Post Irene post P.S. I stayed

I woke up this morning feeling refreshed but a bit too warm. We took the AC unit out last night so the "raging" wind and rain would and wouldn't get in through it. I think it would have been ok if we had left it in, but hindsight is 20/20.

Delmarva Power truck out working on the lines.

We lost power last night about 9 PM and it was restored around 6 this morning. I have heard there were worse outages. We were lucky. Also there was no flooding. We took our cars to higher ground as a precautionary measure, but our lot got no more flooded than usual when it rains.

When I went to get my car this morning I took a drive down to "Stinky Beach" to check out the view. Ocean City looks not worse the wear from the other side of the bay, and the beach looked no different. A stray flip flop, and a table top had washed up, but it was otherwise quite the same.

I did have fun chatting up the neighbor yesterday, she got out some Mickey Mouse walkie-talkies in case we lost phone service like we did this past week during the earthquake. We talked a bit on them last night just to see if they worked from her house to ours, but there was never a dire need, and thank God because Mickey's voice got a bit annoying for the short bit we were talking when we finished talking each time, Mikey's voice would come in loud and clear to both sides, "Over".

Thankfully we escaped most of the damage, trees seem to be the most dangerous culprits during this storm. falling branches, and trees killed more people than crashing waves. I am sure they are also the cause of most of the power outages that seem to be plaguing many areas.

A little later I will drive into Ocean City to see what Irene was up the there on our little peninsula. Ocean city opened back up to locals at 9 AM and to all at noon today. People will be flocking back to the beach, tourists and locals alike.

It still looks ominous, but the storm has passed.

International students who were bused out to Baltimore will also be returning soon. There were housed in stadiums, community centers, and and university halls. They will be glad to get back as they have been missing the last few days  available for them to make money in the US, and many had to evacuated before they could pick up last weeks paychecks.

We housed one Bosnian Serb here for the past two days and it has been wonderful. Luka is so polite and nice, he has been a pleasure to have here. I am sure it was nice for my husband to, to be able to speak his native tongue at home for a change.

I got a chance to rest my tired barely pregnant self, and I am refreshed to start back to work tomorrow.

Should I stay of should I go???

Huricane Irene is on its way. We may be batting down the hatches and sticking it our here, or not.
Should I stay or should I go, if I stay there could be trouble.

This is the calm before the storm, and a beautiful sunset.
As some of you may know, I live in Ocean City, Maryland when we are not in Serbia. Right now a massive hurricane larger than Texas (893 miles wide) is spiraling up the east coast of the United States and pretty everyone is a buzz about it. All the barrier islands are being manditorily evacuated, and now they are saying that West Ocean City, the mainland part of OC will be evacuated in the AM. I have heard rumors power will be turned off. BUT Delmarva power is just saying that there will likely be power outages due to the storm. What to do?

This morning, I stocked up on candles, got batteries, we have battery powered lights and radio, lots of food, perishable and non. Now we wait to see what happens down south in the Carolina's to make a decision.

Originally this storm was well over a hundred miles per hour, now it is looking less menacing. I think the rain will be the biggest factor for flooding.

In my opinion, the only reason for the extreme evacuations is the many mistakes made with Katrina. Time will tell and in the morning we will make our decision... Should we stay or should we go.

The "we" is my muz, a Serbian student in town to work for the summer, the cat, and 3 month preggo me.

Someone said today, that this is a story for the baby book. Maybe. I guess I will have to start one.
But that is for another blog.

 We are prepared either way, we will pack things up and move out to the north west in PA to stay with family. I just hate leaving when I am so tired and  would love to stay at home and just relax.  Not having  to work for 3 days is priceless and would only be ruined by traveling. Where is the rest in that?

But, at the same time, Going home to see the fam would be wonderful. I keep leaning one way then the other.

For now, I will eat the gibanica and green bean casserole I just made and enjoy the night of with the little Serbia I have going on in my house.
Good night all. And to any in the storms path, Be safe.

