Flower Power

 A few weeks ago when we went to flower nurseries on Upper Thompson Rd, I borrowed a friend's point and shoot camera and took some pictures of flowers.  She sent them to me last night, and since I don't have time to blog today, I thought I would share them with you:

Flowers make me happy.  I miss my gardens at home.  There were just bouquets setting in the cold rooms at the nurseries - none were arranged.  Just sitting waiting on buyers.  I would have bought them all if I could have.  Thanks Michelle for sending me the pictures.  Hope you enjoy them!

Be back soon!  Off to Indonesia for a day of fun at the school and children's home.  Say a prayer or two for us, please.

Come On, Folks - Isn't Anything Sacred Anymore?

While at the Formula 1 races, I was wandering between races and saw these:  

Amazingly enough, those were the cleanest I have ever seen - someone tending to them at all times - not stinky and not messy.  Wow, imagine that.

And then I saw these:

Huh?!  Really?  Can you believe these portalets?  Do they really do what they appear to do?

Please tell me no one would use them... But wait... what did I see?

Men using them... and this guy was not the only one using these loos - I went past repeatedly and they were often full!  Come on folks, is space really that precious?  

Trust me, I was not the only one taking pictures.  Any guy that walked in there KNEW he was going to get his picture taken - there were dozens of cameras ready and waiting.  Later in the evening these were very busy - I am sure the beer might have made it a bit easier to use, but from what I saw, most guys didn't give it a second thought to use them.  But, the ones that didn't want to?  They were taking pictures.

Good grief!  Another shocker moment... pardon me while I pick up my jaw...

Sorry folks, I am still not feeling up to par... going to Bible study in a bit and then I am working in Indonesia tomorrow at the school.  Hopefully I will be back on track blogging in a day or two.  I really do not feel like sitting here at the computer right now.  Gotta stay busy and not think about my stinkin' side.  

I keep looking for the fall weather - will someone please send it this way?  

Those Are Not Antique Automobiles...

Years ago, we were in an amphitheater in Branson, Missouri with our (then) 3 or 4 year old son and daughter.  Amphitheaters are like half circles with a stage down in the center for plays - they are notorious for sound traveling to the ends of the earth in them.

I have no idea what the play was about, but in the play they had antique cars.  One of the cast members said something about antique automobiles and our son, indignant about their lack of knowledge, yelled at the top of his lungs, "Those aren't antique automobiles!  Those are OLD CARS, aren't they dad?"  Everyone in the theater rolled laughing - even the actors on stage!  It took them forever to get OVER laughing and start acting again.  He was dead serious - and it was the cutest (and most embarrassing) thing ever.  I will never look at antique automobiles again without thinking of our son.

My side is worse again... I don't really feel like sitting, editing pics and then blogging too much.  So without much more to say, take a look at the old cars:

 

I didn't get great pictures of the Formula 1 races, so I hope no one is holding their breath.  I was plenty happy to get pictures at all!  I will try to work on getting a few up in the next day or so.  For now, I am going to work on trying to get the pain level down to manageable again.

I know everyone keeps wondering why I am not rushing home to figure out the cause of this pain in my side.  I am trying to wait out a couple of things... one being a possibility Steve will have to come home to work on a job.  I will probably have to have exploratory surgery to figure out the cause, but I really don't want to do that without him.  If he doesn't have to go back, we will go for the holidays and I will leave a bit early to whittle through the medical drama.  We don't like being separated so I am holding off as long as possible.  What is another month or two after several years, right?

Hope everyone is enjoying the 'fall' weather.  I saw the winter clothes out in the mall the other day - better rush out and stock up - I bet the weather is going to change soon... and it will be freezing...

... somewhere.  

But not here.  *sigh*  lol  

Did I Get F-1 Pictures?

... well, I am going to let you decide!  My hubby got pictures last year that looked like THIS ...

And I must say, I got a few pictures that looked like this:

So I was fully prepared to get no pictures at all, but I was bound and determined to give it my best shot.  Camera in hand, Willy Foo's suggestions and a good spot... and I was mighty proud to get this:

And Steve said... "It is not the F-1's sweetie!"  Ugh.  But I did get pictures of the first cars, right?  All excited, I got pictures of the next cars:

And so my dear hubby all smug that he was, said, "Yeah, but these cars are nuttin' compared to the F-1's coming soon, honey!"  Of course I was all freaked out thinking I would not get a picture of them. And so the big (NOISY) race started... F-1's whizzing around at the speed of light.  I aimed my camera, clicked and what did I see?  Another picture like this:

Ok, so this might not be as easy as I was hoping... so I thought about it a bit, changed some settings on my camera and in the back of my mind I remembered Willy say, "Pan".  So panning I did... and this is what I got:

WHOOT!  I got FORMULA 1 pictures!  Yippeee!  And he said I never would!  Guess I showed him!  

They are NOT Willy Foo's quality, but I did get cars!  I will add more tomorrow evening after I get home, because I have my Indonesian lesson in the morning.  I just had to drop in and say NANNY NANNY BOO BOO!  I did it honey!  And you said I couldn't.

That'll teach ya!  I got two more than you did right off the bat.  WHOOT!  (Thanks to Mr Foo, and some thought on my part.)

La Di Da and Toodly Do!

Children's Faces in Family Places

I forgot to post a lantern yesterday that we saw at the HDB Mid-Autumn Festival - we thought was adorable!

Isn't it great?

Like I said before, this Mid-Autumn Festival was all about children... children making lanterns, coloring sheets, young men doing percussion, young singers, children's games... it was so fun seeing so many children participate.  Oh, how I love children!   

While we were at the festival, I just walked around and took pictures of little ones.  The parents saw me, and I would motion that I was taking a picture and they would nod.  I love looking at the interactions with their siblings, parents, grandparents... it reminds me of my 21 years of being a Girl Scout leader.  I enjoyed it so much!   

Children are so smart - we underestimate them tremendously. Most children here know at least 2 languages and many know more.  My friend, Michelle's (3? 4? year old son)  son can speak English, French and is learning Chinese in school.  My neighbor's son (3? 4? year old son) speaks Japanese, and is learning English and Chinese in school... it is pretty darned amazing to hear these little chatterboxes talk!

Anyway, back to the festival.  There was a row of games for the children to play.  I have no idea what they were as I don't like crowds at all and look for the path of least resistance, behind the games, which gave me a great shot of the children and their families.  

Browse through the pictures below, but please look closely at the children, the family interactions and also look to see if you notice a common subject in many pictures...  I will give you a hint:  it is a she:

This young lady was in sooo many of my pictures!  Finally, we realized she was alone  :-(   One of the workers asked her where her parents were; she didn't know, and obviously didn't care.  We went through my pictures and there she was with a dozen or so 'moms', 'dads', and 'siblings'... but they were not hers.  Luckily we saw her dad later carrying her.  He said she gets away from them all the time, "Every time she gone! I try tell her she stay, but she go!  Sooo fast!"  Lol.. at least she was safe and sound.

And maybe in love...

We are off to the Formula 1 races!  I am hoping for good weather (looks stormy) and even just one picture of one fast car... just one.  Please?