where HAVE I been, WHAT have I been doing, and did I say CHICKENS?*

When we last left my life, my vehicle had had a stroke, and it was really really HOT here in Tuvalu.
Okay, maybe you didn't know that last part - but that's because I don't blog the weather.

They gave me a gorgeous Volvo wagon, they did...
they were all here bb, it's got 4 miles on it and all the bells and whistles/bring it back whenever.
And, lo, it was a pleasure.
Who knew?

And there I was, sweating on tuesday morning, and bored.
I had played Monopoly with Middle -



it was so DAMN funny when this happened.
I can't even TELL you how hard we laughed.
And I don't remember WHY.

So I'll move on.

K's sister called and said: it's much cooler here! come and visit us! we'll swim in the river!
And so
I did.

I couldn't think of a reason not to, and so I packed up my things - grabbed the milk crate of medical equipment that we brought to camp and put Youngest in my loaned Volvo wagon.

We drove north to the mountains.
To the mountains where different Tuvalan tribes reside.
Even in the hot heat these tribes wear long black coats and hats, and the women cover their heads and arms and legs.
K's sister has purchased a bungalow there, in the mountains, on a rapid flowing cool river.
And Youngest and I went for a visit...



She lied about the weather though.
It was hotter than hell there.

But it didn't matter too much -
Youngest played with his cousins,



And I admired the decor.



She has amazing good taste, K's sister. I am continually in awe of her.



Ebay, yard sales, Ikea, and auctions - she has excellent skill at finding treasures.

The tiny corner kitchen is full of retro dishes and funky glassware...



There's a terrific bunk room for all manner of visiting children.



And it is transformed into tents and hideouts with a moment's notice.

Adult guests are made to feel very welcome too...



And look!
In the closet -



A case of Corona in the top -
a case of wine in the bottom...

Her closet?



That pink and white number? Oh, it's from Italy...



But it was VERY hot.
The dogs couldn't take it.
LOOK! a picture of a dog, on MY blog - who'd have thought?

And what did we do in the hot mountains?

Went to Walmart, saw cross dressers, ate babka, watched Project Runway and ate pizza, and took an absolutely heavenly canoe trip down the river.
The crystal clear, ice cold river.
Under beautiful clouds and bright sunshine.

We bought underwear too.
Behold the great underwear discrepancy -



Both size six.
Two different styles.
One? Far too large for my niece.
The other ? Far too small for me.
All?
Being given to charity.

It was quite tranquil there at the bungalow.



And we had a mighty hot time.

Here is a chicken. Holding a dish towel to keep out the heat.



And I will now go look at yours. (chickens)(because I love them)(but not in real life)

* I very nearly forgot my chicken story! A couple of years ago, I saw the most amazing chicken. It was a stuffed toy chicken. But it wasn't a toy. It was at Anthropologie, and it wasn't meant to be a toy at all. It was meant to be a foot warmer. It was very flat and plush and full of buckwheat husks and you were to put it in the microwave and warm it and then put it in your bed like you would a hot water bottle - and I loved it and wanted it it so...but when I tried to describe it to K, so that he could buy it for me for christmas, I laughed so hard that I cried and couldn't explain it at all. And it was gone the next time I went to the shop.
Plus it was $100 which was really rather ridiculous for something like a flattened, plush, buckwheat husk stuffed, not a toy, chicken.