When I wasn't sleeping, knitting or working I was doing other fun things

The orchids at the flower market

Tai and treat she would not put down

The view from the top of Taipei 101

The gecko that lives on my kitchen window at night

My class practicing for graduation

A little tiny frog on Mount Yang Min Shan

It was a funny day on the mountian, it was raining but the sun was shining

A great old staircase, everything was really green and because of the weather there were very few people there

I am not sure what it says but I liked it.

T and A knitting on our last day of school, they really loved it.

I went out to the waterfront with a friend and saw some idle dragon boats. The festival is this coming weekend but I am going camping instead.

Here is the fantastic fabric sent to my mom for backtack, I am not sure what she plans to make but I bet it will be great.

Backtack

My mom says that her BackTack goodies have arrived but she hasn't yet sent me a picture to post. As soon as I have one I will put it up aling with some of the other wonderful things I have been meaning to show you.

I could

I could be....
- packing
- doing dishes
- cleaning up the apartment
- organizing the heaps of photos I have been meaning to post.
- getting dressed and going to the tax office
- answering neglected emails
- walking the dog
- updating my resume and writing a cover letter for a job that I want in Ottawa

But instead I am reading blogs, drinking tea and eating gluten freee chocolate chip cookie dough ( why make the cookies when you can eat the dough) in my pj's while I enjoy the fact that I do not have to work today. I have to work part of tomorrow instead but I don't want to talk about it.

Here's to 14 more days Taiwian.

Today is the last day of school (sung to the tune of Mary had a little lamb)

Today is the last day of school
day of school
day of school
Today is the last day of school in the year.

I will miss them when they're gone
when they're gone
when they're gone
I will miss them when they're gone BUT I'm not sad to go.

It's a bittersweet day, after spending 185 days with these little people it will be hard to say good- bye to them. I will most likely just burst into tears and let that be my good-bye, I did yesterday. This year has been complicated, I learned a lot about myself, children and teaching but there were times when I was ready to pack up and leave because of the stupidity of the things that the administration chose to harass me over.

Regardless it feels good to be finished, I still lhave to work for 2 more weeks but I will not have any kids - slave labour for me.
Okay, I'm off a little early today as I need a vanilla latte from Starbucks before I get to school.

ps - they have LOVED learning to knit, I have learned a lot about picking up dropped stitches as well.

We have a winner

Well actually 2 winners. Marina and Michelle. It was random, I drew names and those are the 2 that came out. I am not sure what your going to get yet, I'll have to see what I can find. Thanks for playing. It's fun to know that there are lots of folks out there who like to play, I'll have to do it again. Just so you all know I brought her home in my fanny pack, yes she fit in it, she won't anymore though!

Have a great weekend, I am off to do something out of the city, what has yet to be decided but I am going to meet friends and we will decide where we want to go.

Converting the world one child at a time

Kindergarten Graduation was today, the kids did well and I managed to get through the whole thing with no major mishaps. They were cute as ever and I am going to miss them so much. 3 more day of classes and then they are gone, another chapter finished.

Look what we did yesterday! .


He has been harrassing me to teach him all year but there was never a chance. With 3 days left of school we don't have much planned and this was the perfect time. I, (being the prepared teacher that I am) got some chopsticks out, sanded the tips and away we went. It was such a huge success that they all want to learn and so off I went to LYS. I got some double points, put beads on the tips to act as ends and on Monday we are all going to knit the day away. They all really wanted to learn but the chopticks were so small that it would of been hard to get a lot of them going. Yippee for the end of the year. They are all going to be lefties though because try as I may I just can't knit with my right.

I am off to have a drink!!! I so deserve it, remember that huge to do list a few weeks back, it's almost finished and all the work related bits are now done. I even mailed home one box and packed another today, Thailand in 20 days.

PS I will draw names for prizes from my contest in the morning, or maybe later tonight. I had people enter I did not even know were out there, thanks for entering.

Tai

There seems to be some doubts about how little she really was, so for your entertainment here are the pictures. I had her about 4 days in these photos, long enough to feed her heaps of food and take her to the vet to make sure she would survive. She's bigger now not but not huge as far as beagles go.

I think she licked the camera after this picture.

Wows

3 wows today

I only have 7 more days with my class and that includes today.

I overdosed on allergy medicine last night but slept through the night without waking up sneezing uncontrollably

I already have people answering and they are all correct, what good readers I have.

Gotta go make my lunch. Have a good day

FYI - I'll take answers until Friday, whenever Friday is for you.

Contest...

Okay so I have been blogging for a year and I decided to follow the lead of some others and have a contest. It's simple really, all you have to do is find the answer the the question below and email it to me at bagknitteratyahoodotca. Please email me your answer instead of leaving it the comments and I will draw from among the correct ones for 2 prizes, both will be a suprise from my summer travels. I don't know what yet, that really makes it a suprise.

Okay here's the question - When I bought Tai how did I get her home to my apartment? The answer is here in the archives but you will have to look for it. It quite specific and you need to tell me exactly what I did to be correct.

Happy Searching and happy 1st birthday to me and my blog.

*Addition of a clue* I think this might be a little hard for some of you and I know that many people have other things to do rather than spend hours reading my blog archives so here's a hint. Tai is almost a year old. That's all you get though.

a day in the life of me

3:00 am - wake up having yet another severe allergy attack - this has happened every night for about a week, doesn't matter what I do I still wake up sneezing in the wee hours of the morning, I finally got back to sleep.

6:15 - bang, bang, bang, bang - gunshots perhaps. No a funeral procession going down my street with firecrackers, drums and loud music

9:00 am - Amazing race, season 7. I know who wins but I am enjoying anyway.

10:00 am - Phone calls to a variety of folks I love, answering emails and looking for Thailand hotels.

12:30 - Leave for an afternoon of shopping with a friend, bought some zip off pants for my summer trip.

4:30 return home, crank the AC and putter around the house, laundry to get going etc.

5:00 - More bangs, firecrackers galore as another funeral procession heads down my street, this was the biggest one yet. Tai is not afraid of the firecrackers but she is afraid of the drums - funny dog.

So far nothing too exciting... right, just an average day at 43 Fu Yang Jie.

5:15 - Landlords arrive and walk into apartment unannounced, I am only wearing a night shirt. I throw on some clothes and go out to meet them. They have another person with them and there is much conversing in Chinese, She is the lady from across the hall. Apartment here are bought one by one or floor by floor. It's kinda like a stack of duplexes at home. So they have to get her in on fixing the leak that has been driving me crazy since December. Well there is much going back and forth between her space and ours and lots of talking and hand motions and then they drag me over to the other ladies space to see what is happening and what do I see..... a wall of black mold! Yes the leak in my bedroom is water seeping in from her moldy rooftop patio and she has done nothing about it. Lucky me. My chronic cough, horrible allergies and constant sneezing when I am near this wall in my room all make more sense to me now.

They are replacing the roof and getting rid of the mold - the toxic black mold. But I have to tolerate it for 26 more days... at least I know why my allergies are so bad.


7:00 pm Landlords finally start to leave after much saying sorry, sorry, sorry for the mold and water in my room they left.
I made some soup for dinner. I watched CSI and I am moving my bed as far away from that wall as possible tonight.

In the home stretch

First a much belated thanks to all who commiserated with me over last Thursdays fire, thankfully we have all managed to put it behind us. The kidlets have recovered and all is well. Thanks Gina for the great e-card, it was exactly what I needed.

It's been a busy week, I have managed to get almost all of my work related stuff together and hopefully graduation will go off without a hitch next Saturday. I had a great dinner with Kimberli on Wednesday. We went to this fantastic Thai restaurant, the food was great and there is run down of the evening on her blog. I am so looking forward to eating Thai in THAILAND in 26 days. The giant to do list is getting smaller and I am getting excited.

Seeing Kimberli reminded me that I can't be in on SP5. Yes it's sad, but true. I will be all over the map this summer (literally) and I think the logistics might be to challenging. Oh well, hopefully I can be in on the next one. Should you want to sign up, I believe that you can until May 30 and there are already 350 participants!

This weekend I plan to beat this cold that is driving me crazy and try to get the some order in the apartment so I can start mailing things home. I decided to mail home a bunch a clothes and books but I am packing my stash... I wouldn't want that to get lost in the mail now would I. I will leave a bag here in Taipei and then pick it up when I get the dog on my way back through in July.

