My punishment

When I was in the convent all you know and love are the people around you nuns and the girls. We were all girls so if a girl leaves the convent I used to find it hard. When a nun leaves I sometimes cried for them. They become part of your family. It was very good when we had young nuns they were creative. I remember when it used to be a nice summer day we used to be playing picture lotto and the older ones would be cross stitching I learned how to do that too. We had a summer place we used to go there maybe for a week. We used to go swimming but I vaguely remember that. If by any chance a nun forgot to put her veil on I used to think she was naked and sighed. About once a month or when my mother could take us home to stay for the weekend she had to use transport as she or my father didn't drive at that time. Transport was not convenient those days buses did their route till eleven in the morning. Once a week my mother would take our dirty clothes and bring them clean sometime during the week. We didn't always see her maybe she would be in a hurry. She would bring us a packet of biscuits which we shared between four siblings. Once, a week we used to have a catholic gathering called Legion of Mary, there we would pray the rosary and report good deeds or prayers we had done the week prior. In one of these gathering I couldn't stop talking and laughing so the lady kicked me out of that room, one of the nuns saw me and asked me why I was behind the door, so I had to tell her why, she told me as a punishment no home visit. So my sisters went home of course it hurts that I didn't go but instead the few girls that were left there went for a walk outside the convent. When life falls into a routine you will not remember much of it, it is the special instances that you will remember. I hold a special place for the nuns, I love their commitment and dedications I loved being there and I considered it good times. No payment all for God, I wish God will reward them 1000 times more which I'm sure He will. Talking with my sisters they say the same thing about the nuns. Till next time.

My younger years

Maybe you can tell that English is not my main language, sorry, If I don't explain myself well.  At the beginning of my stay, the nuns were young so during Christmas they thought us acting and drills. Once, I had part in all the acts we had and I got sick with fever. I hated it when I got sick that means I had to stay in bed all alone in the dark, upstairs till Marinton, the old lady retires. Her bed was very high I think she had two mattresses, why, I don't know because she seemed to have trouble to get to bed. I got a little better and I acted my parts and they sent me back to bed that was upsetting for me because I felt better. I will tell you about Marinton now. Her job was to answer the door, ring the bell during certain hours for school breaks and ours, the children who lived there. She also took care of the brooms, buckets and rags that we used to dust or wash the floors. We washed the floors on our knees not mops. If she favoured you, she would give you a good rag so we considered ourselves lucky to get goo rags. She ate in our dinning room and slept with us. She also could understand Italian. I am not sure how long she was there for, but she died there, not while I was there. While I was there no one visited her. I was there from nine years till fourteen years. Now I will talk a little about me again. I don't know when I started to help the nun in the kitchen Sister Maurizia, She was an excellent cook she was slightly deaf. So every night, evening what ever you want to call it after dinner, I would go and help wash the dishes because she was stuck in washing the nuns' plates, pots and pans. She also prepared the milk for breakfast. During my washing the other girls were playing guided by another nun of course. When Easter or Christmas is approaching she would call for me at the end of school so I can go and help her make buns and figolli (it is a shaped bun and decorated Maltese tradition). The job I would have done was maybe bring her stuff from the pantry it was in the next room. As a young girl of course I had trouble sometimes to get her what she wanted, She tries to explain to me and give me directions of where they are. I didn't  know about baking stuff. I also was quite so I pretended I understood what she told me. I would take longer in that room and she will come and get it herself. I did that for few years and one day, I was with three other girls in the dining room cleaning, I think we were and the nun that was in charge at the time, told us one of you here is nominated for something. I ignored her completely but it was me as a reward I won a doll and a frame that lit up and also spoke on the radio. I wasn't excited or anything for me it wasn't a big deal but I was nervous when they said I am going to talk on the radio. Some more next time.

My childhood

In our school we had children that came and go. I must have been ten, I don't know how they knew about me having head lies. I never had them at home. The nun took me in that room where we hardly used and she would put stinky stuff in my head cover it with white towel for awhile and she would pick the lies, like the gorilla and then brush with special black comb. I don't know who else had it they were nice about it. I bet no one knew I had them. She checked me few times after that and I was all good. I also remember in summer we had to help our gardener he was old and we had to water where he told the nuns. We were pumping water  which we all took turns and some carrying buckets to water the plants were needed, it took forever and it was very tiring. Our snack would be bread and butter and if there was extra the older ones would have it if they were still hungry, that's  how it was. We always played after lunch and dinner and we sang a special song at night which sadly don't remember it. We said prayers in the mornings and at nights, and also before and after meals. I think we were about twenty of us back then. Since our nuns lived on providence my mother used to bring what she had to spare we weren't wealthy but once she brought four of her best chickens and my sister put them in this room where she forgot to tell the man about them. They were locked up for a long time without food and water, they must have been laying eggs and eating them to survive, I know it was a month when someone remembered about them, you know what they lived. Some more of what I can remember next time.

