Winter is coming....And since the weather has decided to make a drastic change, I cannotput off buying a winter jacket any longer. Today Stasey and I went toseveral stores and looked at many different winter coats. Someleather, some fur, some sporty, some dressy. I wanted the first one Isaw, which probably doesnt surprise most people who know me well. Itend to be pretty impulsive...but Stasey made me wait, and look at allthe coats, and told me I should take a day or two to think about it.My mom would like Stasey's influence a lot. So, although it took a lotof discipline....I am waiting and thinking, although I know I am goingto get the first one anyway!This weekend was really great. Friday night we were invited to one ofour student's homes for dinner. And on Saturday I went to a countryschool about an hour and a half away from here.My friend Ilya, who manages the coffee shop I frequent, teachesEnglish to 5th, 8th, and 11th grades on Saturdays. He asked if I wouldcome and talk to his students, and this past weekend was the day. Iwoke up before 6 and was out the door around 630. Ilya, a couple otherguys who teach English like Ilya, Sveta, and I drove out to thecountry. In the first class one of the young girls was a writer forher school newspaper and did a small interview with me after class. Bylunch time the paper was out and the interview and our classdiscussion was on the front page. There is a much different feel outin the country. Part of that was the grayness and rain of the changingseason, and part was the economic status of the community. Idefinitely hope to go back again.One of the best parts of my time out in the country was getting totalk more to Sveta. She and I had a really good conversation thatrevolved around relationships, the need to love, the power and purposeof love, and we even got into some spiritual conversation. I am reallyexcited about the beginnings of this friendship.