There's a HARD side...and a SOFT side...

We learn new things every day here. Many, many new things...

Take for instance our mattress. I've reported that it was like fabric covering a board. This is true. Sadly such an uncomfortable resting spot left my lower back in absolute misery over the past few weeks.

This I reported to our kindly Chancellor last week to frame a request for softer mattresses for the children once their bunk beds are ordered. Then just last night the Chancellor came by the temporary digs to report that "There's a HARD side and a SOFT side to the mattresses."

Dad looked a little uncomfortable as the declaration cast aspersions on his mattress set up that was done on our very first day here.

To his absolute credit, he did not refute the statement she made NOR did he say, "of course, I have the softest side up."

He turned and walked down the hall to investigate.

Lo and behold...

"There's a HARD side and a SOFT side to the mattress!"

I should mention at this point lest you think something a miss with Dad's judgement regarding the mattress set-up...he had assistance...from The Engineer.

Apparently the determination was made by not one fine mind...but TWO...that the side offered to my body to rest upon was the CORRECT side when they laid the mattress down on the floor...

Now I should mention that it wasn't an amazing difference...but it is SOFTER...quite a bit softer as now you don't bruise yourself when quickly sitting down on the mattress!

Sorry for the delay in postings.

We've had no access to the internet for the past weekend. Everything here is all about the games. We're watching them...in the local dialect...so some things are lost in translation! We are missing some of those "soft" stories about the athletes that you get back home at The Old Place. But it's very, very exciting to be here even though we are hundreds of miles away because the ENTIRE nation is bursting with pride! On 8/8/08 as we walked away from our apartment to catch a taxi there were two double-decker buses with the tops crammed full of brides and grooms tying the not on that auspicious day! We've also heard about c-sections that were scheduled here to deliver babies on the same day...the day of the opening of the games! (Be still my non-interventionist sole in regards to childbirth!)

Magpie and The Bug are gone for a few days up to a resort on top of a mountain some 4 hour bus ride away from here. They went with our "local" family here from the city. They also met up with another family from Minnesota with a couple of girls for some hiking and refreshing on the mountain. The Dutch girl is ever busy with the balance of the H family while we've begun our first official day at work! We even have the attractive name badges on the lanyards to prove it!

Amazing happening to report: Last night we enjoyed Popcorn, Cheese & Apples! This is a H family Sunday night tradition! What a celebration to have the chance to enjoy this important part of our family life here in the New Place. Dad has an idea that we'll make it a regular Sunday evening event and invite our neighbors to come over for the tradition!

This is a late shout out to my brother Ben who turned the big 3-0 on Saturday! Uncle Bunny, we were thinking of you and even sang to you here on the other side of the world...but had no internet access! Hope your day was great!

We're trying not to think about the fact that at the Old Place the fair has started. Our most favorite summer event there... :( Perhaps we'll be able to schedule our time at home next summer to correspond with a couple days of the festival...it's so strange to miss it. My guess is that this is only a tiny bit of what Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc will feel like.

It's been really hot here again...yesterday after we'd been on a hunt for an English gathering and failed we took a taxi to another place to shop and eat...we enjoyed a "Daddy funny" while on the way in the steaming hot taxi. Bub was sitting on Dad's lap and slightly slumped down on the floor with eyes sort of glazed over and ...Daddy said...

"Bub's core-temperature has reached a critical limit and his systems are on a safety shut-down."

All of our core temperatures are really up there...but...we're pressing on!