The Adventures of This Princess

Turkey questions

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:11:00 +0000

Did you hear the one about how we bought a 40 pound Turkey in
October? By accident.
We meant to buy a turkey, just not one that big. For pete's sake
there are only two of us!

Mirka came to our front door one day out of the blue to ask us: "Do
you wanna turkey?"

What?! is she offering to cook us lunch? would we like a pet? did we
replace the goose-ducks? No. It was apparently going to soon be "the
time for killing turkeys" (who knew there was such a thing) and Milos
knew a guy who would sell us a whole turkey.

In our defense we DID ask how big the turkey would be... The answer
was: "you know...bigger than chickens....how big a turkey is." And
while 3 Euros a Kilo (± $2/lb) was a bit pricey, we figured that we
could eat turkey for a few meals, support a local turkey grower/
killer, and have our thanksgiving turkey ahead of time and without
searching a million stores.....

The Turkey (yes, capital letters) arrived on a day while I was 2
hours away in Presov. Milos came with The Turkey in a trash bag and
a bill for 56 Euros ($80!!). He offered to cut it up for us (thank
heavens) and asked Micah how we would like it cut.....Poor Micah had
no clue how he would like The Turkey cut up let alone how I would
like The Turkey cut up. He did well, or Milos did well. Either way I
came home and put the pieces in about 25 1-gallon ziplock bags and
the boys carried them to a big freezer under cottage one.

We have not bought meat (except pork for New Years) since October! We
are. Still. Eating. The Turkey.

I am thawing 5 gallon ziplock bags in as I type. I will bake it up
this afternoon to put in our small freezer and to make soup with.
There are still another 6 or 7 bags of turkey in the freezer. The
only question now is, can you really make soup out of turkey lungs?
And do I really even want to find out....

Please pray

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:34:00 +0000

Micah & I attended MTI training with the Ralstons (Art, Danielle and their son Michael) before we came to Slovakia. We became friends and continue to pray for each other and keep in touch. They are serving at the Pioneer Christian Hospital in the Republic of Congo. Please pray for them and the rest of the staff at the Hospital. I know this is long, and if you don't read the whole letter here is the summary: Our friends and their co-workers are on the edge of a war zone and are asking for your prayers.

Dear Team Members, Friends & Family,

Since October 28, 2009, we have been in a state of heightened security at PioneerChristianHospital here in Impfondo, Congo. That was the day that we received the first civilian casualties from fresh fighting in Dongo, a town in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Since October over 77,000 refugees have flooded across the OubanguiRiver into the Likouala Region of Congo from the Equateur Province of DRC.

We received two more waves of war wounded in November, and hear that more are on the way. From collateral damage, streams of very sick refugees and residents have been flowing into PioneerChristianHospital for HELP. Currently more than 50% of our patients need nutritional support, have only the clothes on their backs, and no means to pay for the care we administer. At the same time, we are trying to stem the tide of a confirmed Swine Flu epidemic that has already taken the lives of 3 of the 10 contagious children.

We are glad to be here doing our best to stretch our limited resources and minister effectively to very real needs, but the stress of being so close to a war zone is starting to take its toll.

Things seem to be getting noticeably worse instead of better. God knows if things are about to turn around, or descend into complete chaos, but I believe He wants us to be prepared either way.

A lot has happened just this week:

- On Tuesday, Laurent Fuka (17 year-old son of our surgeon) arrived home after evacuating from Bwamanda, DRC, where he has been attending boarding school for the last year and a half. He and 7 classmates spent a week, fleeing from the rebels on foot, pirogue, UN motorboat, and truck. They had several close encounters on the way. Before leaving one of Laurent's classmates went to the market to buy some food and was killed by the rebels.

- Tuesday evening we were called upon to treat two wounded rebels at the government hospital. One is a 14 year old boy with a bullet in his right humerus. The other is a 22 year old with a bullet in his buttocks.

- Tuesday night some people came to the government hospital looking for the wounded rebels, intent on rendering vigilante justice. The staff was able to hide the patients, but this significantly delayed them from getting the care they need.

- Wednesday morning during morning report at PioneerChristianHospital our maintenance staff heard gunshots coming from the river. This was around the same time a Central African Riverboat was released by the rebels after being held overnight. Occasional gunshots have been heard several other times this week too.

- On Thursday local public high school students went on a riotous rampage after the government teachers went on strike instead of administering final exams for the semester. The students trashed their school, then attacked several private schools in town, beating up other students and staff, destroying classrooms, and smashing computers. The gendarmes and police were called in and ended up arresting 11 students.

- Thursday night a river boat and barge hired by the United Nations to bring emergency food rations for the refugees came under repeated attacks from armed men in dugouts, and motorized longboats recently stolen from the UN refugee agency in DRC. The barge was flying the UN flag and the pusher was flying the Congo-Brazzaville flag. The attack was finally repelled with support from a Congolese military attack helicopter.

