FAMILY
Day at the park
Trip to Virginia
Rachel's New Jeep
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The Longcores Big Day
Congrats Keith and Holly... your day was beautiful!
My Girls
Goodbye Family Photos
(the handsome guy in blue is Rachel's sweet boyfriend)
Thursday, August 30, 2007
This Weeks Top 40
While I was off island, my substitute had one of my classes write to me about what they wanted get out of my science class.
(1-10 is from one student… so random.)
1. I would like to know how they made animals
2. Who made up the name fire?
3. How did they make water?
4. Who invented the light bulb'?
5. Who discovered volcanos and lava?
6. Who invented desks?
7. Who invented shoes?
8. How did they make paper?
9. Who invented backpacks?
10. Who came up with the word pencial?
11. How does the sun stay up?
12. What is the most poisiend plant that will hurt you in 60 seconds?
13. How does the center of the earth look like?
14. I want to know how a shock wave from a bomb can kill one person
15. Why do we have ants and snacks on earth?
16. Why do they call it a Coco Bird?
17. I want to learn everything that happens in space.
18. I want to learn about how do mold get on food
19. I want to learn, why do ships disapaire when their in Burmuta triangle
20. How fire was made with out gas or a lighter
21. I would like to learn why there are different nationalities
22. Mrs. Wilhoit can come any day.
23. How do we grow hair?
24. How does earth rotate?
25. Why does fish breath in water?
26. How does earth float?
27. Why do they got 4 different kinds of ocean?
28. Why does a dog have 4 legs?
29. How dow rokist get blast off in the blue sky?
30. Why dose elefint get so big?
31. How do people become hard workers?
32. How was salt water created?
33. Who invented cloths?
34. I want to know who was the first human to live
35. How do animals live without food?
36. How a star makes itself?
37. Why mushrooms only grow when it’s raining season?
38. What are all the names of are body parts?
39. How come magnits push the other when its same side as the other, but when it is opusite they stick together?
40. I would like to learn how to make potions
(1-10 is from one student… so random.)
1. I would like to know how they made animals
2. Who made up the name fire?
3. How did they make water?
4. Who invented the light bulb'?
5. Who discovered volcanos and lava?
6. Who invented desks?
7. Who invented shoes?
8. How did they make paper?
9. Who invented backpacks?
10. Who came up with the word pencial?
11. How does the sun stay up?
12. What is the most poisiend plant that will hurt you in 60 seconds?
13. How does the center of the earth look like?
14. I want to know how a shock wave from a bomb can kill one person
15. Why do we have ants and snacks on earth?
16. Why do they call it a Coco Bird?
17. I want to learn everything that happens in space.
18. I want to learn about how do mold get on food
19. I want to learn, why do ships disapaire when their in Burmuta triangle
20. How fire was made with out gas or a lighter
21. I would like to learn why there are different nationalities
22. Mrs. Wilhoit can come any day.
23. How do we grow hair?
24. How does earth rotate?
25. Why does fish breath in water?
26. How does earth float?
27. Why do they got 4 different kinds of ocean?
28. Why does a dog have 4 legs?
29. How dow rokist get blast off in the blue sky?
30. Why dose elefint get so big?
31. How do people become hard workers?
32. How was salt water created?
33. Who invented cloths?
34. I want to know who was the first human to live
35. How do animals live without food?
36. How a star makes itself?
37. Why mushrooms only grow when it’s raining season?
38. What are all the names of are body parts?
39. How come magnits push the other when its same side as the other, but when it is opusite they stick together?
40. I would like to learn how to make potions
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
We Are All Home!
All my traveling friends are home now!
Now I can really relax and look forward to growing our friendships!
Now I can really relax and look forward to growing our friendships!
Sean, JoRae, Luke, Jeannie,
me, Tyla, Kendrik
me, Tyla, Kendrik
Monday, August 20, 2007
I'm Home!
Finally!
I have arrived at home sweet home!
I got in late Saturday night, I just barely made the flight. There were 2 seats available and 4 families of 3 ahead of me, which all had to decline. It was a very bitter-sweet moment. 2 of the families were ones that I hooked up with and we were taking care of each other. So, it was hard to say goodbye after bonding in the airport terminal for a week. One of the families had small kids who just wanted to go home and see daddy, and the other family had been waiting a week longer than I had. So, it didn't seem fair, but I was so blessed by them all and am so glad to have made new friends for here on Guam!
