Quiz: Where am I ???

Are you in the mood for a game?
I'll be away for a few days.
My girls don't have school so we're going for short vacations to a beautiful city!



It has an iron giant, a gorgious place for playing and pieces of Greece, Egypt and other countries all in the same building!!!
Did I help you? Can you guess my destination?
Play with me and leave a comment with your answer!
A special present is waiting for you!!!
And you have the whole week to participate!!!
Good luck!!!

Reading and hoping...

In the two last months I had the opportunity to read two wonderful books.

The first one is called " The bride was wearing black clothes " and its author is Sofi Theodoridou.

The story is about a young girl who has lost her family during the Minor Asia catastrophe and arrived in Greece as a refugee. We can watch her life through the years, which was difficult and hard as a woman and mother.
She had challenged her fate when she wore a black wedding dress...

The second one is " The island ".

The author is Victoria Hislop.
She's an English woman who travelled to Greece and wrote a book which is selling like crazy all over the world! It's a best seller and it has won awards in England. Its story is about Spinalonga, an island next to Crete, for people who were suffering from leprosy . You can see through it the sadness and disaster of the sick families, the life at the island and finally how the cure infuenced people's life.
At this moment greek tv channel " Mega" has made it the most succesful television series and we're happy to watch such a wonderful work. Imagine that the author rejected Hollywood for a greek channel!!!

Reading them you can feel the sence of hope and love. You can see that even if you're desperate or depressed at the moment something good is coming soon.

*You can read more about the books and their authors if you click on their names. Under them you can find their official sites.

Άγιος Δημήτριος = Saint Dimitrios

Today my precious hubby celebrates his name day!
We won't have a party like the previous years because of our loss but I made a cake for him.
Let me treat you a piece...



I bought him - as a present- warm gloves and a scarf ,
the most useful present for this country;)

*
I wish you happiness and health sweety!
*

In memory of Tereza.

I'm getting through a very difficult and sad period! No, no it's not my new home...Living in Belgium was a wonderful surprise for me! I like everything here...It's a horrible fact that I couldn't even speak or write for that...But I decided that today I must take it out of me! After all it happened a month ago...

I was ready to celebrate my birthday and wedding aniversarry. I had invited some friends and had written down the menu for the food and chocolate cake that I was going to cook. Suddenly a phonecall from Greece changed everything and most of all put us in deep sadness.The voice was from my mom. "Your mother-in-law has passed away" she said to us. It was one of the most difficult nights of my life with my husband! He was so, so shocked and I was too. SHE was his mom and SHE was my second mom ! We spent the hole night trying to find a way to go to Greece as soon as possible and finally next noon we flied towards our home.
I don't want to describe you the following days in Greece. You can understand what these days meant to us and how they affected us.
My mother in low, Tereza , was 83 years old and lived happily with her husband for 60 years. SHE had three sons, three daughters in low and five grand children. SHE was the most kind and generous woman I know. "Giving" was her moto of life. And she was giving us everything: love, help, presents. SHE taught me how to crochet and embroider. SHE was helping everybody who needed help, even people she hardly knew.

I enjoyed the moments when we were drinking coffee together, when we were crochet, when we were going to the country to pick up wild herbs.

I'll love and remember her for ever.
Her pure sole will be my guide.
Her love for me will warm my heart.

ABC Wednesday : I for... I love

A few days ago Zacharoula (it's Sugar in English) from the greek blog "Nostimotato" (= Delicious) invited her followers to participate in a game!

Since I'm in a game mood these adays, I'm going to write ten things I love and then choose some friends to play, too!!!

• 1. I love...travelling to the countyside!
• 2. I love...drinking coffee in front of the fire place or the sea!
• 3. I love...cooking and baking!
• 4. I love...croset!
• 5. I love...detective series!
• 6. I love...sunsets and moon lighting!
• 7. I love...smiling!
• 8. I love...chocolate!
• 9. I love...blue color!
• 10. I love...reading novels!

That was my 'I love list' and as you can see there weren't any persons!
My family and friends have my love and can't be listed!
So now I choose...everybody who feels like a kid and want to play!
Just let me know you did your 'I LOVE LIST'....

A valuable present from a new friend!

