My blog has moved!

You should be automatically redirected in 6 seconds. If not, visit
http://www.theastromaidchronicles.com
and update your bookmarks.

Translate This!

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Just Call Me Resourceful Rhonda

For those of you that know me, you'll know that I frequently talk about how when the apocalypse comes, I'll be the first to die.

Despite a couple years of being in Brownies, I just don't have a terribly impressive amount of survival skills (though I CAN sew a mean sit-upon). This isn't something I necessarily am looking to change -- I'm just aware of it.

And for those of you that also know about Jorge, you'll remember that I frequently tout him as my key to survival for when the apocalypse comes. The guy grew up in rural farmland, knows how to light fires, spent most of his childhood barefoot and pooping in the wild, and can ride a horse bareback. Furthermore, he has uncanny and ingenious solutions to common household problems. Whenever I need to fix something, I hand it to him -- work your crazy magic, I tell him. And he does. 

Well, it appears Jorge's resourcefulness has rubbed off in our 1.5 years together. Let me explain.

We recently moved into a new (mini)apartment in Lima. Though our landlord provided some basics, like a bed, and plates, and a toilet, there weren't important things like knives or French Press coffee makers. 

Being that I am an American Coffee Drinker with a pound of hazelnut coffee burning a hole in my backpack, I had to remedy this situation quickly. However, the nearest supermarket only sells food -- no household products, no sprawling aisles of coffee makers, not even cheese cloth, for god's sake.

So, one our first morning in the new place arrived, I had a brilliant idea. 

I wear a lot of leggings (ahem, actually maybe only leggings), and some of my current pairs in rotation are about to die. On our way back to Lima, Jorge pointed out in the middle of the Miami airport that I was essentially walking around naked since my leggings had grown so threadbare. Oops. 

Time to throw them out -- or is it? I decided to use these very same leggings for a couple different purposes. 

Purpose #1: CHEESECLOTH FOR COFFEE.

Purpose #2: Cloths for the sink area/cleaning the bathroom.

Okay, okay, hold your horses, you might be thinking. How can a self-respecting human being use leggings to make coffee? I'll explain.

Step One: Snip off the bottom fourth of one of the legs.

Step Two: Sew the bottom of the snipped-leg-portion shut. 

Step Three: USE THIS AS A COLANDER FOR SEPARATING COFFEE GROUNDS FROM COFFEE.

Freaking. Genius.

However, our (mini) apartment, as I explained, came equipped with only the bare minimum of kitchen necessities. So on our first morning, this is what happened.

I sprinkled an appropriate amount of coffee grounds into a bowl (re: one of two bowls available in the house). Once my water was boiling, I poured this into the bowl. I let it sit for about five minutes. Then, having fastened my legging-colander to a mason jar ring using a hairband, we poured the coffee out of the bowl into the coffee cup via homemade colander.

Jorge pours bowlofcoffee into cup.

Coffee grounds remain securely in the homemade colander.

Final product: cup of coffee.

Over time, my coffee-making methods have varied. I went from strictly French Press/Keurig/locally bought to drip filter, to colander method...and now, to bowls. Some people might find this method unseemly or gross; I, however, pride myself on my big city survival skills. 

Let's be honest, I might not be able to live very long once the apocalypse hits...but dangit, I know I'll be able to fashion myself a good cup'a'joe when the time comes! Provided I can figure out how to boil some water, that is. 

Sunday, July 20, 2014

A New Chapter Begins: Lima, Peru

We haven't been here long, but man, have we gotten the ball rolling fast!

Here's how our time in Lima has been spent so far:

Day One: Arrive to Lima at 5:30am after multiple delays stateside; notice that luggage doesn't arrive; begin house hunting project; visit 5 possible rentals.

Day Two: Drink ample Starbucks; get one of two missing backpacks; confirm tiny apartment rental with landlords; visit their house and review terms and conditions; drink a juice made of purple corn; like it.

Day Three: Receive last piece of lost luggage; move into tiny apartment; sign contract; pay rent; begin arranging things on shelves and figuring out how to cover up the obscene white of the walls.

From Day Four and onward, it's been a pretty rhythmic domestic process: figuring out how to make coffee without a coffee maker (more on this later), filling drawers, buying necessities (like the broom we bought and then promptly left at the store), etc. Jorge has set up appointments with several top salons to prove his prowess, I.E. get hired, and we've also papered the neighborhood with announcements about his services. 

I MADE THIS!

One of the notable thing about Lima so far is that, while in full winter, the temperature rarely drops below 66 F. Their winter is very gray, however -- but for an average temperature of 70 degrees and never having to wear four layers, I'll TAKE IT.

Lima at night -- the lefthand side of this picture is OCEAN. 

Our apartment is actually a mini-apartment, which means that's its smaller than a studio apartment in NYC and there's no oven. We're paying roughly 30% more than we did in Valparaiso, for about one-fifth of the space. *sigh* Big city living.

However, we're in the coolest neighborhood (Barranco), in an extremely safe zone, one block from the ocean, and there is a Starbucks nearby and all sorts of trendy boutiques and gorgeous houses so like, I guess I'll live.

Barranco...our neighborhood in Lima! I.E. could be a 
stand-alone city on its own. 

Here's to a new, fun, and totally different chapter in Lima, Peru! 

Friday, July 18, 2014

A Month In America

Readers, Followers, Lovers and Others,

I apologize for the lengthy delay. I'm not usually SO bad about updating!

But, it must be known, that Jorge and I had one freaking jam-packed month in America!

I'm not just talking busy, I'm talking, DOING ALL THE THINGS.

We went to a 4-day festival in Michigan, he met almost all of the family, we explored Sandusky and northern Ohio, we flew to Nashville and spent a weekend there, we visited parks, we walked dogs, we watched (almost) every match of the World Cup, he met and spent time with 95% of my best friends, we held multiple cookouts for both friends and family, we went to Cedar Point, we had 4th of July celebrations, we went to the beach, we got in the lake, we went to Kelley's Island, we went to Put in Bay, we had dinner at friends' houses, we went to a local music festival, we saw a lighthouse, we parasailed, we ate so much food I don't wanna talk about it, and, most of all...we enjoyed a freaking awesome summer in northern Ohio!

On top of all of this, I was still working (though reduced hours). The only thing I had to put on hold was WRITING. Sigh.

Here's some photographic proof of stuff!

Lovers on the 4th of July

Jorge checks out Lake Erie and Cedar Point Beach

On a little walk with Storm, my dad's new pup, through Osborne Park

Jorge showing his prowess in asados

After a great visit in Nashville with my mom and stepdad!

On a daytrip to Put-in-Bay with friends!

Helping good friends install laminate flooring for their dance studio!

A self-portrait of the occasional cameraman