Brooke Graham

2004-04-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

We just finished Easter break. Kelly and I both had the week off. (Charmed life of teachers.) We spent most of it cleaning out our storage room and closets, trying to make room for baby stuff. We went to Calgary for three days and spent time with Greg, Heather and their 7 month old little boy Kieran. Kieran is precious. He started saying "dada" this weekend. His Mom and Dad were thrilled. Spending time with them really made Kelly and I excited about our own little family to be. I'm almost 28 weeks....beginning of the third trimester.

2004-04-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

Since we've been home I've been so irritated with life in Saskatchewan! Stupid weather. Stupid government. Stupid taxes. Stupid drivers. Stupid no money in my pockets. The list goes on.
Kelly and I were driving down our pot-hole laden street when he reminded me of our "theme" of a few years ago, before we took off to the Dominican. We claimed this verse and tried to recall it everyday throughout some dull days: "This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it". I haven't considered that verse for a long time. Today he reminded me of it and it was like a light went on in my head. I wonder when was the last time I was mindful that each day is a gift.
I have wished away so many days this year. I was very sick for the first 3 months of pregnancy....I'm sure I wished away every one of those days in hopes that the next day would be better. I look at the school calendar and find myself wishing those days away because by the time they are through our little baby will be here. It's been a very long time since I last rejoiced and was glad that this is the day that Lord has given me. That's not to say I've been totally miserable since we've been home...I just haven't been mindful of the gift of a new day and was simply glad in it. I'm very glad Kelly reminded of that verse today.

2003-06-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

We've been back in Saskatoon for just over a week. It's the best. We left for a couple days to go to Calgary for Greg's baptism. It was just awesome. Greg stood up wearing an Oilers t-shirt (in front of the whole Calgarian congregation) and said he wanted to get baptised an Oilers fan. Someone hollered out "hold 'em under!" and it was real funny because of course the guy was only joshing around. Greg gave his testimony, and we bawled our heads off. It was really touching. Greg and Heather are doing great and it is such an exciting time in our friends lives. Life is so hard so often, it's so nice when the storm subsides for awhile and the sun shines in. It's really shining on them right now and you can't help but be thankful and happy for them. They're going to have their first baby in September.
I'm debating whether or not I'll keep on blogging. Summer time is just too good to spend anytime in front of a computer. Plus my thoughts just hum along and I find it difficult to make sense of them and then put 'em on a blog. Today I will write my favorite books of the past year and I hope you'll read them....

#3 In The Time Of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
#2 My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
#1 The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Tune in next week (or the week after, depending on my ambitiousness) for my favorite recipes. But maybe I'll do like my Grandma Sadie does and not give ya every single ingredient so that if you try to make it, it won't taste just like mine. Nah, I won't do that. I'll tell the whole thing. I really will.

2003-06-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

I'm alone at the beach today. I think I'll be just fine. I have a great book, a big jug of water and just down the lane there's a great bakery I can go to when I want a coffee. If anyone comes looking for me, I'll be under a palm tree by the ocean. I'll just fit in with all the other random tourists here on a week vacation. Except I'm not sunburnt and I don't have my hair braided all over my head with the beads dangling on the ends. Oh that is just goofy looking. I don't know what comes over people. Each to their own I guess.
Kelly had to go back to Santiago to tie up some loose ends and pick up his last pay cheques. I'm glad I don't have to go back there. But he should be back here before supper time if all goes smoothly. Ya just never know in this place do you.
Amy sent us two lottery tickets in the mail this week, I scratched 'em and we lost. I think it's because we scratched them here. If we would've waited 'til we were in Canada I bet we would've won a hundred bucks or something. I'm joshing around, but I do think there's a curse on this island of some sorts. I really do. Not because we didn't win on those lottery tickets, just because of other random acts of badness. But I don't care about those things now. We are just focusing on the good stuff, enjoying our last week at the beach and time with people we won't see again for a long time. We leave not tomorrow but the next day. Oh boy.

2003-06-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

All we've done today is sit out in the sunshine and laugh. But Kelly is real tired and he needs to catch up on some sleep, so he's having a nap at the beach house right now. His face is hurting because he wore some bad sunscreen yesterday and caught the burn. He must've been allergic because this morning his eyes were swollen and I say he looks like a fetus. He says he does not. I got him some antihisthamine from the store and his face is getting back to normal. So that's nice.
I came here to check the e-mails. I got a real nice one from my Grandma and Grandpa. I'm so excited to see them. I love to go to the Farmer's market with my Grandma. We eat perogies and drink the ice cold lemonade. One time there was a Saskatoon berry theme day or something and there were pies galore, so we got into that. Oh boy. I am looking forward to that a lot.
It is my birthday on June 17th. Just incase you wanted to know.

