Monday, July 31, 2006

Brazil helps our feathered friends

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) -- Brazil's air force and navy will transport more than 100 penguins to Antarctica next month after the flightless birds were stranded on Rio de Janeiro beaches.
Penguins arrive from the Antarctic Circle on ice floes that melt in the vicinity of Brazil's shore and the birds wash up on Rio beaches every winter. Typically many of the birds are sent to local zoos.
A plane carrying equipment for an Antarctic naval base will take the penguins to Brazil's southernmost region next month, an air force spokesman said on Monday. They will continue their journey on a naval ship, which will release them into the ocean in their Antarctic habitat.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

This is what happens when you eat Cream of Wheat

Chris likes Cream of Wheat, so we bought some several days ago. Last night I saw on the box that one serving contains half a day's requirement of iron. Cool!
Being the nutrition conscious person that I am, I had Cream of Wheat last night AND this morning for breakfast.
Well, I've noticed that I don't feel as tired today as I usually do (might have nothing to do with the Cream of Wheat, but work with me here). That's a good thing.
But I think my sudden burst of energy from all the iron in my body has made me a little "unstable"--I volunteered to head up a project today.
What was I thinking? Granted, it's nothing complicated--just a matter of getting people together from different project teams and encourage them to work together.
On the good side: in speaking with the project manager about this volunteer position I find myself in now, I found out that he mentioned my name to our CEO amongst others that are doing well in the project and are showing leadership. Very cool!
He was obviously glad that I volunteered, and I guess it wins me more brownie points with him.

(This is also on my mindsay blog.)

Saturday, July 22, 2006

this might seem a tad selfish...

...but, if I don't say something, then you would never know.

If you're wondering what to get me for my birthday, Christmas, or Reyes [:)], I've been wanting to get filters for my camera and a macro lense as well. I can provide camera specs. :)

Just thought I'd throw that out there... : )

If I had a macro lense, I could take really neat close-ups. But for now, this is as close as I can get.


Edit: Now that I'm thinking about this more, I think a lens more suited for portraits would help me get going on my photography business.

Camera specs: Canon EOS SLR Digital Rebel XT

Thursday, July 20, 2006

A little late, but "¡Feliz Día de Amigo!" to some of my best friends!!
Love you all.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Well, not much exciting here. No cute photos, either. Today, we went to the hospital to visit someone who had had surgery. It's been a long time since we've had to visit someone in the hospital. Recently, I decided to attempt to crochet a small afghan. I bought some yarn and have been rolling it into balls. I found some variegated yarn in gray, light pink and medium pink - - which goes well with the living room. Then I found plain colored yarns in those 3 colors. It has been about 20 years since I crocheted anything of any size. I was trying to find something that I could do when I am in school with Sam so that I am calmer and less frustrated. I have started to practice on some old yarn and should be able to start on the real thing pretty soon. The Luisi family is coming next week and will be staying here. I have to make a puppet or two for the teens of our church so they can present a puppet skit. I have been teaching piano to Carolina. She didn't have time to practice while in Rosario, so she pretty much started from the beginning. She is practicing and doing well. Nora and I started to attend exercise classes at the Russian center! The teacher is older than I am! I think it is great. She is in much better physical condition than I am, but she doesn't expect us to do what 20 year olds would do! The class consists of mostly housewives middle age and older. Two ladies from the choir also attend. I am becoming acquainted with more people from the neighborhood! Saturday night, Nora and I went to a choir concert at the Russian center. She hardly goes anywhere and neither do I, so it was special for both of us. We've never done anything like that together. The ladies' choir in which Liz & I used to sing were one of the choirs. When I walked in, some of the ladies begged me to sing because there were hardly any mezzos (2nd sopranos) there. If the director had asked me to sing, I would have. But she didn't. It was interesting to hear the choir after having been in it. A lady from the center sang three songs in Russian. She was born in Russian, and came here as a child. After the choirs, there was a jazz trio (bass, banjo, and trumpet/trombone). They were excellent. I was wishing Liz and Chris could have been there. We are having our July S.S. contest in church. A week ago Sunday, Ana, Pablo and the kids came to S.S. I invited them and said that they could have dinner with us afterwards. We went to our sandwich place on Constitucion. Caro and Pablo ended up going with us. Daniela (at the corner) is going to Japan to teach "salsa" for six months! Someone who knows her and had been over there recommended her. She leaves the middle of August so she won't see Matt. I guess that's it for excitement in Caisamar.

