Last night around 9:30, Philip opened the front door and was about to step onto the mat when he noticed that one of the stripes was raised up with an open mouth. He quickly backed inside and firmly shut the door. I was Skyping with a good friend when Philip told me that there was a bright green snake at the front door. I confirmed his thoughts that this meant it was poisonous. Armed with a grasping mop handle, Philip headed out the back door around to the front. The snake was still in position waiting to strike whatever stepped out the front door. Philip meant to catch it with the mop grabber and put it into the trash can. However, he realized that he didn't know what to do with it after that. If he released it anywhere in our neighborhood, it would likely find its way back here. Besides, he did not want to be responsible for someone else getting bitten. The only responsible thing to do was to kill it.
I was still chatting with Heather, but also praying for Philip's safety. If I had known he had initially thought to capture it, I would have been praying harder! Once he decided to kill it, Philip had to decide what to use. He called me to bring him the 10+ foot bamboo pole that was on our large upstairs balcony. I lowered it done to him from the front balcony. This whole time the snake had thankfully stayed on the small front
porch, curling up, backing into position, and rearing up to open its
mouth. Now Philip took aim with the tip of the pole, prayed, and struck out. He hit the snake's head between the pole and the baseboard of the porch cupboard. The snake squirmed a little bit but was obviously lethally injured. Philip hit him a few more times to make sure he was rendered harmless before taking a closer look.
He called me to see. Seeing the bring green up close made me appreciate the fact that Philip had known from the beginning; this really was a dangerous snake. We examined the markings: bring green back, a slightly lighter yellowish belly, a white stripe in between. A white-lipped pit viper: commonly stirring after dark and traveling on the ground, known for frequent run-ins with humans, quick to strike, venom causes serious pain and necrosis but is not usually lethal. I asked Philip, "What in the world was it doing on our door mat?" He shrugged, and I answered my own question, "Maybe God sent him there so you would find him and take care of him before one of the children found him sleeping in the garden." I don't know if that's true, but I do know that God allowed Philip to see the snake before he stepped on it and gave him time to retreat. He helped him to be able to hit it and injure it on the first blow and protected him from getting bitten. While it's not comfortable to live in a place where my children could wander upon deadly snakes in the garden, it is very comforting to know that God is watching out for all of them. And I am also thankful that anti-venom against all vipers is available in Thailand. Now I've just got to learn how to say, "A snake bit my child/husband!" in Thai.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Benefits of Work-At-Home Daddy
Sometimes I dream of a husband with a "typical" 9-to-5 job. We would all eat breakfast together in the mornings; he would be home in time for supper, after which we would have family time then get the kids ready for bed together. He wouldn't have to do any work in the evenings or on weekends. I know the reality would likely involve having to do extra work from home or stay late. And I remember when he was trying to go to his office at Thammasat University regularly, commuting two hours each way! So to counteract my musings of an alternate reality, I write why I am thankful for my work-at-home husband.
Since he works late into the night, his only truly distraction-free time, he is usually not awake for breakfast. However, he is always home for lunch. He often goes out to bring lunch home for us, saving me the trouble of getting four children dressed, sandaled, and out the gate. He's also always home for supper on time. No trying to keep supper hot or hungry children entertained until Daddy walk in the door. A couple rounds of "The Lord is Good to Me" (our traditional waiting for Daddy at mealtime song) while he finishes grading a paper or reading an article, and we're ready to eat together.
He's available for back-up. How many mothers would love to have an extra hand around when everything goes wrong at once. Eris, my seven year old, can help play with Simeon while I clean up Hollis's accident on the floor. But sometimes, an adult or even just an extra helper is ideal. Sometimes Daddy is able to calm Simeon to sleep in his lap while I fix supper. Sometimes Meriel is stuck in a tree at the same time Hollis is sitting on Eris and won't get off at the same time I'm changing Simeon's blow-out diaper. This sort of scenario happens fairly often with four children. And of course, no matter how calm everything seems to be beforehand, something is bound to happen the second I'm in the bathroom. These moments, Philip is able to step in and help bring things to order much more quickly than if I were home alone.
He is the escalated disciplinarian. For some reason, fathers tend to be better at disciplining children. I remember being afraid of my father in a way I was not afraid of my mother. We haven't spanked in our house yet, but just the girls will sit quietly for time out in Philip's study when they won't sit in the kitchen. He is sitting there keeping an eye on them, while I am unable to watch the time out spot the whole time because I have duties all over the house. If they will not sit in time out at all, one of us has to hold them down. While I have the strength to hold a tantrum throwing three or five year old down, Philip is better able to do this. Also, if I'm nursing a napping baby in my lap, I'm loathe to cut the nap short to deal with a naughty child. So while I handle much of the discipline myself, it's nice to know I have back-up in the house.
