We got our new dog, Cosmo (short for Cosmopolitan) on September 25 from a miniature poodle breeder at a farm near Brownstown. Cosmo was an early birthday present for Isaac. At first he was completely bashful, and would barely venture much past our feet to do anything. We even had to hold the bowls up for him to eat and drink. But after just a few days he became more confident and actually could be encouraged to go on short walks with us around the neighborhood, as long as he could still see our house. We even got him off to a good start with housebreaking, and as long as we go outside every 3 or so hours during the day, he does all his stuff outside. He was a good sleeper too -- the first couple of nights Isaac or I slept in the playroom with him, but after maybe four nights, he was able to sleep down there alone (the couch was lumpy for us). He never makes a peep during the night.
We had been trying to encourage him to go for longer walks with us, like maybe down the hill and perhaps going out of direct vision contact with our house. He would stop stock still at the end of our driveway and not budge. When we encouraged him out into the street, he would take three steps, look longingly back at our house, take another three steps, look longingly again back at our house, and this basically sums up the entire walk. After about a week, I mustered up an enormous amount of patience and somehow got him to go far enough that he couldn't see our house. At the point where I mentally decided to begin to turn back, he telepathically figured it out and began a powerhouse lunge in the correct direction home. When we arrived back in the driveway, he practically did somersaults head over tail he was so ecstatic. It was really embarrassing. Now at the beginning of every walk we always tell him that we will be allowed to return home at the end, just to get him to go, and he seems to understand.
He's a really good, usually calm and quiet dog. Right now we are working on basic puppy training, like reinforcing the housebreaking, helping him walk on the leash to the side while we walk just a step in front of him, and helping him realize that he is allowed to nip and chew on toys, but not on humans or clothes. I think he's lost a front bottom tooth, because he looks kind of snaggletoothed. All in all, I'm surprised by how much I like him.
We had been trying to encourage him to go for longer walks with us, like maybe down the hill and perhaps going out of direct vision contact with our house. He would stop stock still at the end of our driveway and not budge. When we encouraged him out into the street, he would take three steps, look longingly back at our house, take another three steps, look longingly again back at our house, and this basically sums up the entire walk. After about a week, I mustered up an enormous amount of patience and somehow got him to go far enough that he couldn't see our house. At the point where I mentally decided to begin to turn back, he telepathically figured it out and began a powerhouse lunge in the correct direction home. When we arrived back in the driveway, he practically did somersaults head over tail he was so ecstatic. It was really embarrassing. Now at the beginning of every walk we always tell him that we will be allowed to return home at the end, just to get him to go, and he seems to understand.
He's a really good, usually calm and quiet dog. Right now we are working on basic puppy training, like reinforcing the housebreaking, helping him walk on the leash to the side while we walk just a step in front of him, and helping him realize that he is allowed to nip and chew on toys, but not on humans or clothes. I think he's lost a front bottom tooth, because he looks kind of snaggletoothed. All in all, I'm surprised by how much I like him.
What could be better than a pasta skeleton? Ed is studying various parts and systems of the body. I am amazed at how well this came out. He even drew a really cute face on the biggest noodle, which made for a perfect natural looking nose. Ed is having the greatest time at school and his transition back from China was effortless. He likes to be busy and enjoys all the challenging works.
They split their earnings: $3.50.
We had a great birthday celebration for Brian. He had a few friends over and we took them rock climbing at an indoor facility. Both Brian and Ed really had a good time and we're planning on going again as a whole family. The kids had a sleepover and it was a lot of fun.
For quite awhile, Brian (and Ed) have been talking up the idea of making a treehouse in our backyard. Unfortunately, our backyard has no suitable trees, so the idea was downgraded overtime to that of a simple clubhouse. They both went to the library and took books out that described clubhouse designs, and some of them were quite fantastical -- they depicted treehouse in Tahiti, forest houses in the south of France, tiny gnome houses on the moors, etc. Brian began sketching exactly what he wanted, and making supply lists, and basically nagging the hell out of us. Over a two month period he drummed up enough enthusiasm (or made a sufficient nuisance of himself) to cause us to promise that ground would be broken so that his design could be erected prior to his birthday.
His sketches were definitely inspired by those over the top library books. He made aerial views, views from inside, views from outside, views involving how the nails would be hammered in, and cross-sections. His sophisticated ideas were kind of dwarfed becuase we are just about the most unskilled contractors you could hire. We worked on the weekends and weeknights until the structure was indeed finished and painted to his satisfaction. The roof was the hardest part -- we ended up crossing pvc piping over the top and then staplegunning heavy tarp-material over the whole thing. Our area has been subject to quite a few deluges since its erection, but the building so far has remained dry inside. All in all I think the project was a success.
