It's been a while since i've written, so it seems. The weather has warmed up considerably. Just now as i write it's gloriously sunny just out the door and on the deck. Because of all the changes that are happening in our compound with the vegetation we can now see out our deck door, past where the hedge used to hedge in our deck and into our neighbour's living room doors. LOL. it's like we live in Winnipeg. I reckon soon Josh will declare that we need to put up some temporary lattice or something to shield the deck from the house next door since the warming weather will draw us out there more often than not in the days to come.

This last weekend our church hosted her first outreach event. Although most of the events happened in the evenings when my boys are not at their best for public appearances we did contribute in a very small way by baking sheet cakes (like a regular Mennonite housewife, i felt like ) and we loaned our MAF generator to run the lights and whatnotall that they used to put on their big production. If you visit the TCC website in a few days there should be many photos of the event. Apparently there were over 500 people, most of them non-TCC people, who attended the three days of events including drama, preaches, music, lots of treats and, the last evening, the Tana Gospel Choir, who i've had the pleasure of hearing at the Grand Caravan welcome party we had at the MAF hangar way back in 2007. They are a phenomenal group to listen to live. The church did so much work to prepare for the weekend including sending out small groups of people out into the community to hand out invitations the week before the event. And i was so impressed with the focus on doing this event primarily for the glory of God rather than to count the number of new attendees or new believers like a greedy miser counting his loot after a grand marketing scheme. Truly, the effort will undoubtedly cause changes in the community over the months and years to come, but for now i reckon the fact that the church was obedient and willing to serve the community for God's glory is the more important thing. To be sure, i am looking forward to being more free from the confines of crabby infants in a year or so in order to be more involved in the exciting ways TCC is living the call of Christ in the community.

Moreover, this Sunday we had a fantastic preach by our pastor who, if i may say so, tends to give messages that require a great deal of courage. I've been sensing an underlying theme in much of what has been going on at TCC these past few weeks, that being Freedom in Christ and, what really is the Good News rather than what Man has made the gospel out to be (not really very good at all in many cases). The Life which is coming out from our church has done a lot to revive the both of us from the difficult few months we've been experiencing due to transition, goodbyes, and general winter blahs. Praise the LORD for TCC, and, undoubtedly, for the persistent prayers of the Saints in Manitoba on our behalf.

The change in weather these past few days has given rise to the hope of summer fast approaching, which at times makes me feel a bit bad for those of you in the northern hemisphere who are likewise experiencing a change in temperature although not for the warmer. Shame. As the weather gets warmer here i am compiling a list of to-do items in the house and around the garden that i think should be done before the AJReimer family descends upon us en masse. Fix window screens, clean out closets, suss out recipes, prepare Christmas decorations, figure out how we're going to fit around our down-sized dining room table... shuffle MAF furniture after the Slaubaughs leave (sigh... sniff), arrange itinerary and hotel reservations, compile wish list for the allowable space in the luggage that's coming along...

Recently in my reading of the Word of God i've also been sensing a personal theme: that the people God uses to do great and God-glorifying things are many times such scoundrels in the eyes of Man that we often think 'what good can come of them?!' Jacob, for instance, was really quite a dirt-bag when it comes to being a 'nice guy', at least in our 'modern' idea of what that means. Swindling his brother out of both his birthright and his father's blessing, open deceit, not keeping his sons in line ("immobilizing" a whole city of men and then slaughtering them while they are all in pain), demanding blessings of the LORD, etc. etc. And yet, he is a huge name in the history of the people of God, and of the lineage of Christ. There are many other human examples of this kind of theme throughout, although Sunday School stories tend to tell their stories in such a light as to glorify them rather than the God who took the foolish things of this world to shame the wise, as it were. Indeed, even Jesus was disregarded as being anyone worthy of paying attention to by the 'church goers' of the time because what he was saying didnt jive with what they knew of him, "So the Jews grumbled about [Jesus], because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? [who, incidentally, were involved in that scandal surrounding Jesus' conception prior to their marriage!! ] How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?""(Jn6:41-42). I have myself been reminded not to disregard the Spirit using broken vessels - people who seem a bit 'dirt-bag-ish' to go about Kingdom work. Indeed, it encourages me in my own broken state that scoundrels are not beyond being used by the Almighty for the things He has planned in advance for me to do.

