My favorite topic....FOOD

I just realized something small but kinda fun, especially after a friends recipe which I had altered and made my own, came back to me via my mother as someone's "origial" recipe...

In Newfoundland they are making my Iranian rice
In Korea they are making my veggie spaghetti recipe
In Bulgaria they are making my Chinese Cahew Chicken

and of course, I am making all sorts of recipes from all over the world passed on to me by various people.

Again, it's a small thing but a good thing.

Now if I could only make Ella's Bagels without having them turn out like hockey pucks with holes in them, I would be a happier cook.

Dirty words

Got your attention didnt I? No as much as I always taught my students anything they wanted to know INCLUDING dirty words (it's my duty as an educator to quench the thirst of knowledge, however inappropriate the content) this entry is not about anything of the sort.

It is about the dirtiest, most horrible word in any language.

CONVENIENCE!

Wherever I look, whatever I think about that has effected the earth, peoples attitudes, relationships and overall mentality in a negative way has to do with convenience. Cars, packaging, plastic, air travel, break-ups, giving up, all these have to do with things, people, situations not being convenient enough for us. Why is it so onerous to walk to a place, to wash a plastic container and use it again, to compost our food in our back yards, to cut up old clothing and make new things, or even to stay in that relationship that is changing and isnt so easy to be in any more? Why are we opting for the easy way out ALL the time?

We have been taught that convenience is of the utmost importance, that the easy way is likely the best way, and even if it isnt, what the hell, its convenient! And those of us who don't always choose the convenient way are often thought to be wacky, or at best our behavior is seen as cute, or quaint, when it should be the way we behave at all times.

Yes, I recycle everything I can, and yes that is sometimes a pain in the butt especially when you try to live in my clutter, but I often have something others would pay for, and I feel good recycling. Its always a small thing but it is also always a good thing. I buy smart (or try to) and I discard smart.

click your heels...

I'm not in Kansas any more. Nor am I in Turnovo. I'm back in the crowded, car-filled, dirty, multicultural, friendly, polluted Toronto. The place I call home! EVERYBODY CHATS TO ME HERE. I LOVE THAT!!!!

I love the fact that I know where everything is. I love the fact that everyone recycles here and that every bit of what I save has a place to go. I know, I know its a strange thing to love, but it makes me feel good to do it, what can I say? I love it that I ate in a Greek restaurant Sunday, a Russian one Monday and a Japanese one Tuesday and that Shahen loved them all. I love that I see places I have been to for many years and I know what to expect around the corner. But sad to say my favorite restaurant (SODA) closed 2 months ago. And I love that I still have about a billion places to show Shahen.

We might be going to Shippensburg Friday to help my sister pack to move to a better place "If it's still there" she said. Apparently it has been raining there since Sunday and it might wash away. She is in Virginia right now so she doesnt know.

Its a 400 Mile drive there, and we just rented a boat of a car that will take us there using faaaaar too much gas, so we might be able to change it for a smaller one. And for anyone out there renting a car, we were misquoted and we got really angry at them and we got it for 150 dollars cheaper than the "lowest price which they couldn't come down from". So remember, drive a hard bargain folks (no pun intended) coz these guys have lots of leaway and they will give it cheaper rather than let it sit on the lot.

Well, we did some shopping for Shahen today and he bought everything I told him to get coz I know what looks good on him. My mom seems to love him (and why wouldnt she?) and so we are doing fine so far.

Im very sleepy as usual but happy that I found LOST is on at 9pm on Wed. nights on ABC, so I know what I am going to do from now on on Wed. nights. Also there are about 5 episodes of Law and Order on every day. GRIN!

Well, now that my couch potato life has been mapped out, I need to dig out my bathing suit so I can get in shape. North American food is already starting to show its effects.

Still holding out for the WWF job. No one has been hired. Keep everything crossed folks.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S HERE!

I leave Wed. and tomorrow is my last day at school. Just did my last book review and am emptying my locker. I'm tired as hell but can't sleep.

I had a really nice and full last weekend. I had a nice morning with Albena, my friend and teaching partner and by far the most responsible individual and teacher I've had the pleasure to work with, and we had coffee out in a cafe, met our students while they were writing the first certificate test and bought the groceries for the party meal.

I was on my feet aaaaaaaall day Saturday so when people started coming over at 8 I was ready for bed, but we had a nice night sitting out eating, drinking and telling jokes. There was a lot of loud laughter and I am sure my psycho neighbors would have hated it, but to hell with Stalin! It's payback time. I think I might just spray all the electric outlets in the garden with honey so he cant use them any more. That might finally stop him playing his obnoxious radio at 8 am on weekends JUST outside my window!

As for my colleagues: they spoiled me again with gifts.

Sunday morning I had to go back to Avas moms to get my filling re-done which I pulled out by flossing too vigerously.

At 1:00pm, I met the students at EGO, my favorite restaurant by far in Turnovo, and we had a goodbye lunch for both Albena and me since she will be on maternity leave next year. We had a ball and exchanged gag gifts which made us all laugh. I got a whoppee cushion and it broke the second time it got used. Oh well! I got one really good rip out of it.

