Day 22 Cold, Cold, Cold!

We had to be out and about today, but when we saw the temp was 2 degrees F with a negative wind chill, we wimped out and took a taxi to our 10 o'clock appointment at the library at LCC, the college where all our neighbors and the people we go to church with are associated.  It started 20 years ago as a language institute but is  now a  liberal arts college where everything is done in English.  It is funded by several denominations, among them, the Mennonites, Presbyterians and Dutch Reformists.  Most of the people who work there are responsible for finding sponsors to support them rather than being paid by the college.  I have not heard them call it that, but it sounds like being a missionary to me.   I certainly sense that most seem to look at their work more as a calling than a job. Some of the people we have met have been there for as much as nine years, some are actual volunteers for a semester or a summer and come without sponsorship.  There are 650 students from various countries.  One woman from Harrisonburg and two Lithuanian women from the library are in Del's class and invited him to visit.  I tagged along because the word lunch was mentioned.

And what a lunch it was! The ladies introduced us to a warm and cozy restaurant called Bisquit.  I love the spelling.  All 5 of us chose the lunch special which included a large bowl of mushroom soup, broth style, not creamy, a cabbage salad, mashed potatoes, minced pork croquette sort of thing stuffed with finely chopped boiled egg and served with a thin cream sauce, bread to fight over and a traditional drink called compote.  It was a glass of cold mixed fruit juices with some fruit floated in it.  The primary flavor was pear, I think,  It was a bit sweeter that I would have chosen, but the soup and lunch were delicious.  My guess is that the croquette was poached, but I'm not sure.  It was very delicate in texture.  Del "cooked" for 5 of us for the grand sum of $35 plus tip.  Who ever heard of such a thing?  The young Lithuanian women and I grossed Del and Betsy, from Harrisonburg, out, discussing pork products they had eaten at grandparents' farms and that I had eaten at home.  They even told me that what we call sause is readily available in the regular grocery.  In fact, Del could have bought me some shaped like a heart for Valentine's Day.  Nothing gets to your heart like pig parts jello.  In more ways than one, I suppose.

Fortified by that good lunch, we decided to catch the bus home.  It had warmed up to about -2 degrees wind chill  by then but appeared warmer because of the bright sunshine.  We had time for a cup of tea and last minute cramming before  putting on an extra layer and catching the bus to our Lithuanian class.  Neither of us shows promise for being the star pupil, but we will keep at it.

The class ended at 5 and by the time we got home from the bus stop, we agreed that today was the first time we were really miserably cold, despite looking like the little boy in The Christmas Story who had on so many clothes that when he fell, he could not get up.  Del actually wore his hat and gloves with no nagging from you know who.  I'm thinking 2 pairs of socks next time and some wool mittens over my leather gloves.

No teaching for me tomorrow - Independence from the Soviets Day.  They have another Independence Day in March.  I forget from whom.  It sounds like a low key sort of celebration, but I'm hoping for fireworks.

Good night from the food, weather and fireworks obsessed person.