So I have been nonstop since I have been home. Sunday was full of unpacking, doing laundry, cleaning out the fridge, grocery shopping and having family dinner with our Chamorro family.
And today I had my first day teaching and loved it! It is kind of a blur, but it was so great to see my students shining faces! They were so cute and from what I gathered they liked me and many thought I was funny... that is always a bonus! The staff was kind, helpful and welcoming. Many of them complemented me on the video and my packet of work I created for the first week of school (which I missed because of my travel delays) One of the science teachers said he was intimidated at my professionalism and another wanted a copy of my packet, the counselor who subbed for my class kept telling me all day she was so glad I was here! So, my hard work paid off. (Thanks Russ for helping me put together the video for my class and making me look way professional... the students loved it and came up to me all excited all day and introduced themselves.... it was cute)
So, now I am just soooo exhausted.
I have arrived at home sweet home!
I got in late Saturday night, I just barely made the flight. There were 2 seats available and 4 families of 3 ahead of me, which all had to decline. It was a very bitter-sweet moment. 2 of the families were ones that I hooked up with and we were taking care of each other. So, it was hard to say goodbye after bonding in the airport terminal for a week. One of the families had small kids who just wanted to go home and see daddy, and the other family had been waiting a week longer than I had. So, it didn't seem fair, but I was so blessed by them all and am so glad to have made new friends for here on Guam!
So I have been nonstop since I have been home. Sunday was full of unpacking, doing laundry, cleaning out the fridge, grocery shopping and having family dinner with our Chamorro family.
And today I had my first day teaching and loved it! It is kind of a blur, but it was so great to see my students shining faces! They were so cute and from what I gathered they liked me and many thought I was funny... that is always a bonus! The staff was kind, helpful and welcoming. Many of them complemented me on the video and my packet of work I created for the first week of school (which I missed because of my travel delays) One of the science teachers said he was intimidated at my professionalism and another wanted a copy of my packet, the counselor who subbed for my class kept telling me all day she was so glad I was here! So, my hard work paid off. (Thanks Russ for helping me put together the video for my class and making me look way professional... the students loved it and came up to me all excited all day and introduced themselves.... it was cute)
So, now I am just soooo exhausted.
Monday, August 13, 2007
I wanna go home!
Hey everyone... I can't wait to have time to update you on my trip to MI, TN, VA and CA.
For now I need to let you all know I am in CA at an Air Force Base attempting to get home. There are so many people here attempting to get to Guam. I am toward the bottom of the list. One family here has been waiting 5 weeks! So, them, another family and I all got one way commercial flights to Hawaii for less than $200 and will attempt to get to Guam via military space A (mac) flights.
So, pray I can get out and get back home to my husband, home and students! Also, pray the hurricane headed for Hawaii fizzles out! I'll keep you posted.
For now I need to let you all know I am in CA at an Air Force Base attempting to get home. There are so many people here attempting to get to Guam. I am toward the bottom of the list. One family here has been waiting 5 weeks! So, them, another family and I all got one way commercial flights to Hawaii for less than $200 and will attempt to get to Guam via military space A (mac) flights.
So, pray I can get out and get back home to my husband, home and students! Also, pray the hurricane headed for Hawaii fizzles out! I'll keep you posted.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Tropical Storm Man-Yi
Heath is on big time damage control. He woke up Monday morning and stepped out of bed into a puddle of water that he discovered extended into our closet. He then proceeded to enter the rest of the house and found our large air con unit was clogged because of all the leaves that were blown into it and it was leaking water into the dinning room. All of our front patio furniture and the grill had blown across the front of our house, around the corner and was lined up along the side railing of our wrap around patio.
The eye of the storm traveled just south of Guam, so the counterclockwise wind bands are hitting the east side of the island straight on. They are blowing 50 mile/hour winds directly into our house. All the leaves are off the trees and the waves crashing on the reef are about 20 ft. Heath says he can't imagine 100m/h winds that come with some Typhoons.
The power was out for only a couple hours when he got home from work so he fired up the generator. He has to ring out the towels catching the water every 3 hours or so.
