making gnocci with chopsticks

today Rodolfo's cousins mom (who lives in Buenos Aires usually) is showing me how to make homemade gnocci!  So far, we've boiled water, added salt and then 1 cup self rising flour per cup of water.  (1 cup of each per person)

So...I just witnessed the coolest thing!  When she added the flour to the boiling water, she used CHOPSTICKS!

This is something I haven't really considered doing before, but seeing someone else do it and see how easy things seem to mix together, I'm inspired to give it a try.  It seems to mix better then when I use a big old spoon with less clumpiness and it's not as messy as a whisk!

So cool!  I'm converting to the sticks!

dreams of things

As always my friend and fellow blogger Kyria is always inspiring me with her ideas and thoughts on the world.  Just today I read her blog called Less is More.  Having traveled in some of the same places at around the same times, ever since we met, I love checking in on what she's up to and thinking about, because our thoughts for some reason tend to run parallel on lots of things.

After traveling, as you know, R man and I decided we wanted to return to normal life for a while. 

A job.  An apartment.  Cell phones.  A kitchen.  It's lovely, absolutely lovely.  All of it.
(Sarah does a happy dance)

We are to the point that we are even quasi redecorating!

I'm not that 'type' of gal who lives at Crate and Barrel  - although I AM the oggling type passing by plate and glass display windows, so I'm using the term 'redecorate' lightly, in terms of major essential household furniture purchases and such.

We still don't want to be tied down to stuff in case the feeling hits us that it's time to leave (which we both decided is important to us), but as handy and useful as a card table is, it's not the same experience to eat on when inviting..say...your in laws or your boss over for dinner.  Nothing says, "enjoy this fine meal" like a folding chair as they sit down to eat!

We 'needed' a table.  

So!  Something had to be done!  After scanning ads for IKEA and target and staring dazed and terrified at furniture websites with tables and chairs for $2,000 each, we went the craigslist route.

We ended up scoring a gorgeous old antique wooden dining room table complete with original extendors (it can sit 8 people!  8!) with chairs for 4!  WITH CHAIRS! All for $35.  Awesomeness!
We were even physically able to carry it home the required 5 blocks!  I have the arm bruises to prove it!

But...there's a big but....this purchase?  Goes against a lot of what I've come to believe is the lifestyle I want and crave.  Not to be tied down to things.  Not to buy more then what is essential for a happy life.

We wanted something used and a bit beat up...and yes, cheap...not only to fit the budget, but so that we wouldn't feel bad when the time came to put it up for auction again.  Now that it's in our 'dining room,' we've both mentioned how unique and awesome it is and how much we'd rather rent a storage unit to save it, then to let it go to the junk heap....so....are we turning to the dark side?  Is it bad to crave comfort and pretty shiny things?!?  I don't know.  But at the moment, that pretty old antiquey table that's mine?  IT'S MINE!!!! HWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!  No backsies!

=)

life in a day

I just watched a documentary which features people all over the planet with camcorders on just one day called...guess what..."life in a day"

Great film.
Something I always feel curious about is learning what people's lives are like on a day to day basis...something great about traveling and staying with different places and friends was learning what is appropriate to eat for breakfast in different places.  How do people bathe or go to the bathroom?  What time and how people go to work.  That for me was the most interesting part of all!

Now that I'm back into a routine of working daily life, I definitely don't have as much "interesting" stuff to blog about on a regular basis, but today, I feel inspired to share what a regular day is like for me....if you have a blog going and feel inspired, I'd love to hear about your routine!  (If you don't have a blog and want to share, email me and I'll post your routine here!!!)

A work day morning routine as a baker/barista (so far):

• Wake up to alarm at 5:25am.
• Cuddle Rodolfo for an extra 5 minutes...R man kicks me out of bed with a sleepy "Sarah, go, you'll be late"....grumble, grumble, sit up, hit cold floor with feet, grumble and I'm off!
• Probably crash into a stool in the kitchen, yelp, find light switch
• Pee/Brush teeth, put on clothes (strategically placed in a pile in the bathroom the night before)
• Stare in mirror at horror of hair situation....put on hat/braid hair  (If I'm in the bakery, I wear a head hanky, barista...I've been trying to look a bit cute and french braid my bangs back)
• I don't put on deoderant or perfume - it interferes with the natural smell of the bakery, crazy but true!
• I throw on my dansko leather work clogs and a coat, locate my bike light and keys and I'm off.
• 5 minute bike commute thru deserted warehouse district (about 6 whole blocks).  We live 1/2 block away from the bus depot and I've happily discovered the hoard of buses for the morning share a busy intersection I cross that is scheduled to turn green every 60 seconds around 5:45am...perfect!)
• Walk in to the bakery, yawn, grab a coffee and clock in
• Around 5:50-6am my work day begins....

Barista - making coffee, putting out pastries, displaying breads, heating water, preparing the cafe for a busy day

Baker - joining in the crazy hectic end of night shift baker world, preparing orders to go out, slicing bread, last minute touches on pastries and breads for the front and trying to help out and not be a nuisance as much as possible

• 7-8am

Barista - taking orders, making beverages, clearing tables, serving food

Baker - mixing things, measuring things, helping shape bread, looking confused and bewildered

(repeat these for many, many hours)

• 2pm I finish up my work

I'm usually covered in flour and sweat, my back hurts a bit and my whole body is tired and ready for a rest.  I'm a bit hungry, a bit cranky, but satisfied and happy to go home.  

