We've had the occassion to re-watch some of our childhood favorites with @ over the last year. Before we left the states last year, we went through the christmas sales racks and bought some videos that we liked as kids. We got the muppets and then some we thought we wouldn't mind @ watching, Seasame Street, Thomas etc. Since being here we have been really blessed by gifts from friends. A friend here left this summer and left us a stack of some 30 DVDs and VCDs. Annie was in the stack and @ loves it. Then we sent to the states for Mary Poppins and somewhere along the way we picked up "The Jungle Book" from Disney. But in watching all of these over and over again I've come to a new appreciation of some old favorites and found a few new favorites.
- Carol Burnett is a genius! I've watched "Annie" in bits and pieces probably 100 times over the last 6 months. The woman is a physical comedy genius. Love her. Then I was reading the other day she is 74 yrs old and thinking how is that. I've read too that she lives in alot of pain because of the number of falls and dives she's taken. Boy, oh, I love watching her sing and move in Annie. Terrific.
- Dick Van Dyke. Another genius. The guy can move. I thought Julie Andrews was the stand out in "Mary Poppins", no way, its Dick Van Dyke. He dances in every scene that he is in and you've just got to watch his body move. He has these huge long legs and the guy just moves. I can't get enough of him.
- Thomas and Bob. Two great shows that are about being a good friend and being really useful and reliable. I think that is wonderful. And they are translated into local language so @ and I are learning to be "really useful and reliable" and in two languages. Yes, WE CAN. This has been helpful at our house when @ says "I can't put on my shoes." "I can't..." The question comes "Can you do it?" "YES I CAN!" This gets him into school too, with the question "Can you listen and obey?" "Yes, I can!"
Living with a kind husband and 2 bewitching smaller people. Remembering everyday what it is to be blessed beyond measure.
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
about handling eels
I got a little bit caught up in the facebook this week and haven't made the priority of getting the post up about last friday. I'll try to get pictures of the blessed event up soon over at Not as Daily.
Last friday our language school celebrated the country's independence day. It was a week late but the priority is always given first to participating in neighborhood events, which are the traditional way to celebrate the holiday. Our neighborhood is a bit of dud and we had a little picnic but it was only the minimal participation.
Anyway the school's aim was to do the occassion up right. Flag waving, games for everybody, talent shows the whole thing. One of the students does a little magic and by magic I mean magic for 3 yr olds because everyone over three saw through him. Still he's a funny guy and gave it a good go. Another student used to juggle, the last time she had juggled was something like 5 yrs ago and she practiced the night before. Still she had the stuff and was very impressive. She must have been terrific when she was juggling regularly and she still had a hilarious routine. Then they brought out the games. Eat the cracker off the string over your head without hands, a very traditional game. But it was nice because they had a round for the kids and then the men and the women. Then there was blindfolded pop the water bag on a string. Kids and Dad with sticks swatting at a waterbag hanging over head, blindfolded. Definitely not ZAA but really fun. Then we went up for what I thought were the awards but they had one more relay up their string. They had a bucket full of baby eels and at the other end of the field were empty water bottles (they had a little water). Teams of three had to take the eel from its bucket home and carry it relay fashion and get it into the water bottle. The catching wasn't terribly easy but there were lots and so that helped. Carrying it was easy. The forcing its little wiggly slippery body into the water bottle, impossible. If you drop the silly thing, they are nearly impossible to catch. But forcing its unwilling uncertain body into a little water bottle hole... needless to say I got the short end of the stick and I think I managed three of them. But let's all remember that i have texture issues and so handling the thing sent me over the edge. I'm fine with lots of other things, snakes even. But eels have always given me the willies. They are slippery and very muscular. IGG. My team did not win this event and I think they were understanding.
Nice time with people we go to school with, Jonathan more than me. The morning sections are a really big bunch and they visit alot. The afternoon is much smaller (5 of us at the moment) and rather transient. I like this for studying but consequently I don't know anyone, whereas Jonathan knows everyone. @ had a ball. Loads of kids to run and chase. He was given permission to stand and eat a huge salty cracker. But mostly the running and chasing. Everyone came home happy and tired, a success on all counts.
Last friday our language school celebrated the country's independence day. It was a week late but the priority is always given first to participating in neighborhood events, which are the traditional way to celebrate the holiday. Our neighborhood is a bit of dud and we had a little picnic but it was only the minimal participation.
Anyway the school's aim was to do the occassion up right. Flag waving, games for everybody, talent shows the whole thing. One of the students does a little magic and by magic I mean magic for 3 yr olds because everyone over three saw through him. Still he's a funny guy and gave it a good go. Another student used to juggle, the last time she had juggled was something like 5 yrs ago and she practiced the night before. Still she had the stuff and was very impressive. She must have been terrific when she was juggling regularly and she still had a hilarious routine. Then they brought out the games. Eat the cracker off the string over your head without hands, a very traditional game. But it was nice because they had a round for the kids and then the men and the women. Then there was blindfolded pop the water bag on a string. Kids and Dad with sticks swatting at a waterbag hanging over head, blindfolded. Definitely not ZAA but really fun. Then we went up for what I thought were the awards but they had one more relay up their string. They had a bucket full of baby eels and at the other end of the field were empty water bottles (they had a little water). Teams of three had to take the eel from its bucket home and carry it relay fashion and get it into the water bottle. The catching wasn't terribly easy but there were lots and so that helped. Carrying it was easy. The forcing its little wiggly slippery body into the water bottle, impossible. If you drop the silly thing, they are nearly impossible to catch. But forcing its unwilling uncertain body into a little water bottle hole... needless to say I got the short end of the stick and I think I managed three of them. But let's all remember that i have texture issues and so handling the thing sent me over the edge. I'm fine with lots of other things, snakes even. But eels have always given me the willies. They are slippery and very muscular. IGG. My team did not win this event and I think they were understanding.