I am off to bike around town and run some errands, stationary store, electronics market and the LYS. There are still 2 people waiting for chibi's and I hope that the LYS finally has some more in stock. Have a great weekend

Coming up for air

Hmmm.... there is so much left to do this week and so much could still happen. Happy things, 2 Kimberli is coming at we are meeting up for dinner on Wednesday(that's tomorrow) and there are only 12 teaching days left.
There are things going on at work, some of them as a result of last weeks fire, others are just happening. Work is not going to be a fun place this week and I that's all I can say about that on the internet where anyone in the world may be reading.
I will be in Canada in 60 days, just in time to go to this, yes boys and girls the Saltspring Fiber Festival is kindly waiting for me to come back to BC before starting. Isn't that nice of them. I know that Michelle is going and I think the rest of you westcoasters need to go as well (Maureen and your little beagle too). It's not like I would ever make it to Maryland but this will be my own little westcoast shopping extravaganza.

Sadly I have to go that place that I do not want to go today.

This is what I woke up to this morning, pouring rain, thunder and lightening for the 5th day in a row. Great weather if you are a duck, oh well a chance for me to get some knitting finished. The blanket is on vacation today as I am tired of it. Instead I am working on this bag, but that's all I can say about as it is a gift. It's kinda fun but this is my second attempt, I frogged the first because it was to loose, smaller needles this time around.  

10 rows later, there's 101, the rain has stopped and the sun is thinking about shining.  

Sometimes it is important to share translations of signs and let them speak for themselves.  

Fire Rant

It started off like any other other morning, nothing to exciting. I got ready for my day and my kids started to arrive, 8:45 the principal starts blowing the fire alarm whistle, I look up from my art project, over to the 3 kids at the computer and say to her as she walks by, your kidding right. Why are we having a fire drill now? I'm not kidding there's a fire is the response. Another teacher hollers at me that there is a fire, I grab the 3 kids and start to leave, then have to go back for my emergency phone list and grab my bag while I am at it, I did not want to leave my passport in a burning school.

I hustle my 3 kids out the door, pick up 2 more who are exiting the elevator and head outside into the rain. We follow the routine and hustle all the kids across the street and in front of the bank. School has just opened and so we only have about 50 of our 100 students. There is some confusion while we sort out what has happened but finally everything is under control, everyone is out and the principal has managed to extinguish the electrical fire ( it was an air condtioner short).

But we can't go back in... so we sit outside in the rain for about 30 minutes well plans are made for what to do next. As phone calls are being made, parents are still dropping off their children. Who in their right mind would leave their child at school when it has been evacuated and all of the staff and kids are sitting outside in the rain! I wouldn't, but our teaching assistants kept on assuring the parents that all was well and parents believed them. I went from 5 kids to 13 while we were sitting on the street. I was annoyed but I was not at the end of the line where the kids were being left so there was little I could say or do.

FINALLY they get it together and we are hustling the 80 odd kids we now have to the school's owners apartment around the corner, in the pouring rain. We get the kids there, in the elevator, up to the 19th floor and into the apartment. Well the owner is the middle of moving ( I won't even begin to tell you about that story) and so her apartment is a pile of 1/2 packed boxes and no furniture. We move the kids around so that each class has space and then attempt to entertain them. Meanwhile the assistants are still accepting children, I get 3 more. So I am sitting in an empty room with 16 children and nothing, I mean nothing to do. We sang every song we know, 5 classes of kids singing different songs at the same time as a little overwhelming. We played every game I could think of and still we were sitting there on the floor 2 hours later. Finally I got nosy and found some paper and pens and so they could draw. That kept them quiet for awhile longer.

Eventually we hear that the school has been cleaned up, deemed safe and we can go back. Go back, I think we should send the kids home, I think we should of sent the kids home 2 hours ago! I think we should not of let their parents drop them off at all! Folks lets get a grip here we are talking about small children. But no we are going back to school even though one classroom is out of commission because the ceiling was on fire, but nope we'll go back and just shuffle those 16 kids around to other spaces.

We get back to the school and start to hear about what happened after we left, like the accountant not calling the fire department when instructed. Instead she need to come down 3 flights of stairs to our floor to see if there really was a fire. Even better there was an assistant who snuck back to the school to see what was happening (she was supposed to be helping me) and when instructed to bring books for the children and she said no, they did not need anything and were fine. Fine, we were pulling our hair out we were so not fine.

It was a long day, kids are traumatized, teachers exhausted and I am amazed at the lack of fire safety found in this country. This year was the 1st year that the school even had fire drills, could imagine evacuating 100 3 to 6 year olds if they had never ever practiced? I can't. The fire department when finally called took 30 minutes to arrive, I mean we are talking about 15 story building and there was no way for us to know if the fire was still smoldering in the ceiling tiles or such. The whole thing was just crazy.

Ok enough ranting, I must sleep. But that damn alarm clock is ringing again, someone below has and alarm that rings all the time, like every 20 minutes and it is starting to drive me a little crazy, especially at 2 am.

Backtack

hey there backtack match, check out the comments from the last post, (including my response full of typing mistakes) your answers are there. If you have any other questions let me know.

Bad Bloglines

Bloglines should come with a disclaimer - it can be addictive. Before bloglines I would surf for awhile while I drank my tea and that was that. Now I have so many blogs at my fingertips at all times. Let me just say that I am addicted an spend way to much time watching for that bright red x to appear on my blogline icon.

In other news I have all the stuff for my backtack match and am sending her fabric and such today, I hope she like it. The person who has mom is asking questions, if you have anymore feel free to ask. My mom likes bright colours, cute things and animals.

I had a decent weekend, had to work on Saturday morning. We had a "picnic" in a dirty gym with 57 loud elementary students. Then I went back to the school with the best intentions to get report cards finished but instead t went to Costco. I was planning on finishing them but going to Costco was far more interesting. I got 10 done so I have 22 left. I am one my way out the door early to get some more done. They are due next Friday.

I gotta be out the door in 4 minutes.

Happy Mother's Day to those of you in other time zones and I am not biter at all about missing the weekend Maryland, it would of been a little far to go! Besides I jut out about Saltspring, more on that later.

I have to leave for work in 12 minutes

and I am not yet dressed, blogging is much more fun. You will all be happy to know that the overwhelming to do list is slowly but surely getting smaller. I am planning to look myself in the school on Saturday afternoon and not come out until my report cards are done.

On the puppy front, I have managed to find plane tickets that work so that I can travel and return here to get her. I also found a kennel will let her outside to play everyday and not charge me a million dollars to keep her. So it looks as though we will be okay, it means a little running but that is okay. I also have 2 offers of people to take her sooner, I will have to wait and see if either of them work out.

Chibi update - the LYS is out, they are getting more but I am not sure when. At moment I only have one person waiting for 2 and I have sent out 12. If anyone else wants some speak soon as time is running out.

I am tired of knitting my baby blanket, it's checkerboard and it's just so dull. I am through 4.5 balls and have 3 left to go. It's slow going. The backsac and hats are on hold until I get this finished. I will get it done.

Backtack names are out. If you have me you need to know that the finished product will be for my mom, not me. She is the sewer and I thought that she would like to be in on this one. So we signed up together. She is a knitter and a sewer so I am sure whatever you send her will be amazing and she will love it. I am participating with her, my blog and I am sending fabric to our match from here. I must say it is very cool fabric.

Oh I so have to go, happy Thursday one day till Friday.

WHAT !!!!

What do you mean it is going to cost 1000 bucks to ship a little 15lb dog to Vancouver. Well the moving company charges for 66lbs regardless of how much the pet actually weighs. Can you say "highway robbery", I can. So now to add to my list of things to do I have to figure out a way to keep my dog and not have it cost me a billion dollars. There are many options but all of them depend on the kindness of strangers because all of my friends will be out of town like me in June/July. So I am spreading the word in Taiwan that I need someone to watch her or take her to Canada for me ( much cheaper for her to go as a baggage) and keep my fingers crossed that someone offers.

In other news I found out who my secret pal is but she did not leave her blog address and so I don't really know where to find her. R, if you are reading tell me where i can find your blog.

My to do list is getting smaller. It did rain on the picnic day and so although my kids where disappointed they had fun having a picnic in the gym, making cookie pizza's and playing parachute games inside. We went to the park in 5 billion degree heat on Friday afternoon instead and had a good play. The summer is so here, it's hot and the AC is back on.

