do you see what I sea?

reasons why i love my husband: pancakes

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000+02:00

Mr. F: Star Wars pancakes! May the butter be with you...

operation: valentine

2012-01-25T15:30:00.000+02:00

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, I'm sure you are sick of the reminders, but I just wanted everyone to know there's one week left to order some of my handmade valentines. I've been printing them out, cutting, and folding all week, and oh golly are they lovely! I even framed the teacup and hung it on my wall in a lovely shadowbox from IKEA as kitchen art. They make me so happy!

Cards are $3 plus shipping and handling. The cards are folded, approximately 4"x6" and come with envelopes. Email me for further details. Hurry! The deadline is next Monday, 31 January!

engquisto {at} gmail {dot} com

campaign season

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000+02:00

I like to listen to the radio and news while I work. It motivates me and keeps me on task. That and I get to learn a lot as I go. It's like über multi-tasking or something. Well, this past week as I've been keeping tabs on the news, a few things really rubbed me the wrong way. Usually I'll save these quandaries for my husband, but I felt it was time to pull my old soapbox as it's been getting a bit dusty.

It began when I was listening to NPR, who had it's public funding cut this past year and now relies almost entirely on private sponsorship and donations from listeners. There was a report stating that Palestinian Sesame Street had lost its funding as well. From who? Us. And by us, I mean the U.S. Why were we funding public broadcasting longer in the Middle East than at home? Then it got better. Israel is still getting funding.

Now, Israel is a totally different subject which I am not even going to remotely tackle right now. My issue is with the fact that PBS and NPR are barely scraping by, but Israel gets funding for Sesame Street? Not only that, but we don't even have NASA anymore! I don't get it...

This frustration was only egged on by the results of last Saturday's South Carolina primary. Newt Gingrich won. Heavily.

I don't get it.

Here is a man who has served in a high ranking public office and has been chastised mercilessly and incessantly on all fronts for his actions. Before I even knew I could vote at the age of 18, I knew Newt was up to no good.

I don't get it. I don't understand how he can get so much of a vote when the public KNOWS what he has done in public office. How on earth is that going to change when we give him launch codes?

Then I get frustrated with the treatment of Mitt Romney. In the past week he's lost headway because of his financial statements. Why? Has he embezzled funds? No. Has he been dishonest about how much he makes? No. Has he withheld information? No, not really. So, what's the issue?

He makes too much money.

Are you kidding me people?! He makes too much? So you take issue with the guy who successfully built up an internationally acclaimed company, was able to invest his money wisely, and retire early? You take issue with the guy who lives off what he has made and doesn't take from someone else? Who has served as a governor of a state and never had any drama arise? Yeah, he standardized health care for Massachusetts, but he did that at the state level. The STATE level. Not the national level. Much, much different.

That said, I will give you points for disliking him for his foreign relations. He kind of sucks with that.

My fear is that this is going to turn into 2008 all over again, where the GOP is left with a candidate barely worth recognition, let alone support. What happened to picking the candidate who we think will really do the job wisely? This is the time to choose, right now in the primary. And it's just a mess.

All right, I'm done. I'll get back to happy pictures of art pieces and oatmeal tomorrow, I promise. In the meantime, go vote.

pondering

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000+02:00

A few things that have been wresting heavily on my mind lately...

Are floors incapable of staying clean? I swear I sweep our little apartment once to twice a day and still the dust bunnies gather and accumulate with a wild vengeance! How do they do that?

How do human beings not go bald rapidly with the amount of hair they naturally shed on a daily basis?

Why are NyQuil pill packages so confoundedly difficult to open?

Meatballs and rice pudding, how do I make them?

How is it that one day you'll be using an item and the next day it will be lost for all eternity with absolutely no explanation as to where it went?

Where do those lost things go?

Can you ever have enough underwear to stay ahead of the laundry?

How is it possible for me to get a phone call from my brother as I'm waking up and he's driving home on what is, for me, the night before?

Hair cuts really do make a difference.

For seven hours I was in a different year than my family.

You clean and clean and clean, and then there's still a mess.

How is it that my mom can get twelve cards mailed out to me before I've even opened an email?

How is it that my mom was always able to plan things ahead?

How is it that in order to make sense of all of your boxes of things, you have to buy more things?

Hot chocolate. It's always so satisfying.

Where do all of the hours of the day go?

Why don't women realize how beautiful they are?

Books. There is a need for them. And for the time to read them.

How does my oven work?

Why is it that to create order you have to make a hot, smokin' mess?

The Republican Party is ridiculous.

pixel art

2012-01-23T12:52:00.000+02:00

I stumbled across this project idea on Wit & Whistle a few weeks ago and started rummaging through my photo stash for something I thought would work. I loved the monochromatic look of the Wit & Whistle piece, but, as we know, I'm in search of color right now.

So I tried this one. I really liked the plums, butters, and sage greens that came out in the pixelation.

My piece, well, firstly, I have very little patience. There's good reason why I typically work in miniature. It's fast, quick, and gets results. Anything bigger than five square inches and I lose interest. An entire letter sized paper of squares was something else entirely.

That said, I'm still working on mine and may actually be redoing it. I haven't been able to get the colors as saturated as the original, and I need saturated colors people!

Secondly, aside from being an incredible study of hue and variation, this really does require some serious focus. Making sure you mix the colors just right. Were I to do this again, I might even just go get a bunch of paint swatches, cut them out the necessary size and put them together like a puzzle. Saturation, regulated size, I can come back to it without worrying about paint drying. Win, win, win win win.

Right now though, it's still in progress. Lots and lots of progress. What sort of projects are you working on?

monday morning rain

2012-01-23T07:58:00.000+02:00

It's been raining for three days. Steady rain, the kind that lures you indoors to your favorite chair with a book and an afghan. I drank my fair share of cocoa yesterday afternoon as I curled up with Robin McKinley's, Beauty and Mr. F caught up on his important business stuff.

Life has begun to get busy again for us and it felt blissful to hide away for a few hours. The laundry still hasn't been folded, the daily dust bunnies are gathering en masse, but it didn't matter.

Today is Monday. Slowly the sun tries to peak out to dry the saturated landscape. From an obliging orange tree, a bird I am accustomed to hearing only in spring, not January, sings their song. It is as if they are chasing the rain away.

But the clouds are persistent. Already the mountains on the horizon begin to hide behind the thick cape of precipitation. Mr. F is at the office early, eagerly and earnestly tackling his projects. I should do the same. Make some tea and work on filling a few orders for my valentines.

A few moments more won't hurt.. I'm so near the end of my book and the bird's song is so enchanting. A few moments more of calm.

you can't handle the truth

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000+02:00

I get people telling me all the time that they're living vicariously through Mr. F and me as we live abroad. They bask in the wondrous adventure of life on a Mediterranean island. While there's a lot to be said for that, there's the other side. The dark side, so to speak. And that side is what we're talking about today. The reality of international living.

●●●

Immigration. It's a bitch. (I'm sorry to all my sweet friends who never, ever, ever use such language, sometimes, you just got to do it.) We are three months into this adventure and are still awaiting a work permit. This was due to some major miscommunication between us and the company and the fact that Cyprus has some really fickle immigration laws.

Because we're still awaiting legality, we cannot travel to the north side of the island or leave the island at all. Further, we can't buy a car, which would save us an incredible amount of money. But we can't buy the car without insurance and we can't get insurance without a work permit. So we're renting. With the money we have spent on car rentals, we could have bought our car already.

Because of that extra money, our monthly budget has yet to hit "normal." While everyone has monthly emergency spendings that will make their budgets fluctuate, ours have been constant and costing us thousands (by this point) of euros. Moving into a new apartment, having to buy all new appliances, a car, immigration paperwork, multiple rental cars, etc, etc.

Unlike the rest of Europe, Cyprus has very poor public transportation and the country operates, much like Detroit, behind the wheel of a car. If you don't have a car, you really can't get around. Horrible sidewalks, pretty significant distances between shops, and scooters everywhere make walking around town rough and biking a death wish.

Then there's finances. Most people move abroad with the promise of a promotion and are more settled in life. Not us. We're newlyweds here on an entry-level position. Mr. F's salary, while decent, is hardly anything to go crazy about. Even without all of our surprise expenses, our budget is mercilessly tight. If we were living at home in the States, I would have the liberty of going out and finding and a job and adding to our income.

But I can't. Why? Because we don't have that damn work permit. Even then, it is hard for foreigners to find jobs on this island unless they are brought in by a company. So that's why I've been painting and producing cards. Yeah, it's been amazing to reconnect with my inner muse (who, by the way, I'm pretty sure speaks through NPR. no joke..) but I'm doing this because I really have to. Right now, it's about the only way for me to make money.

Most days, I can usually ignore a lot of this. But today has been one of those days where I wait all morning for the banks to open in the U.S. so I can start making phone calls. Then I have to coordinate with them on how to make international wire transfers (which aren't cheap) so I can pay bills we still have in the States which can only be paid through U.S. accounts. I've spent the better portion of the afternoon sorting through this and am absolutely nowhere closer to figuring anything out. Especially since the banks here close before the ones in the States even consider opening.

And we don't have any Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

So yeah, it's amazing to be surrounded by about four thousand years of history and the Mediterranean, but really? We're just living life like everyone else. One paycheck, one electricity bill, and one trip to the grocery store at a time. So don't envy us. Empathize with us.

whale you?

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000+02:00

Oh guys, can you handle the cuteness of this fella? I know I can't. Even better, he's for sale! Part of the new, and apparently expanding, Valentine Collection!

All cards are $3 a piece, plus shipping and handling. Email* me for further details. Don't miss out on some ridiculously cute valentines!

* engquisto {at} gmail {dot} com

"f" yeah!!

2012-01-17T15:35:00.003+02:00

Project Number 1: completed!

I pulled this together over the weekend and was honestly doing dances around the apartment I was so happy with it. I found my inspiration here. With a limited supply of buttons on hand, I had to improvise, so I just painted the dots into the traced shape while I talked on the phone. (Is anyone else more productive when they multi-task or is that just me?) I'm still looking for the right bit of wall for my "F" to hang, but I am so completely and utterly delighted with the results!

hair!

2012-01-16T19:56:00.000+02:00

So this one Monday morning, I had to go to the gynecologist. In a foreign country. The lady doctor is not exactly my favorite place in the world. In fact, I put it just beneath the dentist. Some women are fine with the experience but as for me and my body, we say, "Eh-eh." (said like Flipper, just so you know...)

Anyway, with that part of my day taken care of, I realized I needed to do something to eradicate the feeling of icky from me. After going to the dentist, I always have Taco Bell, but that is about an hour away and decidedly not an option. So I went for the only other girly option I had left.

I got my hair cut.