2003-06-07T11:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a day of closure and conclusion. I was so proud of Kelly. He organized and put on the entire senior graduation and it was incredible. He was the keynote speaker and when he got up to speak the kids just burst out in applause. They love him so much and his influence in their lives has been, and I'm sure will continue to be, remarkable. Everyone who sat and listened to Kelly speak last night knew that he is a man of integrity, compassion and amazing talent. I watched from the back with my eyes just brimming with tears the whole time. I was really just so proud of him.
We sat out on our balcony for the last time this morning. With a hot cup of coffee, looking up at the palm trees and smelling the fresh damp smells from the nice rain we had late last night, we just talked for a while about the yesterday and the year gone by. I think we really shook things up around here. Thanks be to God, Marty Murphy and his family are going back to the States and the chairman of the board resigned this week. A huge boob-reduction has taken place at SCS this week. And I like to think that it comes as a result of standing up for the truth and standing against lies and cowardice, even if no one else is standing up.
So our mission here is done folks. We have fought hard and I hope we've done well.
Now we're at the beach, and we'll be here all week. Kelly has to go back to the school on Monday to pick up his last cheque, but I think I'll stay here at the beach. We'll have access to e-mails again so if you want to drop us a line we'd love to hear from you. Otherwise, we'll be home very soon and we'll catch up then. Hasta luego!

2003-05-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Today, May 28th, it is officially two weeks until we step foot on our first plane out of here. It'll be a long enough journey home. Our first stop is Newark, New Jersey where we'll stay over night and catch our connecting flight to Toronto. We have about 7 or 8 hours lay over in Toronto which is alright because we're going to hook up with our wonderful friend Michelle Stanley (who lives here in the Dominican Republic but is originally from Canada) and tour around TO for the day. We fly from Toronto to Calgary and get there about 10 o'clock at night. We'll spend the night with Heather and Greg; and then, this is the best thing of all, we'll have our first Canadian breakfast with them the next morning. Bacon, eggs, non-stop coffee...ordering in english! I can hardly wait.
On June 13th, we'll be back in Saskatoon. I can hardly even stand the thought of it because it makes me so excited and happy. I don't know how I'll react once we are walking on SK ground again....I might just stand there with a huge smile, tears streaming down my face.....or else I might just give the ol' Gretzky where ya curl your arm up and rock your elbow back and forth.

2003-05-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Kelly was talking on the phone and I was making a salad in the kitchen when all of a sudden there is the most awful loud screaming outside our window. At first I thought it was a kid but then I couldn't figure out if it was even human, so I went out on our balcony to look. It was two guys wrestling a pig trying to bind him up in a sack. This pig was just squeeling and fighting so hard. I yelled down there for them to cut it out. Then I yelled to Ramon to ask him what was going on. He made a stabbing his throat motion with his hands meaning they're gonna kill the pig. The men got the pig all bound up and they threw him by the bushes and left him alone for a minute. Well I saw my opportunity and before anyone knew it, I was out the door and trying to untie that pig and set him free. Oh he stunk to high heaven. Ramon was fighting with me and telling me I couldn't set the pig free because it was for a party. I was yelling back at Ramon telling him to let me go and get out of my way because that pig is not going to be killed in this parking lot. By this time, all our neighbors had half themselves out of their windows looking down to see what was going on. My one neighbor Anadine was crying she was laughing so hard and calling her family out to watch the commotion outside. She was rooting me on to set this pig free. I almost got him loose but then two other men arrived and before I knew it they scooped up that pig and threw him in the trunk of their car. They said nice try to me but this pig is gonna die. I flipped 'em the bird.
Kelly missed most of this because he was talking on the phone real long distance to his friend in Hawaii. By the time he got out there the men were driving off and he'd missed it all. But I'm sure our neighbors will be talking about it for a while.
This morning Ramon said Buenos Dias to me and I just growled at him. He know he's in my bad books these days because he was one of the guys who wouldn't let me get that piggie loose.

2003-05-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

I cooked Dominican food all morning with Alicia. She told me all her secret dishes so that when I'm home I will remember how to make "Comida Dominicana" (that simply means "dominican food" in spanish). We have three different rice dishes, chicken, beans and vegetables at our apartment. I'm getting a bunch of people together to come eat it up tonight. When we're home I will cook Dominican food for everyone.