A few days ago a new, Greek blogfriend made a game!
She presented 13 pictures of plants and trees next to a list of 13 names and you had to choose the right one for each one.
As I love to play games, I decided to participate.
And....I WON!!!
I chose the right names and then Xanthi, my friend from the blog "Συνταγές της Ασπρούλας", picked my name at the draw!
What is my present???
Two handmade soupla by Xanthi herself!

I'm looking forward to take them in my hands!

Thank you sooo.... much Xanthi!!!

ABC Wednesday: H for heroes

Hero is someone who fights for his ideal, for his life or just for people's freedom!
We, in Greece, know well how important is to be free. Although we're so peaceful as a nation, we were forced in many wars because of our position and believes. At that time many people, men and women and sometimes children had to get ahead of themselves and fight for the right! These people weren't just Greeks. Several countries helped us win our freedom.
All these thoughts came up when, a few days ago, being in Mons (a town in Belgium), we were part of a parade of soldiers and tanks, trucks and nurses who were celebrating the freedom of the town at the second world war. For a few minutes I was there, when this parade really happened for the first time. Believe me, it was very touching...

My World Tuesday:Cooking greek!

A few days ago we celebrated Saint (Agio) Fanourio.

As our tradition say, we make a cake the day before the celebration or the same day using 7 or 9 ingredients.

Then we give pieces of the cake to the people around us.We use to make this cake during the year too, when we lose something and we call Saint Fanourio to help us find it.
It was a little bit strange this year cause I had to share my cake with people I didn't know.So I rolled some pieces in a paper and using the translator of google I wrote a small note in French about who I am and what was the cake about. Then I knocked the door of the apartment downstairs. A middle aged woman opened the door. She was really surprised!!! She thanked me and I was so reliefed that I made the right thing. Half an hour later a man was standing in front of my door with a "welcome" bottle of wine. He was her husband! I felt so good!!! My cake was the reason to meet some of my neighbors!My cake was a big success and so were my dolmadakia!
Thanks to my mum who prepared some vases with leaves I managed to roll several of them and we had a delicious lunch!

If you want to eat(LOL)-sorry- to see more of the world follow...
My World.
Thank you My World Team!

ABC Wednesday: F for a new Friend

It was a bright, beautiful day. I took the subway, alone for the first time and travelled towards the station I had set the date. I was pretty nervous because I was going to meet a person I was blogging with for the last two or three months. I didn't know much of her and her life.

As I was travelling I was wondering if I could recognise her face . After all I had seen her only through her blog.But as the ladder was going up I saw her in the crowd waiting. I was 15 minutes belated but she was very kind to complein.
For the next four hours we chated like old friends, sharing small secrets about our family and life. We ate something light (a sandwich and tuna pizza) and then something...heavy ( ice cream!!!).


A few days later I recieved a pretty card from her with wishes and a warm welcome to Belgium.


How kind and sensitive of her!!!

That's how I met Stallie my new Belgian Friend!
I hope she will be one of the reasons, I'll love my new place!
***
Thank you ABC group for let me share with you my story!
For more stories follow the link at the side bar!

My World...in Belgium!

I'm living for almost a month here in Brussels.

During this month we've visited many places and I'm ready to share the pictures with you! It's a way for you to see how I've spent these days...
the flower carpet in Grand Place
a fountain made by chocolate (yummy!!!)
Dinant, a city on the river Meuse
mussels, french fries and beer,
the Belgian traditional specialite
(the reason I've earned ...kilos!)

Roermond, the outlet village in the Netherlands
(the reason my wallet is empty!)

New country, new apartment, new...template!

A few months ago I couldn't imagine how everything would change in my family's life! I was trying to find a new job, my children were planning their next moves about their education and my hubby was thinking about his transfer to a new office. He didn't know at that time that his transfer meant a transfer for our family to a new country!
The timing was perfect for us as Greece is dealing with one of the most difficult periods in its history which means that people are and shall suffer a lot, for a long time.
So we packed our things and here we are...in a new apartment next to the metro station, in front of a park full of trees and flowers, near to lots of shops that make our living easier. We decorated it with our furntitures and paintings and ...

welcome !!!

1.before
after
2.before
after
3.beforeafter4.beforeafter

Renovation in my life, renovation in my blog too!
What do you think for my new "look"?
Isn't it girly and...handmade?

20 days to go...

