I have been determined for a while now to start writing
again, and you have no idea how good it feels to put these words on paper!
At the end of last semester I started being able to get some
more computer time for myself without the continuous interruption of the
toddler. However, I then had to spend all my newfound computer time working
over the summer. You see, my dear philosopher husband got accepted to no less
than three conferences over the summer, and his employer only pays for (most
of) one. Since we are already in a financial pickle most of the year (assistant
professors in the humanities here do not make enough to support a foreign family
of 6!) I had to step in.
As you can imagine, I’ve had more exciting summers. When I
didn’t work, or attempted to work with a demanding toddler by my side, I took
care of the house, kept a low key summer school going with the boys, and in
general tried not to spend any money. We went to the beach quite a bit, for an
hour or so almost every day; my little slice of paradise just a couple of minutes’
walk from our house. We also figured out how to make really awesome bagels,
something that is difficult to find here, which was detrimental to my weight,
but provided some diversion.
In sum, my summer consisted of three fairly dull but
financially necessary months.
Though. One noteworthy accomplishment in our household this
summer was the potty training of young master Max. Although he only just turned
two right before summer, he started using the potty quite successfully at his
own initiative, and was, within only a couple of weeks, fully potty trained. No
more diapers here! Not even at night. I can hardly believe it. We’ve been a
great sponsor of Pampers and Huggies for well over a decade now, and suddenly,
it’s over. Just like that. It feels great, a tiny little bit sad (our last
baby!), but mostly awesome. I am still waiting for my medal from the president
or something like that. Don’t they give mothers of four boys awards after four
successful potty trainings? If not, then they certainly should!
Our summer officially ended last week with our back to full
school, and I finished my last job for a little while on Thursday. It is still
summer weather here, of course, and we will keep going to the beach until it
closes at the end of this month, but the rhythm has changed, and I am turning
my attention to the boys – and myself – for a while. So here; to a new academic
year! May yours be as prosperous and wonderful as you hope, and may all our
notebooks be filled with exciting knowledge, adventures, and insights!
There’s a sand storm in Lebanon, and according to the news,
it’s so bad that people are being hospitalized or even dying. Here in Beirut
there’s sand but not a storm per se, since there’s no wind. It’s more like a
sand fog. The air is filled with dust, and the heat is concentrated within,
making outside venturing very unpleasant, at best. Yesterday, my weather
forecast told me it was “96 degrees, Feels Like 131.” I thought, “No way!”
until I went outside (I had to go get a book for August) – I have lived in the
Middle East for years now, and Egypt was pretty hot at times, but this was one
of the hottest days I’ve ever experienced. By the time I got to upper campus I
was soaked in sweat.