He is going to have to call for help to put up the shutters at least for our bedroom window. There is no way he can carry them with his injured shoulder, let alone in 50m/h winds, climb the ladder and boost himself up to the window. It sounds like things are crazy there!
To view the satellite color loop check out the link below.
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/guam/guamloops/guamircolor.html
(Guam is located at 13*N. Latitude and 144*E. Longitude)
The eye of the storm traveled just south of Guam, so the counterclockwise wind bands are hitting the east side of the island straight on. They are blowing 50 mile/hour winds directly into our house. All the leaves are off the trees and the waves crashing on the reef are about 20 ft. Heath says he can't imagine 100m/h winds that come with some Typhoons.
The power was out for only a couple hours when he got home from work so he fired up the generator. He has to ring out the towels catching the water every 3 hours or so.
He is going to have to call for help to put up the shutters at least for our bedroom window. There is no way he can carry them with his injured shoulder, let alone in 50m/h winds, climb the ladder and boost himself up to the window. It sounds like things are crazy there!
To view the satellite color loop check out the link below.
http://www.goes.noaa.gov/guam/guamloops/guamircolor.html
(Guam is located at 13*N. Latitude and 144*E. Longitude)
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Not All Fun and Games
The past month has been a busy and STRESSFUL and draining time! (beware this may be long!)
We had to "ask" our tenants to move out of our condo in Oceanside. And are now hunting for new ones. We had an entire week without any leads and today I received 4 calls and 3 are viewing it today.... We really hope that one of those 3 are the perfect tenants for us... and want to move in asap!
It has been rough having 2-$2000 house/rent payments to make with out me working since January. (I subbed for about a month and didn't make half of one of those payments.) So, it has been difficult. I tried finding a job teaching summer school, but there were no openings and my Guam Teaching Certificate will not be valid until August.
I have submitted all my information for teaching to DODEA (military schools) as well as the Guam Public School System. I have been in contact with a school with 2 science positions and an art position open. GPS has 400 openings for teachers for the fall, and I am highly qualified to teach the lovely middle schoolers, so now I just wait.
My mom is having more health problems and is going to be having a rough summer in preparation for surgery scheduled for October. I wish I could be in Michigan for her surgery to help out, but I am only available for the summer and hope to be a help and encouragement.
My friend Holly is getting married to a fabulous man, Kieth, and asked me to stand in there wedding. I told her I could if if was before the 12th of August. So, I am in her wedding the 11th! :)
So, CA tenant issues, mom's health, holly's big day, no summer job, no money for Heath and I to travel (we hope to save and spend the next couple summers on Guam exploring the surrounding islands) are all reasons I should come home for a chunk of the summer.
My plan was to leave the last week of June, however I came down with the shingles and was bedridden for the week. Friday a MAC (military standby) flight was headed for WA so I attempted to get on the flight along with about 100 other people, many who were waiting for a flight out for 6 days!
So, I am here... they made room for about 80 people and I just so happened to make the list. After flying on 2 military hoppers, one to Honolulu, the other to Seattle, with a 24 hour layover in Hawaii and 36 hours to visit Michael and Rachel in Washington, I booked a commercial flight into Michigan and landed in Grand Rapids after 5 days of traveling.
This past week I have really laid low... My shingles are almost gone, I am now just dealing with bruise sensations, sensitive skin and some twinging pain in my spine area; much better than the initial feeling of being beaten with a base ball bat and breaking out with blisters. Shingles is the worst! You know it's bad when the Doctor looks at your back and says, "Oh! You have Zoster. It really sucks! Hurts like hell doesn't it?" I finally finished taking 28 pills a day and now am fighting something like bronchitis. I am also dealing with crazy jet lag! But it is good to be home!
So, that is what has been going on. My hope now is to get things set up for new tenants, and help out my mama and holly and then get on the first flight out back to Guam to begin teaching. Lots of hoping and waiting.
Heath had to stay home and work, but felt that this is the perfect opportunity for me to come home for the summer. He has lots of projects around the house he wants to work on, as well as hunting, fishing and fiestas to attend. He played soccer one of the first nights I was gone and messed up his shoulder really really bad... it is too painful at this time to tell what the damage is, we are hoping it is just a nasty sprain.