Okay, truth be told, I've had this scheduled for a little while to do both on the same day. With one car between the two of us, I really have to schedule in my Adventures. As I was getting my hair washed and having my back massaged by the most luxuriant chair I've ever laid in whilst having my hair washed, the striking contrast to the two main events of my day made me laugh. What better ways to prove you're a girl than to go the lady doctor and then go get your hairs did?

Buying shoes isn't my thing, so hair it was.

And ee-gads do I love it! My hair was getting menacingly long. It was tangly, strangly, and nasty. Now it has texture, vibrance, and a whole lotta sass. Sorry for the computer-camera grade photos, but this fun just had to be documented quickly. You just can't tame happy.

seeking

2012-01-14T19:25:00.000+02:00

{1. 2. 3. }

So now that I've pretty much got storage configured in our storageless abode, I'm moving on to the problem I really didn't think would be a problem. Decorating. This wall here and this corner there are coming together, but then there are the HUGE gaps in between.

Before we proceed with this investigation, you need to understand two very salient details.

1. I am a Swede. Mixed in with my blue eyes and love of lingonberries is an affinity for white and blue. It's genetic, I swear. So, most of the items I have collected over the years are white. White dishes, white mats for frames. White furniture. White. White. White.

2. Our apartment is painted in what I would like to call "Waiting Room White." It's white. Sterile. Cold. And I can't afford the color I want.

These two facts lead to the diagnosis of "Lack of Color Syndrome." Maybe it's the vibrant-even-in-January Mediterranean sun, or the abundance of lemon and orange trees everywhere, but my surroundings are leaving me with the feeling that at any moment someone will be walking in the door in a lab coat to take my blood pressure. (And unless it's The Nurse or Dr. Dad, that's just not okay.)

So I'm on The Hunt. Desperate for ways to infuse color, texture and light into my itty bitty dream home. Nowadays Mr. F not only comes home to a new baked good, but my little studio covered in papers, fabrics, and whatever else I can get my hands on. Inspiration, luckily, has been striking around every corner and I can't wait to show you how it turns out.

How about you, though? How have you covered your home? Do you have expansive walls and high ceilings or nooks and corners? I'm loving that our Mediterranean Dream Home seems to have both big walls and itty bitty spaces for all sorts of inventions. Plenty of scope for the imagination going on in this part of the world.

better than crocker

2012-01-13T10:23:00.001+02:00

If you know me, even slightly, you know that I don't cook. There's a reason I have a deep affinity for MacaD's. It's called, "I don't cook." Well, I didn't cook. Or bake. Or do anything domestic besides collect absolutely wonderful dishes.

That's all changed with our arrival in the Mediterranean. Necessity really has become the mother of invention as I discover that foods we are so fond of are either not available or far outside of our budget. So I've been making things. A lot of things. In fact, this is what my kitchen looked like yesterday. Mr. F came home and our giant island was bombarded with baked goods and a fresh dinner. I was just as surprised as he was.

A staple in our home is now baked oatmeal, a recipe from Mr. F's mom that is always satisfying. And freezes beautifully. (Not that I have a huge freezer, but it's big enough for oatmeal, dagnabbit!) Then I tried making an orange pull apart from Kneady Sweetie. And if that wasn't enough, I made another batch of my favorite banana cake. Thank goodness the missionaries came over last night or Mr. F and I would have had way too many delights to eat on our own.

valentines

2012-01-12T17:03:00.001+02:00

Didn't we just finish Christmas? It's unbelievable to me that we're already getting ready for Valentine's Day. I still get a kick thinking about grade school and making our very own mailboxes in class to contain our hoard of cards and candies.

Well, while you decided how to decorate your mailbox, I would like to offer a way to fill up the one you love's. Handmade cards by yours truly! These are the designs I have available for Valentine's, but can do custom orders. All images previously seen on this blog are also available. Be sure to order soon to ensure delivery by 14 February.

For information on pricing and ordering, email me: engquisto {at} gmail {dot} com

NOTE: all international orders need to be placed by 31 January for delivery.

studio

2012-01-11T10:22:00.000+02:00

I think I ate the Energizer Bunny yesterday, because I didn't stop moving all day long. My midday hiatus was to sand and paint our desk. It's the most basic of basic tables from Ikea and while I love natural wood finishes, this desk just needed some loving. So I took the leftover paint from refinishing our dresser and breathed new life into my "studio".

I used a roller and did a very thin layer of paint so when you're close, you can still see the woodgrain. It feels more like a farmhouse table to me now and I couldn't be happier. What with the desk looking all snazzy, I also painted the inexpensive magazine boxes I got at Ikea. A little masking tape and some acrylic paint later, I had boxes that look like one of my favorite dresses. Not intentional, but I love the burst of color, especially against my red potted plant.

While it's still a work in progress, I am loving how it is all coming together. Even better, I can finally get to my stuff again after being buried in the corner for a week! Success!

eureka!

2012-01-08T04:30:00.000+02:00

Do you have silly things that have a memory tied to them for no apparent reason? I do. Lots of things like that. But in particular, I have this little pouch. Every time I see it, I remember my mom. Thing is, I have no physical connection between my mom and this pouch. It just reminds me of her.

It reminds me of how she always kept her camera in a pouch. Of all of her many, many pouches. It reminds me of how much she and I love Vera Bradley. Silly phone conversations and emails. All this in one little, point-and-shoot camera sized pouch.

Up until five days ago, it was lost. I had not been able to find it and there really are not that many places for things to hide in our house. When things go missing, I quickly learn that they're gone for good and deal with it. But thanks to a broken bed and some major dusting, I have my Kitty-infused memory pouch back again. And a place to store my camera. Win. Win. Win win win.

kidnapped

2012-01-07T14:00:00.000+02:00

My husband kidnapped me this weekend. What started as an excursion for tacos turned into a drive to the opposite of the island, about two hours away, so we could sit on the beach and watch the sunset. Nearly two hours later, we were sitting with a bag full of McDonald's on a bench in Paphos overlooking the Mediterranean.

This was the last of the major cities we needed to see on the Greek side of the island, and it absolutely did not disappoint. It's the smallest of the four but has the most exquisite beaches and water access. We walked a couple of miles along the boardwalk, savoring the western horizon and the fresh breeze of afternoon storms. It still boggles our minds that when we look out, it's the Mediterranean. Not the Atlantic or Pacific, but the Mediterranean. Slowly but surely we're beginning to love our little corner of the world.

january

2012-01-07T07:00:00.000+02:00

A little late, but here's this month's calendar. It's fun to see art changing on my kitchen wall once a month!

dear sundance

2012-01-06T07:32:00.000+02:00

I love you. Can you be more affordable and easy to access in Cyprus? Do you have a discount for people who honeymooned at your resort? No? Dang. How bout now? You get back to me on that one.

Love,

engquist

{images from sundance catalog}

waiting game

2012-01-05T17:02:00.000+02:00

This is my house today. Parts of it in order. Parts in disarray. Somethings coming together. Most just waiting. Waiting for drywall. Waiting for a bedframe to be delivered. Waiting for artwork to be hung. Waiting for yet another Cypriot repair/deliveryman.

woah is me

2012-01-03T11:41:00.001+02:00

I looked cute for approximately 95 minutes today. Long enough to get dressed, walk to two different banks, pick up the mail, pay rent, and consider walking to the post office before my body remembered it had been awake since three this morning. At about that same moment, my black stretchy pants caught my eye and I noticed how lonely they looked without me wearing them. How could I let my black stretchy pants feel so degraded? So I put them on. And my sock slippers. And a llama hat (don't tell Mr. F, he'll expect me to do this regularly!). Then I made my third cup of tea for the day, popped in Pride and Prejudice for the ninety bajillionth time in my life, grabbed my book, and gave up on life for the rest of the day.

Sadly, Mr. F is in a similar state today, but he has to work.

Moral of the story: taking ice cold showers when your hot water switch is broken and you have no other option for cleanliness leads to head colds and sleepless nights. And lots of tea drinking.

noggin'

2012-01-02T13:47:00.000+02:00

I think the domestic bug finally bit me. With things we are accustomed to eating/drinking in the States being in short supply here, I'm learning how to make a lot on my own. This weekend I felt really ambitious and made egg nog. (Mainly because I was trying to keep myself awake to midnight on New Year's Eve and also because I've searched high and low and can't find it anywhere.) The recipe I found makes one big ol' heapin' mess of creamy goodness, perfect for parties or for two hermits celebrating the New Year. What started out as a whim turned into one of the best decisions I made over our break. I might have to see if I can tag along on Mr. F's gym membership though after drinking so much. Here's the recipe.

Homemade Egg Nog

Ingredients:

12 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon nutmeg (calls for freshly grated, didn't have, used my jar, turned out awesome)

1. In the biggest saucepan you have, whisk together the eggs, salt, and sugar until blended then gradually add half of the milk (4 cups). Do this without heat.

2. Put pan on burner and set for lowest heat. Stir continually until the mixture thickens into a custard consistency. (Should coat the back of a wooden spoon.)

3. Transfer to big ol' bowl and add the rest of the milk, the vanilla, and nutmeg.

4. Cover and chill for a good long while. (We waited a few hours, but it was definitely better the next morning.)

To make it more decadent, add some fresh whipped cream.

Tip: strain nog before drinking. If you're anything like me, you have no idea how to make a custard, so there will be chunky bits in the nog. Just strain those out and you're good to go!

new year

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000+02:00

This is definitely a time for thinking about traditions. I was surprised to learn not long ago that Cypriots open their Christmas gifts on New Year's day, as Santa comes New Year's Eve. New friends have been asking what we usually do, to which I respond, "Watch football!" Tournament of Roses Parade, Rose Bowl, and so many other bowl games while eating leftovers.

One tradition I've never really jumped on is that of setting goals for the new year. It's not that I don't like challenging myself...I just don't enjoy stressing myself out even more over the holiday season.

For some reason, a short list of hopes for the upcoming months has been growing in my head.

- open an etsy shop

- give my heart and soul to my calling as Young Women President

- take a photograph a day

- read through the Book of Mormon

- go to the sea at least once a month

- date my husband

- go to the temple

- challenge myself artistically

- have people over for dinner once a month

- make friends

- go camping in the mountains

- learn how to use the camera sitting in my closet

So it's a simple list, but it's mine! If 2012 is anything like 2011, it's going to be one wild ride, and I'm really looking forward to it!

the tortoise

2011-12-31T11:12:00.000+02:00

Slow and steady wins the race, right? While we like to claim that we were conforming to the Cypriot culture by opening gifts on New Year's, the truth is we didn't have gifts to open on Christmas day. And we were just exhausted. Before the move, our parents had bought and wrapped our gifts and we packed them away on the Slow Boat to China. With the arrival of these boxes also came Santa.

