Pigeon Spikes

2007-09-04T01:54:00.000-07:00

Sarah's coming tomorrow! Hooray! I need a change. I think I'm actually ready for her too. The apartment is clean enough :) for a sister :) hee, hee. It wasn't as bad as it looked and didn't take too long to tidy.
Last night there was an emergency trip to the vet. Mommy was pretty scared. Winston had a cut on his upper eyelid that was bleeding quite a bit. I still have no idea how it happened. Arek and I hypothesise that it could've been a branch that whipped him in the face during the evening walk-about, but who knows? Anyway the vet said he'll be fine, gave him a shot of antibiotics and some drops to put in his eye twice a day. That's it, nothing new to report.
Becky out.

2007-08-29T23:42:00.000-07:00

I'm back in Poland, miraculously. Somehow, I managed to go to the wrong airport in the wrong city!!! How does one do that, you ask? It must have been the 8 long exhausting weeks at camp. That is my only excuse :)
However, I think God meant it for the best. I ended up spending the day with 2 good friends, Sobhi and Jaafar, when otherwise I would have been sitting alone in the airport, waiting. They took care of me like I was their little sister. Very sweet guys.

Now I'm TRYING to get ready for Sarah (my sis) coming next week, but I've been sleeping a lot and playing with Winston. I haven't even unpacked yet and I've been home 3 days now.
Rich has been very understanding of how tired I've been, making me coffee and dinner.
We went out for Chinese last night, great new place close to our house! (Sarah, we'll be eating there at least once!) Then we went to see Transformers. It was actually really good!
So that's that. I'm really upset that I left most of my pics from camp on the desktop of Raymond house computer :( I was too rushed and stressed on Sunday :( Oh well. What can I do?
If anybody out there has pics from camp, please pass them on!!!

Hugs to all of you!
Becks

2007-08-17T07:15:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't written in ages. Can you believe I've been busy? :)
Here are a few pictures and notes to give you a little bit of an idea where I am and what I'm doing.

Hugs to all of you!

Most importantly, this is the dining hall where we eat :)
The headmaster of Bloxham School lives here, too.
And it's also Crake House (boys' dorm) Wilson House (girls' dorm) and the computer lab.
Where the stained glass window is on the right is the chapel which is used as a classroom now.

This is the back view and parking lot.
And here are some pictures of the town of Bloxham. Isn't it just the picture of fairytale England?

I love that almost all the houses have names!

This is 'our' pub, at least until 11:30pm, then we have to be on-site in case of any incidents. Here I tried my first shandy with Carrie (another teacher) who I miss a lot. Carrie and I had some good chats here and watched some of the local play Aunt Sally (?), which is basically throwing sticks to knock a ball off some other sticks. Lovely.

2007-06-23T00:27:00.000-07:00

I just can't get into blogging this past month.

But, just so you know I'm alive and what's going on, here's a list of updates.

1. I taught my last class yesterday!!!
2. I'm finished making horrible, time-consuming certificates for all my students.
3. The kitchen renovation is finished!!! Thank you Max!
4. There's a new front door on the apartment. (Unfortunately, there's a large screw penetrating the neighbour's wall...)
5. I leave for England in one week, June 30.
6. Sarah has bought her ticket to come visit me in September! (I hope this is true:))
7. My garden is overrun because I've had noooo time to tend it.
8. Winston likes pig ears.
9. Rich, Monika and I are getting into the cake making business, selling to a small cafe.
10. Dear Wendy is returning to Seattle :(
and I forgot,
11. Rich and I went to Germany (the border) to get stamps in our passports Wednesday morning before lessons. Our school submitted our applications for residence late.

Well, that's about it. I'm sure I'll have much more interesting things to report in a week or so, if I have time :)

Love you all, keep emailing!!!

2007-05-30T23:08:00.000-07:00

5! Five! 5!

Yep, that's how many ticks I found on Winston Sunday morning. And, if you remember, I was at the vet the day before and neither of us found any. 2 of the ticks were really big. One fell off onto the floor it was so full. Needless to say, I called Rich and we went to a 24 hour vet and had those evil creatures removed and destroyed. Ugh.
We bought some more drops and now I'm so paranoid I'm brushing Winston about 4 times a day and afraid to go to the forest.

Which brings me to a question - I need feedback! What do you call a group of trees? Forest? Woods? Bush? I was teased for my Canadianism when I said I'd like a house on some land with bush out back. Is this Canadian? or Joslin? :)

On to other news. The hell of end of the year paperwork has begun. I'm making/marking tests and certificates, getting ridiculous signatures so I can get paid, preparing for England and Sarah (my sis) coming to visit. Luckily, next week is Corpus Christi (another holiday) and I'll have some time to organize and stuff - the worst is that I have to clean out my locker at school. My room at home is quite tidy, but my locker, yikes.

Also, if you're interested, here's the link to the blog I do for the school if you want to read about the cooking classes, etc., I've mentioned. The last one will be in June. One more thing to do :)
www.bellpoznan.blogspot.com

2007-05-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't written in a while.

Things are busy around here. Between preparations to go to England, end of the year stuff at school, the kitchen being under renovation, gardening and removing ticks from Winston (2 today!!!), I just haven't found the time. So, yeah, that's it in a nutshell :)
Check out the video of Winston gone wild. He had a bath today because he was so dusty from the plastering that's happening in the kitchen. He goes nuts after baths, I think he's trying to dry off and we finally got it on tape :))
http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m154/pigeonspikes/Winston/
(And hasn't my little boy grown up so much?!?!)

2007-04-23T00:43:00.000-07:00

What now?

It's nearing the end of April, not to mention the school year, which means...
more holidays. And we wonder why it's so hard to work these days.
Yes, next week on Tuesday is some old communist holiday and Thursday is labour day? (correct me if I'm wrong) So, of course, we get the whole week off.

