Tidbits of this and that

I realize I haven't updated in awhile. We are busy getting ready to move into our new apartment. We hope to move in the middle of next week if our mattresses come. I don't really care to sleep on the floor until I know what status we are at with the ipis (cockroaches).

We've been spending money like crazy people. In the past three days we've purchased a rep (fridge), washer, stove, 3 small aircons (air-conditioners), a sala set (living room furniture), and a table and chairs. Feels good to get that all done but kind of bad to let go of the cash. You know how it is. I pray that somehow God is glorified through our acquisition of stuff- that all these conveniences will free us up to put more time into the things that count.

Anyway, there are many interesting little tidbits that I thought I'd share with you this time.

We have evidence that living in a concrete jungle is hazardous.
Don't worry- Little People bandaids make even the worst of owies feel fabulous.

Winnie's third birthday was this past Tuesday. I went to several stores on a search for icing, the kind I used back at home. No one had any. The last store I tried was HyperMart. Yes, that is what it is called. It is conveniently located near our new apartment and I think it will soon become my favorite grocery store.

Anyway, I was in there and I asked one of the 100 employees loitering around if they had any icing. I had to really explain what I meant, using my hands to illustrate the cake, the spreading of the frosting etc... He shook his head and went to ask his buddy about it. His buddy said something in Tagalog and the first guy lead me off toward the cooler section of the store. He pointed to a tetra pack of whipping cream. This was not what I wanted, but I got the drift that they didn't have any real icing. The price on the whipping cream was outrageous. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the guy standing back there waiting for me to decide what I wanted. I sighed and put a small box of the whipping cream in my basket. Then I decided that maybe yogurt on top of the cake would have to do. So I put some of that in my basket too. I went on to look for other things and the guy disappeared.

About 10 minutes later I was in the housewares department looking at a soap dish. I heard someone say, "Excuse Ma'am." I looked up to find that the guy was back. And in his hand he had three containers of icing! "Is this what you looking, Ma'am?" I was so happy I nearly jumped up and down. I happily gave him back the whipping cream and yogurt in exchange for the icing.

Afterwards I was thinking, "You know, this is one thing about the Philippines that I will really miss when we are back home." Here was this guy- paid about $6 for an entire day of work- he spent 10 minutes looking for icing, and then walked around the whole store to find me. I'd never get that kind of service at home. In fact, we are lucky if someone actually does anything more than, "Um, maybe try aisle 3?"

It doesn't take long for the bugs to find you here. No sooner had we moved into this guest room with a kitchen then we started having an ant problem.

After a couple of weeks I was sick of it. I heard that there was a hardware store in one of the ritzier malls that carried Terro... the king of ant killers. So I finally got over there to buy some.

Check it out! Mmmm yum yum.

1.5 days later- no ants!