It was way more than the gifts that we were able to enjoy today. I was able to cook up a scrumptious breakfast with our new pans (first ever use!) and baked up some frozen Ikea cinnamon rolls in a glass baking dish we have been without. Then we laid out everything on the snowman platter I bought with Mr. F's mom last year at the Sale to End All Sales. We ate off of our beautiful Christmas china and patted our mouths with red snowflake napkins. Until three days ago, we didn't have any of these things.

Plus, it really felt like Christmas. We went out to a couple local malls yesterday, which were bursting at the seams with last minute Cypriot shoppers. Seeing this, we decided to open our own parcels this morning.

We woke up leisurely, showered, made breakfast and cocoa and then hunkered down on our tiny little sofa. Santa filled my stocking with chocolate pretzels and a red tin car while Mr. F got a new puppy, of the stuffed variety. I wish I had a picture of his reaction. You would have thought it was a real dog he was so happy!

It took us two hours to open our little hoard of treasures from home. I loved feeling like our family was there with us as we unwrapped the gifts they had chosen for us. We really are two of the luckiest squares out there for being blessed with such wonderful families.

Now we're trying to figure out what to do for New Year's Eve. Laundry, ice cream, and gyros? Sounds like a plan to me!

Sending you wishes for a very Happy New Year from one belated Christmas in Cyprus!

firsts

2011-12-30T17:34:00.000+02:00

This Christmas has marked a large number of firsts for me. First Christmas married, in my own home, in a foreign land. It was the first time I hosted a dinner party on my own, planned a large scale Christmas party, or a musical sacrament program. It is the first time I had a green, warm Christmas. First time I sold artwork in a public space. My first Christmas with Mr. F. First time to be wished a Merry Christmas in four different languages. Perhaps the hardest has been that this was the first time ever being away from my family on Christmas. But it was also the first time I got to have people celebrate in my home. It was the first time I got to have someone take me and my husband out for Christmas Cokes on Christmas Eve. It was the first time I got to spend Christmas cuddled up with my husband, plotting a week of adventures.

movin' day

2011-12-28T15:40:00.001+02:00

the calm before the storm

causin' traffic

Santa finally made it to Cyprus!

after hours of unpacking, this about all we want to do.

The eagle has landed! And on time!!

We've been unwrapping our stuff today, making it feel simultaneously like Christmas and our wedding. A fair percentage of the things we had shipped here were gifts received back in March that we haven't been able to use since unwrapping them. It was awesome! We have some wonderful friends and family that really took care of us.

Highlights of the unpacking:

Christmas presents!!

a llama rug and another llama. one llama apparently is not enough

books, books, and more books

the bowl I got in Ireland

the linens I got in Belgium and have been saving until I was married

the bowl my mum would always make hollandaise sauce in

peanut butter and Bisquick. not together, but we now have both!

more books!

only two things broke, and they were on their way out anyway

our brand new knife set that had never been opened coming devoid of two knives...still trying to figure that one out...

Christmas decorations and ornaments

blue teapot

baking dishes

measuring cups and spoons

sterling silver flatware that was cheaper than our stainless steel wedding flatware

the journal Mr. F gave me on our wedding night

guitar picks

We are now happily through the greater portion of the boxes. The kitchen is nearly assembled, but needs a little tweaking. And our one bookshelf is about to burst at the seams. And the desk is hemorrhaging all the things we have no idea where to put them. But most of the boxes are empty and I think we're actually going to be able to fit everything in our tiny little home. And better yet, it's really starting to feel like home with our things here. Our things..our home...love it!

And we have dishes!

redemption

2011-12-27T16:07:00.000+02:00

How was your Christmas? We had our first ever dinner party on the 24th and r sacrament meeting program prepared by yours truly on Christmas day. We got home from church that afternoon and have barely left the house since. Not gonna lie, it's been awesome. Besides, who can resist the call of a fridge full of delectable leftovers?

Obviously not us.

Today we finally emerged from our hibernation to drop off customs forms for our stuff, which has been waiting at the port for two weeks now. Getting to this port has been one headache after another, so we were unbelievably nervous about what was going to happen.

And then? It all went off without a hitch. Not one. Sure, it took us a couple of hours, but they were working with us the whole time and we didn't have to pay any customs fees! To top it off, our "handler" told us that the movers could deliver our boxes the next day, meaning tomorrow! After two months of waiting, we're just hours away!

To celebrate, we drove through downtown Limassol, which is right on the water. We walked the promenade and found an itty bitty access point to the sea. It was bliss. One small, but very significant, victory for Engquist and Mr. F!

domestic wishes

2011-12-24T07:46:00.000+02:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, from our kitchen to yours!

i go to the hills

2011-12-23T20:31:00.000+02:00

When our plan for the day went to pot, we went to McDonald's (for Coke and sustenance) and then got lost in the Cypriot mountain town of Lefkara. If you want traditional Cypriot lace, this is the place to get it. For us, it was a place for spectacular panoramas. The rain and cooler weather have turned this once brown island into a lush, emerald hued paradise. It helped us remember that we do in fact like Cyprus, we're just ready for things to make a bit more sense.

We're now settling in for Christmas, with a party, three baptisms, a Christmas Sunday full of music, and a whole lot of bonding with the Mediterranean.

christmas cheer

2011-12-22T14:21:00.000+02:00

This week has been hard, but stumbling upon this earlier today somehow made everything more bearable. It helps to remember the reason for the season.

what a difference a day makes

2011-12-21T22:06:00.000+02:00

It's the winter solstice today. After tonight, the days get longer, offering more sunlight and hours for wandering. Today is also my parents' wedding anniversary. We always make jokes that they chose to get married on the shortest day of the year. Maybe it's because I bought food for Christmas Eve this morning and I'm feeling much better towards the world, but the shortest day of the year is in a way a beacon of hope. After today, everything gets brighter. More sunlight, more joy. More to look forward to.

Congratulations Kitty and Nonny! I love you!

angry eyes

2011-12-20T13:43:00.004+02:00

This is how we're feeling about Cyprus today. And yesterday. And probably for a few weeks. Bureaucratic hogwash, cultural clashes, and general nincompoopery have left us downtrodden. Not exactly how we were expecting the week leading up to Christmas to be.

We're trying to buy a car, but we can't buy it without insurance. We can't get insurance until we get a work permit. We didn't get the last forms for the work permit until last Friday. Our boxes have arrived from the States but are being held at the port until we can get a form to them. Which we couldn't do, because we couldn't buy our car. So we tried renting a car online, paid for it, and then no one showed up at the rental agency. For three days. So Mr. F calls the Port to find out what we need to do and they tell us that the moving company usually handles everything and they're very surprised that we are the ones making these calls.

Then today, the car rental moron showed up an hour late and we made our ride to the immigration office late. We had our photos taken in front of a white screen hanging from a tree behind a scooter in the parking lot. We waited nearly three hours in a dirty, gross hallway only to be told that we didn't have the right form. The form we need can only be gotten from the States. A form we thought we had, but the Cypriot Embassy didn't give us all the details of. Or the company Mr. F is working for. Or anyone else.

So we still don't have a work permit, are renting our THIRD car on this island because we can't get insurance so we can't buy the car that would be cheaper than renting all of these other gas guzzlers so we can't get to the port to drop off the forms that will probably be wrong anyway because our moving company for some reason isn't handling it so we probably won't have our stuff until after the new year.

I usually like Cyprus.

Just not this week.

mrs. claus takes a break

2011-12-18T12:24:00.000+02:00

It's 11:30 on Sunday morning. I should be at church, but I'm not.

Last night we had the Branch Christmas Party and oh doggy did we work hard! I've been fighting a really bad chest cold for the past week, so yesterday was a test of mind over combusting lungs. Mr. F and I cooked like our lives depended on it all day so that we had a scrumptious meal.

The party was, I am very pleased to say, a huge success! We had probably double the number of people any of us had imagined would come. Our little hall was stuffed to capacity with people reveling in the joy of Christmas together. And the food! It was soo good! We made our first ever turkey (which our one friend assured me was the best thing on the table) and a huge pot of mashed potatoes. There was roasted ham, pork, noodles, meatballs, roasted vegetables, and an insurmountable smorgasbord of desserts.

A highlight was the arrival of Santa, who was ushered in by a quiet hall and the gentle jingle of bells. The handful on children there weren't very impressed, but our vast congregation of Asians swarmed Santa like he was Justin Bieber. Santa spent the next half hour taking photos and giving gifts to all the good boys and girls. Lucky for me, he still had some stamina at the end and I was able to steal a kiss. I'm very biased towards our Santa.

At the end of the night, we walked home exhaustedly happy with legs and feet aching. By all accounts we should have crashed into our bed and slept the sleep of the dead, but we didn't. My chest cold caught up with me and I awoke every hour on the hour hacking miserably. At about one in the morning, I finally took some nyquil and hoped for the best. My sweet husband cuddled me the whole night through, rubbing my back and holding me close when the coughing got the most severe. He never murmured about being awoken for the umpteenth time or that I was shaking the bed horribly. He just told me he loved me and did all that he could to make me feel better.

Well, now it is Sunday, and neither of us woke up even remotely on time for church. I am writing this from the comfort of my bed while listening to the BBC Pride and Prejudice and plan on staying here for the duration of the day. My body made it through so much this week, it only seems fair that it should have a break, too.

market wrap up

2011-12-15T19:11:00.000+02:00

This is me at my first ever market. Don't I look cute? Okay, vanity aside, I am very proud of how this adventure went down. I committed to something, saw it through, produced some really great stuff, cut out a billion cards while hacking up a lung and still managed to get myself dressed and to the event. This is made even more impressive by the fact that we are currently carless (that's a saga in and of itself) and I had to do some serious ride coordinating. (To my wonderful friends, THANK YOU!!!)

Aside from that, the market was a letdown. It was a closed event and the shoppers? They were not shopping. Sad day... I did make some really great contacts though and enjoyed an afternoon of really fun conversation with a few of my fellow vendors. Okay, so it wasn't a total letdown. It was pretty fun actually, in a very strange way.

To those who might be interested on any part of the globe, I do have pieces available. Drop me a line for more details.

when you're having a rough day, just remember.

2011-12-15T00:00:00.000+02:00

triptych

2011-12-14T10:27:00.000+02:00

So, yesterday Mr. F was telling his sister about his birthday celebrations at work. They had a nice lunch, chocolate cake, and champagne. Mr. F was handed the bottle so that he might kick off the festivities.

"I took the bottle and just stared at it," he said. "I had no idea what to do with it. It had this weird twisty thing on the neck. It's not like opening a Coke! So I handed it back to my boss and told him he could have the honors."

And that's when I fell on the floor in a fit of hysterical laughter for a good ten minutes.

birthdays

2011-12-13T08:16:00.000+02:00

How do you distract a birthday boy from the fact that he has to go into work early? Three packages of chocolate pudding and a card from the other side of the world.

