tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66002353810769205402024-03-13T11:20:53.998-07:00Miss Becky Goes Abroad: a young wife's adventuresHill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.comBlogger197125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-85872118039680097062012-09-11T06:27:00.000-07:002012-09-11T06:27:56.047-07:00DEATH, TAXES, AND A NEVERENDING STORYDearest Friends,<br />
<br />
I guess I've been dragging my feet when it comes to winding up this tale. Perhaps you noticed? It's partially because I have so enjoyed reliving these experiences through your eyes, that I hate for the fun to end, but there's a lot more to it than that. Here's the thing. How do you end the never-ending story?<br />
<br />
You may think this story ended as soon as we packed up our belongings and boarded the plane, but that's just not true. These stories came home with us -- became a part of who we are, and who our children grew up to be. They reshaped our beliefs, our ethics, our politics, our philosophy, our world view...broadened our tolerance for some things, but narrowed it for others. They made it impossible for our kids to fit back into their old roles in their old cliques when we moved back to the town where they grew up, but they opened the door to many new friends and new experiences. It affected not only their food preferences and love of travel, but also their learning styles, their creativity, and their open mindedness. In fact, those three year's worth of stories have probably colored most every important decision they have made, and always will.<br />
<br />
That being said, we still have to put this baby to bed at <i>some</i> point. So, I thought I would give you John's last letter home today, share a couple of more stories over the next week, and then I suppose, we will call it a day.<br />
<br />
April 13, 1994<br />
<br />
Dear Mom & Dad,<br />
<br />
This has been a pretty rough week. Saturday morning Mike called and informed me about Nub's cancer. Then shortly after that I got a call that John Tankersley was killed in Qatar in a boating accident. I've know John and worked with him since I came to work with Mobil. He was my counterpart at Mobil's field operations here. They had just moved back to Dallas last year. It had everyone pretty much in a state of shock the whole weekend. Then Alan Silverman's dad died before he could get home Saturday. Plus his secretary's father died this past weekend also. I tell you, it just seems to come in bunches.<br />
<br />
I finally received Mike's last letter. He was talking about going to the family reunion and was wanting to hear about our plans. I doubt we will have time this year to attend. If we do, it will have to be a last minute thing. I won't have quite as much time at home as I did last year. I'll be saving a week's worth of vacation in case I need it during the fall.<br />
<br />
Report cards for our kids came out this past week. Alexis' teacher seems to be real pleased with the effort she is putting out now. She seems to be focusing a little better on the task at hand. She was doing a great job on her science project until she lost her display posters. Can't find them at school anywhere and she insists she brought them home, but we can't find them around here either. Austin seems to be breezing along. He needs some more kids to give him some competition.<br />
<br />
Becky is finally getting close to finishing her quilt. In fact, she has to be done by next weekend. Everyone is going to display their quilts at a fair. She has really done a good job, but I doubt she'll ever do another, particularly when we move home. Putting one of those things together takes a lot of time and she probably won't have much of that back home.<br />
<br />
P.T. Arun has just undergone a reorganization and things around here are more confusing than usual. About half of the engineers in my group are going out to another section. Still remains to be seen exactly what I will be doing. Probably pretty much the same thing. It will be a little harder for me to keep in touch with the engineers in a different group, but that's what I will have to do.<br />
<br />
Well, guess that's about it for now. Thanks for taking care of my IRS stuff. It's just real iffy trying to mail that kind of thing from here. But from what I saw on CNN, doesn't look like the US mail system is any safer. Give everyone our regards.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
John<br /><img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />
Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-58196508951458082882012-08-11T11:34:00.000-07:002012-08-11T11:39:16.593-07:00LIFE IN LIMBO-LANDDearest Friends,<br />
<br />
From the time we heard about those "possible openings" back in the states, we entered a state of limbo. Not knowing whether we were going on our usual home-leave as soon as school let out, or actually <i>moving</i> home, affected pretty much every thing we did, and rendered us completely helpless when it came to making any plans or decisions. Normally the month of March would have been a flurry of travel-planning and list-making. Instead, we sat there twiddling our thumbs, hoping for word. When we could wait no longer, the kids and I finally booked flights home for early June, not even knowing whether it would be a one-way or round-trip journey.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lizzy and Lexie, in one of many school skits.</td></tr>
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A letter home from John, dated 4/7/94:<br />
<br />
Dear Mom & Dad,<br />
<br />
Well, I don't know what to think of your Cowboys. Jimmy Jones must really be something else if he can't get along with a coach that took him from last place to two Super Bowls. I think it would be funny if the Cowboys fell on their fannies next year, but they have too much talent to do too badly. Not much is going on around here. We are finally beginning to plan our home leave for this summer. Looks like Becky and the kids will come home the first of June as usual, but I won't come in until July. There is a conference in Venezuela that I want to attend that starts July 17. Right now I'm not sure what my travel plans will be. I may go straight there before coming home, or may go to Dallas for a week, then Venezuela, then to Odessa for 2 weeks. I should know a little more later this month.<br />
<br />
Mom, I need one favor from you. I need you to take $1,400 from the credit union and send to to Becky's sister Kathy. They are going to pick up a small computer for Becky to use in the kitchen, if and when we get to come home.<br />
<br />
The kids are getting anxious to come home this summer. I think we have found a couple of good camps for them. In fact, we have sent in a deposit for a 2-week camp outside Dallas (YMCA) that they can both attend at the same time. Then there is a Cub Scout day camp in Dallas that is held in the park near Bill and Kay's house. All in all, I think the kids will have fun. Becky doesn't seem to have any special plans for this summer. With Carolyn trying to sell her house, it will make it a little awkward for Becky and the kids to stay there too long. I think Becky would prefer to move around a little bit anyway.<br />
<br />
The weather here has been extremely hot lately. Thought for a while we were into another rainy season, then it stopped all of a sudden and got hot. I still say I should plan my home leaves around a trip to the mountains or some place cool. Each year I've come home you've had heat waves there! Well, I will be talking to you this weekend, so I'll go ahead and close. Give everyone our regards. We'll be seeing you soon. The kids can't wait to get their hands on Taz.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
John<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Austin and Ryan, on top of the world!</td></tr>
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0px;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-77001499581650109482012-08-01T07:39:00.000-07:002012-08-01T07:39:39.197-07:00HEADED DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dearest Friends,<br />
<br />
In mid-January John got word that there were a couple of positions in the States that might be a good match for him. Basically, he was putting me on alert. We had no way of knowing if or when either of these would actually materialize, how much notice we would get if one did, or even if we were really ready to leave yet. However, we did know that out of the six kids in Lexie's class, the only two girls (sisters) were definitely headed back to the states, the oldest boy was graduating, and her friend Christopher was probably heading off to boarding school. That would leave her and one other boy. We didn't think that was an environment she could thrive in, and knew we didn't have the guts to send her off to boarding school, so home seemed like the only other option. We decided we'd best be prepared. Once again I set myself the task of paring down our belongings, one room at a time, trying to finish up all my quilting projects so I could pack that stuff away, and taking the ever-dreaded inventory of everything we owned.<br />
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As far as school went, there was another teacher appreciation luncheon to plan and host, another play for the younger kids to help with, and scariest of all, The Science Fair. Lex had really blossomed under her fifth grade teacher Mr. Jacoby, who had done wonders for both her confidence and her concentration. She was doing better than we ever thought possible. Still, we couldn't help but be a tad nervous when, in late February, her science teacher (also the school principal) called an assembly for his older science students and their parents. Apparently, this was to be like no other science fair she had ever participated in -- a two month long project, with the first assignment (a typed outline of her problem, problem statement, hypothesis, materials, procedure, variable, control group, time line, dates of completion for each step and data collection sheet) due just four or five days later. Could she stay focused for that many weeks? Only time would tell.<br />
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One day our friend Jodi called to tell us that her hubby Steve and our buddy Dan were rigging up a little slip 'n slide thingy for the kids in the field behind their house, and we should bring the kids over to play on it the following Sunday afternoon. It never occurred to us to don our own swimsuits. We should have known that with those two engineers involved, and a bevy of willing volunteers to assist them (every driver and gardener in the neighborhood, I suspect) it would end up being waaaay more than "a little slip 'n slide thingy." Next thing I knew, I was headed down it, fully clothed!<br />