• I go home and take a shower, change my clothes and grab a beverage, 
• check my email and begin to think about dinner.  Perhaps I watch a movie/read the news/ check my google reader/facebook while eating a snack.  
• Then I call R man to make plans for the evening.
• 6-7pm  - Make dinner
• 7-9pm Eat and clean up from dinner joking around and catching up with the hubby/friends
• 9-10pm - Lay out clothes for the next day....fall asleep reading a book

And that's it!

Boring....but for me having a routine...it's golden!  I'm loving it!!!

Apprentice Baker

Photo taken by Madison Sourdough Co.  (that's me, and the head baker/owner Drew)

It's official!
I'm now apprenticing to learn the art of baking and pastries at Madison Sourdough Company!

I had my first short day of training yesterday, which seemed like it flew by in only a few minutes....I've never been so excited to learn/see/knead/layout and watch so many exciting little details for what goes into the process of baking and creating pastries and breads, (particularly at this particular establishment, where every detail is fine tuned, every second counts and every baker puts their all into what they do).  It's an honor to learn from people who feel such passion for their work and take pride in creating a product of such caliber and quality.  For those of you have tried MSCO bread, you know what I'm talking about!  For those of you who haven't, dude, you've got to try this stuff!  You are missing out!!!!

I don't think I've been this excited to learn something since...well...my years playing marimba.   Timing.  Order.  Details.....that you have to have the right feel to get it right.  There's something about it that just seems to fit with my brain....it's really hard to explain, but I feel so fortunate to be excited to learn something again and be a part of something that's become incredibly important to me.....locally made, great quality bread.  I know I sound like a freaking advertisement, but you would as well if you were in my shoes!!!  Freaking smiling from head to toe.....that's me!

The thing is, I have a feeling I'll feel the same way a year from now...time will tell I guess...I'll keep you posted!

Do you hear what I hear

This American Life just had an episode called "Living Without" and the first act is called  "do you hear what I hear, by Nubar Alexanian, talking about his life dealing with his Tinitis (a permanent ringing in the ears) and this story is really beautifully done...he did an incredible job explaining what it's like to have Tinitis.

For those of you who may or may not know about Tinitis, this gives a lot of detail about what it sounds like to deal with as well as what it's like to have emotionally.

I also have Tinitis and this has definitely made an effect on my life similar to what this man has gone thru.  I too went to doctors and looked into other forms of natural healing.  It's part of why I itched to travel and get away from my life for a while and for better or worse, it's sent my world into a new direction from what it was and life will never be the same again.

I can't go into loud restaurants or bars, because it makes my ring louder..I have special ear plugs, but I hate explaining what they're for.  I can't be in quiet places, because I begin to get annoyed with my ring, and if I'm slightly dehydrated, the ring also gets louder.

When I first got Tinitis, I thought my life was over.  I couldn't imagine dealing with it for the rest of my life, but yet here I am, living!  Of course there are good days and bad days (good days where I don't even think about it, bad days where I lay in bed thinking about the tone and how much I hate it.

He has this talk with his daughter...
Daughter:  You're trapped inside your own head....I would follow Van Gogh and cut my ears off"
Father:  "I'm somewhat grateful for the tone....on good days when I think about it, the tone was a warning that I needed to slow down....on bad days I think, I've learned this lesson... ok, I've slowed down, the tone can go away, but it doesn't go away."

Everyone at some point has a problem or an ailment which occurs that reminds us that we are human, that we are not permanent and we are delicate....the day something in us physically doesn't work anymore and we realized it's not going to come back again.  Perhaps, because we've used it too much, perhaps too little, perhaps just bad luck.  For me, this was my hearing.  I had/have to accept the fact that I will never be a professional musician....something I don't like to talk about after 20 years practicing percussion and marimba, but I'm at a place where I believe this was my bodies way of saying, it's ok Sarah, it's time to slow down, time to move on and do other things you want to do...life goes on!  So that's what I'm doing!  Sometimes, having something go wrong is a wake up call to live!

Octo-beer-fest

My uncle is a microbrewer and a damn fine one at that.
He grows hops in his backyard and is known to combine local fruits and flavors to his beverages....he's good!

He gave my parents a small sample of a particular brew he's prepared for an event he has defined as "Octobeerfest"...yes, he's that cool.

***This is not intentionally meant to cause embaressment or cast judgment on my parents...it's more so meant to clearly define the differences between Minnesota and Wisconsin (my uncle lives in Wisconsin)***

What was their plan for this sample?
Mom: "hmmm.....perhaps it could make a nice beer bread?"
Dad: "I wonder if we could store it in your tea pot?"

True quotes.
I don't think anything else needs to be said further, accept that I may have changed color upon hearing this and started to say half sentences similar to this...
"You want to...."  "In a where....?"  "With a....."

If Wisconsin has taught me one thing, it's that beer has no place in a tea cozy....

flying solo

When R man and I first started dating a friend of ours took me with to say goodbye to him at the airport when he flew home for Christmas.  I was crying in hysterics as if I would never see him again....I was flying to Chile to meet him in a WEEK!  His friend was totally befuddled and holding back tears of laughter at my hysterics....

"girl, you're going to see him in a week!  What the heck!  Chill out!"

I used to believe that once he was out of my sight, he was as good as dead until he came back, which when you love someone, thinking like this for extended periods of time leads to lack of sleep, lack of comprehensive thought - which then leads to losing things and acting really weird!