Speaking of AC, when you live on the roof of a building don't open the storage room window to wide. My window AC units backs into a storage room, said room has a window. Window is always a little bit open for new air to circulate threw the AC. Makes sense, right. Well, last week I decide in my infinite wisdom to open the window more as the air was really stale and old smelling. What happens when you open a window really wide on the top of a building... the pigeons think it would be a great nest and come to visit. I woke up Thursday morning to pigeons cooing and thought it sounded to close but did not think to much of it, when it happened again on Friday I decided to investigate. I opened the storage room door and at least 5 pigeons started to fly around. They all flew out and then there was one more who just could not figure out how to leave the room. I opened the window wider and chased it out. The window is now back to only being open about an inch. You would think I would of learned my lesson in Ottawa when one flew in my living room window. What is it with me and pigeons.

Speaking of wild animals, I also have a gecko that has taken up residence on my kitchen window. I'll see if I can take a picture for you.

Thanks for all the sympathy with regards to the super long to do list. I know it will happen and when it does I will be so relieved. 4 more weeks of teaching and then 2 weeks of grunt work until I am finished.

One more thing, the Hong Kong album is finished, click here if you want to see it.

Life is so complicated.

well not really but it seems that way at this moment. I have a to do list a mile long, make that 2 lists one for home and one for school . Want hear about them? That was a rhetorical question so get comfy.

Work
- 32 report cards by May 20
-32 graduation hats made by May 28
- mothers day concert and tea
- graduation show to prepare - I finally got it written, now the kids have to learn it
- finish the May calendars
- deal with the disappointment of my kids whose field trip was cancelled for tomorrow due to the threat of thunderstorms. If the sun is shining I will scream.
- clean and pack my classroom
- mail packed contents of classroom back to Ontario
- work 3 Saturdays in May, picnic, graduation and carnival
- teach everyday, that means I have to plan something, although flying by the seat of pants has worked well this week.
- come up with some witty speech for graduation, one that will entertain the children and their parents.
- my personal favorite, attend a thank you party held for me by my kids families, 32 kids, 64 parents + siblings in some swanky restaurant = chaos, at least I think it will be.

My list for my own life is a little easier
- pack
- mail packing to Canada
- ship dog to my parents
- eat
-sleep
- knit
- plan trip to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia
- pack some more
- clean my apartment and find homes for all the thing I won't be taking like the TV
- see all the things I have meant to see all year in Taipei
- vacate the apartment on June 17th so I can leave for Thailand and a month of seeing the world.

I know I can do it all but the tasks seem a tad overwhemling at the moment. On a brighter note I was RAOKed yesterday, Carrie from Southern Fried Knitting sent me a card. I so love getting mail.

Off to bed

FYI - if you asked me for a chibi it is in the mail, I sent the last batch out on Monday. If anyone one ( or more) else wants one let me know.

Here it is, me in my pj's for international PJ day, this was tough to take but I figured out the timer function on my camera. The dogs pose was all her own though, I tried to get her to lie on the couch but she wouldn't! Now your PJ day is just starting and my is over. Back to work in the morning. Please excuse the falling apart plastic couch, I rented the apartment furnished and the blanket/cover is in the wash.  

Book Meme

Q: You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be? I haven't seen it or read it and so I am not sure, but a old classic I have always loved is Little Women.

Q: Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Umm no but there are characters I have wanted to be like.

Q: The last book you bought is: Lonely Planet, Southeast Asia on a Shoestring ( preparing for the upcoming trip)

Q: The last book you read: Wedding Season by Darcy Cosper - it' not actually the last one I read but I really liked it and last book I read was dumb!

Q: What are you currently reading? Southeast Asia and The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes

Q: Five books you would take to a desert island.1. Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flag 2. Wild Swans by Jung Chang (so I could finally finish it) 3. 5 People you meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom 4. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie 5. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

Q: Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why? I don't know who has had this as I have not been paying to much attention so here are 3 and if they've had it oh well...

Denise at Knitting without Needles becasue I would like to know what she is reading
Kimberli at Kimberli New York because she has great taste on broadway and I imagine it is the same for books, maybe I will find some new good books.
Lorette at The Knitting Doctor because she has been home nursing an injured hand and I think she has been reading a lot lately.

Apples and Bananas

Okay so the song goes...

I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas, I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas, I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas, I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas.

and then you change all the vowels as you go through the song to cover a, e, i, o, u, it sounds funny and is quite fun. I am not sure why I hadn't used it with my kids earlier in the year, I guess I forgot about it... ANYWAY

We sing the first verse and then get to the 2nd, change all the vowels to i so you get
I like to iat, iat, iat ipples and bininis... All seems innocent enough right, wrong Nini (said sort of like nai nai) is the kids Chinese word for breast, I guess it's like boob. My 6 year old boys lost it, they could just not get their giggles under control and I must admit it was funny. I vaguely knew the word as the boys have mentioned it before and I was not about to have a conversation with 14 boys about Chinese words for breasts, so I just ignored it and moved on with the day. Frankly I forgot all about it until today , I was certainly not listening for it in English song lyrics!
We quickly ended that song and moved on to Down by the Bay.

I signed up for another swap this week, well me and someone else are sharing the work but I don't want to give away my identity to a future secret receiver. It's called back-tack and I think it will be fun.

I have been tagged with a book meme by Rae at Live Love Laugh, go say hi. One of her munchkins is sick and I am sure she would appreciate a cheering section. Maybe I will get to the meme in the morning before I go to the dreaded annual work picnic.
Kids + teachers + no parents + Saturday morning = nightmare

I am going to bed so that at least I will be well rested for said nightmare.

BTW I remembered my camera and am looking very forward to International Pajama Day on Sunday April 24th. Pictures of me in pj's of course, the pup and maybe even a knitting project coming soon

Disappointed

I am sad and disappointed at the choice that the Catholic church has made. The last thing the world needs is more division and absolute moral purity. As I type I am listening to a right wing conservatives on the BBC. As Jackie said, I think I will go pound my head against a wall for a while. I am ( yes it is rare) speechless, I don't know what to say and so I am going to read the comments of the world t large and find comfort in the fact that I am not they only one who is devastated by this decision.

I survived

I survived the week the bad week at work, I developed a migrane on Thursday afternoon and it happily stayed until late yesterday. As I type it is contemplating rearing it's ugly head again but I have pain killers close at hand. Not to sure why I got this one, something hiding in Thurday's ice cream perhaps.

Anyway I did start feeling better yesterday afternoon and rode my bike to the LYS for some fiber therapy. I did not buy any wool although I was tempted they got more Jaeger and some other lovely things that I need to have and may not be able is find at home. I need to buy one Little People yarn from France jut because I love the name. But I am babbling now, I went out there to get some Chibi's for someone who wants them.

I had no idea they were as popular as they are and such a rip off on ebay. So if you want one, or any other cool Clover products let me know(the US and Japanese site have different products listed). I am not independently wealthy and so I can't gift them to all the people out there who want some but I am sure that we can work something out - trades or paypal. In the picture there is a pom pom maker kit and some cool stitch holders that come in variety of sizes. There are also lots of other cool things in the store although not all the things listed on the website.

I am off to work on my blanket, it's coming along. I contemplated striping it but decided not to and it will just be pink. Sine the little person is already here there is no worries about gender.

My mom said there would days like this even in Australia

Yes I am using lines from children's literature to title my posts, I can't decide if that is amusing or sad.

Yesterday was long, to long, inconsolable little girls, full oatmeal cans falling on heads, monsterish behavior and generally just a crappy day at work. Then I got a photo from Cooper, not a great picture, actually it's not even a good one but he wrote me a note on the back,

From super Cooper
to Ms. Kruz
your really good
Cooper

Ps I really love you.

moments like that make teaching worth it even if everything else is crap.

I want to ask a question to the peanut gallery about stripes or no stripes on the current WIP but I forgot the camera at school... it'll wait till tomorrow I guess.

Mark your calendars International PJ day IV is April 24th, more details tomorrow when I pay more attention and get the link.

Here are the treats

Here's the wool, I am in love with all of it. I feel some more felted bags being a part of my WIP's, buttonhole bags perhaps. My SP says she's a yarn snob, I love yarn snobs because they have such amazing taste!

