Across the Pond

We're Back On

2006-02-23T12:49:00.000+02:00

Well, I am finally going to start updating this thing again. Bad me...no updates since July!!!

So...here we go...

Chad, the kids (Nicholas and Joshua) and I have moved to Doha, Qatar and love it here! I understand that we are in for a hot summer where daily temps in the 110's-120's is the norm, but there are tons of malls where we can go to cool off so that is good. Today, it is raining. The first real rain I have seen since arriving here in November. I tried to take the kids out and ended up coming back home. I got to the mall, got out the stroller and parked it between 2 cars hoping the kids would get the least wet that way. Well, they have covered parking here, but apparently where I parked the covering didn't have the ability to keep out the rain. By the time I got out and got my stroller out and Nicholas in it, Joshua's seat was soaking wet with puddles of water so I stuck the kids back in the car and went back home. I will say this...these people tend to drive pretty safe (mostly) in the rain...and they hate puddles. Probably the safest outing since I have been here.

Phone's ringing so I gotta go.

WonderBoobs

2005-06-07T20:10:00.000+03:00

Chad had some friends come in town last weekend. It was a GREAT time. I took them to the airport Monday morning and was witness to something I thought I would never see.

So, there we were driving in the car and we see a couple of women walking along the street on the sidewalk. I glance over and see a boob. Yep, you read that right...a BOOB...as in tit, booby, breast, jug, whatever you choose to call it...there it was in plain sight for all to see. And what do you suppose was attached to this boob but a baby!! Yes!!! This woman (looked like a gypsy) was walking down the street, chatting away with her friend, and nursing her child. The poor kid looked like he/she was barely hanging on. But this woman seemed unphased. She held the kid with one hand and carried on with business as usual. And please don't get me wrong, I was in no way offended by this display of motherhood...just a bit shocked to see it walking down the street. I am actually quite envious of the lady. When I was nursing Nicholas, I had to have my stacks of pillows, shirt completely undone, boobs hanging out everywhere, and trying with all my might not to scream out in pain. There is absolutely no way I could have done what this lady was doing. Cheers to her...and her boobies!!!

A New Job Opportunity???

2005-05-13T20:49:00.000+03:00

I was at Metro (like a Sam's/Costco) today doing a little shopping. My Mom and her girlfriend, Karen, went out to load up the Passat while I stayed behind to pick up a few tasty sweet pastry treats. When I finally made it out to the car there was a guy in uniform talking to the gals. I saw money pass hands and thought "What happened? Did I park in a reserved spot? Did we do something wrong? Why are we (I say "we" but really mean "they") paying him??? When I get to the car the gals are laughing as the guy walks off. "What happened?" They proceed to tell me that one of the items fell off the shopping cart. The guy in uniform was "being nice" and brought it over to them because the fall went unnoticed, and he wanted money for his "good deed" (really he wanted the money to get himself a cup of coffee)!!!! He whipped out a 10,000ROL bill (probably like 30 cents), and they played stupid for awhile but eventually gave in and gave him a 10,000ROL bill. Now I realize that 30 cents is not going to put any one of us in the poorhouse, but it is the idea that this guy actually asked for money for his "good deed". And he probably only asked for 10,000ROL because that was all he had in his pocket. I guess it's a good thing there wasn't anything bigger in there. So, after awhile of reflection, I thought that I could make some money using this guy's idea. Maybe he isn't so crazy afterall. I mean, think about it. How many times have you dropped something out of your shopping cart or left an item at the checkout only to realize it AFTER you get home when it is too late to do anything about it??? I could scope out the checkouts and parking lots, pick up dropped and left behind items, and then give them back to the rightful owners for a small fee. I bet it would add up quickly and before you know it I could run over to Starbucks and get myself a latte without spending a dime of my own money. Not a bad plan...

A True Romanian Driver

2005-05-03T17:22:00.000+03:00

I feel like a real Romanian driver. I went to the school where I am working/volunteering and there was really nowhere to park. So...what did I do?? I parked ON THE CURB!!! Yep. I took up the entire sidewalk. It may seem silly, but I was really proud of myself. I also drove through the center of town which is very busy with all sorts of craziness going on. And I did a marveolous job, if I do say so myself. I feel like I am really getting the hang of this driving thing around here. Now, I will just have to remember to take off my Romanian driver's hat when I go home. I am pretty darn sure they won't appreciate me parking on sidewalks and going down roads where cars just aren't allowed.

Strange But True

2005-04-23T20:04:00.000+03:00

I was getting a taxi to go home today when I saw the most bizzaar thing...a guy was getting in a taxi with 2 dogs. And do you know where the dogs went??? IN THE TRUNK!!!! Yep...the guy put both of his dogs in the trunk fo the taxi. And these weren't even small dogs (not that that would make it any better). One dog was a chow chow and the other was a I dunno what (maybe a mix). So I made up my mind right then and there that I would NEVER take a taxi with my Buster Bear. Can you imagine me stuffing him in the trunk of a car?!?!?!

Sidewalk Short-Cut

2005-04-15T20:30:00.000+03:00

Went to run some errands with my mom today. It was raining and generally yucky outside. When we were finished we hopped in a taxi. The poor taxi driver kept trying all of these short cuts, but everytime he ran into more traffic. So, in a last ditch effort, he decided to cut through this small street, which ended, so he went up in this building parking area (or what looked like a parking area...but it wasn't), that too ended, so he drove on the sidewalk!!! And the really weird thing is that the pedistrians weren't phased by this!!! They just simply stepped to the side to let us by. And when there was a break in the parked cars on the street, he got off the sidewalk and proceeded to take us home.

I decided that one day I will drive around with my video camera and really get a good perspective of all teh crazy stuff that goes on around here. It's crazy and nobody at home will really believe or understand what I am talking about if they don't see it for themselves.

Spring Cleaning

2005-04-13T08:09:00.000+03:00

I am actually recycling this bit of info...I used it for the women's club monthly newsletter I write/organize/put together. I got some pretty nifty tips from friends. So, read on and GET CLEANING!!!!

Aaaaaahhhhhh...spring is in the air. Birds are chirping, trees are getting green, and flowers are blooming. And with spring comes SPRING CLEANING. Time to throw open those windows, clean out those cupboards, and unpack those summer clothes. I love the spring. It’s not yet hot like summer, but it isn’t cold anymore either. So, in honor of spring and spring cleaning, I have decided to devote this issue to cleaning tips. I know I could always use a good tip for getting streak free windows.

* For those having problems with ants in their home, a tip Amy Ciortea learned last year is to sprinkle powdered cinnamon around where they are coming in and leave it there. You can also put some cinnamon sticks around the house. Ants don't like cinnamon... and they will avoid coming inside. Yes, this does mean you have little piles of cinnamon from time to time, but it also means your house smells great and you don't have any crawling creatures all over your furniture, etc. (if you live in an older house like I do and they come up through the floorboards you can just sprinkle cinnamon on the floor and sweep it into the cracks!)

* If you have a scratch on a piece of wood, take a Brazil nut and rub it on the scratch. The nut will imbed itself in the scratch and eventually turn the color of the wood. No more scratch!!

* For streak-free windows and shower stalls, take 1/4-1/2 cup white vinegar and mix it in a bucket half filled with water. Pour solution in a spray bottle for easy application. Spray on glass or shower stall and wipe clean with newspaper or a cotton rag. You can also use a mixture of dishsoap and water.Good-bye streaks...hello sunshine!

* Do your walls need cleaning? Mix 1 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda. Dip in a cotton cloth and wash away the dirt and grime on your walls.

*And we all have that pesky limescale on our sink and shower taps. To get rid of it, mix water and vinegar in a plastic bag. Tie the bag over the tap with a rubber band. Bye-bye limescale!

So there you have it...a few helpful tips to jump start your spring cleaning. Good Luck!!!

I LOVE the tax man!!!

2005-04-12T08:26:00.000+03:00

YIPEE!!! We got our tax return!!! With that lovely annual "bonus" we managed to completely pay off our only credit card and put a big chunk of change in our savings account. Yea us!!! And now that we are DEBT FREE (save for our home mortgage which we plan to have completely paid off in 5-6 years) we can now begin to seriously tackle those financial goals we set for ourselves...otherwise we will be overseas FOREVER!!! So, thanks Mr. Tax Man...we love you!!!!!

