18 May 2010

SQUAT

This may be more than some of you want to know about me and my life in Malaysia...but every aspect of my life here is to be shared! here in Malaysia, most bathrooms are filled with rows of squat toilets. Please see photo for a very nice, clean and tidy squat toilet that I peed in today on my adventures out and about! First notice how nice my red toenails look with my $15 dollar red shoes! OK back to squatting....on occasion you will find a western style toilet in a public bathroom. But most of the time the squat is what is available. Well, most of you know I was an Outward Bound instructor...and well I can pee anywhere. In fact, I pride myself on my ability to piddle outdoors, off the bow or stern of a boat while sailing, on the side of the road, in a bottle, or even standing up in the Savannah lands of Eastern Africa....I am not afraid of tiny holes in the ground or going into the ocean for a piddle if need be....so squat toilets here do not intimidate me one bit. But here is the clincher...how do you effectively get the pee into the hole without splattering on your shoes/feet? As you can see I have my feet off the intended area....that helps...if you squat really low down as Devin has been researching with his local pals....it helps too- but I can not squat very low- so I just aim for the hole and deal with the consequences. Aren't you glad you know about this part of my life?
Oh yeah- why squat toilets you ask...well Muslim people do not use toilet paper instead they use that hose you see to wash with water- actually proven better for one's sensitive parts...and they also use their left hand to help out as well. For this reason the left hand is seen as dirty...only used for bathroom things....and the right hand is the clean hand used for eating, shaking hands etc. Most of the time when I do find a western style toilet...there are foot prints on the seat...as people often stand right up on the seat and use it like a squat toilet...sometimes there is even a sign behind the western toilet showing that standing on it is not allowed! See told you it was more than you might want to know:)
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17 May 2010

Storm




Last night during dinner the skies began to get dark. We watched as a storm was rolling toward us. Then the wind picked up- the thunder clapped and bolts of lightening snapped...the rain was immense. It lasted about 20-30 minutes. Mike, the GM of the resort got a phone call that the driveway was blocked by fallen trees. So, Devin and Mike left dinner to go see what was up. They ended up clearing trees with the maintenance fellas.....what a storm- seriously the biggest one we have experienced. Like a cyclone came through and was gone. Lots of continued clean up today!
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Sunday Supper




Last night we had Sunday Supper with the Ryan family. Kate and Mike cooked lamb and chicken on the Weber grill. It was amazing. Before dinner the girls used the Wii. I had never really seen the Wii in action- really funny to see them slicing fruit with swords! Then Devin was feeding our little 5 year old friend, Tiara meat right off the bone......such fun we have every time we are with the Ryan family!!!!
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Massaman Curry



I attempted another local dish the other night~ Massaman Curry. It was hands down Genevieve's favorite recipe so far in my Asian cooking exploration. It has a rich peanut flavor along with creamy coconut milk...potatoes and carrots...and I added a bit of fresh basil for fun. Delicious over rice...but even nice just on it's own~
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happiness is...


I look like this....happy, easy going, relaxed and clear when I have a delicious, beautiful, tasty, frothing cuppa at afternoon tea! Yup- coffee snob and coffee addict~
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CUTE

When we were back in the States, I went to target and bought some clothes for Hannah. This is the matching outfit I bought for both girls. So cute!
Hannah, Devin and Nev when we were out for dinner at 7Spice Indian restaurant...yum!
ok simply another beautiful child I saw when I was out shopping the other day...she was sitting on that pink vibrating massager.....too cute for words.
Ok now this is cute....Kate and I bought the same pair of shoes- why- cause they are RED and they are COMFORTABLE and they cost a whoppin $15 USD~ cute!
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more Mother's Day

Kate and Hannah won 2 prize for the cake contest during the Mother's Day celebration at Nevi's school: Fairview!
An every day sight....beautiful woman.
Nevi enjoying our cake!
another every day sight- beautiful child!
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