The first post on this blog was about the scary creatures in and around our house. If I really had to, I would figure out a way to squash a huge spider (I have done away with one medium-size one) or get a snake out of our yard, but it is comforting to know my husband is around to deal with these for me. I don't even have to get frogs out of the bathroom or crabs out of my kitchen. The girls know who to call, "Spider catcher! Spider catcher!" running to Philip's study.
He can spend time with the kids during the day. He often takes Eris and Meriel bicycle riding in the Yaek (our small dead end street). He will sometimes take a child or two to the bulk market for cheese and yogurt. He can work in the yard in daylight hours. He can run upstairs and help me grab laundry off the line when it starts raining suddenly. He can catch the vegetable truck while I'm in the middle of fixing supper. We can go to the water park, zoo, or a museum on a week day to avoid crowds.
I'm sure this is not an exclusive list of reasons to be thankful for having my husband home, but these all easily came to mind. So while Philip may work all hours of the day and night, while I almost exclusively care for the children twenty-four hours a day, he is always available by a knock at his study door. We almost certainly have more time together as a whole family than those with a dad away at work. Our children are just as thrilled to see Daddy emerge from his study as they would be to welcome him home after a day at work. Surely our situation will one day change, Philip will have to go outside the house to work, our kids will grow older and present new difficulties, I will start working as a physician again. But for now, I am so thankful to be home with my children and my husband just behind a door.
Since he works late into the night, his only truly distraction-free time, he is usually not awake for breakfast. However, he is always home for lunch. He often goes out to bring lunch home for us, saving me the trouble of getting four children dressed, sandaled, and out the gate. He's also always home for supper on time. No trying to keep supper hot or hungry children entertained until Daddy walk in the door. A couple rounds of "The Lord is Good to Me" (our traditional waiting for Daddy at mealtime song) while he finishes grading a paper or reading an article, and we're ready to eat together.
He's available for back-up. How many mothers would love to have an extra hand around when everything goes wrong at once. Eris, my seven year old, can help play with Simeon while I clean up Hollis's accident on the floor. But sometimes, an adult or even just an extra helper is ideal. Sometimes Daddy is able to calm Simeon to sleep in his lap while I fix supper. Sometimes Meriel is stuck in a tree at the same time Hollis is sitting on Eris and won't get off at the same time I'm changing Simeon's blow-out diaper. This sort of scenario happens fairly often with four children. And of course, no matter how calm everything seems to be beforehand, something is bound to happen the second I'm in the bathroom. These moments, Philip is able to step in and help bring things to order much more quickly than if I were home alone.
He is the escalated disciplinarian. For some reason, fathers tend to be better at disciplining children. I remember being afraid of my father in a way I was not afraid of my mother. We haven't spanked in our house yet, but just the girls will sit quietly for time out in Philip's study when they won't sit in the kitchen. He is sitting there keeping an eye on them, while I am unable to watch the time out spot the whole time because I have duties all over the house. If they will not sit in time out at all, one of us has to hold them down. While I have the strength to hold a tantrum throwing three or five year old down, Philip is better able to do this. Also, if I'm nursing a napping baby in my lap, I'm loathe to cut the nap short to deal with a naughty child. So while I handle much of the discipline myself, it's nice to know I have back-up in the house.
The first post on this blog was about the scary creatures in and around our house. If I really had to, I would figure out a way to squash a huge spider (I have done away with one medium-size one) or get a snake out of our yard, but it is comforting to know my husband is around to deal with these for me. I don't even have to get frogs out of the bathroom or crabs out of my kitchen. The girls know who to call, "Spider catcher! Spider catcher!" running to Philip's study.
He can spend time with the kids during the day. He often takes Eris and Meriel bicycle riding in the Yaek (our small dead end street). He will sometimes take a child or two to the bulk market for cheese and yogurt. He can work in the yard in daylight hours. He can run upstairs and help me grab laundry off the line when it starts raining suddenly. He can catch the vegetable truck while I'm in the middle of fixing supper. We can go to the water park, zoo, or a museum on a week day to avoid crowds.