This is the box along with the wool she also sent some bamboo needles, tea and....

a bone for Tai, you can't see her tail wagging as I made her sit but she could not believe her good fortune. She walked around the apartment with it in her mouth for about 20 minutes before she actually ate it, I think she was making sure I wasnt going to take it back.

Thanks again SP, you are the greatest! Sorry about the small photo size, I am playing with photobucket, but must go to work so I will have to play some more tonight.

She strikes again

More treats from my secret pal arrived yesterday( well I went to school yesterday, yes it was Sunday and they were there) , sadly I have been caught up in work and a working on a new baby blanket and thus there is not a photo yet, tomorrow I hope. I do need say that Tai loved her bone, I came home from work today and it was gone, I got a photo this morning though. I'll post it and other pictures soon. Thanks so much, your amazing.

PS the Hong Kong album is on hold, I feel the need to finish the blanket before the baby is walking and talking.

This is funny

Okay 1st I was Costa Rica and then I went back and said I prefered cool of tropical weather and this is what I got, I think I'll keep it.

I deleted the flag cause it was huge and messing up my formatting!
You're Canada!
People make fun of you a lot, but they're stupid because you've got a much better life than they do. In fact, they're probably just jealous. You believe in crazy things like human rights and health care and not dying in the streets, and you end up securing these rights for yourself and others. If it weren't for your weird affection for ice hockey, you'd be the perfect person.
Takethe Country Quiz at the Blue Pyramid

Highlights o f Hong Kong

A photo album will follow shortly, maybe tomorrow at some point but more likely Monday or Tuesday. Until then let me tease you with these (I'll delete them when I get the photo album up so the free web host doesn't kick me off for exceeding my limit)



Hong Kong has it's own Walk of Stars, I had to take a picture of Jackie Chan's just so I could say I was there. This was the end of my day of walking in which I saw most Hong Kong Island and then crosed the bay to go to Kowloon, this was the last place I went.


This is the giant buddha on Lantu Island, it was cool to see but a bit of a tourist trap.


This is Nica and I on the rocks at Stanley, about 30 minutes from the city. I met Nica and Bergen at the hostel and we had a great day together, they were on their way to Nepal to go on a trek.


This is the harbor on Hong Kong Island, I liked the boats with the skyscrapers in the back, sadly I cut them off and you can't see how big they really are. I came here to see the noon day gun but missed it by about 2 minutes because I was waiting for an elevator. On a brighter note after leaving here I found Ben and Jerry's, chocalte chunk mint ice cream makes everything better.

Tired

I'm whiny, there is no other way to say it. Yesterday was a long day and when I finally got home with the grumpy dog (she was at the kennel) my landlord was here painting the wall in my room. Prior to painting he should of used some fans to dry the cement wall but he didn't and now the paint is peeling off. I was away all week and he waited until the last possible minute to show up and get some work done, I was a little annoyed. I was up until 12 while he painted and I was tired to begin with and not feeling well because someone secretly fed me MSG, bad restaurant.

Today I am just tired, it's that post vacation, I don't want to go to work on Monday feeling. As a result I spent day mastering contintenal knitting instead of doing the many things that need doing. Oh well, laundry, floors and groceries can wait until tomorrow. Hopefully tomorrow will be a more productive day and I will get some photos and details up from my Hong Kong trip. However for an excellent synopsis of my knitting adventure go to kimberli's blog, she said everything I would of said and even put up pictures, one just of me!. Yes I broke "I am not buying any more wool until Canada promise" but let me sayin my defense, it was on sale, I needed it to finish something or it's for my secret pal. I can justify the purchases so don't give me any grief about having to move it back to Ontario.

I am taking my tired body to my bed to read my new Marian Keyes book. The Other Side of the Story (my sister got me addicted, she is really funny) and hopefully I will return in the morning less grouchy and ready to have a productive day.

On my Way

Just a short note as there are people waiting for the computer and I am on my way to the park. I just needed to say thank you for my first RAOK, I got a great gift certificate for some yummy tea. So thanks a million, I love tea. I think I will have to wait until I am in Canada to spend it again but that will be very soon.

I am off to Starbucks and the park before I head back to Taipei tonight. There will be photos and more news tomorrow when I am home. The week has flown by but it has been a lot of fun and I am really glad I came.

I am currently sitting in a coffe shop at the highest point in Hong Kong. It's called the peak and a few minutes ago I was 550 feet above sea level. To get here a rode a tram and then walked a path that led me to the actual top of Victoria Peak. It was beautiful, sadly it's foggy and so the photos won't turn out to well.

Last night I met up with a group of great women, 3 from here Marjorie (www.hkknitter.blogs.com), Siow Chin (www.yscmama.typepad.com/little_purl) and Eva(www.evashiu.typepad.com. (sadly the little link button is not here so I couldn't so the magic link trick that I learned last week, neither is the spellcheck the menu bar is MIA). The 4th person was here from New York, Kimberli (www.kimberlinewyork.blogspot.com). After a little intial confusion we found each other and went wool shopping! I got some great yarn for some baby projects that I need to get underway and some "James Dean" yarn for my SP. It was a lot of fun. After that we went for coffee and a little knitting... Sadly Siow CHina and Eva had to leave after coffee. Kimberli, Marjorie and I went out for some dinner in Times Square. It was a great evening and I am so happy that it all worked out.

This morning I wandered around the city a bit, I followed a walking tour route and saw some of the highlights. After I leave here I am heading to the Star Ferry to go across the harbour to Kowloon for an evening of more walking and sightseeing. I am hoping to make it to the beach and to see the Po Lin Monastery in the next day or two. I will let you know how it goes.

My coffee is done and my feet have stopped aching so I think I can safely move on. I'll try and post again in the next couple of days, I am back in Taipei Thursday night.

hmmm gotta go!

Just a short note because I have to finish the dishes and get out the door. I am heading to Hong Kong a day early so that I can meet up with some very cool ladies (links later) and an afternoon of my favorite thing - shopping, any shopping will do and today it is yarn.

I'll post from HK I promise and let you know how wonderful it is. By the way the link for RAOK (random acts of kindess) now works as I got into the ring yesterday. Yipee. Sadly the SP4 ring isn't working and I haven't had time to look into why.

Have a good weekend.

Yippee

She's coming, it's official and I am so excited. Who's she and where is she going you might ask ? Well, she is one of my oldest and dearest friends CJ ( we met when I was in jr. high and her oldest was a baby, her oldest in now 14 and has 2 siblings) and the place is South East Asia for a month in June/July. Anyway I have to get to work, it's Friday morning and I just got through tying the principals furniture together with fishing line. Happy April Fools Day.

PS don't forget to click the link in the post below this and go comment!

Secret Pal

Here are the coveted secret pal gifts, well I have shared a little bit. I got the very cool knit knack kit with 25 pattern cards and a book and some gummy candy. The 2nd bag of candy is hidden under the 1st because it is almost empty, I opened it at work and shared it with the other teachers. There was also a very cute chocoholic card, yes I am addicted I'll admit it. Thanks so much for all this great stuff, the other knitters at work are already planning projects with the new patterns as am I.

So exciting

My week just keeps on getting better and better.

I am going to Hong Kong on Sunday instead of Monday and thus get to knit and go yarn shopping with a bunch of great women. Yippee. I thought that changing my plans would be challenge but it was a breeze, Cathay Pacific has amazing customer service. To make a good day even better I got a package from my Secret Pal, and I must say a huge Thank You. It has some great treats in it and the other teachers and I are already contemplating projects that we finish before I leave in June. I will post a picture when I get home today... if I let the other teachers near the candy it will just be a photo of some empty bags, (that's not true but the supply will be decreased). Okay I am off for lunch.

knitters

I got this comment yesterday from Kimberli saying that they were getting together in Hong Kong to knit on Sunday afternoon if I was interested in joining in. Cool huh, well sadly for me I am not going to Hong Kong until Monday, no particular reason for that, life just happened that way. I decided to go from Monday to Friday instead of over a weekend. I told S and H about the comment when I came to work today and their response was well go to Hong Kong a day earlier, I am entertaining the idea. S and H are the other teachers that I knit with and they both think it would be great to meet up with new people in another country to hang out and knit.

