The happy family has had a busy week. Queenie has opened her shop in Lewisham, and has called it ‘All our yesterdays’, where she is selling vintage clothes from the 40’s to the 90’s, bric-a-brac and accessories, like hats, handbags, gloves etc. The ladies think it is wonderful, and spend time reminiscing about how they loved this and that. Shannon tries everything on, and has a whale of a time. Jason watches, with his usual charm, and says, ‘Bloody ‘ell, ‘oo would want to wear old shmattes (Yiddish=rags) like that?’ ‘Yes, you always look so smart!’ hisses Queenie. Cissie and Thelma tell him that the only time he was decently clothed was at his wedding. Shannon says, ‘Leave him alone! He can’t help it. And I like him as he is!’
This week Cissie is off on her own. Thelma’s knees are hurting, Queenie is busy, and Jason and Shannon are still at it every day. I mean, of course, busy getting their new shop ready to open. Cissie has a very distant cousin at least 5 times removed who lives in Budapest, and she flies over to visit him. She hasn’t seen him since he was a knock-kneed teenie, so is rather surprised when I a skinny, bearded old man collects her at the airport and kisses her excitedly on both cheeks, making all her chins wobble.
Bálint lives with his wife Dora in a large flat in a beautiful, old Art Nouveau house in Buda. His wife is as round as he is thin, and she and Cissie have one thing in common straightaway – their love of food. The table is laden with Hungarian and other culinary specialities morning, noon and night. In between the ladies go shopping, and enjoy cakes and snacks in some of the many cafés and bakeries in the town. They take a coach tour to see the sights. The word ‘coach’ comes from the Hungarian word ‘Cocsi’ = wagon from Kocs, the place where coaches were first made.
They see theDanube River, the famous lion guarding the Chain Bridge, Heroes' Square, the Parliament Building, Fisherman's Bastion, St. Stephen's Basilica, and from Gellért Hill with Buda Castle on the left.
The Chain Bridge
The Museum of Applied Arts
Keleti Station
Buda by night
(Photos courtesy of Wikipedia Commons)
Dora shows Cissie the enormous Station, and the Doháni Street Synagoge, the largest in Europe. ‘And our Metro is the second oldest in the world’, says Dora proudly. ‘Yes’, says Cissie, 'only our Tube in London is older – we had the very first one!’ ‘Right!’ says Dora, ‘But our food is the best in the world!’ ‘Oh yes’, sighs Cissie happily. She hasn’t even missed her fish and chips while enjoying goulash, chicken paprikash, game stew with dumplings, dobos cake, strudels, pancakes and much, much more.
Cissie is sad to leave her cousins, but has enjoyed every minute of her stay in Budapest, and invites them to come to London to visit her and Thelma soon.
But as always, she is happy to be going home again. ‘The food was wonderful!’ she tells he family. ‘But the tea was awful!’ This is the postcard she sends them:
Cissie's Hungarian Delight
For PPF I just have a work in progress to show; had a nasty time at the doc's yesterday and did not feel up to much when I came home. I am still playing with my marbles. The beads have also been marbled, I am still not sure what background to use. Time will tell!
Have a great day you all, have fun and take care! Thanks for coming by!
STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS
The cactus mystery has been solved. A neighbour bought it for me as a little thank you for taking in his parcels!
Love the stop press!!!! and good to know that the tea in Budapest is rubbish... will make sure I take my own if I ever go there ... the marbles are interesting... such lovely textures... xx
ReplyDeleteGood story again, she never stops eating. Like your marbles again, and those wonderful beads! Hugs, Sarah
ReplyDeleteFantastic story as always. and the postcard is brill.
ReplyDeleteThe marbled head is just amazing and the beads stand out so well on it. I could imagine that piece in a very smart art gallery.
Pleased that the cactus mystery is solved as well.
Love Chrissie xx
Fortified by the knowledge that Chrissie has had another wonderful trip overseas and found foods to satisfy her fussy appetite. I can now go to work assured that all their lives go on with new exciting rhythms.
ReplyDeleteLoving those marbelled beads XOXO Zoe
Wonderful story...
ReplyDeleteYou are a great story-teller, Valerie. :]
Aww, isn't that special, your neighbor gave you the cactus, terrific!!
Love the marble paper with the beads!! Beautiful ~xx
Love the way your marbled head is going. I do hope you feel better soon Valerie. Happy PPF and enjoy the weekend, Annette x
ReplyDeleteWhen in doubt go to black. :) Great marbling effect!
ReplyDeleteI loved the tour of Budapest, it is wonderful that you not only share the popular tourist sights with us but also the wonderful foods too. So glad that the cactus mystery is solved. The marbled head and beads are stunning! I agree with Chrissies comment that it belongs in a very smart art gallery. Hope you feel better today.
ReplyDeleteGreat story again Valerie....and I love your marbles.
ReplyDeletePleased the cactus mystery has been resolved.