I'm sure this is not an exclusive list of reasons to be thankful for having my husband home, but these all easily came to mind. So while Philip may work all hours of the day and night, while I almost exclusively care for the children twenty-four hours a day, he is always available by a knock at his study door. We almost certainly have more time together as a whole family than those with a dad away at work. Our children are just as thrilled to see Daddy emerge from his study as they would be to welcome him home after a day at work. Surely our situation will one day change, Philip will have to go outside the house to work, our kids will grow older and present new difficulties, I will start working as a physician again. But for now, I am so thankful to be home with my children and my husband just behind a door.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Loi Kratong: Festival of Lights
Yesterday (the full moon of the twelfth lunar month) was Loi Kratong, one of Thailand's most important holidays. A Google search will get you more information about the holiday, but no one is sure on the history nor is there a unified significance behind floating a Kratong. Loi means float; a kratong is a decoration meant to float. Basically, a person or group floats a kratong out onto a body of water to symbolize letting go of negative feelings and light a candle to symbolize a prayer or a wish. Kratong are traditionally made from banana plants: a slice of trunk as the base with strips of leaves folded for decoration. We did not want to cut down one of our banana trees for just a slice, and I didn't find any bases for sale, although I'm sure they could be found if I knew where to look. At the supermarket on Sunday, I noticed bread kratongs, so I decided to bake a round loaf of bread for our base. A bread kratong takes three days to compose (according to a poster I saw) as opposed to fourteen for a banana one and fifty years for a Styrofoam base.
When the bread base was ready, I called the girls to go out to the yard to gather flowers and leaves. We covered the base with a banana leaf and made a border of folded strips. We used only toothpicks for holding in place. Our main flowering plant is a bougainvillea bush, so it turned out a lovely pinkish-purple. It proved to be beautiful reflecting the candlelight. We were pleased with the outcome, and I fervently hoped it would float.
We took a picnic supper to nearby Jatujak Park. I placed the kratong on a plate, covered it with a large bowl and carried it in a cloth casserole holder. Thankfully, it made it to the park in good condition. The girls played at the playground until it began to get dark, then we ate supper. A crowd began to form around the pond. I remarked to Philip how neat is was to have a holiday that basically requires everyone to gather with strangers at a public place. Our nearest equivalent would be Fourth of July when we gather outside to watch fireworks. We cleared up our picnic and joined the crowd. We watched a few others light and float their kratong, so we would know the "proper" way to do it. Then we lit our candle, thanked God for the Light of the World, and floated our kratong. Yes, it did float! The girls and I splashed waves to push it further out. Among the mostly boughten kratong, ours was lovely.
A couple nearby gave the girls sparklers. We watched others light and float their kratong, a few small families and many couples, only a few other farang (non-Asian foreigners). We felt a part of the Thai culture in a small way. Although it gets dark around six o'clock and was only about seven, the girls were tired. We went to the edge of the pond to say good-bye to our kratong. It was the furthest one out and the candle was still lit. Good Night, Loi Kratong!
When the bread base was ready, I called the girls to go out to the yard to gather flowers and leaves. We covered the base with a banana leaf and made a border of folded strips. We used only toothpicks for holding in place. Our main flowering plant is a bougainvillea bush, so it turned out a lovely pinkish-purple. It proved to be beautiful reflecting the candlelight. We were pleased with the outcome, and I fervently hoped it would float.
We took a picnic supper to nearby Jatujak Park. I placed the kratong on a plate, covered it with a large bowl and carried it in a cloth casserole holder. Thankfully, it made it to the park in good condition. The girls played at the playground until it began to get dark, then we ate supper. A crowd began to form around the pond. I remarked to Philip how neat is was to have a holiday that basically requires everyone to gather with strangers at a public place. Our nearest equivalent would be Fourth of July when we gather outside to watch fireworks. We cleared up our picnic and joined the crowd. We watched a few others light and float their kratong, so we would know the "proper" way to do it. Then we lit our candle, thanked God for the Light of the World, and floated our kratong. Yes, it did float! The girls and I splashed waves to push it further out. Among the mostly boughten kratong, ours was lovely.
A couple nearby gave the girls sparklers. We watched others light and float their kratong, a few small families and many couples, only a few other farang (non-Asian foreigners). We felt a part of the Thai culture in a small way. Although it gets dark around six o'clock and was only about seven, the girls were tired. We went to the edge of the pond to say good-bye to our kratong. It was the furthest one out and the candle was still lit. Good Night, Loi Kratong!
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Shadows and Strings
Yesterday we attended a few shows at the "Harmony World Puppet Carnival Bangkok 2014." The festival showcases 160 puppet troupes from around the world. I thought this would be a fun event for the kids and with all the events free, there was really no reason not to go. So I picked a convenient day and booked a few shows for us. The shows were at a handful of museums and galleries near the Grand Palace. The trip to the first venue was uneventful and took less time than we had planned (an amazing occurrence in Bangkok's legendary traffic). We walked around Democracy Monument and snacked on roasted bananas, fresh mango and watermelon, and fried bread balls.