Steak? Not here.

Last night, Andrea got to choose the meal for dinner, because she didn't get to do so on her birthday. She chose tuna casserole. If you think that's odd, when I asked Jared today if he had any ideas for supper, he asked if there was any tuna casserole left that he could have. Either my tuna casserole is good, or my kids are strange. Probably both. :-)

Can't get enough steak?

When in Philly, go here.
We were there last night. Can't say it was great for my cholesterol problem, but it was good. :)

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Jared turns 7!







Being surrounded by so many fierce pirates, I was thankful to escape intact! The boys made pirate hats, eye patches, and a pirate flag. They searched for treasure around the yard and played MapTangle after lunch. Note the handy dandy serving utensil in the pretzels. :-) Hee, hee.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Please pray our boss leaves

My supervisor, Donna, asked me to have my family pray that our boss leaves. :)
He's planning on leaving next year, I believe (only here for a three year assignment), but we're hoping he leaves sooner. His family is back in Germany now, and he was just there for a week. We were hoping he'd announce something about it, but he hasn't.
So, if you feel so led, pray that he gets a great job offer in Germany and that his wife talks him into moving back soon! :)
(It's not that we don't like him, but life is easier when he's not around.)

Check It Out

Stick figures in peril

Monday, July 10, 2006

Who has time for this?

Do any of you get these kinds of e-mails?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: Miss L. B. CHRISTOPHER. MISSIONARY QUARTERS A15 CHURCH ROAD ACCRA GHANA Dear respectful one, I feel good contacting you today I have read from your add in Internet knowing quiet well that this contact will bring a lasting relationship. With regard to your reputation and co-worshipper of God who will not disappoint me nor deny me in faith, I am directing this letter of assistance to you. I am Miss Louisa. Christopher the only daughter of Mr.Christopher from Republic of Zimbabwe in desire to get somebody who will safe guard my interest, that of my junior brother (Louis) and this money. Briefly, our father Mr. Christopher was a Gold and Cocoa merchant who based in Lome Togo, Abidjan cote d'Ivoire, and had a branch office here in Accra Ghana. My father was a wealthy Gold/Cocoa merchant who has business in many countries in Europe, America and Asian countries. According to my father, my own mother Died when I was about six years of age, which means that I did not even know my mother very well. The story is that my father Mr. Christopher was Poisoned to death by his business associates about seven months ago, and he died in a private hospital here in Accra Ghana. But when he was about to die, he called us beside his sick bed and told us that he deposited the sum of Twenty Million United State Dollars (US$20M) with a local bank there in Accra, the economic and administrative capital of Republic of Ghana. This money was kept for us in my name, his only daughter. Right now I am a first year student of business management in one of the University here. My only problem now is that since my father has been poisoned to death by his business associates, I don't even trust any other person here again including my father's brothers and sisters. Right now, I want you to help us in the following ways: 1)I want you to provide a personal/company's bank Account where this amount here (US$20M) can be Transferred. 2) You are going to be the manager of this fund and also my personal guardian until I finished my studies. 3)You are going to procure admissions for us to continue our studies in one of the known university in your country. 4) You are going to receive 30% of the total sum for providing a bank account for this transfer. 5) That you must prepare immediately to make a working visit to ACCRA GHANA here so that me and you can see each other and we can then do the transfer at the same time and I will go back with you to your country. We hope to receive your early response, as it will Encourage us, to stop establishing further contacts as It regards to this subject matters, so that we will furnish you With a private phone number where you can reach us Direct, on receipt of your positive response. For your information, this place we staying now is a House of a church sister who saw our condition and Decided to house us for a while. THIS BUSINESS IS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE NONE OF OUR LATE FATHER'S BROTHERS AND SISTERS KNOWS ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION. Waiting to hear from you soon.
Thanks for your understanding, Miss L.B. Christopher

Work in progress

I'm done with the top of (one of) the quilt(s). (I would like to make a quilt for each of the girls' beds.) I'm going to see a lady tonight who is a quilter and will find out what I need to do next, to finish the quilt. Something about batting and backing and the actual quilting.