Hope you're feeling better today..have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs xx
LOVED the Cissie/Jason update- now I want to go to Budapest too! And your marbling is coming along beautifully- can't wait to see it finished!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Stephanie
I should put Budapest on my bucket list, wonderful story and tour! Gosh that cake!
ReplyDeleteLove the touch of the beads with the beautiful marbling.
beautiful place i like to go in The Museum of Applied Arts
ReplyDeleteFun and creative post ~ lovely work ~ (A Creative Harbor)
ReplyDeletePlease be well! Illness sometimes happens after travel! :) In your travel log this week,I laughed when you said his kiss made "all her chins wobble." The pictures were wonderful as usual, especially the bridge at night. The mention of "paprikash" reminded me of "When Harry Met Sally",and last but not least, you are truly a wonderful artist with your other endeavors, the beads and contemporary art forms.
ReplyDeleteIt's always fun to hear of Cissie's adventures. I agree with her that one MUST have good tasting tea to survive. Your pix and the postcard are beautiful. Also, I love the marbled beads.
ReplyDeleteGlad Cissie was able to reconnect with a distant cousin! Did you marble the beads too? Wow! Love how you've got the necklace on her! Happy PPF!
ReplyDeleteaLL i CAN SAY IS yummmm FOR ALL OF IT!!
ReplyDeleteI like how the marble head is comming along. How nice of your neighbor to give you the cactus. Very thoughtful of him. Your stories are always so fun and colorful. Great photos.
ReplyDeleteGreat story Valerie but I have to say, Cissie's outfit this week does clash somewhat with her lovely hairdo! Love your marbled beads, have a nice weekend. Take care. xx
ReplyDeleteYeah, she was thinking of having her hair done to match her Hungarian pullover, but the hairdresser refused point blank!
ReplyDeletebad knees - that's too bad
ReplyDeletesuper card! yummmm cake
Great story and lovely art, your marbles are gorgeous again! Hugs, Barb
ReplyDeleteCor those beads look expencive now Valerie :) fab effect !
ReplyDeleteVon ♥
Love your marbles, fabulous and wonderful! Happy PPF!
ReplyDeleteI can sympathise with Thelma over the bad knees! Lovely tour this week and so pleased Cissie was reunited with her cousin.
ReplyDeleteFabulous beads and marbled head. Very expensive gallery stuff!
Janet xx
Glad you found out who left the lovely cactus for you! I enjoy your postcards & PPF posts so much--they always visit someplace interesting!
ReplyDeleteCissie had a good trip and her postcard is fabulous. That marble effect is excellent so effective. Glad you solved the mystery of that cactus. Hugs Sndra XXX
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous life your characters lead, they're all over the place, fun though! I like the way the marbelling lays on your latest head, nice beads too, hope you're feeling better now :0) Gay
ReplyDeleteSounds like Cissie has found another relative who has the same love of food as she does. Great story and wonderful photos.
ReplyDeleteYvonne x
Glad you found out who the cactus came from.
Lovely tour of Budapest and good to know to pass on the tea there. Your marbles are looking devine. Happy PPF
ReplyDeleteBetter late than never - here I am. I do wish I was on the trip with them - they are seeing the most wonderful places. Love your marbles. A tutorial would be wonderful. I Love stop the presses too - how did you do that? you're so clever - I don't know any of these little tricks. Hope you are sleeping peacefully as I write this note. hugs, Donna
ReplyDeleteMy computer took all night to let me get to this comment box to say something. I love those purples and pinks swirling around the beads and head. Stories are fun and love that postcard too.
ReplyDeleteHPPF!
A lot of people seem to have been having probs leaving comments this week - Bloggeritis?
ReplyDeleteLo0ve hearing the history and stories you tell. Love the marbling on your beads turning them into marbles!! :) haha The silhouette will be fun to play with. So many possibilities.
ReplyDeleteSorry to read you had a rough time at the doctors, I hope you feel brighter soon.
ReplyDeleteYou've done so well to keep going with the Postcard Challenge - good to see Cissie is still stuffing her face ;D
I have always wanted to have a nice long stay in Budapest, and Cissie's trip makes me want that even more.
ReplyDeleteAll your marbleing is beautiful.
Hi Valerie...
ReplyDeleteI am having a little catch up :)
Glad you solved the mystery regarding that stunning cactus...
Love what you have been up to for PPF.... and as always fun to catch up with the Gang for the Postcard Challenge. It's like a fun geography lesson!
Karenx
ps hope you have a good week x
knees and backs!!!! another good blog. wouldnt mind having a look around Queenies shop. x
ReplyDeleteOnce again such a wonderful chapter in your story!
ReplyDeleteLove your card, totally yummy, yes please! M
Aww what nice neighbours you both are. Love those photographs and she is just too funny also your project is fab x
ReplyDeleteGreat pics of Hungary and Cissie is a scream as ever. Love those beads.
ReplyDeleteJen x
I like this painted profile face!
ReplyDeleteloving Cissie, the food sounds amazing. I like how the young ones are 'at it' everyday hahaha
ReplyDeleteThanks again for the fab postcard. x
But I did explain what 'at it' means!!
ReplyDelete