Friday, April 3, 2009

A Little Break ... A Little Brain Leak.

My brother refers to verbal downloads of information as Data Dumps. My brain isn't firing on all cylinders so this is more of a disjointed slow leak.

The past month we have had family in (yayyyy!) - it was about time to break in the guest room a little more. We also filled up the girls' spring break with a trip to Thailand and a little camp here. It has been busy and I am tired. Happy tired, but tired.

We parted ways with my husband at the Bangkok airport last weekend so he could go to HAWAII (ahem, ahem) for ... WORK. Normally I wouldn't share such a thing, thereby divulging that I am here solo with my hoodlums because, well, that just isn't a safe thing to do. But I just don't think there are any psycho Nepalis over here who give a rip enough about this blog to read it and launch an attack. Furthermore, we have bars on our windows, alarms, guards around the clock and a walled compound with gagillion foot high spiky bars. We have steel plates on the doors. The roving security patrol comes by all the time just to "check on things". And, shockingly, it does not feel like a fortress. Oh, one last thing ... the German Shepherd of unusually large size prowls the compound. Grrrrrr. Do you think I scared anyone off?

Other exciting headlines? I finally put Swift in underwear. Thomas the Tank Engine unders to be exact. He is still ... um ... figuring out what they are for. Or more precisely, what they can and can't contain. Potty training is my least favorite parenting job for sure. Other people's children are all miraculous to me in this area!

The embassy asked if we wanted energy saving lights put in. "But of course!" I said - Green isn't only for St. Patrick's Day after all! They are AWFUL. Our house is lit like an all night diner or a horror flick. They are dim and fluorescent - YUKKKKK.

We are on the official countdown for our move back to the States at the end of July and my thoughts turn continually to the projects ahead while we try to finish well here. I am anxious about how the kids will fare in the fall with new schools and a house renovation underway. I am excited about going back, yet I drive around the streets here knowing I will miss Kathmandu and am unlikely to return any time soon.

I am yawning. I am also rambling (grin). Time to go up and see which one of the little hoodlums has taken Daddy's side of the bed.

Namaste!

6 comments:

Kelsey said...

You mention being a trailing spouse - what industry is your husband in, or is it govt/foreign service?

Laurel said...

Kelsey - Yes, the latter!

Kelsey said...

Aha. I thought that might be the case. ;) There were some clues in your writing that I picked up on.

I know a decent bit about the foreign service (and I may be taking the FSOT myself in the next year or so) because my partner is a former FS-brat - his dad was a US diplomat, his mother was a French diplomat. I love listening to his stories from his childhood, and I love chatting with his parents (they live nearby, so when I'm in the states we eat with them a few nights a week), so I have learned a good deal about it through that.

Shannon said...

I have been lurking and enjoying your bog. Now I have a question. My husband is bidding this summer and has suddenly decided he wants to try for Katmandu. How is Katmandu? If you could, would you go there again?

Laurel said...

Shannon - We've loved it here. It is culturally fascinating and the people are lovely. Like any place it has its "cons". I wrote a Real Post Report for www.talesmag.com (net/org???) that might be helpful for you. The ambassador is excellent though she would likely be gone by the time you would arrive. I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have about the post. Feel free to email.

Kelsey said...

By the way, I've added you to my blogroll. You don't have to do anything - I just like to tell people when I link to them. :)