I've lost keys multiple times, my wallet, important paper work, my work badge and a tendency to forget to eat and shower....all signs of an insane person you might meet in a downtown public library...a hobo.

This is our first longerish term separation in oh...years and years...and I think thanks to having traveled so much now, I've improved greatly in my coping skills.  Sleep - check.  Eating - check.  Things are going well!

I'd forgotten all the awesome perks of living alone!  You eat, sleep, watch, listen to whatever you want, whenever you want without discussion!    No lamp on while sleeping!  I can eat melted cheese all I want!  Popcorn can be dinner!

• There are of course little things I miss a lot...
• I have to take out the trash this morning...buggar.
• There's no one to make my coffee in the morning...not that I couldn't, I just don't if he's not here.  It's not as fun without him!
• The salad spinner wouldn't spin...I couldn't push the button down...poops.
• My phone suddenly wouldn't turn on and I had to think about it for an hour....hmm.
• My computer popped up with an emergency blue screen of death and I had no idea what to do, but press the same button over and over again....
• Last but not least....our fridge is packed, PACKED with food.  

WHO IS GOING TO EAT ALL THIS FOOD? 

So, yes, can't wait for the man's return.  Not because I think he's dead, but I need him to consume produce and fix my electronics!!

I had a friend tell me the thing she missed the most when her husband wasn't around was his ability to open peanut butter jars...at the time I was astonished..."that's it?!?"  Now...I totally get it.  
Things have definitely changed!  No emergencies here!

mouse in the house

"Sarah, come quick!  Look at this!!!  Should I kill it?"

right around when I'm running towards the kitchen I see a small fluff ball moving towards the refrigerator...

A mouse?  We have a mouse?!?!?

So then we wait....
a while....yup!  It pops out again!

This time looking at us a little confused wandering around the floor....
Our first reaction to each other? 
A mix of yelling 2 things simultaneously:
1) KILL IT!  KILL IT! 
2) Awww!!!  Look at its little head...with those little itty bitty eyes!

So, it runs under the oven.
Rodolfo grabs a stick and we decide that we'll simply get it out with the porch door open, it'll be free and all will be well, accept with it's cuteness and fastness, it easily outmaneuvered us and made its way to the bedroom.

So.  We have a mouse.   A cute one.  Freaking adorable sharing our bedroom with us...somewhere...
R man I think wants to adopt it into the family as another house pet.
I'm concerned about our electronic wiring and don't really want something trying to eat my stuff.

What do people do in these scenarios?!?
I'm so stumped!

hey ya don cha know

So.  You may have noticed I'm from Minnesota?
Watching the movie Fargo isn't so much funny for me as it is familiar.

There's nothing like making fun of someone else's (R mans) culture for a few months and then get whacked in the head with a plethera of midwestern lingo immediately upon landing in the Minneapolis airport.  Not to mention the lovely bouquet of Sar-glish (Sarah English) sayings that pop out of my mouth every day just because I'm here.

Yer good to go
Geez louise
You still workin' on that?
oh golly, golly geez, gosh darn hey now, yeah!
Get er dun
You betcha
How's it goin'?
Oh my!
(among many many more)
There is a reason why stereotypes about cultures are created, there's always plenty to make fun of no matter where you're from....these little moments with a waitress/bus driver/stranger in line are the moments in a conversation where I truly feel at home.
When I might say, "How ya doin' dere ey?"
and someone responds with, "oh, ya know, just pickin up some beers for da boat up nort at the lake, ya"

I mean...of couse, it's never that perfect, I live in Wisconsin now, so it's more of a "Well, I'm just pickin' up some beers for da big game to go with my slow cooked bbq sauced mini wienies and a cheese tray"
(man does that sound good right now)

While I'm discussing these two great states of the Midwest, I might as well clarify some cultural differences people may notice....

MN: casserole/hot dish of mysterious substance - generally involving a can of meat and a can of soup!
WI: slow cooker filled with meat in BBQ sauce... with some beers

MN: rice crispy bars - WI: beer

MN: Vikings - WI: Packers...yes, always with many, many beers

MN:  Ice fishing - WI Ice fishing...you guessed it!  Plus beers

Don't get me wrong, I love my Scandinavian, Minnesotan, Lutheran, Lefsa eatin', talkin' about the weather, stocking up on spam in the basement for the next great depression heritage!  But...life in Wisconsin aint so bad!

If you say "how's it goin eh?" in Wisconsin, they'll more then likely get the gyst of what yer gettin' at, and heck, that might just offer you a beer to boot!

No matter which particular spot, it's good to be back in the Midwest!

forced summer day hibernation

True story...I'm locked inside my house today not by choice and I'm not coming out all day
...and I like it!

1. It's hot outside....really hot...so I don't want to leave the house
2. R man accidentally took my keys to work along with my bike key...so even if it wasn't hot, I couldn't leave, because I can't even bike to his lab to pick up my keys!
3. There are sporadic thunderstorms scheduled all day, so even if it wasn't hot and I could get back into my house, I could get struck by lightning walking down the sidewalk.
4. I haven't heard from my new kick ass boss about when the next day is that I should work, our fridge is stocked with fresh veggies and cold beverages and I have two good books to read and a lot of writing I'd like to do!

Does this sound kind of well, awesome to anyone else!?!

It's kind of a cool feeling to wake up and the world lets you know its not particularly interested in you participating in it today and the feelings are mutual!

Forced pajama day!  WHOO HOO!!!!!

