Crochet, Embroidery and Nitpicking

When i was living with my MamaLola and Lolo, with Manit and Tita Lyds, summer afternoon at times were long and tedious.

The heat is burning and there's really nothing to do but sleep until the heat of mid-day gives way to the coolness of the afternoon.

It was during the summer months when Manit is back with us in Lingion and there is really not much for me to do that i would be lying on the floor at the "balkon" (balcony or porch) watching her crochet endlessly.
She would crochet door and window curtains.
My favorite was the peacock design.
When she got tired of the design she'd pull it all apart and then start on another design.

Meanwhile, Tita Lyds would be combing my hair and nit pick.
Oh, yes! Lice was a common thing and almost every day, they'd comb my hair using a "suyod" or "sulod" to get rid of the lice. Then they would make me sit with a pencil and paper so i can draw or practice my alphabet while my hair is picked for nits.
Oooo, how i hated it :-))

It hurts my tender scalp!
But they won't let me have any lice so sit i did.

I remember when i was going to turn 6 and i will have to move to town with my Mamang ang Papang and siblings to go to school.
Mama Lola and Tita Lyds sewed all my uniforms.
Two sets of uniforms.
Navy blue pleated skirts with jumper tops and white blouses with puffy sleeves and baby collar.
And on the snowy white collars my wonderful Tita Lyds embroidered my names.
On the right side it said "Karlyn" and on the left side, "Kaye"
My Mama Lola also made me a couple of white cotton hankies and Tita Lyds embroidered letter "K" on them.

How i tried to keep those hankies!
Even then i was already predisposed to sentimental feelings.
I loved how much they fussed over me and loved me.
Even when they did hurt my scalp for nitpicking.