Incoherent Scribblings

Stitching: The Universal Language

Well, I am back from Bulgaria! I will be writing about my adventures this week over at my main blog, so please join me there if you want to hear about my vacation.

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As Murphy’s Law would have it, the weather wasn’t entirely cooperative while we were in Bulgaria. I was able to spend a little time at the beach, but it also rained part of the time we were there. Because Sozopol is mainly a beach resort, if it rains and you can’t go to the beach, there isn’t a lot else to do.

But… I was prepared! Not only did I take a book (The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory… which I finished), I also took along some stitching. Though I didn’t stitch as much as I normally do, I was able to get a good start on “Purr-pendicular” by Margaret Sherry.

The first day that it rained hubby was also conferencing, so I decided it would be a perfect time to start on my stitching. I was stitching away when housecleaning came. I am not terribly chatty with strangers in the first place, but when the staff speaks little English (or German for that matter), I decided it was easier to continue to stitch while they were cleaning than try to make conversation.

As they were cleaning, one of the ladies saw what I was doing. She started speaking very animatedly in Bulgarian and so I showed her what I was working on. (Keep in mind I had just started the project and had only been working on it for about an hour when she saw it. It was just a little yellow blob.) I then showed her the model and told her that was what it would look like when it was finished. I doubt she understood a word of what I said to her (the other lady was the one that spoke a little English), but when she saw what would become of what I was working on, she seemed impressed.

A couple of days later, hubby and I were in the room when the cleaning ladies came again. I had done quite a bit more work on “Purr-pendicular” by that time and was going to show the lady my progress, but before I could get it out, she asked (via the other lady) if she could see my “tapestry.” (I love that they called it a “tapestry!” I love those old tapestries and I felt so cultivated to be working on a tapestry.) From her expression, she was pleasantly surprised with what I had accomplished in that time.

Hubby teased me about being a stitching show-off for the rest of the time we were there, but I didn’t care. I always love it when someone admires my work.

I only wish I could show it to her when I am finished…