26 February 2008

Wildlife

I think that maybe the alligator is back at the lake by our apartment. There was this interesting noise the other night, that I couldn't place. It was like a frog ribbiting or a cricket chirping, but unlike any frog or cricket I had ever heard. T said that he thinks maybe it is the alligators making that sound, and when it stops raining, I'm going to go to the bridge and see if I can find one. There are two, but maybe one brought a kid back...that would be so cool!! The only thing better than an alligator, would be if we had river or lake otters instead.

A job

Well, I have now worked three days at my new job. I am working 25-30 hours/week for a local country club bar and grill. I think I like it, but it is very different than what I have done in the past. Not only am I the only cook, I am also the steward, so I do dishes and sweep and mop the floor. It actually helps to keep me from being bored sometimes, on the slow days. I am also helping with the Wednesday and Friday night dinner menus, which is a new thing for me as well. I think I have my first ones done. I'm slightly nervous since it is just me, and I think maybe they set some high expectations of me, but I hope I just do alright and don't burn anything or make stuff too salty or some bizarre thing like that. I will keep you updated on how i like it. The people I work with are really fun and friendly. And I yet again have free golf. It makes me think I should be a little more serious about learning...I wonder if I could just play 9 holes and that is it. That is the length of my attention span. Maybe I will just go out to the driving range and hope I don't look too bad.

The local pub

T had to work late on Valentine's Day, so I made a really nice dinner for us. We decided we would go out to eat on the weekend, since neither of us had to work, and I got to pick out the place. I finally decided to go a little bit low key, and we went downtown to an Irish pub that has live music on the weekend. It was so fun, and the burgers were delicious. We even had the opportunity to walk down to the pier and sit on the hanging swings together. It was a good night. So fun!

15 February 2008

Congaree National Park


Last Saturday, T and I went hiking our at congaree. It is an old flood plain forest, and it was pretty neat. The water levels have started to rise from the rain we have been having. We hiked the river trail, and I was really hoping somewhere along the way to get to see a river otter, but they were all hiding. Oh well, maybe next time. We had a lot of fun and one of our delicious picnic lunches.

07 February 2008

Currently in Life

Well, we are settling into our life here in our new city (for me anyway.) T has been back at work for two weeks, twelve hour days...he's a little tired. I spent a week settling in and have spent this week looking for a job. I realized I've never really had to look very hard for a job, so it is a new experience.

This new city is interesting. I thought I was moving to the suburbs, but this is definitely more outskirts of the city. I have never before lived at the junction of 3 major highways, which makes for interesting traffic, but our apartment is set back enough that one would never know so many cars were passing by. We had a thunder storm last night with lightning, and it was fun to watch.

There are some interesting differences between here and where I used to live. People really are very friendly here, and in general that is really nice. It is occasionally overwhelming as well. I walked into a furniture store to browse, which I told the guy who met me as I entered, and then he proceeded to accompany me, keeping up a steady flow of conversation and advice about dressers. I got out of there as fast as I could. I think he must work on commission. That is just one story of the friendliness. I am used to the people ignoring me unless I have a question or are ready to check out. I'll get used to it though.

We live close to the base, and it is really nice. The base has running trails that take you through the forest and along the river and I think near one of the swamps. It has been nice to be able to get to nature so easily.

The resident alligators (there's two) and the resident turtles (a plethora) at our apartment's lake/pond have been M.I.A. since I moved here, but I think that is because spring is just starting. Maybe they were hibernating? I have seen them on visits here, and it is fun, just remember, "don't feed the alligators, they are not pets."

Since moving here, there has been a smell in the air that I finally decided must just be what the city smells like. A permanent paper mill smell, if you are familiar with that smell. Anyway, I found out what it was the other day. It is burning season, and they do it in an interesting way here. They put some sort of chemical on the underbrush that somehow makes it so that is the only thing that burns, saving the trees in the forest. It is the smell of the chemical burning. So, I have a feeling that will go away soon.

I have also found a fascinating variety of names on the buildings here. One strip mall has a sign Pub, and next to that, a store that says, Pizza, and next to that a store that says Wings etc. All different restaurants that I can tell, but I can imagine some of the funny conversations that must happen. Hey, I'll meet you at the pub. "Which pub?" The pub. "yes, but which one." And so on down the line, I think Abbot and Costello would have loved it.

In general though, I like this new place and I am finding my way around. I still get a little lost on all the highways and roads, but that is part of the fun of the adventure.