Phoebe and Peanut enjoy holding hands. Phoebe doesn't usually go with the Irene Cara, Flashdance look ... we just caught her stretching right after a workout. She is usually much more modest.Let's just say that ONE of the three hikers found the 8am temperatures to be too hot to make it to Petit Bwa. That person shall remain nameless, just as a courtesy. Sigh. Instead the three of us hiked to Barbancourt. Is it a "hike" if it is mainly flat? We say yes.
Troy has gone off-property to work this afternoon, leaving me the option of talking freely and openly about him -- all positive of course.
Troy's new ALL-ASIAN-COOKING-ALL-THE- TIME thing is really, REALLY nice. It does not matter that the tough Haitian beef loosened one of his molars and now he needs dental work. It does not matter that it was too spicy to eat. It simply does not matter. He learned that he likes to cook, and that is all that matters because --- I will never enjoy cooking. This whole thing got started for two reasons. 1. Matt was here and as old friends and brothers-in-law there is always competition. If Matt can do it, certainly Troy can do it. AND 2. Troy knows that Britt and I plan on eating at P.F. Changs China Bistro at least once while in the States. That really burns him. He wants to prove that he can outdo us and our fancy plans. Whatever his motivation, we're enjoying getting to know the Emeril in our man and find the whole thing to be entirely entertaining --maybe it is the show he puts on, the constant self-talk or the giddy behavior while eating his masterpiece. Bam. (Erik- Watch your back, Troy is gunning for your job.)
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Tonight I am cooking. So of course you know: We are having Tacos.
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This photo was taken after dinner. Isaac had just a few bites of the Mongolian Beef last night, and ... well, you see that he also needs dental work now. It's okay though. Mark Fulton, DDS is coming down from Indiana in June, which is faster than any help Ike would find here anyway. (And thanks Matt & Tina for the weird toys you brought our kids. It is still undecided if we hate the teeth or the recorders more.)
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Isaac has been waxing philosophic lately. He's been making us laugh with all of his deep thinking about the future. Today he told us that when he is grown up, and married to Christine Chamberlain (he then added, "you know dad, your white friend Jim - his daughter") that both Troy and I would be invited to live with them. (Sorry Jim & Deb, you're homeless.) He promises us that he will take us out to eat often and that we will have our own bathroom painted in colors of our choosing. Hope said she will not be married but we can come visit her on the weekends when we get tired of Isaac. We're not saving enough for retirement, but it's okay, it seems they've got us covered. We've got no worries.
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My favorite Isaac quote of the week:
Troy walked by and swatted my back side. I said, "Isaac, tell dad we don't beat our wife."
Isaac said "Dad - we don't beat our wife, we only beat our children."
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When you realize the depth of your child's understanding, especially when you think your child might be totally self-absorbed --- well, it is touching. The girl he said that about *is* basically on her own in our village. Her mother is mentally ill and of course the father is not known. I had no idea that Noah recognized the sadness around us here. I was shocked -- and to be honest, impressed. The ornery boy has a heart.
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Have a great weekend.
Tara