This little world of bloggers and knitters is an amazing one, who would of ever thought that I would be entertaining changing my plans so I can go and knit in another country. Well I must go and contemplate as I get ready for my day with the little darlings.

Oh my gosh I am so slow sometimes! I just figured out how easy it was to add a link into my message. I have been blogging for almost an year and I thought it was hard and complicated and it is so easy. All you have to do is click the link option, oh well now I know how and can link you to all kinds of things in my messages without typing the address. So now the bold names are links, so great.

Okay I really have to go now.

Happy Easter

It is always strange to be in a non christian country on a christian holiday, Easter came and went without to much excitment. That's not true I celebrated with my kids at school and we even had an egg hunt at the park. But aside from that you never would of known that it was Easter, I had pretty low key day and met up with some friends this morning and this afternoon. I also spent some time working on my fair isle hat, sadly I don't think it is going to fit on my head...oh well.

On another note all together there is something you can do this week, on April 1st a blog I read is having a comment-a-thon to raise money for breast cancer research. All you have to do is go to www.californiahammonds.com and leave a comment. People have donated money for the comments and the more comments the more money raised. The author of the blog lost his wife to cancer a year ago and he is doing this in her memory. It's a great cause and it will only take a minute but you have to wait until the 1st for the comment to count in the fundraiser.

Okay I am off to bed, since Easter is not a holiday here there is no long weekend. I do have spring break starting on Friday though, lucky me, I am heading to Hong Kong for 4 days.

I've been tagged!

I have been tagged by J at Scarfomatic.typepad.com
1. How much space is left on your Tivo or Comcast box? A what box? I barely even have cable and only 8 english channels

2.Have you ever bought a DVD of a TV series and if so which one? I don't have a DVD player but one day when I do I would buy/ will buy ER (especially the season that I have missed being abroad) and Friends

3. What was the last TV show that you watched before reading this message?
While you Were Out, old season shown in Asia on Knowledge.

4. List 5 shows you won't miss.

1. The Block ( shown here now even though it is over in Australia) 2. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy 3. CSI Miami (or Las Vegas but we only get old episodes here) 4. (If I was in Canada) ER . 5. Amazing Race, hopefully I will catchthe next season in Canada

5. Name 3 people to whom you will pass this stick.
Okay, most people I read have done this but there are 2 I know I haven't www.susanknits.blogspot.com and www.rgbilkes.blogspot.com

damn eggs

okay excuse the four letter word but it was the most gentle one I could use to describe the last 14 hours. I work 10 hours a day, 8 teaching, 1 for lunch (actually unpaid prep time) and 1 for prep time ( marking and classroom step up) as a result a lot of little things come home with me. Annoying work that has to be done but that there never seems to be time to do.

Today annoying work EGGS!
eggs bought on my way home from work 50
eggs boiled 49, one broke on way home
eggs cracked in pot while boiling 13
eggs broken because I was having a bad morning and did not pay enough attention to what I was doing 3

33 eggs remaining, number of students Ms. Kruz teaches 33 - okay all shall be well. I spoke to soon, Benson dropped his and it broke. If I ever see another boiled egg again it will be to soon. Those kids better love dying easter eggs and have HAPPY MEMORIES of kindergarten.

Anyone out there want 13 odd boiled eggs witha crack in the shell.....

a bad day gets better

Look I got treats in the mail today, lucky me! As you can see they have already been opened and tasted, I am in love with rhubarb custard sherberts. I was having a crummy day at work and nothing was going right and then at lunch time these arrrived and brightened my day. I got them from Jessmay at www.scarfomatic.typepad.com , I sent her some stitch markers that I made and asked for Marks and Spencer candy in return. Trading is so much more exciting than selling.

I am from

I am from a striped velour couch, from kool-aid and your the youngest sit in the backseat.
I am from the house with an open door, chaotic but caring, usually sharing a meal.
I am from the sand, the salt air and the fresh smell of cedar trees.
I am from 2 Christmas dinners, from J's, Mary's and I'm not Spanish we changed our last name.
I am from the clan of good cooks and no elbows on the table.
From eat your zucchini and onions and let's go swimming
I am from church, sung, not spoken and usually Ukrainian.
I'm from the island, perogies, and pasta ( often togethter).
From the basket of Nana's bicycle, shopping is for girls and be yourself, make every moment count.
I am from generations of strong and courageous people remembered now in black and white, hundreds of faces, never met them but will always know them.


It's based on Where I From by George Ella Lyons, someone thought it would be fun to adapt for a blog and I think they are right. Want to see the template, click the title and it will take you to the link.

I am off to enjoy a sunny Saturday, a long walk will make Tai very happy.

hey did you know

That it is Friday again already! Amazing how some weeks times fles and others it just crawls by. I has a fun week at work, I taught the kids about St. Patrick's Day and we made leprechaun traps to catch the ones were visiting our classroom. It was a lot of fun at at my parent teacher conferences yesterday I continued here how much the kids loved it. Some of what we did is on our classroom blog www.coolcatskindergarten.blogspot.com

Guess what I got in the mail yesterday, a huge envelope of foam letters and numbers for my class. My firend Lexi sent them, thanks Lexi. I am not sure what I will do withthem yet but I think that my kids are going to go crazy when they see them.

I have a another morning of interviews today and then I am off early... Yipee. I have a friend coming to visit this weekend, actually 2 friends and I think it will be fun. Okay well I have to get out the door, it is my day to open the school and thus I can't be late, plus I have a parent coming at 8!

Have a super Friday.

culture and knitting

My friends and I went back to Wisteria tea house today to knit, we went there last weekend to. It's fun to take your knitting and go sit in traditional asian tea house and drink tea made of real flowers. We spent the afternnon knitting. I sadly did not get to much done but Heather is finished the back of her sweater, she's never knit a sweater and neither have I... we make an interesting pair. I can read the pattern for the most part, so that helps and it looks good so far. Besides as we try to figure it out we are providing free entertainment for the staff and other customers as they enjoy watching us.

That was the highlight of my day. I have another cold and it started raining again yeterday. Figures, it was glorious all week, the weather wouldn't want to hold out through the weekend. No that would be to easy. I am heading out of the city on the train tomorrow, well let me rephrase I am suppossed to be heading out of the city but given the way I am feeling at this excat moment in time I may bail on them and stay in my bed instead. I'll decide in the morning.

I finally got around to taking a photo, the wool on the left I got from Susan at susanknits.blogspot.com in exchange for some of my stich markers. She really liked them and I love the wool. The ball on the right is one I just bought for my secret pal but I am liking it a lot, I think to much to send it to. I'll have to wait and see.  

I should be finishing my parent teacher conference paperwork but i was taking a coffee break (literally) and found this on another blog. I just about died laughing. It is based on a comic you can find at http://www.goats.com/archive/030808.html I just had to share it with you immediatley as this couldn't wait 

Jessica was the ringleader of this little adventure. She is loud and often drives me crazy, how very appropriate that she taped her mouth shut.

Patience, I need some

I have very little patience with cyberspace annoyances. I am not sure what happened on my blog the other day, posts were there and now they are gone, one that I did not delete has disappeared. I am tad perplexed but oh well life goes on.

I am, (as usual) looking forward to Friday tomorrow. I have the day to get ready for parent/teacher conferences. They are not my favorite way to spend a day but I am looking forward to a few of them. Today I gave my kids word tape as they did an excellent job on their writing. It is this bright orange tape with words like super and fantastic on it, it's easier than stickers. Well they started to stick it on their shirts and bags and then one of them had the bright idea to put it on their face. First it was on an eye and then on nose and finally Jessica( the loudest kid in my class) put it on her mouth. By the time they all figured out that it was funny to put it over your mouth it wasn't very sticky so they had to tape it on with clear tape. At ten to three I had kids walking around laughing as their mouths said words but they weren't talking. I took some photos and had a great laugh and then made them take it off before I sent them home. They waved their hands at me, no, no I want to wear it home their eyes pleaded. Yeah that is jut what I need you going home with your mouth taped shut... I can imagine the phone calls already. I will share the photos with the good humored parents and keep the rest for my own "need a laugh" days. Children really can be priceless.

I have plans to get out of the city on Sunday, it will be a nice little break from the smog! Hopefully the nice weather will hold out until then, not bloody likely but I will try to remain positive.
I will get a picture up of the cool yarn that I got from Susan, hopefully tomorrow. Maybe even one of the crazy children in my class.

strange

The missing post is here, the other one is here 3 times and even though I deleted 2 of them they will not go away. I don't understand!