One of the most ferocious and fearless animals in the world

What could this ferocious animal possibly be!?!?
A hippo?
A baboon?
A pygmy rhino?!?!?
Or perhaps.....

pygmy hippos from the zoo we slept in:

NOPE!

the most non ferocious animal in South Africa
a new born baby pygmy hippo with his eyes closed

Well, if it's not a new born baby pygmy hippo, what could it possibly be?!?!?!?

Now you're dying to know, AREN'T YOU!!!!
FIND OUT this very moment AT MY NEW BLOG!
Click here:
WOMEN ROCKIN' THE ROAD

85 resumes

I've been job hunting and when you job hunt you start to feel a little bit not so special....unqualified, uneducated, unemployable!  This has been going on for weeks now...

Just last week, I got a few interviews with different places....one was at a French style bakery in town, the manager posted her ad for 24 hours online and received 85 resumes, of those 85, she chose 15 to interview...of those 15, there were only 3 part time positions available...

Of those 85 resumes...she chose me to interview...I had a 1 in 5 chance of getting work.

Apparently I still have what it takes to impress because I now have a job!

ROCK!

Croc camp continued - and then what happened?!?

Did I die?!?

Did R man get licked by a monkey?!?

Did the opinionated locals run into a chorus line and sing and dance us the rest of the way to our camp!!!???

Well....I can't tell you....yet.  Tomorrow morning, you'll be able to read it....but not here. 

"What?"  (You ask) 

 "Where then?!?"  You crazy girl!  Confusing me like this!  What's going on?!?"   (You think)  

I'm starting a new blog for women travelers where they can share their stories/thoughts/feelings on travel!

It's a collaborative effort with a fellow lady traveler we met at a bus stop in Malawi Africa last summer!  

(You can check out Kyria's travel blog here!)

Kyria and I in Malawi Africa last summer
(accompanied by Mr. Lovely, the Portuguese god) 

"Why a new blog?"

Well, you see, I've been feeling pretty passionate recently about women communicating and sharing their lives and experiences with each other and I also love talking about traveling! So!  I feel like it's important that I do something active to get women to share and talk about travel with one another!  You can read more about my crazy dream here!  

"SARAH!  Come on!  Let's get to the point!  How do we read the rest of this thrilling story?  I need to know if you die or not!"

Right!  Of course!  Silly me!  Here it is!  The new blog!  Even its name!  So exciting!

You can check out this wonderful new blog/become a follower/admire my photo with a puppy here:

Women rockin the road   

And tomorrow, stop by again to find out what caused R man to stutter when he sees large mammals....

heeheeheehee.....that's not true...or is it?!?

Croc Camp

"I don't know Sarah, everyone is telling us to take a taxi.  I don't have a very good feeling about this..."
"I don't care!  This is bull#^*#!  I'm not paying  a taxi $5 to drive me to a $5/night campsite!  That's ridiculous!  I can see the entrance down the road!  They're just trying to scam us!  We're walking!"

R man and I were in the middle of a small village in Southern Zambia a half mile away from the entrance of South Luangua National Park and Croc Camp (a reasonably priced campsite that offers safaris) where R man had begged me to go so he could finally see his LION!  Men and their lions....we'd just spent 8 hours (4 hours waiting and 4 hours moving) in a very small minivan with 12 adults, 5 kids, a bicycle, a large screen television, enough toilet paper for an end of the world hideaway, two live chickens and about 15 dozen chicken eggs....I was not too excited about yet another form of Zambian style overpriced, ridiculously bad transportation if I could help it...

"But Sarah....you haven't seen their eyes!  Look into their eyes....they think we are walking to our death!"
"No. No. NO!  I'm walking!!!  I don't care!  They just want to rip us off again and have a good laugh at our expense.  I'm not doing it!"
"Ok....but, I'm taking a taxi."
"Fine!"
"FOR REAL?!?  Ok!  I'm your husband.  I love you.  You're crazy.  We are going to die, but I'm coming with you!  Happy?"
"Yes! I don't see any hippos or lions, do you?!?"

And we begin to walk out of the bubble like village of men standing on the streets staring at us/drinking cheap beer and children running around us begging for money.  We leave the security of normal (for Africa) and step out onto the dusty road of nothing for half a mile, which became a tree covered area of the unknown shortly after that with a small wooden sign that you could just make out ..."croc camp - $5 camping).  Looked pretty easy.  I had no idea what I was doing.

R man:
"I sure hope you know what you're doing!"

jobs and bureacracy

• under qualified
• over qualified
• not qualified in the right field
• not quite the right work history
• have to take a test, but the application is due before the date of the test
• have to fill out an online application that takes 5 hours, complete with a social security number and then never hear back 
• have to reply to a craigslist ad with no idea where the business is located, if it's real or not, how much you might get paid...but keep doing it in hopes something might pan out.

Maybe the mafia has it right.  You know a guy who knows a guy and done!
What happened to local word of mouth?  Or a sign posted on a window?  Maybe these things still exist and I'm just not 'out' there enough?!?

Finding a job or meeting a significant other has become a cyber game of read/type/submit/repeat, hoping that you're actually communicating with a real person!  You know...as I type this for comfort into my computer assuming/hoping a real person might read this later and think....poor Sarah.....I'm pathetic.

I know it all works out, that the future will unwind and figure itself out over time and all will be well....I don't even know why I bother checking job listings and craigslist ads, googling for potential sublets and local businesses perhaps in need of a funny, awkward, unemployed 28 year old with a 33 year old man and a 24 year old bird and a furnished sublet on the east side hoping for the best....perhaps it's time to go back to bed and try this day again...without opening my computer!

grumble, grumble, grumble.....