We've been invited to Krakow for the holiday by some friends. They said we could have their apartment for a few days and they'll go to the mother-in-law's in the country. I really wanted to go to the seaside, but there's enough Sc---sh in my blood that I won't turn down free lodgings - as long as Winston can go too. That's my only stipulation. We're waiting for word on that.

I've been offered a job in England for the summer, thank goodness. Now, I can relax, sort of. I have to buy a ticket and then I guess just await further instructions. I feel funny (in a good way) about visiting the land of my ancestors and my queen :) It's so nice they let me in :)

We went with Monika and Marek again to Rogalin yesterday. Here are some pics (and some from the last time, too):
The 2 Yorkies are Monika and Marek's dogs. Pavarotti left, Queenie right.

2007-04-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

Back 2 Work

It's been a nice long weekend, last Thursday off until today. Easter in Poland is a big deal.
In May there's another long weekend. Boy, it's good to be a teacher.

Winston's getting so big. And he's started farting. All the time. Raunchy. Eew.
He's also losing teeth. We've collected 2 so far. :)
We had to get him a new collar. We took him to Lake Rusalka (sp?) on the weekend and Winston met many dogs. Winston LOVES people and he LOVES other dogs. He's a lovable guy. Well, there was one Husky he just didn't want to say goodbye to and stubbornly pulled and pulled, trying to run after him until SNAP! went the plastic clip of his collar and goodbye Winston. So, now he has a sturdier leather, buckle-up collar.

Winston's also an expert thief. He likes to collect various objects, his favourite being shoes and slippers, and put them in his bed or under mine.
Here's a pic of Winston caught in the act. I think this time he's got toilet paper. From where? Who knows!!!

Not too much new. I got curtains up in Rich's room. They're quite nice, if I do say so myself. Pics soon.

2007-04-05T22:46:00.000-07:00

More Adventures

So I woke up at 2:45am, got dressed, got my documents, called a cab and went to the train station for my 4 hour trip to Warsaw. It wasn't too bad, I was able to sleep most of the way. I have a vague recollection of saying something to the woman next to me in English and she gave me a bizarre look - I think I was talking in my sleep. Oops :)
Anywho, once in Warsaw things were easy enough. The UK embassy is across the street from the train station. Once there it was simply a matter of waiting.
First of all, let me say that I was completely disappointed in the running of operations there. My appointment was for 9:30 and I was told to come early, if I was late they'd reject my application.
So I was there at 8:30. But, you have to wait in the hall til they let you in and there are no chairs in the hall. Off to a slow start. Finally, I was admitted into the room where you wait for an angry Polish woman to call your name and collect your documents. I waited about and hour and a half for this. Then I waited another hour for an interview. And, Wendy, don't be too jealous, the prices for visas changed and I had to drop 1200 zloty for this visa! Ridiculous.
All said and done though, I'm happy to announce that I now have my 2 year holiday maker working visa for the UK. This summer I'm off to England! YAY!
One more note of interest, I ate at Subway for lunch in Warsaw! Subway!!! My favouritist lunch restaurant. Yummy.
I have a 4 hour lesson this morning and then I'm on holiday. Unfortunately, after yesterday, I think we'll postpone our trip to the seaside. :(

2007-03-28T23:53:00.000-07:00

Summer job?

So, I applied for a job in England (Bell headquarters), teaching at an ESL camp. I had an interview on Tuesday. It was positive. Monika has worked with them before and recommended me. She's really hoping I can work with her. I'd love that. The only snag is that I'm from North America. No, being commonwealth doesn't mean I can automatically work in the UK. Stinks. But, I've applied for a holiday-maker visa which will allow me to work without a work permit for nine months. I have an appointment in Warsaw next Thursday. eek. Rich wants to go too to renew his passport, so it won't be so bad, I just hate Warsaw.

For Easter break (I'm off from Thursday to Wednesday) I think Rich and I will take Winston to the seaside, Kolobrzeg. It looks like a nice little touristy town and it's not too far.

Rich has been doing some plumbing around here. I was nervous when he said he wanted to buy a torch - remembering Tim the tool man Taylor :) but he did a really good job.

2007-03-18T08:12:00.000-07:00

What's New?

Around the apartment? A few things...
First of all, we got wireless internet. I haven't yet felt the benefits of it. I guess we got wireless primary because Arek wanted internet (understandably) and Rich and I both didn't want cables running through the hall, from room to room (we'd just ripped all the old ones out for that reason). There seems to be a glich right now, though. Every time Rich's online, Arek gets bumped. Any ideas???
I still haven't gotten my computer fixed, it's about time to move on that. I'm dreading it.

Friday I was horribly 'ill', as the Brits would say. Thursday afternoon I started to sniffle, by Thurs evening it had gone straight to my sinuses. I had a terrible headache, as well. I went right to bed with a Neocitren. I am so glad I brought those with me!!! Friday morning I woke up weak and fevered. I slept most of the day, only leaving my bed to go to the bathroom. Luckily, Rich had no lessons except for a private student who came to the apartment, so he hung around and took care of me. Winston took total advantage of the fact that I was too weak to kick him off the bed. For one day, he was king of the house. Saturday I was much better and attended an all-day teacher-training conference at the technical university. All the presentations were done by a guy named Andrew Wright - a Brit. I had to laugh when he congratulated me on my use of the word 'sepia'. I think he thought I was Polish :)

Winston seems so much bigger this week. He went to the vet for a check-up and rabies shot and he weighed in at 5 kilos (11 lb)! Norwich Terriers are supposed to be 4.5-5.5 kilos! He's only four and a half months old! So yeah, he'll be bigger than average I think. Here's the newest pics:

The lovely quilt he's under is one I just bought for a whopping 160 zloties! ($64.31 CDN) A baragin I'd say. It's rather chilly in my room and it makes for a nice throw when the bed's a couch :)

Rich started complaining that my room was so nice and his room has nothing. Boo hoo :) So, I made him a little garden from my old mouse cage. What do you think? He likes it.

