look mommie look!

Any of you who have spent much time with my family know cookies-on-a-stick. The first package I received here was a "cookie kit" from my mommie! My roomie K and I are going on a little vacation to the beach this weekend, so true to P. fam style I made cookies for the road trip! These are the first batch I've ever made by myself and they came out true to form (thanks mom for recipe, bags, chocolate chips, twist ties and baggies!). The only major difference was the crushing of the milk chocolate bars pictured above. Most crushing/chopping in the states doesn't happen with these tools, but here we use this almost daily for spices etc.


Our upstairs neighbors often send down plates of food for us, and we return them piled with goodies per custom here. Yesterday they sent us french fries, and today I returned the plate full of fries at lunch. I also sent up some cookies from the baking adventure. Late afternoon they sent down this cute little set up of tea for two to roomie K and I. It included a tray, two glasses, and a thermos full of yummy tea, and "cornbread." Hospitality at a new level!

FISH!

These are pics from one of my favorite places here. It's on the roof of a building in the fish market. You buy fish and bring it here -they fry it up in amazing seasonings and serve it with bread, french fries, veggies and dipping sauce on newspaper- yummy! (The large round bread is torn and used as your utensil to eat up!)

Happy S.A. Fest!

Hey Family!! Just wanted to post a quick note to let you know I'm thinking of you today as you 'reunion' in Michigan. Hope everyone has a great time, and I love you all!

HAPPY S.A. FEST!

new bling

These are baltos - we are commonly found in these long, black robes w/ colorful scarves and bandanas. Today I went to the market and bought a new one. My definition of "bling" has changed a bit in the last month! Below are pics of the ends of the sleeves on my new balto!



On a not so light note, I have been hearing sad news from the place that was my catalyst in getting to where I am now, and I am sad for my friends there. They've been through a lot the last couple years. Please ask that He will use this for good. For all of you who shared those times with me please know that I am lifting up you, our friends still there and our beloved city.

Mountain Lunch

A bunch of us went up on the big mountain for lunch at an outdoor restaurant and it was YUMMY! We ate for 2 bucks a pop and left quite satisfied and having enjoyed a gorgeous view. My roomie, A, and I in the middle pic probably enjoyed the bread a bit much! Considering this road, it's probably best I don't drive here (and taking into account my limited experience with the stick shift...!)

Bjork and my crazy flat...

Tonight in my house we were playing the lovely game of Phase 10 and listening to one of my favorite set lists – “jkids hit the road.” Along came a song called “Leaving on a Jet Plane” as done by Bjork and Jewel. So I announce to my roomies who were singing along, “Hey, this is Jewel and Bjork!” My roomie, K, says, “really?! That name is kind of dorky.” Oh the shock to my system – Bjork – dorky?!?! So I ask, “Do you know who Bjork is?” and K replies, “No, I don’t know who he is.” Again, shocked! We had many a laugh over that. And for all of you who love Bjork too, I did play some good songs for them to introduce. She has since informed me that sounds like a Swedish “man name” and her opinion hasn’t changed,. Oh well, I tried! Bigger fish to fry I suppose. Okay, now she wants you all to know she didn’t dislike the music, just the name. What’s in a name? Well, when it’s Bjork, apparently a lot because this has now turned into a long conversation about roses, smelling sweet, ESL (maybe they know ‘over there’ her name sounds like dork too), and name recognition. Hope your evening was stimulating as mine.

I told roomie A the power has been out for a long time and she said, well that all depends on what time it went out. Hmmm…think about that for a little while if the above wasn’t enough to keep you going for a long time. Now A is clamoring for an addendum (but just b/c she likes the word) so you know the above was very out context and she was in the middle of writing an email so wanted to give me a short and sweet statement to remind me that actually none of us can remember what time it went out. Now A says she must shut up while I’m blog updating or anything silly will make it on here.

I love my flat.

Roomie P says, “Khalos, enough” and breathed a sigh of relief at avoiding the above type paragraph devoted to her.