6 Month Pictures

2005-04-02T08:34:00.001+03:00

Yea!!!!!! I think I finally did it!!! I found a way to post pictures of Nicholas EASILY on the web for friends and family to see!!!! Below you will find several pictures of Nicholas' 6 month pictures. Next I will post the 7 month pictures. Isn't this fun?!?!?!
Look ma, no hands!

2005-04-02T08:34:00.000+03:00

Off to dreamland.

2005-04-02T08:32:00.001+03:00

I see you!

2005-04-02T08:32:00.000+03:00

Look ma, no hands

2005-04-02T08:31:00.001+03:00

Still holdin' on.

2005-04-02T08:31:00.000+03:00

Holding on for dear life.

2005-04-02T08:30:00.001+03:00

I got one hand up.

2005-04-02T08:30:00.000+03:00

I love being on Daddy's shoulders.

2005-04-02T08:29:00.002+03:00

I'm trapped!

2005-04-02T08:29:00.001+03:00

still stuck

2005-04-02T08:29:00.000+03:00

How do I get outta here?

2005-04-02T08:28:00.001+03:00

I see you, Buster Bear!

2005-04-02T08:28:00.000+03:00

on the move

2005-04-02T08:27:00.002+03:00

What do I do now, mommy?

2005-04-02T08:27:00.001+03:00

Nicholas sees Buster

2005-04-02T08:27:00.000+03:00

Buster sees Nicholas

2005-04-02T08:26:00.002+03:00

Crooked Smile

2005-04-02T08:26:00.001+03:00

Cheese!!!

2005-04-02T08:26:00.000+03:00

I should be in a diaper commercial!

2005-04-02T08:25:00.002+03:00

Lookin' at my Garmmy.

2005-04-02T08:25:00.001+03:00

Who...me????

2005-04-02T08:25:00.000+03:00

Is this close enough?

2005-04-02T08:24:00.001+03:00

6 month dr. visit

2005-04-02T08:24:00.000+03:00

I love to nap on Daddy's lap

Crazy Drivers!

2005-04-01T08:47:00.000+03:00

Ok. I have my car and am totally LOVING my sense of freedom and independence. BUT...the drivers here are CRAZY!!! I am not talking about fast driving, teenage-style recklessness. No siree! I am talking about passing on blind curves and hills, will kill you in a second dangerous driving!! It's ridiculous!! I was driving to my mom's yesterday (now keep in mind that my mom only lives MAYBE 5 minutes from my house) and I was witness to several wreckless acts.

For starters, the roads are crap. Really...worse than any back-road, farm country, dirt road I have ever seen. Pot holes that could swallow 18-wheelers and engulf small towns. They are big, that is true. And there are many of them. True again. BUT...these crazy drivers will swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid these potholes. They won't slow down, they see you coming, and they totally expect you to get over and make room for them...which you do because you are not ready to meet the Almighty just yet.

And then they pass on blind curves and hills. You never know what is just around the corner or on the other side of the hill. It's kinda nerve-racking. So you slow down and are careful, but the guy behind you is impatient and he passes you...on the curve or hill...so if he gets hit, then you get hit too becasue he is now right next to you!!

AND THEN...I was on a 2 lane road turning left to go onto my mom's street (I had my blinker on and everything) and what does this lady behind me do??? She passes me!!! Yep, here I am, ready to turn left and she passes me ON THE LEFT!!! It's a good thing I was watching her or else Nicholas and I would be mush.

So...do I really want to drive in this country full of crazy drivers? Yes I do. Because at least then I have SOME control. Besides, I am REALLY tired of being in taxis who have a complete disregard for road rules and enjoy playing chicken with large busses. I have seen my life pass before my eyes just too many times!

And, thankfully, the weather is getting nicer so we will be able to walk to town. Actually, I think I will enjoy the clear blue skies and walk to town today.

Today's the BIG day...

2005-03-28T13:14:00.000+03:00

Now that I am safely out of my first trimester (I am 19 weeks prego today) and my back has sufficiently healed form picking up darling (yet heavy) Nicholas, I am ready to get back into a workout routine. Due to pregnancy complications, I didn't get to exercise with Nicholas...and it shows...in my legs, butt, arms, etc. So with this one I want to at least do a little bit. Nothing crazy...just a little something to get me moving. So...I talked with darling hubby and decided that I would workout an hour a day while Susana and Nicholas go for their daily walk. Morning is too hard because our machine is upstairs, it's kinda loud and it beeps. It would wake up not only dear hubby, but also sleeping baby. Not good. Evening is equally as bad because Chad gets home at 6:30, we eat, Nicholas gets a bath at 7:30, he's in bed by 8:30 and then it's too late...plus the whole loud and beeping machine problem again. So, at 3:00/3:30 when Susana and Nicholas go for their walk, I will hop on my machine for 20-30 minutes and then do a few other things like squats, leg lifts, and arm curls. There's no one here to interrupt me and I can focus on just me for one hour. I must admit that I am pretty excited about this whole exercise thing. It's been so long and boy, does my sad body need it!!!

It's Official

2005-03-26T19:01:00.000+02:00

Well, it's official...I am now a bonafied stay-at-home mom/housewife.

It wasn't the bulging belly 8 months ago.
It wasn't the 31 1/2 hours of labor.
And it wasn't the fact that I am not working and spend my days taking care of my son, volunteering, and attending club meetings.

Nope. What now qualifies me as a stay-at-home mom/housewife is the fact that today we bought a VW Passat station wagon. Yes, you read that right...we bought a STATION WAGON.

Station wagons are very en-vogue over here. SUV's are few and far between, plus they are very expensive. But we did manage to get a nice car. It's very roomy (has just as much room as my Explorer back home), is automatic (a rare thing here), it has a CD player (now I don't need to listen to crappy Romanian radio...I can jam to my musical CD's), and it has working seatbelts (yet another rarity in this country!!!). We are very excited. My mom and I are sharing the car and we are both more excited than anyone can really imagine. My poor mom has been without a car now for 16 years!!!!!

Tomorrow I will go out and practice driving in this crazy city. And (hopefully) soon I will get my Romanian driver's license.

Independence...here I come!!!!!

Goin' to Hell

2005-03-24T19:07:00.000+02:00

I'm going to hell!! I was at book club (yes, I DO read, Dawn, and NO, we don't discuss People Magazine!!!) today and I ate a cookie with chocolate in it! I totally wasn't even thinking "I can't eat this because I gave up chocolate for lent". Instead, I was thinking "Hey, this has chocolate chips in it. I wonder where Mary got the chocolate chips." Then, I suddently realized "SHIT!!! I'm eating chocolate!!!" So, I am going to hell!! VERY bad me!!! Anyone want me to save them a seat?????

Sad but True

2005-03-13T20:17:00.000+02:00

It's happening...

I swore it wouldn't...

I took precautions to make sure that it didn't..

But it is happening anyway...

I AM TURNING INTO MY MOM!!!!!

I cleaned out my freezer today and do you know what was there?? Frozen vegetables...for soup stock. And leftovers that I didn't want to go bad. And tons of meat. And bread. I always laughed at my mom for freezing EVERYTHING and now I am doing it too!!!

And do you know what else I do that my mom does that I never really understood? I go to the grocery store almost everyday for something. And it doesn't even matter what that something is...fruit, veggies, milk, bread, sodas...it really doesn't matter. I used to go to the store once a week and now I go everyday! Yikes!! Although, to be fair to my mom, I honestly believe she inherited this trait from my grandma so, therefore, I cannot hold my mom completely responsible.

So there you have it...two clear examples of how I am (slowly but surely) turning into my mom. What's next? Being the hostess with the mostest or perhaps it will be not being able to say "No" to anyone and running myself ragged trying to get everything done that I promised everyone and somehow forgetting about taking care of myself. I guess only time will tell.

Here's to you, mom! Cheers!!

When Opportunity Comes A Knockin'...

2005-03-09T17:26:00.000+02:00

...open the door.