The first show was a "workshop" by a hand shadow puppet group from Georgia (the country, not the state). After being welcomed by a recording in approximately ten languages, one of the group members told us a little about the history of the troupe. It was started by a man who was interested in puppeteering but couldn't afford puppets. He began using just his hands because that's all he had, but he became so good at this that it became a show in its own right. We got to go behind stage and watch how the members worked together to make pretty impressive shadow images: a spider playing the piano made the girls laugh, flowers budding, a bird catching a fly to name a few. My favorite was dancing bears. Then we had a chance to try ourselves, but only Hollis was brave enough to do so. One of the puppeteers helped her to shape a brief spider, then she was done.
The next place was about a ten minute walk away. There was a shuttle but it wasn't due to arrive for another twenty to thirty minutes, and I was worried about missing the start of the next show. Despite "booking" for the shows, there seemed no record of it at the first location, and we were told "first come, first served." With this in mind, we opted to walk. It started to sprinkle, then rain, then pour. It wouldn't have been so bad except for the shows were inside in air conditioned buildings. Oh well, we made it to the next place in good time. This show was called "The Road to Bolero" and was a story about the "Little Orchestra" performing their opening night of Maurice Revel's Bolero. Eris was able to follow the story, laughing at all the appropriate times. She later declared this her favorite performance. Hollis was sitting on Philip's lap, and she was watching a completely different story unfold. She told Philip that the lion was having trouble. He asked her to point out the lion next time it was up, and she pointed out the flute playing puppet saying, "There's the lion!"
We then went to try to find something to eat. We had speculated that the carnival organizers would have arranged for food vendors to be around Sanam Luang, the huge lawn by the Palace and where an outdoor stage was set up. The place was nearly deserted. We asked the girls if they would like to find a restaurant for a "real supper" or to look for a snack and go to another show. They all agreed, "snack and another show!" Hollis was really hoping to find ice cream, but all we found were Thai hot dogs at a stand outside the park.
The last show of the night was a rendition of Peru's Andean Ritual Scissors Dance done by a single performer. It began with cut out puppets of alpacas and eagles and then proceeded with a serious of puppets performing the dance. First flat cut out puppets maneuvered with sticks behind demonstrated the dance. This was followed by two hand puppets upside down from traditional puppets, so fingers could be used for legs. A whimsical six-inch marionette danced on the audience's hands and heads; next a three foot high marionette danced around the entire stage. While Philip would have preferred a more traditional set up where the puppeteer was hidden behind a curtain, but I did enjoy seeing the manipulations of the puppet as his legs kicked and his body leapt. At the climax, the puppeteer dressed himself in the traditional dancer regalia and performed his own dance. It's difficult to describe the kicking, somersaulting, and jumping across the stage all while clacking a pair of unjoined scissors as castanets. Both Meriel and Hollis chose show as their favorite. Meriel was particularly impressing, recognizing it would be difficult to learn all the different moves in the dance.
After getting our exhausted children tucked in, Philip noted, "Think of the difference between this afternoon and evening from the one which would have been if we had stayed home." Rich experiences for our children come at a cost: the risk of it not being worth it, time on buses in traffic, late bedtimes, less than ideal meals. Now I wouldn't want to do this sort of thing every day, but this evening with at the Puppet Carnival was worth it; it will be a memorable event for awhile yet.
The first show was a "workshop" by a hand shadow puppet group from Georgia (the country, not the state). After being welcomed by a recording in approximately ten languages, one of the group members told us a little about the history of the troupe. It was started by a man who was interested in puppeteering but couldn't afford puppets. He began using just his hands because that's all he had, but he became so good at this that it became a show in its own right. We got to go behind stage and watch how the members worked together to make pretty impressive shadow images: a spider playing the piano made the girls laugh, flowers budding, a bird catching a fly to name a few. My favorite was dancing bears. Then we had a chance to try ourselves, but only Hollis was brave enough to do so. One of the puppeteers helped her to shape a brief spider, then she was done.
The next place was about a ten minute walk away. There was a shuttle but it wasn't due to arrive for another twenty to thirty minutes, and I was worried about missing the start of the next show. Despite "booking" for the shows, there seemed no record of it at the first location, and we were told "first come, first served." With this in mind, we opted to walk. It started to sprinkle, then rain, then pour. It wouldn't have been so bad except for the shows were inside in air conditioned buildings. Oh well, we made it to the next place in good time. This show was called "The Road to Bolero" and was a story about the "Little Orchestra" performing their opening night of Maurice Revel's Bolero. Eris was able to follow the story, laughing at all the appropriate times. She later declared this her favorite performance. Hollis was sitting on Philip's lap, and she was watching a completely different story unfold. She told Philip that the lion was having trouble. He asked her to point out the lion next time it was up, and she pointed out the flute playing puppet saying, "There's the lion!"
