Gifts for Christmas...(2)

I woke up at 5.22 in the morning from the fury and sound of a mild earthquake which had its epicentre 9km from the city centre so one could say it was inside the city!
I have lived the 1978 huge 6,5 R scale earthquake that caused lots of deaths and ruins in my city so every time I feel an earthquake that's what I remember, my 12-year-old summer experience.
I am not afraid of earthquakes (not as much as I am afraid of thunderstorms anyway!) and living in an earthquake abound area I am used to them but despite that I can't stand the chill of a morning sudden earthquake awakening.
So I couldn't go back to sleep and started doing lots of chores.
I had coffee and put away all my Christmas decorations. Having done that I started changing position to certain furniture!!!!!
Then I did some schoolwork and then some open market shopping.
Then relaxed and confident went to school. The first day was dedicated to what we did at Christmas and I showed my students what a Christmas cracker is. My friend Cathy had sent me a packet of them last year so I kept them and used some with the family on the Christmas dinner and some with my students. It was fun!
I also introduced Maija to them!!!They were really happy to meet her!
Back in December now....two heavy parcels arrived.Both from my Scottish friends John and Juliana!
Here are some pics! 
Juliana took so much care to wrap everything beautifully!

She included so many lovely things. She knows what I like!
A huge cross stitch book and some cross stitch kits. I have to find time to do some more cross stitch in 2012!

And delicious handmade local chocolate! We all loved that in the family!

There was so much in the parcels I really can't show everything and can't believe how generous and kind my sea glass friends are!
And last but not least a cross stitched sea glass card and some magnificent sea glass boulders from Seaham in England!

Thank you both very very much!

In awe...

...of nature's disastrous moods...learning the news that come in about Japan's HUGE earthquake and tsunami I am again, like recently with the New Zealand earthquake, reminded of the BIG one in my life that I can't possibly forget; the 1978 Thessaloniki earthquake I lived through when I was 12 years old. Unforgetful memories,bad,bad memories.

Still this painting remains my favourite.Hokusai'sThe Great Wave off Kanagawa .

Tsiknopempti.

This is probably a Greek custom only.
Annually on this Thursday people eat meat and get dressed for carnival.
It is ten days before Clean Monday when Lent begins and fasting for Easter.
Tsiknopempti means Thursday with tsikna which is the smell of grilled meat.
We were not really in the mood to get dressed and have fun so we simply had some meat brought at home and the men (hubbie,son,brother) watched Manchester City-Aris Salonica. We are already losing with 3-0 but well ok we are still fighters.
Here is what we ate.

 Souvlaki.

 Gyros.

 Tzatziki and pita.

 I at the same time finished a beautiful sea themed frame which will be a gift,so no photos till it is delivered.
Here I would like to show you the two little parcels that arrived yesterday from faraway Canada and New Zealand.They are a je t'aime tea towel by Arounna and a lovely needlebook by Melissa of Tiny Happy.

 New Zealand is suffering from that awful earthquake of the day before yesterday. Christchuch suffered the most with a great toll of deaths. I am very sensitive on this subject because when I was only 12 years old back in 1978 my city Thessaloniki was hit by an awful 6.5 Richter scale earthquake that caused the death of 45 people and a lot of destruction.It is a memory I cannot ever take out of my mind.

I will close with a hopeful photo of my son reading a literature book. He doesn't usually do that so I was happy to see him read something at last.