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When John's turn came, he made the mistake of grabbing a small donut-shaped tube, and tried to slide down sitting up. Because he was much larger than the kids, he gained momentum fast, and when he hit the mound at the end, instead of slowing him down as intended, it sent him airborne. I can see it all now as if it were a slo-mo replay. John is flying through the air in one direction, the float in another. We have no idea when he will land, where he will land, or how hard the landing will be. A pretty good description, now that I think about it, for our emotional state at the time, and all the questions we had regarding the move home. As it turns out, the answer in both cases was "pretty damn hard!"<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-91696936121787934132012-07-21T05:50:00.000-07:002012-07-21T05:50:40.922-07:00SAYONARA: THE LAST GREAT BIRTHDAY PARTY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white;">I expect the mask was mostly to blame. Well, that and the fertilizer factory. You see, some Japanese company had plopped a fertilizer plant and company compound down in the middle of the jungle there on Sumatra, not too far from our own compound. And, just like ours, their compound included a company restaurant. It was probably quite run-of-the-mill to them, but was anything <i>but</i> to us, so we occasionally made the trek over there to dine on special occasions. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">As you should know by now, my daughter loves any old excuse to dress up in a costume. When she received a set of Victorian party masks for Christmas, it included one that resembled a Japanese Geisha Girl, and Lex took to wearing it around the house with her pink satin Chinese gown (a bit of creative </span><span style="background-color: white;">license</span><span style="background-color: white;">).</span></div>
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So, when it came time to plan her 11th birthday party, just a few weeks after Christmas, she immediately thought "Japanese!"<br />
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I'm afraid it was one of the last, truly great birthday parties.<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0px;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-10822296249326398012012-07-11T11:39:00.000-07:002012-07-11T11:48:09.605-07:00A NEW YEAR'S LETTER HOME<div style="text-align: right;">
4th January, 1994</div>
<br />
Greetings Everyone,<br />
<br />
Hope you all had a good holiday. As usual, I'm in my "Post-Christmas-Blues" phase -- which always starts at least a week <i>before</i> Christmas. I just can't stand for it all to be over with for another whole year! To cheer myself up, and because I was such a good girl and didn't even go on the ladies Christmas shopping trip this year, I'm taking Alexis out to Singapore just for the fun of it this weekend. We hope to take in a good movie and eat at T.G.I.Friday's. A new Chili's restaurant is supposed to be opening soon, but I don't know when.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VscBmyg2CisaAXxxMXkwh-iFM7ATvJec1TCYJtz6I938Ih9qmS0_HuMtC-9uj_LbaODzXOdhqaFPlfBUD4lVUJL95rPZkHCQtaOiBrAANHvGl_s1dCg512iZiuVTfvLWJKelMMGu5s9H/s1600/Sum-xmas93.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VscBmyg2CisaAXxxMXkwh-iFM7ATvJec1TCYJtz6I938Ih9qmS0_HuMtC-9uj_LbaODzXOdhqaFPlfBUD4lVUJL95rPZkHCQtaOiBrAANHvGl_s1dCg512iZiuVTfvLWJKelMMGu5s9H/s400/Sum-xmas93.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas day at the Tates' house.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Things were fairly quiet around here compared to Christmases past, but there was still plenty going on. Only trouble is, instead of having to see the same bunch of people over and over again at every party, you now have to see the same <i>itty-bitty </i>bunch of people over and over again. John and I sometimes stand there watching them, and wonder what on earth they could possibly have to talk about after all this time. (Answer? Each other!) The most fun party of the season, if I do say so myself, was the Bunco/dinner party for 8 couples that John and I threw. Also, another girl and I did a cookie exchange for the older kids, and that was fun too. I would have loved to make your new chocolate trifle recipe Mom, but we can't get Heath bars here, so I had to take my old traditional version to our annual Christmas day get-together with the Reehs and the Tates. The really exciting news this year is that, for once, our driver Yusuf and his family did <i>not</i> come for their usual two hours of just sitting and staring at us on Christmas day! For Christmas Alexis got about 99 different craft projects, including a candle-dipping set, a lap loom, a paper-making kit, etc. Unfortunately, by the end of the first week of vacation she'd done them all, and she was B-O-R-E-D! The second week was somewhat tedious.<br />
<br />
We were a little shocked when we discovered that Kathy and Bud had sent 15 videos for the Silverman's son to bring us. I had led him to believe that there would only be a couple. Apart from the fact that he didn't have a lot of luggage space, there is the problem that videos are contraband here and can be confiscated by customs, so you have to hide them. He did manage to sneak in five, though, and we have really savored them. They are also in high demand around the compound. We shared our episodes of Seinfeld with the Silvermans, who are from New York, and they went wild over them. I'm sure they will put pressure on their son to squeeze in a few more tapes when he comes back in March. Can't wait!<br />
<br />
Alexis' big excitement is that she may get to have an article published in a magazine! Prisi gave her a subscription to American Girl magazine, and apparently sent in a little information about her as well, when she saw that they were hoping to do an article about American girls who are living abroad. Anyway, this week she got this big, special delivery "urgent" envelope containing a questionnaire for her to fill out, and asking for photos as well. She is so excited! Unfortunately, a lot of other little girls received that same questionnaire, so let's hope her story makes it into the magazine.<br />
<br />
The new cook is working out fairly well. I guess. It's great not having to make three meals a day from scratch, day in and day out -- especially when you consider how little I have to work with over here. But, I absolutely <i>hate</i> the fact that she's gradually rearranging my kitchen to suit herself, and now I can't find anything. Also, the kitchen has always been my home base, kinda like my hangout. Now Era keeps the door closed most of the time, to keep the smells in I suppose, and I find myself sort of drifting aimlessly about the house, not sure exactly where to settle!<br />
<br />
P.T. Arun took away everyone's company cars as of the first, so we're back to being a one car family. Also, we know that they are pulling a few work permits in March, but the only one that we know of for sure is our next door neighbors, the Lyons. They are none too happy, since he was hoping to hang on another two or three years, until he can retire. Not sure if he will be able to find something else at age 57, or not. It's going to drive us crazy, not knowing what's coming, but there's nothing John can do but wait for his boss to find something in the job postings he gets, that might be suitable for us. In the meantime, we're trying to make plans for our summer home leave, and haven't a clue what to do! Should we travel home and back together, so we can get round-the-world tickets and stop in Denmark to see Eric on the way home, and in Hawaii on the way back, or should we wait and do Denmark and London next Christmas? Will we even be here still next Christmas? Should the kids and I stay all summer, so they can go to camps, etc., and just forget about stopping somewhere with John? But what if it's our last chance to ever see any of these places? The one thing John really wants to do is try and manage a trip up to Colorado to see Patti and Brad, who moved to Cortez when they left here, and maybe go to Creede while there. But should he take his vacation in June, July or August? If any of you have answers to all these questions, please feel free to share, so we can get this show on the road! In the meantime, I'll be right here, fretting. Take care, and write soon.<br />
<br />
Oh yeah, Theda -- John really enjoyed the book and cologne you sent him, and the kids were ecstatic about their $40. We gave it to them in Indonesian money, which came to 80,000 rupiah each. They feel like millionaires!<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-77741358125290177172012-07-02T06:19:00.000-07:002012-07-02T06:23:17.344-07:00A CHRISTMAS CARD, AND THE PINEWOOD LESSON<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEByXtiX1Tm2ix1h-F0uRjD19SOJ1pEwlqSB43TjHm9J7UsF5vIHGs-L_n1jiGCs7JqYQQ5_SZJaIBrRjlmiKjAT7oh4OSESofZGKx5MaLsuJ2R3XSHDaKU8i-jrZYBu1Z46nDGAr5HIx_/s1600/Sum-Christ.Card.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEByXtiX1Tm2ix1h-F0uRjD19SOJ1pEwlqSB43TjHm9J7UsF5vIHGs-L_n1jiGCs7JqYQQ5_SZJaIBrRjlmiKjAT7oh4OSESofZGKx5MaLsuJ2R3XSHDaKU8i-jrZYBu1Z46nDGAr5HIx_/s400/Sum-Christ.Card.tiff" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cards must be ordered rather early when you live halfway 'round the world, <br />
so I had to use a photo from the previous year.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From our 12/93 Christmas Card:<br />
<br />
Dear George & Theda,<br />
<br />
Only 12 more days! If you get a mystery package delivered from Spiegel, it's from us. Lex and I made a really neat gingerbread house with see-through candy windows, that you place a candle behind. Austin and John are making a pinewood derby car for Cub Scouts. I finally finished quilting my beautiful new tree skirt, then promptly covered it up with a mound of presents! (what was I thinking?) Found a cook and decided to give it a try, just for the fun of it -- she starts tomorrow. Tuesday night is the kid's big Christmas party with Santa -- Lex <i>finally</i> gets to be one of the elves! School lets out Friday at noon, and we are having 16 for dinner, Poker (for the guys) and Bunco (for the gals) that night.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0g47F3w80fNGqnoIHCZlCERi0ir79xDdBw8YM4trvyMbAz5Vt8BoT4DH_bHIv7BcTs2SJ_6uhr9dnJU9grqB4Wf5lY5i4oYA1abbknh0wpe3VnMJhUF8PK46rdNEaMxlbzGzbOQcwmWl/s1600/Sum-Christ.Elf.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0g47F3w80fNGqnoIHCZlCERi0ir79xDdBw8YM4trvyMbAz5Vt8BoT4DH_bHIv7BcTs2SJ_6uhr9dnJU9grqB4Wf5lY5i4oYA1abbknh0wpe3VnMJhUF8PK46rdNEaMxlbzGzbOQcwmWl/s400/Sum-Christ.Elf.tiff" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This very happy elf-girl is holding a somewhat faded elf doll that my family always put out each Christmas when I was a kid,<br />
and whose outfit was almost identical to hers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Love,<br />
