Not exactly a stellar job

We're sick again.

A's cough just never let up, and finally we brought him to the clinic, and they gave him antibiotics...so now his cough and runny/stuffy nose are getting better, but he's got the runs. Yikes.

I went back yesterday and the doc gave me some antispasmodic/probiotic stuff for him, so hopefully that'll help the little guy. I don't know WHY he didn't give it to us in the first place, especially since T asked for it specifically when they were there! Hm.

Baby G has a cough and a runny nose, too, which is doubly difficult since she has rejected me as a source of nourishment. If she was still nursing with any regularity she would be getting my antibodies, and would maybe get better faster!

...then again, I'm not feeling so hot myself, so apparently my antibodies are lazy and/or weak anyway - maybe she doesn't want 'em. Our immune systems really aren't doing a very good job these days.

I actually cancelled the cleaning ladies today, yes we have cleaning ladies thank goodness, b/c I didn't have the energy to get the apartment tidied up before they came. If I don't tidy up there are no surfaces to clean...! Also I like to get out of their way while they're here - and I honestly couldn't bear the thought of making myself presentable and going out. I might later, but not this morning...

On the upside, the cleaning ladies could come on Monday instead, which is actually better since the in-laws are coming to visit that day, and staying for a week.

Silly me, to almost feel thankful for germs! Scratch that - I mean: Good on me, for finding the silver lining! (Yup that sounds much better!)

Hee hee...

I bought A some new sweatpants a couple of weeks ago, and the logo stumped me. I just couldn't get what they were trying to tell me. In the end I let it go, and figured it would come to me in time. Sometimes I come by things easier if they sneak up on me when I'm not looking, so to speak.

This one took me a while, I have to admit.

Got it yet?

~~~

"Product of"?

I bet you're either smiling or rolling your eyes right now....or maybe both?

Didn't quite believe me, did you?

Well, I'm about to prove it. Please note that the following blog post contains disturbing and graphic images...

You know how I said T is completely lacking the remotest resemblance of a housekeeping gene? (I mean, even more than I am?) Well, yesterday I left the house after dinner, and before the kiddies' bedtime. The Norwegian Seamen's Church (which I really want to call Sailor's Church, can I? Please?!) had a sort of unofficial grand opening here in Okpo, with a little seminar on expat living. I went, and it was really good! I was glad I'd gone...but when I got home, what was waiting for me?? This:

da-da-da-daaaaaaa! (=ominous music)

I should have offered a big fat prize to anyone able to find room to set down a glass, on any surface but the floor...

In his defense, he had had a hard time putting the youngest to bed, she's been fussy in the evenings. And he DID apologize to me for not having cleaned up! So at least he knew. And another thing: did I clean up? Nope. I left it for this morning, as you can see by the daylight outside, after some half-hysterical giggles and a lot of eye-rolling and head-shaking.

But then, it was ten thirty in the evening. Time for bed...

Usually I stay up until around midnight, but not last night...I ran away and hid under the covers!

It looks much better now. Not 100%, but still. Good enough for me to sit down with a cup of coffee and write about it. I mean, how often is my place so messy that I actually feel the need to take a picture of it?

Wait -- I don't want to answer that...

(PS: We live in a furnished apartment, I take no responsibility for the decorating style; walls, floors, kitchen and furniture included.)

My next wedding cake

I love this! I'm not sure I would have had the heart to eat it, though.

If hubby and I ever renew our vows, I have to get this cake. It is just too cool. I wouldn't even care if it tasted good...! I'd just want pictures of it from every angle, haha...

A peaceful Saturday morning.

We all like those!

Hubby works Saturdays, half days, while we're here in Korea. Of course once he's at the shipyard it takes very little for a half day to look more like a whole day. So we spend Saturdays waiting in suspense to see when he'll be back...

Sometimes we call him and ask, but where's the fun in that???

Baby G is having her first nap, I just fed her some banana for the first time so I'm expecting either sunshine and lollipops for the rest of the day, or wailing and gas and maybe even explosive diarrhoea...we'll see. Always exciting. Aaaah, the joys of motherhood! Still, since I have two young'uns, you can tell that the good outweighs the bad, right? It does, trust me.

Still, I REALLY wish babies were born with the ability to help out around the house. Or at least with the ability to NOT make a mess???

Of course if I was married to a man who didn't live in the fifties things would be a lot easier. I can say a million good things about hubby, but "He's good about helping out around the house" has never come out of my mouth. I think I would choke to death laughing (or crying?) if I tried to get that great big whopping lie through my lips! Seriously, if I put the trash bag by the door, so he can't avoid seeing it on his way out, he will actually move it out of the way to get out the door. It's not that he doesn't want to help out (I think), but he is physically unable to identify the following:

1. trash bags by the door

2. dirty dishes, no matter where they are

3. objects that don't belong where they are/that need to be put away

4. laundry not in the hamper

5. work papers not at work (strewn about the apartment, like that's where we want them??)

- you get the idea. He never tells me no, either, when I ask him to do something - but nine times out of ten he forgets before he does it. *Siiiiiiigh...* I guess I'll have to accept that he is the breadwinner, not the breadbaker, around here. So much for women's lib. But this is also the reason that I've requested to reduce my hours when I go back to work in November...

Also, I'm already grooming A to start helping out...he's not bad, not yet, but he hasn't understood that it is actually "work"...once he gets that, I'm going to have to start bribing him with an allowance probably...good thing he won't know the value of money (for the first few months anyway - he's a smart kid, he catches on pretty quickly).

He's watching Playhouse Disney on the TV just now. Like I said, a peaceful Saturday morning. So far...

I should really be tidying up. I'll just finish my coffee first...

Speaks for itself...

Things like this make my day!!! Koreans are nuts, lmbo!!!

(I know I posted this pic further down but it bore repeating, heheh.)

Language issues

Do you know what really bugs me? That the "toolbar" at the top of my blogger page is in Korean.

I didn't write www.blogger.co.kr

I wrote www.blogger.COM!

Yes I am apparently the type of expat who lives in a foreign country for years without learning the language...but what would I have done with A while I was in class? And now that we're moving back home in a few months I feel like the window of opportunity is closing. I would have LOVED to have learned Korean, more than a few select polite-isms, but it hasn't worked out that way, unfortunately. And I will probably always regret it. I KNOW I'll always be ashamed of it.

But in my defense, at least I don't expect everyone here in Korea to speak English. A lot of my expat companions are downright irritated at the language barriers they encounter. I try to tell them gently that "Um, excuse me, but you've moved to Okpo; not London, or New York..." It's arrogant and wrong to expect everyone to speak English. (Imho.) The funniest/saddest part is that these are often the same people who get all huffy about foreigners coming to THEIR country and refusing to learn THEIR language.

Perspective is an elusive thing sometimes. Trying on someone else's shoes can be really good for you once in a while.

(Just be careful you don't get athlete's foot!)