Saturday Surprise

We left Ela's this morning at around 11 AM. We drove to a sporting equipment shop to purchase ski helmets for Ela and Aneta. After an hour of trying on helmets Ela made her purchase but Aneta didn't care for the way any of them felt on her and left empty handed. We headed back to Knurow and I thought we were going home. Wrong. We pulled up in front of an apartment I didn't immediately recognize. I said, "Where are we?"

Fot: Dinner at Marianna and Franek, Linda

Aneta: "Witek's parents. We will have dinner."

Me: "Okay, oh dear, I'm going to have to climb 20 flights of stairs to get there right?"

Aneta: "It's only 30 stairs."

Wrong. It is 56 stairs. I counted.

It was worth it though as Marianna and Franek had prepared a lovely meal for us of Pork roasted with onions, white cabbage salad, purple cabbage salad and mashed potatoes. As they don't speak English it was a little difficult for me to engage so I just ate, appreciated and enjoyed the companionship of this lovely family. Marianna and Franek returned to Knurow on Thursday after a three week stay with their daughter, Beata, in Torun. They were anxious to see Ania and Aneta and Witek, of course, as this is a family who engages daily with each other.

Fot: Linda and Kamil

Shortly after dinner Aneta sked me if I was going with her to get the gift certificate for Ania's birthday party this evening. She said, "we must be in this place at 4 and the party is at 5. It was 20 minutes to 4 so I suggested we leave immediately as we also had to pick up Agnes. Remember I still had 56 stairs to descend to the parking lot! We picked up Agnes and went to the masseuse from whom we were buying the gift certificate for a full body peel, hot rock massage and chocolate facial for friend Ania's birthday. Mission accomplished, yes ladies, the price was just $40 for all of that and we split it three ways. Then we rushed back and dropped Agnes at her flat and Aneta dropped me at our flat while she went to collect Witek at his parents flat. I changed quickly for the party and touched up hair and make-up. Aneta came in just as I was finishing and jumped in the bathroom for her doing up. She wet her hair down and I blow dried it for her. She put on her cute little dress she bought at that nifty shop in Sibenik, Croatia. She looked absolutely adorable and everyone at the party thought so too. Agnes, Michael and Konrad (thank goodness this kid has a name that is pronounced just the way it is spelled!) arrived and Agnes and I wrapped the gift - a very large coffee table book on decorating to make new look old with the gift certificate tucked inside. Michael asked me if I would like to ride with them and I gratefully accepted. They have a lovely Honda four door sedan with lots of room and very comfortable seats.

Fot: Queen Linda with her boys:)

We arrived at the same time as Robert and Ewalinka (Linka) and their three adorable little boys. I went into the house and was greeted warmly by Kamil with a kiss and a hug. Kamil told me he had to attend another birthday party on this night so he would be leaving right away. He did not leave though and we had a wonderful visit. The crowd of well wishers in Ania and Mareks big house kept growing with the addition of Agnes and Chris. So this was the first time I have already known everyone at a gathering. It was very comfortable for me for a change. These young men all seem to have adopted me as their grandmother or something and they cater to me, serve me, fuss over me and generally make me feel like a queen. Michael and Chris actually got into a little disagreement over which of them I liked the best! Makes me feel so special!

Fot: Agnes and Ania with her present

It was a great party and I hope Ania felt properly feted for her birthday. Marek bought her a 20minute ride in a glider and she was very excited about it. Robert and Linka's little boys took to me like three little ducks to water. The middle one - three year old Karol - was, in fact, quite smitten with me. He came up to me with his little angelic mouthed pursed into a kiss posture and looked up at me adoringly. I bent down and kissed his little lips and he said, "I like you", in Polish of course, but it was immediately translated for me by several adults who were amused by his behavior. Later, his mother told him I lived in the wild, wild west where cowboys live and he ran up to me and said, "are you inviting me to the wild, wild west?"

I said, "Well certainly. You come anytime you'd like."

He asked, "is it over water? And do I have to fly in an airplane?"

"Yes," I said, and he hugged me and ran off giggling. What a cutie.

Things always begin to disintegrate the more people drink and this was no exception. Soon Witek and Aneta realized it was time for us to leave before things got any crazier. So at 9:30 PM we left the party in full swing, right behind Robert and Majina and their three children.

Fot: Linda and Chris

Now I have a date for coffee with Chris on Wednesday, an invitation to visit Robert and Majina and see their new house, and a date for coffee with Michael. Kamil also invited me to do something with him this next week and he called Aneta this morning and suggested a castle excursion but she told him I had already been there. So he is thinking of something else to invite me to do. And tonight Michael called to say he and Agnes want to take me on a trip with them next weekend. Do you think I feel special and well loved in this place? You better believe it. These friends of Aneta's and Witek's are a really special group of young people. I feel privileged to know them and hope each and every one of them will make to America one day as my guest.

Linda