Becky<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZH1URatId0gELc3DXASI2_zQmbz_YesaA8YBsibRXvlzVvqaQlkiRJE4YzmbGsjZc6t-WUj1T7XqarT7_Prvzg8Rhv3dZ2tRtPUle0UpKQOATRVMf_a63PVRycOhnd-QM6ItRMFnzkuO3/s1600/Sum-PineBxDerby.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZH1URatId0gELc3DXASI2_zQmbz_YesaA8YBsibRXvlzVvqaQlkiRJE4YzmbGsjZc6t-WUj1T7XqarT7_Prvzg8Rhv3dZ2tRtPUle0UpKQOATRVMf_a63PVRycOhnd-QM6ItRMFnzkuO3/s400/Sum-PineBxDerby.tiff" width="400" /></a></div>
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About that Pinewood Derby. Well, this was the first one we'd ever participated in, and we are firm believers in being there to answer questions and assist with the hazardous parts of our kids' projects, but never directing or outright doing it for them. So John let Austin design and paint his own car, which had a shape that resembled the modern, sleeker version of a VW bug. He was over the <i>moon</i> about it. John and I both started getting nervous as soon as we walked through the door, and discovered that every other car there was shaped like a simple flat wedge of cheese. If you are a parent, then you know what it was like to watch Austin being deflated like a pricked balloon, and having to work harder and harder to fight back the tears and quivering lip with each successive race. Ahhh, life's lessons can really suck sometimes!<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-85192454141248691152012-06-24T07:02:00.000-07:002012-06-24T07:02:02.812-07:00PERTH WITH PALS: THE BEST DAY EVER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEied8cDLAbCmCmiPGw0IkEvRITqiuls_cw5P02Qrsrozo4PwFfpPEsx9vjRex8XjourDok87RqBCEFbJqeGcToXMGXs3cceoks1Z8kMCI6sfQ3Rv7Ks-s6GUhGvxnjq7cCYHj8VvjWe067v/s1600/Perth-park1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEied8cDLAbCmCmiPGw0IkEvRITqiuls_cw5P02Qrsrozo4PwFfpPEsx9vjRex8XjourDok87RqBCEFbJqeGcToXMGXs3cceoks1Z8kMCI6sfQ3Rv7Ks-s6GUhGvxnjq7cCYHj8VvjWe067v/s400/Perth-park1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Dearest Friends,<br />
<br />
I believe I mentioned that there were three families who traveled together to Perth that year. The first day or two, we tried traveling in a pack, but it was a bit problematic. Have you ever tried to choose one restaurant that would please twelve people? Not easy! Especially if there are several picky eaters involved. One day, when we were talking about going to a little theme park we'd heard about, and there was a good chance we might get rained on while there, one family used that as an excuse to split off and go their separate way. Too bad, really. They ended up missing one of the best days <i>ever</i>.<br />
<br />
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The park may not have had near as much to offer as, say, Disney World, but what they <i>did</i> have was a whole lot of fun. And, thanks to the gloomy weather, we practically had the park to ourselves. No waiting in lines!<br />
<br />
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I think Austin and Kevin could have ridden this one luge-like slide over and over again, all day long.<br />
<br />
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Oh wait, come to think of it, they pretty much did!<br />
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We never got more than a few brief sprinkles, and the only mishap of the day was when we let the two older kids go ride this little monorail on their own. Somehow they ended up being in separate cars, and if I remember correctly, Lex missed getting out out the right stop. She was a bit unnerved by having to find her way back to us on foot, and mama was a bit unnerved by the fact that Christopher had shown up, but she hadn't! Alas, all's well that ends well. The park was so small, she found her way back to us in no time.<br />
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Even the daddies had fun!<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-59197521953048135882012-06-21T06:25:00.000-07:002012-06-21T06:25:09.830-07:00A LETTER FROM JOHN: WELCOME TO MAGGOTVILLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8u182wp5MxjYGLWuWO90viA8tF0dU3lRHI0e4I7P1V8guMV0v9ZjtZEG5JrKZBsCeujjoMpr35ZPKE5apa14woRJBO_7Ii2XM_O3JI3u6cKC65XS3u89MyXJ5mTPB1M-WsC_8rg_MLkx/s1600/P1020895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8u182wp5MxjYGLWuWO90viA8tF0dU3lRHI0e4I7P1V8guMV0v9ZjtZEG5JrKZBsCeujjoMpr35ZPKE5apa14woRJBO_7Ii2XM_O3JI3u6cKC65XS3u89MyXJ5mTPB1M-WsC_8rg_MLkx/s200/P1020895.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="background-color: white;">December 1, 1993</span></div>
<div>
<br /><div>
Dear Mom & Dad,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well, Merry Christmas Holidays. Becky officially has begun the Christmas season. The tree went up last weekend and the lights are out in front. Unfortunately, all the wooden yard decorations she had made have been eaten up by termites <span style="color: #cc0000;">(Inserted by Author: writhing heaps of disgusting maggot-like creatures, possibly Formosa termites?)</span>. Santa was half gone, as were the candy canes. Owel.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll mention to my boss about the problems you've been having calling in. Apparently several other people have reported similar incidents. In the future, you might try giving the phone extension number in both English and Indonesian:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Phone Number 1246</div>
<div>
Phone Nomor Satu (saw-too), Dua (doo-ah), Empat (im-pot), Enam (e's are short, like in "pet")</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Maybe this will help.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What has Mike got to be upset about, with Geoffrey shaving his head? As I recall, Mike doesn't have any hair up there either, right? I take it Geoffrey's school has some liberal dress codes. A lot of schools won't allow students in class with "disruptive" styles of dress, including hair styles. I guess he's just flexing his wings a bit.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoOrfCObKQ4jxnYAw9UiZVbhBOBnzAYmNKGO43owRlwFgdwvZckqocsqjOY8TAMj5O8EsLS1rxoY-iE_yJaOzDx4MJTzgRKjVuST7OC9A31c4czsgQoADHZhx1MC7L8ZKbHruWCDtTNVC/s1600/Perth-Panning1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoOrfCObKQ4jxnYAw9UiZVbhBOBnzAYmNKGO43owRlwFgdwvZckqocsqjOY8TAMj5O8EsLS1rxoY-iE_yJaOzDx4MJTzgRKjVuST7OC9A31c4czsgQoADHZhx1MC7L8ZKbHruWCDtTNVC/s400/Perth-Panning1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM03C9X01Cx1jY7xQ5YkferkatZBeXNbaTQeZid5W-R2sfuxXdV6wDLRYCktQ4Yv7PNysZlSHsaN5XCwT_HeaGG4Ydv_uwbEPi28iZzdI4M5kPjPHMo4r2U-fYbCtKDCFPPFvul2KNZqxp/s1600/Perth-Panning2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM03C9X01Cx1jY7xQ5YkferkatZBeXNbaTQeZid5W-R2sfuxXdV6wDLRYCktQ4Yv7PNysZlSHsaN5XCwT_HeaGG4Ydv_uwbEPi28iZzdI4M5kPjPHMo4r2U-fYbCtKDCFPPFvul2KNZqxp/s400/Perth-Panning2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZ58KfDSdQraf_h_fUD95n9L3eEqXusMfdHZ9JdHybfOO3i89tUCiCuJaaf2bTYynhlbIHI_ncJ-G9kOzpy0VvZdwPftJteLezAIp_rOpFB41-IdoUiJAwgZR0pZOEAkJcS7Vx9y5TnRq/s1600/Perth-Panning3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZ58KfDSdQraf_h_fUD95n9L3eEqXusMfdHZ9JdHybfOO3i89tUCiCuJaaf2bTYynhlbIHI_ncJ-G9kOzpy0VvZdwPftJteLezAIp_rOpFB41-IdoUiJAwgZR0pZOEAkJcS7Vx9y5TnRq/s400/Perth-Panning3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panning for Gold!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I think everyone enjoyed Australia. It was nice. In some ways, they are a few years behind the States in things. Apparently many products, such as electrical items and so forth, are tightly controlled. One store owner told me that you can't import electronic items, like games, into the country yourself. Everything has to come through a government-controlled import agency, which controls pricing. Sounds fairly bureaucratic to me. The Perth landscape is not too unlike west Texas, fairly sandy and not a lot of vegetation. The people seemed real friendly and pleasant. The funny thing was that while we were there, they started opening stores on Friday night for shopping. Up until now it was like the States back in the 50's, with stores only open late on Thursday evenings. The rest of the time they closed around 5:30 or 6:00. I don't think much was open on Sundays, as a rule. The restaurant owners are upset about the Friday night openings, thinking it will decrease the Friday night food trade. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On the catalogs, you might try sending some via the book surface rate. Just stuff as many as you can into the standard mailer for that rate. It will take a while to get here, but that's ok. Any letters regarding upgrades or offers, though, go ahead and send regular mail.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_NzsL3XxMoSIaNuVZSWmYuL_JbyZrng_7LQgWKzqD7dOTOy1Xpc-AkQwc1XzxJUmTFNop6BitStLQ_rUuRg3gANnxJcgynFDtEpz8mqMtzUlwfsNpSKSCeBQUDJQ6bYNXTP0FzaKfo_7/s1600/Sum-Lexie's+kitty.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_NzsL3XxMoSIaNuVZSWmYuL_JbyZrng_7LQgWKzqD7dOTOy1Xpc-AkQwc1XzxJUmTFNop6BitStLQ_rUuRg3gANnxJcgynFDtEpz8mqMtzUlwfsNpSKSCeBQUDJQ6bYNXTP0FzaKfo_7/s400/Sum-Lexie's+kitty.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Was her name Mimsy? Can't remember.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Alexis brought home a baby kitten the other day. So I guess we have another animal around the house. The goldfish haven't fared too well. Austin has lost several, plus his tank leaks, and when we returned from Australia, one of Alexis' three had died. I think the cat will be easier to take care of.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well, UT cost me another case of beer to Dan Reeh this year. I sure wish they'd be able to beat A&M for once. Saw the ending of the Dallas/Miami game on the news. Looked like the snow was pretty deep. That must have been some game.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Not much else to tell now. I'll see if Becky wants to add anything before finding someone who is heading out to mail this for us. Take care.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Your Son,</div>
<div>
John</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-19891169894711457562012-06-14T07:28:00.000-07:002012-06-14T07:28:56.514-07:00PERTH WITH PALS: OUR FAVORITE AUSSIES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFUnJR-6Iuof0Mgj0630t1WLTZiKiGt_JQwrc3-n6P8Y32a13TMC72XDWhsSfhz4NiAntNnqub9R_zXy-esdZU0Wbhiqn8XxDOWNndmU6v8Ar5PODTgKAAMaFc8j80SmWkeUnwpDjOPp_/s1600/Perth-favAussies1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFUnJR-6Iuof0Mgj0630t1WLTZiKiGt_JQwrc3-n6P8Y32a13TMC72XDWhsSfhz4NiAntNnqub9R_zXy-esdZU0Wbhiqn8XxDOWNndmU6v8Ar5PODTgKAAMaFc8j80SmWkeUnwpDjOPp_/s400/Perth-favAussies1.jpeg" width="366" /></a></div>
<br />
Dearest Friends,<br />
<br />
