Monday, February 2, 2009 I got a J-O-B   One hundred years ago, when I was a demure, innocent college student, I was a horrible waitress.  So bad I had to start as a banquet waitress.  I used to forget people's drinks, soups, salads, checks. . . heck, I used to plain forget people.   Last night I was talking to my future sister-in-law, who's a manager at Olga's.  I might have had a few beers.    And I asked her to hire me to wait tables at Olga's.    I STILL have nightmares about waitressing.  Maybe you know the one.  Where your whole section is filled and you haven't waited on anyone yet, and they don't have menus and you're stuck in the kitchen doing something that prevents you from going out there and paying attention to your customers?  Do you have that one?    I do.  Plus I have the one about having an exam in a college class that I haven't attended once the entire semester, a class I totally forgot I had.   Both are very close to reality.   In addition, to further feed our hunger for American culture, we watched my man Clint the other night in "Gran Torino".  There's been much said about this movie (outside the lack of Oscar nominations), but we both found it incredibly hilarious and well done.   And I spent over $40 yesterday buying TWO ENGLISH BOOKS to get me through the first three days in Dubrovnik.   Because today?  We leave for Croatia!  WOOT!   Which means, next post will be from a different country.  Possibly even with photos.   You are so dying with anticipation.  Which you also will be if you come into Olga's and I wait on you. Friday, January 30, 2009 Shout out to Internet Nerds   Due to the magic of the interwebs, Mike and I have been able to watch the first three episodes of "Lost" on our computer.   Thank you to those peeps who know how to post bootleg videos on the web for us to watch.  It's probably not rocket science, but it's far beyond my knowledge of how all this "technology stuff" works.   And I like me some "Lost".   I also watched "Slumdog Millionaires" this way, and several episodes of this seasons "Two and a Half Men".   It's nice to be able to feed my American Pop Culture appetite.  With things other than re-runs of "Reba", "It's All Relative", "Less Than Perfect", and "Just Shoot Me" that FOXLife keeps re-playing on Macedonian Cable television.   But, it does seem that in our life of unemployment here, one of us is camped in front of the TV box and one in front of the computer box most of the time. . . Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Counting down to Croatia   We've decided to hit the bricks and get out of here for a month in Dubrovnik, Croatia.   Apartment is rented, airline tickets are bought, 90 pounds of "used household goods" are ready to be FedEx'd home (at approximately the same cost as what 90 pounds of our household goods are WORTH!) and we're ready to go.   So, I expect we will get a phone call within the next day or two telling us we need to be in Timbuktu in three days.   In lieu of that, we will actually leave on Monday the 2nd of February. Thursday, January 22, 2009 Dying of boredom in Skopje with slight hiccups of excitement, keeping us just almost dead First off, one day last week on my daily sojourn back from the grocery store/beer store/paper buying expedition, I climbed the stairs to our apartment and saw. . . . The dreaded RAINBOW! And, yes. . . it really is a Rainbow.  I can't believe someone here has a $1000+ vacuum cleaner.  Macedonia must be more prosperous than I thought.  Anyway, you can imagine the painful flashbacks this sight had me reeling through.  Or maybe you can't.    Good news is, I don't think there's much chance I'll have to use it.  Bad news is, after six weeks our apartment could sorely use a good Rainbow-ing.   Secondly, as of last week Wednesday, Mike is no longer employed on the Skopje project, so now we are hanging around Macedonia on our own dime, trying to figure out what to do next.  We need to stay out until 3/1/09 to make our 330 (tax thingy), but don't know where to go and what to do without spending all our windfall (from next year).    Toyed with quite a few things, but are still undecided.  And now Mike has a very good idea of just how exciting this town is when YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB to perform.  Sigh.  We are B-O-R-E-D.   Thirdly, I apologize for the lack of posting here (again), but with the stress of everything 10 days ago and the daily level of inactivity. . . well, anyway.  I apologize.    To make up for it, I took some pictures for you.  Two different sets!  Lucky you. Mike spotted this creative wind detector Scene in front of our friendly "I'm lovin' it" burger joint Jewelry Street in Old Town, gives new meaning to "the streets were paved in gold" and our local furniture store. . . Old boy taking a break in his wagon in Old Town     THEN, on Monday, it was another national holiday here in Macedonia.  Ephiphany.  Or, the anniversary of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River.  To celebrate, most people get the day off and at noon there is a annual rite at the Stone Bridge.  First, a church service to bless the river, then the "bishop" dude throws a small cross into the river and THEN about a hundred mostly naked guys jump in the river and try and "catch" the cross, making them a local hero for the next year, and the winner of a bunch of prizes (read off in Macedonian, as well as the church service) including a laptop computer (the only thing said in English) and something else that made the whole crowd gasp in disbelief.   We only got there about 40 minutes before the whole shingbang started, so where we stood absolutely stunk for taking pictures, hence the big green line (which is a streetlight) and the Macedonian heads in the way of all my award winning shots.  Sorry.  I guess if I was on assignment or had a press pass things would have been better.  Anway, did I mention it was about 18 degrees?    It was.  And we had all our clothes on.  And shoes.  And coats, scarves and mittens.  Mike even may have had his ear warmers on.  It was plenty cold.  I'm sure that river was like ice. The crowd is thick along both sides of the river and the throw. . . a bit of a mad scramble. . . The tension mounts as our mostly naked souls wait for the cross toss, after much chanting and prayin and they're OFF! and our new hero takes a victory lap in the safety dinghy (I marked him with an arrow earlier!)     Then we went to the Irish Pub for breakfast and home for a nap.  The End.   As far as Mike's job is concerned, we really have no idea what's next, where or when.  Hopefully something. . . soon, so keep your international beer swillers in your prayers!   Otherwise, I have been practicing for my new job.  It goes like this:   "Do you want fries with that?"   heeheeheee   Will keep you updated on our upcoming travel/vacation/need to stay out of the country plans. Tuesday, January 6, 2009 (con't) Still my Mom's b-day, but I forgot to mention it's ALSO Christmas Eve   Again.  And, apparently, we have another NYE to live through next week.  Damn.  I thought we had got away from more than one NYE in one year! Tuesday, January 6, 2009 HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!   I won't tell you how young she is today, but if you know her, give her a call and wish her Happy Birthday!  These events take on more meaning as the numbers get higher. . . just kidding Mamma!   Yesterday we got a little sun during the afternoon, so instead of sitting around like a lump avoiding the cold, I went out and took a few pictures for you. . . More cat pics, hard to take pics without them dastardly devils Kinda of a cool bridge under the highway, the top is wooden. . . I walked around forever trying to find the "green market", which consisted of this. . . Looking through a typical opening in the buildings toward a courtyard. . . the hiding place for pubs And what a better place to let your kids go sledding but along the highway banks. . . o-kay This poster was at the newstand and reminded me of 80's heydays Through the window of our corner Italian restaurant (some French name) we frequent (about 3x a week) Not safe from multi-level marketing even here in Skopje, haven't seen the Amway headquarters yet. So, besides our renter in Michigan not having ANY WATER at the house and my insurance company telling my doctor I no longer am insured by them (and they just took my January payment out today!?!?), all is well in Skopje.   Sorta.   I did get to play some darts last night.

