First Impressions

There's nothing like company to keep an apartment presentable; I've hardly done anything but cook and clean for a week straight! Anytime I'm having someone over for the fist time, I can hear Grandma saying, "You only get one chance to make a first impression." Valda came over for the first time this week for a run, and I thought that was reason enough to give the palace a top to bottom scrubbing, dust the upper shelves, and basically do everything short of washing the curtains, since it hasn't been so thoroughly cleaned since summer (see what an inspiration you are, Grandma?!). Valda came after work and we ran around town and up past the castle into the woods for about an hour. The woods are spectacular right now, which is the REAL topic of this post. "First Impressions" just was to get you read it.

Heather spent Friday night at my house, and we went out for a walk Saturday morning. Did I mention the trees are looking lovely these days? And so is Ruine Pfeffingen. I know it's very foreign of me to still be taking pictures of the castle in my back yard even after all these months. But I think it's purty, especially with the snow, and just to make you terribly jealous, here's a picture or two.






After church today a few of us went over to Stephen's house for some Ghanaian food and homemade pizza.

Raph and Ben, being pizza-making pros:




Unfortunately, the two other guys came later, so you don't get to see the whole international party. There was a guy from Nigeria and a guy from Cameroon, and Stephen (from Ghana)and the three of them educated Ben (from England) and Raph (swiss, but if you don't know who he is by now, you're not reading carefully), and me on the various possible ways to cook manioc. We also talked a lot about soccer. A LOT about soccer.

'Fraid that's all my interesting news...oh wait! It's not!! I almost forgot to say that I bought some snowboarding britches (on sale, no less) and I have inherited a pair of gloves and a proper jacket, and Valda gave me socks and a scarf thingy this week too. And I already have goggles, I should add. So! Slippery planks strapped to my feet appear imminent.