While in Perth we visited a petting zoo unlike any we had ever seen before. The kids were in hog heaven (or should I say koala heaven?). Mom and Dad were pretty giddy too!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgPvsVrbDZ1QnNtJnjus80jJStqhpASwnAZcUyzR42B04oOGx8GKJwFaPEeJTv5POLkRv8ZKl7X1k6KzB_44Bm40xVi3JBO8o34lWBzBYEqjhPU3MwkebmO-pWG0K2TnyCv3CaDE8dmP5/s1600/Perth-favAussies2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgPvsVrbDZ1QnNtJnjus80jJStqhpASwnAZcUyzR42B04oOGx8GKJwFaPEeJTv5POLkRv8ZKl7X1k6KzB_44Bm40xVi3JBO8o34lWBzBYEqjhPU3MwkebmO-pWG0K2TnyCv3CaDE8dmP5/s400/Perth-favAussies2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrdxCfRNASqIvZzUBzttUCzJAj889wPWnC0-ATmIpz3sYIeyWNXxAgPBw_DW_eDw7IFzClCN4yz0MHfIRej17V5UbyiUE4u05mVJI0e1R59u5aoyNvc5lJURq5F5YLG2ZZi2MxJO_R9v5/s1600/Perth-favAussies3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrdxCfRNASqIvZzUBzttUCzJAj889wPWnC0-ATmIpz3sYIeyWNXxAgPBw_DW_eDw7IFzClCN4yz0MHfIRej17V5UbyiUE4u05mVJI0e1R59u5aoyNvc5lJURq5F5YLG2ZZi2MxJO_R9v5/s400/Perth-favAussies3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABNIRVIlPsoTD94pqVySNNOXPPkApdmbP2fbPEsIKh5tZDrUcQRC7UCuoavXX27ht2fAkQm8wV-5OY6S7TvqXjRl5L1mNLkvJu7GJUzUMGcdvZ5EEWRn9roE1pfQWaZ-yJRZdUT5IR9cO/s1600/Perth-favAussies4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABNIRVIlPsoTD94pqVySNNOXPPkApdmbP2fbPEsIKh5tZDrUcQRC7UCuoavXX27ht2fAkQm8wV-5OY6S7TvqXjRl5L1mNLkvJu7GJUzUMGcdvZ5EEWRn9roE1pfQWaZ-yJRZdUT5IR9cO/s400/Perth-favAussies4.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely park ranger gives the kids a peak at Little Roo!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGSh9q445ddpEUnbz4sigqeQwE8uJNUnS7u4NfB7TgtogZdj-JKOF30wlUdBAQJXKBl0Jag8zgXQLyCwi2D3DzpFwJNpJpWLAvYWaGjQj95i1KS-ot3JiIKqbrsZE4Pncgbq8fEHnPgry/s1600/Perth-favAussies5+1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGSh9q445ddpEUnbz4sigqeQwE8uJNUnS7u4NfB7TgtogZdj-JKOF30wlUdBAQJXKBl0Jag8zgXQLyCwi2D3DzpFwJNpJpWLAvYWaGjQj95i1KS-ot3JiIKqbrsZE4Pncgbq8fEHnPgry/s400/Perth-favAussies5+1.jpeg" width="268" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aJJtQTuJ0YelIxOEheOD-hIlfWt-JMIl7sKfoYqaH8WiS3rui4YnGPocZnCVYGFdlwuh7kUphFIT0tHiVhYprOHgjMUT4qYRds9WWXzXYHdXo60gNNtHLxtVnJD3PkfxnocW5ZEw-tfu/s1600/Perth-favAussies6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aJJtQTuJ0YelIxOEheOD-hIlfWt-JMIl7sKfoYqaH8WiS3rui4YnGPocZnCVYGFdlwuh7kUphFIT0tHiVhYprOHgjMUT4qYRds9WWXzXYHdXo60gNNtHLxtVnJD3PkfxnocW5ZEw-tfu/s400/Perth-favAussies6.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I believe that was a wombat in my hubby's arms, if I remember correctly</td></tr>
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0px;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-5390948316107744172012-06-11T13:46:00.000-07:002012-06-11T13:46:12.737-07:00PERTH WITH PALS: THE FESTIVAL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnteItrqjWgxovQqu7_kT2BgzjQP75oK9vFUoZPhUfb735BOGU4Vai0jOLmTCAPbBAGmteUvbTuSzpcCmtPLHORLGgT64lQT0IrT3VX9OtkGX57uMhI0x9-EZpoHzUkn__TnkL8s200_C/s1600/Perth-fest1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnteItrqjWgxovQqu7_kT2BgzjQP75oK9vFUoZPhUfb735BOGU4Vai0jOLmTCAPbBAGmteUvbTuSzpcCmtPLHORLGgT64lQT0IrT3VX9OtkGX57uMhI0x9-EZpoHzUkn__TnkL8s200_C/s400/Perth-fest1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Dearest Friends,<br />
<br />
Shortly after arriving in Perth, we discovered that we'd got there just in time for the Fremantle Festival -- Australia's longest running festival (2012 will be its 107th year!). The festival is named for Fremantle Harbour, "port of Perth", and the Fremantle area is a tourist mecca known for its art, culture, cafes and of course, shopping -- just what we had come for!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiak9Gb5l7OwoaKV8qEQd4uIF8lQ08tdt955xacGtQXdcDPW1ji58DrdWZtXy76OSA0z_InDeGbVlc_2tgBJ_CwkvBTn4N5hnOOvaPVy3aR5edjWsFjV1Ea2NF-9iyS5pbw118iOsSXX86I/s1600/Perth-fest3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiak9Gb5l7OwoaKV8qEQd4uIF8lQ08tdt955xacGtQXdcDPW1ji58DrdWZtXy76OSA0z_InDeGbVlc_2tgBJ_CwkvBTn4N5hnOOvaPVy3aR5edjWsFjV1Ea2NF-9iyS5pbw118iOsSXX86I/s400/Perth-fest3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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What a great way to begin our Aussie adventure!<br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0px;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-74177543343260391262012-06-10T07:23:00.000-07:002012-06-10T07:23:03.308-07:00PERTH WITH PALS<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SjC3AWBVsObyGw6bsS1axVpgElWw6dLnOPCoxghtJh8LcuvhGCVKr1opIHeyXYnqpSV1UCveH94Aie6CFdMWjPf5m6ddO__lrnnWaADUjM_8qA_zFiOnOEludfTnnEu8hvBWyPpl5hXZ/s1600/Perth-flight.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SjC3AWBVsObyGw6bsS1axVpgElWw6dLnOPCoxghtJh8LcuvhGCVKr1opIHeyXYnqpSV1UCveH94Aie6CFdMWjPf5m6ddO__lrnnWaADUjM_8qA_zFiOnOEludfTnnEu8hvBWyPpl5hXZ/s400/Perth-flight.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is she excited, or what?</td></tr>
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Dearest Friends,<br />
<br />
Our last year in Indonesia, we decided to use the kids' fall break to join two other families on a trip to Australia. We figured, in all likelihood, we'd never be this close to it again. The kids were ecstatic, not just because we were going to Australia, but because we were going with their best buddies, Chris, Kevin, and Austin H. Austin's little sister Katie would be there as well, but she was only four or five, so she didn't count as far as the big kids were concerned. Besides, she was a <i>girl.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8woulAvYPH1cbezBmIsMzUYF-oP4XUVU_Ag8nyF3R-00TsmJV3Z-ZbYeY3dVNSHVWmTFSdywXJTv_rw0ySznhlxrqih2uvvuxLKapzaawdn6PiTEmCMhY1DphYLNfPa_xVu_Cc_sOhNaL/s1600/Perth-beach1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8woulAvYPH1cbezBmIsMzUYF-oP4XUVU_Ag8nyF3R-00TsmJV3Z-ZbYeY3dVNSHVWmTFSdywXJTv_rw0ySznhlxrqih2uvvuxLKapzaawdn6PiTEmCMhY1DphYLNfPa_xVu_Cc_sOhNaL/s400/Perth-beach1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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On the recommendation of friends who had been there before, we were able to rent little bungalow-like rooms that could each sleep an entire family, and which had living areas and kitchenettes. Yes, they were a far cry from the Singapore Hyatt, and no, the drapes didn't actually match the bedspreads, which could be disturbing to some, but hey, they were <i>right on the water</i>. Besides, we didn't plan to waste too much time in them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQv1fGusM_D2MyscBdaWFMDZIsHnxHzFAN8KW11KPTt_l2RCBl9T83gBPzj3Oay33b3WDlwwr7ISFN4DMUIZ9215gfpXCq0tYPxkndChDq_SchXwxTqevtrpbBh90KTNlFnILeqGK3u-q/s1600/Perth-bungalow.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQv1fGusM_D2MyscBdaWFMDZIsHnxHzFAN8KW11KPTt_l2RCBl9T83gBPzj3Oay33b3WDlwwr7ISFN4DMUIZ9215gfpXCq0tYPxkndChDq_SchXwxTqevtrpbBh90KTNlFnILeqGK3u-q/s400/Perth-bungalow.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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First order of the day was to rent some boogie boards.<br />
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That's where we discovered that all those rumors you hear about the flies in Australia are <i>absolutely</i> true! Second order of the day was to find hats with bobble corks on them.<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-83393617338242037012012-06-07T06:13:00.000-07:002012-06-07T06:13:57.418-07:00LETTERS HOME: W. SUMATRA WRAP-UP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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25th November, 1993<br />
<br />
Dear Folks,<br />
<br />
Just have time for a quick note since I want to hand this off to someone who is leaving for the states in the morning. Mom, would you please share yours with the Dallas gang and pass the photos around? Seems like I've been gone most of November, and although I really enjoyed Bukit Tinggi and Perth, it's awfully good to be home -- especially since I can officially start decorating for Christmas tomorrow! Bukit Tinggi was so fascinating. Believe it or not, it's actually quite clean up there! And cool, too, since it's up in the hills. Each little village has its own special craft, so we visited one where they all weave beautiful cloth with gold threads, another where they are all silver smiths, another where they craft brass irons and musical instruments, etc. The flowers were unbelievable. Every house, no matter how poor, had gorgeous gardens and window boxes. The most unusual thing about it was that the Minangkebau people are a matrilineal society. Everything, including the family name, is passed from mother to daughter, and the men don't own a thing! Brilliant, no? I'm not sure how they reconcile that with being Muslim, though. Our area of Indonesia is the antithesis of everything we saw in W. Sumatra. It is the most fanatically Muslim area in all of Indonesia, and for some reason, that seems to discourage beauty and creativity. (Note: all photos here are from W. Sumatra. Perth photos will follow.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGmBBgpUcQnld1hyphenhyphenWI7wZf1If4Sp9KcCwpwpaJ10GFRGuEeIJQIt-sJEGK07Zjri8KtjIJJSvmbC3PxZCjuYrFZBi8PxHRAnsfJ2k6Z1fAo4gb7ZK6VzLz_xTVdqFN9vJDoPNq1_Gl40I/s1600/Sum-WSwrapup2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGmBBgpUcQnld1hyphenhyphenWI7wZf1If4Sp9KcCwpwpaJ10GFRGuEeIJQIt-sJEGK07Zjri8KtjIJJSvmbC3PxZCjuYrFZBi8PxHRAnsfJ2k6Z1fAo4gb7ZK6VzLz_xTVdqFN9vJDoPNq1_Gl40I/s400/Sum-WSwrapup2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the underground tunnels left by the Japanese in WWII</td></tr>
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When I returned from the trip on Saturday evening, John was pretty frazzled. The kids from the Medan school were up here for an exchange week-end, and they had assigned four little Malaysian girls to stay at our house! Luckily, we still had our temporary cook then, because they all had to have special diets. I was only home for six days before we headed off to Australia. Perth was wonderful, but one week in Australia just isn't nearly enough! I'm afraid we concentrated on all the typical touristy things, including a good bit of time at K-Mart and Target! While I was there, though, I did pick up a book about home-stays in eastern Australia. It includes everything from B&Bs to sheep stations in the outback. I just hope we get a chance to go back some day.<br />
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I'm really sorry that everyone has had such a hard time getting through on the phone. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do about it though. Mom, thanks so much for getting that book for me to instruct Alexis on communion with. We will start after Christmas. How much do I owe you for the book and postage? Is Dad's knee any better? We nearly died laughing at one of your answers on my "Christmas Memories" questionnaire. Modie's special Christmas dishes were <i>dates </i>and <i>prune whip</i>? Well, no <i>wonder</i> Dad had to teach himself to cook at such an early age!<br />
