Home for the Holidays
I’ve been in my house for just over six weeks and the
holidays are now upon us. I received a
package from the States and got some decorations, so I have them up. As you can see from one of the pictures, I
don’t have “chestnuts roasting by the open fire” or “stockings hung by the
chimney with care” but I do have socks drying on the peç.
 |
| Socks on pec |
Last night, Nunu and I baked Grandma Nell’s Nursery School
Cookies, while having our language class. My best knowledge of words has to do
with food. They came out pretty good, even though I didn’t cream the butter and
sugar. I sent some home with Nunu and
the rest I took to work today. I did eat
a few myself.
The weather turned colder a couple of weeks ago and I’m
improving my heating skills on a daily basis.
My landlord brought me soup yesterday and indicated that I should block
the opening in the chimney for the big oven that my one room house is built
around. She said that I should stuff the
opening with plastic bags. So tonight on
my way home I bought a roll of packing tape and started my insulation
project. My tools and supplies included,
scissors, a leatherman, tape, bubble wrap, plastic bags and cardboard. Below the finished product. I may make some improvements over the weekend
when I will move a table. I now need to
figure out how to plug the hole in the ceiling where the exhaust pipe for the
peç exits the house. I have some
ideas. I’ll let you know if they work.
When I got home about an hour an a half ago the temperature
was in the mid-40’s and I’m now up to the mid-50’s. I’m heading for the mid-60’s. Only three more months of winter to go. Long winter underwear and a heavy sweater
works. Also I have plenty of blankets
and am toasty in bed. The Baku area is
quite windy and I think without the wind it would be easier to warm the
house. Don’t worry, in the summer I will
be talking about how hot it is.
We lost electricity last night about 7:30, so I didn’t do my
dishes until tonight. My site mate, who
recently went back to the States, used to say that it was a good day when we
have two out of three utilities….so yesterday was a good day.
Happy Holidays from Azerbaijan - Patti