Chicago

We love Chicago.  Rodolfo would have babies with Chicago if he could.  With....not in.  With!  Loves it that much.
These are very random pics of our 2.5 days spent wandering around in Chicago neighborhoods, wandering around downtown Chicago and spending some awesome quality time with our good friends April and Eric.  Eric used to go to school with Rodolfo in Madison and I'm now an avid reader of April's blog Wanderlust and Foodstuff  which inspires me so much to cook and travel...Chicago as we discovered thru April this weekend at a Paella event is an intense food town and a serious place to be for all food lovers!  We definitely had a great time eating ourselves silly!

We wanted to get a quick visit in with them before April leaves on a Central American travel adventure thru Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama....sounds so awesome!  I guess our little trip to Chicago will have to quench our travel thirst for the moment..... I gotta say, for me, it totally did the trick!

a transitional mood

I've been in a surprisingly weird mood for the past few weeks, uncertain of what to do next...definitely not a feeling I saw coming homeless and jobless in Chile a few months ago!  I thought that an address and a coffee pot were all the answers needed to our problems and once we had a place to call home, we would find some perfect zen like tranquil state, find our inner harmonious callings and you know....be happy!  As the dust starts to settle from our wanderings, we are both becoming a little bit anxious, a little bit worried and concerned, about...well....we aren't quite sure yet!

After all this time away, what is the next step?

Are we doing the right things?  Making the right choices?

This next decision we make could decide the rest of our lives!   A baby, house, car, job, picket fence and retirement plan.  But, hey, no pressure!  If we could figure out what this great big thing is that we are apparently deciding though, that would be a great start!

Living out of hotels, tents and other gracious people's homes had its fair share of stresses, but now that we finally have access to all the cherished and beloved prized kitchen gadget, book and bike possessions we missed for so long, both R man and I find ourselves with our head in the clouds with dreams of travel and far off places and a heavy feeling beginning to numb our toes and steadily grow up our legs, digging down roots fastening us into stability and structure, hard. cold, deep, back into the ground....forever!  Dun dun duuuuuuuun......all that time weightlessly fluttering around wherever we felt like at a moments notice, I feel nervous and apprehensive that it's not the right time yet to hunker down back into the natural routines and patterns that I've missed so much.

One of my old friends and coworkers from Madison asked me last week, 'is it weird to be back where nothing has changed, but you are now so different?'  a thought I hadn't even considered to be a problem until she asked because I hadn't thought I was all that different...and now, I don't know!

Are we ruined for normal day to day life?  Are we ready to commit to a non-transitional life?
(hmmm....it's like we are preparing to marry...life?)

Granted, we are yet still in a time of transition after many, many other types of transitions....letting go of jobs, furniture, double ply toilet paper, the English/Spanish languages...it's become a way of life, uncertain of what's coming next and hoping for the best.  The idea of living without that extreme variability, the choice to leave whenever we feel like, to sleep and eat wherever we'd like, it's sort of terrifying in a way I never would have anticipated!  Is this why some people prefer to be homeless?  At the same time, isn't this what life is all about!?!  Jumping in with both feet, going with the flow and seeing where life takes us next!  Sometimes it's a little mysterious and questionable, but that's just part of the fun.  I mean, heck, I bet that's the way a lot of kids are brought into the world!

At this time, we have no real plan for our future's, no year long lease or job plans signed, only a few hopes and dreams for either a life at root or a life at flight.  Almost hopeful that things won't pan out so we can happen to fly off for a few more extra months in S.E Asia or some other far off land with a warm climate and spicy food...you know....perhaps China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Borneo, a nice 3 month 'transitional' trip....not like we've talked about it or anything ;)

Well, what comes will come and then we'll know I guess!  Stay tuned these next few months for the exciting choices to come.  I will be just as surprised as you with what happens next!

moving...again!

Pros:

• I finally find/throw away all of my orphan socks with no match and stare/ponder//toss the clothes with larger sized holes....
• A great excuse for the largest living room fort/stuff mountain ever!!!!!
• Good exercise
• I finally put together my tax, health insurance, blah blah forms all in one place!  How cleansing!
• I've unearthed a missing pair of men's loafers, my grown up sized snow pants, an mbira from Africa and two checks for $3 each!  Score!
• How many nail clippers does one person need?  What do I do with the extra 5 I've just found?

a portion of STUFF!

Cons:

• I had no idea I had this much stuff!  What are we going to do with all of it?  Panic!
• lifting, carrying, dropping, lifting, carrying, dropping...oof!
• How are we going to fit all this stuff in a car?!  Panic, again!
• I bet we are going to throw out half of this the the first week...what is the point of moving it?
• In a few more months, we are going to do this AGAIN!?!?!?!?  AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

bread, bread, bread!

I'm on a roll!  (pun unintentionally intended)

After rye bread, I moved on to hot cross buns - which involve using potato water to raise the yeast and mashed potatoes to add fluffiness...these were good!  I added lemon zest in to the dough and lemon juice in the frosting....oh so good!

Yesterday, I made up some classic hot dog buns:

Last night, I attacked yet another sweet dough recipe!

This circle of love is called a Swedish Tea Ring!

Raw ring raising

Baked tea ring with almond sugar glaze (inside: walnuts, figs and cinnamon)

If I keep this up, I'm going to get fat!

Home is where the stuff is.