Also this weekend we have been in the throes of helping with and cleaning up after the group of Firemen who came to chop down our trees. They began on our yard this Saturday and it was a grand spectacle indeed! I'll post some photos shortly. They're returning tomorrow (tues) to continue the job and it is our hope that they can be persuaded to cut off more branches than it seems they have been commissioned to do by the lady in charge of the compound. I have grand hopes of the added sunlight, allowed in by the absence of the plethora of pine tree boughs, will do wonders in helping grass and plants to grow with added vigor in my garden. Not to mention the great lessening of pine needles which have until now over-acidified the dirt.

Photos to come.

This is us at lunch today. I looked up from feeding Asher to realize that we were all sitting around at mid-day with sweaters, hoodies, toques, woolies, etc on. Brr. It is about 15C in our house just now and it's even a warmer day today than usual.

 

This last weekend a bunch of us MAFers took our kids to the race track to race go-carts. I opted out since i'm realizing that i've developed a rather annoying habit of getting motion sickness (probably the reason i'm always sick when i go along with Josh on a trip in the plane) and the road to the track is a bit... um... sick-inducing as Asher pointed out to us (to me mostly) when he ralphed all over my legs and shoes. ugh.

Josh and Judah went for a few rides around though, sporting Judah's new motorbike helmet (did i post a photo of that on the blog yet?) This (above) is Josh and Ash watching the racers together with Bastiaan (our new Program Manager) and two of his three boys Daan and Rick (the middle son is in the bush with his mom doing a medical safari or something). These boys are great influence for Judah as they do lots of 'boy' type things

I have posted this, it seems, but i'll post it again so you remember the helmet that goes with the go-carting story.

Somewhat less masculine is the stationary holder i "whipped up" (actually, painstakingly and with many do-overs to get it right without a pattern and to fit exactly the size of jumbo pencil crayons and Crayola markers, ruler, scissors, and sharpener that i'd bought already for Judah's new school supply supply). I used some car fabric left over from a baby blanket my neighbour sewed for Asher for the inside and put a felt truck on the outside to make it a bit more manly.

(that green truck box looks a bit putrid in this photo, it's not that bad in real life)

the crayon-cozy examples on the internet that i found usually had tie-closures, which i thought too difficult for an almost 5 year old. I could just see the case left lying about at school with the ties flailing about and all the stationary escaping their confines. So i imagined up this new one with some hair-elastics i had on hand. Clever huh?

There, you see the manly car fabric background and the car pocket for the sharpener? Tres masculine!

As a school-supply aside, this last July when i picked up Judah on the last day of school together with all his school supplies i realized anew that the stationary one can find in this country lacks! All of the markers that came back were dried out (and he only had had them since February when we returned from furlough!), all the pencil crayons were in bits. They have what they refer to as a "protege", which is a thin plastic cover for notebooks. We're to purchase the colours pertaining to his particular year at school and the books' functions. I am disgusted with these things because A1, they dont fit right in the first place and A2, by the end of the term they're in shreds! What a waste of money! So this year i decided that i will not buy them. I'll get the notebooks in the colours of the proteges and they'll simply have to be content with that. His painting apron was also in shreds due to its quality as well. bah. So, in September even though he may arrive at school with imported Crayola markers and home made pencil case, at least i know that they'll stay together and last throughout the year (i hope). Hopefully these better quality items stay where they belong and dont disappear into everyone else's trourche. Really though, what's the point in spending all that money on crappy things that dont work after 2 weeks?! Dumb. I am quite stoked about his newest item on his kindergarten supply list: a slate and chalk set. I very keenly sanded the wooden frame down the other day and painted it bright colours so he can tell which one is his. I suspect they'll use the slate for practicing letters and whatnot.

I have just finished John Eldredges' Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul. Although it's a bit cheesy at times, i did learn a lot of things about men/boys from it and in the end i declare it a helpful resource for a woman who has a husband and 2 sons. Once i'm in the writing zone i'll attempt to post a more literary blog about the things i found to be particularly helpful.

I'm off to pick the kids up from the school where they've been having french playdate.

