The First Crusade...

Hi all,

Well, the First Crusade was a sucky thing, along with the 2nd, 3rd, Children's, etc. However, I am referencing my first trip out of the village alone! When housemom suggested it this morning - a jaunt over to the local IGA (with a villager, which didn't happen...) and then the co-op - I think a slightly stricken look might have passed over my face. I'd imagined my first trip out with a carload of people, with another co-worker riding shotgun to shout out speed limits/traps and let me know the way. However, I have been paying attention, and with just a simple route confirmation I was underway. (Though it took me 15 minutes to garner the gumption!)

The drive was pretty uneventful. I enjoyed listening to the radio and learned two interesting tidbits. The first (and actaully relevant...) was that the tri-state area would be in a severe-weather warning until this evening (it was around 10:30 AM), and the second was from a liquor store. I learned about how they stabilize the cream in Bailey's by homogenizing it with vegetable oil in order to bond with the whiskey, which in turn keeps it from spoiling. The shelf-life is two years, although it should be consumed 6 months within opening. Thinking about the bottles I've seen that have been languishing in my parent's liquor cabinet, this concerns me slightly.

However, as I said, the forecast predicted snow (and possibly freezing rain! YUCK!). I wandered around feeling like an idiot (like everyone (?) does their first time in a new grocery store) but managed to find almost everything, and the empty spots for things I couldn't. I made it back to the village and co-op and then home in time for lunch! A very successful first-trip out!

Sometime during my rest hour, I discovered as I came out, approximately 4 inches of snow had fallen. Outside has been transformed into a beautiful winter wonderland. The snow was moist and heavy, it squeaked under my boots. It was the only thing you could hear, as sound was blanketed under the still-softly-falling snow clusters. It snowed right up until dinner time, so I got to walk back in it as well.

Work was so-so. It was order day, so I kept us marching along with getting stuff priced, stamped and organized. I had to leave the room, however, when the topics of babies was brought up. Another person in the village is expecting (privacy, what?) and someone from their house was going on about it. It took several interesting turns ('You have to be married to have a baby' , 'What if I had a baby', 'What if Steph had a baby', etc) and all the positives to negatives (earplugs...) were discussed in detail. Eww. Babies.

Snacktime (and eating in general) has been interesting lately due to me being down about 2 senses. Though my nose isn't clogged up usually, I have no sense of smell and also no sense of taste. (Which I appreciated for the squash soup last night...) This is interesting, because I can still sense a little - my mint gum had cool vapors and the spicy soup tonight had a little burn in it, but other than that I'm completely oblivious. Eating has become a bit boring. It's also a bit hilarious because it means that I'm truly a texture-eater right now...

I came home to housemom and the kids playing in the snow. Housemom convinced the other co-worker (from India...he was enchanted as well...) to look up under one of the bushes. When you ducked under it, it was like being a snow house. As I took my turn, I muttered "How can I tell that this is all going to fall on me?". When it did.

I didn't suspect foul play until Housemom grabbed hold of the other co-worker and said "You want to take him out?!" Luckily, my hood had been up, but I'd still gotten a liberal dousing.
The look on his face when she let go of him and I foot-ball tackled him to the ground was apparently priceless - I very much doubt he's ever been tackled into the snow, much less by a girl. (I blame these physical impulses on having three brothers... : P )

Finally, we still don't know who the incoming co-worker will be. Apparently there was a meeting yesterday (not the community meeting), but no one was really interested. Admittedly, we're looking for a medicine giver, but that doesn't have to be the deciding criteria. Also, I'm pretty sure that the majority of people are at least comfortable (if not downright happy) in their current placements, so it's not extremely surprising. So maybe we'll have to wait afterall?
That'd be very preferable to having someone forced against their preference...

Hope all is well,
Steph

PS Dear Mom and Dad, my Tequila has no expiration...and I'll be back for it.