GZ Expat, Part II

VD Day

Yeah...it was my birthday yesterday.  And, although Valentine's day is usually spent taking the honey out for dinner and lavishing all sorts of love on that one day...it usually doesn't happen around here, because its my birthday.  Does that sound selfish? 

So, my birthday gift to me is usually just a quiet, lazy day and yesterday started off as such...for a moment.  In the morning, the internal phone rang (this is a sort of intercom system between all the houses in our housing complex).  Figuring it was the kid calling in alive (as he was staying over at a friends house that night), I was surprised to hear it was his friends mum on the other line. 

"The kids were playing outside with those silly BB guns and, well, he was hit in the eye.  He says he can see OK and he feels OK, but he has a bruise on his eyeball."

-sigh-  'Send him home.'

This is the moment in which you flash back to moments as a kid and as a parent.  As a kid, I can  remember my parents telling me all about being careful around those boys with the bb gun, only to get shot in the ass by one of them and screaming bloody murder all the way home (I was 4, I think).  Then I remember to only a couple weeks ago when the kids were playing with those guns and I asked what they were doing with them, "oh, we are only shooting at targets."

So, he comes home and he has a big nasty red blotch in his eye.  Naturally, Tai-Tai scours the medical books and gives long lectures on eye protection, etc.  I just give him the fatherly sort of "what the f* were you thinking?" and he bowed his head in silent acknowledgment. 

After that, the day went according to plan.  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing got in the way of watching the Canucks comeback against the Coyotes.  Nothing got in the way of a decent 2 hr nap.  Nothing got in the way of watching a little Six Nations rugby (Wales v Scotland).  And, to top it off, Tai-Tai finished me off with an amazing array of food goodies for the evening.  Hot crab dip; Portuguese chorico buns; Roast beast; butter baked potatoes; salad; and little cherry pie tarts. 

Topped all of that off with a few gifts and spending a couple hours with the kid helping him build and erector set model..and, well, it was pretty much perfect.

So, today, I think I should make it up to Tai-Tai with a rousing Italian lunch, complimented with some prosecco and topped off with dessert.

Week Three of Football

No goals this week...but an uninspired draw and a come from behind win for expat son's team, helped him feel good about the effort, despite the bruised knee. 

Photos are here

Football (Soccer) Weekends

Once again, our Saturdays are filled with football...errr...soccer to those in North America.  Expat son has been playing football each year ever since he was old enough to lace them up and kick the ball.  Starting back when we lived in Oregon, he was at the age in which he was a bumble bee, buzzing around the pitch, throwing grass in the air and hugging his teammates for no apparent reason (other than he was happy).

Last year, he played on a team that was stacked...and stacked badly.  When they put the teams together, they liked to keep kids together that knew each other and lived in the same compounds.  Unfortunately for the rest of the league, these were the kids that love to play football when they have nothing to do.  The result after a first week in which several players were unavailable, they ran the table with lopsided scored. 

This year, three of those kids have graduated to the next age level, but the young guys/gals are still on the team and they are still pretty good.  Thus far, they are batting .500 for the season, but they are learning to play the game a little differently and its fun to watch the growth in their knowledge.

Expat son has scored a goal each week, while primarily playing defense.  I don't know much about soccer, but I do know hockey...and these kids play the game on a short field with either 6 or 7 a side...very much like hockey.  So, I tell him to play the game like Bobby Orr...push the ball up and then join in the rush if the opportunity arises...but remember your first duty is defense.  He played it perfectly this afternoon with a late, sliding, game clinching goal (pictured).

Photo albums are here and here...and many more to come as we have each weekend to play until mid December.

Day Off!

It's sort of like a Sunday morning for me...I'm sat in the living room, watching NFL football LIVE on the TV (Steelers vs Browns) and just sort of pissing away a morning while the sun shines outside.

The day off is to celebrate Mid Autumn Festival, which is the the 15th day of the 8th moon...make sense?  Essentially, it is the 'harvest moon' we all grew up with...the biggest and brightest moon of the year.  Last evening we sat in the garden, had a bbq in the weber, and enjoyed the evening.  With no wind and 32C temperatures, it made for a somewhat warm evening. 

Around 10:30pm as we sat with a drink, the wind chimes Tai-Tai has suddenly came to life.  We looked at each other and thought...what the heck made that move?  Ghost?  I creened my neck around the tree to see the chimes and see if I could spot anything...and I did.  There was something on one of the metal pipes, couldn't quite make it out in the dark, so, I got up to check it out. 

A frog.  A tree frog.  The ones with the big splayed toes and bulging eyes. 

Then, something else caught my eye in the tree...there was some movement...another frog?  I walked around the tree to see...there was definitely something crawling up a branch, but I couldn't quite make it out...sort of looked like frog legs but not really. 

A bat.  Tiny thing making its way up to the protection of the leaves of the mango tree.  'Hey, its a bat!'

