I spent the morning with a couple of my Karen friends. First we took the now-familiar routes to the DSS office and the refugee support office, where we sought answers to some questions. Then they suggested a trip to the Asian supermarket. "No problem," I said, "Can you direct me?"
They laughed. "Not know the way! Not know the street! It not far from here..."
A call to a relative revealed that the street was Central Avenue, which was actually very far from there - but no matter. We took a drive and came to an emporium of Asian edibles. Half an hour later my friends loaded up the car with delicacies - vacuum-packed anchovies and chicken hearts and such - which should keep them going for a while. I'm not a huge fan of Burma's cuisine (towards the end of my six-month stint there I rather lost the will to eat anything, and came home thin as a stick). My Karen friends are equally resistant to the American diet - they can't think of anything less appetising than pizza (cheese, ugh) and cannot understand why they are always being offered cookies, when a plateful of rice with fermented fish sauce is so much tastier.
Meanwhile next week our family will be attending an International Food Festival at the Girl's school, and we have to take along a British treat. As I'm not prepared to waste our precious and dwindling supply of Marmite, we're thinking chips [fries] with salt 'n' vinegar. Wrapped in newspaper, of course. Or do any of you have a better suggestion?
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Knowing me, knowing...who?
Yesterday in Hannafords I smiled and said hi to a woman about my age. I knew that I knew her, even though I wasn't sure why, or who exactly she was. She half-smiled back at me, obviously wondering who the heck I was, too.
A few minutes later she tapped me on the shoulder in the dairy produce aisle. "Now I know! You're [Albaniana], aren't you!" I admitted that this was true, and then confessed that although I recognised her face I couldn't place her.
"I'm J's neighbor," she explained, "And I also know you from the..."
"...Fair Trade thing!"
"Yes!"
We parted, most satisfied, though agreeing that we both must be "in that phase of life."
When I got home I started reading the book that I'd eagerly bought (at a bargain discount) in Barnes & Noble earlier in the day. I was very pleased to have found it, because I knew I'd been wanting to read it. But after a page or two... I realised I already had. I do now have a vague memory of having borrowed it from the library about a year ago. Oh dear - seems like I'm well and truly "in that phase".
Oh well. I'm enjoying the book again - The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J.Jacobs. Fun, if nerdy Jewish humour is your thing. But perhaps you already knew that - I can't rule out having blogged about it before...
A few minutes later she tapped me on the shoulder in the dairy produce aisle. "Now I know! You're [Albaniana], aren't you!" I admitted that this was true, and then confessed that although I recognised her face I couldn't place her.
"I'm J's neighbor," she explained, "And I also know you from the..."
"...Fair Trade thing!"
"Yes!"
We parted, most satisfied, though agreeing that we both must be "in that phase of life."
When I got home I started reading the book that I'd eagerly bought (at a bargain discount) in Barnes & Noble earlier in the day. I was very pleased to have found it, because I knew I'd been wanting to read it. But after a page or two... I realised I already had. I do now have a vague memory of having borrowed it from the library about a year ago. Oh dear - seems like I'm well and truly "in that phase".
Oh well. I'm enjoying the book again - The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J.Jacobs. Fun, if nerdy Jewish humour is your thing. But perhaps you already knew that - I can't rule out having blogged about it before...
Monday, March 5, 2012
Stepping things up
A few months ago the Girl had a go at synchronised swimming. She enjoyed it up to a point, but ultimately decided that it wasn't for her. However, she's not averse to trying another slightly non-standard pursuit, and recently agreed to sign up for a taster course in Irish step dancing.
The first class was tonight. I was tempted to hang around and watch, but of course didn't subject my daughter to that indignity. But the teacher seems nice, and a class of five girls feels like a good number. We'll see how it goes.