We then went to try to find something to eat. We had speculated that the carnival organizers would have arranged for food vendors to be around Sanam Luang, the huge lawn by the Palace and where an outdoor stage was set up. The place was nearly deserted. We asked the girls if they would like to find a restaurant for a "real supper" or to look for a snack and go to another show. They all agreed, "snack and another show!" Hollis was really hoping to find ice cream, but all we found were Thai hot dogs at a stand outside the park.
The last show of the night was a rendition of Peru's Andean Ritual Scissors Dance done by a single performer. It began with cut out puppets of alpacas and eagles and then proceeded with a serious of puppets performing the dance. First flat cut out puppets maneuvered with sticks behind demonstrated the dance. This was followed by two hand puppets upside down from traditional puppets, so fingers could be used for legs. A whimsical six-inch marionette danced on the audience's hands and heads; next a three foot high marionette danced around the entire stage. While Philip would have preferred a more traditional set up where the puppeteer was hidden behind a curtain, but I did enjoy seeing the manipulations of the puppet as his legs kicked and his body leapt. At the climax, the puppeteer dressed himself in the traditional dancer regalia and performed his own dance. It's difficult to describe the kicking, somersaulting, and jumping across the stage all while clacking a pair of unjoined scissors as castanets. Both Meriel and Hollis chose show as their favorite. Meriel was particularly impressing, recognizing it would be difficult to learn all the different moves in the dance.
After getting our exhausted children tucked in, Philip noted, "Think of the difference between this afternoon and evening from the one which would have been if we had stayed home." Rich experiences for our children come at a cost: the risk of it not being worth it, time on buses in traffic, late bedtimes, less than ideal meals. Now I wouldn't want to do this sort of thing every day, but this evening with at the Puppet Carnival was worth it; it will be a memorable event for awhile yet.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Flexible Meals
Last week, I made tortillas for supper. I usually use my huge iron pan over a high powered gas cookstove for this. After the first round of tortillas was partially cooked, the little gas tank for this stove was out. No matter, I finished the tortillas on my two burner stove with my cast iron skillets. They turned out delicious, and it didn't take much longer. We were having company for the next day and with the busyness of life, I forgot about that empty gas tank. Until a few days later, as I was cooking pizza pockets (trying them for the first time), my larger gas tank went out. A lesson learned: always replace one tank as soon as it goes out. Maybe I will learn a trick for telling when one is low, but I can't order a new one until the old one is out, otherwise I'll lose whatever is left in the old tank when it is removed. For now, I will aim to have a small tank available to switch over to finish the meal.
When we lived in the United States, I had an arsenal of meals that my family all enjoyed. Many were casseroles, allowing me to clean up, take the dog and kids for a walk, or weed the garden until supper was ready right on time. During late spring through fall, I planned meals based on what we had growing in our garden and were receiving from our CSA (community supported agriculture) share. I also always had the ingredients on hand for a number of quick and easy meals for those evenings when I couldn't or just didn't want to really cook: jars of home canned spaghetti sauce and packages of noodles, homemade pesto in the freezer, tortillas and refried beans, peanut butter and jelly, to name a few.
Upon moving to Thailand, most of the ingredients for my repotoire of meals were too expensive, too hard to find, or both. Also, we do not have an oven, so the casseroles were out, although some of them have proved to be adaptable to stovetop cooking. I've gradually rebuilt my list of regular recipes and am now able to plan my weekly meal schedule with less frustration that at first. However, I found myself needinng to be more flexible with fewer readily available options.
I generally depend on the neighborhood "vegetable truck" for my chicken. I have not quite built up to buying raw chicken hanging in the local market. The smell is too strong and the sanitary conditions too questionable. I can get chicken at the indoor supermarket, but it is more expensive and I have to try to keep it reasonably cool until I can get it home on the bus. The truck is the best option, as it stops literally right outside my gate and the price is good. The problem is that I never know which days the truck will come. I've gone entire weeks, with all the vegetables sitting in my refrigerator just waiting for chicken to make complete meal. In the end, I have to scrap together a vegetarian meal with what I have.
I don't have a lot of ingredient just sitting around in my cupboards, for two main reasons. Firstly, everything I have in my house has to be lugged from the store to the bus stop and then from the bus stop to our house, usually while carrying a heavy 14 month old and trying to keep the other three children from getting run over by mopeds and taxis. Secondly, ants are really persistent and swarming here. On principle, we refuse to use any poison in our house, since we don't want our children harmed along with the insects. But ants are everywhere. I have not found a tupperware container, jar, or sealed bag that they have not been able to get into given enough time. So the key is to use up ingredients before the ants can find a way to get in. If I buy and use a bag of beans or pasta in the same week, I have yet to have it spoiled by pests. I do store some particularly vulnerable items, like sugar, in the refrigerator and others that are susceptible to weevils are in the freezer. On the whole, however, I buy ingredients by the week. This means when the chicken truck doesn't come, I don't have the range of options to improvise meals that I might otherwise have.
