Job? Dog? Italy? And story night!

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

The weather today was a bit improved. Still a lot of rain, even hail, but some sun too.
I interviewed for that job today and hopefully I will get a call back tomorrow saying that I have it! Even if I don’t take it, I wouldn’t want to ruin my record because so far every job I have ever interviewed for I have gotten. hehehe :) The job itself actually sounds appealing in the fact that I won’t be dealing with sick people. Not appealing in the fact that I would start at 6am! Yea - in the morning. They need extra delivery staff and I would work five days a week from 6-10 getting in the delivery, cataloging it, and setting it up before the customers come in. There is a team of four who do it and then are looking to hire more for the Christmas season. I think I would take the job if it is offered to me.

I also came very close to having a dog today. The GSPCA had a small dog they needed someone to care for till they could find a home. I saw the thing - it was very well trained by someone and didn’t bark and really didn’t lick much either. She would have been a great dog to have around the house. Since I would keep it till they found a home for it or till I left and not just for a weekend, I figured I better ask Teresa just in case. Zach was all for it. Teresa had previously said not to worry about anything, the house was ours to do with as we please, but I asked just in case. Good thing too because she said dogs were the one thing she did not like in the apartment. People were fine, but no dogs. She doesn’t like them. I was actually kind of surprised. I was sure she wouldn’t mind. It was the first time I felt some dislike toward her. However, I can understand having a general no pets policy. I would probably do the same thing if I were renting a place out. I think this dog would not have been a problem whatsoever, but exceptions are hard to make in running a business. So whatever, but it was a let down. I went back to the shelter in person to tell them the bad news and how sorry I was that it was so. They were very understanding and said not to worry that she was such a good dog, she should find a home quickly.

I went back home to start baking. While I was in a hail storm came up suddenly. We had already had a mix of sun and rain all morning, but this was crazy. Small pieces of ice, but lots of them for about 10 minutes. Then it turned to rain and the sun came back out 20 minutes later. Roberto described it perfectly when he said it is like someone is turning a nozzle on and off all day and night. Monica called me around 2 to see if I wanted to join her on her lunch break. We grabbed smoothies – her treat – and took them to the children’s section of the library – her favorite place. I was surprised that no one told us not to have the drinks in there. I love the children’s section now. We browsed through picking out ones that were our favorites and suggesting them to each other. I selected a Nancy Drew mystery to start reading and checked out a picture book on Victorian London as well as a chapter book Monica raved over. We sat in the floor of a back corner near a heater and read for a little while. I was so wrapped up in my Nancy Drew mystery that the full hour of break Monica had was suddenly over. We said goodbye and I went back home to start baking this time for real.

Baking in a foreign country requires converting recipes from Fahrenheit to Celsius and Standard to Metric and vice versa. Why can’t we all just be the same??? Oh well, at least I’m exercising my brain. It also might require one to use forks for mixers and thinking ahead making sure the butter is room temp so that it can blend without a mixer handy. I have a very limited kitchen, but I make do. My baking included pumpkin cookies and homemade cream cheese icing. The only cans of icing available here are chocolate and vanilla, so you have to more from scratch, which can be a good thing. I decided to try it, Cream cheese, vegetable fat, vanilla and powdered sugar. It was delicious! I was very thankful. Experimenting and needing it all to be good enough to sell is a little nerve racking. I also made puppy chow, using powdered sugar instead of glucose this time! It tastes about the same with the exception of the Wheaties substituted for the Crispix. Crispix is better.

There seem to be so many exciting moments followed by disappointments and more exciting moments in this little span of only two months. I wonder what the following month will hold. Today I was on Facebook and Maddie contacted me to inform me she is in Florence, since rumor had it I was in Europe! Oh, Florence! The cheapest flight I can get there is 100 Euro and it is over a weekend so it seems I can’t go. If I don’t get the job tomorrow I will do my absolute best to get there. I don’t suppose it’s worth the price I would have to pay but I’m thinking it over anyway. I’ve come to find I may never know.

It was my turn for dinner so I baked a version of spaghetti casserole. Pasta, chopped tomatoes with herbs in a can, ground beef, onion and red pepper boiled, browned, sautéed, and baked. It was pretty good but could have used another can of tomatoes.

The kitchen was warm after all the baking, so we’ve been keeping the doors to each room shut to hold heat better. The bathroom is always FREEZING. It has a vent to the roof that allows air to circulate, but it is the air from outside. So, the only hope for warmth is the water or the space heater.

After dinner, Zach and I went to story night. It was packed. So much so that Monica didn’t get in before they stopped letting people in. Story night is hippiesque in the Indie kind of way. I love it. I love the stories and music. Two girls used a mandolin and sang a beautiful song about wolves. It was a full moon tonight so it was fitting. They sounded kind of like the Dixie Chicks for a comparison. It is two hours long and everyone sits on the floor waiting for people to stand up and volunteer a story. Marta and Roberto showed up at 10 (during the break) when they got out of their English class. Some of the stories I remember from the night are in the post below.