Nice time with people we go to school with, Jonathan more than me. The morning sections are a really big bunch and they visit alot. The afternoon is much smaller (5 of us at the moment) and rather transient. I like this for studying but consequently I don't know anyone, whereas Jonathan knows everyone. @ had a ball. Loads of kids to run and chase. He was given permission to stand and eat a huge salty cracker. But mostly the running and chasing. Everyone came home happy and tired, a success on all counts.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
about my hair
I have problems committing to a hair stylist. For a lot of years I had whoever I was living with cut my hair. Truly its hard to screw up. I have a lot of curl and if there is some length it isn't a big issue if it is dead on the same length, it balances out for the most part. While in Eureka, I had a lady I liked a lot. She was good, mostly she knew how to cut natural curl and I liked that. Being out of the country, its really a faith step to get a hair cut. Mostly I have a pony tail until I give up. In Africa I got a hair cut once from the local Italian woman everyone swore by. Gina had a mind of her own and my intended "trim" was a deep cut. I left a very unhappy customer and that was my only haircut in Africa. When I got back to the states I went a little nuts on the idea of reinventing myself. My hair was short. Crazy short and people were nice about it but I wasn't thrilled. That was Feb 2006. I haven't had a haircut since.
So as I was brushing into a pony tail this afternoon I was thinking about how I like my ponytail. I had short hair as a young girl and I think I'm living out by 6 year old desire to have a pony tail. Anyway I was thinking I could donate my hair. Some kid might like to have a little curl in their ponytail. So I got to looking at Locks of Love and what it takes to donate hair. I think I could do that. My girlfriend LeeLee donated hair a lot of years ago. She wanted a little girl to have a long pony tail so I think she was going for 14 or 16 inches. It was crazy long. I don't think I can do that but I could get to 10 inches. They say its ok if there is grey, they sort that out.
So this get me out of cutting my hair for awhile. I figure I have to grow some extra because what am I going to do if I cut off 10 inches of my hair and send it to Florida?
So as I was brushing into a pony tail this afternoon I was thinking about how I like my ponytail. I had short hair as a young girl and I think I'm living out by 6 year old desire to have a pony tail. Anyway I was thinking I could donate my hair. Some kid might like to have a little curl in their ponytail. So I got to looking at Locks of Love and what it takes to donate hair. I think I could do that. My girlfriend LeeLee donated hair a lot of years ago. She wanted a little girl to have a long pony tail so I think she was going for 14 or 16 inches. It was crazy long. I don't think I can do that but I could get to 10 inches. They say its ok if there is grey, they sort that out.
So this get me out of cutting my hair for awhile. I figure I have to grow some extra because what am I going to do if I cut off 10 inches of my hair and send it to Florida?
Friday, April 27, 2007
about singing
One of the things I enjoy about our language school is the well roundedness of the program. We spend a little time everyday doing things that might seem silly but if your goal is to weave into a culture naturally these are the things you should know. We spend a little time in singing, memorizing a portion of a book, and sharing our daily experiences. The singing was initially very offputting as I really don't sing and its been noted by others that I don't sing.
Throughout unit 1 we learned a lot of children's songs. The songs you teach your kids to help them learn the days of the week, their colors, right and left, body parts, counting etc. These were fun songs to sing and I would bring them home and sing them with @ and our houseworker. She really got a kick out of head, shoulders, knees and toes; it had been a while since she'd thought about that one.
Unit 2 we're learning more cultural songs. Songs about pride in your nation, historic battles and heroic people. Songs about whooing a girl. But when you translate out these songs word for word well they just sound silly. Today's song translates to:
Where does the leech come from?
Down the rice paddy to the river.
Where does love come from?
Down from the eyes to the heart.
Feeling love, feeling love, love, Ehh. The region is a leech of love from my heart.
The last little bit I can't get the right english wording on. But its something about missing this particular region. But leeches. Are we really singing about leeches? Yep.
Throughout unit 1 we learned a lot of children's songs. The songs you teach your kids to help them learn the days of the week, their colors, right and left, body parts, counting etc. These were fun songs to sing and I would bring them home and sing them with @ and our houseworker. She really got a kick out of head, shoulders, knees and toes; it had been a while since she'd thought about that one.
Unit 2 we're learning more cultural songs. Songs about pride in your nation, historic battles and heroic people. Songs about whooing a girl. But when you translate out these songs word for word well they just sound silly. Today's song translates to:
Where does the leech come from?
Down the rice paddy to the river.
Where does love come from?
Down from the eyes to the heart.
Feeling love, feeling love, love, Ehh. The region is a leech of love from my heart.
The last little bit I can't get the right english wording on. But its something about missing this particular region. But leeches. Are we really singing about leeches? Yep.
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