2003-05-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

This week I pulled out one of our suitcases and started packing some stuff away. It makes me feel closer to being on our way back to Canada. Kelly and I have been talking a lot about home and we want to be there so bad. The week days are real monotonous and it's a real challenge to not live ahead of each day for the remaining weeks. But I do allow myself to dream about home. Sometimes I can imagine it so well that when I open my eyes I'm surprised that I'm still here.
We're at the beach this weekend. It might get sunny later but right now it's just an uncomfortable heat, lots of humidity and grey skies over head. I have a great quarterly that I'm reading through so I'll probably just go get a big cup of coffee, sit under a palm tree and spend some time by myself. I really like sitting by the ocean. Kelly has a speech to write for a banquet later tonight so he'll be busy doing that. Maybe he'll be by me though. So if you think of us today, know that we're probably doing alright. Tomorrow, it'll be two and a half weeks 'til we're home.

2003-05-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

The pressure of living here has brought me some perspective on a few things. There were battles this year that I thought would destroy me and my faith, but that's not the case. I learned that you might feel like you can't hold it together anymore but when you get to the real breaking point (not to be confused with the exhaustion point, the fed up point or the up-to-here point) something deep inside of you will kick in and you'll know you're going to endure and get through. It doesn't mean that your circumstances change or that you even feel good, it's just something deep inside that gives you some peace.
Hard times are hard because we come face to face with the ugly and weak parts of ourselves. We reveal a side we'd much rather keep hidden away and unseen. If life were smooth, we would live in ignorance all the time. Ignorance really is bliss, but wisdom is far greater than blissfulness. We go through the ugly stuff in order to gain wisdom, increase our faith and continue on in the learning process. I don't know why hard times always come as such a surprise or why they always seem to knock the wind right out of us. But if you can relax, then do so because there is a reason why Jesus was sleeping in the boat when all the disciples were flipping out during the storm.....it's not that he's careless or unconcerned. He just knows that it's going to pass and that you're going to be alright.
I gotta go to the beach. Too many deep thoughts for a Friday afternoon.

2003-05-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

We went out for supper with Alicia and Ramon last night. Kelly and I were super anxious about it because they were taking us into the barrios to eat at one of the chimi places. You have to be real careful where you eat around here because you can catch all kinds of bacterias and end up with a real funky parasite or something. We looked at the food this place was serving up and we pointed to a few things we couldn't identify to ask what they were. Turns out, they were just ears in tomato sauce. So we had the chicken and rice and it was very good. We laughed and talked a lot with Ramon and Alicia. Then we went to the monument (a big statue in the middle of the city) and looked at the city lights. It was real nice. Alicia is real sad that we're leaving. She hugs me so hard when I see her. I have a good picture of the two of us cooking dominican food together. I am looking forward to putting it in a frame when we're home. She is my good friend and I hardly even think about the fact that we speak different languages. We just get along so well.

2003-05-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

We had a very nice and relaxing weekend at the beach. I love looking out at the ocean. I can stare out at it for hours and hours. I'm not sure I'd ever get complacent about seeing the ocean. This weekend I was thinking about the verse in the bible that talks about God holding the ocean in the palm of his hand. I scooped up some water from it to see how much my palm holds and it's not very much. What amazing hands God must have to hold the ocean, then with the same hands, sculpt and create the intricacies of the human body. I was sitting in my chair as I watched Kelly standing up to his knees in the waves. He looked so small in comparision to the huge expanse of water around him. As I watched him, that's when I started thinking those thoughts about God's hands. I thought about this terrifying body of water and I thought of the unique and amazing man God created and has given to me to walk with through life. I thought about this for a long time, and all I have to tell you is I am deeply thankful.

2003-05-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

Pacey and Joey? That just kills me. I don't buy it. What a bogus show that is. I don't even watch it, it just roped me in with their catchy advertisments for the series finale. That's a lie, I do watch it...but I watch it even less than occasionally. I know who the characters are but that's about it. I don't usually miss a meeting to watch it. (I skipped our bible study last night to tune in. Real brutal. But I feel like it was my duty. Everyone in the bible study was asking me about it today.) Boy am I a sucker. I was bawling my head off through that whole stinking show and then they go blow it at the end by putting Pacey and Joey together. I'm never watching again. It's just convenient for them that the show isn't going to be on anymore. Pacey. (I pronounce his name "Patchy") Who goes with Pacey? Joey, the dummy. What a couple of peanuts.

2003-05-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

We're going to the beach this weekend. We haven't been to Cabarete for a few weeks now so it'll be nice to be back. I get all fidgety waiting for the weekend because as the weekends go by that means the weeks are going by too and that means, of course, we'll be coming home soon.

