Skip to main content

06/28/86 Asthma, homesick, raw fish and friends

Saturday, June 28, 1986

I didn't sleep well last night.  My asthma and allergies began acting up.  Probably from the smoke.  The man's name is Decide -- like decided . He says that hash is good because the fire you see while burning your brain cells is exciting.  He is a very strange man.  He makes colleges that explain what he thinks unconsciously.  They tell a story from his head.  I think he is very weird.

Today I am beginning to feel homesick and I am not doing well with French.  They all speak so quickly and I say pardon and they repeat it in English.  It is hard.  There is no one around my age to talk to and I feel very uneasy.  It just might be because I am not feeling well.  It is also very hot.  They have no screens here so there are many bugs everywhere.

 I had raw fish for lunch today.  I had about 3 bites.  Enough to make it look like I ate something.  This is the 3rd meal I haven't eaten.  For dinner last night I had only cucumber and lettuce and for breakfast a small yogurt.  I don't really like the food much.

Tomorrow will be the end of my first week away from home.  I have 9 weeks left.  I sure hope they go quickly.  Also I hope I can pickup some French because right now I'm doing awful.

Today was a real tough day to get through. It did get better though.  After I had raw fish for lunch (gross!) I figured next time they offer it I'd say thanks anyway, but that didn't work.

A few of her friends came over.  They sat around smoking and chatting all afternoon.  I was feeling really blah so I stayed upstairs most of the morning thinking and crying.  It must have helped because I felt well enough to go chat with everybody.  They are definitely different.  When I was staring to have fun they left.  4 kisses, Au Revoir.  And once again we had raw fish for dinner.  I had to eat it because they were all sitting there and I couldn't throw it away.  It was very difficult.

After dinner we played a French card game.  I even understood some of what Decide was saying in French. I suppose it is a beginning.  Once or twice I even answered back in French!

Some day maybe I'll catch on to all of this.  I still can't understand Colette.  When I understand what she is saying I will have accomplished something!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

08/28/25 Steve (Stevie Wonder) retires from Washington City

Steve Whitekiend was Washington City's IT guy for most of the years I worked there. Before him was a guy named Marshall. Under Marshall rule the computers were a disaster. We had constant problems. Steve cam along and converted us all the MACs (it was a hard sell for me but I'm loving them now).  I always said that I couldn't work at Washington City if Steve was gone. I never wanted to experience another bad IT situation. Steve surprised everyone and retired early and with only 2 weeks notice.  My job included putting on retirement parties -- so I had to come to work with Andy home with COVID to take care of this party.  And Steve's leaving was definitely a factor in propelling me to my retirement. 

08/23/25 Organ

The Washington First Ward Building was sold to the City of Washington. Part of my responsibilities included dispensing of the organ and pianos in the building (along with other things).  It is an Allen, approximately 1970s.  I put the organ up on the auction. There were a couple of other people that were bidding on it, but I ultimately won the bid (for under $100). On the day I won the bid I was able to arrange a mover!!! I paid $250 to have someone from the piano store move it to our house (I have no idea how he managed to get that into the back bedroom....but he did it!!!) Then, it wouldn't work. 😭 I waited for approximately 6 weeks before a guy (who had to be 80 years old) came down from SLC and repaired the organ. (So the organ wasn't actually broken, it had to do with the electricity and the house talking nicely to one another.) It took him a couple of hours to figure it out. He charged about $200 and voila! I have a working church organ.  Cool, eh?  Now, I got...

06/27/25 Drew Ellerman's Retirement Party

Steve Whittekiend, Kelly Carlson in front Mayor Kress Staheli in back Thad Seegmiller back of head Police Chief Jason Williams, Councilman Troy Belliston Jordan Hess, Councilman Bret Henderson, Finance Brian Brown Mayor Kress Staheli and Councilman Craig Coats Danice Bulloch (former City Recorder), Shelly Griffin Hana Park and Tara Pentz (current recorders) April and Drew Ellerman April & Drew Ellerman, Kathy Spring (former assistant to Drew) Bonnie Baker (current assistant) and Drew Drew