It has become pretty obvious to the family and friends we've been around...
probably to the point of annoying...
We need a home.  We need it bad!

We are talking basics...no deep metaphors...walls and a floor filled with our own personal stuff!
After living a lifestyle which is the antithesis to Hoarders with two pairs of underwear and a tooth brush on our backs, we almost need some kind of coaxing therapy just to start purchasing things again.  Even Williams Sonoma has lost its sparkle to me.  It's been so long since I've had my own bathroom, I don't even know where my make up is anymore!  Do I even have make up?

We are getting a little weird!  Walking in circles, catatonic states, wearing purple everyday...ok, not that bad, but seriously!  Examples?  Oh yeah, I've got em....

Walking into kitchen sections of department stores where we don't necessarily want to buy anything, we just mourn our boxed up old friends.  "Rodolfo, look at this slicer/chopper/grinder/holder/place mat/thing a ma jig, "We had one of these, right?  Doesn't this look just like ours?!?  Where is ours?  Did we throw it away?"  and then we kind of look at each other puzzled, because we can't remember and walk away confused.

"Do you smell a barbecue?  We have a grill don't we?!?  Where is it again?"

"Wow!  I really love this couch!  Hmmm...I wonder when we are going to have a couch...."

and....repeat!
Over and over again it comes up here and there...we are so home sick for a home!

We boxed up and stored/sold most of our belongings in mid December of 2009...we will be moving into our sublet/furnished apartment later this week which will make it a year and a half since we lived together somewhere that was ours alone with our own things.  For me, to go without my dish set, mixing bowls and matching rubbermaid tupperware set, this is a very long time!  (Gosh, I sound so American!)

our beloved pet Paz rejoining the family soon!

We are pretty sure we have some stuff around, we just have NO CLUE where or what anything is anymore!  It's like a really, really big birthday present waiting to be opened, but about 300 presents at once, because we can't remember what we have!  Talk about exciting!

It's going to be so much fun to meet and greet all of our old things and see what's made it through....consolidating not only our things, but our minds into a new reality.  Coming from a life style where owning less meant moving faster, this is definitely going to be an interesting transition!

the backyard

Rockin Rye Bread

Over this past week, my mom has graciously been teaching me how to make bread!  With yeast!

Yeast breads have scared me for so long, because I'm afraid of killing it and it takes a bit of effort to get it right.

Yesterday marked my first ever *made totally by me* rye bread!  Rock!

Here's how it all went down!

Step 1:  Growing
The Beastie Yeasties!!!!!!
You have to get em kickin'!
How's this done?  Feed em!

2 cups warmer then tepid water
2 packages beastie yeasties
1 tsp salt
1tbsp oil
1/2 cup brown sugar



Think positive growing thoughts for a while, and tada!  THEY'RE ALIVE!!!!!  AHHH!!!!!

LIVE BEASTIE YEASTIES!

Step 2:  Stirring
I added 2 1/2 cups white flour and beat it to death until I got bored/it looked like:

Step 3:  Kneading

Then I added 2 1/2 cups rye flour until it got nice and ballish looking and it needed some kneading!

I gotta say, I really love kneading bread now...it's extremely therapeutic!  Kind of a half punching someone in the gut mixed with giving someone a back massage....kind of in between the two.

Step 4:  Waiting!
Once it had that "je ne sais quoi" thing...I don't know what it is, but once it's there, you know and you stop kneading, I shaped it into a ball, slam dunked it in a bowl and covered that puppy up with a plate and proceeded to check my email about 100 times, read the news, looked for jobs and failed yet again at passing a level on Angry Birds...right after all that!  (2 hours) Step 5!

Step 5: Poking and Punching!

You poke it!  If it doesn't jump back at you, you get to punch it!

Step 6: Cut it in half, shape it into two balls, cover with a towel and wait again!

Then it looks like this!

Slitting the top can help give the bread balls of love room for growth while baking away.

Step 7: Bake it up!!!!!  Until it sounds hollow when you thump it!

We enjoyed my fantastical rye bread with some homemade soup for lunch:  Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!

Up Nort'

Lake Superior + Minnesota Wilderness

After one day for S&R to R&R at my parents house last week, we were back on the road, this time with my folks for a week of Northern Minnesota explorations,

which also meant spending Mothers Day with....

MY MOM!!!!!

Mom day in Grand Marais!
(Me + Mom)

First 4 wheeling in Two Harbors with Jaren

This past Monday (May 9th) also marked our second Anniversary as a married couple of kooks.  6 years together so far!  Go us!

We've had quite a ride so far, I'm curious to find out what happens next!

We began our journey in Duluth where we did all the required Duluthian things!  Eating ribs at Buffalo House (oh, how we missed meat smothered in American barbecue sauce!!!!), looking at Minnesotan animals at the zoo, walking along the boardwalk overlooking Lake Superior, admiring the lighthouse, taking a tour/sampling of Fitgers Brewery.  Good times!

Heading north we stopped by a few must see State Parks!  (Minnesota has some amazing parks) 

The fam in front of Gooseberry Falls

Then we went for a few days to an Indian Reservation/Casino in Grand Portage!  First time gambling ($20 won on penny slots, yay!) and first time walking along the border with Canada overlooking some gorgeous waterfalls and appreciating Minnesotan nature!

MN PARKS!

R meets Split Rock

When you're in the North of Minnesota, it's mandatory to spend some time with nature!  It's the #1 thing to do, because you're surrounded by it!!  With well maintained State Parks to meander thru at whatever level of hiking you feel up for, camping, picnic sites, well marked trails...it's hiker heaven!