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Theda, how was your Thanksgiving with Betty, and the trip to Roswell? Hope you had a good time. Has Taz tried to pull down the Christmas tree yet?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_DQHbkx3JSHb2ulOlWewUgRRuGtxCCK6INoYUFnEl7isRiC2bL5m4sqS9dmbotSBfcum6wX8GI27-KRQyVPQMLogSulGMVHrYAh7-LHN2u-CmgSouNdkLchJrPbFMb42g7zNNemkp2yb/s1600/Sum-WSwrapup5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_DQHbkx3JSHb2ulOlWewUgRRuGtxCCK6INoYUFnEl7isRiC2bL5m4sqS9dmbotSBfcum6wX8GI27-KRQyVPQMLogSulGMVHrYAh7-LHN2u-CmgSouNdkLchJrPbFMb42g7zNNemkp2yb/s400/Sum-WSwrapup5.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura and Ruth got pulled on stage to participate in a cultural performance we attended. The native dancers are all barefoot. Wonder how often they get their toes stomped by clumsy tourists?</td></tr>
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Prisi, how was Steve's wedding? Did everyone wear black and orange? When you described Megan's first visit home from college, it reminded me of a Donna Reed episode I once saw, where Shelly Fabares did exactly the same thing!<br />
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Guess that's all for now. We're about out of Kool-Aid here, and I couldn't find any in Singapore, so if anyone would stick one little package of the pre-sweetened variety (any flavor) in their next letter, we would be eternally grateful!<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-41961621455516136102012-06-05T06:58:00.000-07:002012-06-05T06:58:19.851-07:00LAKE MANINJAU, SEEN THROUGH NEW EYES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To market, to market...</td></tr>
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Dearest Friends,<br />
<br />
Here is what I love most about blogging: it allows you to enjoy one adventure over and over again, each time with new eyes! Take this trip to W. Sumatra. Tucked into the pile of photos I have from this trip were many of a large lake -- a lake I don't much recall.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6kJwbPzH6hx5fcUaMJcHjhvIepmY_OK5ygmSt2CqXhGYdmkJkHSFDFMWvCNiloah4rdSECLj_iauw2KnfLY00Tgbsi-0z8yyJw2-gfFyQJMb2CyCX-ewBtjjL0iszs6dKsiAag2GE6uC/s1600/Sum-lakemaninjau8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6kJwbPzH6hx5fcUaMJcHjhvIepmY_OK5ygmSt2CqXhGYdmkJkHSFDFMWvCNiloah4rdSECLj_iauw2KnfLY00Tgbsi-0z8yyJw2-gfFyQJMb2CyCX-ewBtjjL0iszs6dKsiAag2GE6uC/s400/Sum-lakemaninjau8.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I remember this photo. This was one of the more "rustic" hotels we stayed in on this trip, and, hard as that was to believe, I remember everyone charging into our room wanting to see it, because it was so much more luxurious than the others! Perhaps we got the bridal suite? That, however, is just about all I remember of this leg of the journey -- nothing about the lake, not even its name. So, I had to do some research. I am now fairly certain this must be Lake Maninjau, the largest in the area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_JKNj7d13FQYWWsl0wWbsQAk3ql4wRLZ8Q4zUZi5JFBfNEeWQyiI940YHC_u8eTaCxsCC96YCSa6-BaKfG9ZrdPQeSm9gFYJdVAiy_Ydzyq9B-GTKHqcWUpCWJOdjLgCx357MnHo-Lt-/s1600/Sum-lakemaninjau4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_JKNj7d13FQYWWsl0wWbsQAk3ql4wRLZ8Q4zUZi5JFBfNEeWQyiI940YHC_u8eTaCxsCC96YCSa6-BaKfG9ZrdPQeSm9gFYJdVAiy_Ydzyq9B-GTKHqcWUpCWJOdjLgCx357MnHo-Lt-/s400/Sum-lakemaninjau4.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drying Fish</td></tr>
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In the process, I discovered a lot of stuff which probably went in one ear and out the other of my forty-year-old self (who knew less than nothing about permaculture or local food systems) but which just delights my fifty-eight-year-old self no end! I read about how the lake not only provides hydroelectric power to the area, but is also an entire food system in and of itself! They practice aquaculture in the lake, using floating net cages. There are rice fields on the lower swampy areas. Then there are forest-like tree gardens on the slopes above, where they grow fruit (durian, jackfruit, rambutan, etc.), spices (cinnamon, coffee, nutmeg, cardamum) and timber.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The School Bus</td></tr>
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Is that <i>awesome</i>, or what?<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-76946150128802128952012-06-01T12:35:00.000-07:002012-06-01T12:35:01.452-07:00THE HOUSES OF WEST SUMATRA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPIoV6-f8u6t67Y7AUr8GdMtJ-RH2vIAvjAJO6cG8Bw8OcztIvwh03O5QQatl1DEu9zzUas-jkAV9lj0NSOvVhYxV0Rx9Gpa4nMe0dnGjQdS9dhVGAvYtMktwU3Zvm6HDTI8ysIpgBAjd/s1600/Sum-WShouses1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPIoV6-f8u6t67Y7AUr8GdMtJ-RH2vIAvjAJO6cG8Bw8OcztIvwh03O5QQatl1DEu9zzUas-jkAV9lj0NSOvVhYxV0Rx9Gpa4nMe0dnGjQdS9dhVGAvYtMktwU3Zvm6HDTI8ysIpgBAjd/s400/Sum-WShouses1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
Dearest Friends,<br />
<br />
I was quite shocked at the variety of architecture styles in W. Sumatra. As I mentioned before, the two below, with the buffalo-peaked roofs, are the traditional style of the Minangkabau people, and the two cottages at the bottom are probably throwbacks from the Dutch colonial period. I'm guessing the one in the middle, that looks like it was built from river rock or maybe lava chunks, was probably just a matter of using what was at hand. Now the one up there at the top, well, I haven't a clue. All I know is that I love, love, love it! Since that is my friend A.M. that I photographed standing in front of it, I'm wondering if that wasn't the house where she and I were invited to come inside and look around. A couple of minutes later we came running back outside, tears streaming down our faces. Turns out a bunch of women were in the kitchen grinding peppers or something. Oh the pain! The agony! They laughed at our wimpiness. We couldn't stop coughing for hours.<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-47209302450485330652012-05-30T06:01:00.000-07:002012-05-30T06:03:58.497-07:00ARTISANAL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dearest Friends,<br />
<br />
To reach Bukittinggi by road was a 90 km trip, with a gradual climb to about 930 meters above sea level. It lies near Mount Marapi, which was formed by a still-active volcano. After leaving Singapore during WWII, the Japanese made this their headquarters, and left behind quite a network of underground bunkers and tunnels. The town had its origins in five villages that served as the basis for a marketplace, which might account for the many artists and craftsmen in the area. These are just a few of those we visited.<br />
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Here you are probably seeing the seeds of what was to become this blogging obsession of mine, for I seem to remember that while all my friends were busy collecting souvenirs, I was more concerned with collecting memories -- taking photos and trying to remember as much as I could, so that I could share it all in my letters home. Kind of funny when you think about it, seeing as I probably have just about the only hubby in the world who is actually disappointed, if not down-right <i>irritated,</i> when I come home from a shopping excursion empty-handed!<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-85963998913560060042012-05-25T11:55:00.000-07:002012-05-25T11:55:49.184-07:00WEST SUMATRA: FIRST LEGDearest Friends,<br />
<br />
In order to reach W. Sumatra, we had to first take the company plane to Medan, and from there we took a commercial flight to Padang. My friend Jane, who is British, brought "sticky buns" for the journey, Carol brought rugelach, and of course, we<i> all</i> brought our Shanghai bags -- little purses holding the coins we used to play our favorite card game.<br />
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Being the capital city of the province, Padang was fairly cosmopolitan, and our hotel surprisingly luxurious. Have I ever mentioned how much I <i>adore</i> hotels with open-air lobbies in tropical surroundings?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBNpjtuHLvABecQZxbLWsW7PmCHAeZky7LGHsizdooJlBDq58O5uHqTr3iMfpqjQQ3i8ESNItggUDU9tZArGmNPxNcku2Onbzfo7tDiCHlFLX5TItn63LD7NmhjgghoKGqtClimatjAsP/s1600/Sum-W.S.Padang2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBNpjtuHLvABecQZxbLWsW7PmCHAeZky7LGHsizdooJlBDq58O5uHqTr3iMfpqjQQ3i8ESNItggUDU9tZArGmNPxNcku2Onbzfo7tDiCHlFLX5TItn63LD7NmhjgghoKGqtClimatjAsP/s400/Sum-W.S.Padang2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They should have called us The Belly Bag Gang!</td></tr>
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I'm guessing the hotel gave us those pretty drinks upon our arrival, for the odds are slim that everyone would have ordered the exact same thing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLbSvWK2Od9t0nq973DUUS6eQ-USriEiZxTy9vqgBWBmC6MYD-7WRcfrhG9NlrGHWsVPG9f3rzY_G2HgJuX-Mp_vk7PX-ZiyDY0QGO6cANj7FFim5rwgCXQLCR0tLhNSHbG8PvzzsGm1L-/s1600/Sum-W.S.Padang3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLbSvWK2Od9t0nq973DUUS6eQ-USriEiZxTy9vqgBWBmC6MYD-7WRcfrhG9NlrGHWsVPG9f3rzY_G2HgJuX-Mp_vk7PX-ZiyDY0QGO6cANj7FFim5rwgCXQLCR0tLhNSHbG8PvzzsGm1L-/s400/Sum-W.S.Padang3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here we are, ready for a rousing game of Shanghai, all wearing the matching nightshirts that our wonderful tour organizer had made for us. Did the hotel provide those beverages as well, or did someone bring along wine? Can't remember. I do remember two girls lugging a big ol' desk down the hallway in their nighties though -- one of the highlights of the trip! Hey, when it comes to playing Shanghai, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.<br />
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We spent a couple of days there, and then it was time to load up into a motorcoach and head for the W. Sumatran Highlands, where we'd heard that each village has it's own specialty or craft, and that time-honored techniques and secrets of the trade have been passed down from one generation to the next.<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-66779729673753632032012-05-24T06:57:00.000-07:002012-05-24T06:57:36.037-07:00RUNNING OUT OF TIMEDearest Friends,<br />
<br />
There had been lots of opportunities for travel since we had arrived in Indonesia. Groups of women were always going somewhere -- especially those who were there without children and didn't have much to do. Mostly I had declined their invitations, thinking my kids were too young to be left, we needed to save our money, there'd be plenty of time for that later, etc. However, as I slowly came to realize that this might well be our last year in Sumatra, a sense of panic set in. There was so much I still hadn't seen or done! What if I never got the chance to visit this part of the world again? It was right around then that one of my friends (I think it was Carol) announced that she was organizing a ladies' trip to West Sumatra. Traveling to such remote places without my hubby involved stepping waaaaay outside my comfort zone, but hey, it was now, or <i>never</i>. I took the leap. Oh my, my, am I ever so glad I did.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzkbJJSB8qvYdjM5ybyfgQ8pGmvtZo2kAxTsYqKY_mUcEHLTgV91R4laO42QkCBosTH_m_aczkFAnIxi9DDTJQ_IHDKC0tZPzIiG4NF64I1v_69vHrN3vhG9DSlLhLVq7_TY-4Vi4UgmE/s1600/Sum-W.S.bighouse.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzkbJJSB8qvYdjM5ybyfgQ8pGmvtZo2kAxTsYqKY_mUcEHLTgV91R4laO42QkCBosTH_m_aczkFAnIxi9DDTJQ_IHDKC0tZPzIiG4NF64I1v_69vHrN3vhG9DSlLhLVq7_TY-4Vi4UgmE/s400/Sum-W.S.bighouse.tiff" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rumah Gadang, or big house, wit pointed roof tips resembling water buffalo horns.</td></tr>
