Here's some of the fun stuff we did this past weekend. The kids got to enjoy a few days at the Crane's lake house swimming in the pool and the lake.
Last Thursday Nathan drove to DC to turn in our visa applications to the Cameroon Embassy, so the kids and I got out a scooter, a 2- wheeled bike and a 4- wheeled bike out of Grandpop's garage and made the mile long uphill trek to the community pool. We were so sweaty by the time we got there (it was very hot and humid), but it was worth it.
It started to rain after we'd been there for about 45 min and they made everyone get out of the pool, even though there was no thunder, and wait out the storm which fortunately only lasted about a half hour. The kids spent part of that time in the warm showers because the rain was kind of cold! I think the pool is preferred over the lake now, they especially like diving in the deep end and sliding down the water slide. Wow, when did my kids outgrow swimmy diapers and waterwings?
Then, this past Saturday we got tickets for the PA Renaissance Faire and went with my parents and my nephew Chase. I asked Boaz what he wanted to do for his birthday, suggesting monster trucks or a rodeo and he said that he really liked pirates.
When I looked up the Ren Faire, it just so happened to be Pirate Weekend and they had a few special things for the kids like learning how to sword fight and talk like a pirate as well as following a treasure map with clues to get some of the pirate booty at the end of the day...Aaaarr! Nathan really liked the falconry show (this owl was HUGE!) and it was
impressive to see the jousting tournament. I know it was staged, but it was still really cool and took alot of skill to do the things they were doing on horseback! Nathan got some good video and I'll see if he can post it...especially the guy who did a back flip starting from the horse's back and landing on the horse's back, while it was moving!!! Ew, and the guy that swallowed swords! It made me gag just to watch, but it was fascinating.
Nathan posted on Facebook about some of our final preparations for Cameroon, including a last trip to Taco Bell. It is our preferred fast food, even over McD's. I can't believe how many meximelts, soft tacos and been burritos Nathan and the kids can down. I can't even eat the salads (which are insanely expensive compaired to the rest of the menu) because they are served on fried flour tortillas, and I have a wheat gluten sensitivity...though I take my chances some times and suffer for it. Ooooh, I just googled Taco Bell and am looking at the allergen list (wow, no MSG) -- not much I can eat but rice & pintos! So, I pretty much watched them scarf down their last instant tacos, took some pictures and sipped a strawberry-mango frutista freeze. I was reminding the kids about the few times we went out to eat in Cameroon, and what it was like. We would receive a menu, study it for a while, then order. The waitress would come back in 2 minutes and say, "we don't have that", so we'd order again and get a reply of, "we don't have that either".
After about 4 tries, we finally ask what they do have and order accordingly. Next, we watch the waitress, armed with a market bag, leave the restaurant and return 10 minutes later. Then, after trying to keep the kids occupied for the next hour while the cook prepares the things they just bought at the market (still not sure why they claim to be "out" of certain menu items), and having long ago finished our drinks, our food arrives. It's usually pretty good, just beware of the fermented ketchup that's been sitting out unrefridgerated for a few weeks. Ah, we'll enjoy Cameroon but we'll miss the good hurt of Taco Bell.
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