Happy Fall

Wow it’s been a while since I’ve written and I’ve been getting more and more immersed in New Mexican life.  I’ve been making friends and really enjoying fellowship with a few groups of believers here.   Here is a list of some of the things I’ve done since my last update.

1. New Mexico State Fair – The fairgrounds are about a 10 minute walk from my house and the night we went I saw a New Mexican band (very similar to Mexican music) and a Navajo comedy act.  So very cultural of me.
2. Greek Festival – I think New Mexican’s should stick to New Mexican cultural events.  I’m just a little spoiled because the last one I went to at home was super fancy and pricy, this one was just pricy
3. Replaced My Ashtray Recliner - With a free one I found on the road, it is WAY better
4. Balloon Fiesta – The balloon fiesta is a huge deal here. Ten’s of thousands of people come just for it.  It was pretty inspirational.  Next year I’m hoping to go to more of the events there. 
5. Philadelphia – I got to go visit one of my college roommates, Katharine, and her husband and see a real city with trees and tall buildings.
6. Lancaster County – One day Katharine and I went to Amish country.  It’s so cool. She’s been a lot so knew the good places for fresh baked pretzels with crusty butter shells and ice cream.  I’m considering converting.
7. New York – After Philly I went to New York and stayed with some friends Joe and Carrie and their 2 girls.  I do love that city but it’s expensive, theoretically, Joe and Carrie paid for everything so I don’t really know.  I had some good food and a great time with them. 
8. Midterms – Yup, I’m in school so I have midterms.  I got A’s on those I got back. I did write a paper but the professor is overcommitted this semester so he said we’ll get it back by Thanksgiving.
9. New Mexican Food – Like New Mexican music, NM food is very similar to Mexican food, except EVERYTHING has red and green chilies.  When people from church take me out to lunch they take me to New Mexican food so I’ve had some good stuff (and on my own some not so good stuff).  They also serve sopapillas for free with the meals. Sopapillas are fried poofy breads that you eat with honey.  Highly recommended.  
10. Roller Derby – Last weekend I went to the roller derby finals.  I haven’t processed that yet, but it was great to get to know some girls from a small group Bible study I’ve been going to.
11. Ladies Barbershop Quartet Costume Party – I’m not sure how this one happened on Friday.  I was invited and I try to say yes to new things to gain exposure.  It was fun.  My dollar tree tiara and wand didn’t win me any prizes.
12. No on Genetically Modified Seeds Lecture – The ungraded paper I wrote was on this topic and yesterday I went to a lecture on campus.  It is an interesting environment when the least hippy person there is from Berkeley.
13. Pie Making Contest – Tonight I went to a pie-making contest at the little brethren church I’ve been going to.  There were 17 entries and now I feel a little sick (but my typing is a little faster).
14. Got Shoes – There is a church by my house that has a rummage sale every weekend and I stop in there every few weeks.  Last weekend I saw this older gentleman (80ish) I know there so now every Sunday he wants to talk to me about the rummage sale.  This morning we were taking about prices and I told him I bought a pair of shoes (cowboy boots, to be exact) for $1.  He took that as me saying I’m poor and in need of shoes so he asked me the very personal question of what size my feet are and got really excited because they are the same size as his deceased wife.  So tonight he brought me a huge box of his wife’s shoes for me to look thorough.  I now own 5 pairs of pumps.  I don’t know when she passed but he is still very emotional about it and has all of her stuff. Evidently we are a similar size so he said he’ll start bringing me her clothes because she would be happy that it is going to a good home.