In the kitchen, we finally got the oven moved! It looks and feels like a normal kitchen!

Now, a guy's coming in to change the retarded teeny-weeny double sink, hook up the washing maching in the closet around the corner from the sink, and moved the overhead cabinets to above the sink. On top of all that, you can see that Rich has started to take off the brown wall tiles that don't match the floor. Then Max said we could call him in a few weeks to do some more work, which will be drywalling and painting the kitchen - we hope.
(You can see the cavity where the stove used to be? We'll extend the counter there, maybe put in a dishwasher to save water.)

What's up with all of you? Updates please!

2007-03-05T01:13:00.000-08:00

What a weekend...

I feel like I got a lot done this weekend and had a real rest for a change. It's Monday, and for once I actually feel refreshed.
Friday night was Cooking Class and we made Angel Food Cake. Delicious, but it always turns out a little heavier here than back home. Not sure why.

Saturday I did some shopping, mostly for Winston :) He was throwing up for a couple days, but we noticed that he only did it after he ate the baby food or cheese. So, we cut out the dairy and he was ok. But we were giving him calcium and a crushed vitamin in the baby food and after the puking were unsure how to administer it. I finally tried mixing it in a little butter, but he immediately threw up, so that clinched it. No more dairy. I went to the pet store and got some 'cat' milk - the kind that is lactose free, and he has no problem with it. We also needed more dry food, so I got some Eucanuba Junior. He likes it, we'll see if he's allergic or not. Apparently the breeders have had problems with different brands of dry food - their puppies develop rashes and itch. And lastly, I bought one of those extendible leashes for when we go to the park so he can have a little more freedom. He really likes it.

Sunday was interesting. My church has started having breakfast together before church. It was really nice. Good fellowship. Good food :) After church, Monika and Marek called and they picked us up to go to Rogalin, a castle/park outside of Poznan (on the way visiting Figas'). It was the first time Winston was completely free since his old home at the farm. People wanted to pet him. He was in puppy paradise! In the evening Monika and Marek and Wendy came over. Pavarotti (their Yorkie) and Winston played and played, until they were both completely exhausted. We all had a good time watching and talking.

So, now it's Monday and I should be planning lessons, but I'm trying to prolong this wonderful weekend :)

Sarah, you and I must be telepathic. i just mailed off a package for you last week and a letter and yesterday at Figas' I picked one up from you :) The sisterly bond. Thanks for the name-tag-thing, it's hanging on my door :)

2007-03-01T01:01:00.000-08:00

Winston in Action

Go to My Photo Album (links on the left) and see the cutest video of Winston!

2007-02-28T02:30:00.000-08:00

Internet! It's a wonderful thing.

It's been so long since I've posted, but yes I am alive.
I'll have to update you all a bit at a time and I'll start with Winston, of course!
He's 4 months old now and missing his front teeth :) He's the cutest dog in the world, and just to prove it, here are some pictures.
This is his first night. He didn't like the cold wood floor, so he made my pillow his bed.

2007-01-19T02:43:00.000-08:00

Ugh. I hate moving.

And so it begins. The hellish nightmare of changing residences. I am blogging, obviously, to put off the inevitable. I am procrastinating. When I finish I might actually wash some dishes (which I also hate, but it's the lesser of 2 evils.) Then, packing. Tomorrow at 12 the keys are handed over, the transaction complete. Rich and I will start carrying suitcases and bags of stuff to the new flat. Max is coming to look over the apartment (he's my painting expert) and change the locks. Sunday evening some our friends (mostly the ones who owe us a favour because we lugged stuff from NA for them) are going to help us move furniture. Monday the fridge is coming.

Good news: Sunday afternoon we're bringing Sparky home!!! Thank you Uncle Marek for taxiing us to Lwowek and back all the time!

I'm not looking forward to painting, but I'm excited about living in an apartment with normal coloured walls. Agata's apartment is nice and Monika and Marek's is gorgeous, but almost every other place I've been in here has at least one or two rooms salmon and turquoise. It makes me wanna puke! No offense anybody who has these colours, it's just not my taste.

Well, I guess I should go... I'll try to take lots of pictures.

2007-01-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

I was looking through some picture files and found this one. On the left is, Agata, my dearest Polish friend who married Bert and moved to Oregon. Monika on the right (from church) and, of course, me in the middle.

2007-01-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

Whiskey, Elvis, Oscar, Tiger, Darby, Seymor, Sparky...

It's about time I wrote :) It's been a busy week getting back into the swing of things, back to life as usual. More stuff to do regarding the apartment. AND, we went to see the puppy!!! (Me, Rich, Monika and Marek)
Now, the hard part. Thinking of a name. Above are the ones at the top of the list. Please vote or suggest some of your own. You really need to look at the picture and look into his precious little eyes. We all agree he was the best puppy in the litter - fearless, friendly and sturdy. Isn't he just the cutest?!?!?
The next 2 weeks are semester break. Off again :) Butit couldn't have come at a better time and all of it will be filled with the puppy, the apt, painting, shopping, oh so many things! It really won't be a break at all. I'll put more pics up then.

2006-12-27T10:46:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from Eden!

As most of you know, I'm home for the holidays.
Time flies when you're thoroughly and sickeningly happy :)

Last year when I arrived at the airport in Toronto I was almost moved to tears, but not because I needed to buy stamps and was yelled at, but because I needed help and the man behind the counter was jolly and joking and HUMAN!
I always forget how wonderful Canada is, and especially how NICE everyone here is. I love going into every shop and knowing I'll get a smile.

So, just to clarify for all those who don't know, those losing hope in the grouchiness that is Poland, and for myself lest one day I should forget - here's a list of WHY CANADA IS THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH!!!

1. Exchanging money at the airport I noticed: animals, famous Canadians, multicultural icons on the coins and bills. Oh, and don't forget the hockey players :)

2. People in Canada don't just say HI or HELLO. Strangers talk to you like you're there long lost cousin finally paying a visit! Hi there! How are ya today? It's a lovely day outside, eh?

