I hate being sick! Especially those annoying sicknesses that are just bad enough to wipe you out of any and all energy and to keep you coughing and sneezing to the point that no one really wants to be around you. And yet, you’re not quite sick enough that you can stay home from work or anything. Grrr. Well, that’s been me that past week or so. I think I’m finally on the upswing, though when Chris was talking to Kaspars on the phone today and I coughed, Kaspars said I sounded like a tractor. Hmm… My nose is all raw, since there’s no really soft kleenex here… I look like Rudolph, though now it’s starting to dry out and crack and peel like it was sunburned. Yuck. (Note: Carmex does help this quite a bit, though!)

Being Easter weekend, I finished school yesterday at noon and came home and crashed. We’d had plans to have Arta and Nauris over for dinner, but I just felt way too badly for that, though I felt just as bad canceling. We’ll have to try again soon.

This morning I woke up feeling alot better, but still not great. Today’s plans had us going south to the coast. We were going to go to Liepaja and spend the day with some fellow staff out there, Juris & Kristine and their family. While I did feel better, to the point where I would have gotten together with Arta and Nauris if I had felt like this last night, I didn’t think it would be wise going to Liepaja since they have 2 small kids. Noone wants sick kids. So, we called and canceled that too, with plans for possibly May Day weekend. A little later Kristine SMSed me (um… that would be “text-ing” for my American friends) and said “Katrina (their 4 year old) is asking if you’re ill because you ran around naked?” Kids. Hmm… nope. Let’s blame it on spring weather mixed with jetlag.

A few days ago at the store Chris had found some fish steaks and decided to get them. They were fairly cheap, so I thought, why not. Let’s try them. Since Latvia has water on 2 sides, seafood and fish, specifically, is very popular here. I am not much of a fish eater, but I would try it. Chris decided to cook it up tonight. First we tried to figure out what it was. It said “Zubatka” on it. Russian. Doesn’t help much when we ask our Latvian friends. Next step - internet. No luck. Next, Skype your Russian speaking staff-mates in Riga. They came up with “Wolffish.” Huh? Never heard of it. Then they sent a website link saying it was also known as an Atlantic Catfish. Ok. Then I searched the net - the whole point was to figure out how to cook this stuff. I found this:

Yuck!!! Ugly things, aren’t they! If you want to check out the site I found it at go to Scandanavian Cooking. Well, Chris cooked it, covered in flour and bread crumbs. I tried it. No thanks. It was very, very soft. Almost like a slimy jelly - a consistency I just can’t handle. He seemed to like it and ate most of it. There’s 2 pieces left in my fridge.

So, it’s been an interesting start to the holiday weekend. Tomorrow evening we’re off to Kaspar & Evelyn’s place. She’s making a Swedish/Estonian Apple Easter cake of some sort. Sounds good to me!

 Monday we have an all staff, all day staff meeting. I’m a little excited, mostly because 3 of my students & Chris’ band friends (Ieva, Andis & Peteris) are going to come and assist him in leading worship. Yeah!

Until next time, we wish you a very happy, blessed and joyous Easter as we celebrate the reason for joy - the resurrection of our Savior, rescuing us from damnation and adopting us as His own! Thank you Jesus!!!