Happy Birthday, Mr. F! I love you!

feel the rain

2011-12-12T09:37:00.001+02:00

to market, to market

2011-12-11T20:42:00.001+02:00

Kind of fitting as my first print to sell at the market, don't you think? It's taking all sorts of courage to get me to Thursday. This will be available as a 5x7.

what I've been up to

2011-12-10T17:43:00.001+02:00

and why I'm not gonna be around much this next week.

This is the week. D-Day, so to speak. The week to end all weeks. And it's not even the week of Christmas! We've got a birthday, a car to buy, the arrival (hopefully!!!!!) of our precious belongings, a Christmas market where I hope to sell some stuff, and the ever so anticipated Christmas party at church.

Let me tell ya, I feel like Mrs. Claus right now.

While the elves have been painting all the choo-choo trains, I've been busy wrapping gifts for the party and teaching myself how to use my new scanner to make cards for the market. Our little apartment looks like a Christmas wasteland right now, but honestly, I don't think I'd have it any other way.

double rainbow

2011-12-09T06:30:00.000+02:00

rainy day

2011-12-08T12:10:00.001+02:00

I'm tucked inside after some morning errands squeezed in between rain storms. Mr. F's tech nerd of a colleague not only hooked us up with a sweet new printer/scanner, he also set it up for us yesterday. I am now gaily trying to perfect the scans of my work from the past few weeks. Hopefully you're excited to see some of it, because I'm excited to share it! The Christmas Bazaar is next week and I still have a whole heapin' mess of things to do to get printed, folded, and stuffed before then.

Helping me along is a healthy dose of Christmas music via mormonchannel.org. It's a really great compilation of versions of songs I absolutely adore with some that I have never heard of before. As I wait for the scanner to do it's thing, I've been thinking about what my favorite Christmas music is.

So, to get you through the next few weeks of December, here is what brings the joy of Christmas to my soul.

A Christmas Portrait by The Carpenters- I don't think I have a single Christmas in memory that is not laced with this album. To me it is the be all and end all of Christmas music. That, and I've always wished I had Karen Carpenter's luscious alto voice. It's just the right mix of traditional with whimsy.

Merry Christmas by Merrill Jenson- Oh, that everyone owned this album and listened to it year round! It's divine. I distinctly remember waking up to it in high school in the cold mornings of winter. Kitty would be making breakfast to the glorious instrumentals. To cap it off, the last song sums up my testimony of Christ in song. It's awesome. And it's also on the slow boat to China, which is why I'm loving mormonchannel.org...they play this album!!

The Forgotten Carols by Michael McLean- Boy howdy have I had a craving for this album lately. There are few words to describe the stories these songs share and the lessons I have learned from them.

Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley- Nonny has an awesome voice. This earthy, bluesy voice that is perfect for Elvis music. (One day I was listening to stuff by Chris Isaak and Mr. F said, "Hey! It's Nonny!") Anyway, Nonny would sing this song a lot and I would do the back-up. (He's the Gladys to my Pips.) If you've ever heard that song, you would know that the Pips have the most obnoxious parts known to man. And I love each and every second of it. So while Nonny would be singing and swaying in a very suave way, I would be bouncing around the house squealing, "OoooOOeeeOO! OOOoooOOOeeeOO!"

Anything Amy Grant- Okay, that's a little general, but true. I kind of have issues with her personally, but she really gets Christmas right. She has a few songs that I really love. Breath of Heaven, Emmanuel, God With Us, and 'Til the Season Comes Round Again. She has a wonderful way of singing about the Savior and family.

Christmas Lullaby (I Will Lead You Home) by Amy Grant- I know, I know, she just got her own section, but this song is extra special to me. Nonny has made an arrangement to this mixed with Away in a Manger. It's awesome. One of those songs I would listen to through the floorboards.

The Friendly Beasts- I definitely inherited my love of picture books from Kitty. My mum has the most incredible collection, which she would alternate through the seasons. At Christmas she would pull out the special box full of the books. One of my favorite was the song, The Friendly Beasts illustrated by Tomie dePaola. A colorful telling of the gifts the stable animals gave to the infant king. Years after I remember reading it, Nonny started playing it. Quite the team my parents are.

I should get back to scanning and painting. What music are you listening to this season?

hi! my name is...

2011-12-06T07:17:00.001+02:00

This is Mortimer. He's my Christmas cactus. He lives in Florida. I couldn't figure out how to transport him then properly declare him through customs.

When we moved to Florida back in April, this little guy was an eighth of the size he is now. Two scraggly, exhausted, desperate for Florida sunshine stubs of foliage peeked out from the dirt.

This is Mortimer yesterday. He's enormously huge and would you check out those blossoms? They're so vibrant and wonderfully Christmas-like!

I've been searching for a Cypriot Mortimer since we moved here but to no avail. I'll just have to settle for photos from Momma F from time to time to get my fix.

Way to grow little Mortimer!

according to pinterest...

2011-12-05T13:56:00.000+02:00

according to Pinterest, I should have...

a giant kitchen.

a huge freezer for storing months worth of pre-made meals.

my Christmas cards figured out.

access to ready made products by Pillsbury. (i.e. cookie dough, crescent rolls, cinnamon rolls, etc.)

a killer wardrobe.

boots for every outfit.

secondhand furniture.

the perfect color scheme for every room.

more than one room.

about three gallons of paint on hand.

lots of spray paint sitting around.

a craft room.

Halloween costumes planned out for the next ten years.

a specific drawer and cupboard for everything in my kitchen.

peanut butter cups.

a giant porch.

peanut butter.

a laundry room.

hall closets.

enough space for a reading nook.

a stairway.

patience.

a mailbox.

a curling iron, sewing machine, microwave, KitchenAid, and crock pot.

fifteen million kinds of paper and a cricut. (how do you pronounce that???)

a mantle for decorating.

bookshelves.

to still plan trips to Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Prague, Milan, and the Swiss Alps.

according to Europe, I have...

a giant closet. (I actually have one..not standard issue in this part of the world!)

a standard sized freezer.

been blessed enough to have a washer/dryer combo.

more than enough craft supplies.

nice clothes.

weird boots. (they're cowboy boots...I love them.)

no need for Halloween costumes.

plenty of room for shelves and storage bins to serve as closets.

the same kind of stairway as everyone else in my building.

according to me, I have...

a really great little apartment.

a bed to sleep in at night.

a storage unit full of electronic items I'll be able to use if I ever move back to the States.

one hell of a beautiful kitchen!

a bigger closet than I've ever been accustomed to.

one bookshelf.

enough paper to suffice me.

a darling little Christmas tree.

a fridge and freezer that hold enough food for two.

already been to Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Prague, Milan, and the Swiss Alps.

a shower with hot water.

clothes enough to spare.

an island in my kitchen big enough for any project I need to do.

a stove that reheats and an oven that bakes.

friends willing to share new recipes as I learn how to cook.

a great desire for secondhand furniture and a deep appreciation for IKEA's as-is section.

books and rugs to spare on a boat somewhere in the middle of the sea.

access to my mail.

windows the width of my apartment with the most spectacular views.

the chance of a lifetime.

the stockings were hung

2011-12-02T14:51:00.001+02:00

Y'all, I made stockings. Two of them. TOTALLY by hand. Like, my little (and by little I mean long 'n' bony) fingers are calloused and aching from I don't know how many hours of hand stitching*. We needed us some stockings so I totally avoided all of the other things I needed to do and made them. I think they're pretty sweet if I do say so myself. It's amazing how much cozier and homelike our little apartment feels with a few Christmas decorations while we wait these last few weeks for our belongings to arrive. This really is the most wonderful time of the year!

* So, some really awesome people got me a really awesome sewing machine for our wedding. But then we moved to Europe and the electronic compatibility is zero. Sad day. I miss you sewing machine I really wanted to learn how to use!

bows

2011-12-02T00:00:00.000+02:00

These are from Kitty. She sent us a pre-Christmas box, full of delights like junket, pudding, Knorr hollandaise sauce packets, paper for business cards, and these. They are Christmas albums selected mainly by Nonny and wrapped by Kitty. They both told me about these discs before the box even arrived, but Kitty still wrapped them. Why?

So I could have the ribbon.

She knew I've been projecting and crafting away in preparation for my great debut in the Cypriot marketplace and she thought a few extra ribbons might come in handy.

The same day we got a box full of warmth for Mr. F from his loving mom and Nana. A sweater, vest, and new shirt were just what the doctor ordered to help this tall guy stay warm.

I think we seriously lucked out in the parent department.

december first

2011-12-01T12:33:00.000+02:00

if music be the food of love

2011-11-30T10:10:00.001+02:00

My childhood bedroom was unbelievably small. My mum and I make jokes that I am the only person on the planet that goes to university and ends up with a bigger room. True story. What my boudoir lacked in size, it made up for in coziness. It had steep angled ceilings, a window that allowed me to climb onto the roof, and some still treasured nooks and crannies.

At night, I really felt like my room was the best in the whole house because it was located directly above our little library. This similarly small room contained my parents' hefty book collection, organ, a piano, and a guitar. On nights that I didn't fall asleep to my father's soothing voice as he read to me, I listened to that same voice singing through my floorboards as he played music. For years, this was a nightly ritual for him. I began to recognize most of the songs and looked forward to some of my favorites. To this day I cannot tell you the lyrics to any of them. The lyrics didn't matter.

One of the things that really helped me fall in love with Mr. F was his love of music. I always knew he could play a mean guitar but I was never really satisfied until he started playing some of the songs Nonny would play on his own guitar or on the piano. I will never forget a night drive we took together when he turned on a cd that was laced in my childhood being. I knew then and there that it would be okay if we got married since we had some similar musical preferences.

Well, Mr. F has been dusting off his guitar lately as he comes home from work. Last weekend he sat in our "living room" and played for hours while I painted and worked on a few projects. My favorite though is when he plays while I go to sleep. He'll strum away and it's like I can hear the music wafting up through the floorboards again. So grateful for the men in my life and their love of music.

And how they help me fall asleep.

sounds like someone has a case of the mondays

2011-11-29T15:34:00.001+02:00

Okay, it's not Monday, it's Tuesday, but it feels darkly Mondayish to me. Today was going to be this fantabulously awesome day. I take Mr. F to work, go pick up groceries, play at a few local shops that are outside of my walking radius. It was going to be epic.

Then the fix-it man came..again...and there was massive traffic, and I got lost, and I remembered I needed to go to the doctor and a long list of other ands later happened and I just wanted to burst into tears.

Then the traffic lead me to the post office where there were two packages from the homeland waiting for me. Paper and junket for me, pudding and sweaters for my tall guy. And my nice neighbor offered me a frappuccino to help alleviate my dramatic sorrows. (Didn't have time to take him up on the offer or to explain to him how I don't drink coffee...we'll tackle that conversation later.) And the list of ands went on to remind me that things were going to be okay.

