Updates

While I feel like we've hit the ground running every morning, there hasn't been too much to blog about lately.  We've both been really busy, but with things that are a pain instead of exciting adventures.  I think we might go somewhere next weekend for Veteran's day to give ourselves a little break from the chaos and to celebrate John Ralph's birthday. 

Over the weekend there was a festival in the square.  We never found out what the festival was for, be we decided it had something to do with an "international" theme.  They had everything from paella from Spain, to alpaca items from Peru.  We got Seeber a little hooded sweater made from alpaca fur.  "Fur" sounds kind of gross, but what would you call that?  Alpaca wool?  Anyway, there was also lots of cheese, spices, plants, and leather goods.  I'm really enjoying the little festivals and markets they have. 

On Saturday, a few people came over to watch football (husbands) and carve pumpkins (wives).  It wasn't a full blown Halloween party like I had thought about having, but it was still fun.  John Ralph grilled on our little tiny balcony, and I'm happy to say our building didn't burn down.  I really should have taken a picture of his set up, because in no way, shape, or form did it look safe.  Let me paint this picture for you:  The middle leaf to our dining room table was sitting on the railing, hanging over both edges (and we live on the 4th floor), with a storage container lid on top of that, and finally the Smokey Joe grill on top of that.  The grill was about eye level with us, and John Ralph wore his head lamp while cooking.  Name one thing that sounds safe in that scenario. 

We both started our jobs on Monday.  Technically, John Ralph has been working since we got here, but he finally has a job, title, and an office.  He is no longer an assistant to an assistant.  He's been really busy getting everything settled with that.  I started at the Homework Lab and like the hours I work.  It's a very different setting than what I'm used to.  Going from an extremely structured elementary school and working in an office, to a more relaxed afterschool program is just...different.  I'll leave it at that until I spend more time with it. 

The Christmas items are up in the commissary and PX.  I haven't seen many decorations around town yet, but I know it's bound to be coming.  Christmas time in Europe is supposed to be really magical.  I need to sit down and make some gift lists so that I don't wait until the last minute like always.  I really don't even have until the last minute because we have to ship presents home early so that they will be there when we arrive for Christmas. 

Hopefully we'll get up to something exciting this weekend.  It's definitely time for some good picture updates and interesting experiences to share.  Who knows, I might even be able to convince John Ralph to go Christmas shopping with me.