I have been learning to be more content with the life i live, in the stage we're living right now (as opposed to, say, yearning for the day when my children arent so dependent on me anymore and i can devote more time to reading and writing, study and travel). Yesterday, however, i stumbled upon a blog of a woman i know through friends of friends and i was confronted by envy again at the realization that she appeared to be living my dream life! To be sure, appearances are dangerous things, for i'm convinced that in the day to day drudgery of any mother-of-small-children's life - as this woman is also -  there are many un-dreamy things. The difference between this woman's blog and mine seems to be that where i hang out that kind of dirty laundry, so to speak, she must keep her laundry in the laundry room and use an electric dryer so everything comes out looking clean, soft, and pliable as opposed to sun-starched and wind-crunchy but smelling honest and outdoorsy   I suspect that in reading that blog i was merely confronted by the realization that i'm not, currently, in the thralls of Life-giving activity, not doing the things that i've discovered to be the occupation in which my heart thrives. It was discouraging. I met God this morning in the shower to inquire of him how i could better pursue activities that gladden his heart. I do know the answer, have known it at the forefront of my mind and heart in the past. I was reminded of those times this morning during the Preach when the speaker reminded us to Abide in Him. Apart from Him we can do nothing. It's really pointless to compare ourselves, our lives, with that of others, isnt it. For if we turn and Abide in Him consistently we will realize the exhilaration of doing that for which we were created and glorying in it for the Glory of Him.

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By the by, our church here in Tana is now online and they post the preaches there for to listen. I just took a look at it just now and was impressed to see so many photos and lots of helpful information for even those who live across the world and are interested in seeing what our church is doing. You can find photos of some people you might recognize in the June 2010 picnic and the Kids albums. Moreover, those who have donated financially to the Tana City ministry on the Manambolo River may be interested to see information and photos of that work also. www.tanacitychurch.mg

I'm not homeschooling mom material. Let's just get that out in the open now. So many of my friends both here and back at home are either homeschooling themselves or wish they could. I hear people talk about this desire and i have to really work at controlling my knee-jerk reaction of my eyes growing big like saucers while thinking to myself how very, very terrible an idea that would be for Judah and i. We're all different people with different gifts and talents... mine is definitely not in the stay-home-with-my-kindergartener-and-teach-him-anything-that-requires-long-periods-of-concentration/patience/attention. (GAH!) I sort of feel ashamed about this, but then i think about all the other kids who attend public school and realize i surely must not be alone in this.

This morning Judah took out a puzzle i had made out of a family photo. It's got about 25 pieces in it and, granted, the lines arent clear and it's at times difficult to see what the pieces should be. HOwever! It shouldnt be difficult to see what pieces are 'edge' pieces or 'corner' pieces. ...I simply have difficulty seeing how that could be so difficult! This is my shortcoming, i presume. Either that or Judah was somehow damaged in infancy and is now suffering the consequences. Lord, give me patience and the discernment to see where my children's gifts and talents lie rather than their... challenging areas.

This past week has been one that feels like we're stepping into a new phase. Just the other night Josh and i PLAYED A GAME after the boys were in bed. Imagine that! I think the last time we played a game together was about a year ago!! Asher seems to be learning that night time is for sleeping and not for eating/playing/screaming, which is a huge bonus. I'm not holding my breath that this pattern will continue, but it's nice while it lasts. We're also extending the between nursing times to 4+ hours. Weaning is approaching at a faster pace than it seemed to be moving towards us only a few weeks ago. Hurrah!!

What also made this week seem like a new stage is that Judah has been out at playdates almost all week. It made me realize that we're fast approaching school season and the routine that it will bring, notably the mornings and some afternoons when Judah will be at school. Now that Asher is more grown up and is needing to be attached to me less and less, i'm realizing that i'll have a lot more time on my hands to do all kinds of fantastic things. This week gave me a taste of that and i spent 'loads' of time ('loads of time' for a mom of small children, fyi, is a very subjective term and in this case means anywhere from 30-45 minutes at one time) sewing/crafting, reading and thinking grown-up thoughts rather than, say, how to first make the border of a puzzle before starting with the inside pieces. I'm trying not to get too excited about all the selfish things i could be doing with my free time starting in September and rather think about the responsible things i could do like: take Malagasy lessons (maybe even with Josh), spend more time studying and writing (which isnt necessarily entirely responsible, but not entirely lolling about either), cooking (meh), some other helpful 'job' out of the house (but NOT teaching, let's just get that clear!). If you think of it you could inquire of the Lord on my behalf on how to best use the time i have. I'm not sure i'll be ready by Christmas time (when i could plausibly get some books brought over) to start a new masters course though, since Asher will still be quite little... but it's a thought that bears pondering.

