Calendar Poodle SAL

Monday, February 26, 2018

Huge Success

Hi friends! Thank you so much for your kind compliments on my last piece, The Italian Baker. I gave it to the real Italian Baker, and oh my!, what a reaction. He was just speechless. He is 75 years old now. He is celebrating 50 years of being in business now. That is why I stitched that for him. When I came in with Brian to work at 11:30 p.m. he was so extremely puzzled to see me. Brian told him my wife has something for you. He said, "You made this for ME?" Long silence. "My hair is standing up!" "I cannot  believe it!" "Oh, thank you. Thank you."

He then proceeded to invite us to the family 50th Anniversary party on Sunday. We went. There was a lovely table set with two heaping  platters of  many assorted cookies. In the center there was a beautiful three tiered white and gold 50th anniversary cake. Next to this cake was..... my cross stitch on display! I was so surprised. All of his daughters stopped to thank me. The Italian Baker once again thanked me. What a warm, fuzzy feeling I got.😍

Wanna know something fun? The Italian Baker plays the accordion. We went back upstairs, but we could hear him play.😉

Last night after the shop closed, and we walked past with the dogs, what did we see? Oh my! My  cross stitch of the Italian Baker! It sits facing out, towards the end on top of the long counter/display cases. Exactly where I can perfectly look in as I pass when taking the dogs on their daily walks.

Last week I finished listening to a very looooong audio book called The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer. Wow! I loved this book. Thank you for this recommendation Carol.😉
Julie Orringer’s astonishing first novel, eagerly awaited since the publication of her heralded best-selling short-story collection, How to Breathe Underwater (“fiercely beautiful”—The New York Times; “unbelievably good”—Monica Ali), is a grand love story set against the backdrop of Budapest and Paris, an epic tale of three brothers whose lives are ravaged by war, and the chronicle of one family’s struggle against the forces that threaten to annihilate it.

Paris, 1937. Andras Lévi, a Hungarian-Jewish architecture student, arrives from Budapest with a scholarship, a single suitcase, and a mysterious letter he has promised to deliver to C. Morgenstern on the rue de Sévigné. As he falls into a complicated relationship with the letter’s recipient, he becomes privy to a secret history that will alter the course of his own life. Meanwhile, as his elder brother takes up medical studies in Modena and their younger brother leaves school for the stage, Europe’s unfolding tragedy sends each of their lives into terrifying uncertainty. At the end of Andras’s second summer in Paris, all of Europe erupts in a cataclysm of war.

From the small Hungarian town of Konyár to the grand opera houses of Budapest and Paris, from the lonely chill of Andras’s room on the rue des Écoles to the deep and enduring connection he discovers on the rue de Sévigné, from the despair of Carpathian winter to an unimaginable life in forced labor camps and beyond, The Invisible Bridge tells the story of a love tested by disaster, of brothers whose bonds cannot be broken, of a family shattered and remade in history’s darkest hour, and of the dangerous power of art in a time of war.

Expertly crafted, magnificently written, emotionally haunting, and impossible to put down, The Invisible Bridge resoundingly confirms Julie Orringer’s place as one of today’s most vital and commanding young literary talents.
I am stitching on BBD Pumpkin Farm once again.

I appreciate your prayers. The pain has been increasing. The nerve must really, really be getting pinched severely.  I am counting down the days til my surgery. It is on the 15th.

Have a good day my friends! Thank you for stopping by.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

28 comments:

Carolien said...

O dear Vickie,

How awful, this pain! I hope the surgery will help you so much ...
What a lovely follow up of your lovely gesture for the Italian baker :)

Have a great day & love, Carolien

Stasi said...

It's always so nice when someone appreciates the work involved in your gift.
I hope your pain subsides soon...hang in there!

LaNelle said...

It was a treasure that you gave Vickie...and he was so appreciative ♥️ Always a great feeling to have our needlework loved...take care will pray the pain eases up...blessings 🌷🌷

marly said...

I thought he would love it! Seems the older folks appreciate handwork more and he is obviously touched by your work.

I can't follow stories that include historic or political backgrounds, never could, don't know why.

Halland House Gifts said...

What a wonderful story ending to your gift. We stitchers know to always be careful who receives our stitches, but when it’s right it’s just fabulous. I’ve downloaded The Invisable Bridge. Just a little scared here with just under 28 hours of audio, but I’m ready to give it a go. Judy

Stitchy Mc Floss said...