They do go out there quite a bit to play -- they usually build legos inside or draw. One day they both ran home from school and decided to go out there even though it was pouring down rain. They changed into their rain boots and got their umbrellas out, and walked the few steps to the front door. The problem was how to take their boots off and shelter them with their umbrellas while they were inside -- the didn't want to track the rain and mud inside. It was funny to watch them logistically figure this puzzle out, but they were successful and they stayed in there for about an hour drawing up designs for their next creation -- a rocket!
His sketches were definitely inspired by those over the top library books. He made aerial views, views from inside, views from outside, views involving how the nails would be hammered in, and cross-sections. His sophisticated ideas were kind of dwarfed becuase we are just about the most unskilled contractors you could hire. We worked on the weekends and weeknights until the structure was indeed finished and painted to his satisfaction. The roof was the hardest part -- we ended up crossing pvc piping over the top and then staplegunning heavy tarp-material over the whole thing. Our area has been subject to quite a few deluges since its erection, but the building so far has remained dry inside. All in all I think the project was a success.
They do go out there quite a bit to play -- they usually build legos inside or draw. One day they both ran home from school and decided to go out there even though it was pouring down rain. They changed into their rain boots and got their umbrellas out, and walked the few steps to the front door. The problem was how to take their boots off and shelter them with their umbrellas while they were inside -- the didn't want to track the rain and mud inside. It was funny to watch them logistically figure this puzzle out, but they were successful and they stayed in there for about an hour drawing up designs for their next creation -- a rocket!
The lychee season was heralded for us by Sherry in Yangshuo -- she noticed they were being sold by the side of the road. When we got back to Beijing, we noticed them in the fruit stalls there too. Isaac loves lychees and thinks the fresh ones are way better than the canned. Ed likes them too. You easily peel off the rough outer skin and carefully eat the white fruit that surrounds the center sour pit.
This is the last week of school for the guys, and I know that they will miss riding the bus to school (at least Brian will).
We recently visited Fragrant Hills Park, which are on the northwest side of town. We used to live near this part of town ten years ago, and it really looked quite the same as it did then. We lucked out this time on visiting on quite a beautiful day -- the sky was semi-clear and it was cool. When Scott lived in Taiwan in 1989-90, he received so much support and help from this really sweet family who were relatives of one of Scott's mom's coworkers. They really went above and beyond the call of duty to help him out when he was there, and be such good friends. At the time their two kids were 10 and 7. Well, we met up with the "little boy" who is now 25 and doing an internship in Beijing, and Ed and Brian really liked him. He is also such a sweet guy and we hope that we get to see him again when he attends graduate school in the US.
We climbed to the top of Incense-Burner Peak and enjoyed a not so clear view of the surrounding hillsides. Actually I should be more accurate. Brian and I only climbed halfway up becuase Brian had been on a sleepover the night before, and he was really tired. We huffed and puffed halfway up and then sat and read a book together while the others continued the climb. (Incidentally, the book was entitled, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid.") Ed climbed the whole way up, and he was proud to note that there were 2,300 steps involved. No one had to carry him or really help him, except that Scott held his hand on the way down because it was so steep. He looks so proud in the last photo above.
After the climb up the hill, we enjoyed a dinner of Yunnan hotpot. The highlight of the meal was the massage that they gave afterwards. I have never eaten anyplace where the piece de resistance is a massage, but no one was complaining. Here are some pictures to document that part of the meal.
We climbed to the top of Incense-Burner Peak and enjoyed a not so clear view of the surrounding hillsides. Actually I should be more accurate. Brian and I only climbed halfway up becuase Brian had been on a sleepover the night before, and he was really tired. We huffed and puffed halfway up and then sat and read a book together while the others continued the climb. (Incidentally, the book was entitled, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid.") Ed climbed the whole way up, and he was proud to note that there were 2,300 steps involved. No one had to carry him or really help him, except that Scott held his hand on the way down because it was so steep. He looks so proud in the last photo above.
After the climb up the hill, we enjoyed a dinner of Yunnan hotpot. The highlight of the meal was the massage that they gave afterwards. I have never eaten anyplace where the piece de resistance is a massage, but no one was complaining. Here are some pictures to document that part of the meal.
This is what Ed's watermelon plant(s) look like now. We gave it to a friend in town who has a courtyard house. We were very sad to see this plant go, but Ed is hopeful that they can get a gigantic watermelon growing on it before the summer is over.