3. And yes: EH! And something I didn't notice before- the lovely sing-songy lilting way that Canadians talk and is just like sweet maple syrop poured over your ears :)

4. Cleanliness next to godliness. I visited Rich in New York over the holidays and compared to Poland it's very clean and pretty. But, Canada is pristine! Immaculate, pure, spotless, unblemished, unsullied, wholesome and untarnished - neat and tidy as ever a place could be. Neat little houses squared properly on square little patches of earth, all organized on grids of square little streets and highways. A place you'd have to try to be lost in.

I've gotta pick Sarah up from work. I'll continue later. I'm just getting started!!!

2006-12-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

I've added some more pictures of the apartment.
Check out the entry 'Big Changes' from November 1.

2006-12-05T00:25:00.000-08:00

I'm sick.

Last night I had a fever. It didn't last too long, though, and now I just have a bad sinus cold. Not fun. And the weather here is beautiful!

I have to say, once again, God is good. Last Thursday Ewa was sick and didn't work - I cover her juniors for her. Today she'll be returning the favour. So, I'm taking the day off, resting and recuperating.

I just realized I'll be flying home a week from Friday! Yay!!! I so need to get away. And even if there's snow in Canada, at least there's also sunshine.

I found a present for David. Now, just Mike and Dad. Any suggestions?

2006-12-01T05:09:00.000-08:00

Wow. I'm so broke.
If any of you get a call this weekend from a pathetic sounding person in need of cash... just don't be surprised.
The deed is done (pardon the pun). :)
The final agreement has been signed. Now, it's off to the bank to have the money transferred.
Everyone at the notary was shaking hands and uttering congratulations. I however, felt no such relief or joy. In my mind the finish line is still hidden in the mists - which are, by the way, covering Poznan these days. What is up with this weather?!?! Rich is worried his flight will be cancelled on Thursday.
I just hope everything is done before he leaves. It's nice having someone to lean on through this.
It's only a couple weeks until I leave! Yay!
Sadly, I'll have no money. Won't be going crazy shopping :(
Mom, help! What do Dad, Mike and David need/want for Christmas?
Tonight, the Christmas season officially begins for me. It's film night and we're watching, A Christmas Story, "You'll shoot your eye out!" Yes, uwaga! Which reminds me, I have to go buy popcorn.
So, until next time, pa, pa!

2006-11-28T14:55:00.000-08:00

He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. ... You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'" ~2 Chronicles 20:15,17

Having just come from the bank where there were further problems with PESEL numbers and melduneks (SIN # and ???), not to mention the mention of more fees and required visits to the notary and court... needless to say, this verse just seemed to JUMP OUT at me :)

So, not tomorrow, but Friday, God along side, we will face them! HA!

(By the way, did I mention the bank approved the loan? YES!)

2006-11-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

Why do I do this to myself?!

I've been asking this question most of my life :) This week has been eventful, and it's not over yet. I've been planning and orginizing the first cooking class of the year. I don't mind, it's like my own little pet that I nuture and take care of, but it's a lot of itty bitty things to do. I love it and I hate it. Calling people, buying groceries, getting receipts. Hastle. But tonight, once again, it will all be worth it. We'll be making apple crisp. Easy, fast and cheap.
This morning I gave a presentation at Agata's highschool, telling the kids about the Amish and Mennonite communities in North America. It was ok, short and sweet.

2006-11-15T02:07:00.000-08:00

What's Up...?

You should ask: What's down? -My bank acount, that's what.
I didn't know buying an apartment could be so expensive, and I'm not talking about the actual cost of the apartment! Every time I turn around it seems I have to pay someone else some other fee for some inexplicable reason.

The best/worst example of this is the natary's fee. On Friday we went to sign the preliminary agreement. Naturally, I payed the translater. And of course, I payed the owners a small security. But WHY would I then have to pay the notary 3% of the cost of my apartment??? What did she do? She sat. She read. She asked a few questions. She sign the paper!!! Yeah, I'm peeved. Lawyers! I guess that says it all.

Anyway, now the papers are signed, the application is in at the bank and I'll find out in 2 weeks if the loan is approved. Phew. For 2 weeks, I have a bit of time to relax.
All we do now is wait.
The hardest thing to do :)

Psalm 62:5 ~My soul, wait thou in silence for God only; For my expectation is from him.

Psalm 130:5 ~I wait for Jehovah, my soul doth wait, And in his word do I hope.

Psalm 40:1 ~I waited patiently for Jehovah; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2006-11-01T04:10:00.000-08:00

Big Changes

To buy or not to buy. That has been the question for some time now. Well, the day has finally arrived. A 5000zl reservation fee has been payed on medium sized apartment in the area of Poznan known as Jezyce. I'm terrified honestly. It's such a huge decision and, in this country, such a risk that I'm afraid it may go horribly wrong.

You see, in Poland, in order to get a loan the bank requires that you have already signed a pre-agreement for a piece of property. Well, the owners of the desired property require some kind of security before they will sign this agreement, namely, a down-payment.

So, in the next month I'll be putting down a lot of money and praying really hard. I would really appreciate if you could keep this item in your prayers as well. Pray that the bank would speedily process and approve the loan. And pray that I can cope. I was a nervous wreck yesterday after signing the first of many documents.

Below are some (not so great, I know :)) pictures of the apartment. You have to look beyond all the furniture, it won't be there when I move in. Also, my WONDERFUL real estate agent, Kasia, negotiated that the kitchen cabinets, sink and stove be included for only a 1000zl more. So, though they are not the most elegent you've ever seen, it will really save me some money.
If everything works out, all this stress will definitely be worth it.

On a lighter note, Wendy and I explored a Laundromat Cafe last night. Really great idea, but we both agreed that if you take your clothes somewhere in order to clean them, it would be better if people weren't allowed to SMOKE! We both opted for taking our wet laundry home to dry. We'd have to hang it anyway to air it all out! Crazy country.