Sending prayer your way sweet friend. :) What a wonderful response to your heart gift you gave him. He truly is stitch worthy. :) Blessings to you always sweet friend.

Robin in Virginia said...

Vickie, what a treasure you created for your Italian baker and what a fabulous response from him and his family. I am sorry your pain is increasing; you continue to be in my prayers.

Justine said...

I must have missed your Italian baker stitch, I'm a bit behind with blog reading. I'm glad your gift was appreciated. What an achievement half a century is!
I'm praying your surgery is a success, not too long to wait now.

CalamityJr said...

It’s so special when you know someone appreciates your gift so very much. Enjoy the love! I’ll be praying that your pain lessens and that the surgery will be successful. Hang in there, my friend.

Clare-Aimetu said...

How lovely-it was so kind and thoughtful of you to stitch for him. I hope the pain isn't too bad.

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

How wonderful that your gift was so appreciated Vickie and is on display where it can admired by everyone.
I will keep hou in my thoughts on the 15th,especially.

diamondc said...

Vickie: What an honor to have your design on the table with the cake and cookies and then in the store for all to see.
Your book sound very interesting.

Blessings
Catherine

Jenny said...

Oh Vickie....I am just so happy that your gift was such a success and so very much loved! Isn’t wonderful when all the effort we put into something handmade is so very much appreciated! I am so glad that you will be able to see and enjoy your gift every day!

My dad and his twin brother played the accordion and I think that is one of my favorite memories!

I am praying for you my friend that this surgery will take away this pain! I too am counting down the days with you!

Sending hugs and love your way!

butterfly said...


You gift must have been a wonderful success , so kind of you.
Sorry you are still in pain , you are still very much in my prayers my sweet friend.

Brigitte said...

So sorry to hear that the pain is still increasing. So good that you already have an appointment for the surgery.
Oh, there was no doubt that the Italian baker would love the gift you stitched for him :)) Handmade gifts are such a wonderful expression of appreciation for someone.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely reaction to your gift piece! :) I'm so happy for you!
I'm sorry that your pain is increasing, you are in my thoughts.

Hugs,
Lili

Vicki said...

The Italian Baker's response is just so awesome! Your kindness was much appreciated not only by him, but his family - very cool. I'm so hopeful that your surgery will resolve your pain issues...

Carol said...

You just never know how people will react when you give them a stitched piece, but your baker friend's reaction sounds perfect! How nice that you were invited to the celebration and that his family also thanked you.

Glad you enjoyed the book, Vickie--I did, too, and learned a lot about the role of Hungary in WWII...

I hope these next two weeks pass quickly--hang in there!

RJ said...

So happy the Italian baker was so pleased with his stitch. You did such a great job Vickie. I knew he would love it. You must have felt so good seeing it on display. So what is your favorite thing to get from the bakery? I bet the smells coming out of his store are just wonderful. Prayers being said for you my friend. RJ

rosey175 said...

That pink noodle poodle! That would make a super cute towel embroidery.

It sounds like the anniversary party was a wonderful success! I can just imagine your fuzzy feelings over their gratitude. And to have it displayed in the shop window! "My hair is standing up" is an interesting phrase. Does he mean like those happy goosebumps?

Pain, pain, fly AWAY! *wooshing motion with airplane hands*

MartinaM said...

Oh Vickie, I am very happy for you, because you have hit him directly with your embroidery work in the heart. This is something that will last forever.
I keep my fingers crossed for you, that you can survive the few days until the operation.
Big hugs, Martina

Beth said...

Wonderful that your gift was so well received!

Julie said...

So lovely that you sparked such a fabulous reaction with your kindness.
Love and {hugs} xx

Kaisievic said...

Vickie, I hope that the surgery goes extremely well and that you will be pain free soon. Thanks for the audio book review, although I looked on Audible and I couldn't find it there. :(

Von said...

What a sweet response from the baker for your gift!

Praying that your pain is tolerable until your surgery. What a trial this has been for you, my friend.

Lillie said...

You must have made his day with your adorable little baker stitching.
Praying your surgery goes well and a speedy recovery. Take care !

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

What a fantastic reaction to your stitching! It is wonderful to be able to make someone so happy with your craft.

Astrids dragon said...

I'm way behind on my reading, so I'm jumping in here to start commenting!
Isn't it wonderful when you make something for someone special and they are so surprised and appreciative for it?! How special that you were included in their celebration. And it's on display? Even better!
The 15th will be here before you know it, I'm praying you can hang on until then! Sending hugs...