Junie's Online Thoughts
Saturday, May 03, 2003
I found the BEST restaurant EVER!!!!!! Our friend Heather came down last night, and together with her and Erin, we went to The Orangery, this sort of french nice restaurant near Circle. Jeremy had been there once and ate a great pasta with olive tapenade. He said they had asparagus on the menu, so I was sold. When we got there, we were the only customers. Then, we saw the menu. I just about died. It was five pages full of everything I ever want to eat for cheap, cheap prices. Cream of mushroom soup, pumpkin soup, asparagus soup, quiches, MUFFINS, WAFFLES!!, salmon with lemon sauce and asparagus, veggie lasagna, pasta with pinenuts and squash, meat dishes, and then...the dessert menu. Sweet crepes with liquor and fruit, chocolate cheesecake, chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, creme caramel, RHUBARB crumble, for god's sake, ice cream including avacado and lime ice cream, creme brulee, and more more more. I told everyone I was going to live under the table or at least return each and every day to try everything on the menu. I nearly wept. In fact, I acted like a twelve year old, bouncing on my chair, exclaiming when I saw something else on the menu. We ordered drinks (this hibiscus ginger drink and fresh lime juice with sugar syrup), then our food. Erin and I split the cream of asparagus soup, I got the pasta with lemon sauce with salmon and asparagus, Erin got the seafood platter, Jeremy got the veggie lasagne, Heather got the asparagus soup and fresh tomatoes and mozzerella with basil. Then....the food arrived. My god, it was all I could do not to climax at the table.....freshly made asparagus soup with hot olive bread......everything was soooooo good and more than enough food. I couldnt finish my entree, and neither could Erin, but we all decided to order two desserts to share. One was the rhubarb crumble (which I was SURE would be "finshed" but it wasnt!!!) and a sweet crepe with orange and Cointreau (a orangey liquour). They both kicked ass...the rhubarb was WARM, dear lord AND then the manager came out to make sure things were okay. We gushed, and the waitress brought out free treats...cashew ginger peanut brittle and chocolate mixed with hazelnuts and dried fruit with liquor. The craziest part was that when the bill arrived, the entire thing was less than the last time Jeremy and I went to L'arco, this mediocre Italian restaurant that I used to like until they started sucking. The whole bill for all four of us was 266,000 cedis...or the equivalent of about $20. I was so inspired, I wrote them a note on the back of the bill, telling them I loved everything about their restaurant and I would try to come back as often as possible and that I was so very happy to have eaten there. THey probably thought I was a total whack-job, but I dont care. Most folks I know pick a place that they go to all the time. With STacey it was Vasili's for coffee and croissants, with Heather its Brunchies for hummus. The Orangery is my new place...I want to go there once a week so they know me by name and I can eat everything on the menu and grow fat and happy. Well, not that last part, but Im going to become a fixture there....they have MUFFINS!!!!! How could I not go back????? (WAFFLES!!!! Who knew???? I've been here for five months....why didnt we know about this place before??)
When we got home, we played Go until after midnight (Go is a card game I usually play with my grandma) and crashed into bed. Slept really late this morning. I woke up feeling drugged and sluggish. I think I really need to see a doctor to make sure I dont have anything physical going on. Maybe its an iron deficiency...I certainly dont eat the protein I did when I lived in Atlanta. I dont think its anything serious like thypoid or worms, but I am tired way too much for it not to be Something. When we visit Heather in the VOlta, Im going to see her doctor, who is used to foreigners and tourists.
In case anyone is itching to read a GREAT book, check out The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney. The book says its like a northern Divine Secrets of the Yaya sisterhood, but its much, much better and more believeable than that one. Its about four best friends in their 30's to 50's, and each one of the friends tells a different chapter. You get to hear how each of them think as they deal with each other and life. I just got to the part where they introduce the big trouble and I know Im going to be weeping in a few days as I near the end of the book. But its one of those fabulous, necessary cries....where you yearn for friends like that....where you love life....and wish the book wasnt over.
Well, Ive chattered enough for today. Have a great Saturday....
Friday, May 02, 2003
Okay...Im not having much luck here. Yesterday I was having a terrible day (as you will soon read) but the computer I was using lost its internet connection. I saved it to word and came back today to use the PC and post the blog. I had to wait an hour for some guy to finish using this computer and when I posted the blog I was currently writing (on the PC next to the one I wanted) it crashed. Argh. So lets hope I can just post hte damn things and be done with it.