Just something about me

I just want to share a little bit of my childhood. When I was about nine years old I was sitting in front of our house with my mother. It is tradition to sit in front of your house watching people walking by and saying hello to the passers by while knitting or munching on peanuts or seeds of any kind. It was a fine day and at some point my mum asked me if I wanted to go to the nuns, I said yes straight away it was kind of fashion back then. She was telling me are you sure you want to go I said yes, yes, She said I will take you Saturday. She was saying you will not have to walk to school and she was less scared that a car will hit us that we were safer there. I remember the day she took us, oh! she also took my younger sister she was seven at the time, we were walking in front of a small church on our way there. As we got there big iron gates that we had to go through and a big entrance door. Mum rang the bell and a small hunchback lady called Marinton opened and she showed us the chairs to wait for a nun to come. I don't remember what my mum said to the nun but we said good bye to my mother kissed her hand as that was what she thought us and the nun took us in. I don't remember what we did then but I do remember when they were doing our beds. I saw them putting our beds together and the put plastic on the beds as soon as I saw that, I told her we don't pee in our beds you know, the nun told me here you don't say pee you say toilet. They gave us a number mine was 5 well this was an important number to remember we had a big wardrobe and in under my number they place my belongings. We would try uniforms because people paid the nuns for us to go to funerals, so on our dresses we would have a number to let them know which one was ours and white hats with dark blue ribbon we looked so smart like in the Tv show Madeline.  I cried a little that day because my mother told me that my other two elder sisters were going to stay with us if she hasn't said anything I wouldn't have. So on Sunday or Monday my two elder sisters came to join us there. We used to get up around six or six thirty I think, we had to wash our face, teeth and do our beds the very young ones got help from the elderly girls to help with beds. Then we will go to a small chapel which I loved so much and we had mass after that we will go downstairs and have breakfast. Our breakfast was coffee with bread and butter and on special occasion chocolate. Milk was dry powdered milk. We were all allocated chores from a four year old to maybe seventeen year old. What would a four year old do you may ask? well she had to sweep the stairs. Then after we had a school we will go to classes. This place we were in was huge there were also boarders they paid to stay there they didn't do chores as far as I know. So in there, there was part for boarders and few nuns, a small theater and changing room, classes, our tv room, our dining room, the nuns' dining room, two staircases, another room we hardly used, our dormitory, nuns' dormitory, big yard where we played and a big garden we had a gardener too. I will keep on telling you about my time there, they were good times and disciplined but I loved it being there and I loved and respected the nuns deeply for what they have done for us, till next time then stay tuned.

Banana in pyjamas

My youngest daughter told me that, there is a lady that she knew and she was wondering if I could make her banana in pyjama for her grandson. It is a Tv show for kids. I searched for a pattern but I could not find one so I tried it. The first one came good but the head was abit small. The second one I like the head. I did both of them similar technic. If I crocheted them in continuous rounds the lines would also come in spiral instead of straight lines and I didn't want that. I embroidered the eyes. There is improving in both so maybe third time lucky. I still need to make B2 because I gave b2 to my grandson. The stripes came good I like the reverse side too maybe I should do the other one on the reverse side, I will see.

Apron

My daughter asked me if I could make her an apron. She wanted specific material and she wanted to use it for the garden to collect her produce. She wanted a large pocket in the middle. So I looked on you tube and I saw one like this. I saw how it was made and I took notice of all the measurements of how she cut it out and sewed it. It was easy to follow I think I had quarter less then a meter in material. I had just enough it felt good to have bought just enough. I cut the patterns and did all the steps the lady did. It came almost perfect except for the front band. I could have unpicked it but hey it is just for gardening even though I try my best to do everything close to perfect. Sometimes I can't be bothered and let it go.

Banana in pajama

I had an order to make banana in pajama . It is a character from a kid's show. Since I couldn't find a pattern I tried to make one. Now we have to see if she likes it because banana in pajama are two of them called B1, B2. I need to improve it but if she doesn't like it my grandson will love it. The stripes in amigurumi aren't straight so I decided to make it the way I did. Since it is for a baby I embroidered the eyes so it is safe. here is the picture of  Banana in pajama B2 In this photo his head looks skinny but I tried to make it bigger and somehow I thought it didn't look good.

Hairpins for boys

My grandson has long hair so I hate it when his hair is covering his eyes. So my daughter thought we should make him some hairpins for boys. She made him two like robots, trucks and more. I made him this one of course it was her idea inspired from somewhere.I can't show you her hairpins because she gave them away.

My Waldorf doll

Here is my attempt of making a Waldorf doll. I am not very happy with it. It has long torso and that is not what I pictured in mind also the hands look small compared to the body. I think I give up making my own and start follow patterns though  was happy how my other doll came. I'm sure kids won't mind sleeping with this doll. Further down is the picture  I so wanted to make it like.