Today is All Saints Day. National holiday! YAY! At my school we had Monday and Tuesday off too. Aahh, it's great to be a teacher. And, one of my Thursday classes asked to switch to yesterday, so I'll finish early tomorrow and then work Friday and it'll be the weekend again!

2006-10-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

North American Stuff!

I'm going to start a list (more for myself, cause I have the memory of a goldfish) of things I need to buy/get when I go home. I'll add on as I think of things. The most pressing and most practical is first on the list:
1. socks and underwear ! ! ! (still cheaper to buy them in dollars)
And the rest, pure entertainment or convenience:
2. dvd's and books
3. measuring cups and spoons
4. pie plate
5. more brown sugar :)
6. hot water bottle -forget magic bag, no microwave :(
7. more lavender and eucalyptus bubblebaths
8. Tylenol / Advil
9. cake mixes & muffin papers
10. stuff for the flat (art?)
11. Neocytron!
12. barrettes :)

2006-10-18T23:05:00.000-07:00

I guess an update is in order...

I have work. And NO in-company. That's it. I'm happy. No split shift! And NO Ostrow. I work Monday to Thursday, 3:30-8:30pm and Friday 3:30-6:45pm.

Marianna's back in town. So great to see her! She's always so happy and kind that it's really just a joy to be around her.

It's 8am and I've been awake for at least an hour. I have nothing more to say.

Good night.

2006-10-11T00:39:00.001-07:00

Too Much Time on My Hands

Enrollment is really down at my school. I signed a contract to work 28 hours a week and so far I'm working 23. I thought I would have 25 this week, but 2 classes fell through. It's okay for me, my contract is such that I get paid a monthly chunk regardless of whether or not the school has the hours to give me, so I'll never lose money. However, if the adult classes don't fill up by next week I may, no I WILL, get stuck doing in company work. This means traveling. This also means doing mostly one-to-ones and mixed level groups. Basically, it stinks.

On a good note, a girl from Bible study is starting a book club! Yay!

2006-10-10T04:02:00.000-07:00

Hereby know we love, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ~1 John 3:16

I got this story by email from Vicki back home. I just had to share it. We so often see the pain and horror in the world forgetting that, by God's grace, and a little setting aside of Self, we can turn it around into something pure and beautiful.

From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly
(Don't miss the video at the end.)

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay for their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots. But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right? And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.

This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs. "He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him and his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. "Put him in an institution.'' But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help the boy communicate. "No way,'' Dick says he was told. "There's nothing going on in his brain.'' "Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? "Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, "Dad, I want to do that.'' Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described "porker'' who never ran more than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried. "Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. "I was sore for two weeks.''

That day changed Rick's life. "Dad,'' he typed, "when we were running, it felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!'' And that sentence changed Dick's life.

He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon. "No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then they found a way to get into the race officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, "Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?'' How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried. Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? "No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for "the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with a cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.

"No question about it,'' Rick types. "My dad is the Father of the Century.'' And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95% clogged. "If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' one doctor told him, "you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Ricksaved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day. That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy. "The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, "is that my dad would sit in the chair and I would push him once.''

Here's the video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryCTIigaloQ

2006-10-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

Here there and everywhere! - Norwich Terriers

Monika, Marek, Rich and I met with the breeders that I'll probably by a puppy from. Shortly after we arrived, he opened a gate and all of these dogs came charging out!

They were so friendly and happy and playful!!! After checking out the strange people, they crowded around Pavaroti and gave him a good sniff, not to mention, a good scare. :)

In the end, both Monika and Pavaroti approved of this spunky little breed.

Even Rich couldn't escape a puppy kiss :)

And lastly, the (hopefully) mommy of my little guy:

A good day.

...And, tomorrow I go back to work :(

2006-09-30T00:36:00.000-07:00

Becky's Plan Backfires. Doh!

This morning (Saturday!) I had a class at 9am. Difficult, I know, but do-able and a really great student, so worth the trouble. (I've begun tutoring a 10 year old hearing impaired girl, helping her adjust to suddenly being in an all-English school.)
I set the alarm on my phone good and early. I woke up before the alarm! Cool, I had lots of time. My lesson was ready.
**Now, to be sure that Becky is never late, Becky also has a fail safe plan by which she scares herself into being on time by making herself think she is late. The clock in Becky's room is 1 hour behind. Unfortunately, Becky is also easily confused. :(
Still wonderfully relaxed and thinking I was on time, it wasn't until I reached the tram stop and saw 9:09am flashing at me that I grew concerned. I actually didn't believe the clock at first, but my phone said the same.
So, today, I was late FOR THE FIRST TIME and ended up rescheduling my lesson.

At 11am I have a teacher's meeting and I FINALLY get my schedule!!! for MONDAY!!!!!!

2006-09-29T04:39:00.000-07:00

In case any of you are wondering what kind of dog I want, here it is, the Norwich Terrier. The pictures are courtesy of Monika, who is just as excited about me getting a dog as I am. I'm sure my puppy and her Yorkie, Pavarotti :) will be buddies.

2006-09-28T03:57:00.000-07:00

My back is fantastic!

I don't remember the last time I felt so good!!! I told you I went to get a massage. Well, immediately after, I felt great, but by evening my neck hurt again and yesterday morning I felt awful. So... I went to a yoga class. Had no idea what to expect, but I was desperate. We just did some stretches, a lot of back exercises. The instructor, whose english was great, said that these stretches really help people who work a lot on computers. When I left I was walking on air! Even today I feel fantastic. I'm going to go again tomorrow. I hope I'll be able to fit it into my schedule once I'm working.

