Apple Pie

          Tuesday, we finally had the electrical problem worked on in our flat.  The lights had not worked in the second bedroom and all the lights kept going out even though we have the battery inverters.  We were told only the air conditioners and the washer would go out but we had the opposite happen several times.  The inverter would completely drain its charge and then nothing would be on.  My shower handle was also fixed.  The handle was just spinning around and the shower would not turn off.  It was like that for two weeks.  The humidity in our flat was really bad.  The hot water was out too. 

While the maintenance man was here he also installed our mosquito net.  We purchased a king size net in the US and brought it with us.  It hangs from four hooks on the ceiling and some rope so it is long enough.  We have high ceilings in our flat.  It makes it difficult to make the bed.  You have to remember it is there if you get up in the night too or you would pull it all down.  We are getting used to it.  I like that we have almost a guarantee of no more mosquito bites and no lizards or cockroaches crawling on us. I know they have tried because Clint found one next to the bed the other morning.

Our Bed Net

          I made an apple pie.  I promised a pie to our principal.  When we were all living at the guest house he would ask for pie after dinner.  Of course he never got it.  It smelled really good but the crust would not brown because there is no flame in the top of the oven.  I kept checking on it and then the lights went out.  I guess we still have an electrical problem.  The funny thing was the microwave clock was on so I opened the microwave door to see a little in the kitchen.  The refrigerator was off too.  The refrigerator was supposed to be safeguarded by the inverters.  I just wanted to scream.  Thankfully, the new gas range works nicely with or without electricity.  We have to light it the old fashioned way with a match or a lighter.  I told Clint to find me a long neck lighter if he wanted me to use the range.  I gave a piece to several people.  I need to make another one because the word is getting out that I made one and it was good. 

            I found a small plastic table at the market.  I put it in the kitchen to use as extra counter space.  It works nicely.  Now I can wash, rinse, and stack the dishes without having to move pans of hot water back and forth from the sink to the floor in shifts.  We also found some laundry baskets and a little soft pink rug for my bathroom.  It was all a nice birthday present to make my life easier.  My friend Miss Li the first grade teacher made me a rice crispy treat cake.  Clint and I walked to the Chinese bakery for some milk tea and on the way home we bought frozen chocolate milk.  They called it ice cream.  It didn't taste like it but it was fun pretending it was.

My Birthday Cake

            My students love to see pictures of my cat, Jack, in Oregon.  I have a picture on my computer desktop.  I have to use my laptop to play the music for the songs we sing in reading so the students always want to see Jack.  I change the picture once in a while and they just love it.  I have a stuffed animal that looks just like my cat.  I keep it on the couch in my flat.  I brought it to school for the kids to see.  I call him Traveling Jack.  It was so funny they all wanted to give him a hug and kiss.  As a teacher, I know it is best not to share too much about my personal life but they still ask.  I share about Jack and that satisfies them.

            On Friday mornings, I choose a student to pick out the story I will read on the carpet.  I always tell the students it will be someone who was sitting still and listening during the reading lesson.  This past week, one of my little boys became very angry because he was not chosen and said in a very clear voice, “I am going to tell my dad and get a gun and shoot you all dead.”  Teachers take those kinds of threats serious even from an elementary student.  I stood up, took his hand, told the aide to take over and marched him straight to the principal’s office.  His parents were called to pick him up and he was suspended.  I did not say a word to the other students.  I was hoping they had not heard all of what he had said.  After lunch several students asked why he did not return.  I told them sometimes people say things they wish they had not.  I then said we would listen to his apology to the class and forgive him on Monday.
          A teacher from Ghana taught us how to crack a coconut.  He grew up in a coconut grove.  We used the coconut water in a fruit smoothie.  It was fantastic.

A Coconut Cracking Lesson