Pit Stop

We had a great treat these past few days, as our good friends Naomi and Jose stayed with us on a stopover on their long, roundabout journey back to California after living in México for over a year. It was so much fun to have them in the house, and we made hearty meals together and had great conversation. Jose also taught us how to play the card game "Oh Hell," which brought out our competitive sides (well, Josh's and mine anyhow). In the photo above Jose and Naomi are preparing rice pudding, and following below are shots of us making homemade pasta for ravioli, filled with kale, ricotta and chicken.






We tried to encourage our friends to move in with us, or buy a house on our street, but they had family to travel and see, and plans to return to California. So we will look forward to the next time we cross paths, which we hope is very soon.

To end, Josh spent a number of years competing as a swimmer, and last Saturday he experienced another side of the sport. He stood over the lanes and watched carefully to ensure that each swimmer touched the wall with both hands during their turn to return to the other side. WKU was holding an invitational swim meet, and came away winning after three days of competition.

Changing Shape

Blogging has not been the same these past few months, as I have avoided revealing something that has taken over much of our focus. Yet rounding the corner to 13 weeks, I figured that those of you who have stuck with me this past year and beyond, deserve to know this fact: we got pregnant. Hence the "emergency trip" by my mom in October, when my morning sickness was at its height. And the stuff is still lingering, lucky me. Fortunately I was prescribed an anti-puking medication, which has helped prevent dashes to the nearest toilet. Or tree.
I am in no way concerned about documenting this experience, as Josh captures all the details. He has been following me around the house with his Leica, and now there are a number of photos of me like the one above and below, in my new favorite places (I hope he doesn't mind that I stole a couple). And maybe some day some of you might be lucky enough to see the photos of me clutching the toilet.
Despite the sickness, this is exciting. At 10 weeks in, we heard the heartbeat. And as the title suggests, I am indeed changing shape. Apparently this being inside of me is currently the size of a kiwi, and is starting to make fists and wiggle its toes. Pretty amazing to imagine.
So now, this blog will certainly have yet another focus, one which I hope remains interesting and a little entertaining. And I will continue to try and sneak a photo or two in from Josh's stash.
I will leave you with this closing shot.

A little piece of México

This will deserve a sequel blog posting, but for the time being I need to write Part I. A few days after my previous Mexican food craving posting, Josh and I headed out on a bike ride. And on that bike ride, we crossed the railroad tracks and passed through a little neighborhood that is coined "Little México." In Little México there are a couple of Catholic churches, a Mercadito (Latin American food market), a tortillera (tortilla-producing shop), and convenience stores advertising calling cards. And as we sailed through the neighborhood out of the corner of my eye I spotted something familiar. At a little road-side stand perched next to the tortillera was a large hunk of meat turning on a spit and cooking under a flame. Josh and I hit the brakes and turned around to inquire. Sure enough, they were preparing tacos al pastor, and it just so happens this Mexican family cooks up the tacos for sale every Friday through Sunday. For this particular culinary delight, we may not have to travel all the way to Guadalajara after all. But before I get ahead of myself, we will surely visit the stand this weekend and I will report with Part II.

Ode to the Juicer

While responding to a friend's e-mail requesting restaurant recommendations for Guadalajara, I started longing for the quick trips to our local tamale and taco stands, as well as the corner restaurant with pozole. I can vividly remember employees of each of these culinary establishments, and can imagine they are going about their work just as they did while we were living there, busily tending to a long line of customers. The thought of a torta ahogada (drowned pork sandwich) has suddenly stimulated my taste buds. And this is coming from a former vegetarian. And oh how I miss the fresh bulk mole that Josh an I bought at the local market and cooked with fresh chicken. Sigh.
So these past few days, as the prices of oranges and tangerines have dipped lower than usual, I am stocking up and am enjoying another item that I have missed: fresh squeezed juice. We brought this simple yellow juicer back from México with us and it has been put to good use these past few weeks. Though I feel a bit guilty that the oranges have had to travel a greater distance to get to me, it is helping me to get past these other cravings that won't be satisfied until I am back in Guadalajara.

Homecoming

It was homecoming weekend at WKU, which brought much activity to campus. Josh and I watched the homecoming parade on Friday night, complete with floats for the fraternities and sororities, one of which came through half-charred, after an unfortunate incident with a hot bulb coming too close to tissue paper. After the parade we headed over to a Mexican restaurant called Puerto Vallerta with some photo students. Josh and I were two of the oldest, most sober people in the place, and snobbishly tried to enjoy the not-so-Mexican food.
To end the evening, we biked back over to school to see the volleyball team play a match against Florida International. Florida had an amazing hitter who seemed to magically rise over the net to pound the ball into unattainable places for our team. Because of this, and a night of poor serving, we lost.
Yesterday we headed back over to school for a School of Journalism picnic, and then had a fun time of people-watching. Campus was packed with tents where various organizations were picnicking. Sorority girls walked awkwardly across the grassy field in high heels and short cocktail dresses, while the fraternity boys were dressed up in suits and khakis. And what was most interesting to me was seeing students walking with cases of beer and coolers, as this was unheard of on the dry campus of UMD, my alma mater. The guys pictured below not only had coolers, but a thermal-lined shopping cart to hold more ice and beer.

Josh and I were happy to discover beverages that were free for the taking, and snuck by for a second round of these yummy chocolate milks.

Though the volleyball team had another game, we decided to instead watch the WKU swim team in a dual meet against Xavier. Our swim team is huge, and is made up of a number of talented swimmers, and in the end, both the men and women came away with wins. Our football team on the hand, was once again unsuccessful and their chances of a win this season is looking bleak. We did not stay for the game, but could hear the sounds from the stadium from up on the hill at the Crump house.


Lastly, we have had a beautiful weekend, and took advantage of the weather to fit in a couple of late fall bike rides. So many of the rides in this area are along narrow little roads like the one above, where our only worry are loose country dogs, which never fail, come running directly toward and in front of our moving bikes. And yesterday we had a close encounter with a spooked horse who galloped across the road in front of us. Other than these unwelcome animal run-ins, it felt great to get out on some country roads.

Thanks Mom

There's my mom getting swallowed by Big Red. She stayed for a week, and before flying out had the opportunity to meet the WKU mascot at a volleyball game. Along with that, we watched a quick three games to complete the Hilltopper's win over Troy University (Alabama).

Though I was a not the most fun to be around during this past week of sickness, we managed to get out on campus and around Bowling Green a bit. The meals were kept pretty bland, and mostly white (potatoes, chicken, white bread, cream of wheat) with an occasional color thrown into the mix. Thankfully, the week ahead looks brighter, as I graduated to chili at a friend's pumpkin carving fest yesterday, and tried out waffles and blueberries this morning. I never gave food so much thought as I have over these past weeks. After dropping my mom off at the airport, I returned to a quiet, lonely house. She definitely made my week of feeling sorry for myself a happier one.

The sun is sitting low in the sky, and I have raked about all the leaves that will fall from the large trees standing over our house. The weeks ahead promise to be busy, with daily meetings with students, and a whole slough of athletic and arts events coming up in the evenings. Josh is due back from western Kentucky any time now. I am looking forward to seeing him again.