I was at craft group last week chatting it up with one of the other wives. She has 2 kids in school here and she was telling me how she pulls out her daughter once a week to give her Am. History lessons because she doesn't want her to go back to the US with absolutely no history lessons. Fair enough. So then we began discussing teaching here vs teaching in the US, what she could do with her daughter and things I did when I taught.

The very next day I got a phone call from the founder of the international school here. This is the school where my friend's children go. Anyway, this lady wants to meet me and discuss having me teach at her school.

Knock...Knock...Knock... (that's opportunity...it's knocking...get it??)

So I met with the head teacher and the founder yesterday afternoon. What they are looking for:

* someone to teach them the "American way" of teaching...integrating the subjects, hands-on activities, group projects, etc.

* someone who is a native English speaker (and if they are a certified teacher then that is a plus...but not a necessity)

* someone to teach a class for a couple of hours a week (I would teach grades 4-6)

* someone to train the teachers at the current international school and the new international school that is opening soon

* someone to help develop and implement the curriculum for this new course/position they are creating

It was a great meeting. Here are some of the perks...

*I would get to make my own hours, help develop a curriculum that I will get to implement, and work with both adults and children.

*The job would be sooooooo much less stress than teaching at home because I would not be responsible for testing and I would only teach once a week.

*There is a nursery there that Nicholas can go to when he turns 1, which is great for him...gets him socializing with other kids his age. I would be right there if anything were to happen, and I think it's free!!

*It would give me a little extra spending money. Now, Romanian teachers only make $200-$250 a month, so when I say a little...I mean a little. But every little bit helps.

*This would help me keep my Am. teaching certificate updated as I would be teaching seminars/workshops to teachers which would give me some CEC's.

*It keeps my foot in the door of education.

*I would learn a lot about working with kids and adults from all over the world.

*I would get to introduce a new way of teaching/learning to parents, teachers, and students. I imagine there will be some resistance, but, hopefully, we will be able to get past that rahter quickly.

*I would learn how teachers teach and students learn in other countries.

I am so excited!! I will begin actually teaching the class in November as I will be gone to the US July-October having my baby. From now until I leave in July, I will go up to the school and work with the founder, head teacher, and the other teachers. They are preparing now for next year so we have a lot of work to do. I have another meeting at the school Monday and (hopefully) at that time they will be able to tell me which subject they want me to teach. I have a feeling it will be American History or Social Studies. At that time they should also be able to give me an idea of exactly what they want/need from me and what my compensation will be. Then we can get to work.

And I must say that it was REALLY nice to be sought after. They came to me...I did not go to them. It's nice to know that I have skills and talents that someone wants to utilize.

This is gonna be a fun adventure!!!

Better Late than Never...

2005-03-07T20:38:00.000+02:00

or so my husband says.

Last night we decided to get on the "right" Catholic path and participate in Lent...albeit a little late. I decided to give up chocolate...Chad is giving up potato chips. This will begin tomorrow morning.

I told a friend about my new endeavor and she is giving up chocolate with me...also starting tomorrow. So, to get in one last bit of delicious chocolate, we went to a mini market and splurged on a chocolate bar. It was YUMMY!!

So, tomorrow will begin 20 days of chocolate free days. Wish me luck!

Pearly Whites

2005-03-06T14:30:00.000+02:00

Nicholas is really cutting some teeth. He has his top left tooth coming in (we can feel it) and then at least 3 more on top and 3 or 4 on the bottom. We can't feel those (yet) but we can definately see them.

In celebration of the new tooth..we (or, rather, Nicholas) tried something new. I had boiled some beets earlier in the week. They were a bit sweet for us so I thought that maybe Nicholas would like them. So, I put them through the mouli rather than the blender (gives him a courser texture so he can practice chewing). And he liked them and he did a great job "chewing"...which was really more like gumming.

And I think tonight we will begin to brush the new little pearly white gem. Did you know that they have a finger toothbrush for tiny little baby teeth??? Kinda looks like the ones for dogs and cats. Anyway, we will give brushing a go tonight and see how it goes.

Aaaaaahhhhhhh...my baby is growing up.

March 1st Legend

2005-03-01T21:07:00.000+02:00

I received this lovely explanation of this interesting Romanian tradition from a lady here in Romania. I was lucky enough to get 2 charms...one from Chad and one from my Dad. Lucky me!!!!

It's the beginning of March, spring is here, and it's again the time of "martisor", a little good-luck charm that boys and men traditionally offer to their beloved girls and women. As you know, it is a Romanian tradition that every year, the first week of March, boys give girls (and men give women) some little signs of love or appreciation, called "martisor"s, which are always attached to red-and-white ribbons. Girls and women usually choose one or two that they like the best and wear them on their blouses or dresses as long as they want. The "martisor"s are pinned close to the heart because they are symbols of love. Some women even wear a whole bunch of them and walk around covered in red-and-white to show how much they are appreciated. Although usually a gift from a man or a boy to his sweetheart, it can be exchanged between women too.

With its red-and-white string it brings a wish of good luck, good health, and good fortune. The word "martisor" (mur-tsee-shor) obviously comes from the Romanian name of the month of March, which is "martie".

The tradition itself goes back at least 2,000 (some say 8,000) years to Thracian and Dacian times. On the first day of March, people wish each other health and happiness and place a decoration made of red and white woolen threads on their clothes or on their wrist. The red and white colors symbolize the snow and the blood from an old story in which far-away parents send a stork to bring a blessing of health to their small child. It also symbolizes the end of winter and the coming of spring. The red and white decorations called "martisor" normally include a charm in the shape of a figurine, or a gold or silver coin. It has also become customary to send love flowers - a bouquet of red and white carnations or roses.

There are many stories about the "martisor". One of them says that the "martisor" comes from the times of Baba Dochia, who was a legendary character. "Baba" means old woman, and her name "Dochia" probably comes from Dacia which, as you must know, was the name of the area that is nowRomania (before the Romans conquered it and transformed it into a province of the Roman Empire). The legend says that in the last days of February, Baba Dochia, who was an evil old woman, sent her daughter-in-law to the river to wash the wool from black sheep and make it white. The poor girl went to the river and washed the black wool but the color didn't change, of course. So she sat down and started to cry. Suddenly, an old man appeared and asked her what happened. She told him everything and the old man (who proved to be God) made the wool change from black to white. The girl took the wool back home to her evil mother-in-law but the old woman was not satisfied and sent the girl into the woods to look for strawberries and bring her some. The girl went to the forest and, naturally, couldn't find any strawberries under the snow. God appeared again and told her to look again more carefully under the snow. She did so and found nice big red strawberries (please note the white/red combination of snow and strawberries). The girl went home and gave her mother-in-law the strawberries. Baba Dochia thought that winter was gone and spring was there so she took her sheep and goats and started up the mountain to the spring pastures. She took a dozen sheepskin coats to keep herself warm on the way. On March 1st she found a coin and made a hole in it, attached it to a ribbon and wore it as a necklace. It was a warm and sunny day when Baba Dochia set off, but freezing rain started in the mountains when she got there. Baba Dochia changed her coats one by one as they got wet. Then, in the ninth day, it started snowing and both the old woman and her sheep and goats were covered with snow, froze to death and changed into rocks. (There is a place on top of our mountains called "Babele" - "The Old Women" - a formation of rocks at 2,000 meters height). It was after Baba Dochia turned into stone that spring finally came. Since then, the white and red "martisor" has symbolized the struggle between the good and the evil, between winter and spring.

The "martisor" was initially a silver coin tied with a red ribbon (again the white/red combination). It was meant to ensure love, beauty, health..."let her be healthy and pure as silver... healthy and strong as the coin... let her face be white as silver... let her be white and red as the flowers... let her face be like a rose... white as milk... red cheeks... " etc.

The "martisor" was kept on until the cherry trees started to blossom. In the end, the ribbon was left on a tree in blossom, or on strawberries, on a rose, on a cherry tree, on a tree with white flowers; the coin, however,was spent on oranges or red wine that the girl drank. Sometimes both the ribbon and the coin were left on a cherry tree, or they were hang by the icon on the wall until the next year. Today, the most common "martisor"s are either the heart or the flower - symbolizing love - or the chimney-sweep or horseshoe or four-leaves clover - symbols of fortune.