This afternoon I'm going to visit a lady who wants someone to tutor her daughter. Her daughter is not deaf - but practically. I came into contact with her through Ania, my boss. According to Ania, this woman is very intense. She is convinced her daughter doesn't have much of a future in Poland, because of her disability, so she is sending her to an American school in the hopes that she will later study and live in North America. But, the girl is 10 years old and finding it diffiult to adjust and understand since all of her classes are in English.
I'm really excited about helping this girl, the only problem is that it is on the complete opposite end of the city as me and the girl gets out of school just when I start work. We'll see.

That's all for now, pa

2006-09-26T04:02:00.000-07:00

House hunting once again...

The crazy apartment lady basically told me she didn't want to meet me or hear from me again. Good riddance. I was disappointed at first, but I really believe, God must have something better waiting for me. I looked at a place today. An old historic building that a company is completely renovating. Really nice quiet atmosphere and the fun part is that, because they are basically gutting the place, I can choose the area of the building I want and, aside from structural walls, I can move things around and arrange walls, bathroom, whatever, anywhere I want. They are redoing all the pipes, putting in an elevator, etc. Alot of the best places are gone, but there was one space I loved on the 4th floor. There is a large terrace that, in the plans, goes with another large apartment, but I asked the guys if it could possibly be divided and I could have a small bit of it. The view was really nice. On one side of the apartment the roof slopes just a little and they are putting lots of skylights in. There are some nice wooden columns and beams naturally there, too.
Anyway, I'm not getting my hopes up yet. They have to get back to me on exactly how many square metres it will be. I've highlited some places in the newspaper that sound promising, I'll check them out tomorrow.

This afternoon I'm going to get a massage. I've been having problems with my back and neck - I think from the donkey project. I've had it for a while, but it's been getting much worse lately. AND, apparently, Tim (the Brit) says, there are only 2 chiropractors in Poznan and I wouldn't trust them! So, ok. I'll get a massage and wait til I come home before I let someone start cracking my spine!

Hungarian food night was great! Spicy goulash, cabbage rolls and lacha - a strange but tastey mix of tomato, potato and egg? Sounds crazy, but it was really good!

I haven't started teaching yet, not til October. I'd like to know my schedule! But, I probably won't get it til Friday. Unfortunately. The first week of teaching, though, is the easiest. Getting to know everybody, playing games. :) Yeah, I have a tough life. I love my job. BUT, I'm getting a little tired of Poland. Living with Agata is really nice, though. We get along really well!

I don't have internet yet... maybe today...

2006-09-22T03:14:00.000-07:00

Continued...

So, this week was training at school and I was asked to be a trainer.
Ok, I'm not thrilled at the idea, I tend to get very nervous with people watching me, but, hey, it'll look good on my resume. Always the deciding factor. And it's a good personal challenge.
I was asked to do a workshop on multimedia and IT in the classroom. Even better - something I really enjoy and feel comfortable doing. So, I planned everything out - the internet ideas and sites I would introduce, the dvd's and related activities I could present... yesterday (Thursday) afternnon was the scheduled time.
As usual, when working with multimedia, I arrived early to test and set up.
DO YOU THINK THERE WAS A DVD PLAYER??? A SINGLE COMPUTER THAT PLAYED DVD'S??? MORE THAN ONE COMPUTER WITH INTERNET IN THE COMPUTER ROOM???!!!
I spent 2 hours trying to find a computer with a dvd drive, or one with enough memory to download a dvd player program, asking my bosses about their laptops (none of which play dvd's apparently!), bla, bla, bla. Finally the third boss said hers would work. Great. Now, --, where's the projector? I'd like to set everything up. WHAT?!?!? IT'S AT YOUR HOUSE?!?! ?
Enough said. In the end the workshop was ok. My lesson later was haggard. I don't care. I survived.

On a lighter note, tomorrow evening is Hungarian food night with my Bible study group. Rich is annoyed because he's working at a business camp and won't get goulash. Hee, hee.
And, on Sunday, I may be giong to look at terriers. Maybe I'll get pictures. But, I don't think there will be puppies until the spring.

Also, on Wednesday, I looked at some apartments. (The crazy lady has basically made it clear she doesn't like me and doesn't want to ever hear from me again.)
These apartments are actually a little nicer and across the street from a large park. It's an old historic building that is being completely renovated. Just goes to show, God knows best.

2006-09-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

Plodding Along...

This week was Young Learners Training Week at my school.

2006-09-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

No news is good news :)
Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Been busy.

Last week I went with Rich to Krakow to visit our friends, Jim and Ewa. They just had a baby. Their first. She's about a month old and all she did the first 2 days we were there was scream! Luckily, the first 2 days we stayed with Ewa's mother in her house just outside of Krakow. WE slept peacefully :) The 3rd night we stayed with them and I guess Sofia was so exhausted from the previous rampage that she slept all night long. Ahhh. Lucky us.

We went to the famous salt mines. It was interesting, but not cheap. 60 zloty for the English tour! As I said, the tour through the mines is nice, but, just before you step into the highlite, the one place you've been waiting for - the Cathedral - you are told you need to pay another 10 z's if you want to take pictures. Rich and I decided to buy a postcard. However, as we entered the cathedral, carved entirely out of salt, we noticed that almost everyone in our large group was snapping pictures. Only about 5 people had actually paid to. So, we joined in. I'm really glad we didn't pay! As you can see, it was so dark down there none of the pictures really turned out!

On our way out of the mine we met a really nice American girl. We think she was a little lonely because she was backpacking around Poland with a friend who had completely different interests, so she was being dragged to museum after museum. While her friend had gone on to see the mining machinery museum, she had decided (as Rich and I) to skip it and go get lunch. We took her to a very traditional Polish restaurant and just chatted. That's one thing I love about traveling and being an expat - you meet so many people!

