Bits

*Everyone is back at school now, except for me and the Little Guy. We only have four weeks of classes and then another 2 week break. This seems crazy and outlandish to me. 2 more weeks off!? It happens that way because of fairness, I guess. We are an international school which means many of our students and teachers travel over the Christmas Holiday. But then the other half of our staff and some of our students are Chinese, and for them Chinese New Year is the all important holiday to go home and see family. I'm not complaining because it's pretty awesome. But it also feels a little like I drank too much Mountain Dew in one sitting (I did that once, and now I don't like Mountain Dew).

*I am reading Peter Hessler's Oracle Bones: a Journey Between China's Past and Present. My husband has long loved and read all his books, but for some reason I have never got around to it. Now I am hooked. He is fascinating to me: dropped into a remote village for 2 years of peace corps work teaching English, became fluent in the language, lived and wrote in China for 10+ years. I want to be him in another life. 

*I dreamed a dream... watched the previews for Les Miserables on youtube, and told my Man that they made me cry. He laughed. There was a layer of superiority and mockery there. Then he watched it. 

*I dreamed another dream... that onc day after dinner the ratio of food in our stomachs will be greater than that which is on the floor. 

*My sweet little boy is full of chagrin that his underwear has holes in it. He thinks this is unacceptable. I would buy him new ones but he is also rather attached to the Fruit of the Loom boxer brief style I have always got him from Target in the States. Oh the little things in life that will teach you flexibility.

*I've been missing old friends lately. I love the memories of our days together and the things we grew in, worked through, struggled over, laughed about, rejoiced in. It takes time to build friendships like that and I have had pockets of years in a few different places where a friendship grew. They remain and even though I miss them, I think I still find solace in the gift they were and are.

*Husbands can be friends too. Dear Husband, you are the dearest friend to me. Thanks for always saying nice things about my food and... everything else. I think pretty much every day that you got ripped off but I got a sweeeet deal. You rocked those pants in Insanity tonight.