Spit O' Chicken

Here's our friendly dinner relaxing in the spa, with Ben and his nephew thrown in...(I said pictures would be forthcoming!)
And here's the critter over the fire. He was yummy:

Christmas caroling

Every evening now, we have kids outside our gate, singing Christmas carols: We wish you a Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and others. Their goal? to get goodies after singing--they each get a piece of candy. Not a bad way to spend an evening...or 10 of them, as it would be. And they come in little groups, so you have 5 sets a night at least! Our dog has quit barking at them they are so frequent. It's good fun for them. And it's helping us get to bed earlier--as long as our lights are on, they come a'singing!

Right now, Ben's sister and family are visiting us. Ty is loving it up, as his cousins are a blast to play with. Ellie is learning the art of playing along with another almost-2 year old. They've had good fun making fishing rods, roasting one of our chickens over an open fire (pictures soon coming), and taking an adventure walk thru the mangrove swamp (with mud up to their waists!) and across the beach...

Cool stuff that happens part 2

A while back, I wrote about the budike (lizard) that fell in my boiling pot of noodles. I included a picture of a bigger lizard as a joke. Little did I know that I would have the opportunity to actually take a picture of a REAL one only a few weeks later.

This LARGE critter got into our chicken coup and ate one of our chickens. The other chickens, not finding their impending fate to their liking, rioted, forcing the door open and escaping while this 'bayawak' feasted on her prize. we heard the squawking and I came outside and quickly closed the door. Our new pet couldn't remember how she got in, so she was stuck. I called Ben to do the dirty work, and he came and caught her. She was 48 INCHES long from head to tail. Ty thought it was cool. Ellie was pretty impressed, too: "daddy killed BIG budike!"

Cool stuff that happens

This was in our sky a few days ago. It's the moon and two planets smiling down at us, right outside our front window. I hear we got the best view of it in our neck of the woods (aka, this side of the planet...) as it wasn't so easily seen stateside. It was something else tho. I look up at the stars at night when I miss the states, and it brought encouragement to my heart to see the sky smiling back at me. Thanks, Lord.

A day of Flying

For the last couple of weekdays, Ben has been flying missionaries and supplies into tribal locations. Sunday morning, we got a text asking if we could make an emergency medical flight on Monday. So, today Ben is up in the air.Here's Ben landing...and taking off

Boiled critter

Fulfilling a need to have tuna and noodles, which the rest of the family despises (and I use that term accurately), I put a pot of water on to boil. Once it was boiling, I added a bag of noodles to the pot. That's where all normalcy disappeared, for I saw this thing float to the top:

Okay, maybe that is exaggerating, I admit. Just for those of weak constitution, I put that in to soften the blow. This is what REALLY floated to the top:

Gross. Really gross. AND there were no more noodles to be had. I fished him out, but it was too late for the wee li'l lad.

back to the airplane

After the engine was changed, Ben flew her around and then brought her back for a check (checking the innards, as I like to say). Unfortunately, they had a bad cylinder, which meant, the plane needed a new one. Having good cylinders is really handy in flying. Ok, it's completely necessary. As the part comes from the states, that meant a slight delay in flying. When that part arrived and got held up in a customs check, that also meant for a slight longer delay. But, alas, the part was released from customs and is on the plane. The plane is flying again. The missionaries are going into the tribe today. Oh, happy day.

Ty also got into the spirit of things. He has learned a few essentials in parking the aiprlane:

Bamboo Squirt Guns

On a hot and balmy Saturday, after moving chunks of bamboo for hours, my husband employed one of his many talents and made a squirt gun out of bamboo; one, he says, like he and his brothers used to make growing up in the jungle. and it worked, very well. He only needed a rubber band, some cloth, a stick, and some bamboo. It works like a syringe. Ty played with it for hours.

Christmas Season

Here's some Filipino culture for you. The Philippines boasts the world's longest Christmas season. Beginning in September (the 'ber' months), one can begin to hear the sweet sounds "It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas" and "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" and, on occasion "the Night Santa Went Crazy" (by the esteemed Weird Al). The stores put out their decorations, all the while also having the other holiday decorations out (currently, the grocery store has a 'merry halloween' sign posted). This will build over the months, and in December, carolers hit the streets, singing house to house. Usually, they are rewarded with a few pesos or food. We often give candy to the kids who come. The season does not end until the first week of January, when they celebrate the 'Feast of the 3 Kings.'