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West Sumatra is home to the Minangkabau people, a matrilineal culture where property and land passes down from mother to daughter. Men don't have much say in village activities, concerning themselves mostly with religious and political affairs. Padang, the capital and largest city of W. Sumatra province, was to be our first destination. It is a common transit point for surfers traveling to nearby islands, and for tourists, such as ourselves, headed for the W. Sumatran Highlands, including Bukittinggi (High Hill) and Lake Maninjau. I knew next to nothing about any of the places we were headed, but one thing I knew for sure -- I was headed for a grand adventure!<br />
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0px;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-76460058822325138382012-05-21T06:28:00.000-07:002012-05-21T06:28:34.940-07:00LETTERS HOME: OUR LAST INDO-HALLOWEEN<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCin68z1Czz2jo0mWRJFlsjt7jrRY4wQtnszbWitvYCbl6Sm7YxdZHDnKX_I27a_hVPqM9QZ5vQgwQzHm16w5khvx0_izPqM_LPQQZptk-e8ETRIcMJ2ilAJVEtGoczUNk5yYF56jQKBc/s1600/Sum-Hallo93-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCin68z1Czz2jo0mWRJFlsjt7jrRY4wQtnszbWitvYCbl6Sm7YxdZHDnKX_I27a_hVPqM9QZ5vQgwQzHm16w5khvx0_izPqM_LPQQZptk-e8ETRIcMJ2ilAJVEtGoczUNk5yYF56jQKBc/s400/Sum-Hallo93-1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Coneheads/Three Stooges host a pre-carnival gathering at our place.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: right;">
November 1, 1993</div>
<br />
Dear Mom & Dad,<br />
<br />
Can't believe it's November again already. Fall is passing so fast, with all the activities going on this year. In fact, everyone around here is about sick to death of functions and parties. I'd like to have a nice quiet weekend for once, nothing to do, nowhere to go. We leave for Perth, Australia on Nov. 12, and will be gone one week. We're really looking forward to the trip. Since it's late spring for them, we're hoping the weather will be pretty nice. Speaking of weather, it's been raining a <i>lot</i> here lately. We've had some real downpours this last week!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWqRM73KFOmaq0jxJSkd3kvhgWmGY_Rsxo195tUrnTIwdqSp78VGcfq4gmSJsYLB97DtWY49ECgydQeU7Xp9a9I4SAJoXxrwVVtKPGUu9khu7rm0G1FXXJHQ4PrJTSQ1ShbE6zPssEMVJ/s1600/Sum-Hallo93-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWqRM73KFOmaq0jxJSkd3kvhgWmGY_Rsxo195tUrnTIwdqSp78VGcfq4gmSJsYLB97DtWY49ECgydQeU7Xp9a9I4SAJoXxrwVVtKPGUu9khu7rm0G1FXXJHQ4PrJTSQ1ShbE6zPssEMVJ/s400/Sum-Hallo93-2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading down to the carnival with the coneheads and Robocop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjeXXX3aXvwdDzUeXe7weq0bjDrRz3OJ3wW2lF-EhKBGmk3JkEm4HM1dtPimiPi1qISRDT73iK_BkJyoGKyqaXMSRKegiyQvoR5xtYrrY1Qiy4Uy9fXul-pPHpQ5qQ2jxXUKTsRjS5lms/s1600/Sum-Hallo93-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjeXXX3aXvwdDzUeXe7weq0bjDrRz3OJ3wW2lF-EhKBGmk3JkEm4HM1dtPimiPi1qISRDT73iK_BkJyoGKyqaXMSRKegiyQvoR5xtYrrY1Qiy4Uy9fXul-pPHpQ5qQ2jxXUKTsRjS5lms/s400/Sum-Hallo93-3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The costume parade -- Austin used the clothes from his Headless Horseman costume of the previous year, then added a creepy mask, bandana, and earring to create a Zombie Pirate. I think this was pre-<i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i>, so they must've stolen the idea from him!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0pZgJ6O3k16ZvY5Ojz6IfGiGpLcIz2d-SZfQxgf8wW4g1q3YMgyv50khXmaTOlkZxQuhtaC4xMdZMlYhbYmd-d2lWoT6FfQYxOuxeGKyFcMwmFwgmpm8oNvc0zHlIASS3ZW1PqwUPfgQ/s1600/Sum-Hallo93-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0pZgJ6O3k16ZvY5Ojz6IfGiGpLcIz2d-SZfQxgf8wW4g1q3YMgyv50khXmaTOlkZxQuhtaC4xMdZMlYhbYmd-d2lWoT6FfQYxOuxeGKyFcMwmFwgmpm8oNvc0zHlIASS3ZW1PqwUPfgQ/s400/Sum-Hallo93-4.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like Lexie won a prize for her costume. Should've gone to the seamstress.</td></tr>
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The kids had their Halloween Carnival this past weekend. Both of them brought home gold fish they had won. Sunday I went out and bought a couple of more fish along with a couple of fish bowls. Unfortunately, this morning we found one of Austin's swimming upside down. Guess that one isn't going to make it. Not really sure what happened -- if it was the rocks we bought to put in the bottom clouding up the water, or if maybe Austin overfed his. I'll probably have to go out and buy a replacement. Not too bad, as they only cost about 75 cents each.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGjCku_OlmjoTL_Bpt7AJYroBtHVcSkAYzn58rX9LRyaSXQpkwympp4O0E-BvVbsEhu7uKMKCJ3grg9mkDFrd7y6w5mM5UasEJM-8YPsadiHnL3w9fTH52vRWfBjWmz71BQpJiuYLOrSJ/s1600/Sum-Hallo93-5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGjCku_OlmjoTL_Bpt7AJYroBtHVcSkAYzn58rX9LRyaSXQpkwympp4O0E-BvVbsEhu7uKMKCJ3grg9mkDFrd7y6w5mM5UasEJM-8YPsadiHnL3w9fTH52vRWfBjWmz71BQpJiuYLOrSJ/s400/Sum-Hallo93-5.jpeg" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lex found this costume in <i>Jane Asher's Costume Book</i>, and pestered me for weeks to make it. I finally caved in, but vetoed the buns in the blouse.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ti-d4xBT44z03gPbt4kdSiDanjGwPMRtmugF514OCPwFus3IOqgvkGKDSnI026ljtRSer_ur4gl8Fs0GLFZ5iIt1d8Nt4S1jJSJQ8AWeb7x2m_9G5yN6IiNivDjbMvV07ZMdfPjvrZJk/s1600/Sum-Hallo93-6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ti-d4xBT44z03gPbt4kdSiDanjGwPMRtmugF514OCPwFus3IOqgvkGKDSnI026ljtRSer_ur4gl8Fs0GLFZ5iIt1d8Nt4S1jJSJQ8AWeb7x2m_9G5yN6IiNivDjbMvV07ZMdfPjvrZJk/s400/Sum-Hallo93-6.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See any resemblance between her skirt in the photo above, and this sofa? One of our lace curtain panels gave up it's life for this costume as well. She was one happy girl!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMh_93Yvs2QE5FpW_PrDTdPWF_EXfcYVC-2hG1QFi6r3r-3vmPBrVRqcIXfZyL0yUwIXRkbD5nOID1-qtuMITVzk8odZlbfI0HtrA8el_wA6dH79F8JkDeCulXAhGt45Pg2sp5FzEFI2mh/s1600/Sum-Hallo93-7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMh_93Yvs2QE5FpW_PrDTdPWF_EXfcYVC-2hG1QFi6r3r-3vmPBrVRqcIXfZyL0yUwIXRkbD5nOID1-qtuMITVzk8odZlbfI0HtrA8el_wA6dH79F8JkDeCulXAhGt45Pg2sp5FzEFI2mh/s400/Sum-Hallo93-7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dig that gorgeous backdrop! Probably painted by the same carpenter who did their bedroom murals. Is that pirate carrying a light saber?</td></tr>
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Becky went off on another trip this week with the ladies. They went up to some place near Lake Toba and will be gone a week. She's been having a lot of fun on these trips. Not really sure what is up there, as far as crafts and all. Guess we'll find out when she gets back.<br />
<br />
Hope Mike got that computer stuff sent off. If so, I'll be getting it in a few weeks. There are several people scheduled to be heading this way in November. I forgot to mention to him and to you, if you ever want to send a package over here, the best way is to send it via DHL. They are like United Parcel, etc. DHL makes deliveries in this area and, apparently, has a fairly good system of working with the Indonesian customs agents. I don't know if they have an office in the Midland/Odessa area or not, but there is a chance they do. I think you would use the same address as you would on a letter. The local DHL branch knows this place fairly well.<br />
<br />
How are you both feeling these days? I didn't realize Mom went into the hospital. No one told us a thing. I wasn't really too clear from our conversation, but I take it the vertigo is more stress related than anything else. Is that right? I had a little bit of that several years ago, but nothing to the extent you have been suffering. How is the new help working out? I'm sure it helps a lot to have the live-in help. As Mike said, just let us know if we can pitch in towards that. It's really no problem.<br />
<br />
How are Milton and Lucille doing these days? They weren't doing too good when we left last summer. Nub and Winona were doing fairly well -- maybe he is a little more deaf. Becky hasn't heard from Paula lately and is getting pretty concerned. She has always been good about writing in the past.<br />
<br />
Well, guess that's about it for now. I imagine Becky will add something after she gets back from her trip.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
John<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-46846332606559690602012-05-17T10:33:00.000-07:002012-05-17T10:33:14.918-07:00WHEN THE GOING GETS ROUGH, THROW A PARTY!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPSoJ3GueR0O56iXXy2-prjFpuA9IeuR9deM3tUcOu1ZBHNH10axfF1xLbH4pmg1pazNGSaAaDoly-915-JqPfS5M1mpPIPfyoaWt1eh4FM7Q96xOI0UMGF93OpTOgXBzRXxXgFkwJpVA/s1600/Sum-parties93-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPSoJ3GueR0O56iXXy2-prjFpuA9IeuR9deM3tUcOu1ZBHNH10axfF1xLbH4pmg1pazNGSaAaDoly-915-JqPfS5M1mpPIPfyoaWt1eh4FM7Q96xOI0UMGF93OpTOgXBzRXxXgFkwJpVA/s400/Sum-parties93-1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Star-Trek-themed murder mystery party we hosted</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgam5vAge9TrsFM2DiTtlxYxzQwAek7ZS2xR3N31-jmJpFYIyA7tu_V54M-6O8BRs3QdSEK2cecY253DI8bl8qBO9TUtbMlK3VcAQkw1iocSusZF3pmPfi6Xjwh0hSisCw2349hBLS8fIma/s1600/Sum-parties93-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgam5vAge9TrsFM2DiTtlxYxzQwAek7ZS2xR3N31-jmJpFYIyA7tu_V54M-6O8BRs3QdSEK2cecY253DI8bl8qBO9TUtbMlK3VcAQkw1iocSusZF3pmPfi6Xjwh0hSisCw2349hBLS8fIma/s400/Sum-parties93-2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A party only the brave attended, as it was held at a restaurant in Lhok Seumawe</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIh1LZbDQzDJCJTsShHvztehSzGVvx87YZnofn0Yxed__NjC6vOTY9GvldgJl-RwPSR18blxj6IqMo7Bit7HKbOmEubECUMah8IiaTO5zKRClW5PTZ8Pk4tHM7tgMGckazS5csvyZexFrZ/s1600/Sum-parties93-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIh1LZbDQzDJCJTsShHvztehSzGVvx87YZnofn0Yxed__NjC6vOTY9GvldgJl-RwPSR18blxj6IqMo7Bit7HKbOmEubECUMah8IiaTO5zKRClW5PTZ8Pk4tHM7tgMGckazS5csvyZexFrZ/s400/Sum-parties93-3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9HoWlgQaL2XOntC2Ph1o4Iqudz0GleaxyavSZ7XCgrYsA11pjZGIyStOEJvq47J-RxJBIMo7Cv20V3lfZ89a07qe967GX8pQzQN4GaW6_7lCW7I6GKQoNrajU-NDYbJUQzsdSH37SlY8/s1600/Sum-parties93-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9HoWlgQaL2XOntC2Ph1o4Iqudz0GleaxyavSZ7XCgrYsA11pjZGIyStOEJvq47J-RxJBIMo7Cv20V3lfZ89a07qe967GX8pQzQN4GaW6_7lCW7I6GKQoNrajU-NDYbJUQzsdSH37SlY8/s400/Sum-parties93-4.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miss Becky heads over the hill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVqPJRQRzsiHHHg1VeaLdom6mnsJnEfOQZTb2Nk2SMDBDKet3QZHI5U0-xkEJUA_GSnP0NSDO2seEspYazzOQ0wSZwoBd4ZkUkLmzy7q3LO4fuZE2kIUl5MzGBdImV6fGm_bl2MsaVC-t/s1600/Sum-parties93-6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVqPJRQRzsiHHHg1VeaLdom6mnsJnEfOQZTb2Nk2SMDBDKet3QZHI5U0-xkEJUA_GSnP0NSDO2seEspYazzOQ0wSZwoBd4ZkUkLmzy7q3LO4fuZE2kIUl5MzGBdImV6fGm_bl2MsaVC-t/s400/Sum-parties93-6.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three nuns on their way to a Halloween Shanghai luncheon</td></tr>