What I was saying before I lost my blog was that I saw the most brilliant thing on the walk here. (Before spilling beer all over my purse and pants and getting all itchy and stinky). I stopped a woman to buy a pineapple. She holds the stem and hacks off the side husks, nothing usual about this. Then she puts the pineapple in a bag so she doesnt have to touch it, cuts off the stem and chops the fruit into bite sized pieces within the bag. Again, nothing new. BUT THEN, she gives me this skewer to eat with. BRILLIANT!!!! Why dont they all do that? Its perfect....cheap....practical...and makes eating the pineapple so much easier and cleaner. Ah, I love innovations.
So here's my weepy blog from yesterday....Im much better today, although my ankle still hurts.
Today Im having one of those smooshy, topsy turvy, down and under days. It all really started last night. The mechanic told us he would drop off the car in an hour and a half, so we left for dinner and came back right on time. When we arrived at our door, the car was already sitting there. Where are our keys? we wondered. A few minutes later, Antoinette, the gal who does our laundry, came by and asked if we had gotten our key. No, where is it? Well, Kofi (the illiterate, non-english speaking watchman) had it. Where's Kofi? I dont know....we called Emil, the mechanic, and he said he gave it to our landlady. Auntie C, for some nonsensical reason, immediately turned the key over to Kofi, who promptly left and told no one where he was going. Perhaps it was bad timing, but the whole thing felt weird and uncomfortable. Should we be worried that he's out copying our key right now? DUe to past circumstances, Im a little paranoid (or have "heightened awareness" as Sean called it) so I tend to currently think the worst. It all just pissed me off...the negligence and lameness of our landfolks. (Plus, theres been this issue with the big house. They decided to change the outdoor locks, blaming us for the bent bolt. Then, they stated that only people who lived within the big house would get a key, otherwise we would have to ask Auntie C to let us in, which really means that she screams for one of the workers and THEY let us in. Its all flawed theory and a pain in the ass, so yesterday we asked for our own key. Margaret seemed reluctant, and delayed us, saying she wouldnt have a key until Friday...we'll see about that.) Anyway, I already felt sour at our living situation and this didnt help matters much. Hours went by. I continued to obsess. How do you say, "If you steal my car I will kill you" in Twi? We voiced our displeasure at Margaret that Kofi had our key and then disappeared, and finally gave up and went to bed.
We both were wide awake...I kept thinking about Kofi and growing more and more ornery. After 1 am, I got up, wrapped a sheet around me, unlocked the front door and peered out to see if Kofi was milling around. I ducked into the living room to readjust the sheet so I wouldnt be showing my ass when I walked around, and a split second later, Kofi appeared at the door. Your husband? he asked. Yes, he's sleeping. (I was so shocked that a) he was speaking to me when he consistently ignored me for the past three months and b) that he was speaking english that I stood there dumbstruck.) He looked at the car and dug in his pockets. Sleeping? he asked. Yes, I said, as he handed me the key. Ok, thanks, and with that, he walked away. So very, very weird.
Hours later I fell asleep, and woke early to run with Erin. Heidi met me instead and we ran. Then, I decided to start the car to see if it worked. Typically, we put it in neutral and put on the emergency brake. Emil, for some reason, didnt do that. When I started the car, I had one foot outside the door, much like I always did back home when I was just letting the car sit idly. As the ignition started, the car started rolling backwards. I panicked, stomping on the brake, which was actually the clutch, trying to close the door so it wouldnt scratch the truck next to me and move my foot so I wouldnt sever the damn thing. The car stalled as my door bumped along the adjacent truck, and left my left ankle pinned painfully between my car door and the door frame. OW!!! I yelled, and started the car again. This time, I rolled forward and as I neared the other car parked next to me, I threw on the emergency brake in time to stop. It freaked the hell out of me and really really hurt my ankle. It doesnt make sense...I didnt actually hit the brake or accelerator (despite my trying) and didnt shift out of any gears...so why would the car roll BOTH forwards and backwards if the driveway is on a slant? I think the car is possessed, and thus began my morning.
Since then, Ive slipped into a mood---sad, homesick, ill, lonely, something. Dont know why..but I feel yucky. Now my stomach's joined the party, so that's not feeling pleasant either. ARgh. Jeremy's been good about trying to cheer me up, but I think I have to just ride it out until tomorrow. Its probably hormones--I dont do well when Im off the pill and as my period winds down, the Thursday and Friday before I start the next pill pack usually has me feeling freaky. At least it makes me feel better to blame something.
Nothing else going on...am going home soon to sleep off the afternoon and put more ice on my ankle.
