Durian -- E.

 

There's so much to say about this tropical fruit.  I feel guilty, however, going on and on about a treat that many of you who read this may never get to taste this side of heaven.

So I won't.

Read what Wikipedia has to say about it instead.

Oh man, they're in season right now and I am happy.

House Tour: Before and After -- E.

There was a little bit of suspense when we moved into this house back in July: would it ever feel like home?  I find it gratifying to look back at how the house looked four months ago and see how it has changed.  Don't get your hopes too high -- this is no Extreme Makeover Home Edition -- but let me show you some of the changes we've made around here.

Then.  Not so bad out here really, but the grass needed some taming.

Now.  Pay special attention to our potted plant.  I love it.

Then.  The living room already had a little furniture in it, which was nice.

Now.  Real live people do even more for a place than the furniture, don't they?

The kitchen then.

The kitchen now.  (The big gray cupboard got moved to a different room.)

Wet kitchen then.  I don't know if the sheets of metal had been put up for
privacy or to keep out the rain, but Queena and I didn't care for them.

Wet kitchen now.  So now people can see us cook (and a little
rain does get in here at times), but we enjoy the light.

Then.  I did not think that most of that grunge was going to come off.

Now.  Not all the grunge came off, but most of it did.  I now find it
easier to believe that I'm getting clean in this shower.

Hey, by the way, it has been wonderful having some of Queena's family visiting us for the last couple of weeks.  Many readers of this blog have already found more details and pictures on PollythePatchworker's excellent blog -- if you don't follow Polly's xanga weblog, may I suggest that you begin today.

James' Tower

Flavor of the Month -- E.

I've been trying to convince myself that I like this . . .

. . . but after two weeks of yam ice cream in my freezer (most ice cream does not last that long in there), I have to admit it just doesn't taste good to me.  It's like a cold, creamy, purple yam.  And I don't like those very much.

In other food news, a friend brought us a durian -- it was our first local durian experience.  Durian is an amazing fruit (and also available as an ice cream flavor).  Unfortunately this one was overripe and not fit to eat.

You know, outside the realm of food, which is an ongoing adventure which I love every minute of, life is hard to describe in satisfying terms.  The house?  It's good.  The family?  We're all okay, but sometimes we get sick.  Language learning?  It's happening, and it makes us quite tired.  The weather?  Warm and rainy, of course.  And it makes us tired.  Here's our backyard under a nice rain shower last week.  I don't know if you can tell or not, but what is usually an alley has turned into a waterway in this photo.

And where are Dorie and James and Queena in all this?  That's a very good question.  Patience.  I wasn't going to draw attention to the fact, but I haven't blogged in a long time, and I'm just getting back into the swing of it.  Next time we'll have less ice cream and more humans, is that okay?

Kuching Food Festival -- E and Q

They say Malaysians are obsessed with food.  A blunt stereotype, perhaps, but it's an easy one to believe when you're at the annual Kuching Food Festival.  It ran for about a month this summer and just recently ended -- our family went for the final evening.

Queena said it reminded her of southern Delaware's Apple Scrapple Festival (I wouldn't know, because sadly I haven't been).  Only the culinary categories are more broad here in Kuching.  If it's food, it's welcome here.  Even if it's deep fried burgers, which may not really be a food, it's welcome here.

(We met some colleagues of ours and their two children.  I just want it clear to everybody that the boy next to Dorie in all these pictures is not a random stranger.)

It's the place to be.

Ribena syrup + Sprite = sweeter than regular soda

If you get lost, just follow the signs.

I think this is Dorie's first cotton candy ever.

And there were carnival rides!

Dorie flies around the world.