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<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0px;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-33859532334806544722012-05-15T05:24:00.000-07:002012-05-15T05:24:01.250-07:00THE BEGINNING OF THE ENDDearest Friends,<br />
<br />
I think Melody, Rich and their two kids were the first of our close friends to transfer out of Sumatra. Fortunately, they only went as far as Jakarta, so it wasn't <i>too</i> bad. We could actually go visit them if we really wanted to. When friend Patti found out that she, Brad, and their three littles would soon be heading to the States, she started to panic over whether she had seen everything she needed to see, and bought everything she needed to buy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgs1FPUijJJwrqE8Atcnqk5mSvKBxV4Z0cSzI-F8RpFRPWUzAceC1iOftCR8_3hPHe3bvHPdzHqppAPTiGa9lD-Ie4i2l8wnkU_LOG4xRMV1Ok99YodN5RMaHElmHcikmxleFkUJgiyxOb/s1600/Sum-Patti1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgs1FPUijJJwrqE8Atcnqk5mSvKBxV4Z0cSzI-F8RpFRPWUzAceC1iOftCR8_3hPHe3bvHPdzHqppAPTiGa9lD-Ie4i2l8wnkU_LOG4xRMV1Ok99YodN5RMaHElmHcikmxleFkUJgiyxOb/s400/Sum-Patti1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
There was a whole lot of stuff you could buy in Jakarta that we never even saw out in the middle of the jungle, so that's exactly what she did -- she went to visit Mel! And, being such a good friend and all, I offered to go along -- just for moral support of course.<br />
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<br />
If there was anything left in Jakarta when we finished there, it certainly wasn't for lack of trying!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRqSkrESULA0YAL0vjYtDM02layddDwJlegALVcNpgAdqQspoZtIjnBf7rJQWz6KyvashjLQf3wEo-IfXO-IQDOVUWTkD5qU6TUWrWNi4g6Xke2_xJTGhdyYeBA3q2jh3eSVufP_nc8Hf/s1600/Sum-Patti3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRqSkrESULA0YAL0vjYtDM02layddDwJlegALVcNpgAdqQspoZtIjnBf7rJQWz6KyvashjLQf3wEo-IfXO-IQDOVUWTkD5qU6TUWrWNi4g6Xke2_xJTGhdyYeBA3q2jh3eSVufP_nc8Hf/s400/Sum-Patti3.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once Patti and her family departed, it was as if someone had left the stopper out of the drain, for there seemed to be a slow but steady exodus from that point on.<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-71506480120597322802012-05-10T08:05:00.000-07:002012-05-10T08:05:47.844-07:00OUR POOR, DEPRIVED KIDS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HolAWr7fUfBXBfLoW_qN6DOi_8Bh-PDyV3C0PqDvyNjsW4jncdPmLuge0pmEpKtBDNM2a5otvZQmkAwL6ohAu4COZULdGquPCvRC97dnet5V_KEbkrCoCFe3iHss-dhsyOJxnjYeU687/s1600/Sum-fall93-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HolAWr7fUfBXBfLoW_qN6DOi_8Bh-PDyV3C0PqDvyNjsW4jncdPmLuge0pmEpKtBDNM2a5otvZQmkAwL6ohAu4COZULdGquPCvRC97dnet5V_KEbkrCoCFe3iHss-dhsyOJxnjYeU687/s400/Sum-fall93-1.jpeg" width="280" /></a></div>
Dearest Friends,<br />
<br />
In case you are worried that our kids were missing out on too much -- being torn from the wonderful U.S. schools, with all the enrichment and socialization they had to offer, and hauled off to this tiny little school out in the middle of a jungle -- here is just a sampling of what was going on in their lives those first few weeks of fall:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>there was the annual family beach party, where letting your friends bury you was a favorite activity</li>
<li>Austin had after-school-sports Mon. and Wed., and both had swimming class every Friday</li>
<li>there was family sports night every Wed. evening</li>
<li>Lex had craft club on Wed. afternoons, which I taught</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<ul>
<li>they had an all school skating party, and a trip out to the elephant farm</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08-O0A47GJwEIYUnTARbQma28xjXHT72jKmOI5eVmRQCtfzpfr10Z-uGwazxxlI1hEVIrwbn9ng33skwcUKqd6d_RUk1p0WQHoNTiOGF5MkKAqZtnlK_KJcUUptBdqUrHewkqvIiLOM2g/s1600/Sum-fall93-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08-O0A47GJwEIYUnTARbQma28xjXHT72jKmOI5eVmRQCtfzpfr10Z-uGwazxxlI1hEVIrwbn9ng33skwcUKqd6d_RUk1p0WQHoNTiOGF5MkKAqZtnlK_KJcUUptBdqUrHewkqvIiLOM2g/s400/Sum-fall93-3.jpeg" width="275" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Austin had baking club</li>
<li>they had Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts</li>
<li>there were school trips to a rice mill and a coffee mill</li>
<li>Lex had her school trip to Lake Toba, and Austin had his trip to Medan</li>
<li>there was Batik Week, with its guest artist, a bake sale, and an art show</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>we celebrated Austin's eighth birthday, and they both attended friend's parties</li>
<li>they both hosted and attended numerous sleepovers</li>
<li>Austin and I made costumes, attended play rehearsals, and practiced lines</li>
</ul>
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Meanwhile, in the background, Mom and Dad had also joined the school carnival committee, Dad was on the school board, and Mom was teaching Sunday School again. And all of this was just in the first quarter -- a mere six weeks or so!<br />
<br />
Were they deprived in any way? Not hardly. I think they were just about the luckiest kids in the world!<br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-81194645478810622442012-05-07T06:25:00.000-07:002012-05-07T06:32:18.303-07:00LETTERS HOME: ANOTHER SIDE OF JOHN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZi1gceaeB4Li7q1W5Z7kQHwXgzOEBT-Krq96vjLSYtFKZsE6gwJ3fR1_bZnyvs2hCsW9R6K-1KHYDGSHWyfFyQGmF_u6umsTaOm2QEC2vDR2Zp5fZnWmXrZ2LnOYaBjkR__wniuGQCPWI/s1600/Sum-stamps.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZi1gceaeB4Li7q1W5Z7kQHwXgzOEBT-Krq96vjLSYtFKZsE6gwJ3fR1_bZnyvs2hCsW9R6K-1KHYDGSHWyfFyQGmF_u6umsTaOm2QEC2vDR2Zp5fZnWmXrZ2LnOYaBjkR__wniuGQCPWI/s200/Sum-stamps.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
Thursday, October 14th, 1993<br />
<br />
Dear Gang,<br />
<br />
Well, I knew that new red wig I bought this summer would really knock 'em dead, but I never guessed that John would be the one wearing it! Last Friday Carol Silverman had a 50th birthday party for her husband, and she got John to come "in drag" for entertainment. Coming so close on the heels of his dropping to the floor and performing the 'Gator at a recent dance, well, people are finally getting to see the <i>real</i> John -- the crazy, fun-loving guy that only his closest friends get to see. Guys he works with have been coming up to me all week, wanting to know what we did to "force" him into doing this. They just don't believe me when I say "not a dang thing!" I must admit, it was kind of fun dressing him up. I dug through our dress-up trunk and found an old slinky black jersey one-shouldered mini dress of mine, and he wore it with thigh high stockings and lots of jewels. Of course, his bushy red beard went great with the curly red wig!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GgZQM9Ee5lfWCPy0CcnxozymF_LRIXTVHRwqKbbyp8iwYjkrH4X3EsEa3E1Rw3aoEWbwkxcvXMhwmP5cVB7ZL18FZfV5Ib7uV4g24_Arz56v7LraljxzYDtbC8anVMIqhns7gazi8owq/s1600/Sum-John-in-drag.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GgZQM9Ee5lfWCPy0CcnxozymF_LRIXTVHRwqKbbyp8iwYjkrH4X3EsEa3E1Rw3aoEWbwkxcvXMhwmP5cVB7ZL18FZfV5Ib7uV4g24_Arz56v7LraljxzYDtbC8anVMIqhns7gazi8owq/s400/Sum-John-in-drag.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out those gorgeous gams!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The kids and I have thoroughly enjoyed our batik workshop with Azziz this week, although I doubt if my "masterpiece" will ever be hung. It's such a fascinating art, but it involves so many complicated (and somewhat caustic) chemical processes, that I doubt if it would be very practical as a hobby. We were forced to take the whole week off from quilting because this was so time consuming, and I can hardly wait to get back to it. I want to get this first sampler quilt out of the way so I can start on my Christmas fabrics that I brought back from Singapore.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Alexis has been on many school trips and exchanges since moving here, but today it was finally Austin's turn. Mr. and Mrs. Zavala flew up to Medan with all the 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders for just a one day exchange with the Medan International School and the Medan Japanese School. He was so excited last night that he just couldn't get to sleep. I thought I would be dragging him out of bed by his toenails this morning (they had to be at the school by 6:15) but he had me walking down there in the dark and we arrived by 6:00! They get back this evening around 6:00, and I bet he will be one pooped puppy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhR0z-wHBMDCXQsEWLKt5NB9DrBH3u7-XXucEqqdg5sCdkkwVjTsyFNrkJT5yEYCVBQfolwY7bx72bbFdByGT8YglwuK2DRvM2OkzrBw7gxwqtQHJ5Dmgg0t4rXOlYRr9ach0dKQdWRcl/s1600/Sum-aust.schl.vis..jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhR0z-wHBMDCXQsEWLKt5NB9DrBH3u7-XXucEqqdg5sCdkkwVjTsyFNrkJT5yEYCVBQfolwY7bx72bbFdByGT8YglwuK2DRvM2OkzrBw7gxwqtQHJ5Dmgg0t4rXOlYRr9ach0dKQdWRcl/s400/Sum-aust.schl.vis..jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These kids look Indonesian to me, but it's the only school-visit photo of Austin I could find.</td></tr>
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This week was probably the best in two years, as far as mail goes. The <i>Southern Living</i> magazine that I asked Theda for, and the three lace doilies that I asked Carolyn for, all made it here safe and sound. It's just amazing how much little things like that mean to us. I was on cloud nine all week! I enjoyed the magazine so much that I went ahead and subscribed. A full year's overseas subscription is only $26.95, and since Theda spends close to that every time she sends a little packet of magazines and computer junk, I figure that even if only half of them make it here, we'll still come out ahead. Another big hit that came in the mail was an article, from Kathy and Bud, about the recent sightings of some Blue Footed Boobies in Texas. For those of you who don't know, that is the silly secret "magic word" that I have used with the kids since they were tiny, but until they saw this article, I don't think they ever actually believed me when I told them that there really was such a bird!<br />
