Thinking about the day wears me out!\u00a0 It was long, but fun.\u00a0 We started out traveling over to the \u201cSilk Market\u201d, trying to finish up our Christmas shopping.\u00a0 We arrive around 9:30am, well ahead of the crowds.\u00a0 The vendors are scrambling, trying to get us into their shops.\u00a0 We keep hearing \u201cgood deal, first sale today, good price\u201d, and many other variations as we walk by.\u00a0 You don\u2019t dare stop until you\u2019re serious about looking.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to get out of the small vendor stalls without buying.\u00a0 They do everything but physically block you in.<\/p>\n
After we get back to the apartment, we start cooking the fresh green beans we\u2019ve cleaned and snapped.\u00a0 When they\u2019re done, we dress for the evening, pack up the beans, and head over to the home of Judy\u2019s principal, Kyra Gailis.\u00a0 We\u2019ve been invited for Thanksgiving dinner, and it\u2019s a huge spread.\u00a0 She\u2019s cooked a turkey, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, and mashed potatoes.\u00a0 She did all of this with a small portable oven, only slightly larger than a toaster oven.\u00a0 It\u2019s a great meal and fun to talk about everyone\u2019s Thanksgiving experiences in other countries.\u00a0 Kyra grew up in Florida, but her parents live in Texas now.\u00a0 Her husband is Latvian, and they lived and taught in Latvia for many years. \u00a0Dani, the secondary principal, is Austrialian, and has experienced Thanksgiving in the Phillipines, and Vietnam, as well as China.\u00a0 Anthony, the Middle Years Program Coordinator, is Greek, and had varied Thanksgiving experiences in Europe.<\/p>\n
After dinner, we beg out, and head over to party #2 for the evening.\u00a0 Mindy, the BISS athletic director is celebrating her 35<\/span>th<\/sup> birthday at a Japanese restaurant.\u00a0 Mindy is from Iowa, and her boyfriend is Australian.\u00a0 We arrive late, but just in time for the food to arrive.\u00a0 We\u2019re both stuffed, which works out just fine.\u00a0 Eel, squid, and sushi are not at the top of my list for a meal.\u00a0 In fact, they\u2019re not anywhere on our list of foods.\u00a0 There are a few beef dishes that are served, and we snack a little, enjoying the company.\u00a0 Several continents are represented with Australians, New Zealanders, a Spaniard, a Brit, some Chinese, and a few Americans.\u00a0 It makes for a varied view of the world.\u00a0 As the evening winds down, I get a chance to perform a few of my card tricks.\u00a0 This is my first attempt in performing these in a long time, so I\u2019m a little shaky, but it eventually works out, with the appropriate amazement from the group.\u00a0 (Whew, it was close a few times).<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Thinking about the day wears me out!\u00a0 It was long, but fun.\u00a0 We started out traveling over to the \u201cSilk Market\u201d, trying to finish up our Christmas shopping.\u00a0 We arrive around 9:30am, well ahead of the crowds.\u00a0 The vendors are … Continue reading