We also visited Wawel Castle. Really nice, especially because you don't have to take a tour! You can choose the parts of the castle you're interested in and take as much or as little time as you want. Only one bit of caution: The Garden Tour. Yes, this was one tour, and it was MY decision to try it. I thought it would be a real treat to see some royal gardens. There was one garden. I don't know if I got a pic, but it was small. Our tour guide made a good point though - gardens of that time were more for practical purposes than decorative, because there was so little green area inside of a castle. Castles are built for fortification, no beautification. :) Unfortunately, that was the ONLY GARDEN ON THE TOUR! After that we were told about the gardens that were once situated here or there, but since the Austrians came, they bricked over them. There are no plans to reconstruct these gardens. So, there you go.

Over all, it was a great trip. We had great weather and I love Krakow. The only thing I regret is that we didn't stay until Sunday. A lady on the train home told us that on Sunday would be the annual "sausage dog parade"!!! Imagine hundreds of little wiener dogs trotting down the streets in costumes, their masters matching!!!

Oh well, next year for sure!

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m154/pigeonspikes/Krakow%202006/?start=0
More pics of Wawel: http://www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/wawel&page=all

2006-09-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

Coming Home!!!

I just bought my ticket!
Early for once and the best price I've ever paid.
I'll get to Toronto December 15 at 8:20pm, flying LOT
and I leave from Toronto January 3 at 6:25pm, LOT again.

See you soon,
Becky!

PS. Moving is done and went surprising well.
I'll save unpacking for tomorrow... or the day after... :)

2006-09-02T00:50:00.000-07:00

Moving Day.

I got up early and went to the market. It wasn't easy to get up - Agata, Rich and I had a Mel Gibson film marathon last night. It was my choice, I was told to rent movies. I hate choosing for other people - they always complain about my taste. :) Anywho, I got Signs, Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon. Got to bed late! We didn't even watch the last one, we were too tired. Boy, I'm getting old. Sad.

I like going to the market in the early morning. There's a special smell and feel. It's a surprisingly good smell if your wandering around the fresh fruit and vegetable stands. It's fun looking and choosing something nice for breakfast and then going into the bakery for fresh bread or buns. Well, I think that will have been the best part of the day.

The worst part will begin about 1pm-ish. Arek and Rich are coming over to help me load up a truck and take my stuff to Agata's. I don't have too much stuff, but enough. I still have to throw some papers in bags. I hate sorting papers, so, it's the one thing left to do and probably won't get done. :) Then off to my new home!

No news re the OTHER apt. I'm meeting with the buyer on Monday. Also have a teacher's meeting on Monday. Fun. I've been working lately on a blog for my school and flyers for the cooking and film classes I'll be teaching.

That's all folks!

2006-08-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

It's Almost September.

It's cold and rainy. It's fall. Now, I'm beginning to feel the start of the school year get closer and closer. Yikes. I'm not ready.

On Sunday Vickie went home to Canada. I'm jealous and sad. It was so great to have her here! She was such a good friend. I really hope we can stay in touch. Without Vickie, I never would've survived the second camp!

I'm packing this week. I'll be moving in with Agata whether I buy the apartment or not. I hate moving. It's a good cleansing exercise though, because I sure don't want to have to carry or unpack more than I have to!!! I should be moving in Friday or Saturday. I'm really happy I'm leaving the student flat. As I was going into my apt this afternoon I noticed once again how BADLY it smells! My neighbours smoke and drink and who knows what else, but it's the same odour wafting up your nose and soaking your clothes as the one that makes you nauseous standing next to a homeless person on a hot tram in July! Bla! I can almost taste it. NO MORE!
I went to Agata's place last night - Rich and I helped her put her IKEA furniture together. It's a really nice new building - security, elevator, large balcony. So, even if I don't get the place on Marsztalarska, my living conditions will be improved.

That's all. Love, B

2006-08-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

The Light Brightens & Becky's Tour of Torun

Yesterday Rich called and said Marzena called. This was good news in itself. She's one of the sellers of the apartment and she hadn't returned our texts or calls in a couple days. I was worried. She said they had one other offer on the place but they would prefer to sell to someone they knew. Great. I still have to meet with her early this week and maybe write up an agreement.

Yesterday was girl time. I already mentioned Magda and Sofia - plus me and my friend Wendy and her Mom (visiting from the States) went on a day trip to Torun. I love this little town! We saw so many of the sights and shared many laughs. It was my 4th trip to Torun, so I acted as tour guide much of the time. I showed: Torun, the dark side. :) I showed them the statue commemorating the first incident of bird flu in Poland. This is what I'd been told the last time I was there. It turned out that it's actually to honor some Polish director, but that's just not as interesting! ;) Next, I took them to the place especially designated for dog crapping. They were rather sceptical, I can't understand why - BUT IT'S TRUE! We discovered none of us is really pure at the Leaning Tower. We climbed the tower in the City Hall - beautiful view! Worth the 10z's. We learned the ancient secret of making gingerbread at the gingerbread museum. But I can never tell or the Witch's curse will fall on me. We saw ruins and the prison :) we bought gingerbread and ice cream and drank fabulous coffees (and stopped 20 times so Magda could use the toilet). Got back around 9:30pm and we were all wiped!
Here are some pics. Come and visit me and I'll be sure to take you!
http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n65/brjoslin/Torun/

2006-08-25T01:47:00.000-07:00

On Vacation.

Everything went well at the bank, I'm simply waiting on the buyers and getting all my documents together, which I can't do until Monday. Soooo, yesterday I was on vacation. Really.
I did some shoe shopping, jean shopping - only bought the latter. I met Agata from church for coffee and we caught up. I hadn't seen her since before camps. It was really great to see her. I wish she wasn't marrying some stinkin' American and LEAVING ME!!!! Boo. Then I met Rich and Magda and Magda's friend Sofia who's German - A Canadian, American, Pole and German. Very international meeting. We went to the Lizard King restaurant. (http://www.lizardking.pl) It's cool. It's like a rock n' roll/blues place where you can buy ribs and wings - more North American food. Yummy. Last night there was a great rock band. Just a local group, but pretty good! I can't think of their name right now.

