I don't know exactly how to explain it, but it's difficult to feel 'normal' here. From being stared at and laughed at to the food to our house- across the board, life is 100% different. There are some days you just want something as normal as a sandwich... but that takes so much preparation that it's not worth it when you finally get to eat it.
When we came here, we were aware of things that we'd be giving up-- but I had no idea we'd feel like such a fish out of water doing it. This is definitely not a complaint- I welcome the experience... this just becomes a complaint when it's been a while since we've 'gotten away from it all'. Our ways of 'getting away from it all' would be fishing or swimming or walking around the mall. But doing any of those things here are more stress because of all the attention we get. To really have any privacy we have to stay home.
BUT, we needed to get back to our country roots and celebrate the summer the way it was meant to be celebrated: at the lake! We took our chances that it wouldn't be crowded on a Thursday, and packed a good old fashioned picnic: potato salad, chicken salad, fruit salad and of course SWEET TEA.
We hiked 40 minutes through a corn field and then tried our best not to be seen while putting down the picnic blanket. (last time we tried this, 5 curious chinese kids came to unashamedly stare at us and would NOT go away)
We successfully flew under the radar and had an amazing three or four hours before we hiked back home with our two dogs in tow.
That's right- I said two dogs! We've just inherited Kimi from a foreigner who has to go back home to Columbia. She's ours for now, but we're not sure if she will be part of the family forever.
Adrian and Kimi couldn't be more different. Adrian is athletic and undeterred by cars, ditches or other animals. Kimi balked at every stream we crossed, every bee that buzzed by and any farmers we came across on the way. Adrian recklessly bounded free from her leash though the countryside- and sometimes lept into what she thought was tall grass, but was actually a rice patty. She didn't freak out at all- she just swam her way out and kept leaping like an antelope. Not even falling in a deep ditch with briars slowed her down!Kimi, on the other hand, patiently plodded along behind me on the leash. When we arrived, she just sprawled out beside me on the blanket and was content to have her belly rubbed while Adrian, who had energy to spare, chased the bumblebees.
All this fluffy hair is gone now. I like to take the dogs outside every day for a good romp, and yesterday during our 40 minute hike to and from the lake, Kimi was hot as lava and I was afraid she was going to have a stroke. So when we got home I clipped her hair short and gave her a cool bath- she was still steaming hot so I put her in front of the fan where she promptly fell asleep.
Chasing those bumblebees.
And here's the redneck part of it all!! We made our own bamboo fishing poles and then sat back under the umbrellas (that Scott cleverly taped to the chair and cooler) and watched the carp come eat the bread off our hooks!
- you can see how narrow it is and you can also see the deep ditch on the right side. Let me brag on my husband for a second! Knowing that it was a 40 minute walk to and from, he carried all the stuff: the cooler, the drinks, the chair and umbrellas and the blanket and fishing gear! All I carried was the the net and a bag with the camera. I felt very princess-y.
Yes the shirt I'm wearing is my pajama top. Don't judge me it's comfortable and still fits over my belly!
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