Us at the Irish Pub before too much damage was done. . .

Me with our "neighbors" at the bar, I'm trying to throw a gang sign that says 09, failing miserably.

We like these beers. . . 1.5 liters! Plastic bottles with screw tops. . . very strange. . .

I like this building across the street from us, not so much with the snow, but. . .

And it's all DOWN OUR STREET, too. . . :-)

I think you could buy them new for less than $4000. . .

I did not take this picture, I stole it from Wikipedia, therefore I can not attest it's real. . .

PS: Mike wasn't lying. . . I saw them today. . . and got yelled at by the police. . .

Saturday, December 20, 2008 Walking tour of Skopje   Not a lot to report, but it was sunny (sorda) and nice yesterday, able to walk around without a coat on.  So, I did.  Long enough to get blisters.   Started from my house (obviously) and did a pretty big loop through downtown and old town and along the river.  Encountered a flea market that was fascinating.  Resembled more of a garbage dump.  Saw a guy standing by two bags of dirt (the whole area was dirt), and thought, "Are these people so desperate they are selling DIRT?".  Then, I realized it was BAIT.    Yikes.   Anyway, interesting and prettier with some blue sky than with POURING RAIN. Lots of mangy cats around, this one in a dilapidated house by ours Looking back at our 'hood from the mall, first day I could see the cross on the mountain The Skopje Museum. . . didn't go in, don't want to do EVERYTHING in one day. . . LOL Christmas is coming! Only we celebrate it 1/7/09 here! Okay. Fort. They are rebuilding it. Will go later. Promise. Looking up at the traffic bridge from the river walk I never saw such ragtagged stuff at a flea market I liked this car. . . and the dude. Apprently wandered in just before prayer time, these cats were all ready at the end of the street Side of one of many orthodox churches	Self portrait in a retro door around the corner One of the main drags up to St. Theresa Square (Main Square on the river) Old stone bridge. Most the city was destroyed in an earthquake in 1963, but the bridge stood Nice graffitied walkway along the river Mike's work. . . . And lots o lots of shoes Big ole anchor on the other side of the stone bridge on my way into old town Peeking in at dude getting a shave

Uh, yea. . . the living room. . . Yes, that is the KITCHEN!

the dining room (which is on the other end of the living room) Where the magic happens. . . heeheehee

People on our street as the sun is setting. . . at 4 PM!