Getting things ready for foreign exchange student
By LOU GREENHAW
Contributing writer
We are having an exchange student from Italy for the fall semester. Her name is Francesca and she is from Turin. We are trying to get ready for the changes. However, because we have never had a daughter, this is a bigger change than when we had the German boys.
First of all is the issue of the bedroom. Somehow, I didn't think that golf wallpaper and artwork of cows was the best look for a female teenager. So we decided to redo the bedroom more feminine. We didn't go with ruffles and lace to make it too feminine, but we softened it up a little.
First the walls were painted light beige. Then I painted the old brown painted furniture of my grandmother's. I wanted an antique white look but the term now is distressed white. When I was done, both the furniture and I were distressed. I painted in the garage and that meant picking flies off my newly painted furniture. We had beige shades installed. We bought some posters for the walls, framed a picture, got a few throw pillows, ordered a slipcover for the chair, threw down some throw rugs and we thought we were ready.
So Sunday afternoon, we decide to put it all together to see how it looks. The comforter that I had bought in May was the wrong size. So the first thing you see when you walk in the room is missing. Steve is going to try to exchange it for a full size one this week.
Otherwise, I think it will be adequate for her needs. I've sent her a yearbook from a year ago so she can start to learn the names of the teachers and some of the students. Several of the girls from the junior and senior class are going to email her this month. Since she has no host sister to get her introduced, others are picking up the ball. I am really thankful for them.
Before she comes, I still have a trip to Washington State, a week of meetings in California and a Sunday School class garage sale that I want to have time to clean so I can get rid of a lot of things. I hardly have time for the real work.
Eric Driggers, my former neighbor, who is now all grown up and married, is a student for the month of July at my pharmacy. He will get his Pharm D degree in May. It is certainly easier to have a student who already knows that the name pronounced Ens can be spelled four ways and knows how to say Pschigoda.
I have taken a new salad to a couple of potlucks. I think it is good. Francesca likes spicy food so I think she will do fine with all the Mexican food we eat. However, I am hoarding the salsa that the Luna's brought me. Man, that's good stuff!
SOUTHWEST CORNBREAD SALAD
1 (8.5 oz) cornbread muffin mix
1 can green chilies, well drained
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 small head of romaine lettuce
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15oz) Mexicorn
8 ounces shredded Mexican four-cheese blend
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
5 green onions, chopped
Ranch dressing
Prepare cornbread according to package except add the chilies and taco seasoning. After baking, cool and crumble. In a large bowl layer half the cornbread, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, corn, cheese, bacon and onions. Spread dressing evenly over top. Repeat layers and dressing. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