Ending on a positive note: Heath was just chosen to be the LPO (Leading Petty Officer) of the Physical Therapy Department. He is the only E5 in the hospital to hold that title, the others are E6 and above, so it looks great on his record! He also has experience being LPO back at Camp Pendleton. In both situations he was chosen as the youngest, least amount of time in the Navy, the least experience in PT and the least amount of time at that station. I am so proud of him... there is this natural force of leadership and excellence propelling him forward.
We had to "ask" our tenants to move out of our condo in Oceanside. And are now hunting for new ones. We had an entire week without any leads and today I received 4 calls and 3 are viewing it today.... We really hope that one of those 3 are the perfect tenants for us... and want to move in asap!
It has been rough having 2-$2000 house/rent payments to make with out me working since January. (I subbed for about a month and didn't make half of one of those payments.) So, it has been difficult. I tried finding a job teaching summer school, but there were no openings and my Guam Teaching Certificate will not be valid until August.
I have submitted all my information for teaching to DODEA (military schools) as well as the Guam Public School System. I have been in contact with a school with 2 science positions and an art position open. GPS has 400 openings for teachers for the fall, and I am highly qualified to teach the lovely middle schoolers, so now I just wait.
My mom is having more health problems and is going to be having a rough summer in preparation for surgery scheduled for October. I wish I could be in Michigan for her surgery to help out, but I am only available for the summer and hope to be a help and encouragement.
My friend Holly is getting married to a fabulous man, Kieth, and asked me to stand in there wedding. I told her I could if if was before the 12th of August. So, I am in her wedding the 11th! :)
So, CA tenant issues, mom's health, holly's big day, no summer job, no money for Heath and I to travel (we hope to save and spend the next couple summers on Guam exploring the surrounding islands) are all reasons I should come home for a chunk of the summer.
My plan was to leave the last week of June, however I came down with the shingles and was bedridden for the week. Friday a MAC (military standby) flight was headed for WA so I attempted to get on the flight along with about 100 other people, many who were waiting for a flight out for 6 days!
So, I am here... they made room for about 80 people and I just so happened to make the list. After flying on 2 military hoppers, one to Honolulu, the other to Seattle, with a 24 hour layover in Hawaii and 36 hours to visit Michael and Rachel in Washington, I booked a commercial flight into Michigan and landed in Grand Rapids after 5 days of traveling.
This past week I have really laid low... My shingles are almost gone, I am now just dealing with bruise sensations, sensitive skin and some twinging pain in my spine area; much better than the initial feeling of being beaten with a base ball bat and breaking out with blisters. Shingles is the worst! You know it's bad when the Doctor looks at your back and says, "Oh! You have Zoster. It really sucks! Hurts like hell doesn't it?" I finally finished taking 28 pills a day and now am fighting something like bronchitis. I am also dealing with crazy jet lag! But it is good to be home!
So, that is what has been going on. My hope now is to get things set up for new tenants, and help out my mama and holly and then get on the first flight out back to Guam to begin teaching. Lots of hoping and waiting.
Heath had to stay home and work, but felt that this is the perfect opportunity for me to come home for the summer. He has lots of projects around the house he wants to work on, as well as hunting, fishing and fiestas to attend. He played soccer one of the first nights I was gone and messed up his shoulder really really bad... it is too painful at this time to tell what the damage is, we are hoping it is just a nasty sprain.
Ending on a positive note: Heath was just chosen to be the LPO (Leading Petty Officer) of the Physical Therapy Department. He is the only E5 in the hospital to hold that title, the others are E6 and above, so it looks great on his record! He also has experience being LPO back at Camp Pendleton. In both situations he was chosen as the youngest, least amount of time in the Navy, the least experience in PT and the least amount of time at that station. I am so proud of him... there is this natural force of leadership and excellence propelling him forward.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Good Bye for Now
We hooked up with a small group shortly after we arrived on Guam. They are fabulous and welcomed us in like we had been with them for years. This past Tuesday we had almost the whole gang out to our place for dinner. Four of the six other couples are PCSing... (being restationed) Three of the four leave this week/end... We will miss them greatly. We had a great evening and loved being a part of your community.