That's it. I hope you enjoyed the legend.

2005-02-26T13:49:00.000+02:00

Children are amazing. I always knew this, but I never knew just how amazing they really are until I had one of my own. Everyday is filled with new adventures, new discoveries and and amazing milestones.

Nicholas is growing up so fast. He is 6 1/2 months old and I cannot believe all that he has achieved and learned in such a short amount of time! So I am going to be a mommy and bore you with some of the many ways Nicholas is growing up.

Today, Chad and I noticed a white spot where his top left tooth will be. We can't feel anything yet, but we think it is only a matter of time. At that point, chewing on our fingers will come to an end.

He can sit on his own (for a little bit) and can even pull himself up to a seated position if he is leaning back. And from that seated position he can pull himself up to standing, if he has just a little bit of help.

Nicholas has started to bring his knees under his body and sometimes he will straighten out his legs so it looks like he is doing a pushup. Before long, he will figure out how to move those knees and we are in deep trouble!

And while Nicholas has been picking things up now for quite awhile, I noticed recently that he is grabbing things with his index finger and thumb. Along with this skill he is able to pass things from one hand to the next (something he has been doing for over a month now). AND he can hold his bottle himself...single-handed!!

But perhaps the most endearing thing Nicholas does right now is to lean and reach for people that he likes. While Nicholas hasn't quite gotten to the age where he is scared of strangers, there is definately a different reaction to people he doesn't know. For example, Susana (our housekeeper) comes in the morning and Nicholas' face lights up, he smiles, and puts his arms out to her. The same reaction when Chad comes home at night. Now, when I had several ladies over the other day for Book Club, he just sort of looked at everybody...checking them out. And when one of the ladies was holding him, he looked around to make sure I was still there. He didn't fuss or anything, but you could see that he was a little more apprehensive with the unfamiliar faces.

Now I know these skills seem trivial, but when you have a baby, you see all of these basic skills develop. Just 6 1/2 months ago, this little (ok...big) guy wasn't able to do any of these things. It is truly amazing to watch them grow up, gain new skills, and develop a personality. Watching Nicholas never ceases to amaze me.

The Kindness of Strangers

2005-02-23T21:50:00.000+02:00

Went to the passport office today to get photos taken for our residency visas. We made our way through the crowd to the photo office. Nicholas and I got our pictures taken, then we left. On our way out we had to pass through an enormous crowd waiting to apply for their passports. We had to go down these stairs that were crammed full of people that were not about to budge for anyone. There was this guy who appeared to be shoving his way through pissing off everybody in the process. However, when he saw me, holding Nicholas in my arms, trying to make my way down the stairs, he immediately backed down and got out of the way. Most everybody parted for us except one lady that wouldn't budge an inch (bitch). Anyway, there were these ladies just past her that took my hand and helped me down so that I wouldn't fall with the baby. Now that was nice!!

And I have found most people here to be kind like that. Another example is when I came to Romania for a visit. It was rainy and cold and it was one of those planes where you have to walk outside to get to it. So we were all waiting in line outside waiting to get in the plane. Several gentlemen saw me holding Nicholas and let me get in front of them. Such gentlemen!!!

You see, stuff like that doesn't generally happen in the US. People don't get out of your way for anything...ESPECIALLY if you have kids! If you have kids in Europe (it was the same in Turkey) people are generally helpful and that is so nice because everything is just a little more difficult to do when you have kids with you.

So, if you have kids, Europe is the place to be.

To Pooped to Party...or do anything for that matter

2005-02-23T08:17:00.000+02:00

My precious angel is in a different time zone...at least where his sleeping pattern is concerned. We just got back from the US and I think Nicholas is still there. He doesn't have trouble napping during the day and we even get him down at his usual bedtime. But then he wakes up (usually between 10:30 and 11:30) and he stays up. We try everything to get him back to sleep but NOTHING works. The best thing is for me to take him downstairs (so Chad can get some sleep) and let him play for a little while. So...in the past few days we have gone to bed at 1:30, 2:00 and 3:30. Ugh! I need a nap!

One More

2005-02-22T14:11:00.000+02:00

I thought of one more thing that I really like about living in Romania. Actually, I LOVE this...the fruit and vegetable market. They have amazing and fresh fruits and veggies. I can't wait until the spring and summer to see what yummy treats they will have!! And there is this little market right by it that I love to shop at. Kind of a mom and pop deal. There is also a really great chicken market there too. Across the street you can get great rotisserie chicken and sandwiches. YUMMY and great for those times I just don't want to cook. There is also a meat market across the street but I have yet to try that out. I hear it's pretty good though. It's all conveniently located in one area so I don't have to go far to get most of my shopping done.

See...look at me being positive!!

Top 10 Things I Love (ok Like) About Living in Romania

2005-02-22T09:33:00.000+02:00

1. It snows here and when it does, it is sooooooooo beautiful. I especially like it when the trees freeze and turn white. Gorgeous! I am from the south and we don't get much (if any) snow there.

2. The countryside is REALLY beautiful! I plan to do more travelling around Romania and really get to see the land. There are mountains all around us and it is quite amazing.

3. The people are generally quite friendly and most don't hate Americans...yet.

4. I don't worry so much about "personal" crimes (rape, muggings, kidnappings, etc.). This makes it nice to walk around the city and I don't have to worry as much about my children being snatched out from under my nose.

5. I have some good girlfriends here. They are GREAT!

6. I am given the priviledge of staying home with my son. If I were back home, I would have to work and my dear child would be in daycare. Yikes!!

7. I live in a great house with a HUGE backyard. It will be great for the kids to play in when they get a bit older.

8. I have a housekeeper 5 days a week and she does all the yucky stuff like cleaning floors and toilets. I ADORE her and she is AMAZING with my son!!

9. It is really easy to travel to other countries. This will allow us to see the world and some interesting places that we might not get to if we were still in the States. I particularly like traveling by train. It is inexpensive and the ride is quite pleasant.

10. My children will learn Romanian. It's a beautiful language and I love listening to it.

Attitude Adjustment

2005-02-20T20:55:00.000+02:00

Looking back on my recent posts, I have found myself to be a bit negative about my stay here in Romania. My dear hubby noticed it as well and basically said "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all". So, with that in mind I am going to go and do a bit of attitude adjusting...

Shocking!!!

2005-01-22T12:42:00.000+02:00

Went with a friend to look at Nicholas' christening outfit (I am having it made out my wedding skirt). On the way home, Jan stopped at a dairy store to pick up some cheese. Nichoals and I waited in the car. We were parked outside of this little market and I saw this lady walk up to the store with a baby stroller. She parked the stroller outside the door and went inside...WITHOUT the child. YES!!! She left the child inside the stroller while she went inside the store!! I couldn't believe it!!! Granted, she was only gone a couple of minutes, but how long does it take to snatch a child????? I guess they don't worry about that stuff here like they do in the US, but I would NEVER leave my child anywhere unattended. I mean, I was at the vegetable market one day and Nicholas was in his stroller right next to me. I was paying for my veggies, when this kid grabbed Nicholas' stroller and began walking off with it. I immediately grabbed the stroller from the kid who was laughing. Needless to say, I was not. And this woman left her child unattended??? CRAZY!!!!

never in America...

2005-01-18T18:45:00.000+02:00

At McDonalds today (been wanting a hamburger everyday...maybe a first craving???) and saw something that made me think "Now, THAT would NEVER happen in America".

