Wages paid in Bags of fruits

Dear Family & Friends

We teach our children to learn and love working, for mankind is made to work in life. Work puts meaning into living. Most of the time, we like to get compensation for the work we do. That's normal...because work brings reward. Some work gives big reward, while others, smaller reward. But even if it doesn't give the immediate reward that we expect...we work to the best of our ability because it brings satisfaction.

recycled bread bags now holding fruits

In our village, we do favours and help each other. This week, a shared property wall was made beautiful and the neighbor was so pleased because they shared the reward of our labor. A bag of sweet and very juicy peaches were passed on to us for that:)

freshly picked sweet and juicy peaches

30 kilos of sugar was the request of our other neighbour when we did our monthly grocery shopping. A lot of sugar but I think they use it to preserve their fruit harvest. At a promo price of 0.75 euros/kilo - our neighbor was happy! The following day he came back to request another 20 kilos of it when we next do our grocery shopping! When he knocks our door for request, he never fails to bring a bag of fruits for us. We know the payment is his joy and we receive them with grateful hands.

taking responsibility in keeping our road side clean

Every Saturday, my little girl gets a bag of very big tomatoes for teaching English to one little girl in our village. So, our Saturday meal menu always includes red juicy tomatoes. That family knows that tomato salad is part of our weekend meal.

we'll also do the neighbor's side of the road

See, all these gifts are our wages:) No, we don't expect payment for every little thing we do, but we always do get paid! There's always a reward for every work ...tangible or intangible....big or small....but most important of all, work gives us the character that we need to see us through life!

our yummy bags of wages

Sometimes I do get grumpy when I get tired from working...then, I have to remind myself again because I got the wrong perspective. Everyday I make a long list of work...I sometimes accomplish them, sometimes they get left for another day...but it is always my security to know that I have work everyday and I smile as I tick them off my list...Smiles are my bag of wages!

Hope you have a happy work day today too:)

Yours

Life's blessings

Dear Family & friends

My big girl took the challenge of designing a website for her father's freelance business. She is just self teaching herself, learning as she go. Yet, she wants nothing but the best for her dad. This web design project is taking her while and she's pressuring herself to the challenge. I want to help her, but this old brain cannot understand computer language!! To de-stress the stress she built for herself, she took a break and decided to knit herself a headband. (Stressed??...go do knitting!!)

a knitted head band from the big sister

So after knitting the headband, she called her younger sister (they're each other's best friend) to model it for her, then realized, that it looks good on her sister and she likes it too. So, the headband immediately took a new ownership:) Happy daughter number two.

The unexpected parcel...

Daughter number two's blessings didn't stop there. Today, she received an unexpected parcel from a Japanese friend. I met her through blogging, and some how my little girl got in touch with her as she is so keen on learning Japanese. She has been a great encouragement to her ever since.

So many beautiful gifts!

Our family is just amazed how a person, whom we never met in person, can be so kind and generous to this one little girl. My little girl has been so touched by her gesture, in fact we all are!

The great joy:)

Thank you, thank you my friend...for bringing a big smile to our family with your unexpected great kindness and super generosity. We hope to meet you in person one day...

A treasured book!

There are many people we meet along the way...some brings joy, some brings challenges, but all have a purpose and a reason. I hope that we too, are fulfilling our role to the people in return, along life's way....

May you be blessed just as we are so blessed:)

Yours

Festive Food For The Season

Dear Family & Friends

This week, a thoughtful friend of ours sent us some festive food! Yes, assortment of baked goods! She have worked hard indeed! This reminded me that Christmas day is actually not too far from now! How time goes by so quickly!!

Meringue that took her 3 hours to bake! and at least 5 other cookie samples too!! Thank you Kathy! 

We haven't really thought much about the festive season coming. I've never introduced the concept of Father Christmas to our two girls (didn't see the benefit of it...in fact, they're so frightened of them when they were young). and so with decorating the home for the season. We do, however, see this time as an opportunity for family gathering and taking time to cheer family and friends in our own little way. Crafting comes fun for this. 

In the kitchen, my little girl (our family baker)...is all ready to constantly keep us in supply with her baking....aside from that, uh...Mmmmm... I can't say much is happening around here. We will see to it that our family will take a special lunch outing, and will drag along our friends to enjoy a day with us during this holiday.

Whether it is done grand or in a simple way, there's the opportunity to enjoy this time with the family.

Here's wishing you that your Christmas will be filled with hope.

Yours

F is for Friends

Dear Family & Friends

F is for Friends. Yeah, we do have friends and we even got some un-derserved presents.

Don't you think this dutch chocolate manufacturer got brilliant design idea?

Yes, he even brought us marmite and raisins from UK which we miss a lot:) Thank you Friend:)

Life gets better with a bottle of marmite for a change:)

It's like Christmas has started all over again. Now, we better behave. So, off we go to do our various chores and routine for the day.

Hope you have a good day too:)...and good friends:)

Yours

Gifts from Above

Dear Family & Friends

For once, I've thought the grape season has now ended...but my big girl just hauled in another bucket full of lovely green grapes from a village grandfather during their visit:) My little girl also carried a bag full of apples:) We are so touched by the generosity of our village neighbours.

Some village grandfathers/grandmothers have no family around them. Thus, they appreciate the presence of my girls...even just for a couple of minutes. My girls alway share with them their beautiful smiles.

On the same day, we also got Swiss cheese from a Swiss friend! A wonderful treat for us. Grapes & cheese is just a wonderful combination! All these precious people reminds us of God's constant goodness towards our family. We should never have any reason to grumble in life!

Hope you have wonderful people around you to remind you of God's goodness too:)

Yours

Our Friend Kathy's Birthday

Dear Family & Friends

This is a long over due post...but here goes for memory sake:)

Our very first BBQ party in May (perfect time!)...and it was a great excuse to celebrate our friend Kathy's birthday two weeks ago:)

Another friend brought this birthday cake...it was very interesting because when they ordered a birthday cake, they couldn't make up their mind what cake they wanted....and the baker agreed on half and half order..here: a chocolate and fruity cake.

Here's the birthday girl with an enormous birthday candle on her cake...it was like a firework that you lit on New Year's day thingy!

BBQ food is easy, and having friends bring potluck works even better! We all got the chance to taste each other's food repertoire!!

Our two girls took the responsibility of setting up the old gazebo.....yet we couldn't fit everyone in...but we all sat within distance of each other, the ones who like to be nearer the food source can stay inside:)

The children played together well with various board games.

Adults did what they enjoy most...chatting or singing!...me, eating of course!

For some of us, it was time to show and test creativity...you never know, friends might be able to give more enlightenment on the concept of outdoor shower project...

All photos were courtesy of these american couple friends of ours. (Thank you Karl)  I do admire their braveness and endurance for their decision to live and stay in Bulgaria. It is not an easy country to be in! As Europeans, it is much easier for our family...but it's not the same case for the Americans...(prrffft...I could start ranting but I'll digress) but still, they're here to join us!

At the end of the day/evening...that's all that was left of the birthday cake... it was a good celebration!

Grateful for birthdays and friends...I had a great time..even with the work included:)

Yours,