Spring Snow and Holy Week

We had a German lesson yesterday. The lady who is teaching us opened the class with "Der Frühling ist da, aber es scheit (Spring is here, but it snows)." We had a little bit of snow in the air. It was so little that I was frequently unaware of it, and it didn't collect. Today was another matter. I looked out my window at about 13:00, and there was snow on all the unpaved surfaces. I went out and took some pictures. The snow is now covering the ground, and the wind is moaning something awful, but the lake is water, so spring has come.

In spite of the cold and the wind, I went out tonight and saw /My Big Fat Greek Wedding/. It was rather funny, on the whole. It was also very cute. I enjoyed it. I need to check the web for information on another movie to see if I want to go see it or not, but that wouldn't be for a while, anyway.

I've gotten a few cards, and I have written one or two. I need to get out to the post office and mail them.

I was thinking about making a kite. It seems a shame, with all the wind they have here, that kite-flying is not popular (I asked Kris). Kris said that the stores don't sell them, so I was thinking about making one. If anyone has any tips on this, please email them to me. If anyone wants to mail me a kite, that would be good, too. (smile) I don't doubt that Julia and Wiki will become interested in it when they see me doing it. The only thing that gives me pause is the high concentration of trees in this vicinity. I may have to find out about using the stadium, as I did at home on the occasions I've flown kites... Then again, I do remember flying a kite once or twice in front of the house, and there are all kinds of lines and trees and such there, so maybe I can do this without losing my kite.

The temperature now is 0.5°C/32.9°F. The time is 22:13. Have a great day in the Lord.

I checked on that other movie, and I've decided not to go see it. Well, yesterday it was a bit warmer. Most of the snow melted. This morning, I thought it would all be gone by this evening or tomorrow morning.

This afternoon, it started snowing, and now the snow covers the ground so thickly that I can't see the sidewalks or the road. Oh well. Spring is here, but it snows. In a few weeks, this should all be gone.

It has been a long day. The third teacher was sick tonight, so I took her class. We talked about the weather, the days, and the months.

My hair is getting very long in the front. Perhaps I should get it cut. I have the paper for my kite. Now I just need something to use for its skeleton. I pulled a big rip in my pants leg this evening after class. I haven't decided whether I'll try to patch it or not. I also need to sew up some tears in one of my shirts, too. It's a good thing I'm leaving most of my clothes behind. Some of them are waxing very old.

That's the lack of news from Lake Jeziorak. Good night.

Today, Kris and Adam and I went to Olsztyn and attended a meeting put on by Oxford University Press. It made for a long day, but it was fun. There were two sessions: one about the new line of books, "Adventures", and the other about making decisions, particularly in textbooks. They were interesting. The meeting started at 13:00, and we got finished at around 15:00. I hadn't eaten since 9:30, which is a terribly long time for me to go on just a bowl of cereal. I got some food, though, so everything turned out fine.

When we got back, it was near 18:00. I've been relaxing since then. Once I've checked my email, I'll probably start working on the second of Tuesday's vocabulary tests.

I spent about an hour and a half each on Wednesday and Thursday talking to Kris about the situation in Poland. I'm starting to prepare material for when I come back to the States and give speeches at various churches. That is somewhat daunting to me.

There has been snow in the air for most of the day, but it hasn't been collecting on the ground, so I am happy. I think it is starting to warm up a bit.

That's the news from Lake Jeziorak. The time is 21:29, and the temperature outside my window is 3°C/37.4°F. Have a blessed day.

Ever since the lake thawed, the water birds have been making noise. Usually, they begin making noise some time in the middle of the night. I don't know why they are so active at night, as I thought most waterfowl were diurnal.

Lunch today was pretty good. It was some kind of meatloaf with a hard boiled egg inside. There was also a salad with some kind of green leaf, perhaps young spinach, but I didn't care much for the dressing. Rounding out the plate were mashed potatoes. The soup was some sort of potato and brussels sprout soup. There was also some of the very good pudding they have here, swimming in a lake of thick fruit juice.

I'll give my first vocabulary tests tomorrow. I got them printed today. I'll also spend a little time this week writing one more vocabulary test.

I haven't gotten much done on the kite. I did get some string from Kris and untangled that. It looks like perhaps three fifths of what I'll need. I plan to work on that this week, too.

That's the lack of news from Lake Jeziorak. I'm doing well. I hope all of you are well. The time is 14:40, and the temperature outside my window is 18°C/64.4°F, though it's probably closer to 10C. Have a great day in the Lord; I'm off to class.

Holy Week is now almost over. It has not been a very exciting week. On Sunday, we had a regular service, though I notice that some things are the same everywhere: the Scripture of the day was Mark 11:1-11 (Jesus' Triumphal entry).

There were no events until Friday, when we had a church service, at which we had communion. I told Kris about our Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services. There will be one service tomorrow, at the regular time.

Shops here were closed today, and they will also be closed on Monday. I had to do some extra shopping on Friday, but I don't think I bought enough food. Depending on how much I eat tonight and tomorrow, I may be on an involuntary fast for Monday. Well, I'm exaggerating a little, because I do have enough cereal to last through Monday if I get desperate, but I don't relish the idea of cereal for supper.

One of my students said it was too late in the year to fly a kite, but I notice we are still having strong winds (though there were a few days when the lake was like glass). I think it is a matter of being used to it. A "calm" day here would be considered windy in my town. I need to find some more string, though, as what I have only reached from my room to the classroom, which isn't very far. I also have to build the actual kite.

That's the news from Lake Jeziorak. The time is currently 21:15, and the temperature outside my window is 11°C/51.8°F.