It's cold outside...no, make that FREEZING. Literally!! The ice and snow on my front steps are still frozen from late last week. Anyway, outside the doors of McDonalds there was this employee mopping the steps and landing. Now I ask you, how smart is that??? It is freezing and who is to say that the water she is putting on the ground won't freeze leaving the ground icy and slick?!?! In America, it would take one person to slip (caused by the water or not) and then McDonalds would be sued and the slipper would win and another millionaire would be made. Remember the hot coffee episode??? But not here. People here are not (yet) sue crazy, so we just have to be careful and watch our step (no danger of burning yourself with hot coffee as all the coffee I have had here is lukewarm...yuck!).

feelin' decent

2005-01-16T16:11:00.000+02:00

Today is the first day I haven't felt like crap. So, to celebrate my new found good feeling, I did some things around the house...
*made bacon and eggs for breakfast
*made pureed sweet potato and zucchini for Nicholas (and I froze it all in individual servings)
*used some over ripe bananas to make banana bread
*laundry (this takes FOREVER because I have to hang everything up to dry)

And here is what I plan to do for the rest of my day...
*make Nicholas some pureed turnips (and freeze in individual servings)
*ground some pork and use it to make a lovely bologanise with whole wheat pasta for dinner
*exercise on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes
*give myself a mani/pedi (hey, everybody needs a little pampering)
*brush the bear
*pick up a little around the house

I realize this doesn't sound like much, but for me it is quite a bit. Plus you have to figure in between all this I am taking care of both husband and baby. I sure hope this good feeling lasts!!!

across the border

2005-01-14T20:33:00.000+02:00

I must first apologize to my adoring fans (all one...maybe two of you) for not having written for awhile, but I have been feelin' like shit. 2nd pregnancy...hormones...having a 5 month old...they can all wear ya down! And because I have been feeling not quite right, I haven't ventured out much. But I did take a trip this week so I shall tell you about that...

Monday I went with my mom and Karen to Oradea to see another girlfriend (Jennafer). Oradea is about 2 hours away by train. We (by "we" I mean Chad, Nicholas, and me) arrive at the train station promptly at 7:15am just like the mom requested to make the 8:00am train. On the way in we pass a girl that Chad works with. We said hello and she looked up but she was obvously too engrossed in the phone conversation she was engaged in to say hello. But she did look at us so I know she saw us. Remember this as it will be important later. Anyway, so there we were at the train station waiting...and waiting...until we receive a phone call at 7:30 from my mom saying they are still at the office waiting for the tickets. Why she would leave getting the tickets to these Romanians I will never know. So we wait some more. At 7:45 we get a call saying they are on their way and to go to platform 2. We do. And there we wait. Suddenly, we hear "Kristi! Chad!" We look around to find my mom waving her arms frantically trying to get our attention. We are at the wrong platform. Actually, we were at platform 2, but the train was leaving from platform 1. So here comes Catalin (my dad's driver) running towards us. He grabs the stroller (Chad is holding Nicholas) and starts running (the train is about to leave and they wait for nobody). Almost at the train, Catalin hits a bump and the stroller goes a flyin'...thank God Nicholas is safe in Chad's arms. the only victim was our duffle bag which we put inside the stroller. So we get to the train, literally throw our stuff onboard, say our rushed good-byes, and off the train goes. After a rushed and stressful start, the train ride was nice. We went first class (for a whopping $10 per ticket) and had the room all to ourselves. Actually, there was this lady in there who lookedl ike she was suffering a major hangover, but as soon as Nicholas made the tiniest peep, she took off. Amazing how a child can clear a room. Karen made a lovely sausage bread pudding so we munched on that, tomatoes, and cucumber and sipped on coffee. Really, a lovely ride.

Once we were settled onboard, I asked my mom why the hell she would wait till the last minute to get the tickets and then leave somebody else (a Romanian no less) to get them to us on time. She explaqined that we can't get the tickets till 1 1/2 hours before the train takes off. The office sent someone to get the tickets at 6:30 (supposedly) and then she was supposed to meet my mom at the office. It turns out that the girl we saw at the train station was there getting the tickets and she was on the phone to Catalin trying to figure out how to get the tickets to them. Why she didn't just give the tickets to us when we saw her we will never know. Then, even though she was late, she stopped at a copy place to make a photocopy of the tickets so that she would get reimbursed. Like we wouldn't pay her?!?!?! Some people just don't think.

After a 2 hour, very lovely train ride, we arrive in Oradea. We head to the hotel to drop off our stuff and then go get Jennafer for a day in Hungary.

Oradea is about 20 minutes from the Hungarian border so we decided to go on a little adventure. I forget the name of the town we went to, but it was about an hour's drive from Oradea. We had to hire a car with a driver because we aren't allowed to rent a car and then take it across the border. Probably a lot like going to Mexico with a rented car...not allowed. The drive was nice. Not a whole lot to see...kinda flat like west Texas. But once we got to our Huingarian town it all changed. It ws beautiful. the buildings were actually a lot like the ones in Romania, but they were clean...and painted...and VERY nice. They had great shops and wonderful food. They even had DECAF cappuccino...the real stuff...not that crap out of a package they pawn off as cappucino in Cluj! It was yummy!!! We went to a Tesco where they have a ton of American products...Pam, blueberry muffin mix, brownie mix, flour tortillas, and refried beans just to name a few. A little slice of Americana. We visited some baby stores where I checked out the double strollers and car seats. My mom purchased a highchair for her house...tired of lugging ours from house-to-house. My girlfriend, Jennafer, is trying to get preggo so she was checking out all the furniture, strollers, highchairs, etc. It was great fun. After a day of running around, it was time to head back to Oradea.

Tuesday, we ran around Oradea. It is a great town!! We went to this one street where cars aren't allowed. We shopped and stopped for a bite to eat. We discovered this great baby store. They had a neat crib that caught Jennafer's eye and I got a toy for my neice and Nicholas. Cute stuff...REALLY cute stuff!!! Even though it is a Romanian town, I found it to be cleaner than Cluj. Not so many cars parked on the sidewalks, the streets seemed a bit wider (at least where we were), shopping seemed to be better, and the buildings not as gray. They call Oradea a "little Paris" and I believe it. A very cute town.

The time came when we had to head for the train station. We loaded up the minivan and off we went. Now, mind you, there were only 3 of us (4 if you count Nicholas) and we had a load of crap...1 large duffle bag, 2 rolly bags, 1 highchair, 1 highchair tray, a stroller, another bag with some random shit, and another bag that had some of my Mom's stuff in it. So there we were, lugging all this crap to the train. To get to our platform we have to cross the tracks, but there is a train across the pedestrian walkway. So we have to actually cross the tracks. I look at the tracks and look at Nicholas who is sleeping soundly in his stroller and I am not liking the idea of taking him across tracks where a train could cross at any second. Plus there is a train right there with it's engine running and ready to go. First my mom goes over and then Karen. Then the driver we hire comes back for me and Nicholas. I hand him the stroller which he picks up. I hold my breath as they cross the tracks hoping and praying that the train doesn't suddenly decide to take off. After several stressful minutes, they arrived across the tracks safe and sound.

So there we are, standing on the platform waiting for our train when we notice a bunch of gypsies approaching. They are dressed in their gypsy best...super pleated, brightly colored, floral skirts that are just above the ankle, striped socks, black shoes, a plaid shirt, and oversized sweater topped off with a black or brown leather coat and a very colorful scarf on their head. The ladies chat a bit and then 2 run off only to return a few short minutes later with the men gypsies. They too are dressed to impress in thier black pants, shirt and jacket with a very large black rimmed hat atop their head. Watching them, I notice that all their movements are exaggerated and very precise. I feel like I am on the set of a play for nothing seems real or natural. So the men are on one side of us and the ladies on the other. Both closing in. They are in constant conversation amongst themselves, but I can see them keeping a close eye on us...or rather our stuff. Now you have to watch these people. I have heard stories of them totally distracting their victims only to pinch things out of purses and pockets. I hand my purse to my mom because they aren't near her and I stand close to the bags, constantly watching them and counting them to make sure nothing goes missing. Afterall, we lugged all that shit there and it would suck to lose it now.

The train finally arrives and we discover that we are at the wrong end. SHIT! So we gather our belongings and run (literally) to the other end. Now here is another movie moment...we are rushing to our car and there is steam coming up from the tracks and filling the air. Men and women are kissing their good-byes. Floods of people exit the train while others try ot get on. Frineds and family wave good-bye from the train windows. I was almost expecting someone to yell "Cut!" We finally make it to our car and get everything thrown on to have the doors shut and the train take off just as the last piece makes it onboard. That was close! We make our way to our room and have a sit. There are 2 Romanian men in our room who keep talking to us in Romanian only to have us say "I don't understand". But they keep on talking and we just nod and smile.

Nice train ride home. Chad and a Bechtel driver meet us in Cluj. We unload and head home. While it was a great 2 days, I am totally exhausted and happy to see my husband.