Even if it did feel like a Monday.

why i love going to fast food places on thanksgiving

2011-11-25T16:22:00.001+02:00

{McDonald's drive-thru in Nicosia after gorging on a surprisingly delicious first Thanksgiving meal together.}

Voice on Intercom: something in Greek.

Mr. F: Um, yes, hello! Just one minute please.

VOI: Huhlo, you want cheeseburger?

Mr. F: No, just give us a sec.

VOI: Two cheeseburgers?

Mr. F: NO! No cheeseburgers. Just a medium Coke.

{three chicken sandwiches appear on monitor.}

Mr. F: NO! No chicken! No cheeseburgers! Just Coke!

VOI: Uh...please wait.

Second Voice on Intercom: Hello? You wanted cheeseburgers?

Mr. F: No, no we didn't. We just want a medium Coke and a caramel sundae.

{desired items appear on screen, sandwiches taken off, but a large fry appears.}

2VOI: Okay, so you want one coke, one sundae, and one fry?

Mr. F: No! No fry! Just the Coke and sundae!

{fry disappears but ketchup shows up on screen.}

Mr. F: No ketchup!

{ketchup disappears and order looks fine.}

Mr. F: YES! That's it!

2VOI: Dat will be free euro firty at the first window.

{pull around to first window and pay while laughing relentlessly. pick up order at next window and amazingly, it's correct.}

giving thanks

2011-11-24T12:55:00.001+02:00

Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving from the Mediterranean!

busy bee

2011-11-22T15:35:00.001+02:00

While everyone is feverishly trying to find the perfect pumpkin pie recipe in the States this week, I have been busy with the festivities surrounding Christmas. (If I had a pie plate right now, you'd better believe I'd be looking for that pumpkin pie recipe, too!) For instance, I've been trying to compile a few lovelies for the Christmas Bazaar in a few weeks. I've been designing Christmas cards and other such things. Today I completed a Christmas banner to hang on my table as well as in our little apartment when all is said and done.

I really am my mother's daughter because I love designing invitations and finally I can share one with you! This is the mock up for the poster for the branch Christmas party this year. I've also been working on the invitations today and they are absolutely darling!

I hope you find that perfect pie recipe...be sure to save me a slice!

warm

2011-11-21T19:44:00.001+02:00

This is Mr. F. He's not cold anymore because I found him an awesome sweater and some pajama pants on sale today.

A warm Mr. F is a happy Mr. F and that makes for one happy Engquist.

(and yes, there are two clocks on the wall. we have a lot of timezones to juggle here people!)

freakin' weekend baby

2011-11-20T21:45:00.001+02:00

This weekend, I...

• bought our Christmas tree!

• signed up to sell my handiwork at a Christmas bazaar.

• discovered that while McDonald's in Cyprus does not serve breakfast, they do serve American sized beverages.

• had a massive tummy ache. (May or may not be the result of gimungo sized Coke.)

• made myself some sa-weet business cards.

• went to see a movie with Mr. F. Anonymous was the first cinema experience we've had since Harry Potter in Germany. It was a lot of fun to spend a Saturday afternoon doing something that felt so normal and that didn't have the air of relocation to it. No car shopping, groceries, errand running. None of it. Just a movie.

• spoke in Sacrament Meeting and taught Relief Society.

• was set apart in my three callings.

• was informed I'm in charge of the Chrismas party and Christmas day program.

• took a three-hour nap. (sooooooooooooooooo not normal for me.)

• shared my testimony at least three times.

• heard my husband's testimony at least twice.

• giggled.

• talked endlessly.

• discussed the gospel with a new friend.

• ate hot dogs for dinner.

• canned homemade applesauce.

• gave thanks for being married to such a good man.

tis the season

2011-11-18T10:46:00.001+02:00

{source: pinterest}

To anyone living north of the Mason-Dixon line, what I am about to say will sound like pure poppycock; it's getting cold here in Nicosia. Not freezing or anything, but definitely chilly. While we're too cheap to turn the heat on in the apartment (that's what the oven and baking are for, not that I can bake without my pans, but we do have frozen pizzas) the little rental car has the kind of heater dreams are made of. You turn it on and you just feel the warmth surrounding you. It still hasn't been used a great deal this season, so you can smell the dust heat up and be blown out of the vents. I love that smell. It smells like cozy warmth. But really, it smells like the Christmas season.

Growing up, we had radiator heat. (That will only make sense to people living in Europe or in a house pre-1950) You could hear the water gurgling and coming to life in the pipes, promising to offer warm air through the long winter months. My first experience with the smell of heat was at university, where the heat would kick on about this time every year. I would sit hunched at my computer writing feverishly about the Vikings or Shakespeare, knowing full well that the burning dust meant I got to go home soon. Make it through one more paper and another exam, and there was a plane waiting to take me to my family.

This is the first year I'll be away from "home" for Christmas, but that doesn't mean the smell of the heater is less enticing. As the weeks go by, my plate is covered with more activities indicative of the holiday season. Yesterday, I think, was the kick off, with a Thanksgiving luncheon with a local club for ex-pat women. If you have ever lived abroad, you will know how glorious it is to have cranberries, applesauce, and sweet potatoes cover your plate. These American staples are rarities and I savored every mouthful.

Mr. F and I are cooking the turkey for the church Christmas party (okay, let's be honest, he's doing it. I have no idea what to do with a turkey.) Then I'm in charge of the musical program on Christmas Sunday (ahh!!!) with a work party, the traditional Christmas Eve smogasbord, and a birthday in between. Plus I need to get some pieces and cards together for a market at a Christmas tea as well. And our stuff should be coming!!

I'm slightly melancholy as I think about our families gathering this next week for Thanksgiving while we're on the other side of the world, but I am so excited to be starting new traditions with Mr. F. It's a full docket, but the smell of Christmas still lingers and I am ready for the merriment to begin!

mail call!

2011-11-17T19:06:00.001+02:00

This cute little face was my first piece of mail in Cyprus. She's also the first photo on my fridge in Cyprus. Oh, I love this little girl and her momma!

a room with a view

2011-11-15T16:46:00.001+02:00

stuff

2011-11-14T10:10:00.001+02:00

Dear Slow Boat to China,

I really hope you aren't in China or en route there, but are rather somewhere in the vicinity of Cyprus. You see, you have the greater portion of our belongings and while I'm doing okay without our movies, the weather is changing and all of our warmer sweaters are with you. Well, not all. I have a few of mine, but poor Mr. F is gettin' cold. He's thick skinned to be sure, but it's supposed to be snowing up in the mountains today and all he has is one sweatshirt and he can't exactly wear that to work.

That and the rainy season is coming, meaning overcast skies perfect for afghan blankets and piping mugs of tea. But you have the afghans and the tea kettle. And the roasting pan and pie pans, and Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away!

Oh, Slow Boat to China, won't you please hurry? We're getting cold without our blankets.

Sincerely,

engquist

why i love my branch

2011-11-13T17:16:00.001+02:00

No, I'm not talking about my family tree. I'm talkin' church. My congregation blows me away. With regular attendance of about thirty people there are at least twelve nationalities represented. Twelve! That's a lot. Today though, really made me happy.

Opening prayer said in Greek by a Belgian. Sacrament prayers said in two different languages. Greek and English. We sang hymns all sacrament meeting. The Chinese girl told us about her favorite "shong," I Am a Child of God. Got to one hymn that confused the pianist. She only knew it in Finnish. Not like that affected her playing, but she likes to sing along as well. The closing hymn was chosen by a Pakistani, an American conducted the music, and the closing hymn was said in Chinese. (I think...) Then we had a potluck. Chili, Portugese lasagna, and Chinese dumplings were just a few of the options available.

What I am loving the most about this congregation is that I really have to learn to listen to the Spirit. Sometimes a speaker's accent is so thick, I can't understand the words. But I get what they are trying to say. It really shouldn't anymore, but it amazes me how universal the gospel is. No matter where I go, the gospel is the same. Same sacrament prayers, same structure to the meetings, same good people, same Spirit.

his and hers

2011-11-11T11:25:00.001+02:00

HIS

idea of how the apartment should be decorated

lllllllllllllll

her

idea of how the apartment should be decorated

meh

2011-11-10T08:22:00.002+02:00

I'm having a meh week. I feel meh. React meh. Emit meh.

meh.

Nothing horrible has happened. Well, besides loosing my camera pouch with the extra memory card at the EXACT moment the old memory card fills up. And the wireless not working.

Other than that, nothing has happened. In fact, it's been an awesome week. Awesome people are helping me brainstorm how to sell my art so we can make some extra money. (Making extra money is even harder when you can't just go out looking for a retail job...dang work permits...) I have contacts for a few galleries, and the IT guy from Mr. F's office is tracking down a sa-weet printer/scanner for us so I can make prints and sell them and say, "Take THAT work permits!" And my nice landlady wants to go out for a coffee (I drink hot chocolate) and my new nice friend gave me acrylic paints to paint my desk with and I got boxes for super cheap at IKEA and I made soup for the first time and I got to go see the farm country surrounding Nicosia and the rain season is coming and my husband opens the door for me and does the dishes and smiles and kisses me even though I've been ornery and irritable and it's not his fault.

I have no reason to be meh. But meh it is. I hate meh.

On the upside, I'm pretty sure cupcakes were created as a remedy to meh. I need to find a cupcake, stat!

project time

2011-11-07T19:17:00.000+02:00

Please excuse a few haphazard photos to show off a couple of my recent projects. The first is an ode to Pinterest, a Thanksgiving banner made of leftover cardboard, a fifty cent spool of ribbon, and watercolor paint. (I spent the better portion of the morning cutting out shapes for a couple more banners as well. It was a giant piece of cardboard and I really wanted it gone.)

And this is my latest painting endeavor, a Saturday afternoon project that has left me rather pleased. It was inspired by the quote within it. "Some people feel the rain, others just get wet." I really hope I'm one of the people that feels the rain.

What can I say? There's been a desperate need for artwork on our walls as we await the arrival of our belongings. I can only handle bare walls for so long. Like, twenty-four hours. No joke. This has got to be some sort of record for me.

the event which caused several hours of giggles

2011-11-07T14:00:00.000+02:00

I triple dog dare you to not giggle for hours after frolicking and swirling in the sea.

down on the boardwalk

2011-11-06T19:46:00.001+02:00

You see that dashing gentleman on the boardwalk? The one that's a solid foot taller than any other man on Cyprus and rocking a killer suit on one of the last warm days of the season?

The one confident enough to pose next to a pink Vera Bradley bag and still look suave?

Yeah, he's mine. All mine. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

turkish delight

2011-11-05T07:14:00.001+02:00

A few days ago, I went out wandering with my new friends through the old part of Nicosia. The circular center is surrounded by massive walls older than I can fathom and divided in half, much like Berlin used to be. On one side live the Greeks and on the other, the Turks. We meandered through the checkpoint and visited the Turkish side that day and I was blown away by the beauty of some of the buildings.