Grrrr, growl like an alligator

Okay that is from a song my kids love but I am growling because I just typed a great long post and cyberspace ate it. It has happened before and I should know to save my work and not just post it. So I babbled about not remembering the things I want to write about, said happy womyn's day even though it's over here already and fact that spring has sprung and I am a very happy person.

And ( I know I shouldn't start a sentence with and) I told you about the ultra cool wool I got from Susan in exchange for some stitch markers and the fact my secret pal says that there is mail on the way, surface but on the way and sadly surface is jut part of living overseas.

No that I have had to type 2 posts I am definitely behind in getting ready for work and have to get myself out the door.

Sun, sun, thank god for sun

It has been a cloudy and rainy few weeks since I got back from the Philippines but then sun came out Friday and even though it is cold out it is sunny. I feel like if it was -20 that would be okay as long as it was sunny.

I am off to knit at a tea house with the other "sad teachers" from work this afternoon. (our motto is Happy Kids), sad teachers). I know it seem a little mean but sadly it is very true. Working 10 hours a day for little pay and heaps of annoying administration issues is less and less worth it as time goes on. I am looking forward to spring break, yes I just a vacation but happily I get another one in April and then after that there is only 7 more weeks. I have to work until the 17th of June but I only have kids until the 1st. The last 2 weeks are either spent doing paperwork and such for next year or working at camp. I am hoping I will get the paperwork job so that I can have a lazy couple of weeks to pack and such.

We'll see what happens. I haven't done to much this weekend so there is not to much to tell you about. Eat, sleep, fight off the newest cold that is trying to invade my body and play on the internet. I am off to knit.

Eat, sleep, knit, read.....

and watch the Academy Awards. That's what I did today. Not true, I also went to the Laundromat to dry my clothes and the grocery store to buy chicken. Ultimately though I spent the better part of my 3 day weekend doing very little and I loved every minute of it.

It has been raining here since the 17th, there has been a few hours of sun but that is it, not even a whole day just a few hours here and there. Hopefully with March here in a few hours things will improve. Needless to say the weather did not inspire me to do to much either. I did a lot of reading and finished a bunch of knitting projects. I was also working on a blanket but I decided that I wouldn't have enough wool so I pulled it out and am contemplating my options. I don't want to buy anymore more wool while I am here and would like to use up what I have so I don't have to pack it. I did start a Fair Isle hat kit today though, it's my first try (at carrying colours) but I think that I can do it.

I make it sound like I didn't do anything at all this weekend and that's not true, I went out for dinner on Friday, shopping on Saturday afternoon and then to Costco yesterday AND I cleaned my apartment, well all of it except my bedroom.

Not to much else to say, back to school tomorrow and happily it is only a 4 day week now. I am going to curl up and read for few hours before I go to sleep listening to never ending rain on my tin roof.

Simply Scarves

I rarely take photos of my knitting but since I that is virtually all I did today I thought that I would show it off. It's not to exciting, only scarves but that's what I've been up to latley. The one on the left is mine, knit with some velour I got in Canada. In the middle is one for a friend here and the last one is me using up scraps, local charities like knitted things so I thought I would use up my yarn before I come home.

i made it

It's Friday and I made it through the week! Yippee Next week is a short one, Monday is a holiday and then the week after that there is a Pd-day and then there are only 3 more weeks till spring break. I can make it.... I think. I am off to work.

Owww

Remember when I was at Teacher's College and got hit by that car and hurt my hand, well it hurts again! Yes the hand that wasn't broken - Stupid Doctor- that probably was broken, well I just whacked it on my dogs mouth, rather the dog whacked it's mouth on me and now I am typing with 8 fingers as my thumb and index finger hurt a lot. Hmm... to bad I am afraid to go to a doctor here. They would probably give me antibiotics and tell me to come back in 3 days!

On a brighter note I I started to type this post because I realized that I hadn't really acknowledged the existence of my secret pal. So, Secret Pal I love your comments... I totally appreciate them and I think your great, wherever you are.

Okay hand hurts to much to keep this up, we'll see how it feels tomorrow, I can't believe she actually hit me hard enough to hurt it, oh well, if it still hurts in a few days I will contemplate doing something about it. I am off to snuggle in my bed and try to keep warm, it's chilly here and it is never going to stop raining! Yes the first day back at work was bearable, thanks for asking. I really love my kids and am going to cry my eyes out when I have to say good-bye to them in June. They are a pretty sweet bunch.

Neverland

I'm sitting here with my tea on a very cold and wet morning. This is day 3 of solid rain and I am not to happy about it. I am in fact dreading the day, I have to head to school and get a heap of work done for the coming week(s). I am excited about by next theme, Neverland. We are going to learn about all things imaginary. I am dreading being back at work and the frustrations of working in another culture with support staff who seem to have in for me. But whatever, there is little I can do about it. It's a year and it is almost done and then I'm going home. The fact that we work 10 hours a day also takes it toll on my sanity and patience.

On a brighter note I saw Finding Neverland last night and really loved it. I have been passionate about Peter Pan for many years and it was really neat to see a slice of the story about the author's life. I know that it's a movie and many things probably changed in the process of making it into a script but I loved it anyway. I also spent the morning out and about showing a friends, friend around the Jade and flower markets. All in all it as good end to my vacation but sadly it's over.

Okay I must go get some food and get myself out into the rain....

Philippines Photos

I have had a busy 2 days. I managed to upload all my pictures and create a new photo album, click the title of the post for the link.

Not to much to say, I have been knitting and baking for the last 2 days. I went out last night with some friends for supper and to see the lights that are up from Chinese New Year - very cool. Today it is wet and rainy and I think that I will just stick around the house, have some cleaning and such to do. I have plans to go to the flower market tomorrow and then sadly I will spend Sunday at school getting ready for the next month! i have a lot to do. My next theme is "Everything Imaginary" we are going to learn about dragons, monsters, fairies and fairy tales. I think it will be a fun unit...once I finally sit down and plan it that is.

Enjoy the pictures.

Happy

I am home and although I am sad that my vacation is over I am happy that I don't have to be back at work until Monday. I have heaps to do for work though and will spend at least one whole day at school this week. Probably Sunday, it's best to put off all work until the bitter end, right.

I have decided that the Philippines is a great place and it sad that is gets such a bad wrap all the time. Most of the country is super safe and the people are so nice. The poverty is overwhelming and it is really hard to see little kids sleeping in the streets. When I was on the plane last night there where a whole bunch of young Filipino girls, I was sitting beside a few of them. They were on the their way here for jobs, highly coveted factory worker jobs. They were amazed that I was a teacher and traveling around by myself. I couldn't help thinking that I am so lucky I was born in a country were I had choices. I could go to university and be whatever I wanted to be (even if I will be paying for it forever). These girls don't have choices like that, they could stay in the Philippines and try to find work or they could come here and work in factory or as a servant and make more money. They work here and make enough money to send some home their families. Sadly they aren't treated very well here, many people treat them as second class citizens, especially the families who hire them as nannies and household help and yet it is still better than no job at all and so they come. It is amazing how different our lives are.

My last night in the Manila was good, I met up with a bunch of boys from St. John's (yeah Nfld) and we went to this bar called the Hobbit House. It is a bit of a landmark and it has been in Manila for about 30 years. It is run by "little people" (not sure what the PC term is) and they wear shirts that say "Small is beautiful" and "World's smallest waiters". It was pretty neat, they had all the required Lord of the Rings art on the walls. We heard this amazing singer, his name is Freddy Aguilar and he is a bit of a national icon. He was really good and I had a great night.

On Tuesday I went and got the the required Manila mug from Starbucks and then headed to the airport. It was a long afternoon of waiting in a very crowded airport with very few shops or services. Oh well, I read my book and knit a little. I made it home, went and got the dog and went to bed. Now I am off to pay the rent and go tot the bead store. MAybe I will work on that photo album today.... we'll see.

Guess Where I am

I am sitting in the "Blog Internet Cafe" in Manila, I thought that the name was a great and just had to come here instead of the cheaper one down the street. It costs 50 pesos an hour, about 1 US dollar. I think I can swing it.

