The (12th) Move

Daniel rolled into town at 11 pm in this nice ride. The guards helped him unload, with the help of the rather buzzish guard across the street.

Here's Spiderman installing our air conditioner. You can't see his face, but I'm pretty sure he's 15. Do you see how he's tied rather precariously by a rope? There are no labor laws here, and little safety education. We felt sad about this. (The guy in our last town was also an amazing Spiderman, but was a man, and much safer in his practice.)

The New House

I'll add more photos later, but this gives you the idea. There is not much green in this concrete jungle city. But we get to live at the end of the lane that looks over the neighborhood moat and garden - 2 sides of our house have this sort of view from the windows! This goes a long way for people who love the outdoors and can't enjoy them as much as they wish. I think it's rather kind of God.

Our Park

Our new house looks down over the footpath that leads to this park. We like this.

Eating

When Lukas was still living inside of me, one of my greatest concerns about motherhood was that the messiness that follows the natural course of childhood would drive me to madness. I've learned that there are few messes that can't be conquered in 5 minutes or less. I've learned to let the general messes be until he goes to sleep, at which point I pick up after him for 2 minutes or less. I've embraced the heat here and learned that eating in the nude makes for easy clean-up - just sit him in the sink and splash him down while he splashes around. But sometimes, it's a little too much and I am a little dismayed. 

Monkey See, Monkey Do

This is a rather fun stage. I like that he wants to eat what we eat, work in the kitchen when we do, wash dishes when we do and wash clothes with us. I don't so much like it when he wants to help sweep, as this usually involves rolling his car over my pile, sticking his finger in my pile, taking his little broom and spreading my pile and walking through my pile. Usually he is delivered to his father when I am sweeping.

And mangoes must not be cut and neatly handed to him - he must slobber the pit like we do, and turn the outsides inside-out like we do. But we do not rub mango all over our bellies, this is his idea.

Our modest society requires that we wear clothes when we work in the kitchen, but Babu is not under this obligation. Here he is washing the potatoes:

And cooking the potatoes (this sometimes happens to Bunny too...):

Sorting the potatoes:

And washing dishes at this sink which is just right for him - the spout is the right height and the ledge is a perfect seat:

Food

Food is one thing that gives me joy here. The kitchen is rather hot this time of year, and the oven doesn't help that, but nothing a cold shower can't fix! (unless there aren't enough people in your building to drain the tank that cooks on the roof...)