Beans and Bullets.

My mother in law taught me to sort through my bag of beans before I cook them. It's always good, you know, to pick out the little shriveled ones or the ones that have turned an unattractive shade of black (who knows if the black is really a bad thing but since it can't be a good thing we'll feel like we've accomplished something by taking those beans out). However when we first moved here I discovered that the expensive bag of beans (a whole 25 cents more) were cleaner, nicer and I could get away with skipping the sorting process & just dump them into the pressure cooker. Now that the dollar has devaluated and the cost of beans has risen it is now worth saving the $1.50 by buying the cheaper brand and sorting through the beans (the difference in price has risen because of the exchange rate). Of course I had to experiment by being lazy one time by just dumping the cheaper beans into the pressure cooker. What did I get? Some really tasty beans along with some still very solid rocks. Yeah, rocks. I never did tell Jonathan (oops, he knows now) because I was able to take out the bigger rocks and I think the smaller ones were probably assumed to be gristle, or something. So today...I broke down and sorted my beans before I cooked them.

See the tiny pile off in the corner of the rejects?

Here is a closer view in case you were wondering if it really is worth the time to sort through the huge pile only to find a few losers. No, that is not a raisin in the middle and yes, those are rocks you see off to the left (the rocks really aren't good for those teeth that have been filled, and re-filled over the years...youch).

Besides beans there are a few other things consuming my thoughts these days...

• I'm improving in soccer and really enjoying the exercise. I only fell one time last night and stopped rolling quicker than normal. This is the first stage in my life where I get to experience rolling after a fall. Oh well, there's a first time for everything!
• Chicky is about the same. Not really better but not worse. Perhaps I need to get used to the idea that I may have a handicapped bird for the next 10 years of my life. She's still just as sweet as ever.
• 11 more days 'til we move...I really can't wait. I thought I had outgrown that "anxious" feeling that I discovered I get when I know I'm about to move but can't move yet. Guess I haven't...I feel so anxious to settle again! But the soccer, the exercise and the rolling are helping (ok, maybe the rolling isn't but I just wanted to say that). Does MamaJill or anybody else have some moving tips for me? I'm a little confused as to what I should pack up this far in advance and what I should leave for a later date.
  
• The politicians in town have now, I'm sure, rented every available car with speakers attached to it these last days 'til the election. They've decided now is the time to take the next step and go door-to-door handing out pieces of paper with their picture/name on it. When I go out to the gate I've discovered speaking really choppy Portuguese on purpose helps as they just look at me, hand me the paper, smile and then walk away (Jonathan has to listen to a speech every time he goes out and talks like a normal person!).
  
• Karis is improving in the potty training dept. (I totally put it off until just last week!). I love saving money on diapers. I really, really love saving that money.
  

Well, the munchkin is napping and I'm feeling the need to be more productive (sorting beans isn't quite enough to make me feel accomplished for today).