Promaja

Hello friends,

 For my non-Serbian friends, promaja is a draft, air flowing from one place to another. 

I have a questions for my Serbian friends concerning promaja....
is it a breaze only from the out doors that flow through the house of is it also the same if you have a fan pulling air from one room to another?

We have been using a fan to bring the AC air from the living room into our bedroom all summer long, and now the night air is more friendly. We have started opening the windows to allow the cool natural air in and save on the electric. I proposed to my Serbian muz that we should also use the fan, to aid in circulation and and started flipping out about promaja... something he said he didn't believe in just a month or so ago. but now that the air cooling is coming from out side again... ( mind you, we have been using this method of cooling in the fall and the spring for years. ) What I want to know, is why does it matter if the air comes from out side or the AC unit? The air is cooled either way.


For my non-serb friends:
A fellow blogger has a list of these typical Serbian wives tails.... find them here in his blog They call it promaja . He is a funny blogger, also married to a Serb.  :)

I love my Serb. and the cultural differences just spice things up! ;)

Stop and smell the Lotus

This is my favorite flower. The Water Lilly or the Lotus Blossom are iconic and magical.  I love that you can find them all over the world.

I first saw them on my trip to Thailand and Cambodia. I was thrilled, they were every where, even on the menu in restaurants as the fruit of the flower is edible! The flower was everywhere too! in shrines, on coasters, water bottles and just about anywhere you could imagine!


In Asia, it is symbolic of wisdom or enlightenment, and Buddha is often pictured sitting on a Lotus blossom and sometimes crowned with one as well.

this Loutus sitting Buddha is care of: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha

I am excited to see them in Serbia when we go back, but as we have always been there in winter.... I have not had the chance as of yet.

These Lotus are in a coy pond behind the city hall building in Ocean City, I happened by it one day and admired the fish.

There are two large ones and a school of smaller ones, watching them is so relaxing. I would love to have a coy pond one day, maybe when we find out house in Serbia, we can build one.... Daydreams!
We have been talking about when we will go back, but sadly it won't be this winter. Maybe the following one. Time will tell, work presses on here and when I have time, I enjoy the the lotus on the coy pond.

Don't forget to stop and savor the beautiful things in life that bring you joy! Travel, See the world! It can make your home that more precious!  and you will see it in a different light!

Franco's Pizza Ocean City, MD

Thanks to a fellow blogger Ciao Christy , I have a new way to look at things I love and want to share them with you.
She has inspired me to write about the little things I cherish, and when you are away from them for months at a time, Cherish is something you do with the strangest things.

This and my first "Sweet Life" post are about food. I am completely enjoying eating the foods that I cannot find in my part of Serbia. Those of you who live in cities have more choices.We do have pizza in Serbia, but it is different. That is not to say I do not like it, I love pizza internationally! and trust me, it is different all over the world.

I do love the food in Serbia, Especially my Mother-in-law's cooking, but now that I am "home" I am relishing the flavors I can only find here.
This week, on our day off we got a 1/2 salad pizza and 1/2 peperoni from Franco's Pizzaria located right on the boardwalk. I am not normally a fan of boardwalk food, but there are exceptions to every rule.

I love this place and the view from the outside seating:

is the beach.  Franco's has a bunch of yummy dishes, and I need to branch out and try some of the other super tempting treats!

It is good to be home, but I know when I get back to Serbia, I will have to do some writing about the foods I have missed there. Burek and Jogurt I am talking about you!

Commercial for my friends awesome blog: Chocolate for Inspiration

I know I am slacking in the blogging department, but this summer is full of work and huge surprises that have taken up my time more than you can imagine. In place of writing a blog, this is an advertisement for my friends blog. Christina is an up and coming YA author. I love reading her blog and I think you may as well.

Her current blog is offering a contest/give away! Check it out by clicking here. Don't forget to check out the youtube link for the Nanta show and go see one if you have the chance. It is amazing!

I believe I will be back to writing soon. And update you on my unexpected summer events.

Ciao for now.