- Friday we were interviewed about this crisis by a correspondent from Bloomburg News Service. Maybe it will play on National Public Radio.

- Friday night a river boat barge loaded with fuel for Impfondo was also attacked. Congo-Brazzaville government soldiers traveling with the barge opened fire, reportedly killing a number of DRC rebels, whose bodies fell into the river. The boat arrived in Impfondo this morning with a helicopter escort.

- Saturday the regular Air Congo flight was postponed, and some people say it is because of the increased military activity downriver from Impfondo.

I think we have no choice but to raise our security alert level and review and implement emergency planning.

I didn't want to write this message. As far as we know, we are not in immediate danger, but we do need your help. If you would be willing to join our intercession team to pray for our protection, wage spiritual warfare, and ask for peace on this part of the earth, please send a short message to Danielle Ralston (dralston{at}laborersfortheharvest.com) and let her know what day(s)/time(s) you will be praying

Danielle Ralston

Communications on behalf of

Joseph Harvey, MD, MPH&TM, Medical Director

Pioneer Christian Hospital

Republic of Congo, Impfondo

Cell Phone: 011 (242) 960 6289

Advice

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 08:30:00 +0000

You should not watch Lost while embroidering if you are a jumpy person.

It is a miracle that I did not pierce my forehead!

Cut my own hair again.

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:06:00 +0000

Last Thursday My hair looked like this.

Then I cut it. and styled it and an hour later it looked ... well pretty much the same.

So tonight I tried again. and it ended up looking like this!

Am I not the most fabulous hair cutter ever?!?! I love my hair like this. Why do i ever grow it long?

We will not discuss the back. I'll just say that it could be much worse. Remember the time that I cut Abi's hair?

Christmas Decorating Tip

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:52:00 +0000

Check out my stroke of Genius!

Interpret this Sign 4

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:30:00 +0000

This one's a personal favorite

interpret this sign 3.2

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:22:00 +0000

So now we know you recognize when a sign is and isn't.....sorry bout
that.

Aren't our mountains beautiful? It almost makes up for not having a
clue what will happen in 400 Metres

Interpret this sign 3

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:40:00 +0000

With a loving guarantee that even when we part...

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:33:00 +0000

...I will hold you close in a thankful heart.

76 Ovens to Borrow
77 Good health
78 Apple pies that look pretty
79 new recipes from the internet
80 Grandma Henry's pie crust recipe
81 Audio books
82 the butterfly in my kitchen
83 that Dino caught a mouse :)
84 That I know how to cook
85 Pretty sunsets with pinky clouds
86 my camera
87 external hard disks
88 borrowed electric ovens
89 compromise
90 Gravy that thickens
91 Leftovers
92 early to bed
93 Naps
94 the bible
95 toe socks
96 Christmas
97 enough
98 hugs
99 Photos
100 That I have enough to keep going....

Not going to take it!

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:21:00 +0000

have i mentioned that i love my litte brother lately?

Ďakujem

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:54:00 +0000

63 That I am able to learn (especially slovak!)
64 That we celebrate Thanksgiving so I know when to start decorating
for Christmas
65 That Micah bakes (really) good pretzels
66 For packages
67 candy canes
68 hot water when I have it
69 our car
70 A husband who humors me and carries rocks
71 the ability to climb a mountain
72 A husband who carried me the last 100 yards
73 That my computer survived the OJ spill of '09
74 English books at the second hand store!
75 Paperclip jewelry
76 A sister who will appreciate paperclip jewelry ;)
77 Spell check. (E before L in jewelry - that's not how I pronounce it)

Dreaming of a summer day

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:22:00 +0000

Also just testing if i can post video via e-mail.

I'll sail a friendly course and file a friendly chart....

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:13:00 +0000

On a sea of love and a thankful heart

51 Friends here at the Ranch
52 iTunes and the shuffle feature
53 European style bedding (we each get our own cover)
54 Saturday mornings
55 Completed projects
56 whiteboards
57 deodorant
58 Muppet Christmas Carol soundtrack
59 Hooded sweatshirts
60 Photoshop
61 Projects that Micah and i can do together
62 12" turkey legs

Ev'ry Night Will End, and Ev'ry Day Will Start....

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:13:00 +0000

....with a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart

41 fingernails
42 e-mail
43 yarn
44 frost
45 clothespins
46 Mittens
47 Creativity
48 That I know how to knit
49 external keyboards and mice
50 That we (micah) found the car keys

a few personal letters

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:11:00 +0000

Dear Nick,

Aunt Stasi's feelings will not be hurt if you ask GB to re-do the K on your stocking (or even your whole name) when she comes East for christmas. I know it looks kind of wonky. I love you, but I only have enough patience to rip out and re-sew the letter K three times

PS come visit us.we want to meet you

Dear Siblings,

Please note that any future nieces or nephews with the letter K in their name will not be getting a stocking from Aunt Stasi.

