Sunday, April 29, 2007

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout

...would not take the garbage out.

Have you ever let your stray papers pile up until you feel like they're multiplying and planning a hostile takeover? I lugged out the shredder today and tackled all the stray bills, school newsletters, homework assignments, receipts, invitations, to-do lists, shopping lists, scribbled story ideas, kid art, flyers, etc. etc. I'm still not done. A mutant pile is sitting not two feet away, staring at me.

I'm in one of those "clear the clutter" moods. Depending on how long the adoption takes, we could be going home in six months. Ack! Everywhere I look there are things to sort, things to toss out or give away, to sell or fix or file. Three years ago we got on an airplane and flew halfway around the world with one suitcase and one duffle bag apiece. Now we've accumulated a horrifying amount of stuff to replace all the stuff we sold before moving here. Of course most of it I can't bear to part with, so it will be going home on a slow boat to the tune of about $6000 (based on what friends have paid). If I start sorting/tossing/filing now, maybe those six months will be enough.

In other news, Marty the fish passed away today. When the George the turtle died a few weeks ago my older son took it hard. We buried him (the turtle) in the yard with flowers and everything. So we tried to break the news about the fish as gently as possible. The boys were sad for about five seconds; the younger one wants to know when we can get another pet. Such is the circle of life.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Here We Go

My son is often frustrated because when he gets interrupted he forgets what he was going to say. He says there are so many thoughts in his head at any given time that sometimes some of them just fall out. He's just like his mom, the poor kid.

Wait 'til he starts walking into rooms and forgetting what he went in there for. Or having the same conversation two or three times in the space of ten minutes. Nothing gives you confidence in your own brain power like starting a sentence and having your spouse say, "You just said that, Dear." Oops.

But I'm already way off topic.

We live in the Philippines. We've been here three years. I'm just now getting around to starting a blog about it, so that will give you some idea of my procrastination problems.

What's this blog thingie for? Not sure yet. A place to put down all those thoughts as they fall out of my head, maybe. A place where long-lost relatives can check in on us. Just as a warning ahead of time: we have long spans where nothing more interesting happens than we walk outside, remember that it's too hot to live, then go back inside and collapse in front of the air conditioner. Occasionally we'll take a trip together, though more often than not the dear husband takes trips for work and comes home jet lagged beyond all rational thought, while I hold down the fort with three kids and a horrible compulsion to stay up late and eat chocolate.

Life in Manila is...surreal. We'll talk details in another post. I wouldn't even know where to begin.

So that's us. I'm a blatant newbie and will be figuring this out as I go.

I'll adopt my brother's expression for signing off: Be good.