Applesauce, school and mosquitos

... these are the things on my mind. Did I mention that I also don't have secure access to internet in my room??? Ahh!! I'm going crazy! lol Okay, well maybe not crazy, but I just might if this keeps up the whole time I'm here.

Anyhow, my culinary adventures continue! I was on the phone with my mom on my Saturday night which was her Saturday morning. I was telling her that I'm thinking about making pork chops next week. Then she said that I could make applesauce really easily myself if I couldn't find it here. At that moment, next week and pork chops would just have to wait because the thought of warm, homemade applesauce was far more important!

So this morning I got up early, peeled those five apples I listed in my blog about shopping, de-cored them, sliced them and put them on the stove to cook. I could see myself as the little girl watching my mom make applesauce with all of the childish impatience I could muster. Those apples couldn't cook fast enough! When it was finally finished and mom would hand me a bowl of fabulously smelling applesauce, I again had to wait for the bowl and it's contents to cool. The anticipation only heightened my delight when I could, at last, partake of the deliciousness that had been tempting my nose that whole time.



Back to my adventures today, when the apples were soft enough, I mashed them and then added the cinnamon and sugar. With great anticipation, I scooped up a serving, grabbed a spoon and skillfully guided the spoon to my mouth. Delight! Pure delight with a side of homesickness. Childhood memories, the joy of fall time and a mother's love all inside a spoonful of applesauce. There is really no way to explain that to someone. How do you explain feeling full and empty, giddy and homesick, like laughing and like crying, all at the same time? You simply can't.



So, school ... I start tomorrow! :) I actually need to go to bed because it's 12 midnight here and I need to have a good sleep before class. I want to be alert in my 9:00am class! ha! But yes I am excited! Nervous about a new teacher, new students and new challenges that are going to be coming my way in a class taught in Chinese. But! I am confident of this one thing - God is my helper!!

As for the mosquitoes, they are biting me! Well, at least they did a couple days ago and I still have the itchy bumps from the bites! Last year, I don't really remember getting bit ... last year I was still a guest ... this year, they don't care. ;) lol

Awesome things are happening in Taiwan and in the services and in my life! Praise God! Hope everyone "State-side" has a wonderful service this Sunday! :)

Love to all~
k