Today was a gorgeous day! It got up to 32 degrees F with 29 degrees wind chill and the sun was shining. I should have put on my sunglasses. This was the first day since we got here that I wore something other than my full length down coat, and it felt great. We had Lithuanian class at 3:30 and started out early to buy our monthly bus passes and go the the bank. You will find it hard to believe, but the delicate flower was willing to walk one extra bus stop further before getting on the bus and to get off one stop early. I know that when we moved to Illinois from Chapel Hill, someone told us that one day it would warm up to 30 degrees or so and we would feel like opening the necks of our jackets and undoing our mufflers. We thought they were nuts, just as we thought they were when they talked about the finer points of shoveling roofs, but who knew? They were right. And people with flat roofs did shovel them that winter. It was a wonderful day.
Lithuanian class really got down to business today. We learned the words for sale, discount, how much and what is the price, as well as some other words that will probably not be as useful as the first ones I mentioned. We also learned to count money. I thought I was pretty smart, counting mine silently in English and then just translating the total (1,340.53 Lt.). Seems the teacher wanted to "see my work" Remember that phrase? She had me count out each bill and coin in Lithuanian. Keeping a running total in my pea brain is hard enough without having to do that while remembering how to say the words. My written homework was pretty good today. Don't ask how long it took me. It reminds me of Latin, all those years ago. Doing written sentences at home is easier than producing them on demand in class, of course.
In one of the Anne of Green Gables books I've been reading here, Anne speaks of words as being built. I never thought of it that way, but it's true, isn't it? I have really enjoyed reading some old favorites since we got here. Does anyone have any suggestions of oldies but goodies?
There is a big beginning of spring festival here on Sunday, but we will miss at least most of it because we'll be on the bus coming home from Latvia. The festival sounds like a combination Mardi Gras, Halloween and perhaps Guy Falkes (sp?) day, because they burn a straw figure, wear masks through the streets and children knock on doors to ask for money. They used to ask for candy, but now they want money. It's also a day for eating pancakes. We'll have fun in Latvia, but, I always want it all.
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