2003-05-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a good day. We talked on the phone with the most beloved and influencial women in our lives, and wished them a happy Mother's day. Then we went over to the Stanley's place for a turkey dinner. Oh my goodness gracious it was marvelous. When we were on our way home, just a few doors down from our apartment we spotted our neighbors Kate and Elizabeth sitting in a big group of Dominicans. So we walked over and turns out they'd come over to see us, but we weren't there (remember, because we were having the turkey) and they were invited to sit in and enjoy some food and drink, with our Dominican neighbors. They were having a grand old time. Before we knew it, Elizabeth was playing the guida (it's like a cheese grater and a scraper...essential to every dominican band) and Kelly and I were dancing merengue to the beat of the bachata band and laughing our heads off with our spanish speaking brethren. It was so much fun! When the music ended, I screeched out in my loudest voice "Yo soy Dominicana ahora!" and all the people stomped their feet and laughed and cheered. (That means "now I'm dominican" but I am not, I just told them that I was because I know how to do the merengue.)

2003-05-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

I just got an e-mail from my friend Heather. She's married to Kelly's best friend Greg Alvas, she's also Gloria's neice. (If you know me at all, then you know who Gloria is because you probably won't have an in depth conversation with me and not hear about Gloria). Heather has walked an incredible road and gained much strength and depth through the some terrible adversities.
A couple months ago we got a phone call from Greg saying that he and Heather are going to be having a baby. I know that people say that babies are miracles, but in this case, I think it's even more true. Heather writes me about her ultra-sounds, how she's feeling and what it's like to be pregnant. I love to know about it. It is fascinating to me. Today she was talking about Greg reading Dr.Suess stories to her tummy so the baby will know his voice. She said she's feeling well and their house is a mess (I bet) with preparations for the baby room. She puts headphones on her tummy so the baby will get smart by listening to classical music. And I believe it too because her parent's tried it on it their first born, Heather's brother David, who is now a scientist.
I just wanted to share this in my blog because I found it so simple and precious. I hope she doesn't mind that I wrote about it in here. It just brought me joy, so I thought I'd tell you hoping it would bring the same.
Greg and Heather will be picking us up when we arrive in Calgary (en route to Saskatoon). We'll stay with them for a night and then head home around one o'clock the next afternoon. I am so excited to see her.

2003-05-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

I am feeling so sad right now because I just had to say goodbye to Tania, the little girl I've been tutoring in english. She was accepted into the school, which was the goal of our tutoring sessions. But of course nothing is as simple as it might seem when you're dealing with SCS. Tania did very well on the entrance exam but the person who tested her was concerned about Tania's heavy accent and her confindence in 'speaking' english. This person then gave recommendations that if Tania hasn't lost her accent by the fall, she should be put in first grade which is a year behind where she should be. Her intelligence is very high and even a bit above grade level. Tania's parents told the school that Tania would continue tutoring with me until June 6th, and after that she would recieve tutoring over the summer as well as spend a month is the States....they said they would pay for EFL as well as a private tutor through the school year to reinforce her english skills. All of this so they would simply be guaranteed a spot in second grade, not first. The school said Tania's parent's would need to lay down an incredible sum of money to hold a place for her, but even with the money laid down she would not be guarateed a placement in second grade. So they decided to enroll her in a spanish school. What a circus this place is.
So I just hugged this little kid who had her arms wrapped tight around my waist crying because she won't be seeing me anymore. Her Mother was crying too. She gave me a big hug and said thank-you in very broken english. I'm just real sad and mad. I'll miss Tania a lot. But I am happy that I've known this family.
All in all, I feel good because this is what I got to read on Tania's evalution:
Who taught you english?
Mrs.Graham
And that makes me feel very good. But I'm still sad, and mad.

2003-05-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

Did you hear the new Madonna song? It's real brutal. I've seen the video about 10 times in the last two days and I think it's real brutal. She's dressed like a painter or a mime or something. But I guess it's an improvment from the big steel cones she sported at one time. You know what is funny is that I don't give a flying fart about Madonna. I just don't have too much else to say that's of any interest. I guess I do actually, but it might come across sort of negative because I'm still working through some stuff. Still processing, some might say.
Hey, it's 5 weeks 'til we come home. What do you think about that? I think it's fantastic.

PS. sorry for saying 'flying fart'.

2003-05-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

We're at the fanciest resort. There is a circus trapeeze. I haven't gone for it yet, but maybe today is the day. I have to get off this computer it is blinking red signals at me to EXIT. Have a good day. I will write later this week.

