Thirteen Random things……

1. Today my puppy, Honey, will be given to a new master. I’m really glad that she’ll be going to a new home, but when I look into her beautiful face there’s a part of me that defies logic and says, “Oh, you are so sweet, why can’t I just keep you??”
2. Due to an earthquake last week, the deep sea internet cable near Taiwan was broken and so I can’t access some websites. It’s getting better, but still slow sometimes.
3. You may have noticed that my blogging and Thirteen-ing is quite erratic. That’s cause a) I have baby on the brain, and much of my creativity outside baby land is currently non-existant; and b) I have been busy with silly business, all that stuff that comes from being away from home for 1 year.
4. My Little Jelly Bean just punched me in the gut. According to my Thai friends, this means she is hungry and I need to feed her. According to me: Okay, I’ll eat something cause I like food, but I think she’s saying, “Hey, it’s a little cramped in here! Move and give me some room!”
5. Finding Elephant sized maternity clothes (ie. Western size 12 or larger) in a Mouse sized society is really hard!! I am so thankful that my neighbour is almost due, and 2 or 3 of her outfits actually fit me while I wait for my clothes to arrive from Australia and USA!!
6. To clarify the above term “Elephant sized” clothing: Thai’s truly are stick figures. If you are Size 12 or more, you will never fit into a Thai L or XL. We, the normal women of the western world, are consider beasts in this society. I get turned away from some stores before I’ve even had a chance to look: “No have big size! No have big size!”, the darling little shop keeper declares.
7. Further to this, my doctor constantly tells me I am ‘obese’. He loves to make a big deal over it. I’ve tried to explain that the Western BMI and Thai BMI are different, but he has made up his mind and I’ll hear about it 3-4 times every visit. Ahh, the joys of being an Elephant in a Mouses world… I could crush him with my big Elephant feet, but Elephants are afraid of Mice, right?
8. My Christmas tree is still up, and our wreath still adorns our front door. Does yours?? When do you usually take it down?
9. I just discovered the delights of pickels. I bought a nice big jar the other day, but can’t get the lid off. Don’t you just hate it when that happens!!
10. When I came home after a year away, I discovered that my oven is unusable, cause someone broke the knob to turn the oven on and control the temp. I want to bake meatloaf and quiche and cookies and cakes and heat up my taco shells and make all sorts of yumminess, but I can’t until I get my oven repaired. Boo Hoo. Grrr to all humans who break other peoples ovens!!
11. I went to a wedding on the weekend. The couple were both Thai, but the girl was adopted by an American family, so it was a Western Wedding. They added a Thai tradition to the ceremony that I just love: The Newlyweds kneel before each set of parents and offer them a small gift as a way to honour and thank the parents for raising & caring for them. Then the parents ‘bless’ their children, and wish them a long and happy life together and lots of kids.
12. Honey, the dog I am giving away, is being so cute. She wants to play ball with my other dog, Rusty, and so is bouncing her blue ball around the yard, hoping to get his attention. It’s sweet things like this that make we not want to give her away…
13. I have to sing the praises of my husband. Lots of husbands get a little weary of the fussiness of their pregnant wives, but mine is extraordinary. He takes outbursts from the dragon lady in his stride, and he is always ready to give the cry baby a hug (often with a little chuckle). He’s also willing to provide whatever the ravenously hungry beast wants to eat, or help sleeping beauty get her midday nap.