This photo was shot from our balcony... on timer... 10 second timer. The first try I did not even make it close to running around the porch, down the hill, around the flower bed, between the cars and across the yard. The second time, I sprinted faster than I think I ever have and just made it. If the picture would have taken once I landed, I would have blocked half of the Malloy family... thankfully it caught me in the air, not blocking any ones beautiful little face!
From a small island to a small world...
we will meet again...
Thursday, June 14, 2007
California Clear Credential!
After living in CA for just over 3 years, teaching a crazy schedule there for 2 1/2, taking 6 classes, and studying for 6 monster tests (equivalent to majoring in the test subject matter) and completing them all by January (we left in February) I submitted my application for a clear credential just in time to leave CA. I knew it was necessary to be "No Child Left Behind" compliant, and it would look good to have a CA and MI credential, but really I thought, all that hell for that? I must be crazy.... I wasn't... this week I was surprised.
My credential now reads:
"This document authorizes the holder to teach the subject area(s) listed above in grades twelve and below, including preschool, and in classes organized primarily for adults."
Doesn't that mean I can teach Art or Geosciences to any age... well, except pre-preschool?
Now, I can actually dream again about teaching art... I am not limited to 7-12th grade (even thought they are my favorite). But now I am going to go check out all of my many options.
p.s. I had an interview...sort of... for a Guam Public School down south. They have two middle school science positions and an art position available, the art would only be a possibility if the sciences were filled first... it is about a 25-30 minute drive... I have mixed feelings about it. This is the hard part, I will make the most of where ever I am, but I no longer feel like I am so limited. So, now I look and wait, look and wait.
My credential now reads:
"This document authorizes the holder to teach the subject area(s) listed above in grades twelve and below, including preschool, and in classes organized primarily for adults."
Doesn't that mean I can teach Art or Geosciences to any age... well, except pre-preschool?
Now, I can actually dream again about teaching art... I am not limited to 7-12th grade (even thought they are my favorite). But now I am going to go check out all of my many options.
p.s. I had an interview...sort of... for a Guam Public School down south. They have two middle school science positions and an art position available, the art would only be a possibility if the sciences were filled first... it is about a 25-30 minute drive... I have mixed feelings about it. This is the hard part, I will make the most of where ever I am, but I no longer feel like I am so limited. So, now I look and wait, look and wait.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Workin and a Hopin
I am subbing! Finally!
I filled out all 49 pages of all the information you could imagine about my life the past 10 years. So, if you get a phone call, I may have squeezed your info in as a reference. I ended up having to put down 33 references, 12 places I have lived, 11 jobs I have had and 6 colleges I have attended. Yikes, I was all over the place. So, just last week I got called to come in and so far I have only had one day off. This is good! But will only last for a month.
I am working for DODEA (Department of Defense) Schools, one is a middle/elementary school and the other a high school. So far I have had a 3rd grade class, Jr high Math, Language Arts, Drama and Spanish, HS music, and I have hopped around in 1st grade, kindergarten and the front office. It is great to be back in the classroom. There are things I really enjoy about subbing and things I am looking forward to once I have my own classroom again. (God willing)
Right now there is nothing posted I am qualified for, but I am hoping something will come up. My application is in and waiting for a position to pop up. This is the hard part... the unknown, just waiting, and wondering. I keep wondering if there is something else I can be doing, or something else i should be working on to be better qualified. I am thankful to be subbing, and I am hopefully making connections so I am not just another number.
I know I should probably be looking for other possibilities.... I just want dodea so bad! Art positions are very hard to come by, so I don't really have a an ounce of hope for that, but science, I am just hoping something will come up and am actually really excited about the possibility. My dream would be... if a position opened up at the high school! They are building a brand new one right next to the Naval hospital... Heath and I could car pool, maybe even have lunch once in a while, possibly work out together. Those are just some of the many pluses. Ok, I know I should simmer down on the dreaming... but wouldn't that just be so great?
I filled out all 49 pages of all the information you could imagine about my life the past 10 years. So, if you get a phone call, I may have squeezed your info in as a reference. I ended up having to put down 33 references, 12 places I have lived, 11 jobs I have had and 6 colleges I have attended. Yikes, I was all over the place. So, just last week I got called to come in and so far I have only had one day off. This is good! But will only last for a month.