This past week the people responsible for the compound gardens came to tear down the remainder of the dead hedges that surround each house. We were beside ourselves with excitement that something was finally being done... and then i heard that they were going to replace the hedges with 'petite mandarine', which is a kind of thorny bush. ACK! Just imagine a toddling 1 year old and an active 5 year old hedged in by thorns. I suppose it would be helpful for keeping out... lions or something of the sort. But since we've got no such problems here the only thing that kind of hedge would be good for would be... uh... nothing! Aynway, so i called to Josh right away and he called the landlord and we very politely told him that it would be a poor idea. REally, it does seem at times as though the landlord is cheaping out on us here in this compound. He charges a ridiculous amount of rent, but doesnt seem to invest anything into the place. "Why dont you move?" you might say. Good question. Did i mention we've looked at other houses repeatedly in the last 4 years and havent found one that is as secure or as nice for the same rent or less? Bah! So we stay and try to cajole the powers that be to improve this or that at a slow pace so not to come across as discontent. Funnily enough, now there's two open houses in the compound and the landlord seems desperate to find tenants. We keep telling him that we know people who would be interested, but the rent is too high. Aynway. To make a long story longer, the landlord at first told Josh that we could do what we wanted around our house and whether Josh had any ideas of what to put around the other ones... and then the next day after Josh has fretted about how to actually go about doing what he wants to do with the hedge situation the landlord's underling comes to tell us that in fact they'll just replant cypress hedges again like was there before. Honestly, did we have to go through all that nonsense just to get back to the place we were at in the beginning?! Eaigh!! (AWA - Africa Wins Again). Apart from that we're still requesting for our pine trees to be cut down so as to allow more light into our yard, but dont want to press too hard in case the whole hedge thing blows up again in our faces. If we've learned one thing living in a culture very different than our own, it's to be uber-diplomatic. (those of you who know me well are perhaps snickering at the thought of me being diplomatic, but indeed i can be so... at least in public. Ha).

One thing about the compound now that all the hedges are gone, which were all at least a foot or two over my head level, is that we feel like we live in suburban Winnipeg. We can see all the way into our neighbour's front yard two doors down and could wave and call "good morning" if we ever saw them outside their house (which we rarely do). We've grown so accustomed to hedged in private gardens that an open collection of front yards seems very foreign. This morning i took my Bible out onto the deck to read in the sunshine (albeit COLD sunshine. ha) and realized that anyone in the communal front drive could see me there in my pajamas.

My baby brother is getting married this weekend to a beautiful woman. I am bereft that i cant be there, although it was my choice not to fly out for the wedding. 35hours one way with an 8 month old (who, incidentally, is teething and super cranky) for one day's celebrations was simply was too daunting an obstacle to overcome. That and we'd only have sent me and Asher, leaving Judah (on vacation) with Josh (who still needs to work)... Anyway. I'm sad not to be there, but content with my decision to wait until we're all lounging on the tropical beach at Ilse Ste.Marie to toast the happy couple.

The occasion has me thinking more about my brothers though and how proud I am of them and the men they have become. Since my brothers are 5 and 8 years younger than i am most of their grown up years i've only watched them from afar: from college and university, from studying abroad in Lithuania, working abroad, living in 'the city' after i got married, and now working abroad again. While i've been globe trotting my brothers have both grown up into men of integrity and strength and, more recently, married beautiful women, starting families of their own. It blows my mind sometimes to think of Eric owning his own business, owning his second house while i've never owned anything more than a futon and a few lamps. You know how when it's your own family members you have a different impression of who they are and what they're capable of than everyone else? Perhaps it's that we continue to see them as the little brothers they were and not the grown ups they become after all those lessons they've learned along the way, on their own instead of as a threesome of siblings in the back seat of the brown chevy en route to family camp outs. I've turned around to discover my brothers as (mostly) responsible men who display gifts and talents that i couldnt have imagined they'd have when we could still fit in the back of the Cavalier.

Geoff's getting married this weekend - not on a long weekend - as is proper for a Manitoban, good job on that! It's so fun to see him so stoked about his new bride and the new life they are planning. I have been impressed in the last few years to see Geoff become such a man of spiritual strength and I'm looking forward to seeing where God will lead him and Brielle after their adventure in South Africa this year.

Alas. It just sucks though that i wont be able to dance at his wedding like Judah and i could at Eric's last year. I wish them a fantastic weekend of sun, the absence of mosquitoes, and simply a fabulously fun wedding party. See you in 4 months at our house for Christmas and a family vacation to a tropical island instead of a road trip in the family car to the lake.

