carrot soup

The weather over the past weekend was unusually gray and cool for this time of year (summer). The rains started and stopped periodically on both days, but it was the constant, strong winds that I found most soothing. I woke up each morning to the rushing sound of rustling leaves in my backyard. My giant mafura tree did not sway at all of course, grounded by its enormous trunk and solid roots, but it did allow its branches to swing wildly and obediently with the whipping wind. I don’t know why, but I found the sight and sounds of all this extraordinarily pleasing.

I stayed in all weekend, partly because of the rain but also partly because I didn’t want to drive my car on the muddied and potholed roads. I got a flat tire last week and had to switch to my spare on Friday. No, I didn’t change the tire myself, although I really should learn how to do the job. One of the guys at the nearby gas station changed it for me while I watched, something I haven’t seen in over 15 years at least. Doesn’t look too hard. My colleague M accompanied me to a shop where we thought we could buy some new tires for my Corolla (155/80 R13 – for those who are curious). Sadly we didn’t find what we wanted so M decided that he would get some for me from Maputo. Nice guy, right?

What in the world does one do stuck in the house all weekend, especially if watching the Oscars is not an option, as I don't have satellite TV? Well, I guess I could have chatted with my guards, walked around in the rain and mud, visited with neighbors, ventured “downtown” to shop for things I don’t need. But no, I decided to spend this weekend doing “relaxing” (ie not exciting) stuff. Here’s an incomplete list of my odds-n-ends weekend. See? So let's get one thing straight from the get-go -- my life here isn’t *always* about "saving the world"...

• Finished The Know-It-All by AJ Jacobs and Shadow of the Sun by Ryzard Kapuscinski. They are both journalists but stylistically very different.
• Talked to Marshall on the phone for a long time (okay, this was exciting I admit).
• Enjoyed a tuna melt sandwich with salt & vinegar chips and a diet coke.
• Watched Bread & Roses and About a Boy, both of which I had seen already. Not an Anthony Brody fan, and Hugh Grant lost his appeal after Four Weddings and A Funeral (which I saw last weekend).
• Gave my friend (and current housemate) K an update on the wedding planning.
• Made a list of things I could make with the food I had left in my fridge and pantry.
• Decided to try a carrot soup with coriander (which turned out not half bad) and potatoes au gratin. How I wished I had Gruyère cheese!
• Listened to Tim Keller on my iPod. Still think he’s a brilliant speaker.
• Finished two reports I was writing for work.
• Practiced some yoga, bravely trying to hold the warrior 2 pose for a minute. I am seriously out of shape.
• Made myself feel better by doing 200 stomach crunches. Not a huge feat, but a start!

It’s amazing how much you can "accomplish" over a weekend when you have time all to yourself.