Funny note...at McDonalds Wednesday (had a craving for a hamburger) and who do we see??? THE GYPSIES we saw in Oradea at the train station!! We recognize them and they recognize us. We make a quick scan to make sure we don't recognize anything they are selling. I wonder where they will pop up next??

A Broken Roesolution

2005-01-02T21:28:00.000+02:00

Already broke my New Year's Resolution. To tell you the truth, if I had the choice of going home today, I would have taken it in a heartbeat!! It all started out with a simple visit to the grocery store. The crowd wasn't bad and there weren't any workers or pallets of shit hogging up the aisles, so I thought "this is going to be a snap". And it was...until checkout. The guy checking us out was a moron. He was super slow checking out my mom. And when he got to me it was worse. Slow...slow...slow... And then my next to last item was a can of diced tomatoes which I needed to make chili (which we LOVE on cold nights). Well, the code didn't work. So he asked me "Do you want this?"
"Yes"
"Do you really?"
"Yes"
"Do you wnat this really bad?"
What the hell?!?!?!? "Yes! I need it for a recipe (you moron!!)"
So he got on the little phone and we waited for this other guy to do a price check. He comes back and it turns out the code is correct, but the register froze up. So then he calls to get a key to unlock the register. So I wait...and wait...and wait...and while I am waiting the cash register guy is sort of talking across the aisle to some ladies in a booth (kinda like a customer service booth) and they know he is waiting for keys to unlock his register. 10 minutes later, a guy comes from the back of the store, walks up to the customer service booth, the ladies in there hand him keys and he turns around and hands them to my cash register guy! The manager guy didn't unlock the register himself or enter a super secret code or anything!! He just handed him the keys!! Now I ask you, why couldn't those ladies in the booth hand them to my cash register guy???? I'll tell you why...BECAUSE IT'S NOT THEIR JOB!!! I am living in a country where customer service is non-existant and people really don't give a damn. It's that communist way of thinking and it is soooooooooo frustrating!!! So, I get all checked out and go to exit the store. They check your bill here (like at Sam's back home) and they said that I didn't buy these bags. "Yes, I did" I tell them. You see, you have to buy bags here to put your groceries in and you can't bag up your groceries at this particular store until after you leave the store. Whatever. But I forgot my bags at home so I had to buy new ones. And apparently I bought the smaller plastic bags when I really wanted these nice, heavy, larger plastic bags. Now I ask you, if there is more than one type of bag you can purchase, when you tell the checkout guy (or gal) that you want to buy x number of bags, why don't they ask you which ones, the small or large ones??? I'll tell you why...BECAUSE IT'S NOT THEIR JOB!!! I had to trade in my nice, heavy bags for these much smaller bags and then cram in my groceries. After we bag up our goodies, we decide to grab a piece of pizza (I'm starving and there's a Pizza Hut stand right outside the doors), and wouldn't you know it...they don't have any pizza. Then we see this bread stand type of place (kind of desserty bread) and decide to try that...closed, of course. So, we just wait for our taxis (we called them in advance). They arrive and wait by the ENTRANCE!!! UGH!!! So my Mom waves them down because I am about to have a meltdown, and the guy drives around and parks a couple of parking rows away. Why the hell would he park rows away rather than by the exit where we would obviously be waiting?? My Mom goes to him and the dingbat finds his way to the exit. And we go home.

The saga continues when we go to give Nicholas his bath. The water is FREEZING!! Chad goes to the basement to check the water heater and discovers that there isn't enough gas pressure to keep it running. So basically, we have no hot water and no heat because there are too many people using gas. UGH!!!

So, today I did not embrace my new life here in Cluj, Romania. Nope, I cursed it! I know these things seem like no big deal, but I found them to be very frustrating (maybe it is the hormones because writing them down they do seem trivial, but at the time I was almost in tears). Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

New Year...New Life...New Year's Resolution

2005-01-01T17:47:00.000+02:00

Well, a new year is upon us. Have you made you New Year’s Resolution? I have the good ol’ standby resolution of getting in shape and eating more healthy (I gotta since I am prego with baby #2), but this year I am also going to embrace my new life here in Cluj and not focus on the hardships of living in a poor country. I will not dwell on the fact that I cannot run out to Ann Taylor Loft and get a new outfit for the company dinner. I refuse to continue peering in the café windows hoping to see a Starbucks sign. And I won’t sleep in my bed at night dreaming of smoothly paved roads and cars that stay in their own lanes. No, this year, I will not only conquer the challenges I am faced with everyday, but I will embrace them. I will find the good in lukewarm coffee and Nestle instant flavored cappuccino. I will find comfort in knowing that the Dacia’s are built good enough to withstand these bumpy, dirt roads and maybe even look into getting one myself. And I will...somehow...someway...squeeze my poor feet into 2” stiletto snow boots and wear them with cropped pants and a short down jacket. Yes, sir, this year I will be the calm in the crazy. The end of 2004 brought me to a new country with a new baby and another one on the way. All of these things have challenges of their own and I believe it could be pretty easy to get frustrated and lock myself in my cozy home with baby, dog, and a good cup of coffee watching the Hallmark channel. But not me. I will be out enjoying my new life with all of my new friends. Wanna come with me?

Romanian Christmas Traditions

2004-12-26T13:58:00.000+02:00

Christmas is my favorite holiday...the trees, lights, decorations, and crowds at the shopping malls. OK...so maybe that last one isn't a favorite, but it sure does make it feel like Christmas. I mean, what is Christmas without searching for the toy of the season (this year, for me, it was the Fisher Price Step and Play Piano I tried to get for Nicholas), fighting for parking spots (ok, I didn't have to do that because I don't drive here), and having people bump into you everytime you turn around? As this year's holiday season comes to a close, I feel the need to share with you a few Romanian Christmas traditions.

1. Christmas Trees: I already described the trees here as Charlie Brown Christmas Trees in a previous post, but what I didn't tell you is that they are traditionally put up Christmas Eve. I am gathering that is a pretty normal thing here in Europe. You can find some trees in early December, but most of the tree salesmen come out the week of Christmas. And many houses have Christmas Trees that grow in their front yards, and they decorate those with lights and large colored balls. It's really pretty and nice to see as you drive around. Now, I must admit that the lights they put on these outdoor trees makes me laugh. It looks like someone just stood there and threw a string of lights on the tree and wherever they landed is where they stayed. You know how we put lights around the tree? Well, these outdoor tree lights go up and down. Kinda strange. But the trees are nice and heck, they are still there next year!!

2. Crowds: Yes, we have shopping crowds here too. It's almost a blessing to not have a car because it forces you to take a taxi and you don't have to worry about parking. But you still have crowds of people out and about shopping which, by the way, can make getting a taxi tough at times. But the real place I noticed annoying crowds was not at the local department store. No siree...it was at the grocery stores!!! Yup, I walked into the grocery store (there's only 1 in this city) and there were people waiting at the end of the checkout lines for shopping carts. And if that wasn't clue enough to get the hell outta there, then the checkout line that went through the produce section and down the last aisle of the store heading towards the meat and deli section sure was! It was the craziest thing I ever saw! And nobody had anything in their carts but a few items. Hell, if I am going to wait in a line that long I am going to stock up for the year!!! Now getting carts down the aisles to actually shop was another challenge. It was so crowded with workers restocking things (why the hell they don't do this at 3 in the morning when there is nobody there I do not know), shoppers and people that were lined up down every aisle waiting to checkout you could barely even move. So, I took one look, turned around and walked out. I called a taxi and went shopping at my Mom's house! Thank God for Moms!!!

3. More crowds: Went to Metro (kinda like a Sam's) at 9:30 one night with my Mom (it was open late for the holidays). It too was super crowded. And, of course, there are pallets of things in the middle of aisles and workers restocking shelves (and playing around)...this makes me NUTS!!! Once we got all of our things and got in line, it took us an hour to checkout!! And we thought we were being so clever by going so late. Now what really sucks (and it didn't happen to us) is that at 11:30pm the checkouts close for 30 minutes (to cash out, I assume, as you can only pay in cash at that store) and the people in line have to wait there for 30 minutes for the registers to open again. We got outta there at about 11:15. We were sooooooo lucky.

