a surprise for Z

This week Z celebrated his birthday, actually his birthday is on Earth day so needless to say he is a big proponent of every day being Earth day. While he was away from home this week and I was doing my independent woman thing I planned a few sneaky surprises. Z really doesn't enjoy surprises...so he is a surprise ruiner.
Surprise #1- go to Capital city and buy Z gifts and imported cheeses.
Surprise #2 - while in the big city pick up ingredients for a Mexican birthday dinner.
Surprise #3 - have friends over for the Mexican dinner as a surprise.
Z found out about Surprise #1 when our trusted taxi driver called him instead of me to cancel on my sneakily planned trip. Surprise #2 was found out when I started cooking dinner...But luckily Surprise #3 really shocked him. Next year I am going to have to get much sneakier.

New kitchen gadget :)

Dabby you are going to want one... I got the brand new "I- Can opener" in the capital city yesterday (I also got the refried beans there as well, yum.) Here's what the "I-Can opener" claims:

• Revolutionary ratchet design reduces hand and wrist strain.
• Great for right or left hand users.
• Dishwasher safe (Does this mean R won't break it, because technically she is my dishwasher...)

The instructions said: "Move ratchet handle back and forth to open the can. Do not squeeze handle while ratcheting." Um...is "ratcheting" even a word? Anyways we will see how long this can opener lasts us, the previous one only survived for 8 months.

heat survival 101

The temperature in Curry Land is now breaking the 100 mark everyday. This summer I am doing what the nationals do in this kind of heat. 1) The women don't leave their houses with out umbrellas. At first I felt weird using an umbrella as a parasol for sun protection...in reality I blend in more with the other women on the street. 2) They complete all their house work before 9 am...Today I washed my windows at 7:30 am, I even forewent my first cup of caffeine so my work would be done before the intense sun. 3) And then there are the afternoon siestas...only I call them siestas they just say "rest". Yesterday I laid down for my afternoon siesta and didn't wake up for three hours...I might have overdone the siesta thing yesterday.

left to my own devices...

Z is away until Saturday morning for work. We were planning to take the trip together, but I dipped last minute for several reasons. One very good reason: I have never had to function here in Curry Land with out Z by my side. So this week I am reclaiming the strong independent woman within. My neighbors think I am nuts, no one ever leaves their wives home alone for longer than 12 hours...or let them do anything outside of the house alone...and you know they probably know something I don't, but I also am very keen on alone time and doing things for myself. So 2 days down being left to my own devices, here is the run down:

• Activated my ATM card, it wasn't active for 8 months...I am a procrastinator with a capital P!
• The power went out at 9:30pm one night, I called Z for advice, he told me to check our meter and breaker box...sure enough a bird had built a nest inside. Sadly I had to take the nest with the baby birds out so my electricity would work again.
• Stood in line and paid our electricity bill for the first time...Z is going to be stunned that I paid a bill well before its due date.
• Spending lots of time with caring neighbors
• Don't tell Z but I have been running the AC whenever I want to...normally we only run it at night. I feel so rebellious running the AC during the day while working or napping...its like running with scissors!
• Getting up way to early than what is physically healthy in order to take out the trash, get the newspaper, and make chai...Z usually does these tasks because he is a wonderful hubby and a morning person.

the sanctity of pancakes on a saturday morning

Saturday is a day off for us, we spend time together and about every month we have pancakes...comfort food is so amazing. Anyways drama ensued this Saturday over pancakes, here is how it went down.
My cooking teacher came at 11 am instead of the usual 6 pm because she had a family function in the evening...

• She got to the house just as I was putting away our breakfast (the pancakes).
• She saw the pancakes so I offered her one.
• She did not like the pancakes so attempted to fix them by deep frying them in oil.
• I was only able to salvage two pancakes from her clutches, unfortunately two others were casualties.
• Deep fried pancakes do not taste better.
• No one is touching my precious pancakes again!

The rest of the cooking lessons went well and we made a tasty egg curry. I really do appreciate her help, however do not mess with a hormonal woman and her comfort food.

Life of the party

There are many reasons for throwing a party such as; weddings, a child's first haircut, a boy's first fast, anniversaries, etc...But so far no matter what the reason the parties tend to be the same. The men and woman are separate...the men eat first and then the women eat...after people have eaten to their hearts delight they go home. No breaking the ice games to get guests acquainted, no music, no mix and mingle involving appetizers, no one to watch open presents, and no processional line to wish the party honoree well.
So anyways because there is not a lot to do at parties it is really easy to become the life of the party here. For the most part all that it takes is to be of a different nationality and then people will flock to you...you almost get treated like someone famous. People stare and point at you, others want their picture taken with you, and then there are those who ask you really random - borderline uncomfortable - questions. No amazing dance skills or great jokes required to be the life of the party here...although if one did possess all three (different nationality, dance skills, and funny jokes) then hands down that person would don the life of the party crown.

computer epiphany

I have Z's old laptop, it is 5 1/2 years old! He made me a deal, when the old one poops I get a brand new one of my choice...I like shiny new things :) Because of the deal I have not had much incentive to keep the old one in working order. My secret plan was to sabotage the longevity - Dell however makes really good computers so the sabotage plan has been taking longer than anticipated.

Yesterday however I was looking at pictures of my beautiful nieces (they really are dolls!)... and I realized more than getting shiny new things, what I really want is to see E and Ray ray. So secret plan 'sabotage' has been dropped. New mission: save money like crazy for trips to see the world's cutest nieces.