Wednesday our temperature almost hit 70. This morning it’s almost at freezing. Subsequently, that’s why my coffee tastes so extra special this cold Saturday morning. Having said that; it’s a hot time in the old town these days.

Walk one mile East from our Condo and you’re on the campus of Xavier University. Walk a mile and a half south of our Condo and you’re on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. We’re almost the mid-point between the two schools.

Here’s why the town is abuzz; Basketball. The current national ranking for the NCAA Division 1 men’s Basketball has the Xavier Musketeers in the number 4 slot and the Cincinnati Bearcats at number 5.

Traditionally, every year both teams are good; however, this is a once in a lifetime event!

”Every season is a journey. Every journey is a lifetime” ~ Mike Krzyzewski – head men’s basketball coach at Duke University

This week, a first – and it happened on St. Valentine’s Day. So, not a spoiler alert, just a bit of background. Ever since we’ve settled in at the Condo we’ve made use of some of the best and freshest Asian foods anywhere from a lovely little place called Suzie Wong’s – always picked up as a ‘take-away’ due to some need.

We’d do this should the kids drop in unexpectedly, after a busy day getting our place ready to move into when we were painting like crazy, and (it seems) always something to look forward to as a great meal after our 12-hour hike home from Northern Comfort.

With all of that we realized that Marcia had NEVER actually set foot in the place.

This St. Valentine’s Day all that changed. And, Marcia discovered that a wonderfully served meal by a window seat was even better than the great foods we’d gotten used to coming out of a box.

My glass of ice cold Tsingtao beer made it for me.

Chaos at Jungle Jim’s – Actually it was Marcia’s idea to make a stop at Jungle Jim’s International Market – it’s a solid 40-minute run for us (not too far but lots of traffic lights). The place sports a massive parking lot and we finally found a spot by the tree-line on the outer perimeter. It was a zoo.

We always knew that folks would travel from a hundred miles away to this place; we just didn’t realize that they all would do it on that very day!

“Why” you ask? Here’s why;
Ostrich? “Yes sir, canned, on the shelf backside of that isle.” Elk roast? “yes, keep on walking in the last cooler.” Lemon Grass? “Certainly, with the Asian vegetables, just keep on going a little further. Tajin? “You’ll find it in several sizes in the Mexican area Isle 15”. I did impulse buy a package of German Matjes herring (Maatjes in Dutch) – soused and oh-so tasty!

Honeys? How about a complete isle. Want raw honey, not just one but a complete sub-section of the stuff. They claim 15,000 labels of wines, plus a Reserve Cellar. 4,000 different beers, from craft to crazy! A recent addition is a complete Kombucha taste bar – near the walk-in cigar humidor.

And so it goes. No matter how quirky, how unusual, or from how far away, Jungle Jim’s will have it. The place is an adventure (and tiring as hell).

Praying Mantis eyes finale – Two more rounds of detailed eye testing to go, these for the study I am participating in. This week I had what was the first of the three. It was all lovely. I am finally beginning to not reach for my old eyeglasses when I get up (am either a slow learner or it’s a seriously embedded habit).

Finis – We’re all thankful that everyone of Tevita’s family was uninjured when tropical Cyclone Gita  came through a few days ago. The capital of Nukualofa took a direct hit – even the Tongan Parliament building was demolished. One of Tevita’s brothers lost his home and another lost the roof and with that all their belongings.

His mother Lupe’s island grouping of Vavau took a glancing blow and her recently built house survived nicely. Tevita and his brother in Auckland, New Zealand are now working to get foods heading there since power is gone and the crops destroyed.

This week Derek and I celebrate our birthdays. I am thrilled hearing just how much Derek has matured these last months. He’s quickly become a responsible young man! Homework gets addressed before play. Grades, including Spanish, are where they should be. And he’s now doing his own laundry (by choice and without prompts). As grandparents we are about as proud of him as we can be. Love you guy!

Make it a great week.

Cheers.

Dirk