Category: Thoughts

Splish-Splash

Posted by on November 17, 2009 in Thoughts

We spent last weekend at a Rugby tourney in Amherst, MA. I’ve been helping out as an assistant coach with the Brown Women’s University Rugby team, not that they need my help since they’ve qualified for the USA Rugby Championship’s Sweet 16 for the 4th consecutive year. The two days of the tourney were a study in contrasts.

Saturday was just about the most miserable day with torrential rain, standing puddles and mud everywhere. But the Brown women played great coming from behind to score 26 points in the final 15 minutes to win the game and qualify for the championships. Sunday’s weather was beautiful – sunny and warm. But the Brown women lost to Army for the second time this fall.

Catherine and Li Li wisely chose to only attend the Sunday match. Here are two pictures from this weekend. The first is one of the the Brown Women scrumming down against the UMass Amherst women’s team on Saturday. You can see the rain, mud and the umbrellas in background. The next picture is of Li Li enjoying sunny 65 degree weather on Sunday.

The Brown women played great in miserable conditions.
The Brown women played great in miserable conditions.

Not the nicest weather but it’s those bad weather games that you remember, especially if you win them.

Li Li had a great time playing with her new friend Macy in the large puddles.

Li Li had a great time playing with her new friend Macy in the large puddles.

Li Li had a great time hanging out with the Rugby team. Saturday night she rode the bus to dinner with the team and immediately chose several players to be her new best buddies. They were incredibly nice and patient with her. She also enjoyed breakfast with the team as they all fawned over her. She’s cute and she now knows it. In fact after meeting the team for the team for the first time she came home and said to Catherine – “they tell me I’m cute”. And well she is.
Catherine’s interest in Rugby could only be charitably described as minimal, but she gamely drove out to the game on Sunday and watched the match with Li Li after a stop at the Yankee Candle Flagship store (who knew there was such a thing, and that is was packed at 10am on a Sunday). Given how poorly the game went for Brown I think Catherine wisely chose to watch Li Li play with her new friend, Macy, and not pay a lot of attention to the game. The calendar may have read November, but it felt a lot more like May. -t
,

Bike ride to Bristol

Posted by on November 9, 2009 in Thoughts

Today we were blessed with yet another unusually warm fall day. So Li Li and I took advantage by riding the bike out to Bristol, RI and back. It’s 32 miles round-trip and we normally spot all of the usual animal suspects. Today was no different although we missed seeing a turtle – we think they are already hibernating for winter.

We are good if busy. I’m still looking for work but hopefully things will pick up soon. Li Li is doing and saying new things every day. We’ll add more to the blog soon. -t

Li Li is bundled up in her seat on the bicyle as we rode along the East Bay bike path.

Li Li is bundled up in her seat on the bicyle as we rode along the East Bay bike path.

 

Swans are abundant along the bike path as our most other waterfowl.

Swans are abundant along the bike path as our most other waterfowl.

A Change is gonna come

Posted by on October 9, 2009 in Thoughts

After 2 1/2 years of rock solid consistency Li Li’s daycare situation is changing. The family that takes care of Li Li has bought a house about 30 minutes away and will be moving at the end of the month. We couldn’t have asked for a better situation for Li Li and we’ll be sad to see them go but we’ll have playdates in the future and will remain in contact with them after they move.

Li Li, Xi Xi and Nai Nai playing outside recently.

Li Li, Xi Xi and Nai Nai playing outside recently.

Li Li has not only been taken care of by a loving family and had the chance to grow up with a brother and older sister but she’s also gotten the full Chinese grandmother experience. Nai nai – the Chinese word for the father’s mother – treats Li Li exactly as she treats Xi Xi (or Anthony). So even though Li Li has been feeding herself at the table since she was a year old Nai Nai still feeds her herself. Li Li seems to tolerate it just fine but it’s interesting how different cultures treat their children. She’s also gotten used to her Chinese breakfast each morning – sometimes its buns, sometimes dumplings and sometimes a savory pancake or crepe like dish. And if we were lucky we usually got a little taste as well. Catherine and I considered “getting Chinese breakfast” a highlight of our day.  For Li Li it was normal.

Lei, Xi Xi and Fiona’s mother, went to China this summer for 3 months with Xi Xi and Fiona leaving Li Li with just Nai Nai who speaks no English. This made communicating a challenge to say the least. But through my limited Chinese, pantomime and repetition we managed to do just fine. Plus Li Li is beginning to do some translation for Nai Nai if we are there and don’t understand. If something complex needed to be conveyed Nai Nai would pick up the phone and call her son Yanchun, Xi Xi and Fiona’s father, who would translate for me. It worked out pretty well. Plus it gave Li Li a completely full immersion experience since Nai Nai can’t speak English at all.

The Chinese community here in RI has been very welcoming and we have quickly found a new family to take of Li Li who have a very cute 2 1/2 year son so Li Li will learn a little something of what it is like to be the Jie Jie, or older sister. While are sad to see Lei, Yanchun, Fiona, Xi Xi and Nai Nai move away, we are thankful for our time together and for their love of Li Li. We are also excited for the opportunity to get to know a new family and for Li Li to get a chance to continue learning Chinese in a loving home.  -t

Bike Ride to Bristol

Posted by on September 28, 2009 in Thoughts

Warm sunny days in late September in New England are rare enough that one must take advantage of them. So today Li Li and I hopped on the bike and rode to Bristol, RI for lunch. We had a very nice ride there with many bird sightings: egrets, herons, swans, gulls, cormorants, ducks and pigeons. Not too mention a lighthouse, boats and big waves.

Li Li enjoyed looking at the water and the boats in Bristol harbor.

Li Li enjoyed looking at the water and the boats in Bristol harbor.

32 miles roundtrip and a fun day was had by all. -t

,