Life is good, after a few days of a very grouchy belly I felt a lot better yesterday. I have left the beautiful beach a and am back in Manila. My friends have all gone back to work in Taipei and so I am here alone until tomorrow. I had plane to go on a sight seeing tour today but it didn't happen. I just decided to have a lazy day instead and spend some time at my favorite place.... the mall. I think that I might try to find some yarn stores... the online search is next on my list of things to do.

The last days on the beach where great. I met lots of great people. I think I can get used to hanging out on the beach in February. We came back to Manila on Saturday and it was crazy busy. They where having a huge street party as the main street along the bay was closed. The traffic was terrible and it took us forever to get to the hostel. Once we all met up ( I was waiting for some other friends to arrive from a different beach) we went to the waterfront to see what all the commotion was about. You'll never guess what it was, not a music festival or some religious event but a huge celebration of valentine's day called Loveapoolza! It was the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. There were thousands of people and at midnight 25 000 couples where going to kiss and then switch partners 3 times in order to have a million kisses happen in a 10 minute period. It was the craziest thing. We didn't stick around to see the kisses as we were all tired but I imagine that it was quite the sight.

I had a great day yesterday, Rhea and I went to the most amazing mall here in Manila. It was so nice and they even has an Old Navy, it was an expensive Old Navy but it was fun to see none the less. Shopping here on the whole is pretty good, many things can be bought for a fraction of the cost elsewhere and the locally made stuff is super cheap. We had amazing Vietnamese food for super and I continue to be amazed at how great real vietnamese food. I can hardly wait until I make it there this summer to eat it all day everyday.

Another bonus of Manila, Starbucks has white chocolate mocha's... hot and cold! Taiwan so doesn't know what they are missing. I have yet to find the required Manila mug from Starbucks, they are hard to get a hold of but the Starbucks staff assures me I will have one before I leave tomorrow.

Everyone here is super friendly and it is really great to be in a country where everyone speaks the same language that I do. I am not looking to forward to heading home tomorrow but I am happy that I still have a few days off before I have to be back at work. I have so much to do though as I did zero planning before I left. Hey on a brighter note I only have 4 months and 3 days left until the end of my contract... very exciting.

Okay I guess that it is for today. I will head home tomorrow and as soon as I get organized there will be photos and such from the beach so you can all see what I have been going on about.

Yuck

Poor me, I am so ill, well that is not true I was so ill all night. I am not sure if it was food poisoning, to much disguised gluten/MSG or the green chilies but I was not a happy girl. Aside from feeling like I have been run over by a train today I am having a great time.

Yesterday we went on this very fun island tour and swam in these great fresh water pools and a lovely barbecued lunch. Lunch is always lovely when others make it! Then we went and saw a small local village and on the way home we hit a rooster, the boys stopped the jeep and got out to pick it up, free dinner. I was a little floored but I understand why they did it. Chickens and roosters wander free unless they are for cock fights and then they are kept closely guarded.

Today we are just going to hang out in the town and tomorrow we are going to see White beach. I am heading back to Manila on Saturday and then home to Taipei on Tuesday. Okay I need to go find some gentle food for my sad and overwhelmed stomach. Talk to you soon.

Yes I found and cheaper internet connection, thus the post.

Manila redeemed

Okay I just typed this great post and then lost my internet connection and thus my whole post so here are the highligts in point form!

- I stayed in a horrible neighborhood in Manila but yesterday throughthe help of some other travellers saw the better parts of it. I am looking forward to going back next week.
-I got sick on the ferry ride over, it was brutal!
- I am on a great island staying in a cabin with a view of the beach.
-went snorkeling today and saw heaps of fish, all the fish from Finding Nemo and more. I even saw a baby clownfish! It was very cool.
This is the world's most expensive internet connection so that is all you are going to get. If you want to see wher I am you can goole Sabang Beach. It is amazing. I will write properly when I am back in Manila on Sunday. Wish you were here.

Different

Well I arrived the Philippines Yesterday, all in one piece. It's hot and sunny and Manilla is dirty and crowded! I checked in to the hostel and after some frustrating reservation mix ups I got a bed. It was perhaps the smallest, darkest room I have ever seen, most of the rooms are pretty good but I ended up with a dud. I am moving into better space tonight and Amanda is arriving from Taipei.

Yesterday I went exploring to this very old part of the city and saw a church that is from the 16th century. It was neat and so old. The poverty in the neighbourhood was a little overwhelming. Children always have their hands out hoping a friendly face will give them something. It's a really different than Taipei.

I have all day today here and tomorrow I am heading to the beach, I can't wait. People told me not to stay in the city to long and now I understand why. Hopefully today will be okay and I won't fall into any puddles as I did last night in the dark, not to fun!

These are the very cool stitch markers that I have started to make. I think they are really fun. Everyone in the world will get some for a gift at some point.... eventually!

Okay here it is, Ms. Kruz with 100 elastics in her hair! I had to take them out by lunch though because me head hurt. I looked a bit like Pippi Longstocking. 

I'm the best

Isn't that so true, no self esteem isues here! Today is my class' 100th day of school and I (their crazy teacher) am currently putting 100 elstics in my hair, I won't leave the school all day as I will look a little strange but the kids will think it is great. Maybe, if your lucky I will take a picture.

Not to much elsse to say. I have been trying to get some stuff organized before my trip but I am not getting to far. I must get some laundry done and have 3 packages to mail. In order to mail the packages I must finish the letters that go in them. Maybe tonight.

Anyway, gotta get moving and go see the munchkins. Yesterday was a tough day, the new TA was there all day and they were so naughty, poor girl is never going to come back! Hopefully today will be better all though it is out party day and so expecting them to be good is silly of me. Oh well, it'll be fun.

Have a good Wednesday!

Lots to talk about today

On today's agenda for discussion,
1. Annoying cultural issues
2. A cool tradition
3. My Secret Pal
4. Have I told anyone that I am going to the Philippines in 5 DAYS!!!!!

1. On Friday night we went to a very posh Thai restaurant for a staff party to celebrate Chinese New Year, all employers do it for there staff at this time of year and it was quite the event. It's called a Wei-ah and to make a long story short it is a chance for the employer to thank their employees for all the hard work they have done over the past year with a great meal and some sort of a new years bonus. Sounds great so far right, well it would of been until they began the games. Instead of just giving everybody who works equally hard the same cash bonus they play a lottery game. So in the end some people home with about $20 (Canadian) and others go home with closer to $500. The difference is what bothered me, we all do the same job, we all work the same long exhausting hours and some people get so much while others get so little. I came out in the middle with about $80, great as far as I am concerned.
Apparently this is normal, the boss walks around with wads of cash (almost 4 grand in our case) and gives it away. She actually had all that cash with her and flashed it around all night. Every business does it differently and sometimes some people go home with nothing while another person goes home with a car. Maybe it's the teacher in me that finds this all so unfair, I think that we would all be better served if you just divided it equally among your employees. The Taiwanese teachers had no issues with it, just us foreigners who think that everyone should be treated the same.

2. On a brighter note I met with 2 of the other teachers yesterday for tea and knitting. ( I am working on a hat, and almost finished a scarf, but I am not happy with it and so I think I will frog it and start again... Long story) Anyway we went to this very cool Chinese Tea House. It was my first experience here, I had done the same thing in Korea but here it is really different. There is a tea ceremony like in Japan but it is not as rigid. We had so lovely fresh Oolong tea, picked from a local mountain. It was a great time and now I want to go back. The house itself has a lot of great history, many democratic "radicals" met there in the 60's and 70's when Taiwan was in the middle of it's political upheaval. Now it is a heritage house and really very cool. Come visit me and I will take you there!

3. As you know I signed up for secret pals 4 a little while ago and I heard from my secret pal today, I am so excited. I can't wait for some treats and I am really excited about ending some Asian treats to someone else. Anyway the person who has me wanted to know where I wanted to travel. The answer is simple, everywhere! I am heading the Philippines next week and have plans to see Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam this summer. I would like to go to Africa and see Europe at some point. While I am hear I have plans to spend a weekend in Hong Kong and hopefully another in Beijing. I want to see it all! As for things from home that I miss, some fresh air and open space would be great but I don't think you can mail those. I really miss chocolate with mint in it, not like peppermint paddies but actual chocolate that tastes like mint. I am not sure about mailing it though, Jackie said something about not being able to mail chocolate to some places, I think I have gotten it in the mail here but I can't remember. I also really miss decent gummy candies, like gummy bears and cola bottles and reeses pieces candies too. Yes, I just miss candy, actually that is not true but the other stuff I miss is hard to mail or difficult to explain and find. Since I have no idea where you are I'll just stick to things that are pretty universal.