2003-04-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

5 1/2 weeks 'til home
I wrote a blog yesterday but I guess it didn't show up. Maybe it had something in it that the administration didn't like so they just intercepted it. I'll probably get called into the director's office later for stating a personal opinion. Can you tell I'm sick of this circus yet? Just a little. But guess what? Tomorrow night we're off to Punta Cana which is a beach on the South Coast. That means Caribbean sea. We'll be staying in a 5 star resort. I think 5 days at the beach sounds like the perfect remedy to all our problems. I hope that when we're back in Canada all we'll remember is the good stuff; and that all the bad will be long forgotten. We've sure had our share of extremes here.

2003-04-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling real homesick these days. How stupid to get like this when we're in the last stretch of our time here. Less than seven weeks now. I'm real exhausted and I want to be home already. I just want to hug my Mom, watch the Leafs with my Dad, and talk with Gloria for a few hours in the afternoon. Kelly and I both want to be home with his family too. His Grandma's funeral is tomorrow. We read the obituary today. It is just so awful to not be there during this time and be able to have a proper good-bye and celebrate her life with family. We're going to write some things to be shared at the funeral tomorrow.

2003-04-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

First day back at school. It's raining and grey. Looks just like it feels.
Kelly's Grandma passed away yesterday morning. She was in a coma for under two weeks because she had a stroke. I haven't been talking about it at all in my blog because I don't feel like the words come too easily. She was never awake after the stroke so everyone says she didn't suffer during her time in the hospital. We called every morning and every night to find out the updates on Grandma's condition. Finally, on Easter Sunday, at 7:10am, she finished the race. I watched Kelly as he talked with his Mom on the phone Sunday morning; he nodded his head that she was gone.
She is the first person that I've loved who has left the world at the perfect time. Easter Sunday was her favorite day. It is a day of wonderful hope and unspeakable joy. Just after the sun rose on Easter Sunday, she reached the goal she had been working toward for her entire life! When she opened her eyes, I love to imagine what she saw. Jesus smiling, the angels singing "well done good and faithful servant" and her husband who she loved and missed so much on earth now beside her.
I'll think of her and miss her often. But this grief is so different than any grief I've had before. Grandma's was a full life well lived, and I believe she's more alive now than ever before.

2003-04-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

We have to go back to Santiago today. I don't wanna. I wish that we could have this be our last week in the Dominican and that we could head home. Everything just feels done.
Kirsten sent us a package in the mail and that should be here on Tuesday for mail day and I sure am looking forward to that. Kelly looked over here to see what I was writing and he said his parents also sent us a package, so that's two. I can't tell you how great it is to get mail on mail day. I don't feel so bad about going back to Santiago because I know that we have mail waiting for us. And it makes us feel closer to home when we get to open up those parcels. We are sure lucky.
I gotta get off the computer here because this place charges double what the other places charge.
Happy Easter!

2003-04-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

Do you think it would necessarily be a bad thing to tell someone to take a long walk off a short pier? I'm thinking about it. But I'm feeling full of it today. People get so pathetic and defeated that sometimes I feel like saying, hey, go take a long walk off a short pier. I think I learned that saying from Grandpa Tom. Sounds like something he'd say. I'm a little edgy because it's been non-stop people for the last 24 hours. Some people ya like to be around and some people you just think, yea maybe not.
I'm just a little tired. Sorry for the grouchy blog. I think it's time for a nap. But who can sleep when you're worried about a tidal wave! No kidding. The beach in Cabarete has receded about a hundred meters and the Dominican's all say there's gonna be a massive tidal wave. Good thing we're at the beach house. The beach is fine there. It's not receding. You wouldn't know that there might be a tidal wave though because even though the Dominican's say there might be, they're still out there in their gotch drinking rum and carrying on. It is a beautiful sight.................NOT! (that was for Berkeley who is trying to bring "NOT" back into style).

2003-04-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

I feel asleep in the sun today. I woke up a little and Kelly said "hey ya want to go to town to do some e-mailing?" I said "okay" but now that we're here, I think I'm still sleeping. It doesn't make a person feel so grande to fall asleep in the afternoon sunshine. I will come back into town and write later okay? I hope you are having a good day and not feeling like throwing up. That's just a general wish for all of you on any given day.

