Xmas Shopping
Today we braved the crowds. Hanka had to work and she wanted Mike to pickup hand painted ornaments for her to give as gifts to her employees. We go along to entertain Marek so TaTa (Daddy) can actually have time to think and concentrate on one thing. This was fine with us as I needed to go to the Tesco market to buy ingredients at the store. Mike drove here and then we walked over to the tram. It was about 35degrees but very damp, almost misting at times.
Mike found the same thing I found a week ago. There aren’t as many handmade items being made and sold. There are several squares or market areas where an individual can rent a stall and sell items. The majority of which used to be handmade items for sale. Now it is mostly knock off perfumes, belts, purses, gloves, boxed Christmas decorations made in China, and thin neck scarves and small crystal/glass items. Almost felt like we were back the in USA…. We hit three market squares before he found what he was commissioned to find.
It turned out to be a good day all around. We learned a new and better way from Vaclava Namesti (Wenceslas Square) to Staromestske Namesti (Old Town Square). We also went to another American restaurant called Oscar’s. Jack found his Christmas present too, a pair of lighter weight gloves. We both thought he had two pair packed. In reality, he only had the heavier gloves along.
I did so-so at the grocery store in Tesco. There is no baking powder or baking soda I could find. Apparently, one of the types of flour is the self rising type. I did find everything to make a strawberry dessert and spinach dip. I cheated and bought a package mix for the peanut butter cookies. So I’m set.
The only thing we didn’t find was a card to put the gift certificate in. The crowd of people around the cards was terrible. The cards with envelopes were all blank on the inside. The cards that had writing on the inside didn’t have envelopes. That I could not understand. The whole rack was that way. I watched for a minute or so to see if people were taking the cards and then finding the envelope elsewhere. No luck. So I gave up. We’ll worry about that tomorrow.
We got back around 3pm so Jack went back to Mike’s to pick up our tree and bring it back. Wait to you see the pictures. It is as cute as can be. I only wish now I brought along a few more decorations. Oh well, I’ll just have to buy a couple. Jack shutters at the thought of going to the city center tomorrow. It’s about 3-1/2 feet tall and almost as big around in the middle. We put it on a box that the vacuum cleaner came in so that it can be seen from outside. We have exactly 20 miniature lights and 14 decorations on it. It really could use another ten, but why buy more for only this one time. My mom had given me an early Christmas present before we left. It is a quilted Christmas wall hanging that is about 12” square with a wooden rod at the top and thick yard attached to hang it with. We put this on the front to somewhat conceal the front of the box the tree stands on.
We had to cut off a few little branches at the bottom so it would fit into the really expensive ($3) tree stand. I put them into a glass and put silver ribbon on them. I have to do a little work on it as it looks a little pitiful. Taking branches and attaching ribbon or a bulb or two is common. The aunt upstairs put two branches into each of the small flower box on the steps. She then put a whole pineapple on top of the branches and arranged a couple of large stones/rocks, unique looking not just an everyday rock, around the pineapple. The combination actually looks good together. A little artistic statement of two opposites?? Pine representing cold and pineapple warmth?
Television
We aren’t sure why, but we are still having problems with the television and Channel 2. It fades out after just a few minutes. No other channel (of the four we get with rabbit ears) does this. Mike showed us how to program the channel. Well I’ve done it over and over almost everyday to no avail. Frustrating as this channel has the best sports and the English news in the morning.
We are thinking of talking the landlord into a new or different one. We don’t need anything elaborate. Jack has gone this long without a remote that he would even go without. I would like that. No flipping of channels has been nice.
Note
We will be sending out this is kind of generic letter to both family and friends. Don’t hesitate to let us know if there is anything in particular you would want to hear about or I haven’t made myself clear on. We have been trying to cover the high points of our trip.
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