displayed. (or hung up on the wall for me to look at).

The plasterer has finished plastering the enormous stairwell, and my craft room. Hurray! DH can now get on with making the shelving so I can start crafting again!

The door on the right is the door to our living quarters. The door at the top is our back door which is on street level. I am standing (taking the photo) at the door to the craft room (which you can't see). My DH has started to tile the stairs starting at the top. During the weekend he has got as far as the door to the living room. It's looking mighty fine and i am very pleased! (to say the least).

If you have a blog that has anything related to a drink in it, please join us at Elizabeth and Bleubeard's T for Tuesday.

Have a fab Tuesday and a great week,
Blessings,
Lisca