So last week, what did we eat for supper? First we ate the one cooked pizza pocket while it was hot, and everyone agreed it was delicious. Then I quickly put the remaining ingredients into the fridge. Philip kept three kids at home, while Meriel and I walked to a neighbor's to order a new tank. I think she said that it would be at our house in 30 minutes. It was 5:50 pm. I considered going back home and finishing making pizza pockets. They would be all ready to cook when the delivery man arrived, and since they only took about 5 minutes or so, we would have a only slight late supper. (I usually aim to have supper at 6:00 pm). I thought I would hurry on to the convenient store down the street and see what I could get there. Tesco Lotus Express is wonderful in that it sells milk, bread, and some other basic food items at the same price or less than the bigger supermarket. And it is much closer to home. However, they are chronically understocked. I never know when or how long they will be out of bread or some other Cardin "necessity." This day they had bread, cans of tuna fish, and potato chips. We had mayonnaise and homemade bread and butter pickles at home. We bought the items and rushed home. Total away time: 10 minutes. I decided to make the sandwiches, as I figured we could be eating by the time the delivery man arrived, if he was on time. Turned out to be a wise decision, as the gas tank did not arrive that day at all. I had to make a second trip to the neighbor's before I got my tanks. The pizza pockets were still delicious!
When we lived in the United States, I had an arsenal of meals that my family all enjoyed. Many were casseroles, allowing me to clean up, take the dog and kids for a walk, or weed the garden until supper was ready right on time. During late spring through fall, I planned meals based on what we had growing in our garden and were receiving from our CSA (community supported agriculture) share. I also always had the ingredients on hand for a number of quick and easy meals for those evenings when I couldn't or just didn't want to really cook: jars of home canned spaghetti sauce and packages of noodles, homemade pesto in the freezer, tortillas and refried beans, peanut butter and jelly, to name a few.
Upon moving to Thailand, most of the ingredients for my repotoire of meals were too expensive, too hard to find, or both. Also, we do not have an oven, so the casseroles were out, although some of them have proved to be adaptable to stovetop cooking. I've gradually rebuilt my list of regular recipes and am now able to plan my weekly meal schedule with less frustration that at first. However, I found myself needinng to be more flexible with fewer readily available options.
I generally depend on the neighborhood "vegetable truck" for my chicken. I have not quite built up to buying raw chicken hanging in the local market. The smell is too strong and the sanitary conditions too questionable. I can get chicken at the indoor supermarket, but it is more expensive and I have to try to keep it reasonably cool until I can get it home on the bus. The truck is the best option, as it stops literally right outside my gate and the price is good. The problem is that I never know which days the truck will come. I've gone entire weeks, with all the vegetables sitting in my refrigerator just waiting for chicken to make complete meal. In the end, I have to scrap together a vegetarian meal with what I have.
I don't have a lot of ingredient just sitting around in my cupboards, for two main reasons. Firstly, everything I have in my house has to be lugged from the store to the bus stop and then from the bus stop to our house, usually while carrying a heavy 14 month old and trying to keep the other three children from getting run over by mopeds and taxis. Secondly, ants are really persistent and swarming here. On principle, we refuse to use any poison in our house, since we don't want our children harmed along with the insects. But ants are everywhere. I have not found a tupperware container, jar, or sealed bag that they have not been able to get into given enough time. So the key is to use up ingredients before the ants can find a way to get in. If I buy and use a bag of beans or pasta in the same week, I have yet to have it spoiled by pests. I do store some particularly vulnerable items, like sugar, in the refrigerator and others that are susceptible to weevils are in the freezer. On the whole, however, I buy ingredients by the week. This means when the chicken truck doesn't come, I don't have the range of options to improvise meals that I might otherwise have.