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Guess that's all for now, and as always, PLEASE WRITE!!!<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-82540683278053919962012-05-04T13:44:00.000-07:002012-05-04T13:44:47.320-07:00BOTH THE BEST, AND THE WORST, OF GROWING UP OVERSEAS<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkbKIWUX8_EXGIn8t0XV3efZ97I_lonJROgyUcXB1Z7eUuQFM0NDwl41aroc8CyjZpU9MEW6Le89u8zfIe-RLeD7t24LIJIm5NRBLr5o3OuyjRbXwVN2blnxrVQOJOqtb5oUFp32sL0zq/s1600/Sum-openhouse.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkbKIWUX8_EXGIn8t0XV3efZ97I_lonJROgyUcXB1Z7eUuQFM0NDwl41aroc8CyjZpU9MEW6Le89u8zfIe-RLeD7t24LIJIm5NRBLr5o3OuyjRbXwVN2blnxrVQOJOqtb5oUFp32sL0zq/s400/Sum-openhouse.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back to School Open House</td></tr>
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Dearest Friends,<br />
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Know what I love about this picture? Check out the two boys center front. Look at the way little Travis, one of the youngest kids in the school, has his arm draped over older boy Jamie's, as if they were brothers. In a community this small, our kids made friends with <i>everyone, </i>and they soon learned that friends were <i>not</i> a disposable commodity. If you ditched your friends whenever they pissed you off, you'd end up very, very lonely, so they learned how to compromise. They learned that they could have friends of all ages and nationalities, and of both sexes -- kids whose interests and beliefs weren't necessarily the same as theirs, and who wouldn't always agree with them on every little thing. They learned that people could like them just as they were, even if they didn't have the "in" toys and clothes. Heck, they no longer had any way of <i>knowing </i>what was in! They learned that it's actually far better to have a teacher who makes you work hard, but stimulates your imagination, than it is to coast along in utter boredom. They also learned that it was important to balance that hard work with plenty of physical activity and creative opportunities. They thrived on being able to move about the classroom, and interact with the other students, including those in different grades. Most importantly, they learned that the universe was a very, very big place, and they were <i>not </i>the center of it -- that our way of doing things was not the only way, or even necessarily the right way. All this was the <i>best</i> thing about growing up overseas -- and it was the worst thing too, for it was going to make it very, very difficult to go back to the old way of doing things, and all but impossible to go back to the old way of <i>seeing</i> things!<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-71098025715154423602012-04-30T07:19:00.000-07:002012-05-07T05:06:25.015-07:00LETTERS HOME: BACK TO SCHOOL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lex and friends perform the candle dance at Open House</td></tr>
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5th October, 1993</div>
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Greetings All,</div>
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Well, it's October again, my favorite month. That means the holiday season has officially begun, as far as I'm concerned. I played a few Christmas carols the other day, just to help John get into his holiday mode (as in "Bah, Humbug!"). It worked.</div>
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I am loving this quilting class I'm taking -- taught by friend Teri, who also leads our early morning water aerobics sessions down at the pool (where she taught me to add some fresh lime to my diet colas, to cut that awful metal aftertaste). The quilting is almost addictive! Of course, so far, all we have done is machine-piece a bunch of blocks to go in a sampler quilt. That goes so quickly that you really feel like you're making progress. When we get to the tedious hand sewing part, I may get bogged down. The bad part is that you tend to get compulsive about buying fabrics and my shelves are filling up fast. In fact, Teri says they have a saying -- "She who dies with the most fabric wins!" I had to take Alexis out to the orthodontist in Singapore last weekend, and without any conspiracy on our parts, three other quilters were there as well. We spent hours at a neat quilting shop, and I got some gorgeous Christmas fabrics to make either a quilted tree skirt or a table runner.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZm6hGfTdtnBvCdBFdg-wCoopAxmzR17eRYG8Rb57ltfiMBmGn7C4Z_5jmHyALKF7E0ne6alHZZ82RythVAposQhaoFNwcuXPsX360ffd8_gAGwaoGZv-BXyashMEod7J0uPGpBorfVR3s/s1600/Sum-Mrs.Z'sclass.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZm6hGfTdtnBvCdBFdg-wCoopAxmzR17eRYG8Rb57ltfiMBmGn7C4Z_5jmHyALKF7E0ne6alHZZ82RythVAposQhaoFNwcuXPsX360ffd8_gAGwaoGZv-BXyashMEod7J0uPGpBorfVR3s/s400/Sum-Mrs.Z'sclass.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Austin is now in Mrs. Zavala's class (the wife of his teacher last year) with four of his best buddies.</td></tr>
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I thought things would slow down once we got all of these going away parties behind us. What a joke! By the way, we had a pretty crazy one last week. The Ellisons have been transferred to Nigeria, so as their send-off to "the dark continent", their going-away party was held totally in the dark! We all had to wear black and bring flashlights. We also had to bring something to go in a "Nigerian Survival Kit". Those parties are behind us, but I'm still doing my quilting class twice a week, and co-teaching a craft class for the kids. (I volunteered before I knew it would be on Wednesdays, which means <i>no Shanghai until Christmas</i>. It's killing me!) I've also been asked to help with a play the K-2nd graders are putting on at the end of the month, which means I have to meet with them three mornings a week. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lex gets ready for school, wearing new duds brought back from the States.</td></tr>
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Next week a wonderful batik artist from Medan is coming here to do some workshops at the school, and he's agreed to do some for the moms as well. I'm really excited about that, but I hope I don't fall in love with it. I think it could be very time consuming and expensive, and <i>one</i> of those kinds of hobbies is quite enough! In addition to these little projects, we're beginning to crank up on the Halloween carnival, and of course, there's my big 40th birthday bash. Luckily, that doesn't require any work on my part. John has enlisted two of my buddies to help him, and they even went so far as to book me in at the salon for "the works" on the afternoon of the party, to get me out of the way. Should be interesting!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you will compare my second grader's size with his buddies the guards, who are full-grown men, you will understand why we had to bring all our clothes from the States!</td></tr>
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A couple of weeks ago was Open House at the school, and we were really proud of both kids. The older ones had to learn a very intricate Indonesian dance where they hold lighted candles on the palm of each hand, and spin them all around. Alexis did really well, and looked fabulous in her elaborate costume. Austin was chosen to be narrator for a little shadow puppet play, and everyone was totally amazed. He read more smoothly in Indonesian than most kids his age can read in English!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her only problem was keeping the headdress from sliding down and blocking her vision!</td></tr>
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Alexis' big adventure trip to Lake Toba seems to have gone quite well. I'm not sure if she would classify it as "fun", but I know she will remember it for the rest of her life. They all kept journals, and I want to make sure that she keeps hers to show her kids someday. They are pretty funny. After they made the half day trek up to the top of the volcano, they went in some hot sulfur springs to ease their muscles. Lex didn't care much for the smell of "stinking eggs." They did a lot of shopping and the teachers all said Lex was the best "bargainer." Some of the rooms they stayed in only cost $4.00 a night, and they had to order all their own meals (lots of rice) and make sure they didn't spend over $7.50 a day for all three. It was definitely a learning experience!</div>
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Guess that's all for now. Take care, and keep those letters coming!</div>
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<br /></div>Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6600235381076920540.post-14623839495938196892012-04-26T05:31:00.000-07:002012-04-26T05:31:29.815-07:00A DINO-RIFIC WELCOME HOME<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw8TfHiptUnGE9GCZmdUmMdkb1Q-Q_LE2mJ4Vi4NhZct8-rwdaUUD7sIaEizzUf2MW-7q3nWihtj-GcSHebM3_X_f7ee3tDUR88W2fCpfJjj0F7pm15A2eL12XnH0apkQa2rwUnfrnUCE/s1600/Dinotopia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw8TfHiptUnGE9GCZmdUmMdkb1Q-Q_LE2mJ4Vi4NhZct8-rwdaUUD7sIaEizzUf2MW-7q3nWihtj-GcSHebM3_X_f7ee3tDUR88W2fCpfJjj0F7pm15A2eL12XnH0apkQa2rwUnfrnUCE/s400/Dinotopia.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from blol.me</td></tr>
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Dearest Friends,<br />
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Have you ever heard of the book Dinotopia? Someone gifted my kids with a copy (Aunt Poo?) while we lived in Indonesia. Not only was it a great story, it had some of the most gorgeous illustrations I have ever seen! The kids spent hours pouring over it, and making drawings inspired by it.<br />
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Well, my hubby, as you know, is a great lover of gifting and surprising. Completely unbeknownst to us, he had contacted the fellow who painted all of our yard decorations, and the backdrops for the Halloween carnivals, as soon as he got back to Indonesia. He showed him the book, and as a result, each kid had something like <i>this</i> waiting for them, upon their return:<br />
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Dad really knocked their socks off that time -- and mine too! Too bad I can't find a picture of the one that was painted on Austin's wall -- a different scene, but just as awesome -- and ever so sad that they probably both got painted over, when we had to leave such a short time later.<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo310/shabbycreations2/beckypostsig.png" style="border: 0;" />Hill Country Hippiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08723660054417859671noreply@blogger.com0