Then Sunday afternoon I came back to my place with Ava, got all my plants, and some kitchen things and went to her house by car, delivered it all to her mom and watched a really great film called "White Noise" and had leftover taskebab from the party.

It was a great last weekend and it was spent will all my favorite people I met in Bulgaria. I already want to go back for a visit as Ia m now sitting in my moms bedroom typing this on Thursday June 22nd.

Seven days and counting...

Next week at this time I will be at 30,000 feet, as will Oscar! But this week this time I am at Ava's house. Her mom fixed 2 of my teeth and I made Cashew Chicken for dinner here, and hung out with some of their relatives.

I have been trying to squeeze in a lot of things these past few weeks and I finally made my way to quaint little town of Plevin to visit yet more of Avas relatives.

Avas mom, grandpa (A Joe Dassin fan) and Ava of course picked me up Saturday morning nice and early in her mom's brand-spanking new Peugeot 307, in a beautiful metallic green. It still had the "new car smell", and her mom timidly drove us the 200-odd Kms to Plevin.

Ava just put on Tracey Chapman....

We got there nice and early, around 11:30 and had a delicious Bulgarian spread, with Vodka of course! Nice way to break in the morning. Who did we visit you ask??? UNCLE and Aunt, and Christine who seems to be good at everything, like her cousin. These are the same folks who were at easter dinner and made me miss my own family. (Ava just snuck a photo!!!)

They are both artists and I took a photo of Yazd for them thinking if anyone in Bulgaria would appreciate a photo, it would be them. I think they did and I walked away with a gorgeous painting, which I feel a bit guilty about taking in return for a photo I have the negative for and I can reproduce endlessly. I always feel this way when trading work, but this time I really didnt expect to get an original piece of art back. I just wanted to give them my photo, but couldnt say no when offered.

So the artwork was done by Avas aunt, Antonia, and the Uncle (aka Mario) is a Iconographer. We went to the church which had 18 or so icons done by him, and then to the museum where he presently works as a restorator/ poster designer and overall promotions man, I believe. I being the "had-just-about-enough-of-museums" kinda gal, actually enjoyed this becasue I was with someone who could explain things to me. Then we went to a spaceship look-a-like building which housed a panorama circuling the entire building. And the most amazing part of it was that it was ONE piece of canvas. The paining was a war scene of the battle between the Bulgarians and the Turks in that same spot.

Well to make a long story short, I felt very at home and comfortable, as did Oscar who spent the whole day chasing Roxy, their female dog who wouldnt give him the time of day. Once again Oscar didnt get "lucky".

Well I will miss this entire family but especially with Ava, I know this isnt the end of our story. I want her at my wedding and she and her entire family knows it. I'll keep my fingers crossed so she can be there next summer.

Haircut

Well I went to a new hair-dresser last night. This time recommended by the Bulgarian teacher here who is Class personified so I figured I couldnt go wrong. My hairdresser was an Annie Lennox look alike but aged 20 more years. She was a little creepy looking but did a good job. I now have a long bob cut and all my hair is more or less one length. There's one thing less on my to-do list and it cost 6 levs. Beats the 90 I got charged across the street for a few streaks. Im still pissed about that.

2 weeks today will be my last day at work. I can hardly believe it. Its so strange and freaky. I have so much to do still. I can hardly believe it. The least of which is taking Oscar Cho for his rabies shots and getting his ears and eyes properly checked out. I do think the damn moisture in my place is causing chronic problems. I have to sort out his ears at least becasue the pressure during landing will kill him if his ears are infected. Poor pooch. I will be worrying about him all the way.

Well I had a suit made here that is too big and was actually falling off me on the way to Manchester. It was really annoying, so I have to go back to the seamstress and get it fixed. My wedding dress is also ready so I have to go get that tomorrow. 2 more errands done. The good thing about this city is that is it so small that all these things take a few minutes to do. Last night I ran three errands, incuding giving Oscar a walk in under 40 minutes. I'll miss this in good old Toronto the metropolis! God I cant stand the TTC! (Toronto Transit Commission)

Bitter-sweet

The last few days have been rough. The only great thing was going to Sofia for one last time to visit Lydia, my Cambodian partner-in-crime. She's actually a Brit but I met her going to Cambodia so she will forever be affiliated with Cambodia as far as I'm concerned.

Ahh how I'd love to see it again! Cambodia, the temples and those beautiful Asian-hindu mixed people.

Back to the topic at hand. I've made 122 entried since being here, this being the 123rd and it will soon be over. I cant believe it. Im happy for so many reasons but also sad, and very morose for some. I have made some connections here, gotten attached to people and now I must leave again. This has made it hard the last week as I am mourning leaving in a way. No matter how long you stay in a place and how many things piss you off (and there were a fair share of them here too) you still feel like it wasnt long enough when it comes time to leave. Why on earth is that???

Anyhow I have no answers and I have so many appointments to keep before heading home, a haircut is the one on the menu today.

Ciao ciao as they say here.