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Currently:
These days we're all quite addicted to Judah's new computer game, "Feeding Frenzy 2". Currently i have the high-score. LOL.

Asher is teething, as i mentioned, and is simply miserable! He sleeps VERY poorly through the night and, since Josh had to get up early this morning, i spent the night on the parent-bed in Asher's room so that i wasnt making the trek back and forth from my bed to his room every hour or so. <sigh> this too shall pass... i hope.

I think today our activity of the day will be to go school supply shopping for Judah. Hurrah!

I've been feeling a bit like Bridget Jones these days, although i've been controlling my urge to plot out my success and failure statistics at the top of each blog entry. It would look something like: 'treats: 2; exercise: 1/2 hour; quality time with each son: 2 hours.'  The exercises these days are more painful than they're productive, it feels like at least. I go to bed with such a back, neck and headache... but i will persevere... i hope.

The mandarin oranges these days are so yummy! At least that's one consolation during this season of cold feet and fingers: oranges and strawberries! I'm looking forward to the mangoes though. <sigh> The litchee tree is starting to present the beginnings of litchees and i'm stoked for the time when we can pick them with our family in December.

The landlord is coming for a visit in the next 2 weeks, so rumor has it. We're hoping against hope that we can get permission to cut down a bunch of the pine trees around our yard to get more sunshine in.

Gotta go, Judah is in need of some attention.

Yesterday, Friday, Judah and i worked on a felt hat costume for the entire afternoon. This was his choice. If it would have been up to me we would have made felt hankie holders. ha. I was impressed at his pseudo-patience in watching me to do the work while he pitched in intermittently for fittings, during which he instructed me not to pin him in the eye! I'm pretty impressed with our finished product, but unfortunately the next day we went down town and happened to find a child's motorbike helmet, which of course is WAY cooler than a felt bird mask. Alas.

I thought he looked kind of like a super hero with that mask on, like, say, Robin of Batman and Robin. I couldnt think of a suitable super-hero name to go with it though... unless "the fabulous blue coua" counts as one. Judah thinks his mask is 'scary'. I suppose for a boy that would be a necessary trait for a mask. He wasnt too enthused about the additional 'feathers' i stitched on after he went to bed, as he claimed they detracted from the scariness of the mask. I personally think they make the costume, but what do i know?

Asher and one of his favourite ladies. He has his second tooth popping through just now. I'm blaming that for our TERRIBLE nights of sleep these last few nights.

My 'morning lady' came to work today and, upon our usual greeting, "Bonjour, Ca va?", responded outside the usual response: She told me that she had been robbed last night and all her clothes, pots/pans, money, etc. had been taken while she was staying with her husband at his night job guarding the house of his employer. This poor woman just cant get a break, it seems. I get the impression from what i hear about her that she is treated poorly by relatives and neighbours alike. Well, I like her and am happy that she's working for us. Alas. I do confess though that hearing about the increase in thefts in the home makes me a bit nervous. What is to prevent robbers entering our compound and house apart from our lackadaisical 'security' (who just left the compound gate open while he ran up the road to where the garbage is brought) apart from fervent prayers in that regard? Well, after all, the Word does say,

"What's crummy Madagascar weather like?", one of our commenters asked. I've never lived on the west coast, but i know that this isnt coastal weather we've got here. It's not wet at all during the winter these days, it's the "dry" season (or, dryer at least), but it is "cold". When we first moved here we mentioned often how winter in Tana felt like we were camping in a pop-up trailer in May in Manitoba: cold mornings and evenings, smoke in the air because everyone is heating their homes with wood fires - including us, occasional warmer day time temperatures (ie. low 20s). The biggest difference in weather in Tana is that whatever is going on outside is felt acutely in your house, which is VERY unlike weather in Canada where houses are well sealed, well insulated, and well heated by central heating of some sort - usually not with wood. If it's raining in Tana it's humid and damp in our house, and mold can be found growing with abandon in the walls and various other unpleasant locations like our shoes and clothes in closets. If it's "sub-twenty" degrees outside, like it is during the winter months, it's sub-twenty inside your house... inside your bedroom... inside your bathroom while you're trying to take a shower. Brrrr. Josh and i often use our wool blanket and the down comforter on top of that during the winter. I've also taken to putting the electric heater on in the bathroom before i want to shower so it 'takes the edge off' the bitterness of washing in a cold, tiled bathroom. We've got glass in our windows, unlike many Malagasy homes, but the frames of most of the doors and windows have huge gaps around them and drafts are simply a fact of life. But we've learned to bundle up. Asher is currently wearing lined jeans overtop sweatpants, thick socks inside his Robeeze shoes, a onesie undershirt, long sleeve tshirt and a fleece lined hoodie. The fireplace is heating the downstairs room where we spend most of our day. Autumn (apr-june) is usually quite windy as well, but not like in cyclone season.