I am working for DODEA (Department of Defense) Schools, one is a middle/elementary school and the other a high school. So far I have had a 3rd grade class, Jr high Math, Language Arts, Drama and Spanish, HS music, and I have hopped around in 1st grade, kindergarten and the front office. It is great to be back in the classroom. There are things I really enjoy about subbing and things I am looking forward to once I have my own classroom again. (God willing)
Right now there is nothing posted I am qualified for, but I am hoping something will come up. My application is in and waiting for a position to pop up. This is the hard part... the unknown, just waiting, and wondering. I keep wondering if there is something else I can be doing, or something else i should be working on to be better qualified. I am thankful to be subbing, and I am hopefully making connections so I am not just another number.
I know I should probably be looking for other possibilities.... I just want dodea so bad! Art positions are very hard to come by, so I don't really have a an ounce of hope for that, but science, I am just hoping something will come up and am actually really excited about the possibility. My dream would be... if a position opened up at the high school! They are building a brand new one right next to the Naval hospital... Heath and I could car pool, maybe even have lunch once in a while, possibly work out together. Those are just some of the many pluses. Ok, I know I should simmer down on the dreaming... but wouldn't that just be so great?
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Our Bebes
Heath has 12 hour hospital duty tonight... can you tell I am bored? I can't catch up on Grey's Anatomy without Heath (although he told me I could) we are all caught up on Lost and I just can't seem to get off the computer. So here I sit and blog. I know I am a big fat nerd (just check the 3 latest posts) but I like it. And it is the small things that paint the picture of life for me.
I also don't have kids to post pictures of, like many of my fellow bloggers and I have been waiting to get on the substitute teacher list, so I have had a lot of time on my hands to take pictures of the little things of Guam.
It is the first time since high school that I have had almost 4 months off... wait then that would have been before kindergarten... no wonder I was beginning to get antsy. I have been able to keep full time busy somehow, but I have also been breathing and have had time to notice it... ahh... nice!
Anyway, one more silly set of pics... like I said earlier we do not have little ones. So, a few weeks ago Heath and I made a trip to the nursery and picked out a few little ones we could call our own. We have been giving them the nurturing and tlc that they so desperately need... and low and behold they are growing like weeds.
We loved them so much we have adopted a few more that are not pictured, however this does not mean that we love them any less. In fact Ginger and Stinky Clove are our own and are just starting to sprout. Sweet B and Thai B have multiplied their size by at lest 5. The Chives family have had to grow up 3 times. Our little Hotties continue to amaze us! The little Toms are sick... we are looking into how to help them, they have produced 4 beautiful little ones though.
And man they all love to salsa!... seriously... it is the best salsa I have ever experienced!
See I am a nerd... that is what you get at 1am... some say anytime of day really.
Alright... goodnight all. Loves :)
I also don't have kids to post pictures of, like many of my fellow bloggers and I have been waiting to get on the substitute teacher list, so I have had a lot of time on my hands to take pictures of the little things of Guam.
It is the first time since high school that I have had almost 4 months off... wait then that would have been before kindergarten... no wonder I was beginning to get antsy. I have been able to keep full time busy somehow, but I have also been breathing and have had time to notice it... ahh... nice!
Anyway, one more silly set of pics... like I said earlier we do not have little ones. So, a few weeks ago Heath and I made a trip to the nursery and picked out a few little ones we could call our own. We have been giving them the nurturing and tlc that they so desperately need... and low and behold they are growing like weeds.
We loved them so much we have adopted a few more that are not pictured, however this does not mean that we love them any less. In fact Ginger and Stinky Clove are our own and are just starting to sprout. Sweet B and Thai B have multiplied their size by at lest 5. The Chives family have had to grow up 3 times. Our little Hotties continue to amaze us! The little Toms are sick... we are looking into how to help them, they have produced 4 beautiful little ones though.
And man they all love to salsa!... seriously... it is the best salsa I have ever experienced!See I am a nerd... that is what you get at 1am... some say anytime of day really.
Alright... goodnight all. Loves :)
Roommates
I have been thinking a lot about roommates lately… I have had about 40 to 50 roommates in the past 10 years of my life. Some good, some not-so-good, all loved. Here is a story and a few of my thoughts about the topic…
Good roommates…
Don’t leave their crap all over.
