Oh happy day!

Today was a cool day! It was one of those blustery, rainy days that makes you want to curl up inside with a good book, a cup of tea and a good friend. Two out of three happened after I got home from work, so that was sweet! Thankfully, it waited to pour until I got to work, and then off and on, proceeded to pour bucketfuls upon us. We were quite happy to work inside, although you had to bite the bullet and run for the outdoor fridge!

The first cool thing that happened today was that we got eggplant! Big, beautiful, purple eggplant. I haven't eaten, or seen any since I came a year and a half ago, so it was a real treat! The menu today was a bit complex with new recipes and such (roast chicken fillet, potatoes, fettuccine with alfredo sauce and marinara sauce, eggplant parmesan, italian salad with banana peppers and croûtons (newly found!) and a mock tiramisu trifle, and the cooks were also new. The cool part was that Haike and I then spent most of the day up in the kitchen helping make dinner and having awesome fun with all the girls! I am a lucky girl indeed to do what I love and love what I do!

Rachel, one of the cooks, from France. She rocks! Tanja, the other cook, from Ukraine. She's tons of fun too! Andrea French (England) is just here for the summer and has been in the kitchen for the past week. She still has two years to go until she is done with school and can come to Alag! Boo! I want her on my kitchen team!! Natasha (Ukraine), emptying the cardboard boxes. We're lucky to have her! Andrea from Peru. She is crazy and all-around awesome!

At one point during the day, I looked out from my office to see it just pouring down buckets. A few moments later, I saw the entire soccer team standing under the eaves outside the kitchen trying to stay dry!

The other team took refuge by the outdoor refrigerators!

When I got home, I stood on my balcony and just enjoyed the wind gusting around me, then had a good cup of tea with Maaike. I've loved having her here with me! We laughed so hard we couldn't breath last night and were so silly together, staying up until after midnight shopping online for things from home. Fun, fun! We've had some pretty awesome meetings the past two days, including the one tonight, and lots to think about and work on. It still blows me away sometimes when I think how lucky I am to be in the Church and to hear what we hear; that I can be completely free from living for myself and everything that ties me to this earth, and can only live to please Him who enlisted me as a soldier! I tell you, then life is good! Well, it's only 11:00 tonight so that's a little better. So, here's me wishing you all a good night, or a good day, whichever time zone you happen to be in. :) Ciao!