So last week, what did we eat for supper? First we ate the one cooked pizza pocket while it was hot, and everyone agreed it was delicious. Then I quickly put the remaining ingredients into the fridge. Philip kept three kids at home, while Meriel and I walked to a neighbor's to order a new tank. I think she said that it would be at our house in 30 minutes. It was 5:50 pm. I considered going back home and finishing making pizza pockets. They would be all ready to cook when the delivery man arrived, and since they only took about 5 minutes or so, we would have a only slight late supper. (I usually aim to have supper at 6:00 pm). I thought I would hurry on to the convenient store down the street and see what I could get there. Tesco Lotus Express is wonderful in that it sells milk, bread, and some other basic food items at the same price or less than the bigger supermarket. And it is much closer to home. However, they are chronically understocked. I never know when or how long they will be out of bread or some other Cardin "necessity." This day they had bread, cans of tuna fish, and potato chips. We had mayonnaise and homemade bread and butter pickles at home. We bought the items and rushed home. Total away time: 10 minutes. I decided to make the sandwiches, as I figured we could be eating by the time the delivery man arrived, if he was on time. Turned out to be a wise decision, as the gas tank did not arrive that day at all. I had to make a second trip to the neighbor's before I got my tanks. The pizza pockets were still delicious!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Missing Autumn
I've lived in a climate before that does not have a full autumn. I missed the dramatic changing and falling of leaves when I went to college in New Orleans. Then in Beersheva Israel, cool weather didn't come until much later in the year. But this is the first time I have experienced the complete absence of the season. A few weeks ago, I overheard another American trying to describe Fall to a Thai woman: how the weather is cool, the leaves change color and fall, people rake piles of leaves and children jump in them. The discussion didn't go on to the apples and pumpkins, hay rides, cozy sweatshirts, and pink cheeks, but my mind did. I thought of the smells of dry leaves, candles burning in jack-o-lanterns, and warm homemade apple sauce. Today, I found myself tearing up when I saw some pictures posted on Facebook of beautiful orange leaves above a person wearing warm clothes. Yes, I really do miss Autumn!
I don't know when the next time I will get to wear a sweatshirt will be. It is unimaginable when I will next see snow. We will once again be in the minority of people celebrating Christmas. (Ironically, very few people celebrate it in the country of His birth, since it is a Jewish nation with many Muslims.) I try to remind myself to focus on learning to enjoy the seasons here. So I will tell you what I have so far come to appreciate.
Cool season is approaching. There have already been a few nights where I have happily pulled a sheet up over myself. Granted, a large fan has been running full speed aimed at me, as well, but I'll take what I can get. I look forward to the days when I can walk to the market and back without dripping in sweat. It will be comfortable to take the girls to the park mid-day for a picnic lunch. Everyone will sleep better with cooler nights, and Simeon won't wake up in a pool of sweat. This season is also dry, so I will be able to hang out my laundry without wondering if it will get wet. If we travel up north during this season, I may get a chance to wear one of my soft, comfy sweatshirts. Last year, we experienced an especially cold winter for Bangkok, with the temperature getting down to 60 degrees Fahrenheit!
After cool season, comes hot season. I don't think I've learned to appreciate this season yet. It's still dry, so laundry dries very quickly. It's not as humid as the next season. This is the time of daily playing in the water hose. It is no wonder that the holiday of Song Kran, which falls during this time of year, has turned into a nationwide water fight. Regularly playing in water is the only way to survive this season. The real value of this season is in helping us to appreciate the following season.
Then comes the wet season. It is still very hot, and the humidity adds to the heat index. However, the rains help cool the air down, even if it is only temporary. After surviving the hot season, the first rains are refreshing and feel cooler than they really are. We all have enjoyed splashing in rainstorm or two. The girls don't like the crashing thunder, but maybe when they are older they will have fond memories of shouting with the thunder. The rain also brings more flowers out. Next year, I will try to look carefully to see which flowers bloom at which time of year.
So there you have it, the three seasons of Thailand! I do hope that at some point my children get to experience Winter, Spring, and Fall, but they will certainly appreciate the nuances of Thai seasons better than I.
I don't know when the next time I will get to wear a sweatshirt will be. It is unimaginable when I will next see snow. We will once again be in the minority of people celebrating Christmas. (Ironically, very few people celebrate it in the country of His birth, since it is a Jewish nation with many Muslims.) I try to remind myself to focus on learning to enjoy the seasons here. So I will tell you what I have so far come to appreciate.
Cool season is approaching. There have already been a few nights where I have happily pulled a sheet up over myself. Granted, a large fan has been running full speed aimed at me, as well, but I'll take what I can get. I look forward to the days when I can walk to the market and back without dripping in sweat. It will be comfortable to take the girls to the park mid-day for a picnic lunch. Everyone will sleep better with cooler nights, and Simeon won't wake up in a pool of sweat. This season is also dry, so I will be able to hang out my laundry without wondering if it will get wet. If we travel up north during this season, I may get a chance to wear one of my soft, comfy sweatshirts. Last year, we experienced an especially cold winter for Bangkok, with the temperature getting down to 60 degrees Fahrenheit!
After cool season, comes hot season. I don't think I've learned to appreciate this season yet. It's still dry, so laundry dries very quickly. It's not as humid as the next season. This is the time of daily playing in the water hose. It is no wonder that the holiday of Song Kran, which falls during this time of year, has turned into a nationwide water fight. Regularly playing in water is the only way to survive this season. The real value of this season is in helping us to appreciate the following season.