Don’t act like they own your things.
Don’t yell at you to leave the room.
Don’t scare you when you are sleeping.
Don’t make noise at all hours of the night.
Don’t leave their leftovers out.
Don’t jump out of things to scare you.
One of the first nights in our new house, I heard a noise unlike normal new house noises; in fact, it made me sit straight up in bed. It was a slight squeal, kind of like someone bumping into furniture, sliding it on the marble tile, at least that is what I imagined. Heath got up and checked the house and found no such intruders and all furniture as we had left it. (He is such a good room/life-mate)
However…I think we have quite a few not-so-good roommates…
Good or bad, they are loved. They are so cute and so fun to watch and they eat the bugs (except for all the teeny-tiny ants.) And when I find bug carcasses and tiny wings on the furniture or stove, I am thankful that the geckos have taken care of them before I notice them invading my house. Also, I am learning that they do take their dumps in fairly regular locations, I appreciate routines rather than their little surprises.
Heath also likes to catch them and let them ride around on his shoulders. We were trying to scare them away, especially after one jumped out of a cereal bowl at heath, but we have grown to enjoy their presence. We have learned to coexist; now all of our dishes sit upside-down in our cupboards… thanks mom for that tip!
We also appreciate their humor. They all have different voices, which when I am not trying to sleep can be cute as well… The one that lives in the kitchen has a loud clicking squawk, especially after dinner; in fact this is the 3rd time it has spoken since I have started this post. The ones that live in our room are the squealers, like rusty furniture wheels. The ones in our living room and the bathrooms have babies that think they can fly and jump off the light ledges to severe injury and sometimes their death. Today, there was a baby in the corner of our bathtub that could not climb up the dried soap scum slope (gross I know). He was so cute to watch running his little heart out and going nowhere… sometimes I feel like that. Heath rescued him… he does that for me too… what a good roommate!
Good roommates…
Don’t leave their crap all over.
Don’t act like they own your things.
Don’t yell at you to leave the room.
Don’t scare you when you are sleeping.
Don’t make noise at all hours of the night.
Don’t leave their leftovers out.
Don’t jump out of things to scare you.
One of the first nights in our new house, I heard a noise unlike normal new house noises; in fact, it made me sit straight up in bed. It was a slight squeal, kind of like someone bumping into furniture, sliding it on the marble tile, at least that is what I imagined. Heath got up and checked the house and found no such intruders and all furniture as we had left it. (He is such a good room/life-mate)
However…I think we have quite a few not-so-good roommates…
Good or bad, they are loved. They are so cute and so fun to watch and they eat the bugs (except for all the teeny-tiny ants.) And when I find bug carcasses and tiny wings on the furniture or stove, I am thankful that the geckos have taken care of them before I notice them invading my house. Also, I am learning that they do take their dumps in fairly regular locations, I appreciate routines rather than their little surprises.
Heath also likes to catch them and let them ride around on his shoulders. We were trying to scare them away, especially after one jumped out of a cereal bowl at heath, but we have grown to enjoy their presence. We have learned to coexist; now all of our dishes sit upside-down in our cupboards… thanks mom for that tip!
We also appreciate their humor. They all have different voices, which when I am not trying to sleep can be cute as well… The one that lives in the kitchen has a loud clicking squawk, especially after dinner; in fact this is the 3rd time it has spoken since I have started this post. The ones that live in our room are the squealers, like rusty furniture wheels. The ones in our living room and the bathrooms have babies that think they can fly and jump off the light ledges to severe injury and sometimes their death. Today, there was a baby in the corner of our bathtub that could not climb up the dried soap scum slope (gross I know). He was so cute to watch running his little heart out and going nowhere… sometimes I feel like that. Heath rescued him… he does that for me too… what a good roommate!
Critters of the Night, Visitors and Pests
We feed these guys... they are like our pigs that eat all our scraps... they really like coconut but are not picky. In fact every night we see like 10 to 20 in the pile and lately they have been working their way into our garden.
I also discovered a hermit crab tonight that was living in a lego, he was not homeless, just living in a piece of trash. Poor little guy, maybe tomorrow I will go into the jungle to help him house hunt. There are plenty of shells out there.