Included in my brief tour was an old inn for travelers with a tiny little mosque in the middle. What were once guest rooms are now artist studios and little shops. Further along we saw a gothic cathedral turned into a mosque and an antique store I could get lost in for days.

thunder rolls

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000+02:00

Clouds don't happen often in Cyprusland, let alone giant thunderheads at sunset! I've spent the past hour curled up watching night roll in and lightning strike in the northern mountains.

drip drip drip

2011-11-03T11:23:00.004+02:00

My house is currently swarming with plumbers. And sawdust. It's the great Water Saga of 2011 apparently. We move in, we get a leak. Leak disappears, but so does the water. They fix the water, then the leak comes back with the vengeance of the flood. Then the water fix has to be unfixed and refixed. And the flood has to be tamed.

Why does the flood need to be tamed? Well, for one reason, it's wreaking havoc on our ceiling.

But more importantly?

I want my cereal bowl back. We only have two right now and with one being occupied with the capture of falling water, I'm eating like a camper out of tupperware containers. Not the worst thing ever, but I want my bowl.

And no more plumbers.

da bestest

2011-11-01T19:05:00.000+02:00

I have no pictures today, because I've been out. Yes, you read right. I have made a pair of wonderfully lovely friends and I met up with them this afternoon. At a tearoom. These women are unbelievably well travelled and have thirty-plus years of ex-pat experiences for me to learn from.

And they want to be friends with me.

And I met them at Ikea. And one of them is an American (a rare breed in this neck of the world.)

And they like art and know of a gallery I could potentially sell something.

And they thought I was handling living abroad rather well.

And they're taking me out again on Thursday.

And they told me to call whenever I wanted and even if I didn't want to.

And..and..and, well, they're just lovely.

necessity is the mother of invention

2011-10-31T13:31:00.003+02:00

While we await the arrival of our hoard of belongings (aka boxes on a boat stuffed with essential things like baskets and cookie sheets), we've been having to improvise on some day to day things. Like measuring cups (might have made smidgen too much rice last night...) and lamps (we have candles.) and throw blankets (lots of cuddling to keep us warm). Lamps, we're going to have to wait even longer for (they're not really in the budget right now), but I'm slowly figuring out ways to do things while we await our treasure trove of schtuff.

Honestly, the thing I've got to be most proud of right now is our calendar. I think we might have one in a box, but I just don't know. But let me tell ya, we've been needing one.* I pulled out my sketchbook and found a design idea for some November foliage and whipped up this little beauty.

It was a fun project and I think I'm going do one every month. Hopefully my creativity can handle that.

*As Mr. F was leaving for work this morning, I wished him a Happy Halloween, to which he responded, "Huh? Is that today? Gotta go! Love you!"

lazy sunday

2011-10-30T17:22:00.002+02:00

We rolled back the clocks today, so nightfall is settling even earlier over Nicosia. It's been a lovely Sunday. We're finally getting to know our fellow branch members better and realizing how much work there is for us to do to help the church grow and prosper here. The district president came and spoke to us, inviting all of us to come to district conference. He has the most lovely British accent, how could I decline? President told us that the Church has begun the search for property here in Nicosia to build a chapel; how cool is that?! But our little branch is a long way from being ready for such a structure. Our weekly numbers are few with even fewer priesthood holders. I don't think I have ever lived somewhere where the phrase, "Every member a missionary" was so applicable.

Spiritually fed, we hunkered down with pudding, hot chocolate, and some Scooby Doo. (Spoiler: they caught the monster/ghost!) Lots of cuddling and a blissful Sunday afternoon nap topped off a relatively perfect day. Ready to take on a new week, full of furniture painting, potential wall painting, and new friends.

cinderella's carriage

2011-10-29T14:21:00.000+03:00

Happy Halloween, my friends! We're celebrating with a party at church with games like "Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin," with the giant pumpkin provided by yours truly. To make it even better, Mr. F discovered pumpkin pastries at a local bakery this morning! Absolutely delicious! After our stroll in the mountains yesterday, a little bit of pumpkin made it finally feel like fall.

troodos

2011-10-29T08:34:00.000+03:00

After "living" here nearly three weeks, we finally got to go out exploring yesterday. We took the little rental car and drove up into the Troodos mountains. It was glorious! Did you know that this island is actually capable of fall-like weather? I didn't! There were leaves changing and brisk autumnal air. We wanted scarves and light jackets, but since we're lowlanders, didn't plan that far in advance.

Just in case you were wondering, that blue stuff below the really hazy blue stuff? Yeah, that's the Mediterranean and that is one of the first glimpses of it we've had on Cyprus in the daylight.

Our view from dinner. Pretty spectacular, right?

We had dinner at a traditional Cypriot restaurant in the mountains. It was a Greek Cypriot holiday, so the place was cram packed with families.

pink

2011-10-27T12:29:00.002+03:00

I've unexpectedly found myself weeping twice today because of things I've inadvertently stumbled upon. First, I found this, a photographer's look at his wife's epic struggle with breast cancer. They are raw images, showing the day to day struggle this little family endures because of the "C" word. I admit I had to look away when I got to the photos showing Jen's treatment. Why?

It hit too close to home. My mum was diagnosed almost ten years ago with breast cancer, and too vividly did I remember similar bandages all over her body from chemo treatments and surgeries.

Tears, round one.

A few hours later, again, totally randomly, I found a review of the book Nowhere Hair by Sue Glader. The author was diagnosed about the same time as my mum, but she had a one year-old son. The Stud and I were old enough to grasp the severity of what was happening. How do you explain that to a one year-old without fear?

A picture book.

Tears, round two. Not because the memories were painful, like the images earlier in the day had been, but because I remembered how much my family grew and learned from that experience.

For example, boob jokes are essential. Throw in a couple of tummy tuck jokes and a coke, and a mutated cell doesn't look as horrific. Laughter became our cure, just like writing for Sue. And coke, let's be honest. Coke played a crucial role.

Then I shed a few tears because I wondered if I will ever have to read this book to my own child. With multiple instances of breast cancer in my family, my risks are even higher. (You better believe that I'm celebrating my thirtieth birthday with a date with the boob vice.) Will we be able to laugh together? I hope so, because the tears are not nearly as much fun.

one of those

2011-10-26T16:24:00.001+03:00

Today is a saggy butt pant kind of day. Not my black stretchy pants where I feel kind of cute and skinny and presentable enough to go out for ice cream when Mr. F comes home from work. No, today is definitely not a black stretchy pants kind of day.

It is saggy butt pant day.

It's the day I lounged about the apartment in my pajamas, deciding to shower only because I couldn't handle my own smell, and then climbing into saggy butt pants and back into bed. It's the day I surfed Pinterest (yes, I succumbed to the peer pressure) and mentally reconfigured my design plan for our little apartment. Just so you know, the plan entails lots of shelves, even more baskets, and some killer paint for the walls. It's the day where ironing a few shirts while watching Pride & Prejudice for the bajillioneth time in my life feels like a major accomplishment.

Today is saggy butt pant day.

voila!

2011-10-25T16:20:00.000+03:00

my first Cypriot painting

with the mostest

2011-10-25T12:56:00.001+03:00

I want this skirt. It's new at Talbot's and is called the Hostess Skirt. Got that right! Isn't it lovely? Can't you just see Grace Kelly wearing something like this in High Society or To Catch a Thief? And by that I mean, can't you see me waltzing around our little Cypriot home dusting and ironing, then sitting at an easel painting for hours?

No?

Well I can, and it's a lovely, lovely daydream.

water

2011-10-24T12:46:00.001+03:00

Dear Plumbers,

I get that you're doing your job and all, but is there any chance you could do it a smidgen faster? You were here all day Saturday, which was awesome. I had plenty to do outside of the house and was gone during a bulk of your toils.

But I'm home now. Home with a giant pile of laundry and dirty dishes, both of which require running water. And I should mention that I am starting to smell pretty rank as well. No teeth brushing, no water for ramen. Really, Plumbers, I'm sure you can understand my plight.

So, if you could come back from where ever you are while you have my water totally switched off, I would greatly appreciate it.

Hope to see you soon,

engquist

it's science

2011-10-22T22:08:00.000+03:00

This is Mr. F on date night. He went and got us ice cream, ate his share while I talked to my mum, then locked himself in our room. I came in to find him putting together our new desk.

"I get why IKEA is so popular!"

"Because it's cheap?'

"No! It's like Legos for adults! Have you seen these directions? This is awesome!"

I really like this guy a lot.

i'm just sayin'

2011-10-22T15:15:00.002+03:00

You know what's a really good feeling? Arriving in a country late at night that you've only been in for a week and feeling like you're home. Opening the door to a tiny flat and knowing it's your door and climbing into what you know is your bed. After two weeks of hotels, home searches, and about a dozen different flights to parts of the world I NEVER thought I would see, this is the best surprise yet. Feeling totally comfortable in little Cyprus and knowing it's home.

nursery rhyme

2011-10-21T13:35:00.000+03:00

This little piggy went to Cyprus.

This little piggy went to Beirut.

This little piggy had schwarma.

This little piggy had gas.

The other little piggy worked.

And both little piggies went, "WEE WEE WEEEEEE!" all the forty-minute flight home to Cyprus!*

*yes, there's an extra line to the story. for the first few years of my life, I had an extra appendage, or two, okay, four extra appendages. the little piggy story ended with my parents getting to the sixth and saying, "and this little piggy did whatever the hell it wanted."

a smidgen

2011-10-20T18:03:00.000+03:00

The sun is flirting with the western horizon, meaning the evening call to prayer cannot be far off now. I would love to report that we've seen everything that Beirut has to offer, but I can't do that. With Mr. F here on work, I don't have my usual travel buddy, and I honestly don't feel comfortable wandering about all on my own. We're staying in the heart of Beirut, which locals assure me is the fake part that has been rebuilt since the war. The streets I've wandered on my own have been lovely and thoroughly enjoyable. This is a much different culture than I am accustomed to, and I feel it acutely as a tall, blond, Western woman wandering about on my own.

That said, Beirut is a place I have a feeling we'll be returning to. There are so many places left undiscovered for us that everyone keeps telling us about. A friend of M and Big T took me around yesterday afternoon and showed me the university area known as Hamra. It was totally different than where we're staying! Narrow, bustling roads with crooked old stores and coffe shops everywhere. We had a great time roaming together, and I loved having a guide!

Today I went into the Mr. F's office per the request of his coworkers. I stayed two hours, which is unbelievably longer than I had anticipated, mainly because of the view! It was the most spectacular panorama of the Sea. I sat there and listened to Mr. F and his trainer discuss profit margins while watching massive cargo ships chug out to open water.