We went to:

Gooseberry Falls - for waterfall watching

Split Rock Light House - for light house watching

Grand Portage - for Canada watching

Judge C.R. Magney  - for cliff wandering overlooking a raging river rapids

Grand Portage State Park (middle Pigeon Falls)

What I'm amazed at about these beautiful parks is that not only can you buy an annual pass and just wander in and out all year round, but there's free public working toilets complete with T.P. and hand soap, easy free parking, beautifully clean and sometimes cemented trails, easily viewable maps, pretty much all the things you don't find in National Parks else where's in the world  - expensive, dirty, difficult, no maps (unless you pay more) usually no free parking - even for your bike or moped and a working toilet that's free?!?!?!?  I like Minnesota! 

MN FOOD:

On this trip North, we were on a strict diet of Minnesotan food, which was a bit of a culture shock, but for me, a welcomed one....not for my waistline, but for my heart!

unlimited coffee at Betty's Pies near Two Harbors MN

Broasted Chicken (pressure cooked and roasted)

Wild Rice  - a Minnesotan favorite

Barbecued ribs - we had them with a "32 ounce"... Blue moon - with orange wedge...oh soooooo good!

Unlimited refills of fresh coffee drunk out of a great big mug!  How I have missed you free refills!!!!

American style rhubarb/berry pie

Potatoes (skillet style, in fry form, sweet potato fry form, mashed with gravy all over them, good god!)

MN CULTURE:

It's interesting how traveling for so long in so many other places has fueled my fascination and interest for learning about my own culture/heritage/family/home and how that has an impact on how I view the world.  

Minnesotans really love:

Bear Proof Trash Receptacle!

Hiking - not walking, not strolling, good ol' day long ventures hiking woodsy paths where you need a map, some sun screen, bug spray and a jug of water just to survive, and people love it here!  I had no idea how special and unique our hiking/biking paths are in comparison to the rest of the world.  In every city and town in Minnesota, you are guaranteed to find a trail of some kind to wander on.  

A deal - I'm pretty sure now it's not just me that's a 'cheap skate' in MN based on recent events.  If it's free, it's good!  We partook in a free brewery tour, train tour, zoo tour with lots of other little freebies along the way and we weren't alone!  I'm from the land of coupon clippers and deal finders...it's in the blood!  There is a reason why Costco and Sam's Club are so popular here!  We love a deal!!!

You're in MN when you walk by "Sven and Ole's Pizza"!

Ya hey - Believe it or not, us Minnesotans have an accent!  A big thick one.  I know you don't believe me, because us Minnesotan's like to think we talk like news anchors and everyone else has the problem, but no, we've got our own bit of twang goin' on!  I find myself saying odd things now like, "ya know?!?" (Chile: Cachai?) "ba-bye!" (chao-chao!) "where we goin'?" (vamos?) "how ya doin?" (como tai?) etc. etc. etc..  "gosh darn" (chucha!), "shoot" (mierda!), "holy - anything" (puta la hueva), put me in Minnesota and it all comes gushing out, more so now then ur' average Joe (Juan Perez)

23 hours

We had a 23 hour commute from Rodolfo's father's doorstep to my parents house.

15 hours in airplanes
6 hours in airports
2 hours in cars

I'm not the biggest fan of Delta airplane food.
A roll with cracker and pasta is not a meal!  It's a bad quality carb overload!

Lower left corner?!?  Our luggage!!!!

There is always a list of eccentric things that float into my mind coming back to the States, from people, signs, the nightmare that is U.S. Customs.... 

Immediate First impressions:

• Lemonade powder - I saw a guy adding a packet to his bottle....I used to do this, but I haven't seen it in so long, it really cracked me up!!
• Long lines for Starbucks.  This would just never happen in Chile.  Never!
• Actually understanding passing conversations...I really missed this!  I know.  It's rude.  But getting to hear a funny sentence while passing by a couple of businessman is SO MUCH FUN!!!  
• Accents!  We were waiting for a flight to Denver Colorado and a group of cowboys on a business trip sat next to us, complete with jeans, work boots, business shirts and the cutest little accent ever!
• People with stuff.  Holy cow do people have stuff here!  Is it me, or do purses seem huge here?  Granted, we were in an airport and I looked like a crazy person with my purse stuffed to the gills and my back pak overloaded with electronic gear and Chilean nik naks....but geez louise
• Clean, not pretty.  I don't know, it's weird, but Chile is a dirty city, but in that dirt, it has a kind of funky character....I forgot how clean everything is here, but lacking in character....just in streets and buildings....boooooring.
• Warmth.  Physically and mentally.  I'm going to miss the Santiago sun and quite honestly...hugs and kisses.  I'm going to miss beso-ing (kissing) everyone!  It used to freak me out, but looking back, it was nice to have a set warm greeting when seeing a friend or meeting someone new....a sort of physical way to feel actually welcomed and warmed by another persons presence. 
• Upon entering the MPLS airport, I heard 100's of people with my exact same accent!  Other potential "Sarah's" who look a little like me, sound like me, dress like me!  SO COOL!!!!!

That all being said, it's so nice to be back!!!  We made it intact with all luggage and no broken pisco bottles (whew) and I'm soooooo happy to see my family again!  Take a hot shower.  Eat chocolate chip cookies, homemade blueberry coffee cake (thanks mom) and freshly brewed, real, authentic, straight from the actual bean coffee!!!!