Last months were very busy! We had to finish some health issues and treatments, to travell to Brussels looking for an apartment, to agree with a mover for the transfer.Luckily everything went well!

That's my new house and its view! Do you like it? I sure do...and my feet agree cause they suffered a lot until we found it!

And now...CHAOS!!!

This is exactly what is going on in my house! Boxes everywhere, lists about the things I must do before we leave, "goodbyes" to friends...
I'll miss everything, that's for sure: my family and friends, my house,
my garden,
Sunday's coffee near the sea...
A new friend told me to hide a wish in every box I close and it will come true as soon as the box is opened! I liked that idea and I did so! May the new country fulfill our hopes and dreams, may we have good health and happiness, may my children use to the life there and don't have any problems!
This is my last post from Greece! I'm sorry that I didn't answer or visit you as often as I would like to.I hope I'll meet you again as soon as I have an internet connection at my new house.

I love you everybody!

Silly sandals...

How can someone with pale skin become...black?
The answer is easy: he can color his boby using black paint or... he can use his sandals!!!

I was going down the stairs towards my sister's apartment when I slided.
The strawberries I was carring were spilt everywhere.
I hit badly at my back and my skin turned black - full of bruises.
Ow yes, they hurt a lot! I can't sit, I can't sleep, I can't drive my car.
I should have get rid of the sandals but I liked their color cause they comported with my bathing suit.
Silly sandals and silly me!

What a mess!

Strikes, strict economic measures, death of four innocent soles due to anarchist, my hubby's hospitalization, my children's examinations, our moving to Brussels, stress...
Our weather is sunny but our hearts are colder than snow!
I wish for better days, for more sun in my life!
*
A special wish for THEM:

Happy mother's day ... mom and mom!


I LOVE YOU BOTH!

Goodbye Greece...bonjour brussels!!!

Yes, the title is right: we're moving to bruxxeles- Belgium!
I hadn't realised it until I saw it written down!
A few days ago my hubby came home from his work and told me that he's been transferred to bruxxeles! After the first moments I had a million questions about schools, houses, how we will move our furniture, how is the weather there...
I'm so nervous and excited about everything!
I have so many things to think about! And so many decisions to make! But I have also three months ahead to take care of everything.
The only thing I know is that we're moving to a beautiful country, different from mine, more organized but rainy too! The communication is an issue for me too, since I don't speak French or Flemish. I'll probably use the language of my hands!!!

If you want to see what Bruxelles look like watch the following video...

Happy Easter!

Spring brings flowers all over the earth.

It brings also the biggest celebration for christians: Easter!
This year,as every year,
I made our tradition sweets,
koulourakia
and tsourekia.
I painted the red eggs
and prepared some baskets
for my children's godmathers and grandparents.
Last night, as it was the Holy Saturday, we stayed at the church until one o'clock a.m. and then all my family shared the resurrectional dinner.
We ate mageiritsa
- m..m..m.. my mom cooks it perfectly
every year -
clinked red eggs.

While I'm writing these lines, the men of my family are roasting a lamp on a spit! That's our tradition for Easter!
I wish eveybody

HAPPY EASTER

to you and your families!

God's wisdom makes me strong...

When everything goes wrong, when unhappy things happen, something good will appear to make me feel better and give me a smile.God is always here no matter what...
Lately I was feeling something like this...

...lots of clouds, a little sun.

Greece is dealing an economic crisis, the most serious since the second world war.
My part time job was just for 8 months, so now I'm unemployed again.The prices are going up and up and the goverment decreased the salaries.
I often wonder how we'll bypasse the problems and continue with our life.

By the time all these were happening two beautiful gifts came from my friends Tamara and Aya.
I feel so blessed to make so good friends through blogging!

Tamara, your children are more than gifted and you're a lucky mom to have them! All these months I'm following your blog I can see that your family has strong bonds and love. That's a huge success due to the parents. Thank you so much for the CDs! I really feel honored that you send them to me!


Aya, you always know when you must make your move to make me feel happy! May be you sense it, I don't know... I keep everything in my bedroom.


I see them every morning and say "good morning Aya" and every night and say "good night Aya"!

I'm sorry girls I didn't write sooner althought I recieved them several days ago, but I was facing some computer problems.

I dedicate you both the greek song " Which sea is hidding you..."
which is sung by the greek band named KARMA.