The rain comes in the spring/summer months (oct-april) and then it comes in torrents. In those months we usually live with our windows and doors open at all times (well, we close the doors and lock them at night, but the windows stay open to circulate the air). It's usually in the upper 20s, low 30s during the day and mid 20s at night. We usually dont wear long pants or long sleeves during that time, which always makes us forget how cold it actually gets in the winter. There's a Malagasy proverb, i've heard, that says something like, "you always forget how cold the winter is". It's true. During the winter i try to make my clothing shopping lists for when we return to Canada so that i know what kinds of warm clothes we need to stock up on, otherwise if we leave Madagascar in warm seasons i think to myself that i surely must be wrong in thinking we need thick socks and sweaters. We're definitely glad for the warmer clothing when it is winter though! In the summer it's at times tiresome to be hot all the time. Being sweaty is simply something you have to get used to, along with the smells that go with everyone else having the same problem

Cyclone season (jan-mar) is like the rest of summer with the late afternoon thunderstorms and rain almost every day and HOT during the day time, but with the added adventure of intermittent cyclones that hit the east coast of Madagascar and make flying more of a challenge, not to mention more busy because invariably some villages have been leveled by the storms and require aid from the NGOs. Cyclones sound more scary than they really are for us in Tana, since we're smack dab in the middle of the country, far from the coast, and high up in elevation, so we dont get the brunt of the storms, usually only higher winds and erratic rain.

someone sent us some photos of Josh on one of his trips. here he is loading the plane. i just noticed that he's wearing those pants that were stolen just a few weeks ago. <sigh> they sure were nice.

This is a photo of our bird baths in our "deck garden", ie. the garden area beside our back deck. josh took the photo because there was a plethora of "white eyes" frolicking there. (those are the birds with the white eye. LOL).

Today's activity of the day was to do leaf rubbings. We looked at the difference in the leaf shapes, etc... and then i left him to it after we had done a page together. Alas. Judah has a tough time doing any activity on his own. So now he's playing out front with the girls who have babysitters this week because R&M are on a child-free vacation to Isalo National Park. Lucky them!

more pics... if they upload.

Have i ever mentioned how much i love having two boys? One lady at church said to me the first sunday or so upon our return that it was a shame i had another boy and i'd just have to try again to have a girl next time. LOL.

We're back in the routine of things i suppose. The weather is crummy though, so it's difficult to get motivated to spend time outside. My fire making skills are also crummy and i've given up all together with that endeavor. My ladies are so very helpful with that though and once the fire is lit and going strong i am perfectly capable of putting more logs on to keep it going
 

I suppose i must post this picture, although i think it's less than flattering for me <sigh>. I apologize to CB, despite my blithe comments a few months ago on the topic of body image after having kids, i think i'm now in the phase where i'm realizing the discouragement you may have been feeling at that time. Is it any better further on post-partum? After running a marathon?

Hanging out on the dock in front of the dining 'room' waiting for the next meal. Next time i go to Ste.Marie i wont have an infant who is so demanding of my time... and i hope to return with grandparents in tow to garde my children while i sit on the deck chairs and read my book undisturbed for more than half an hour, now THAT would be paradise.

Here is the pirogue photo that should have been posted in a previous entry when i spoke about pirogue-ing around the island to visit the other hotel. It was a lovely 30 minute ride over turquoise waters yakking the whole time with a great friend.

And, here's the seguay photo: back to 'real life' thinking up Activities of the Day. It's a pin-poked dove, the idea courtesy of "Simple Christmas Style" by Karin Hossak.

Since we left the beach Asher has had a low grade fever, which has given way to a red rash all over his head that appears to be incessantly itchy since he rubs it with his short little arms constantly. It seems to fit the symptoms of Rubeola, but who knows. Today it seems to be better though, so perhaps it was due to allergic reaction or else simply a mild case of the Rubeola. No idea what a reaction would have been from though. <sigh> Does anyone else find parenting to be a stressful job at times?