You may ask, have you been sucked into the Christmas joy when it is merely October? I mean, after all, many back in the states get pretty feisty if those twinkly lights go up before Thanksgiving. I admit, I have. I have my twinkly lights up and even put up snowflakes. It's wishful thinking, but I think I feel a little cooler in this tropical heat when I look at my sparkly snowflakes...

A new picture

Working for a new family picture for a new card. Family picture means no Pez dispensers (sidenote: they didn't know you put candy in those things...). No pez dispensers means no smiles. Blast!

Why aren't you smiling, Ty? I want my buzz lightyear. Yes, the bean got her pez dispenser, after all, but the mood was already set. and her right hand: that's the 'don't tickle me, mom' movement. It didn't work either. Maybe next time we do this...in 2 or 3 years...

A change of engine

It's time for the old girl to get a new engine. That would be the airplane I'm speaking of. And since she is a part of the family (Ellie kisses her goodbye every time we leave), we thought we'd get a picture of the airplane in process.
Ben gets to work outdoors in the humidity and sun...
I get to work indoors, in the humidity....
During out trip to Manila, we got to go out with our friends :) and try fried fish. Literally, they are little fishies, fried to a crisp, bones, eyes and all! Scrumptious...if eaten with a lot of vinegar or ketchup. Okay, maybe their edible with a lot of ketchup. Scratch that, ketchup tastes okay with a little bit of the fishies.

At the Store

Standing in line the other day (it’s an art form here), listening to “joy to the world’ play over the loud speaker (because it is Christmas season after all), I noticed an unusual product for sale. It was called ‘placenta soap’. Guaranteed to stop the signs of aging. Yeah, yuck. But it sells. Then again, so do chicken guts and feet. Oh, and I was shopping in the meat section and came across a couple rows of foot long squids. Do you know how funny that looks? Squid on ice; yeah, yummy. And lest it become boring, I also noticed big golf ball sized fish eyes for sale…and this at the fancy grocery store, not the outdoor market, mind you. Put that in my soup, baby.

A breakdown of the month *SNORT*

We spent two weeks up in manila in August. Ty rediscovered his love of escalators and Ellie discovered the fantastic trick of keeping everyone up at night when you all sleep in the same room. We all got spend time with the missionary aviation personnel and meet a newly arrived pilot family.

Beginning during our time there, stuff started going haywire on us. First, our laptop kicked the bucket, completely and resolutely. When we got back to Palawan, we lost a motorbike tire to a long nail; our desk top was rendered unusable due to a worm infestation (hence no emails or updates); our bathroom sprung a gusher, or in other words, a sizeable leak; we've had a 5 or 6 brown outs (aka, black outs); and, my current favorite, the ring...

Of all the 10 fingers I have, a critter would choose my wedding ring finger to take a nibble at. And, of course, my finger doesn't like to be nibbled at, so it swelled up in protest. And I woke up to a finger so swollen I couldn't get the rings off. I had to get them cut off. I hear, on the brighter side of it all, that they are fully fixable. That makes me happy.

On the sunnier side of things, Ben has been flying a couple missionaries into the tribal locations and lots of cargo to go with them. In 'one more sleep' (kid time talk), we will all be flying in to visit some other missionaries, bringing in their food order and spending some time with them. That will be great!

Butterfly Garden

We took a trip to a butterfly garden a couple days ago. While not edge of your seat excitement for those over the age of 5, the kids sure enjoyed it! And what cutie-patootie kids they are!

the first week of august

There was another medical flight last saturday. Friday night, we were sitting on the couch, watching a movie, when a text came: A measles outbreak. One little 18 month old tribal girl had grown lethargic and needed medical care. Would we be willing to fly in on Saturday to get her? You BETCHA! So, Ben flew on Saturday, I manned the radio, and the kids? Let's just say that playing super heroes is the thing of the day:



...which included a little flying in our house...










Today, Ben is out flying again, this time returning the baby to her home (she is better now) and flying some missionaries out of their location. There is a (another!) tropical storm brewing to the north of us that has made for interesting weather here yesterday, but all clear today.


