Again, May?

Last May we had many Fortunately, Unfortunately days. This week has repeated the pattern... I hope it doesn't continue!

Unfortunately, the washer died during our busy hosting time - it wouldn't stop filling with water and move on to the washing bit.  So with guests coming and going, I had to slosh the loads around in the machine manually to wash and rinse, and then force the spins cycle. 

Fortunately, it is still under warranty and we were able to get a technician to come and he knew what was wrong.

Unfortunately, he had no parts and went away with a promise of return when he had parts. We haven't heard from him in over a week now.

Fortunately, Dad's back now and can chase him down for us.

Unfortunately, it has rained constantly this last week, messing with our transportation and routines. For example, on Wednesday we have an afterschool activity at Dalat, then Chinese classes for Aiden and Grace, then Mom's class in the evening. We usually bike - nice and simple. With rain... not so simple!

Fortunately, we were able to call on friends to get rides to Dalat.

Unfortunately, we didn't plan it out well and didn't have time to bike or bus to Chinese.

Fortunately, we could use Grab (Asia's Uber)

Unfortunately, in all the changing plans and vehicles, mom lost her bag with her Chinese books and journal. She thought maybe it was in with the kids' books (we'd double bagged them with plastic bags because of the rain).

Fortunately, Mom had to shop for Grace's party anyway, so it wasn't lost time waiting for the kids' to finish their class.

Unfortunately, we didn't find the bag in the easy places we looked.

Fortunately, Grab has a channel for finding lost things.

Unfortunately, when Mom called, the phone kept dropping the calls, so it took way longer than necessary to finish the process. This during the morning of Grace's party and trying to prepare the food!

Fortunately, with perseverance, the job got done and the bag was found!

Unfortunately, the driver lives far away and so we had to pay for him to return it to us.

Fortunately, the planned power outage of the morning didn't start on time, so some school got done.

Unfortunately, it did still happen before Mom got all the food prepared.

Fortunately, it was much shorter than scheduled so she didn't have to do everything by hand.

Unfortunately, the blender decided to give up working - the ball bearing case cracked and leaked balls everywhere!

Fortunately, Mom was done with the blender enough to not need it for party food preparation anymore.

Unfortunately, the same power outage fritzed Mom's computer and it wouldn't turn on again. 

Fortunately, leaving it alone for awhile worked wonders, and it turned on again last night.

Unfortunately, It only booted in safe mode and wasn't actually useable.

Fortunately, Dad was able to find a solution and resurrect the computer that has "died" at least 3 times now!

Unfortunately, we discovered the less-than-a-year-old blender's bearings is not applicable for warranty servicing! And since we bought it in the States, it would be difficult to buy a part.

Fortunately, we have managed to find a seller of the necessary parts here in Asia.

Unfortunately, we are out of a blender for at least a month while we wait for it to arrive.

Fortunately, we had a great birthday party for Grace turning 13 despite the rain, the hassles, the breakdowns, and the stresses!

May Begun

We have a tree just outside our windows that prove very emphatically April showers bring May flowers!  Our home is very often wonderfully filled with sweet blossom smell these days. Yeay for May!

After two and a half weeks of super busy living with in-house guests and Easter extras, May was supposed to slow down and get us back to normal. But, Dad left on the first for Melaka for a week of classes, and every day seems to have something extra in it so far, with, of course, the complicating factor of Grace coming down sick...

Wednesdays are our busy days anyway: a full morning of piano, violin, and voice lessons on top of our usual school; and an afternoon of extracurricular activities at Dalat and then on to Chinese classes for Grace, Aiden, and Mom. No room for any extras there. But, it is Labor Day here, and so there were no afternoon activities. Instead, we went to Tesco for supper and to buy some soil to fill the plant pots we've been given and to dream about what to plant. What with arriving home at bedtime for Aiden, and a nighttime call from Dad, Mom didn't get her earlier bedtime.

Thursday we had an earlier start to catch Imma on Skype before our school time/her bedtime. And impromptu we spent the evening on the beach with friends, getting home later than expected because we waited for two buses that went by out of service. We gave up waiting and got a rideshare car that we shared with another lady who was waiting for the bus too. This put us later to bed, and Dad called Mom with a last minute request that kept her up late again.

Friday the kids got to sleep in and a later than usual school day and, because Grace's fight against the sickness was wavering, she missed both her Malay and Chinese classes. Mom and Aiden still went to Chinese class though. Grace still wanted to go to the songwriters' workshop that evening, so it was another late night out.

AND, it was so good she wanted to go to the rest of it this morning so no sleep in for Grace or Mom. We got home about 2pm, made and ate lunch (!), and decided that it would be a good day not to go to afternoon Youth Group as we also have a friend's play to go to tonight that we have tickets for. So, here is coming another late night!

Tomorrow is Grace's birthday, but we aren't going to celebrate it until Thursday after Dad is home again.  It being Sunday, it will be another early morning and nearly full day out... but hopefully, an early bedtime will be possible!

Monday also cannot have a sleep in because it starts with an early morning trip to the market for the week's food. But hopefully again, an early bedtime will be possible. It won't be an empty day though, as we have to begin preparing for Grace's birthday on Thursday - as Dad will be home on Wednesday (a busy day anyway), we won't get the preparations done that day.

Tuesday has the vague possibility of being a normal, easy, relaxing day - but another late night as Dad gets home sometime between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Wednesday is the usual full day of classes, and then Thursday is Jasmin to the orthodontist in the morning and Grace's party in the afternoon! An extra special one since she is turning 13. And that will be another post :o)