We go "home" tomorrow, and I admit, I'm really ready. There are so many things to take care of so we can feel more established on our little island, and I am eager to attend to them. Real life never looked so enticing!

hotel domestic

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000+03:00

how coca-cola explains the world

2011-10-18T22:07:00.000+03:00

Beirut is like my can of Coke. On one side it's Western. In English and totally familiar. There are shops like H&M, Zara, McDonald's, and Dunkin' Donuts.

But on the other side, it's a whole lot of Arabic jibberish. People are called to prayer throughout the day by the songs of the minarets. There are women in burkas and ruins from the time of Christ.

A little different, a lot new, the same great taste.

good morning, asia!

2011-10-18T14:12:00.001+03:00

This place is a totally new experience for me. New currency, language, and totally different culture. I wandered the nearby streets taking in what I could in the last traces of the morning sun. Beirut is a wonderful town.

Ruins in the heart of Beirut, a few blocks from the parliament buildings.

The giant mosque we saw at night.

This was my first glimpse of the Mediterranean in daylight and it was glorious!

bienvenidos!

2011-10-18T00:37:00.002+03:00

When did my life become an episode of "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?" (Can you say that in your head without singing the theme song from the show? I most decidedly cannot.) Aaaanyway, after a day of unpacking, sorting, dealing with plumbers, and handling rental cars, Mr. F and I decided Cyprus wasn't cool enough for us to stay longer than a week. So we boarded one of the least crowded flights I have ever been on and took a forty minute jaunt across the Mediterranean to........

LEBANON!

First impressions of the city: feels like Detroit. There's Krispy Kreme donuts, dilapidated buildings, and Chevy vehicles. It's Detroit. Until...

Second impression: THE GINORMOUSLY AWESOME MOSQUE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY! So cool, seriously.

But what's really doing wonders for this week's international jaunt (because apparently we're incapable of staying in one country for very long anymore) is our hotel. The company put us up in a nice hotel in Cyprus. This Lebanese hotel eats the Cypriot hotel for breakfast. HOLY FREAKING COW! (I'm editing my thought processes for the general masses right now, just so you know. There are many explicatives going on because I can't get over the fact that I'm in the Middle East right now, let alone Lebanon.)

Our hotel is new to the city within the past few years, and in my opinion, it was a WISE investment. It's pimp. Like PIMP! Beautiful marble tiled entrances, I'm guessing mahogany wood finishes all over the place. If I don't see the city, it's because I'm lounging in my bathtub or sipping tea on my veranda. (Yes, we have a veranda!)

Since it's me though, I might be the most excited about the iron and ironing board in the closet. And the hair dryer. It's the simple things you miss the most when you don't have them around anymore...

Lebanon...crazy!

note: Mr. F is here for training. I tagged along for fun. He's going to work, I'm going to the pool!

pile up

2011-10-17T12:52:00.001+03:00

Mr. F dropped me off to this view this morning on his way to work. We checked out of the hotel and I've been at the apartment trying to make sense of the madness.

Why is it that you have to make a bigger mess to clean things up and create order? I don't understand. Luckily we don't have all of our things yet, so I can do this a little at a time. I am wishing for a Wal-mart or Target today as I keep thinking, "Oh, we need hangers!" or "A basket would come in handy here..." and on and on. As we're heading abroad tonight for a few days, I guess the best I can hope for is four empty bags with belongings tucked neatly onto shelved and two packed bags ready for a plane.

On a much different note, I have to offer an homage to technology. Last night we were able to Skype with Mr. F's family and speak on our new Vonage operated phone to my family. We're on the other freaking side of the world and thanks to the internet, our family and friends can call us like we live down the street. I don't understand how it works, but it's definitely the best remedy we've found to our occasional bouts of homesickness.

crazy

2011-10-16T22:55:00.002+03:00

Do you ever get overwhelmed with the pace of life? You know, the rapid rate at which things get thrown in your direction? I was sitting in church this morning thinking about this and a timeline started forming in my head.

One year ago: deciding to get married. Engquist working two jobs and an internship, Mr. F buried in his last formal quarter of university.

Eleven months ago: the Stud comes home, formal engagement

Six and a half months ago: working, graduating, marrying, honeymooning, not working, packing, moving, moving, moving, Florida.

Three and a half months ago: flying to Germany for internship.

Two months ago: the Alps, interning, Luxembourg.

One-ish months ago: Paris. Mass effort to find a job.

Five weeks ago: Job offer!

Three weeks ago: flying to Florida, going through boxes, tanning, family, dolphins, moving truck, at least five trips to the airport.

One week ago: drive through a hurricane to the airport, get stuck in Athens, collapse into a bed in Cyprus.

Five days ago: Mr. F starts new job. I apartment hunt.

Three days ago: sign contract on apartment.

Yesterday: move first wave of things into apartment, find IKEA, load IKEA belongings into new home. (We have a home!!)

Today: meet fellow church members here on Cyprus. Almost none of them are Cypriots.

Tonight: last night in Cypriot hotel.

Tomorrow: fly to Lebanon.

Tuesday-Friday: explore the second part of the world in two weeks I NEVER thought I'd ever, ever see.

I think we're officially expats, folks, with very little control of where life is going to take us next.

house hunters international: no more

2011-10-15T07:00:00.000+03:00

Well, we have a home! A small one bedroom flat in the heart of the city. We scoured the city quickly, trying to figure out what our best options would be. The university here just went back into session, so apartments were filling up quickly. Deals were scarce, but we feel more than satisfied with our bargain.

In Cyprus, apartments are qualified in three ways: furnished, partially furnished, unfurnished. Furnished means what you think. A bed, sofas, maybe a table. Pretty good deal. Unfurnished means there are no appliances.* Partially furnished indicates appliances, namely a fridge, cooktop, and oven. Sometimes a washing machine.

While our search was short, we looked at several options, ranging from studios to two bedroom units, but all within the heart of the city. With a lack of public transportation and Mr. F taking whatever car we will eventually have, we wanted to be "downtown" so I could walk to markets and be close to things. In my mind, it came down to a crazy huge two bedroom unit on a quiet street and a fully renovated one bedroom in an older building. Both were fully furnished and came with landlords that did the heart good. We weighed out the need for parking places, storage units, utility costs, and rent prices.

Today (Friday) we were handed the keys to the one bedroom in the older building and we couldn't be more thrilled! We will be the first people to live in it since the renovation and I am just itching to get my fingers on it and make it into our home!

Some nice features include a washer/dryer, television (which we weren't planning on having at all in Cyprus!), and massive storage space in the kitchen. What blew us away was the bedroom. It is the full length of the living space, just as wide, and has a walk-in closet! If you know Europe at all you will know that walk-in closets don't happen. We plan on turning the space in front of the wall to wall windows in the bedroom into an office of sorts, with a desk directly in front of the windows.

While it is one bedroom we are quite confident that we can get a guest or two inside to stay with us. There is more than enough space in the "office" for a sofa or even an air bed. Sure, it's not the Ritz, but the views are incredible!

How can you go wrong with a view like that?

*In Germany you supply your entire kitchen, so a few appliances doesn't seem as bad, but still a hefty investment.

because...

2011-10-14T14:33:00.000+03:00

jet lag is killing me, my brain hurts from making so many life decisions, and I just don't want to think anymore, I'm sharing some silly.

These little cards have been providing me with so many smiles and even more inspiration for projects I'd like to tackle as soon as I can find my paints. They're from the Florida based stationery company, Rifle Paper. It's probably a good thing I left the States when I did, because it's a lot harder for me to get my hands on these pretties nowadays. But oh, are they darling! Absolutely love them! Aren't the postcards such a great alternative to the traditional Christmas letter? le sigh... So much cute, so many countries in the way. I'll have to make my own, I guess!

wiki

2011-10-14T09:00:00.000+03:00

Since I knew next to nothing about my new home a few weeks ago, I thought I would share some of the tidbits I've garnered. I still have a tremendous amount to learn, so be patient as I try to fill in the gaps in information.

Cyprus is a small island in the Mediterranean. So small and so remote that google maps does not recognize it and the Weather Channel has no comprehension of the capital city.

It's Nicosia, by the way. (Nih-COH-see-yuh)

The island is small. I think we saw a reference once that put it as about the same size as Massachusetts. In all honesty, I think Massachusetts is bigger.

To make it even smaller, the island is divided in half, the south being the Republic of Cyprus, the predominantly Greek region. The north is occupied by Turkey, calling itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Only Turkey recognizes this as a country. I find it odd. Apparently the Turks invaded in the 1970s, leaving a battered capital and a whole lot of barbed wire fencing behind. Oh, and a giant Turkish flag that lights up at night on the side of the mountain. The mountain overlooks Nicosia and the flag is ginormous and imposing.

Greek is the de facto language, though nearly everyone we've encountered speaks English. I like to say this is because the island used to be a member of the British Commonwealth but I believe it has far more to do with tourism and the high presence of international business. Brits flock to the island to get some sun.

Citizens are called Cypriots.

They drive on the lefthand side of the road and use the same sort of outlets as in the UK. Again, I place this on the Commonwealth. (Mr. F, I am pleased to report, has been rockin' the backwards driving and has managed to get to and from work everyday thus far in a fairly timely manner without much incident!)

Member of the European Union. Non-Schengen. Use the Euro.

Roads go in whatever direction they like. Someone told us that if we get lost, turn around at the sea. My standard has been that the mountains indicate north, but when I can't see the mountains because of the buildings, I'm utterly confused.

Our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was only recently recognized officially by the Cypriot government. This means we can now put up signs and buy property. Should be a fun experience!

Cypriots don't eat dinner until eight o'clock at the earliest. I like to be in bed by the time they're getting to the appetizer.

Concrete is the building material of choice.

There are four main cities, Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol, and Paphos. Apparently the good beaches are in Larnaca. I'll report back on that later.

Birds SWARM at certain times of the day. There won't be a critter around, then all of a sudden, birds starting singing together all at once. It's beautiful and mildly creepy.

Public transportation is next to non-existent. There are so many cars it's like being back in the D.

There's no H&M. Personally, I didn't think you could be a member of the EU without having an H&M. Shows how much I know...

sunset: view from a hotel

2011-10-13T19:54:00.001+03:00

folk

2011-10-13T11:11:00.000+03:00

Have I ever shared tales of my traditional Fourth of July? If so, please excuse this recounting. Ten plus years ago, the husband of one of the Tall Guy's coworkers was sworn in as a US citizen. Both Big T and M are Lebanese, but M already had citizenship at the time of her husband's ceremony. Our family joined Big T and M downtown to join in the pomp.

It was the Fourth of July.

Every year since then, we have celebrated with them. We have homemade Lebanese food, watch real football, play football, and hear tales from their family's adventures around the globe. Not hot dogs. No baseball. Baba ganoush is my food of choice to celebrate Independence Day.

