Birthday

Having birthday in July is cumbersome. In Poland it was in the middle of summer holidays, if celebrated, then in random place and company.

In Australia it is in the middle of the winter, same story. Memorable was my 50th birthday. I decided to celebrate it at Mt Buller. I went there for one week, my Family came just for my birthday, plus I had few random guests, inhabitants of the ski lodge. But important thing happened three days before. There was a blizzard, they closed all ski lifts. Resigned I went to ski hire to return skis I could not use. They offered me some back-country skis.

Where could I ski on these? - I asked.

Every where - was the answer.

It was prophetic. In the next many years, I participated in cross-country ski marathons in 17 countries.

But today, there was very little snow in the mountains, but beautiful sun in Melbourne. Yesterday, on Sunday, I made a bike tour in company of some 10 friends. It ended with coffee and cake in our home. I prepared a poster for the ceremony. Guess from it how old I am?

.. Sylvia baked a cake. This is sharing duties.

Today, I went for some swim. 50 years ago, it was my favourite sport, I even competed in University club. Nowadays I run out of breath after one length of the pool. But today I swam 1000 m. In 9 instalments. Still it was a nice effort and nice memories.

Winter

Winter is coming slowly. Most of July there was cold but minimal snow falls. Lately we had mixture of both.

Last Saturday (17/07), I accompanied Michael and his family in snow play in Lake Mountain.

First, Michael transported Matilda on his back...

Then we tried to build a snowman and an igloo.

Felix invented a modernized version, with a glass roof. As a material we used ice sheets from the frozen creek...

During drive from Melbourne, Felix told me:

- I know how to ski, I saw it on TV.

I think it was not so much TV , but his ballet training which helped him to cope quite well with icy snow and slippery skis.

But playing on toboggan was most enjoyable.

2006 - Chamonix - Language of Faith

Last Sunday in Chamonix, we went to the Catholic Mass. Mass was read in French.

I still remember Latin masses from my childhood. The choir sang: .. Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine, and I whispered - Domine Jesu Christi. I had real faith at that time.

How different associations I have for words - Lord Jesus...

Actually, Lord Jesus means nothing to me, just words. But in Polish - Panie Jezu - that means a wooden figure of troubled Christ.

German - Herr Jesus - appears to me in business dress, with briefcase. A clerk ready to run with me through a list of my credits and faults.

Italian - Signore Gesu - is a Father of Sicilian Family. Smiles to me and extends to me his hand to be kissed.

And here I heard - Seigneur Jesu. Seigneur? I saw a medieval noble chevalier, on horse, in glittering armor. His head was bare, long blond hair were falling on his shoulders.

- Seigneur Jesu - I whispered. The rider turned head towards me, smiled, there was attention and encouragement in his face.

What a pity I coud not speak French.

2006 - Tour of Mt Blanc

Two weeks of September I spent walking around Mt Blanc together with my sister in law.

Detailed report is HERE.

2006 Poland - Haircut

I have a very simple haircut, just very short and follow the shape of mu skull, but not as simple as crew-cut. Somehow, Australian hairdressers have problem with it. As a result, my wife cuts may hair with scissors.

I called to a small hairdressing shop close to where I lived. There were few ladies waiting.

- How long will I have to wait?

- Just simple cut? - asked the female hairdresser.

- Yes.

- Agnes, come here - she commanded. Young girl appeared, who was previously sweeping the floor.

- Cut gentleman's hair up to there - she made sort of karate chop just over my ear.

In two minutes, the initial cut was ready.

- Excuse me madam for a minute - said the hairdresser to her client and turned to me. She grabbed a cutting machine and buzzed a while around my head. She blew into my hair. I opened my eyes.

Wow! It was it! It was MY HEAD!

How did she know? Am I really so easy to be recognized?

2006 - Poland - Girls on the train

Girl cries.

Central train station in Warsaw. I looked through newspapers in a news agency when I heard:

- I bought a while ago a pack of cigarettes, where are they?

- Yes? - says the selling girl.

- I told you clearly. Where are cigarettes which I bought!

- I do not know. I serve customers, do not check what they've done with goods they bought.

- I have a train in few minutes. Give me quickly cigarettes for which I paid!

The girl ignores him. After a while he returns with more outspoken friend.

- Please give immediately the cigarettes..! I will block the queue..! Who stole cigarettes??

I got angry with this noise.

- Please, do not shut so much. If your goods were stolen, then call the police.

- Do not make idiot of me! - He threw me a hateful look.

I go out and look for some police or security. In vain. The young men did not succeed either. They came to me:

- Shame on you! Old man and against young.

I looked up in the ceiling. They went away swearing. I looked back into the shop. The girl cried. I felt very helpless.

Girl laughs.

- What time have you started a working day? - I asked a conductor in the train to Bialystok.

- At 4 am. I work 12 hours. Will finish at 4 pm.

- Hard work.

- Not at all. Very good job. I could have retired earlier but did not want. But now they will retire me in few months.

- And you will be free.

- What for this freedom? What will I be doing? I live in the forest - her eyes brighten. In the deep forest, you cannot imagine how deep. But what I could do there? I will move to my mother. She is 83 but still does everything around herself. And my grandpa - you know? He died when he was 96. Yes, 96. On Sunday he still went to the church. Because he was so thin as you. And on Tuesday he died.

- It was a good death.

- Because he did not visit any doctors. If you do not see doctors, you die fast and light. Otherwise, you suffer for years.

Girl rebels.

Return train to Warsaw.

- What a fantastic youth we have. In the next carriage there is a group of schoolgirls. When they learned I am a teacher, they invited me to play bridge. How joyful and cheerful they were.

- Are you happy to return to work?

- You must be joking! After work I have to spend same time giving private lessons to make ends meet. And now we have this new minister and his education changes. I am only waiting for kids to organize some demonstration. I will join them!

Girl questions.

Warsaw metro. I read the daily paper.

- What are they writing today?

- I do not know, just looked through sport columns.

- Are you only reading about sport or doing it?

- I am trying to do.

- What sport?

- Cross country skiing.

- O, this is a good sport. And I played volleyball. Yes, mister. I even played in the World Championship. In Paris in 1953. Well, it was only universities championship. But still world championship.

- This is a great success.

- Well. It still keeps me healthy. I do not need all this health services. Why should I pay taxes for it if I don't use it? Those who need should pay!

I stayed silent as in such system, I would go bankrupt soon.

- Nice talking to you , mister. I am getting off here, to the cemetery. Good bye!

- Good bye

2006 - Warsaw - day 1

It was a long flight. One hour stop in Vienna added to the tiredness. Finally Warsaw. Beautiful weather. I expected a family friend to pick me up from the airport, but he seemed to be late. I felt so impatient, that decided to take taxi to his place, from there we will call him to come back.

Ooops. There was nobody in his flat. What to do? I had no means to contact him, nor to call taxi and return to the airport.

But we lived in this house many, many years ago. There had still to live here some of our old neighbours. But where? There was no list of inhabitants. I sat on the bench and waited patiently until some familiar face showed up. Here he was, on the balcony on the third floor.

- Hello neighbour! Do you remember me?

- To be honest, I do not remember.

- Oh, we lived here 24 years ago. On the ground floor. You must remember my wife.

- Aha, now I recognise you. Come in.

After half an hour all confusion has been sorted out and I was delivered to my destination. I got new shot of energy. Quickly, shower, change dress, go to the City. Around me everything so well known and so new. I landed at the square in front of The Royal Castle where I met some friends. We went together to a restaurant serving traditional Polish dumplings. Tiredness returned. I was driven home during a violent storm and beautiful lightnings. What a good start!