Happy New Year

Last time I posted I was in UB and we are back again. After a horrible micro ride home from UB two weeks ago (it took 12 hours, when it usually takes 8-9, and a guy was drunk and trying to pick fights and then passed out and drooled on everyone, and i didn't have a seat so much as a metal bar that gave me bruises) we discovered that our kitty was in heat. I don't know how many of you have tried to live with a cat in heat in a ger, but it is not pretty. So we turned back around and took her to the vet to get fixed and the last of her shots. She was so mad and so sore on Tuesday when we picked her up I wanted to cry. But we got her home and wrapped her in a blanket and a hot water bottle and she mostly slept the rest of the day and night. Now she is doing fine but her whole stomache is shaved so she gets cold pretty easily. Tonight we are taking a car back but it has no heat so she will ride in our coats pretty much the whole way.

It has been a good trip to the city. Lots of sleep in time and relaxing with friends. Plus unlimited free internet. So that is nice. Today we had our first salad since coming to mongolia and it was so good. : )

New years was good. We had friends over to the ger and we drank bad champagne out of a mug and lit sparklers at midnight. We also had a wonderful surprise on new years eve morning. Our hashaa dog had 5 puppies. So of course I was out there every hour to check on them. It was super cold that day with bad wind but mommy was doing a good job of keeping them warm. Jesse and I have taken it upon ourselves to feed her about 3 times a day so they all stay healthy. When we get back they should have their eyes open (I think). They are almost all black but one has little brown eyebrows and a white chest and one has white paws and a white line down its spine. I have named those two because I can tell them from the rest of the litter. The one with white is flash and the other one is bernard.

Monday we are back to work for real....for about a week and then it is tsagaan tsar and an official 3 day holiday which ends up to be more like a week or two. Most of the kids get pulled out of school to help clean the houses and make boats (think steamed meat dumplings). Our family is making 1500 boats. Then everyone gets in new clothes and goes to their friends and families houses to eat boats, drink vodka, and give presents. It sounds like it will make me tired. But it is the biggest holiday of the year. Most of the previous class (M15) are going to thailand durring this time because it is too much to go through twice. : ) Still not sure if we are supposed to host people at our house or not and how much money we are supposed to give to people we visit and what kind of presents we are supposed to give so this is giving me low grade anxiety.

That is all I can think of for now. Hope your new years bring joy and good health. Cheers.