Tonight (Heath has hospital duty) I was taking out some banana bread that the ants discovered and heard claws at my feet just at the end of my patio... Heath has been wanting to catch a coconut crab (ayuyu), feed it coconut and eventually eat it... they are supposedly deliciously sweet. However, their pinch is incredibly painful and they wont let go until you break off their claw... I was not about to catch this one just in case it is an Ayuyu and not just a land crab.
These little neighbors surround us... they are fabulous alarm clocks... any time of day! I thought it would just be morning, but that must just be what they are known for because they yell all day long! The past few weeks many of them had babies, the bottom picture has four... where's waldo, penny, franko and fuzzy?
Long legged friends. This praying mantis was just hanging out with me as I gardened. The Banana Spiders... that is what we have heard some call them, can be found in our flowers, or the tangen tangen (jungle bush) at anytime. However the woolly one, we think is a wolf spider, huge and easily scared. Both harmless... we think.
One last critter, this one I like the least. Many of you know I am not a cat fan. Also, many of you know that things that I am allergic to are drawn to me. Well, this critter fits both categories... It finds shade under my car scaring me every time I open my car door, I have found it sitting at every one of our doormats, it also runs into our windows trying to catch bugs or geckos. Not only that, I think it has cataracts, so it glares at me, of course I glare back with my cataracts and all. But isn't that a lovely thing to be doing for the camera? Do you think it is saying, "kiss my butt, I lived here first"?
P.S. Of all the critters I have encountered here, the most domestic I am not a fan of. The boonie dogs scare me, I have to run with a stick for protection and I still run afraid.
P.P.S. The brown snakes you all hear about, I can no longer say we haven't seen any. We saw our first on the road home the other night. But most people who live here long term have only seen a couple.
I also discovered a hermit crab tonight that was living in a lego, he was not homeless, just living in a piece of trash. Poor little guy, maybe tomorrow I will go into the jungle to help him house hunt. There are plenty of shells out there.
Tonight (Heath has hospital duty) I was taking out some banana bread that the ants discovered and heard claws at my feet just at the end of my patio... Heath has been wanting to catch a coconut crab (ayuyu), feed it coconut and eventually eat it... they are supposedly deliciously sweet. However, their pinch is incredibly painful and they wont let go until you break off their claw... I was not about to catch this one just in case it is an Ayuyu and not just a land crab.
These little neighbors surround us... they are fabulous alarm clocks... any time of day! I thought it would just be morning, but that must just be what they are known for because they yell all day long! The past few weeks many of them had babies, the bottom picture has four... where's waldo, penny, franko and fuzzy?
Long legged friends. This praying mantis was just hanging out with me as I gardened. The Banana Spiders... that is what we have heard some call them, can be found in our flowers, or the tangen tangen (jungle bush) at anytime. However the woolly one, we think is a wolf spider, huge and easily scared. Both harmless... we think.
One last critter, this one I like the least. Many of you know I am not a cat fan. Also, many of you know that things that I am allergic to are drawn to me. Well, this critter fits both categories... It finds shade under my car scaring me every time I open my car door, I have found it sitting at every one of our doormats, it also runs into our windows trying to catch bugs or geckos. Not only that, I think it has cataracts, so it glares at me, of course I glare back with my cataracts and all. But isn't that a lovely thing to be doing for the camera? Do you think it is saying, "kiss my butt, I lived here first"?
P.S. Of all the critters I have encountered here, the most domestic I am not a fan of. The boonie dogs scare me, I have to run with a stick for protection and I still run afraid.
P.P.S. The brown snakes you all hear about, I can no longer say we haven't seen any. We saw our first on the road home the other night. But most people who live here long term have only seen a couple.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Fun With Lisa
Who wouldn't want to pick up a beautiful, open arm, friend with a smile like that at an airport at 3 am? We were so excited to see each other we didn't sleep that first night, we stayed up chatting away, waiting to catch the sunrise, we then went for a run and began our 4 adventure-full days straight of soaking up lots of sun, diving, snorkeling, spelunking, hiking, exploring and lots of laughter and catch-up. It was very fun and refreshing!
We miss you already!
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