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.

Lines and Dots

Since we're on the topic of twitterpation these days, what with people getting married right and left (and let me take this moment to extend congratulations to the recently married Joseph and Erika Cook, and the soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Mike and Anne Popa), I thought I'd share this cute story Laura told me about today. Enjoy.

es guets neus

Happy new year, ya'll. The last few weeks have been VERY busy with the holidays and the wedding. We're pleased to have successfuly married off the twitterpated couple, but it didn't go without a glitch. Even though I was up at 6.50 and at the hairdresser by 8, the hairdresser was running a bit late and Valda and I got back to her house at the time we were supposed to be leaving for the church. They took all the other people in the house to the church without us and sent a car back for us, but by the time we got there, the service had started. Now, I know I tend to run a bit late for a lot of things, a lot of times. But even though the lateness wasn't anything I could help in this instance, I was fairly mortified at having to slip up the side aisle and into my place at the front during the first hymn. What kind of bridesmaid is late to the wedding!! Seriously! I felt about two inches tall walking up there. But not very many people noticed, aparently. On the up side, I had been worried about tripping on my dress and falling during the processional, so I managed to neatly avoided that spectacle.

The reception was here (what's the easiest way to impress American girls? Dinner in a castle). It was a fun party. The dual-language thing went off rather well, I thought, and wasn't too cumbersome...at least not for those of us who mostly understand one and not so much the other. I might be able to post some pictures from the wedding later, but I have to ask permission first.

That's all for now. More soon. :)