2003-04-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

Today we went snorkling in Sosua. Maybe you haven't heard me mention Sosua before. That's because we don't go there very often because on the weekends and during tourist season (which is officially over, gracias dios) it is a popular hang out for no-class seedy european tourists who've bought into a sex vacation. They strut around shamelessly with their 14 year old prostitutes. Smiling with their rotten teeth and scratchin' their bare butts wearing thong speedos. You can't even look it makes you so sick. Suffice to say, we don't go there very often. But it is a beautiful and breath taking beach (minus the pervs). The water is calm, turquiose blue with icing sugar sand. There's a reef about 200 yards out where thousands of tropical fish swim and play. You can snorkle out there and even stand up on the reef if you want. We took bananas with us and when you're under water, you peel the banana and before you even know it a cloud of little fishies all different shapes, colors and sizes come over and eat up the banana. Kelly's banana broke in half and it was floating by his face but he couldn't see it. I saw it though and so did some fish. I laughed when he was going around in semi-circles looking for the lost banana amongst the little fish. But the joke was on me because when I laughed I gulped the water. Salt water is so salty you can't even imagine. It was a nice day, other than the choking.

2003-04-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

I was just about to post a blog and the computer froze. I called over the guy who works here and he just hit the power button on the computer and turned it all off so I lost everything. That is frustration to me. But not so much because I don't have the oppression anymore. On account of the bliss brought on by Easter holidays, nothing frustrates me...except, I think I have an overactive bladder. I'm always having to go. Kelly says I don't have an overactive bladder and it's normal if you drink as much water and juice as I've been drinking. But I still say I need to call that 1-800 number they have on TV because I believe I have the symptoms of the syndrome or disorder or whatever it is. Another 1-800 number I'd like to call is the one for the special spaghetti pot with the holes in the lid. I think that is a terrific idea and I would really enjoy that item. I haven't seen the commercial in a while so maybe they've sold plumb out of them. But if you see one, maybe you wouldn't mind picking one up for me. I'd pay you back for it.
If you would've been able to read my other blog, you'd probably be sorry that the guy erased it and that I ended up writing this one. My other blog was describing what you see when you look out fromt the porch at the beach house and how tranquil it is. But I'm off that thought and onto special pasta pots now...so maybe tomorrow I'll write about what you see from the porch at the beach house. It is magnificent.

2003-04-12T12:08:00.000-07:00

It was my Grandma and Grandpa's anniversary yesterday. They've been married for 55 years. I didn't even send them a card because I forget dates and anniversaries by accident. Sorry Grandma and Grandpa. Happy anniversary! I love you. (love from Kelly too)

2003-04-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

We are officially into Spring Break. It's a huge relief to be away from that school and not have to go back for a week. We've got a nice week planned here. 3 days by ourselves at the beach house. On Wednesday we're jumping the 27 Waterfalls and from Thursday on we'll be at the beach house with a bunch of people, just hanging out and if I get my way, we'll hopefully be having airband competitions (I brought my Def Leopard CD just incase). I'm still stuggling with the taking or leaving the opportunity to surf tomorrow morning. Our friend Brian from West Virginia has offered many times to take me out to El encuentro (the surf beach) and spend the morning teaching me how to surf. I've been out at the surf beach watching the surfers a lot. There's sea urchins and big waves. I'm not completely convinced that I'd be good at surfing because I get scared when I'm out in big waves. I've been in big waves boogie boarding (which requires no athletic ability or competence.....it is very fun) and sometimes I feel a little panicky when the waves throw you around or the current pulls you too far. Maybe if I can locate a helmet and a life jacket, then I will go surfing tomorrow. That is what I will do. Do you think that would be okay? I will start a new trend called "safety first". And surfers everywhere will remember Brooke "safety first" Graham, Olympic surf champion 2004.
I will try to write in my blog everyday this week okay. So stay tuned. I'll keep you posted on the adventures.

2003-04-01T12:03:00.000-08:00

I don't read Kelly's blog very often so I didn't realize that he'd already talked about the book titles we've discussed. I assure you there are many more. But I'll wait 'til I see you in person to tell you the rest. My book titles change on a daily basis. Sometimes when I'm not sleeping in the night, I'll make up more book titles, but I usually make up dutch jokes first. I will wait 'til I see you to tell you my dutch jokes too. We're surrounded by dutchies here. You wouldn't believe the amount of wood shoe wearing pancake lovers.

2003-04-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

It is POURING rain here. This is good because this country has had quite a severe drought and many farmers are having difficulty with their crops. You'd never know this country was experiencing any water shortage with the way all the people go out and water their sidewalks on a daily basis. Walking down the street you see water hoses just left running. This morning I actually saw a guy standing out on the sidewalk with a regular garden hose, no special pressure or anything, just rinsing off the rain from the sidewalks. I shook my head. I find myself shaking my head a lot in this place. If I were to write a book on our somewhat unsuccesful time here I would call it "Oh I'm sorry I was using logic". I've thought of several other titles for my book but some are unsuitable for viewing on this website, not because they are so inappropriate, just because I'm not sure who all checks in on this website. But it's probably nothing they haven't already read in my e-mails. Another reason to just shake your head.