And throughout our days here, we hear a *chirp, chirp, chirp*. Like the cricket noises back in the states, I just tune them out. Not the Bean; every time she hears them, she yells out 'BooKee! its BooKee!" (translation: budike! Definition: a small lizard that chirps). If you grab their tails, they (the tails) fall off. Yeah, creepy. Doesn't seem to bother her. Apparently, she doesn't mind when they crawl on her either....

out and about

Last weekend, we went sight seeing with another family. We visited a memorial park built in honor of 143 American World War II POWs who were executed by the Japanese. The tunnels they built are still there and it was a shocking and disturbing event to learn about. It really brings history alive when you can see places that you hear/read about.





We also visited a local fishing village where the houses are built over the ocean water. One boy had fashioned his own boat--and was very good at getting around. We decided this was a single speed, manual transmission, creative edition. Very clever and he was having fun.




And one of our crew was mighty tuckered out after a big day of playing with a visiting missionary family. After not hearing the pitter patter and general exclamations from our wee little one, I meandered about the house to find that she just couldn't take another step before having a quick rest...

what we do...

Here's some highlights of the last couple flights Ben has been on:
Flying into one location proved to be a bit wet, as he sprayed his plane and the surrounding area with water (not to mention the missionary in the back seat...sorry about that...)





And on another day, he was able to bring in supplies to the missionaries (so they can EAT!). One trip to this location included a small happy redhead who got to fly along with his daddy and...








...go swimming!







And finally, whilst the boys of the house were up flying and out swimming, us ladies held down the fort and did the flight following:

The Rain and the Ants...

One of the kids favorite pasttimes is Play Doh! What is it about squishy stuff that makes a mess?

Last week, we had a typhoon (hurricane) move through the eastern Philippines. While it missed us, it did bring a lot of cooler weather and rain. We enjoyed playing in said rain. Little did I know the cultural mud puddle I was stepping into. I brought wee little Ellie inside, all dripping wet and only a little muddy, and my helper whisked her away in a hurry.

Why, I ask, are you stripping her down and putting her in to the tub, soaping her down and suds-ing her up?

Of course, she replied, you have to give them a bath after they play in the rain!

Why, I asked (Do I sound like I have the scourge of 3 year olds? 'Why' syndrome?).

They'll get sick if you don't! she says.

You learn someth'n every day, now don't ya?

Our motorbike is our form of transportation here. Here, Ben and Ty are headed to the hangar with Ben's sister on the back.

This morning at 6 am, while getting ready to go to the hangar and prepare for a today's flight, Ben discovered ants in his bike. The little beasts had formed an encampment somewhere inside for their new nest. Thankfully, we successfully dissuaded the ants from making it permanent. It's amazing what your Tagalog (the national language here) and a little Baygon can do...

10 Steps to Internet Installation

1. Go to the office. Ask about getting internet. They agree to come and check
2. Go home. In an ironic twist of fate, you lose cell phone connection and they are unable to call to verify address and come
3. Go back to office another day. Sign up for account so they can check for coverage
4. Go home. They come, crawl on your roof, up your tree, and tell you that you can either refund or build a 70 foot antenna (A WHAT!?)
5. Call to cancel order and ask for refund
6. Husband figures out how to build 80 foot antenna. Shimmies up tree like monkey and fastens it to tree at 20 foot, 40 foot, and 60 foot levels. Thank God for agile husband and safety harnesses
7. Go back to office. Sales lady remembers you by first name and asks where your very energetic baby is. Ask if it’s possible to renew. Find out it is not. Sign up for new account under husband’s name
8. Go home. Wait. They don’t come. Inform them you have 80 foot antenna. Spend entire day off waiting for them, finally leaving for an errand at dusk. While you are on the motorbike, they call to inform you they are at your gate ready to install. Rush home.
9. They install box at top of antenna. Play ornery tricks on them as they try to check for internet connection by unplugging their different cords (oops).
10. Enter information onto computer and watch that high speed go! Zoom, sputter, sputter, zoom…

Another Day Flying

We got to take a trip with Ben into one of the airstrips he's flying into. The kids really enjoyed it! It's a rare opportunity for the whole pilot family to go into the tribe, since I will be doing flight following. The ear muff things were way cool and the drone of the airplane made for some really nice naps!

Time to Fly

This is the runway that Ben is landing on today. It is one of the final airstrips he is learning about as we take over the flight program here on Palawan. I've been sitting beside the radio listening to the static and timely updates from him as he is flying.