4. I AM GOING TO SEE A BIT OF THIS BEAUTIFUL WORLD ON SATURDAY! Just in case you have missed it I am going to the Philippines on Saturday. I am going to spend a few days in Manila and then head to a nearby island to see the rainforest, tribal culture and of course the beach. I wanted to go diving but I think that I will have to settle for snorkeling instead.

This ends todays discussion, although I did also want to tell you about the cute things the pup has been up to, the kitchen set up on the sidewalk and a really crowded restaurant experience but I will save those for another day. Have a great Sunday.

This is at the tea house, there is a process involved in serving the tea but it took me awhile to remember that I had my camera and so this after my cup has been poured.

This is Steph (a teacher), Thersea ( the boss) and Janus, (the accountant) showing off how they give money to their staff. It's unfair and Steph did really well but poor Sarah got almost nothing!

I need a little TLC

Okay I had a bad day yesterday and I need a hug! First my littlest friend who tends to drive me crazy was sent home because he was out of control and I had had enough. Well, the bell the rings and instead of just Grandma who I was assuming would be standing there I saw his DAD (who I have never met) had come to get him. I hope he gets the message that hitting teachers is not acceptable, maybe his parents will figure out that when you have a child who has special needs you need to look at your lives and adjust them accordingly. His mom is a flight attendant and he is often with his Grandma as a result.... It's a long complicated story but he is really a very sweet boy who needs a lot of attention.

Then at the end of the day I was on my way out of the school for a break before my after school class and I was stopped by someone who was with one of my kids. His neighbor had come to get him because his father had passed away during the afternoon. My heart just broke, this is a very sweet boy who has said nothing about his Dad being sick. I wonder how much he really knew, dad had cancer and he has been in the hospital all week. None of us had any idea. Poor kid, he is an only child and his mom is pretty protective so I imagine he has not been filled in on a lot of the details. What do you say to a 6 year old in a situation like this? I don't think he will be at school today but then I would not be surprised if he was.

Okay I have to get moving and go to work. Thankfully it is Friday!

Answers for Secret Pals 4

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high- a nd/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you? I like just about anything but do tend to buy cotton based fibers unless I am planning on felting it
2. Do you spin? Crochet? Nope
3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.) I am not a huge fan of perfume and am allergic to smoke
4. How long have you been knitting?I I relearned about 2 years ago
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No, sorry
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Vanilla
7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Yes, I love chocolate especially mint chocolate
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I scrapbook, cross stich a little and like beading
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like lots of different things, Indigo Girls, Spirit of the West, Jann Arden, most canadian groups in general.
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? I am big fan of red and puple but not usually together.
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am single and have a dog named Tai
12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know) To see the world, I am on my way but there is still a long way to go.
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Anything soft, the softer the better
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I don't know
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? Quick projects that are portable
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? hats, felted bags and I want to be a sock knitter but got stalled on my first one and have to frog it and start again.
17. What are you knitting right now? A scarf, baby blanket, felted purse and a hat.
18. What do you think about ponchos? I wore them when I was a kid, I am not sure if I want to wear one again
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Circular
20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? plastic or bamboo - the dog enjoys the bamboo ones though.
21. Are you a sock knitter? see the answer to 16
22. How did you learn to knit? My grandmother as a chid and then my sister and mom for a refresher course.
23. How old is your oldest UFO? what's a UFO, I think it is something unfinished but I have never heard the expression before
24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird? monkey's and pandas
25. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
26. Is there anything that you collect? not really

Pictures

Okay nothing new in the last few hours but I did get the photo album finished, click on the title Pictures to go see the album.

Sunshine

The sun is shining and I am home with a nasty cold, sad, very sad. This is the first really nice day we have had all month. Not to much to say, I am home knitting and watching movies on HBO. Sadly they are not terribly exciting movies though. I am working on an online photo album and maybe it will be ready to go by the end of the day, I'll keep you posted.

Look my box is easy to carry ( and the dog wanted to be in the photo) we need these in Canada!. I went to buy a heater yesterday and they very nicley put a handle on it so I could carry it home more easily. It works and it made riding my bike all the way home with it much easier as I just held it in my left hand by the HANDLE.  

so

Well yesterday I could see my breath in my living room. It's not really cold according to the temperature but it sure feels it when there is no way to get warm. Well that is not true I can get warm but I have to stay in my bed. The sun is out today for the first time since I got back, there is nothing like 15 days of rain.

I went to the movies last night, I saw Flight of the Phoniex. It was pretty good. I also went grocery shopping and guess what the grocery store got....... GLUTEN FREE PASTA. I was over the moon with excitement. I just brought some back from Canada but this means it doesn't have to be as carefully rationed as it was before and I can eat pasta when I ever I want to. It's kinda expensive but so are all the other imported things that I like to buy. It probably will disappear off the shelves just as I get used to having it but I bought 2 bags and will by more on each trip to stock pile it.

What else can I tell you about, not to much. I am on my way to the laundry mat to dry my clothes (when it is this cold and wet they take days to dry!) This afternoon I am heading out to knit with the girls from work, I am working on a blanket for a baby that was born 2 weeks ago. She should get it by her first birthday. I am also knitting some scarves, one for me and one for a friends partner.

The washer just clicked off so I am going to dry those clothes. See ya

Corn Starch

My dog, is a little bit dumb, actually I call her special but anyway yesterday in her attempt to make mischief she discovered a bag of cornstarch on the shelf.... well I came home to a house full of cornstarch. Needless to say I was not impressed but I cleaned it up and moved on. Well the damn dog did it again today, I don't know where she found it this time because the bag is in the fridge now ( all open things go in the fridge so that there are no bugs!) but there is cornstarch all over the house again. I think that she stashed some somewhere so that she could play again today., regardless htere is cornstarch all over my apartment.... AGAIN and it is a pain in the @#& (this is a G rated blog) to clean up because it is so fine.

Anyway on a brighter note it's Wednesday night and that means 2 more days till the weekend and then 3 more weeks till the Philippines! WooHoo.

I signed up for this great cyberspace gift/treat exchange. It's called secret pals and you get a name of another knitter/blogger somewhere else in the world and then you send them some treats... or at least that is the idea. I think it sounds like great fun, if you knit and have a blog you can sign up http://secretpals4.blogspot.com/ All the instructions are there.

Here's to the coming weekend :)

It's chilly

Well after a very long week I have finally made it to the weekend! Jet lag and 5 year olds are not a good combination. Need less to say it was pretty uneventful week and the most exciting this I did was buy groceries. Oh and lose my wallet yeterday, luckily for me some kind soul returned it, Thank God, otherwise it would of been a nightmare to cancel all the things in it!

It has been cold and rainy since I returned, this is made worse by the fact that there is not heat or insulation anywhere, so it is cold all the time. I was even to cold to knit last night, sad but true. Not much else to tell I am off to the grocery store to get some banana's for muffins, yummy. Be well and enjoy your weekend!

Well

Ok so I said I would post again but really I don't have to much to say. Maybe that is partially because I feel really brain dead after working all day. Jet lag is always tougher at the end of a trip when you have little to look forward to.

Home was good. The munchkins continue to grow and are as adorable as ever. Time flies when your having fun and my time there was over before I knew it. It was nice to see my family and friends and sleep as much as I wanted. Shopping was a definite highlight as was being able to ask clerks to tell me where something was instead of wandering aimlessly through the store looking for it because of a language barrier.

It's cold and I am tired. There is no heat here or insulation and as a result I am chilled right through, so I am off to bed. Lots of bankets are a good thing! Night

just a quick note

I am back in Taipei safe and sound. I had a great vacation and enjoyed every minute of my time in Canada. I am also back at work, it's the same chaotic place that it was when I left. I am here but part of me wishes I wasn't, I miss wide open spaces and grocery stores with all my favorite foods.

My dog survived my absence although she has taken up the habit of howling when alone... it better of just been a temporary measure cause if it continues she will have to find another home! I don't think my neighbours will tolerate it for long.

Anyway I have to get moving and go to work but I will write a proper post after work today when I am a little bit more awake and with it.