It's Cold-ova here!!!

Okay, the truth is, I've been wanting to use that as a title for a while. Now, its finally cold enough to use it as an accurate description of the weather here. I know that Maine just got another foot of snow yesterday, and we don't have much snow to speak of here, but we are now getting some of the Arctic blast that blew across the Northern United States last week.

Since Dustin left last week, I have been once again dealing with computer frustrations. I know I should be grateful to even be able to use the computer at all here. When I actually think about it, it is sort of amazing to even be able to access this level of technology. We have an outhouse, a well for our water, and broadband internet. Go figure. I paid the internet bill late this month, and because of the many holidays in the beginning of January, they were not able to re-connect the service until today. I think it is now straightened out but it is still incredibly slow broadband, as slow as dial-up.

I was in the village last Thursday and Friday, and then on Friday afternoon I went back to Chisinau for an impromptu birthday party for one of the other volunteers. We had "funfetti" birthday cake with chocolate icing, and a nice time. On Saturday, Teresa came into town and we met for book club and then headed out to the newest mall in Chisinau. It is called Mall Dova. I kid you not! It is filled with French, British, Italian and American stores. It is the first time in almost a year that I wished I was making an American salary and not living on a volunteer stipend. There has been little I have needed, and not much I have wanted in almost a year, but I did see things on Saturday that I wanted, even though I have no needs. Its good that I clearly know the difference between wants and needs, or I might have been tempted! One funny thing about the day is that Teresa and I ate at KFC, and I had chicken and coleslaw. It wasn't until yesterday that I thought about it and realized that even when I don't have to eat cabbage, I am still eating cabbage, even if they don't make coleslaw here anything like KFC coleslaw. Too funny. The mall is new and clean, very western, it was fun to check out, and a great way to spend a dreary January Saturday afternoon.

Speaking of book club, this is what I have been reading since the end of December: The Christmas Train by David Baldacci, Cocktails for Three by Madeline Wickham, Saturday by Ian McEwan, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd, Liliane by Ntozake Shange, A Common Life by Jan Karon and I am currently reading Maya Angelou's All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes.

Tomorrow is the inauguration. A proud day for America. Have a good week. I miss you all. XOXO, Jami