Back at home, I'm trying to make serious inroads into breadmaking. I've decided to eschew that kneadlessly simple business in favour of more traditional methods, so I've borrowed The River Cottage Bread Handbook from the library. It's by Daniel Stevens, who is enthusiastic about bread in a very engaging way. His enthusiasm even extends telling you how to build your own wood-fired bread oven in the back garden, which may be taking things a tad far for me at this stage. He is, luckily, quite pragmatic and in his instructions does allow for readers who have just an ordinary oven. I've yet to fully master the art of bread, but I'm enjoying the attempts (and - yum - the freshly-baked smell wafting through the house).
The first class was tonight. I was tempted to hang around and watch, but of course didn't subject my daughter to that indignity. But the teacher seems nice, and a class of five girls feels like a good number. We'll see how it goes.
Back at home, I'm trying to make serious inroads into breadmaking. I've decided to eschew that kneadlessly simple business in favour of more traditional methods, so I've borrowed The River Cottage Bread Handbook from the library. It's by Daniel Stevens, who is enthusiastic about bread in a very engaging way. His enthusiasm even extends telling you how to build your own wood-fired bread oven in the back garden, which may be taking things a tad far for me at this stage. He is, luckily, quite pragmatic and in his instructions does allow for readers who have just an ordinary oven. I've yet to fully master the art of bread, but I'm enjoying the attempts (and - yum - the freshly-baked smell wafting through the house).
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Iced treats
Another big day for the Girl, appearing in her second ice show. This time she was on twice, in a solo similar to the one she did for her first show, and with two other girls (and hats) skating to Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal. She did well again, coping with a delayed start to her music (technical difficulties) in both pieces. She didn't seem too nervous, though she was a lot chattier afterwards than before. In general, though, she's getting to be quite the old hand.
The rest of the show was good. Just about every Albany Figure Skating Club member performed, from absolute beginners to actual professionals, so we got to see a very broad range of abilities. The audience responded with equal enthusiasm whatever the level, which was lovely.
I didn't watch as many of the acts as I'd have liked because I'd volunteered to work the baked goods stall. Skaters are a skinny lot on the whole, but apparently it's not for want of cookies and cupcakes - we were coining it all afternoon.
The rest of the show was good. Just about every Albany Figure Skating Club member performed, from absolute beginners to actual professionals, so we got to see a very broad range of abilities. The audience responded with equal enthusiasm whatever the level, which was lovely.
I didn't watch as many of the acts as I'd have liked because I'd volunteered to work the baked goods stall. Skaters are a skinny lot on the whole, but apparently it's not for want of cookies and cupcakes - we were coining it all afternoon.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Snowbody's business
Later in the day, the Man and I had a squelchy walk at Five Rivers, along paths that had turned into puddles.
Among the wildlife we spotted deer and geese - have a gander at these footprints:
The Girl, meanwhile, spent the whole day in Troy at something called "Genericon" - a convention for people who, erm, like dressing up as video-game characters. She and a bunch of her friends were there until late last night, too. We haven't learnt a lot about it, except that there were shopping opportunities, and it was all (apparently) very fantastic and exhausting.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Bagging an owl
Whether or not I'm expected to appear at the event as an owl remains to be discussed...
Snow - much rejoicing
It snowed all day today, from morning until night - that's more like it! Schools were closed across the region, so lots of children were happy. Of course, as is so often the way, the roads round us were perfectly passable by mid-morning so our local schools could have got away with just a delayed start. But, what the heck. It was snowing!
We don't appear to have accumulated much more snow than fell yesterday, however. It turned into the heavy wet stuff, and that presses down what's already there rather than adding more fluffy inches. But again, what the heck. The scene outdoors is still wintry white, for as long as it lasts.
In other news, the Girl has her hat (perhaps more of a trilby than a fedora - near enough though).
We don't appear to have accumulated much more snow than fell yesterday, however. It turned into the heavy wet stuff, and that presses down what's already there rather than adding more fluffy inches. But again, what the heck. The scene outdoors is still wintry white, for as long as it lasts.
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