PS Don't even think of suggesting that I should have put "Nicholas"

Dear Mom,

Thank you for making us stockings when we were born. Thank you also for forgiving me when I took your knitting needles across state lines and then across international borders.

PS should the heel be that pointy? what did i do wrong?

Interpret this sign 2

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:17:00 +0000

What do you make of these?

With a Thankful Heart with a Endless Joy

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:12:00 +0000

30 Roses on sale at Hypernova for 18 cents
31 Free fresh lamb meat
32 That I had an excuse to skip slaughtering the lamb
33 That I did not screw up my first try cooking lamb meat
34 borrowed sewing machines
35 That my refrigerator does not run on propane
36 Pink fuzzy socks
37 binder clips and thumbtacks
38 Vessel class of '05 nalgene bottle
39 Dino
40 Holding hands with Micah to pray

Interpret this sign 1

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:21:00 +0000

I have not clue what this sign means. Any guesses?

Thankful

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:13:00 +0000

11 That Micah cooked last weekend while I was working
12 Slippers
13 Birthday cards
14 Swiss Chocolate
15 Japanese chocolate
16 Sunshine
17 Podcast Sermons
18 Audiobooks
19 that Slovakia isn't communist anymore
20 the internet
21 posting via e-mail
22 yellow vacuum cleaners
23 that I don't have to hand wash my clothes
24 Carbon paper
25 that very few knitting patterns require you to Purl 2 through the
back....
26 walks with my husband n the woods
27 making it to 27!
28 my mom and dad for the past 27 years
29 that the Campfest footage finally came!!

Way behind

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:16:00 +0000

So i havent posted here since September 10th.
Sorry.
But i'm back at least a little and i'm thankful for:

1 Sunshine
2 A warm house
3 My sister in law who flew a suitcase full of books across the ocean with her
4 My mom for inspiring us all to give thanks
5 My sisters who share my memories (even the ones mom just made up)
6 That Micah will deal with the mouse in our house
7 Cookie dough
8 Working from home so no one else sees me eating a bowl of cookie dough for breakfast!
9 Skype
10 Asprin

C'mon Alex, jump in.

just some stuff

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:51:00 +0000

Micah just threatened to shoot me with a hacksaw and his best arnold schwarzenegger impression.

Have you heard my Arnold Joke?

So Stephen Speilberg decided to do an action film about Classical composers.....(no that's not the joke)....and He gathered together an ensemble cast to discuss plans for the film, Arnold is there, and Harrison Ford, and Sylvester Stallone. They are all sitting around brainstorming ideas for how to do this film. Finally, Spielberg asks them which composer they think they might liek to play. Stallone says he\s always felt a connection to Wagner. Harrison mentions an interest in Mozart, Arnold says (in terminator voice) "i'll be Bach"

get it?!!

I missed 09:09:09 09/09/09 yesterday. the ladies my mom worked with in Pa would be disappointed in me. oh well there is always 10/10/10 next year.

I started a pushup program with Micah. I am on week one. Micah got to start on week 3. By the end of 6 weeks, i should be able to do at least 50 at one time. I'm shooting for 100 though. Right now i'm at 5. Our arms are sore.

I made really good chocolate banana muffins with peanut butter filling last night. I used some of the cte cupcake liners my mom sent me. the blue gingham ones. I need to make some light things to put in them, chocolate kind of covers up the pretties. Micah barely notices the papers anyway. Since 9:00 last night we have eaten all but 2. I gave 2 away. So bwtween Micah & me that's 8 muffins in under 14 hours. and we were asleep for 7 hours of that. Heres the link to the recipe.

2008

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:20:00 +0000

Click here to view this photo book larger

linkky

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:59:00 +0000

go see the latest scandalous news from Doge City
I miss my family

also we did not die at CampFest 09. We are headed to Tatralandia (local huge waterpark) today. We have been planning this trip since last summer :)

maybe i'll blog more next week

going green with Micah

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:34:00 +0000

can you buy body paint here?
what do you want to paint?
myself
What are you going to paint on yourself
i just need to know if you can get the paint here
WHAT are you going to do?
I'm going to paint myself green and take a picture and put it on the internet and say "I am green" it will be really funny....are you going to cook dinner?

we survived campfest. I am afraid we will never be the same....

Ant farming

StasiGH@gmail.com (Stasi) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:52:00 +0000

"If ants got a hold of pretzels they could build little houses. just imgagine it They’d have a sawmill for cutting them up... they could build barns too, a whole ant farm."

…3 full minutes pass…

"This house isn’t big enough for a full ant farm. They do stuff big you know? it’d probably be all over the whole floor all the buildings little tractors going all around you’d be walking and - crunch, there goes another tractor"

"Of course they wouldn’t be able to have internal combustion engines...they’d have to have little wagons pulled by a team of ants..."

"Good thing the darn buggers haven’t gotten a hold of pretzels..."

Micah, we just had lunch, stop eating my pretzels