our street

we've had a request for a pic of the street we live on... here it is:

our truck is parked in front of our gate.

we love that it's an older neighborhood with lots of big, green trees...

if you missed the pic of the outside of the house, click here. I need to update the inside pics, though!

blue vivaldi

meet the puppy formerly known as "blue" & "our favorite".

you met annette, his new owner, on a previous post... well, she came by today with "vivaldi" (his new name -- we mentioned she's a flautist, i believe), happy to report that he is doing quite well in obedience classes. the teacher even suggested that she enter him into new dog shows they are starting for mixed breeds.
we couldn't be prouder.

reflections on large, sharp objects...

I (Mike) have a firm belief that specific tools are made for specific jobs...I could be one of two people in the world that thinks like this...but there it is.

Now... my beautiful wife and I do not agree on this...at least in practice. It is not an issue we would fight about...but if I get an ulcer someday it will be the result of repeatedly walking in on Caryn using a machete (such as this...) to chop garlic while she holds the garlic with her fingers...or from repeated exposure to watching her use my pocket knife to open a package by pulling the knife TOWARDS herself...

(...in her defense...she can throw a football and play catch with the baseball and if she really had to, I believe with all my heart that she would in fact take a fish off the hook...)

The picture you now see is one such example...your eyes are NOT decieving you...she is using a pair of hedge clippers to open a bag of dog food...I have no further comments on this...

P.S...she has actually never used a machete...technically speaking...to cut garlic...but I submit it is because I don't keep it in the kitchen...

back to basics...

This thing is so cool...we don't have a big yard and I spend a bunch of time in front of a computer these days. So I was thinking about exercise and a yard that was growing out of control...so I decided to get a "reel" mower...is that what they are called in the states? It is simply an engineering marvel...one of my favorite parts is not having to buy gas, change the oil, or pull that string...

Little did I know how difficult it would be to find one...the Thai shop owners kept telling that I would not find one because the Thais do not like exercise...I don't think that is entirely true, but it was difficult to find one.

women's Bible study

we've been studying the book of Isaiah. today we discussed chapter 42... how Jesus was a servant (as prophesied many years before his coming), & how that enables & encourages us to serve others.

the last puppy

...went to our friends Bet(pictured),Ben, and their son, Andrew.
His name is "puppy".

We thought Ginger had been feeling a bit lonely, so yesterday we took her down to see Rita who has 2 of the pups. Caryn enjoyed it, because she met Rita's housemates -- 2 girls around her age from the States who are teaching English here. The puppies almost immediately reverted to their puppyhood and started chasing Ginger around, trying to nurse. A good time was had by all, though Ginger was ready to go by the time we left.

fish & chips

(click for a bigger image)