Oh well, ttyl, B

2006-08-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

Wow. This is cool.

I went to Millenium Bank today. I had visited them before and they were the most friendly, the most helpful and the most HOPEful. :) I had a few questions and I had more detailed financial information, so I dropped in. AND! I easily qualified for the amount of money I need to buy the apartment. Now, this in no way guarantees I'll get the flat OR the loan. I have to apply, the form goes to Warsaw, they take a month to decide and write up an offer, etc. Also, I'm meeting the OTHER owner of the apartment tonight and finding out if she likes my offer and if she'll wait while the loan goes through, bla, bla, bla. Anywho, I'm happy for now.

2006-08-22T01:16:00.000-07:00

To buy or not to buy...

Went to 2 banks yesterday. The first one said no way. The 2nd one said yes, 60% of the home value. Though better, coming up with 40% would not be possible.

So in the evening Rich and I went to the old market to meet his friend who's selling the apartment to get details and let him know I'm interested. Rich's other friend was there also, Kuba, who lives in London and is a Blue Man. So, yeah, I know a Blue Man. Hee, hee. The closest I'll come to fame, I guess.

This morning I got an email from the lady at the bank who said she took a closer look at her bank's policy papers and I CAN get a loan for 100% of the flat value. Yay! I think I'll still go to a few other banks and compare, but this lady's really helpful and nice.

Looks hopeful... :)

http://www.blueman.com/multimedia/video/

2006-08-21T01:17:00.000-07:00

My First Home?

This will be quick. I'm going to the bank today to find out about getting a loan to buy an apartment. A friend has an apartment in the old market in Poznan - a beautiful place - and he needs to sell it quickly, so it's also a good price. I'd really like this place... It would be a good investment... But...
Please pray for wisdom as I make the decision of whether or not to go ahead with this, as I talk to the bank, etc.
Also, any advice or words of caution would be appreciated.

Cya

2006-08-20T13:29:00.000-07:00

Catch up time ~ Summer 2006

The summer has come and gone. I feel, though, like it should just be
starting. I've worked for the past 6 weeks at 3 different children's
English camps here in Poland. And I'm pooped.

The first camp started the beginning of July and was by far the best.
The kids were kids - sometimes good, sometimes bad, but bearable; and
the other teachers and our team leader were superb.

The second camp not such a fairytale. The kids were amazing! No
complaints about them. They were kind and friendly. The other teachers
were really nice. One was a fellow Canadian, Vickie, and she and I
soon became good friends. But, our camp leader was a psycho!!! K- she was
rude, defensive, tempermental, argumentative and lazy. If you asked
what time the bus was picking us up for stg, you got your head bitten off.
When we stayed at a survival camp for a weekend and I
asked her if we could get sheets to cover the filthy matresses, she
said she wouldn't ask because the organisers would say no and 'What
are you? A French dog?!' (I later asked and had no problems getting
sheets.) So, yeah, I guess she'd been off her meds for a while.
Luckily I never (please, please, please) have to see her again.

The 3rd camp the teachers and camp leader were great, but the kids
were terrible. We have video they took of themselves pulling back the
mattress on a bed and jumping on the frame TRYING to break it. 2 beds
were destroyed, 2 windows, a large feather pillow, a toilet... There
were 4 older boys who thought it was fun to go into little boys rooms
at night dressed in ski masks and attack them - hit them, wrap them in
sheets and lock them in a wardrobe. The last day one boy's expensive
phone was stolen. His father finally insisted we call the police. We
did and they searched the bad kids' room first. They found it. Well,
you get the picture. Bad kids.

Now, I'm beginning my vacation. I have a little work to do on an EU
project for my school, but not much. Basically I have a month and a
half to recover.

I have a good contract for the coming year. Making good money, good
hours. No more travelling by train to a different city once a week!!!!
This is probably the most exciting part of it all. I'll be teaching my
Cultural Cooking Class. A Seatilite, Wendy, and I are in charge of
setting up a blog for our school to advertise school events and
promote student-school communication. I have a few private students as
well, which I've never had before - we'll see how that goes. I may be
doing a regular movie night as well. So, as far as work goes, I'm
quite content.

Plans outside of work...well, I was looking into buying land and
possibly buildng a house. I'm not sure how that will go, but I'd
definitely like to buy an apartment here as an investment. So, I think
I'll do that first and see about the house after. I'm most certainly
buying a dog, which will be really nice cause I love walking, but
really hate going alone. Need someone to talk to ;+) . Oh, and I'm
moving again. Changing apartments - seems to happen every new school
year. :) I really hate moving though, so I intend to do it very
gradually. A good friend of mine just bought a newly built apt close
to the centre and I'll share it with her. It'll be nice, cause now I'm
sharing with 4 students and I hate it. I saved a lot of money, but,
ugh! So, by staying with Agata I'll still save money, but I'll only be
living with one other person and she's NOT A STUDENT! :)

Well, that's Becky's life in a nutshell. I'll let you know what I plan
to do for holidays besides move. I'd like to go somewhere, but I'd
prefer to go WITH someone, ya know?

PA

2006-08-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

So, I'm starting a blog...

Starting must be the worst part, right?
What to write? How to make a dramatic entrance?
I don't know, so I'll begin by explaining the title: Pigeon Spikes.
This may take a while... I'll do it in stages...
This is a kind of living metaphor for my life in Poland.
You see, my friend Rich is renting an apartment from our mutual boss, previously occupied by Daniel, who some of you know. The said apartment is on the top floor. There are ledges on the outside that lead from the windows to the edge of the roof under which the pigeons live, thus providing the perfect landing strip and perch for these fowl. Though I don't mind pigeons, these particular birds happen to be of a particularly low class flock, and, as you know, pigeons in general carry disease. Winged rats. There is birdy doo doo all over the windows and sills, feathers (and who knows what else) come into the kitchen and one pigeon actually flew into the living room.

2006-08-20T03:57:00.000-07:00