2003-03-28T09:13:00.000-08:00

We're going to the beach house in T-2 hours. I love the beach house. It is bless'ed. Dave and Michelle Stanley own the beach house. Dave works for Timberland, Michelle does everything else and they have a daughter named Carmen. They are originally Canadian. They've been here for over 13 years or something. We're going to Haiti with them in May. They used to live there. Did I mention that they are wonderful people. Well they are.
As for right now, I'm just waiting for my little tutor-ees to come and then I'm out like LA gear shoes.

2003-03-26T12:35:00.000-08:00

Gabriela is my favorite kid in grade one. She's in Mr.Ray's class. I'm going to do an interview with her right now while she sits beside with her big brown eyes staring at my fingers typing real fast on the keyboard. She's been standing here for a few minutes already. So I think she'll like the interaction.
B*"what did you learn today?"
Gabriella "I lurn how to add, uh, I lurn math. I lurn how to read. That is all"
B*"You ask me a question"
Gabriella "What is question"
B*"GABBY"
Gabriella "What is your brother's name"
B* "BJ"
Gabriella "ha ha. I am not a boy. That is not my name. Another question! Where are you from? You're from Canada."
B*"Should our interview be over? What do you have to say to the folks in Canada?"
Gabriella "Take care of Mr.Graham and Mrs.Graham. That is all?"

That turned out even cuter than I expected. She's still here but now she wants me to get off so that I can play computer games with her.

2003-03-25T09:47:00.000-08:00

I'm teaching "above" "below" and "between" to the kids I tutor. They can't handle it. It is crazy. It sometimes takes kids a long time to learn concepts. I'm glad I'm done learning that kind of stuff. It's boring to have to learn that. But a good thing to know. Do you think there are very many people who don't know the meaning of those concepts? Probably not too many people. I guess I shouldn't worry about these kids not picking it up then. If they don't learn it from me, they'll learn it from life. Life is good at teaching people stuff like that.

2003-03-23T09:52:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday afternoon. We're in Cabarete just for the day, we drove up here this morning. It is hot like crazy out there and we've been laying on the beach for about an hour. To get some relief Kelly and I came here to our favorite little internet cafe which has the air conditioning. It is sweet relief from the blazing sun, not that I'm complaining about the sunshine. It's a beautiful day and I'm grateful. I just checked my e-mails and I am feeling extra excited because my Mom sent us a package in the mail. I think it is going to have some treats for me. I love the treats. I'm going to go back to my beach chair in the sun and get tanned. A person just has to be careful not to catch the dehydration, or a burn. Neither of those things are fun for anybody.

2003-03-21T08:14:00.000-08:00

My sincerest apologies to those of you who check this blog and have found no entries since March 4. I could fill this up with excuses but instead of wasting your time, I'll just say 'I'll try harder'. My thoughts are quite preoccupied with the war on Iraq. I don't understand what it is truly about. Is it really about safety, or is it about oil, or is it about US of A and the dream of a manifest destiny? It's probably a compilation of all of the above along with a few other reasons. What a mess it could be. What a mess. I guess Kelly and I are safe enough on this island in the middle of the Atlantic. I just wish were home and close to all our loved ones. This whole year has just been crazy and when you think it won't get any crazier than this, it does. Life is not for the faint of heart.
We are going to have fresh fruit, hot coffee and pancakes tomorrow morning and focus on all that is good. God bless the pancake. Then we're going to Alicia's house in the afternoon. Alicia mops our floors and shows me how to cook Dominican food. Since January, I'm usually at home when she comes to mop the floors (two days a week). I make lunch for her and we sit and talk. She only speaks spanish, so any conversation we have is building on my 2nd language. We're communicating very well and she is so funny. She invited us over this week and when I said we'd love to, she started jumping up and down and hugging me. She is so excited. You'd think once your an adult you wouldn't get so excited about something like that anymore. But she is thrilled. She lives in the compo, a real poor area of Santiago. I'm looking forward to going over there. I'll tell you about it on Monday.