4. I am not sure as to foods, sweets and such, but I am certain that there is quite a bit of alcohol consumption (the Romanians always drink a lot..who needs a holiday???).

5. Carolers: On Christmas Eve, carolers come by your house, sing a few songs, and you invite them in for sweets and something warm to drink. The legitimate ones phone you in advance and let you know that they are coming. And they don't' just go to one place. Usually they go to see friends, family, church groups, etc. They go all night and into the wee hours of the morning! We had a girl that works with Chad come by my Mom's house with a few of her friends. They sang for us and then we invited them in for a snack and a drink. They stayed for about an hour and then went to continue their carroling. They stayed out carroling until 5:00am!!! But you have to watch out for the gypsies. There are several gypsy groups that will go around looking for handouts, but you don't open your doors to them...EVER!!! Otherwise, they will tell all of their gypsy friends and before you know it, you are inundated with gypsies looking for handouts, and I don't mean food or something warm to drink. Nope, they want money! So, if you ignore the gypsies, it is quite nice to have friends visit, sing a few nice Romanian Christmas songs and share in some good food and drinks. That night, driving home, Chad and I saw several groups out singing. What fun!!

6. Greedy Garbagemen: I took a plate of cranberry/orange bread that I had made out to my garbagemen when they picked up my trash the Wednesday before Christmas. Do you think they were grateful?!?!?! Heck No!!! He took the plate and then asked for some money and something warm to drink. Greedy bastard! Made me want to grab my bread back!! So I said "No!", turned around and walked inside. I am lucky, though, that they didn't come back. I have heard of garbagemen going to houses and asking for money. I have even heard of people posing as garbagemen and asking for money. Greedy bastards!!

7. Posers: This time of year (actually, this happens all the time) you get poeple at your door asking for money. I have had men, women and children ring my bell. If I don't recognize the perosn ringing my bell and if I am not expecting anyone, I don't answer the door (and neither does my housekeeper). Saves a lot of hassle. The other day Chad and I were out driving and we saw several (ok...a couple) men wearing church robes going from door-to-door asking for money (we assumed). Suspicious us questioned whether they were even from the church. Chad said if they were actually "Padres" then it must be National Priest Asking for Money Day. I am sure there are chairs with our names on them just waiting for us in Hell!

So there you have it. A few Romanian Christmas traditions. Mayeb next year I will be able to share more with you.

Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

2004-12-23T14:43:00.000+02:00

I just have to share with you this observation...

It is common to see men, women and children walking down the street with their Christmas trees tucked under their arms. No kidding!! They aren't big, full and beautiful like the Christmas trees in America. Nope. They are closer in appearance to the well-know Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. And I love them!! I think it is charming to see people so excited about these little gems...walking down the street with the tree in one hand and groceries in the other or driving with them on the roof of their cars, the tree only taking up maybe 1/8 of the roof space. Gotta love those trees!!

A Shopping Experience

2004-12-18T11:47:00.000+02:00

Grocery shopping in Romania is quite an experience. Let me explain...
They stock items in the middle of the day and put crates and slats of things right in front of the shelves making it impossible to get to the items you want. And the workers don't make things any easier. Some are running around flinging things at each other. Others are actually working stocking shelves, but they don't move when you need to get at something they are blocking. The other shoppers are oblivious to anyone but themselves, blocking isles, leaving carts everywhere while they go somewhere else, running into each other with shopping carts, and standing in front of you (and really not even acknowledging you are there) when you are trying desperately to get at something. You stand in the checkout line for 30 minutes unless you get there right when the store opens, and then you have to bag your own groceries!! And if you didn't bring your own bags, you have to buy them there!! The person behind you in line has absolutely no regard for personal space, so as you are trying to pay, they are practically on top of you. And since you are feeling a bit rushed with the person on top of you, bagging your own groceries AND paying your bill, you end up tossing your groceries in the cart and taking them over to a counter along the wall and bagging most of them there. I find it all to be very stressful.

Suits to Sluts

2004-12-12T20:04:00.000+02:00

Went to the company Christmas party last night. It was actually really fun...good food, good music and good company. My observation though was the variety of clothes worn there. Now my experience in the States is that people generally dressed really well to these things. But last night we had everything from formal wear to business wear to club wear to casual wear to slut wear. REALLY!!! And I totally believe there were hookers there. Can you believe that someone actually e-mailed the guy in charge and asked if he could bring a prostitute to the party?!?!? I even spent part of the evening trying to figure out who the hookers were.

The Need for Clean

2004-12-07T10:08:00.000+02:00

After several inquiries as to why the heck I need a housekeeper 5 days a week, I felt it was necessary to explain. So, here it goes...

1. Most of the roads here (especially those in neighborhoods and most definitely my road) are not paved. This means that there is a lot...no...TONS...of dirt around. Now, we do not wear our shoes in the house but we still manage to bring in dirt. Not to mention Buster Bear who always manages to find the dirtiest part of our yard to play in and he sheds like crazy. Now, all this dirt (dust when it's dry out and mud when it's wet) and fur makes it necessary to have my floors, which are wood and tile, washed everyday. Can you imagine washing your floors in your house (not just vacuuming...but washing) EVERYDAY?!?!?! This will be especially important when Nicholas starts crawling because I really don't want him crawling around in dirt and Buster fuzz!!

2. I don't have a dryer. I mean I do but it's not hooked up yet (we need to get an electrician to install an outlet, cut a hole in the cement wall for the hose thingy, and change the plug to a European one). So...when my laundry is done washing (did I mention it takes over 2 hours for 1 load that is half the size of an American load???) I have to hang it on a drying rack. Since line drying is not fast (especially in winter) I can only do a couple of loads a day. This means I ALWAYS have laundry to be done. This also means that my socks, towels (dish and bath), sheets, and everything else dries on the line. This necessitates the need for more ironing. Dryers make a lot of wrinkles go away. Not so when you line dry. So not only do we need to do laundry everyday, but we also need to iron most things - I don't iron bath towels, underwear or socks - but I do iron dishtowels, sheets, and all clothing (Nicholas' too) because they get sooooooooo wrinkley (Go ahead Mom, say "I told you so!").

3. Then there's the dishes. My dishwasher is half the size of those good ol' American ones. I can't even fit my glasses on the top rack because they are too tall. Plus my dishwasher cleans for shit. So...most of my dishes get hand-washed and we sort of use the dishwasher as a drying rack.

4. Because our roads are dirt, there is a lot of dirt in the air. This makes the windows really dirty and they need to be washed at least twice a month. I also have these windows by my staircase that condense quite a bit. The condensation drips onto the sills. If this is not wiped up everyday it molds. And we all know how good mold is for us. So, there are some windows in my house that get cleaned everyday.

5. In this crazy country they have a full bathroom downstairs. In our house it happens to be the only shower so it gets used everyday. And since guests use this bathroom we have to makes sure it is super clean all the time...the shower gets wiped down, floors washed, sink and toilet cleaned and mirror wiped everyday.

6. And, again, because of the dirt outside, things inside get dusty which requires things to be dusted off everyday.

7. And I must mention that getting errands run around here is no easy task. First of all I won't put Nicholas in a taxi unless absolutely necessary (they drive like maniacs!!!) so either we use my dad's car (not possible everyday) or I leave him with my housekeeper, Susana (I just got comfortable enough with her to do this) while I go grocery shopping, to the fruit/vegetable market, or to get things done for the house. So outings need to be carefully planned, no running out at the last minute for things. It doesn't seem that difficult, but come and visit and ye shall see.

8. And, once again, the lovely dirt makes a mess out of the outside stairs that lead up to the house. They need to be washed down daily to help keep dirt out of the house.

9. And, finally, because it is soooooooo dirty outside, Chad's car gets REALLY dirty. Really... when he leaves there are puddles of water from ice and snow and piles of mud left behind on the garage floor. So the garage floor needs to be cleaned AT LEAST once a week...more if it's really yucky outside. I mean, really, who ever heard of cleaning a garage floor??? But you have to here to try and keep some of the dirt out. You see, you need to walk through our garage to get to the laundry room (which, as I stated before, gets visited daily).

