A wonderful afternoon

[wiseheart]

My friend Elise came over today to fetch the quiet book (the one with the hot air balloon on the front cover) I made for her third and youngest granddaughter. We had a grand old time together, with Mum being the third party. Elise and I have known each other since 1995, and we've worked together at school for almost 24 years. She is a wonderful person, and very generous, too. Way too generous, IMO, but she sees it differently. Since I've been doing the Christmas baking for her for years, she now arrived with a bag full of baking supplies: margarine, cocoa powder, dried cranberries, pecan nuts, coconut flakes, flaked almonds, chopped almonds, chocolate appliqués and the likes. I was really embarrassed, but she insisted that I accept her contribution. Last year she donated margarine and eggs, and that was okay, but this is a bit over the top, I find. I'll have to make some extra pretty and yummy biscuits for her this year.

In any case, we had fun discussing family and friends, and she revealed that there are two grandsons underway, one by her daughter (I already knew that) and one by her son (which I didn't know). That means she'll be up to five grandchildren next year - you see, noadvertising, other people's children are industrious, too. The fun thing is, I knew both her children as, well, children, since they went to our school, both. These are the times when I feel a little old. ;))

Perhaps some of you remember the baby book with the dragonfly-patterned cover I originally made for my cousin's son half a year ago, when they were expecting their second child? Well, they never came to fetch it; in fact, we haven't even met their first child yet, and that one has turned three this summer already. So, since that particular baby book was supposed to record the baby's first year, I decided to give it to Elise as well, for one of the coming grandsons. I'll have to make another baby book for the other one. Fortunately, there is enough time yet.

As for other things done today, I made quick and easy cheesecake (Quarkkuchen ohne Boden for the German speakers among us). I didn't even know we'd have a visitor when I started; Elise phoned when I was halfway through the preparations. I think the timing was excellent. *g*

Comments

[noadvertising.livejournal.com]

Limit is two children a family here. Growing up with more siblings than customary and the hard times we are living in has curbed the fun of having a bigger family. But number four and five have not yet started family planning, which I am grateful for!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

You mean limit in your family or limit in Austria in general? And is it voluntary or mandatory?

[noadvertising.livejournal.com]

That's a limit in their families. Since most of them are working, their children attend toddler group, which is expensive. Number three's family will have to pay about 600 euro a month, when Matthäus will be a year old...

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

That is very expensive indeed!

[beauty-forashes.livejournal.com]

What a cool and generous donation, and I'm sure whatever you give her will be more than worth it!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I'll certainly try to do my best. People like Elise give me back my faith in mankind.

[meathiel]

That is nice she's contributing to the baking!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

She does it each year. I don't expect anyone to do so, since I bake the things as Christmas presents, but the ingredients are not cheap indeed (never were), and Elise says it's such a relief for her that she doesn't have to bake for three different families, too, aside from being on Granny duty several days a week, taking care of her father and mother-in-law, not to mention that hubby would want some attention as well...

[red-day-dawning.livejournal.com]

It’s lovely to catch up with people, isn’t it? That’s a lot of ingredients; happy baking!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :) I love my friends and I love baking, so it was the perfect combination.

[amedia.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a delightful day! I'm sure the grandbabies and their parents will enjoy the darling baby books.

How sweet of Elise to bring so many wonderful ingredients! I hope you will post photos of the sweet treats that you make for her.

Thank you so much for sharing your day with us — it brought a smile to my face on a tough day here.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

You are welcome. And yes, there will be baking photos and crafting photos and everything — you know how much I like to show off. ;))

[elwenlj.livejournal.com]

Elise sounds like a wonderful friend. Try looking upon that book as a good exchange for all those goodies. With the cost of ingredients going so sky high this year, hers was the perfect early Christmas gift.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was. And she is a jewel indeed.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

<3

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

:))

[mirasaui.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful friendship you two have! Glad you had a good day, those days make up for all the bad. Lots of babies in your family and friend groups :0)