because i can

I've been inundated with houseguests and thought, "Hmm, maybe I'll just post a copy of the email I wrote my crazy-weird-gottaloveher friend Jen." She started the letter of declarations and I had to respond in the same tone. So, without further ado a glimpse into what currently passes for my life.

Clenching your jaw is in response to a magnesium deficiency. 200mg a couple times (or everyday if you can be bothered to remember, I can't) a week should clear that problem right up. (I suffer from the same thing and if i forget to take it after a week or so I clench my jaw all over again.) I also tried Lemon Balm, which I grow and supposedly relieves tension and depression, but it tastes like ass when steeped as a tea and so now it's purely ornamental.

I am wearing thin skirts in an effort to stay cool. Unfortunately, I have only 2 and I end up dressed in the same thing. But I am comfortable and have nowhere to go. The weather is unforgivable and inconsistent and the rain only falls for minutes, doing little but compounding the humidity.

Julia is back and beautiful. Her head sweats continually, but that doesn't keep her from running carefree. She learned how to swim and has started her conversion to water mammal. She sings when she thinks no one is watching and she says duh! a lot. We're currently debating the Could you vs. can you? arguement and she is equally as stubborn.

I have recently debuted my ability to understand Hungarian. It was self-satisfying and has relieved some loneliness. I finally broke down last week but I think it was time for a good cry. It is still frustrating to speak but I feel more confident every day. I am not scared of someone speaking to me anymore.

I stopped attending my belly dance class as no else was taking it seriously and I was unable to concentrate (on the foreign language) on what I was supposed to do amid the chaos. I did, however, find a children's class for Julia to attend and will start that soon. She's a much more talented dancer than I.

We've been celebrating international cuisine and I've been experimenting in the kitchen with Indian, Mexican, and the ever easy Italian. Some days it's just salad; sometimes it's just too hard to eat when it's hot.

I've canned cherries and made jam. I hope to continue the domesticity by putting up corn, tomatoes (both juice and crushed, possibly spaghetti sauce), and peaches. It is fun and gives me an enormous sense of accomplishment to do so. We're helping Zoli's father pit fruit for his hazi-palinka (moonshine!) and drinking a fair amount of last years.

I wish that Thailand over the holidays were a viable option but alas! I think you have to count me out. I hope you have a marvelous time and please don't pull a Claire Danes in that right-out-of-the-lifetime-channel movie. I hear it's beautiful and humid and I'm sure the food is excellent. I travel there twice a week on the travel channel and it has become my favorite destination.

Zoli is currently fascinated by both the stock market and the Pussycat Dolls. It's odd but it keeps him amused. He claims that he likes the "style of music although the lyrics are unfortunate."

My cousin whom I have only met twice (the second being last thursday in Budapest), is arriving tomorrow and will be staying a week or so. She's 18. I'm kinda scared of the rich teenager. Although I feel eternally 18, I know that my behavior is completely matured(?) from that carefree and wreckless mindset. I'm afraid I might corrupt her with my habits while simultaneously boring her with my housewifelyness.

Other than that, my days are filled with reading and tending to my herb garden (all 3 pots) and watching reruns of friends.

Yesterday I read So far from God by Ana Castillo and will probably re read it before the week is through. It is written in a latino english accent and is brilliant while telenovelaesque.

I'm missing a good strong cup of coffee -easy cream, fake sugar- from the Blue Bottle Roasting Co. and hanging out with you. (OMG and sleeping in your bed!)
Nicolle