Ahh!

Top five things about the US that I've missed in the last year:

1. Green grass, especially Utah grass.




2. Dryers, nothing quite like warm, dry, sweet smelling laundry.

3. Being completely alone in the car.

4. Eating fruit without an antibacterial bath.



5. Family (cousins!) and friends.





What I haven't missed:

1. Dial-up: my parents have dial-up, which means it'll probably be a while before I post again (thank you Carrie for letting me use the computer). Hopefully you, my readership, (and I) will be able to survive the technology issues.

Kindle My Dreams

Just started "Team of Rivals." Nothing quite says cool like lugging an 800 page book with you to get a pedicure. So if someone is looking for something to get me for any approaching gift giving occasions I have an idea.

Too Busy

Too busy fighting with the landlord to have time for posting lately. You're lucky (if you, dear reader, are not my mom) that you haven't had to listen to the whole saga. Some (almost) funny highlights:

- The landlord telling us, "Stop threatening not to pay the rent, I really hardly care about the money."
- My yelling at his wife, something about "the house going to burn down." Yeah, counterproductive. I'm blaming the aforementioned culture shock and the long blue sparks coming from the fuse box.
- The landlord, "Your wife yelled at my wife in front of a low class person (electrician)."

On the positive side, we head to the US later this week. Looking forward to seeing friends and family (and avoiding confrontation).

School's Out for Summer

Tomorrow is S's last day of preschool. S loved school this year. His teacher gave everyone a CD full of pictures she took throughout the year. It's great to see what they've been up to and it looks like it was a lot of fun. On to Kindergarten!

Of Plastic Wrap and Culture Shock

You know you're not over your culture shock when you catch yourself thinking: This doesn't happen to plastic wrap in America. Why can't I just get a decent box in this country? ....What? Did I seriously just think that?

People Cost

Today I went to the dentist and there was the dentist (who actually sat next to me for the whole appointment), one assistant to suction out my mouth with that little sucker thing, and one assistant to turn the overhead light on and off whenever the dentist didn't actually need it. I guess so it didn't shine in my eyes?

A few other recent labor cost related marvels:
- Delivery of 12 yogurts to my door. That's all 12 30cent yogurts.
- Watching them demolish the house behind us manually. That means men carrying load after load of bricks and concrete and wood in little baskets perched on top of their heads to a dump truck, walking up the ramp, and dropping the rubble in. It was 107 degrees today.
- Never buying anything without talking to someone about it. You tell proprietor what you want (broom, Kleenex, tomatoes). His assistant shows you selection, discussion ensues, you bargain, you pay.
- Hand painted curbs. Black and yellow striped curbs. With a brush.
- Thrice (they use thrice a lot here, I like it)/week personal yoga instruction, in my living room.

This post could use pictures, still can't bring myself to snap photos of people doing manual labor simply because I'm incredulous.

"Okay, well, bye."

"Mom, why were you talking in that voice?"
"What voice?"
"That voice like you are just meeting someone, but you weren't just meeting someone, you were talking to Christina." (Christina is the maid/nanny).
That, dear S, is also my I-am-so-sorry-you're-deathly-ill-but-how-in-the-world-am-I-going-to-survive-today-without-you voice. Very versatile, that voice.

Selfishness exposed by the five year old in the back seat. I didn't realize I was that obvious.