That was it for Tai-Tai...we enjoyed the moon enough. 

Happy Birthday!

It was 20 years ago today

Tai-Tai has all the details...

And, so, for my music starved daughter...I give her this blast from the past...

Happy Anniversary

Twenty Three years ago today...

Here is a top ten list for 23 years with my Tai-Tai

10.  Stroganoff
9.  Boozing it up on the balcony of our room at Rosario
8.  Road trip to Reno with biblical weather all along the way
7.  'It's a girl!'
6.  'It's a boy!'
5.  Laksa
4.  All of my clothes in the front lawn
3.  Flying bananas
2.  Carrot Cake, Cheesecake & Mango Rice
1.  Tellin it like it is...and continuing to do it. 

We've spent nearly half of our married lives living in China, which seems odd in a way, but yet, also seems so right.  When confronted with the offer to move, I got cold feet...it was Tai-Tai that talked me into the move, saying it would be great for us and the career.  Without a doubt, the wisest advice ever. 

So...here is to another year!

No New Pictures

Well, back in the USA for a handful of days.  A late set of meetings prompted the visit...of which I really didn't tell anybody I was coming.  So, expat daughter got the surprise visit as did grandma. 

As with any trip back here, it is met with some surprising elements.  The weather is amazingly cool and crisp and clear...unlike what Tai-Tai is enduring back home.  That is a good thing for me.  On the downside are some incredibly annoying rules that people/businesses have. 

On the first night, I thought I'd step across the street to the gas station and pick up a little snack and beer.  I stepped up to the counter and was told that I could not buy a single beer.  Huh?  'But, you case is loaded with big cans of single rot gut beer...why can't I buy this crafted beer?'  I was told because it comes in a 6 pack that I couldn't buy it.  I told them it was the dumbest thing I had ever heard.  There I was...a willing customer...ready to buy...with cash in hand (ever notice how people look at you strange when you buy something with cash?)...and they told me No.  I'm so glad they were looking out for my best interests. 

I have filled my belly with some good food and beer...did a fair bit of shopping with expat daughter yesterday (Pac Sun, Zumiez, Hot Topic and American Eagle) to revive my wardrobe a bit.

Today its time to lock myself in a conference room for the remainder of my stay and be thrilled to the joys of presentations and discussion of topics I know absolutely nothing about. 

Happy Birthday!!

UPDATE:  A nice little tribute from his sister.

Expat Son's BIG Week

With expat son's birthday falling in the middle of July, he doesn't get to celebrate his birthdays with his buddies, they way most kids do around here.  So, Tai-Tai arranged a bit of a get together with his pals to celebrate his birthday a little early. 

One of the keys to any party, though, you have to earn it.  The kids headed to Danny's and got to make their own pizza's with Danny and his staff helping them out with the finer techniques of rolling and building. 

I took some photos and the videos with the phone...I apologize for the quality.  I was still struggling with the settings (and still am) as the phone didn't come with an English language manual. 

The next day, the kids were at it again at his school summer BBQ.  This is a great event the school puts on to get parents together and give the kids a chance to blow off some steam with their teachers, without the uniforms on.  Of course, my son was usually spotted at the sponge throwing...chucking soaked sponges as hard as he could at his teacher.  And, being a fully Asian affair, the food also matches the international crowd; Indian curries, hot dogs, burgers, beer and sodas.

Finally...graduation day.  Yeah, its a bit different than the BIG graduation...but it was special, nonetheless.  He had a terrific year.  He started the year hating maths...hating reading...and hating school.  This year was an injection of enthusiasm that was truly amazing.  His scores were better...but it was his attitude that really got the marks.  We are both very proud of the hard work he put in all year long.

Birthday Pizza at Danny's from GZ Expat on Vimeo.

Now, schools done and he's all set for the summer holiday.  Although, I am not sure Tai-Tai is ready for it.  Summer holiday usually means he's the only kid in the neighborhood (as most kids head to their home country with their Mom's during the summer) and he bores the crap out of himself and his mother.  Our summer holiday is just around the corner, though.

It's Back

Not much to say here.  Stevo had his family in Singapore this weekend for the routine, quarterly, scans to check on the health and well being of his little cancer survivor and Tai-Tai.  Each trip brings a level of stress that I cannot imagine. 

I received a text from a friend in Thailand that said he had heard that the scans didn't go well...so, I sent one to the source and here is what I got back...

• (Friday) In Singapore.  Scan showed slight change in appearance at site of original tumor (and) they need to do surgery to determine what it is.
  
• (Sat Night)  Out of surgery (and) doctor confirms it is tumor.  He has succeeded in completely removing.  We have treatment options and they are getting a hold of doctors in NYC.

Details following have been encouraging as the doctor was able to remove the entire tumor and they have a choice of treatment options, which they will find out about today. 

In the meantime...you know what to do.