It’s that time of year, when I realise that I still have some of last year’s written but not sent Christmas cards in a box somewhere, this year’s unwritten ones in a box in my bag, no stamps, no time, posting deadlines past, the Christmas tree is up but not quite finished, the food shopping […]Read Post ›
We came back from Malaga about four weeks ago. Six days of bliss, mainly because we had six unadulterated days of our four month old grandson. Unfortunately I can’t share any pictures of him, but suffice it to say that if I did, the internet would be awash the most gorgeous baby in the world. […]Read Post ›
I found this yesterday. It brought back memories of my cousin Gustaw who died a few weeks ago in Poland. I met him for the first time when I was eleven, in 1965, in Częstochowa, Poland. My father had taken me by car and generally the trip was quite gruelling for me, partly because everyone […]Read Post ›
Happy birthday, Ciocia. Today you would have been 89. Aged about 2, in Lwów. Today’s date will stick in many Londoners minds, because of the London bombings 20 years ago. I remember the day well because I had taken some children on a school trip, and we were supposed to come back to school by […]Read Post ›
I left Sheffield in July 1978 after I finally finished my final teaching practice, and felt that my life was over. Little did I know that it was only just beginning, but I was sad, bereft, and dreading the future. What I really wanted was another gap year, to find myself as they say, but […]Read Post ›
Our hotel, luxury personified, offered us a free one way tour to Murano glass works in a water taxi. Why oh why did I not look more closely at the map? There was an enormous expanse of sea to cross and, as if you didn’t know, I don’t like water. Or boats. Or anything really […]Read Post ›
Yesterday we had our first full day here. Mass in our local church Santa Maria Di Salute and then lunch in a very local very expensive restaurant – we shan’t be going back. I went for an exploratory walk while Jacek had a nap and rested his foot, ready for the afternoon’s saunter. We got […]Read Post ›
I don’t know who took this photo, but it is one of my favourite ones of my father. He stayed in Italy after the war, and started attending Rome University , but soon realised that there would be more opportunities in England for Poles like him, who had been deported to Siberia, then managed to […]Read Post ›
The beginning of our next little adventure. I’ve been several times before, the first time 60 years ago when I was almost twelve. My father had taken me very unwillingly (I was unwilling – I’m not sure about my dad) on holiday to Lido Di Jesolo, a popular holiday resort near Venice, with the regulation sandy […]Read Post ›
This January my youngest daughter invited me to go to Barcelona for a couple of days so we could spend some quality time together, and sample some of the many delights of the city. We had a wonderful time, and I reminisced a lot, as I had been several times before and loved it every […]Read Post ›
Life Through Basia's Eyes 