I'm so happy!!!!

Adios Chicos, ca chai?!?

a Rodolfo creation

We are going to miss Chile!

No more terror

Midnight last night:

Sarah, you won't believe what happened!

Osama Bin Laden is dead!

Then we watched Obama's (kick ass) speech online.

I think almost everyone in the States today and everywhere else feels some kind of ripple of joy and triumph....for all of the bad in the world, today things are looking up a little, particularly for the families of the victims of 9/11....today is FINALLY their day!  

Whenever I hear stories about the Pinochet dictatorship here in Chile, I always think, wow, I can't even begin to imagine what that must have been like to live in fear everyday for what you believe....what a horrible time in history...I'm so lucky to have grown up in a country of free speech and open minds....

But I have to admit now, looking back on my year of travel, I didn't know when I left the States that I would feel safer, I would sleep better, I would have an easier time living simply because I was not in the States.  I wasn't scared anymore.  I didn't feel afraid every day watching the news and reading the paper that some horrible person in the world wanted me dead simply because I was in America.  Granted...that's not even close to the fear of living under a dictatorship, but walking thru an airport in another country without getting groped and smelling nervous sweat in the air, everyone looking around them, suspicious of everyone and everything else...I would take my shoes off in line and realize I was the only one doing it!  Sometimes, they didn't even check our bags!

I can't help but hope, perhaps things will change now in the States!  A little more love and a little less hate.

We fly to the States tomorrow, an experience I usually dread with all the lines and regulations, screenings, prodings, nervous eyes in Rodolfo's slightly darker skinned direction and loud speakers reminding me every 5 minutes that the USA is under attack...code orange, yellow, red - people want you dead - don't forget! - you're in danger!

But today is a new day!  I'm excited to journey back to my country.  I'm excited for the true 'hope' that Obama has given us last night!  I know I sound like stars and stripes are flying out of my ^%$, but wow, what an incredible feeling!

Ruta 5

change

We are now in our very final days in Chile...wow....I can't believe it!
We catch a flight to the Twin Cities next week Tuesday where we'll get some time to catch up with my corner of the world for a wee bit before the great big day when we become grown ups again...it's coming!!!!

So once again, we transition into a new life, new culture, different language, different food and a great big kaboodle of uncertainty....not really knowing what's coming at us next.  Luckily, we've now had lots of experience with the unknown and we aren't too afraid, as long as we are together....sappy and true.

I always get really sad leaving Santiago, especially seeing Rodolfo so happy and content here with his family and friends.  I know when we walk down the cold windowless hallway that smells funny, waiting to enter the great big Delta Boeing, he's going to have that puppy look on his face, bending in odd ways to catch a last glimpse/sniff/feel of his country....I know we'll sit there for a minute in our seats and he's going to be really quiet, and after a few minutes, we'll hold hands, buckle in and he'll say, "I wonder when we'll come back.  I'm really going to miss Chile." and my heart will break for him just a little bit, because I know it's my fault.  I'm making him leave everything he loves here...for...well...me! 

After living here for five months learning not just a language, but a culture, family structure, etiquette and eating an insane amount of bread and meat, I'll admit I have a little Chilean pride for my better half and I know we will be back!

Of course, there's a hundred thoughts a minute rolling thru my mind right now, mostly sentimental moments of, 'this is the last time I might walk by the crazy pigeon bench lady' 'last olive', 'last pisco sour', and then of course I have another, but everything we do now is suddenly in the light of

is this it? 

the final Chilean grape I'll eat for maybe the next few years?!?  I know....you're thinking you can buy Chilean grapes in the States too...trust me on this, they aren't the same!  The grapes here?  A million times sweeter/richer/better....and it's not just the grapes, quality of life in general here, FANTASTIC!  The food.  The climate.  The mountains!  It seems almost ridiculous to leave!

This was our 'test' to see if we could enjoy living here and the answer is most definately yes, it's just a matter of when. 

El disco

We have just returned from a trip to the south of Chile to visit family!

The men who wear black and red...Tio Nano, Rodolfo and Pipe

Their lovely crazy dog Vita who loves to lick everyone

While we were there, Tio Nano treated us to a very special treat, his famous "disco" 

What is a disco?  Well!  Lucky you, I took pictures!

This is El Disco!!!!!  Literally, a disc.
You begin by getting a nice wood fire burning!

If you happen to have some smoked rabbit lying around, as did Tio Nano, you pre cook that a bit!
(This was my first time eating rabbit, DELICIOUS!!!!!)

pre marinade your meats...beef, chicken...mmmm....

Now it's DISC TIME!

saute 2 large sliced onions

add rabbit

the chicken

don't forget to warm your red wine by the fire!

add the meats

pour white wine all over that puppy, creating a delicious sauce

cover, while drinking a brew and catching up on current family events
from crazy relatives who keep maniacally smiling in happiness and shooting embarrassing pictures.
(sorry Tio Nano)

before

AFTER!
and the internet world says: mmmmm.

Now that the meat is lovely, add some muscles and seafood...you know, since you live by the ocean in this variation!

oh yeah!!!!!

Cut those chorizo's/longeniza's up a bit to get the juices all flowing

appreciate the aromatic beauty that is wood grilled meat

Serve with boiled Chilean potatoes...the best!  Tomato salad and a Chilean red wine.

Dig in!!!!!

Rodolfo has an awesome family both in the south and in Santiago.
Very good times have been had.
We are going to miss them so much!!!