Our sweet Barca

Thank you every one for reading yesterday's blogpost. And also those who left comments. I answered personally to the ones whose e-mail appears next to their name.
My son is really doing great thanks to the efforts of the doctors and all positive vibes and thoughts received by everyone. He still has to do lots of tests and be rechecked by the hospital and that's a thing I have to arrange in the week to come.And believe me it is not the easiest of things to manage to get an appointment with doctors and do all those tests. But we will manage.
Today's blogpost is about dear Barca. She too suffered a lot during our abscence from home and she was really so sweet when she met Miltos at his return from hospital, how she jumped on him and cried for meeting him again!
She was sad when we were away!

And happy when we returned!

These two never sit still for a photo!

 She keeps him company everywhere!

She keeps me company everywhere too!

She is such a sweetheart!She makes us laugh and we really need that!

Do they know it's Christmas?

Dear friends and followers,
thank you so very much for all your comments and private e-mails about the recent tragic events happening in my circle. Your words of comfort and continuous support really uplifts my mood.
Such awful things happening to such great people like the families of friends that were hurt by those accidents is so much more painful when one thinks that it's Christmas time nearby and people are supposed to be happy and celebrating. But do these families know it's Christmas?
We were thinking of putting the tree up on Sunday but alas the funeral of my ex student came up!
Then I decided I wasn't going to put a tree up this year. I wasn't in the mood.There is so much sorrow around me.
But yesterday evening my son and hubby were both at home and it was a cozy, quiet evening. I was ready to sip some coffee and sit down to write some Christmas mail (of which unfortunately I am very late and really not in the mood to accomplish) when as a sparkle of hope in my mind I said "Get up and put the Christmas tree.You have a family to look after!You have to be strong!"
It took me a second to say it before having second thoughts and as soon as I announced it hubby and son obliged and did their best to put the tree up. It is in a big heavy box, it isn't an easy thing to do. But they were both great in helping out. Some Christmas music was playing on the CD player and the tree was made up.

Then I started decorating it. I wasn't really in a mood for that either. I have about ten boxes of Christmas ornaments, some old vintage from my parents, lots I bought every year because I love Christmas ornaments and lots I have made or cross stitched myself. Also lots that were gifted to me and some recent purchases.
I only managed to open two boxes and put those on the tree.

And hubby changed the sofa cover from the summer to the winter one(it's only been winter here for a week now!)
And that was that.I sat down and looked at it depressed, ready to cry for those gone recently and in previous years, beloved ones and even just acquaintances.For my father and grandmother and my father-in-law.For relatives,friends, neighbours,colleagues but also, most tragically, ex students! They are always with me!

Thank you!

Those of you who know me better know that I at times talk..... a lot and sometimes I am silent! It depends on my mood! " Quality is not in the quantiy" said the ancient Greeks. Sometimes one does not really know what to say.
With blogging I have to think and rethink what to say,how much to say,how much to let out and how much to keep. Is it safe out there in the blogland? Should I post this photo or that? Should I give my opinion publicly on certain topics or just avoid them? Stay on the surface or go deep? Well, just questions for my own mind to answer but I would love to know what you think.
Anyway I am writing this post to say thank you to so many friends who follow my blog already. I am so happy that in just one week I have got so many followers. Mind you it is not the number that counts. I am not trying to break a record or something. I am happy that so many of my friends (pen pals,sea glass friends, crossstitch friends, blog friends) joined my blog to see what it is up to. Hello everyone and I hope I will keep you interested in this.
It is strange that I am still trying to figure out how things work here. It is different when you are on the side of the reader and different when you are on the side of the blogger!I realised I cannot answer to comments unless I make a mention on the following post,or I comment underneath the comment I want to answer to,or I can also answer privately if I have your e-mail. Complicated!I would prefer it if I could just go to the follower's profile and send a message. Why Blogger doesn't think of that?Or is there something I don't know?If anyone can explain what's the best way to answer a comment please do so.

Anyway...I didn't do much today. I had some coffee out with the mother of my son's best friend. We hadn't met before but had been talking on the phone about our sons and how they do at school etc so we decided to meet. It was fun!We sat outside since it was sunny when we met and managed to chat till late and froze when the sun set!LOL!Silly me!If I catch a cold I will know who to blame,just me!

I loved this lantern at the cafe.It was fuchsia in colour.

I started reading a book that you have probably heard of. It is hubbie's other Xmas gift. It is The island by Victoria Hislop. It takes place in Greece. I am reading it in English as the author wrote it. I don't know if I will like the book, I will let you know when I finish it but I certainly like the adaptation for television that is being broadcasted  on Greek TV since October. It is amazing,captivating with excellent actors and actresses.

If it does a world tour and is shown on the television in your countries do watch it.It has to do with the outcasts, the leper colony on Spinalonga island near Crete.
The glass thing is hubbie's other gift which I chose and love and it is huge and heavy but very cheap.
 It might come in handy if we want to break each other's head in future!