So...that is why I have a housekeeper 5 days a week, and for $160 a month I feel like it is totally worth it. I paid that for someone to come to my house twice a month in Dallas and she didn't do near the work that Susana does. So, in my opinion, it is money well spent.

Don't worry family and friends, I am not sitting around on my duff eating bon bons and being a lazy-ass. I do manage to keep myself quite busy. I do volunteer work twice a week, I work on our webpage to keep family and friends current (it's still under construction), I Email family and friends, I am still unpacking things and getting the house put together, I workout (I started it up again yesterday...YAE!!!), and I take care of Buster by brushing and cleaning him (we still haven't found a groomer). But my most important job of all is being a Mom. I take care of Nicholas...we play, watch Baby Einstein together, take baths, read books, eat and sleep. Afterall, I didn't move to this country to clean all day. I did it so that I can spend valuable time with Nicholas, and that is what I intend to do!!!

Baby Talk

2004-12-07T09:37:00.000+02:00

Nicholas is talking. No...not "real" words...but he does talk. That sweet baby talk. He will find something that catches his interest...a tv show, a toy, the ceiling fan (he LOVES ceiling fans) or himself in a mirror...and will talk away. Right now he is laying on his activity mat and looking up at himself in a mirror and just babbling away. I wonder what he is saying??

Rolly Polly

2004-12-06T19:33:00.000+02:00

Any day now Nicholas will roll over. I am convinced of it. Sometimes he will twist his head to look at something kind of behind him and I will think "This is it!" but then he goes back to laying flat on his back. But today he actually...and purposely...rolled onto his side. Yae me got it on video!! He lays on his back and uses his arms and legs to push himself over onto his side. He was actually getting frustrated that he wasn't rolling all the way over. Someday soon he will make it all the way...I know he will.

Top 10 (Ok 11) Nicknames for My Son

2004-12-04T17:12:00.000+02:00

11. frog: when he was a newborn and he liked to curl his arms and legs under him-he looked
like a frog
10. mouse: he squeaked like a mouse when he was a newborn. He is still squeaky.
9. little bird: he opens his mouse like a little bird waiting for his mommy to put in a worm.
8. little piggie: have you seen this guy eat???
7. mr. fist chewer: this one is really self- explanatory
6. nicholas bear: after Buster Bear
5. bubba: that's Chad's...not sure where it came from
4. punkin, punkin pie, punkin dunkin: hey, we just had Thanksgiving - cut us some slack
3. chunky monkey: he IS a little chunk
2. Sir Nicholas: he rules our world...he says jump and we ask how high

and the number 1 nickname for my son is...Stinker Bug: this is my current favorite nickname. I think it may stick around for awhile

Everyone Needs Water to Live

2004-12-04T13:15:00.000+02:00

I have no water. Yup, that's right...no water...anywhere in my house. All I have to say is THANK GOD I already took my shower. But having no water does make normal, everyday things like whipping up a batch of spicy seven bean soup, cleaning endless loads of laundry and washing last night's dinner dishes (which, by the way, have dried on cream of mushroom soup on them) a bit difficult...impossible actually. But I refuse to sit here and dwell on the fact that I have no water. Instead, I will do other things, like watch DVD's and play on the computer, while I patiently (and anyone who knows me how amazingly patient I am - STOP LAUGHING!!!) wait for them to restore my water.

I'm waiting...

still waiting...

Did I mention how patient I am???

Sweet Dreams

2004-12-04T11:15:00.000+02:00

Babies are so sweet when they sleep. Their breathing is uneven (which can send a new parent into panic), they make the most adorable noises....squeals, laughs, sighs, and gasps, and their mouth makes motions which looks like they are sucking on a bottle. I wonder what they dream about??? Chad says that his favorite time to hold Nicholas is when he is sleeping. Not because it's quiet and he's not fussing, but rather because Nicholas is so snuggly and peaceful. He has his little head nuzzled into your neck and his arms are wrapped around you. He makes his adorable noises and has the most peaceful look on his face. It is the most angelic sight. BUT...have you ever seen a baby right BEFORE they drift off into this serene slumber??? Not quite as angelic. Nicholas begins with a little fussiness which QUICKLY escalates into a lot of fussiness...screams actually. But not really crying screams...more like loud, choppy whines and squeals. We quickly run through the list of has he been fed? diaper changed? gassy? hurt? and when the answer to all of these questions is "no" then we conclude that he is tired. Other clues that he's tired is when he cries with his eyes closed, he rubs his eyes, and when you are holding him he burrows into you. Yup, these are tried and true signs that our little angel is in need of sleep. But why do babies dislike sleep soooooooo much? What are they afraid of missing??? We tell him that he won't miss anything, and if he sleeps we will sleep too and therefore if something exciting is missed then we will all miss it. But this does not make our Nicholas feel any better. No sir. He continues to scream and fight off the sleep monster (Chad refers to it as the bag monster...a college thing). Sometimes we resort to a small bottle as a snack and sometimes this will push him over the edge and he will succumb to sleep. Other times we let him scream it out...holding him over our shoulder or cradled in our arms...we let him nuzzle and fight while we rock him, sssshhhhhh in his ear and talk softly to him. Eventually our efforts will pay off and Nicholas will drift off into dreamland. And we look at him, forgetting the past 30 minutes of screaming and fighting, and wonder at the peacefulness. A baby sleeping is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

Congrats to my bro and SIL

2004-12-02T15:36:00.000+02:00

Today, at 4 something am CA time(that's 2 something in the afternoon where I am), my brother became a father to a beautiful baby girl (I have not seen said girl, but am told she is GORGEOUS by said brother). Brave SIL had just over 8 hours (TOTAL) of labor with absolutely NO DRUGS!! Go sista!!!! Don't know the weight yet as she was nursing when brother called but they are guessing about 7 pounds. Her name...Logan Elizabeth Alsop. Beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Mommy, daddy and baby girl are all doing FAB. So congrats to you bro and SIL...your lives are now FOREVER changed...for the better, of course!!!

A Whole New World

2004-11-30T22:58:00.000+02:00

I was sitting at a deliciously catered dinner last night chatting it up with well-traveled women from around the world (Croatia, Turkey, Lithuania, India and America) when it suddenly hit me that my life now is a far cry from what it was. My days used to consist of 5:30am alarm clocks, educating America and a never-ending to do list. To the outside world, my new life looks downright easy...I bake pies and make homemade meals from scratch...I go to an orphanage every week and play with children...I don't work and get to hang out with my son all day...I live in a beautiful house with a hosuekeeper that comes 5 days a week...and I get to live in a country where I am considered exceptionally wealthy (the average monthly income is like $400). While it is true, this is a pretty damn good life (who am I to complain?), I do miss portions of my old life...friendly banter with co-workers, daily chats with girlfriends, sleeping till noon on Saturday, Ann Taylor Loft and Starbucks. But here I am stealing a glimpse of Nicholas and it makes me realize that everything I miss is a "sacrifice" I chose to make so that I can spend precious time with him. And if I think about it...I can "talk" to family, friends, and former co-workers daily via e-mail and I can sleep till noon on Sunday because that is the day Chad doesn't work and he can take Nicholas in the mornings once in awhile. Now Ann Taylor Loft and Starbucks will just have to wait until we get our annual home leave. But, hey, no life is perfect...right?

Gobble Gobble

2004-11-26T02:55:00.000+02:00

Back home for Thanksgiving, we would save coupons, stickers, points or whatever to get our free, frozen Thanksgiving turkey. Here in Romania, however, we don't get no stinkin' frozen turkeys and we certainly don't get them for free. Nooooooo waaaaaaay. We get FRESHLY SLAUGHTERED turkeys. Our turkey was slaughtered yesterday and delivered today. Talk about fresh. He is currently sitting in a plastic bag on my patio to keep cold...no room in the fridge. This fresh bird cost us 100,000 lei (about $3) per kilo (about 2.2 pounds). We had a 14kg turkey...that's 1,400,000 lei which is about $45. And there's a bonus...in addition to the normal gizzards (heart, liver, spleen...whatever), you also get his feet , entire neck, and windpipe (I did put in a special request for them to keep the head) and big ol' blood clots on the inside. Turkey anyone?