On turning 30

Today I got to gaze at my daughter as she gazed at her daughter. 

I have been her mother for 30 years.  As of today.  And we spent the day in her new home country.

She had her first child just before her 30th birthday.  So did I.

Something we now share in common. 

It has become a 'thing' that I write something about her on her birthday. 

So her goes:

On turning 30    (my apologies to Billy Collins)

Arriving as the blizzard ensued
Stopping traffic in the big city
But not stopping you.

You came - into my life
into your dad's life
a shining angel
of light and joy.

You charmed me with
your smiles and intensity
My velcro baby who wanted her mum
and only her mum.

A Capricorn
Just like your daughter
Destined to want independence early.

Just like you.
Just like your Oma
Just like your Grandfather

Just like your Great-Grandmother

Ah yes, You know what it will be
to raise a Capricorn daughter.
and I will try to help with the
few lessons I learned:

Listen to her sixth sense
Trust her intuition
Believe her when she says it is time to move on
Let her go.

Tell her the truth
Be honest
Be there
Even when it is hard and every ounce of you wants to hide yourself away.

I have treasured the times when we are sitting and talking or walking in easy companionship.When we have shared tears, and fears and truths.

Your daughter is lucky to have you
and the bond between you two will be unbreakable.

30: wife, mother, seeker of soul
striving to understand your universal spirit

You are well on your way
having learned more about yourself in the last 30 years
then I have about myself in the last 63.

I will share with you and your daughter things I have learned
And you will teach me
And you will teach your daughter
And your daughter will teach me.

The circle of life.

Yopping Update #28 - What will I knit now?

There has been a lot of knitting of little things this week.

First I finished my dish towel and then made a second:

and then with the left over natural hemp I made another crochet scrubbie (the first is in the picture above with the red tea towel.

Down to just odds and ends to knit with, but enough for another pair of mittens:

and a wee pair of socks:

I offered to put together the pink elephant for my daughter, and then I made its matching green one.

Now I have no more kits, but I have all these odds and ends left over:

Clearly there was enough green christmas sparkly wool to make another Christmas tree (or three) ornament last night.

I think today I will be casting on another little ornament or advent knit for next December.

On the Grand-daughter front I got to babysit her on Tuesday while Mom and Dad went to register her birth.   Awesome cuddling time - and no crying!  I still got it.

There has been lots of long walks almost every day - three hours on Wednesday!

Olive trees and churches, museums and fountains and the ubiquitous cats everywhere.  This one was right by the automatic door of the Tommy's grocery store.  My daughter says he is always there - out of the wind and basking in the sun.  I love how his tail curls around his paws!

I took a picture of this sign to show my daughter and son-in-law how far I had walked.  I was focused on the name of the Kastel at the bottom.

They laughed about me sending them an anti-capitalist plaque.

"Honouring the fight of the proletarian revolution against capitalism in 1920."

And right around the corner was this odd modern sculpture.

 Such a contrast to the beautiful church just behind it (the church picture at the beginning of this post).

Yesterday was another long walk in the other direction and I caught this view of the church bell tower against the blue blue sky.

I got a message yesterday from Lufthansa that my flight leaves in 11 days and 20 hours!

What?  I can't believe it is coming so fast.

It will be so hard to leave my girl, and her girl and this beautiful place.

On the plus side I have been watching the Marie Kondo videos and I have some serious plans for organizing my closets and drawers when I get home.

I am sure other yoppers are having other adventures of their own.  You can check out their stories here.