Saturday morning.....a time for University students to sleep in, right?
Nope! Several of the students, who are committed to the "beautification" of the roof top, asked us to join them to find some plants. Our daughter Kim moved to a farm last year and with her family spent many months clearing the poison ivy and weeds from an overgrown farm. When she heard of the boys plan, she wrote...."Mom, our family would like to help a little with the project". We told Vuthea. The next thing we knew....can we go plant shopping tomorrow morning at 7??
Five of us headed off in a tuk tuk and a motorbike waaaaaay across town til we found the area where flowers and plants were sold. A few months ago, Lynn's 1992 prism breathed its last gas fume while we were in Atlanta and we had to buy a car for our return trip. May I say, that we took less time to buy the Kia than it did to buy those plants.....???!!! :)
They knew the money was a gift, but we did more comparison shopping than you could imagine! Grandma, this plant is 2000 Real cheaper in town, we can do better! ( 1000 Real = $.25)
But we finally had a beautiful selection. Even though there was more in their budget, they had purchased CAREFULLY, ONLY what was on their dream "list" and nothing more!!! We headed home with 3 orchids, a water lily, and about 6 other plants after 4 hours of flower shopping. They were ecstatic.
Sanitation.....After a quick lunch I decided to bake and THANKFULLY went into Jessica's little kitchen to make some muffins for the students. She was away....but I turned to hear a sloshing sound behind me. The bathroom had a little muddy yucky waterfall coming over the step from her bathroom. I called Lynn to help pick up boxes, only to find that all four bathrooms had also backed up and were overflowing. Did I mention YUCK???? I went to the dorm and called for reinforcements! Students came like a shot....and we all spent the next hour or so mopping up and cleaning. Narano took me on his motor bike to a special market and we got a gallon of Drano and some bleach for "maybe" some disinfecting??
(sorry...too busy at that point to think about photos, OR scratch and sniffs)
Relaxation- Saturday night and we decided to divide ourselves....
Liverpool was playing Manchester United in a BIG soccer match, so Lynn stayed with a bunch of the guys for a mini super bowl party and I went off with about 40 on motorbikes to do bumper cars!! Followed by a trip to the Dancing Water Fountains. I have to tell you that those kids have fun. At the fountain, which is similar to the ones in Atlanta and Chicago where the lights change color, and " dance to music" we enjoyed the beauty of it all, and then the kids played a game which seemed to me like a cross between tag and duck duck goose....with 40 kids under the stars in a great setting!
We continue to feel honored that they want "grandpa and grandma" included in every activity that they do, but then we were reminded again last night....most of these students lost their grandparents with the Kymer Rouge Killing fields.....so the words Grandma or Grandpa has not crossed many of their lips........be still my heart.
Nope! Several of the students, who are committed to the "beautification" of the roof top, asked us to join them to find some plants. Our daughter Kim moved to a farm last year and with her family spent many months clearing the poison ivy and weeds from an overgrown farm. When she heard of the boys plan, she wrote...."Mom, our family would like to help a little with the project". We told Vuthea. The next thing we knew....can we go plant shopping tomorrow morning at 7??
Five of us headed off in a tuk tuk and a motorbike waaaaaay across town til we found the area where flowers and plants were sold. A few months ago, Lynn's 1992 prism breathed its last gas fume while we were in Atlanta and we had to buy a car for our return trip. May I say, that we took less time to buy the Kia than it did to buy those plants.....???!!! :)
But we finally had a beautiful selection. Even though there was more in their budget, they had purchased CAREFULLY, ONLY what was on their dream "list" and nothing more!!! We headed home with 3 orchids, a water lily, and about 6 other plants after 4 hours of flower shopping. They were ecstatic.
Sanitation.....After a quick lunch I decided to bake and THANKFULLY went into Jessica's little kitchen to make some muffins for the students. She was away....but I turned to hear a sloshing sound behind me. The bathroom had a little muddy yucky waterfall coming over the step from her bathroom. I called Lynn to help pick up boxes, only to find that all four bathrooms had also backed up and were overflowing. Did I mention YUCK???? I went to the dorm and called for reinforcements! Students came like a shot....and we all spent the next hour or so mopping up and cleaning. Narano took me on his motor bike to a special market and we got a gallon of Drano and some bleach for "maybe" some disinfecting??
(sorry...too busy at that point to think about photos, OR scratch and sniffs)
Relaxation- Saturday night and we decided to divide ourselves....
Liverpool was playing Manchester United in a BIG soccer match, so Lynn stayed with a bunch of the guys for a mini super bowl party and I went off with about 40 on motorbikes to do bumper cars!! Followed by a trip to the Dancing Water Fountains. I have to tell you that those kids have fun. At the fountain, which is similar to the ones in Atlanta and Chicago where the lights change color, and " dance to music" we enjoyed the beauty of it all, and then the kids played a game which seemed to me like a cross between tag and duck duck goose....with 40 kids under the stars in a great setting!
We continue to feel honored that they want "grandpa and grandma" included in every activity that they do, but then we were reminded again last night....most of these students lost their grandparents with the Kymer Rouge Killing fields.....so the words Grandma or Grandpa has not crossed many of their lips........be still my heart.
NO scratch & sniff?!? You ARE a great blogger, I must say! Taking their time & putting such thought into carefully spending the gift money Kim sent is a reminder of how we should all be. The choices they made are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBeing "grandma & grandpa" to so many who have none....what an honor! And visa versa! :)
Xoxo