letusgive!

Well...first of all...counting in Polish...since I counted in Amharic while I was in Ethiopia on this blog - I thought I might as well count in Polish!  I actually used it today while I was shopping etc...counting does come in handy - good to learn early! 1.  = Jeden - the j is like h in English...or similar to Spanish where it is 'silent' 2.  = Dwa - the w is like v in English and the a always has the 'aahhh' sound 3.  = trzy - good luck is all I can say...my notes say 'th + shea' 4.  = cztery - cz is like 'chah' and roll your r! 5.  = piec' - pee + ench 6.  = szes'c' - shay + st (this one got me in trouble..saying this in German is a different meaning and we had a good laugh at that in class).  Sorry Joanna! 7.  = siedem - shed + em 8.  = osiem - I like this one...sounds like ocean :) 9.  = dziewiec - again...good luck...je + viench 10. = dziesiec' - best of luck...je + shench My next subject is just funny, kinda pers...

To love life is a gift.  I have been given that gift.  I seem to be reminded through various people that this is the year that I will turn 50 years old.  I love that.  I am tearing up writing this as I think over those 50 years and the love that I have for each year.  True, I dont remember each one but those that I do...I do love.  My childhood was amazing growing up in a tiny little town in Eastern Oregon.  I had pretty strict parents that expected much but oh what joy we had in living life!  My parents are still enjoying and loving life.  Even through Mom's cancer and her month of radiation that started Jan. 13th...they love life!  My siblings?  Well - I'm the youngest and that is the best place to be.  My oldest sister (Phyllis) I dont really remember much until she left for college and then it was like we were instant soul sisters and really has been that way since then.  I love that.  My brother (Bob) - beyond w...

A few of my favorite things (we watched Sound of Music over Christmas...): 1.   Making my own vanilla latte! - I've trained 'on the bar' and I love it...I need more training but that will come and I enjoy it all so far!  Work at the coffee shop is going well...continuing to do the laundry since I have the washer/dryer combo deal.  I did train once in the kitchen as well so I have more to learn there...but I am enjoying working there very much...hoping to get more of a routine down but sure that will come after coordinating a bit more with the gal that makes the schedule:). 2.   Pieroigi, golabki and Krakow czekolada (chocolate) - Joanna took us to an awesome pieroigi place (often potatoe dumpling but usually filled with other things here in Poland and they had dessert versions which were amazing!)  Golabki is stuffed cabbage - I tried a recipe...had good flavor but not as good as the restaurant I had it at here in Krakow...that was amazing.  And the...

Golabki!  Polish stuffed cabbage...well at least I'm calling it Polish.  Many countries 'claim' this dish but I had it in Krakow and loved it.  So the friends I had it with found a recipe and I attempted to make it here in Budapest.  It seemed okay to me...not as good as the restaurant in Krakow but it definitely had good flavor.  Along the process I learned I could keep a 'recipe book' online at Food.com.  Now - that is kind of ironic to me since I don't consider myself a cook much but to have recipes available online is awesome...I can take them anywhere:).  So yes...I signed up and created a recipe book...woo hoo!  I'm growing up...I hope my Momma is proud! Ha! Since the 21st of December (last blog post) lots has happened.  Christmas and New Years was amazing with family.  We took a side trip to Vienna which was over the top!  There I sat in a beautiful little church (St. Ann's) listening to a string quartet playing Mozart. ...

Ahhh...back in Budapest for Christmas and New Years!  My Mom and Dad did make it over here to Europe...Mom is doing well!  She had surgery on December 6th and when they checked the nodes etc...the cancer had not spread!  So that was very good news:).  She is healing well from the surgery and by the time she returns in January she will meet again with doctors and probably do round(s) of radiation.  At this point; it does not look like chemo will be needed but that is up to the doctors etc.  Thank you for your prayers and asking how she is...see the picture to the side...good times with Mom in Krakow! Bob/Co/Michael/Mom and Dad all came up to Krakow for 2 days.  They took the train, slept and ate in my 'loft' and we had a great time.  We went to the Christmas Market in Old Town Krakow that is just absolutely beautiful.  The whole Old Town Square is awesome just in itself...and then add the decorations, all the wonderful food smells cooking (...

The impact ONE person can have on other's lives has come 'alive' for me this week.  Lets just take a look at some folks relevant to my little world anyway.  Nelson Mandela, Oskar Schindler, Adolf Hitler and let me not forget; Jesus Christ.  Can anybody argue that these people have had amazing impact on others; much less our very own lives? As I read the news and see the clips of so many people going to Africa to honor Mr. Mandela; it moves me to realize this ONE man lived 95 years and made such a huge difference.  It may have been a 'world' away for me but I do remember apartheid in the news and one of my favorite books is 'The Power of One'.  Life is real, it hurts and yet Mr. Mandela made it better for many. I went through the Schindler Factory Museum this past Monday.  Mr. Schindler was a German spy and member of the Nazi party; generally speaking, not such a good man right?  And yet he came to Poland to work, took on a factory and earned a lot...

Sounds from my apartment... 1.  Work being done upstairs...starts early and ends late :).  The awesome part of this is the building used to be a flour mill so the walls are brick, the wood is old and it is all very amazing!  Going down the stairs (I live on the 3rd floor) I can see the different equipment that used to be in the mill.  Right by the main entrance there are curly chutes...like it would be curly staircases but they used to send the bags of flour down these wooden chutes...makes me want to send a bag of something down them now to see it go from top to bottom! (See picture to the side). 2.  At first I thought it was a plane (which I love) but it is the tram going over the bridge.  My building is near the Vistula River so when the tram goes over the bridge - I can hear it!  I love that.  I'm on that tram sometimes too...that would be #20 anyway:).  Takes me right into downtown and the beautiful Christmas market. 3.  Sirens....