YOU GOT MAIL

No, really, I got mail. Real mail. From the good ole US of A. But I may have been lucky to receive this mail because I told everyone the wrong "zip" code. Intead of it beginning with 96, it should begin with 69. Sorry 'bout that, and keep those cards and letters coming, folks! Thanks for the T-shirt (John) and the goodies (Kay).

Random things....
With the kids here, we have been eating refried beans with some regularity. And since they have since taken this delicacy for granted over here, they were hungry for black beans. Kate and I found a store the other day that sells some really neat food, spices, and hard-to-find things. It was at this store that I "scored" some dried black beans. They were soaked overnight and I finished cooking them today. They came out pretty good!

During the second week I was here, we wanted to rent bikes from the place in the park near our house. We learned that you have to apply for a card, give them a 100 euro deposit and then wait. We have been waiting..... and I guess we will have to wait some more..... we just got a letter today that says I need to prove that I really do live at the address that I specified. (Well of course.... Why didn't I think of that??)