Their extended family has become our own. We have watched Big T and M have two darling sons, Lash and Little T, mourned with them as Big T's mother tragically passed away, celebrated Christmasses, weddings, and everything in between. They have helped shape who the Stud and I are today.

When we considered moving to Cyprus, we learned that several of the employees Mr. F would be working with were Lebanese. I truly leaped for joy and yelled, "THE FOURTH OF JULY IS SAVED!" I could watch the EuroCup and eat tabouli once more!

Last night two of Mr. F's Lebanese coworkers graciously took us out to dinner. Without much delay I shared my stories of Big T and M and the little I knew of their homeland. We spent the next couple of hours chatting comfortably, exchanging views on current events and learning about one another's families. I felt that same familiarity.

I am growing ever more grateful for my parents and the way they raised me. When I look at who I consider to be my extended family, the circle is wide and incredibly diverse. My parents taught me and my brother to recognize the good in people, regardless of where they come from. As I keep ending up in foreign locations, I find this to be such a gift my parents have given me. Folk are folk, no matter where you are.

the odyssey

2011-10-12T14:25:00.002+03:00

Our trip to Cyprus has all of the elements of an epic Greek tale.

It began with hurricane conditions in Florida, which made getting to the airport a very slow process.

Our spirits were lifted by the gate agent waiving all of our baggage fees, which saved us a small fortune. We had four bags to check plus a guitar. Two of the bags were WAY beyond heavy.

In a moment of classic Hollywood, I carried Mr. F's leather satchel in one hand and guitar in the other. I danced as best I could with all of the extra baggage while singing, "I have confidence in con-fee-dence uh-looooone!!!" Julie Andrews would have been mightily impressed. At the very least, Mr. F giggled.

We had a wholly disappointing final meal in Amrika at the airport Outback Steakhouse. Never before has Outback disappointed me. But they did, oh they did.

Our flight to mainland Europe was a dream. Have you ever flown Lufthansa? They're the best. Well, I don't know about the best, but compared to other international flights I've taken, this thing was a dream. Nice staff, roomier seats, we got to choose our own movies and music from a screen in front of us. I slept but Mr. F stayed up through the night watching Steve McQueen films.

Arrived in Frankfurt and spoke more English in our hour and a half in the airport than we did the entire three months in Dusseldorf. Okay, more than I did.

Mr. F took a nose dive in the middle of the Frankfurt airport. Lack of sleep was beginning to catch up with him.

The next flight was stuffed to capacity with Canadians. Naturally, I put on my Roots hat and had middled -aged Canadian women complimenting me left and right. Then the German flight attendant told me there were so many Germans, in German. And I understood! And giggled.

Arrived in Athens as our flight to Cyprus was supposed to be leaving. We ran with our bags stuffed full of chocolate chips through the airport. There were very few monitors and the one we could find didn't list our flight. Panicked and hyperventilating, again this was me, we asked a member of the security personnel where we might be able to find our flight.

On the other side of the airport.

We ran. Pretty sure we knocked people over with our giant, cumbersome bags. Asked more people and all they could say was, "This way, if it is still there." Never did find out about a gate number.

Got through customs, found a screen that at least listed a flight to Larnaca, and waited in security. Slowest security process ever. I was able to walk though the metal detector, run down to a gate and look at a monitor, come back and still had to wait for my bags to be screened. More hyperventilating.

After what felt like an eternity and about half a dozen members of the Athens Airport staff being rude and unhelpful, a gate agent finally told us where our flight should be. We get there and find out it's been delayed. The agents make an announcement to the crowded area that we would not know more information until nine o'clock. Not that we would leave at nine, but that we'd have more information. It was just before seven and the flight was scheduled for 6:15. Mr. F and I settled in for a long nap while the gate cleared out as people went to claim their free snack and beverage.

We spent the next seven hours waiting for our flight. Mr. F caught up on some sleep during that time while I made friends with whoever I could to maintain my sanity. A young mother, about my age, was waiting with her two sons and husband. Native Cypriots, Mr. F and I spent a great deal of time talking with them and playing with the boys. We learned our first Greek word, kouverta, which means blanket.

Around one in the morning, we boarded the plane and embarked on a very bumpy hour long flight to Larnaca. We arrived just before three, found all four of our heavy bags and the guitar and wandered out to the curb to find our ride waiting for us. Happiest sight EVER was that little Bulgarian man who was to take us to our hotel.

The car stuffed to capacity, Mr. F and I chatted in the back seat and stared at the full moon glimmering over the Cypriot mountains. We were in Cyprus! A not so nice man was waiting at the reception desk to check us in. You can't really blame him for being grumpy at four something in the morning though, can you? We hauled our bags into the room, showered, and fell asleep until midday Monday.

Since then, Mr. F has already started work and we are knee deep in house hunting. We have a pair of lovely friends from church who have taken me to the market and obligingly answer the phone every time I call with yet another question. We went to dinner last night to mull over housing options and ended up discussing the fact that we were actually in Cyprus more than anything. As we get closer to finding a flat, we feel more settled and more inclined to say this is home.

house hunters international: cyprus

2011-10-11T16:40:00.002+03:00

Cyprus, a small Mediterranean island located one hundred miles off the coast of Lebanaon has fruit trees, mountains, and a prospective job offer for one newlywed couple.

Mr F: It's a great company and how often do you get the chance to live on an island?

The couple is looking for a one to two bedroom apartment in the capitol city of Nicosia.

Engquist: We'd like to be able to have only one means of transportation, meaning it would be so much easier to live closer to the city center to do shopping and errands.

With a tight budget, will they be able to find a suitable place to call home for the next few years? We'll find out on this episode of House Hunters International.

So far we've seen three different flats, each with different high points and low points. Not sure if it's our real estate agent or the market itself, but we're having a hard time finding what we're looking for. Namely, a place within our budget with enough space that we don't feel like we're trampling over one another and a washing machine.

the wee sma's

2011-10-07T15:31:00.000+03:00

First thing in the morning. When the sun is tickling the horizon, that's when it happens. Every morning. Butterflies the size of sumo wrestlers leap into my stomach and start doing the Macarena. I instantly get the sensation that I have forgotten to write an English paper due that day and then I remember.

I'm moving.

My mind kicks into high gear with the veracity of the sumo wrestling butterflies, making endless lists of things for me to remember and to do. And then? Then I count off days and plot out my list accordingly. At first, I slept peacefully with a house full of family and a cleared out storage unit. Then the family left, and the moving truck came, and I just feel like vomiting the nerves come on so strong.

An uncanny rain settled over Florida this morning, fooling me visually about the time of day. But the butterflies were not so easily deceived by the lack of pink light in the eastern sky. They got to dancing harder than ever refusing to let me sleep. A somber jig about phone calls to friends and family still not made kept them busy. There were the gifts to mail, that haven't been, and they topped it off with a requiem entitled, "Tonight Is My Last Night at Home."

Mean butterflies.

if moving to cyprus means I get to see my whole family...

2011-10-06T00:04:00.002+03:00

then I'm moving halfway around the world more often. This last week will go down in infamy as one of the best ever. Luckily it's not over yet as we still have a few days with Mr. F's side of the clan. We feel so blessed and fortunate that our families have morphed into one family. No in-laws or out-laws here, just love, sun, guitars, and coke.

rummaging

2011-10-01T03:40:00.001+03:00

Hello all! We've been Stateside a week with one week to go. Our days have been filled with boxes, phone calls, and lots and lots of family. As of late last night, we have both sets of parents and our siblings with us in sunny Floriduh. Our moms ROCK! They have been hauling and hefting and packing and sorting all of our belongings with us. Then the Stud arrived and did even more hefting. There's been a lot of hefting. But, we are pleased to report that this is all we have left in storage. We merged two storage units and an attic full of who knows what into half of the smaller storage units. Hot freaking dang!

I'll be honest, I'm going to be scarce for awhile. This makes me sad, but..well...there's family to be had! We have hours of pool time ahead of us and I don't want to miss any of it.

Happy October, friends!

it only took...

2011-09-25T02:09:00.000+03:00

two hours of sleep

eight bags

four different lines to check in four bags

two security screenings

two customs check points

a ten hour flight

three movies

four seats for two people

two almost naps

two happy Swiss families

no sim card

lots of dots to follow on floors

one crappy Coke in Miami

one barely delayed flight

lots and lots and lots of giggles

fun conversations

one mom and a truck

a Chick-fil-A

and a fresh Coke

to get us here

auf wiedersehen

2011-09-23T09:00:00.000+03:00

ciao!

2011-09-22T12:51:00.000+03:00

Dude! Today is our last day in Germany! How in the heck did that happen? Those three months went unbelievably fast! We fly out tomorrow morning for the Great Two Week Family Packing Moving Abroad Visiting Drinking Coke Bonding Over Banana Cake Extravaganza of 2011. It's gonna be intense.

Today kicks off our pack-a-thon, though we're doing a marvelous job of avoiding it like the plague. Luckily, we don't have all that much with us. But we intend to eat some brotchen, go on a walk, maybe pick up some more cookies...ya know, the important stuff. Once we touch down in Floridaland, we have a crazy list of things to do. I have to get my passport renewed with my married name in the next two weeks. I don't even want to discuss how much that is going to cost. Then there's boxes to go through, hairs to cut, family to pick up from the airport.

Wait, have I mentioned this? This deserves mentioning. Due to the fact that we got a job (WOO!!) that is taking us halfway around the world in two weeks (eat that, Jules Verne! 80 days, that's for pansies) everyone is coming to Florida to hang out and go through boxes with us. Mum and the Tall Guy are flying down from the D and Sista and the Stud are flying out from Salt Lake. It's going to be nuts, but I absolutely cannot wait to see everyone! All of my family in one place? Bring. It. On.

Okay, I should stop procrastinating and least go to the bakery if I'm not going to pack. Can't pack on an empty stomach, right?

See you Stateside!

nyquil

2011-09-21T13:31:00.000+03:00

Dear Body,

Hey, it's me! Engquist! Just out of curiosity, why don't we sleep anymore? This stopped being fun about two weeks ago. Really. I know there's a lot to think about right now, but I need rest so I can actually get everything accomplished.

I finally took nyquil last night at two because there was no glimpse of rest on the horizon. The sun was approaching faster than sleep. What gives? Mr. F dozed peacefully next to me for hours. I read, made a few lists, played on the ipad, drew a few sketches, surfed the internet. Nothin. I was tired, I could feel it. Still can. But no, you refused to sleep.

Do you and my subconscious have some unresolved issues we need to work through? Is there a reason you're avoiding sleep? And don't tell me you're trying to get on the eastern time zone already, that's just not gonna fly. Something's up and you've just got to deal with it! We've all got stuff to do right now. I need you fully functional so I can pack and clean and hop on the first of who knows how many planes in two days. You didn't freak out like this when I got married, why now?

Hang in there body, we're all nervous about this one. But it's going to be so much fun!

Love,

engquist