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
I woke up this morning early to run with Heidi. At first, I regretted telling her I would go along, because the bed tempted me....sleep....come back to sleep. But I sucked it up, stretched and walked a bit since Heidi broke into a run from the start. She arrived at 6:15 and we ran her normal route. Heidi was the fastest person I've run with here, and I think the others slowed down to be nice to me since I tend to move slower. I pushed myself to meet her stride, and did really well. I stopped twice to walk and then caught up to her. It turns out her normal run is only about 15 minutes..enough to be active, get the heart moving and have enough time to go back to bed for an hour. I learned a lot today....I always think that to exercise, I need to devote at least an hour or its not worth it. Heidi reminded me today that even a 15 minute run is awesome..it builds endurance, it creates a routine of everyday activity, it increases confidence and I need to remember that. I think Im going to try to do it every day...after the first week I will add some time to the run..maybe starting slower and ending with a walk, but knowing that even if I only have fifteen minutes, that I cant make excuses for not getting up. (Always the hardest part.)
I returned to bed for an hour, then because of the rain, decided to catch a taxi to Alliance. My driver was probably the nicest, fairest driver Ive had in ACcra. Usually I have to argue hard to get to Alliance for 8000, but the driver, Richard, took my first offer of 7000. We talked about learning French, about his life, about being a taxi driver when no one respects you and its not what you want to do but there are no other jobs without a university degree. All in all, its been a great morning.
Rachel, the aussie gal, offered me a ride home again today so I have enough time to email before going home for lunch. Yahoo!!!
Tuesday, April 29, 2003
Jeremy and I have entered a sloth phase. Neither one of us seems motivated or focused enough to do much of anything. Instead we're tired all the time, sleep too much, sit around too much, but I enjoy spending time with him so its not all bad. I keep hoping for the motivation fairy to pay us a visit and make things right, but I guess she's a slacker, too. Today Ive done almost nothing...worked out...had lunch...answered the email from my sister....thats it. I feel guilty...like I should be taking advantage of this time that I have, and instead I feel like Im wasting it, you know? I dont know if its physical or mental--this lethargy. Im going to keep track of what I eat, try to exercise more, and see if there are physical symptoms of something wrong. If not, then I need to find a way out of this lazy slump and get my crap together before my time is up here.
Tomorrow Im going running with Heidi. She leaves in less than three weeks and that makes me sad. I didnt spend nearly enough time with her and soon she'll be gone. Thats the real bummer of a transient community. Just when you start to get to know someone, they leave.
Met an Australian...shes from my French class. She gave me a ride home Monday, which was nice because it was crazy hot. (Still is.) Turns out she lives in this big expensive complex owned by the construction company her boyfriend works for. They pay, get this, $2500 a month for their flat!!! I wouldnt pay that in America, let alone in a third world country, especially when I have trouble paying the $350 a month we pay now. They have maids and a pool and raquetball courts and a bar within the complex. Her life sometimes reflect my own...she's pretty aimless here and takes french, hangs out with friends, goes out, emails, and is trying to meet people. But that's where the similiarities end....I think she's about twenty five tax brackets away from my reality....I cant even imagine what we'd do with that much money if Jeremy earned it here. Certainly not waste it on a place to live. Oh well.....to each their own. She invited me to "coffee Thursdays" at MaxMart, the biggest whitest supermarket in the city, and Im not sure if I want to go or not. We'll see....
French is progressing slowly...I need to buckle down and make flashcards, read children's books, and try to learn as much out of class as I can. Spanish helps me recognize words, but French pronounciation is so different from spelling, that Spanish doesnt help me figure out how to say French words. Only practice...and listening to as much French stuff as possible. Going to find Jeremy......
Monday, April 28, 2003
I made my first angel food cake yesterday. It was a box mix that Erin brought back for me from the states. I used two 9 inch round cake pans...who knew that would work?? It tasted fine, although Ive lost that deep love of angel food cake I used to have. Maybe it was the lack of strawberries. Hm....
Nothing new going on...except Erin finally came home. Her mom and stepdad arrived almost two weeks ago to travel with her and she's been gone since then. I miss hanging out with her, and she has our mail, and her mom agreed to mail a gift to friend Marta (YEAH MARTA!) for me. Im glad she's home.
Ross let us watch a movie on his laptop last night. Phone booth. Kind of jarring and lame-ish, but I was so happy to watch a movie, it could have been Ernest Goes to Jail and I would have been happy.
Going home to chat with Jeremy and pay rent....looking to be a slow and quiet night.
