A warm Poland and layout nightmares

The blogs have been and will be far less frequent as there is no time!  It does take quite a while to do a decent blog, and I don’t think I can afford it. So they will be brief.  But I have to apologise for the nightmare layout. On this program I just cannot do it and rather than go nuts I am cutting my losses and calling, enough!

The Christmas party at the swimming pool where Henry goes every day, rain or shine was a great success. 

Jean, one of our swimmers.

Henry and Stefan at the party        

Back   We are back in Poland, happily. Less than 24 hours had passed when the Carers called to tell me mother was on her way to the hospital: severe weakness, not eating etc.  I heard nothing more and finally caught up with dad in the evening. He had been with her at the hospital, of course. She was suffering dehydration and the hospital was sorting her out. He sounded his usual very chirpy self.  This has happened before and he wasn’t worried.

Now, 4 days later, they are planning to send her home, she is VERY bright, he says, and all is well.

But this episode highlights the situation. We are happy here and carry on our lives, but I can’t be far from the phone. And we need to be prepared to return at very short notice.  Ah well, that’s the way it is.

Reading

I have been studying a fair bit. I can now read Polish much better, which is great. Stories for adolescents work and whatever easy stuff I can find.  I am also reading  (in English!) The Heart of Europe, Norman Davies, a much esteemed authority on Poland.  Here he has taken her history and worked backwards, from about 2000. Learning in more detail what this poor country has been through, time and time again, in her struggle to survive and maintain her identity, makes appalling reading. But he manages to paint a hopeful, positive picture.

Charity event

At this time of year, every year, the whole of Poland dip into their purses to contribute to an enormous Charity event. In our town a concert and auction raised their bit.

The choir sings folk songs, with a lovely picture in the foreground that was later auctioned.

Very good young singers

The girl was fabulous

The weather, like everywhere, is weird. Too warm.  Stefan is doing what he can on the house, it is looking and working better all the time.