Picture of the Week: Laundry

We had to wash "Whitey" the squirrel. He wasn't so white anymore! 

It's the chore that never ends. You load, wash, take out, dry, take down, fold, put away (repeat...endlessly). I'm glad someone came up with an all-encompassing word for it: laundry. And since Adam and Eve got their first animal skin clothes, the homemaker's life has struggled to not feel like this all-encompassing word is all-encompassing her! Here, just as in America, we dirty clothes. So laundry continues on with all it's glory.

Recently a friend posted on facebook: "Only in America do we worry about how pretty our laundry room is". I suppose that might be true. My laundry "room" here is a balcony off the kitchen. It's enclosed with metal bars to keep pigeons from poo-ing in my washer (a very common problem) and monkeys from raiding.  That's right. My washer is outside. I have no dryer. We went fancy on our washer and got one that heats up the water for some special (diaper) loads. It all seemed very primitive when we moved here a few months ago. But already as we pass so many women dunking clothes in rivers, sewers, buckets, etc to clean them I see how much I really do have...which was the gist of my friends quote.

So all this to say, just as laundry still exists here, so does materialism, inequity, injustice, and (God-willing) thankfulness and joy in the daily tasks. My hope is that I never worry about how pretty my laundry "room" is nor do I pride myself on how spiritual I must be to do-with-less. But that I do laundry (cold or hot water, inside or outside, pigeons or monkeys or just the cool breeze)
for the glory of God. This is the day (full of laundry, dishes, diapers and dirt) that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! 

Picture of the Week: Flood (and Hot Dogs)

Brian loves hot dogs. Give him a dog loaded with slaw, onions and mustard and he's pretty happy for a while. So, for Father's Day we took him to one of the few places in town that serves a legit Brian-approved hot dog (though we had to bring our own mustard).

But this is Asia. And you don't just go out and get hot dogs without some sort of adventure. Just as we were finishing up our yummy lunch, water starts flowing up from a drain near our feet. Then, it starts flowing out another. Then, it's gushing and we are picking up purse, diaper bag and toys that had settled on the floor. We all lift up our feet as the waiters rush around with squeegies and mops. And well, we continue to eat. The  flood subsides and I look at Brian and say "Happy Father's Day"...always an adventure.

Oh, and don't worry, for our trouble the manager insists he'll give us a good deal next time we come in. So I suppose we'll venture out another time for a free hot dog. Hold the flood. 

Picture of the Week: Market

It was kinda like going to Sam's Club or Costco. It was a big market that had everything bigger better cheaper!

Ok, it was nothing like Sam's Club, but we went to this big city market...mostly to see it and take photos. It is "very National Geographic" as my friend said.

Everyday-ish I go to a market (a fruit stand, a meat stall, a grocery store the size of your living room) and they are all on a small scale like this picture. I wasn't trying to be artsy here. But this captures so much. The guy carrying a huge amount of some vegetable on his back (yes, see that daily). The skinny frustrated boy guarding the produce (usually they speak English better than their parents, so I deal with them a lot). The man feeding the other guy something (ok, don't see that everyday, but I have seen it). The bananas still on the stalks, the garbage, the reused cans and boxes and baskets. And coconuts. Coconuts everywhere.

Here is where I shop. The color, the filth, the bartering, the community. And I don't even need to show my membership card to get in! 

For Michelle

This post is for my friend, Michelle. Last week she called, surprising me since it was so late in the morning (for me) and definitely late at night (for her). She couldn't sleep. We had a great conversation but one thing she said was "Mandy, you're killing me here. One picture a week on the blog is not enough!"

So, here Michelle (and everyone else who wants to see more pictures of life here, Lydia and Molly and whatever else is on our camera). Here you go. Hope these pictures set you at ease. And anytime you can't sleep, call your friend who will be finishing up morning snack.

Lydia playing at the fountain. 

Laughing at my attempts to get her to eat solid food. 

Pre-Ballet class (singing in a parking garage)

Me, in everyday garb. I don't like wearing my scarf like that...but that's how you do it here. 

Lifting flaps.

That silly smile (also wearing "ethnic" garb).

Molly at the zoo. Very impressed with the animals.

Taken right before a random lady pinched Molly's cheek so hard she cried. 

I feel like I will show this to her one day and say "See we were in South Asia."

Finding her shadow (or an ant...not sure). 

Both adorable in person...but not the most photogenic.

Pig and Whitey...ready for a trip.

Dyes in the market.

"Lydia, go stand next to that huge pile of beans."

Asking for a flower necklace. 

Blurry...but having fun (wearing bangles, coloring in the van back from a trip). 

"Say hi to Mia for me ok Aunt Michelle?"

Picture of the Week: Raji

So, we rode an elephant.

We went on a day trip to the visit the king and queen of our state. They weren't available for meeting with us, but they kindly let us tour their palace (barefoot as not to desecrate the sacred space) and ride their elephant for a mere $2 a person.

His name was Raji. We couldn't get very great pictures...since we were on an elephant. Our friends took some from their adjacent elephant. It was amazingly scary and bumpy (no seat belts, no safety bar...) and fun and the girls just seemed to think this was normal life. And, in this country, it kind of is.

I mean, no we don't ride elephants on a daily basis...nor see them in the city. But, everyday is an adventure. Amazingly scary, bumpy, fun and well...our new normal.