Then comes the wet season. It is still very hot, and the humidity adds to the heat index. However, the rains help cool the air down, even if it is only temporary. After surviving the hot season, the first rains are refreshing and feel cooler than they really are. We all have enjoyed splashing in rainstorm or two. The girls don't like the crashing thunder, but maybe when they are older they will have fond memories of shouting with the thunder. The rain also brings more flowers out. Next year, I will try to look carefully to see which flowers bloom at which time of year.
So there you have it, the three seasons of Thailand! I do hope that at some point my children get to experience Winter, Spring, and Fall, but they will certainly appreciate the nuances of Thai seasons better than I.
Read the Bible in 90 Days
I had never heard of doing this until one of my friend posted on Facebook that she had just finished reading the Bible in 90 days. I looked into it, and found a schedule online for reading the entire Bible in just 88 days plus two "grace days." Since moving to Thailand, I had struggled with getting into a regular routine of Bible reading. Some days I would read a few verses, other days a chapter, and even nothing on some days. I grew up with the knowledge that reading and studying the whole Bible, not just the most intriguing parts,
was important. My parents both read
the Bible through regularly, as well as many other mature Christians I respect. Because of this, had read through the entire Bible before, but the last time was years ago. I would just read books that interested me at the time, and I was never interested in slugging through 1 and 2 Chronicles or trying to dig out the meaning in Jeremiah and Lamentations. Having a specific goal in mind appealed to me. Also, ninety days is a much more immediate end point than a whole year. And I like a challenge.
Since moving to Thailand and not having regular small group or much fellowship with other women, I have been struggling with feelings of spiritual isolation. To counteract this and to provide accountability, I invited some other women to read with me. Two accepted: one in Oklahoma and another in Bolivia. So we were reading together all over the world. It was fun to read their thoughts and to have a daily link to these two friends. In fact, my friend in Bolivia and I are now reading the Bible chronologically together, although at the much slower pace of a year.
Reading the whole Bible in 90 days meant reading the entire Torah (first 5 books) in 15 days! It was amazing to see the character of God as he related with man from Creation through the Israelites entering into the Promised Land. I felt that I got to know Moses as a character in a way I never had before. I also got a real picture of how many times people fail the Lord, but how He persists in loving and guiding. Those first two week were probably my favorite in the read through.
I found many other insights while reading the Bible at this pace, but most important is my continued desire to read and study the Word. A day now feels strange if I'm not reading a few chapters of the Bible. I discovered so many passages that I want to go back and study in depth. I also developed a strong desire to show my children the big picture of God's faithfulness and plan in the Old Testament leading to the culmination of Jesus' birth. I have been able to work on a "curriculum" to this end, giving them an in depth study on stories they have previously heard only in the children's "Sunday School" version.
I encourage any Christian to take the "90 Day Challenge." The point of the challenge is purely to read every word in the Bible during that time and to gain a better understand of the book as a whole. Many questions will be raised, you will not remember every detail, but you will be in a great position to continue studying God's Word. So what are you waiting for? Enlist a couple of friends and start reading! Then let me know how it goes. Have you already done this? Write a comment on your experience below.
Since moving to Thailand and not having regular small group or much fellowship with other women, I have been struggling with feelings of spiritual isolation. To counteract this and to provide accountability, I invited some other women to read with me. Two accepted: one in Oklahoma and another in Bolivia. So we were reading together all over the world. It was fun to read their thoughts and to have a daily link to these two friends. In fact, my friend in Bolivia and I are now reading the Bible chronologically together, although at the much slower pace of a year.
Reading the whole Bible in 90 days meant reading the entire Torah (first 5 books) in 15 days! It was amazing to see the character of God as he related with man from Creation through the Israelites entering into the Promised Land. I felt that I got to know Moses as a character in a way I never had before. I also got a real picture of how many times people fail the Lord, but how He persists in loving and guiding. Those first two week were probably my favorite in the read through.
I found many other insights while reading the Bible at this pace, but most important is my continued desire to read and study the Word. A day now feels strange if I'm not reading a few chapters of the Bible. I discovered so many passages that I want to go back and study in depth. I also developed a strong desire to show my children the big picture of God's faithfulness and plan in the Old Testament leading to the culmination of Jesus' birth. I have been able to work on a "curriculum" to this end, giving them an in depth study on stories they have previously heard only in the children's "Sunday School" version.
I encourage any Christian to take the "90 Day Challenge." The point of the challenge is purely to read every word in the Bible during that time and to gain a better understand of the book as a whole. Many questions will be raised, you will not remember every detail, but you will be in a great position to continue studying God's Word. So what are you waiting for? Enlist a couple of friends and start reading! Then let me know how it goes. Have you already done this? Write a comment on your experience below.
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