Another sign!

On the way up to Gillett this weekend, we saw a Volkswagen van in front of us. (Is this another sign, Liz?) Although it was a Vanagon, actually, not a kombi. I have never wanted more to have a camera available. The bumper sticker on the back of the VW said,

"I am pedalling as fast as I can!"

Jason wondered whether Dad would want one for the back of the kombi. He said we could get it printed in Spanish.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Here's something to look forward to...


Argentina beat Uruguay 26-0 in Buenos Aires on Saturday to safely qualify for the 2007 World Cup in France.
The Pumas, who have appeared in all five previous editions of the World Cup, scored two unanswered tries by wing Miguel Avramovic to join France, Ireland and two more teams still to qualify in Pool D next year.
Uruguay, who have played at the last two World Cups, host Chile on July 22 with the loser bowing out and the winner advancing to a playoff against either Canada or the United States.
Canada play the U.S. on Wednesday to decide the second of the three regional qualifiers from the Americas. The third qualifier will be the winner of the playoff.
The eight quarterfinalists from the last World Cup in 2003 - England, Australia, New Zealand, France, South Africa, Wales, Ireland and Scotland - were all given automatic places in the 2007 event.
Argentina are the third team to seal their place through qualifying, joining Fiji and Samoa from Oceania.

Friday, July 07, 2006

This is too complicated for me! After days and weeks, I am finally considered a "team member". After hours and hours, I can finally make my comments known. I guess I should rejoice and be happy in tribulations. My mind is probably being stretched, which is supposed to be a good thing.

The big news of the day is that we framed the penguin poster which we bought in Chubut in 2002 and the poster of Iguazu Falls which we bought when Liz and Chris were here. Wow.

I don't think we told very many people, but we took out the room divider which was between the living room and dining room. We bought 2 "biombos" made of "junco" which can easily be moved around according to whether we want the room open or divided. It is really strange when we have it all open. We had talked about it over a long period of time. On Flag Day (a Monday), when we got up in the morning, Dad said, "Why don't we take down the divider?" The three of us did it all in the morning and then went to Pablo's and Carolina's to eat (noon).

We are having our "Sunday school contest" this month. The first Sunday there were no visitors, but we had chocolate, coffee and sweet rolls.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Our newest additions to our family!


We don't have names yet, so if you have any ideas let us know! :)

Monday, July 03, 2006

Who's in line for the inheritance?

So, Dad, who's going to get the kombiv--as of today? We all know this changes from day to day. :)

Our field trip

Ž We took to the road to see where it would lead us. We had been cooped up for two days, and I was ready to do something.
With Matt's on-line help (we were already out of the apartment when we decided to go find our adventure), we headed towards Philly in search of foreigners.ý
Chris had heard that there were Russian stores (books, movies, food, etc.) in Philly. And we actually found them! Chris looked like a kid in a candy store. :) He bought a movie, a couple sci-fi books, and cherry juice.
We were also hoping to find some Brazilian þ stores, and that way find some Argentine stores. We were hoping to find Guaraná. We actually found it at the Russian food store!! So we stocked up for our barbecue at Matt's place tomorrow. We went on to find some Brazilian stores (haven't seen so many brasileros in my life!), but none knew where we could find Argentine stores. It was disapointing, but at least we got our Guaraná and Russian chocolate. :)

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Odd Sunday

We stayed home today because Chris's back was hurting a lot yesterday, and, even though he's somewhat better, it still hurts today. He doesn't think he pulled anything, but his lower back was hurting a lot. He didn't want to agravate it, so we're staying home today.
I'm trying to get some cleaning/organizing done, and I think I'm going to get rid of some stuff. We have stuff from Chris's old house and stuff that was given to us that we never use. I figure if after almost two years of marriage we haven't used it, get rid of it! Some people in our church are organizing a flea market to sell things and raise money for the church, so I'm going to try to take stuff to sell. That should make some room in our little apartment. :)