2003-03-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

Today the kid I tutor, Tania, she stole bubble gum out of my bag. I never had a kid steal from me before. It was crazy. I felt totally out of it. She made an "i didn't do it" face and tried to deny it. I called her ladrone (which is thief in spanish) and then I told her no more bubble gum or stickers for the rest of the week. It's wierd when kids steal. It's wierd when you have to throw out a consequence for a kid who stole stuff from you. I don't like being an adult sometimes. Then, even after the whole stealing of the bubble gum, she stole again. I was looking all over for my red crayola marker. And then I opened up her book and there it was. She had stolen it too. She wasn't doing it to be playful with me either. She was doing it because she wanted that stuff. It was just weird how she didn't care and thought she could just do that and not get in trouble. Or maybe she wanted to get in trouble. Maybe it's one of those testing things. So I smacked her one with a ruler. AS IF...No I did not. No no no. Just wanted to shock you incase you weren't really paying attention to this not so entertaining blog.

2003-03-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

I quit my job at SCS before Christmas and I've been tutoring since January It's going really well. I get to work with Dominican families which has it's advantages and disadvantages because of their super laid back approach to life in general (this seems to affect when and if they decide to make payments anywhere close to the specified due date). The kids I'm working with are mostly from the school and I'm helping them out with ESL stuff, which is new for me. It's interesting. I have one little girl named Tania who doesn't go to SCS because she just moved here from Ecuador. She's six years old and doesn't speak any english. Her parents desperatly want to get her into SCS but because this is an entirely english speaking school, you can understand their predicament. The family has taken the liberty of taking Tania out of Dominican school (she went for a month) and they've decided to give her to me for three hours every day each week until I leave in June. This is done with the hope that withTania and I working together for a more concentrated amount of time, we'll have her fluent in english by testing time in June. I feel a lot of pressure, but it is really a wonderful challenge. I've been working with Tania for one hour each day for the past month. She's learning quickly and we seem to work well together. I'm excited to be a part of this family's life and I really hope it will turn out the way we all want. Tania's Mom and I were talking (she doesn't speak any english and I can speak a little spanish but the conversation sure doesn't flow like you'd want it to) Anyway, I have heard this word before and I understood when Tania's Mom used it.... "Confianza". It doesn't translate into english but it is a word rich with meaning and significance in spanish. The closest word to describe confianza would be trust....and that really doesnt do it justice. It is deeper than trust and means more. She said she felt that with me and that makes me feel really glad. With all the "crap" (some people might choose a different word, not me though, nuh uh) that went down our first semester here, this may be the 'meaning' I'm looking for in this whole crazy experience.

2003-02-21T09:31:00.000-08:00

Here's something I've been thinking about, and honestly I might just do my own research project on this topic. I've been really interested in the issues of self-esteem amongst women.....starting with girls in elementary school, high school, college and as they become women in their twenties, thirties and so on. Living in this beach culture, I've never seen so many women so critical of and obsessed with themselves. I was raised with a pretty healthy perspective of myself, I think I can contribute much of the way I view myself to the way my Mom viewed herself. I never heard her look at herself and talk to the mirror or push a plate away and say "oh that'll make me fat". She was very realistic and never made me feel bad about myself. For the most part of my life I've had a healthy view of who I am. But here, I've struggled a lot more with accepting who I am and having a healthy opinion of myself. I don't just mean physically. I don't know what influences that. I don't know what warps that mirror inside a woman's head and says 'you don't look good enough, you should look like that, you shouldn't look like this, you shouldn't be like that, you should be like this, you're not good enough'. Well I think I want to research that and put an end to all the crap. Women are beautiful....all shapes and sizes, and ages. After I conlude the research project that I haven't really even started yet, maybe they'll let me on Oprah. What do you think of that? I would take my Mom, my Mother in law, my Grandma and Gloria and I'd say, "just look at these women....aren't they beautiful". The most beautiful women in the world.
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2003-02-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

2003-02-18T06:41:00.000-08:00

We talked with Kelly's Mom on the phone last night, she'll be here in exactly a week. I've been planning and preparing since January. I've even learned how to properly cook a few delicious dominican meals. I am really looking forward to her being with us for two weeks. The part I'm looking most forward to is when we go to pick her up at the airport. I'll probably just bawl my head off, but what else is new. I'm always bawling my head off.
That's all I have for now. PS....anyone see all the hype on Michael Jackson last night? I think they had shows on three different channels. How about that picture of him and Peter Pan? Wooooo.

2003-02-14T07:27:00.000-08:00

It's Valentines day. I wonder what old Michael Jackson is up to today? I got a couple ideas. Probably pretending he's a monkey and running around wonderland in a skidoo suit or something. I bet you're getting sick of my Michael Jackson ramblings. I try to avoid talking about some of the realities of life here because I don't want to bore you or make you envious of the wonderful weather we experience daily. I guess I could tell you the reason why I haven't written for a couple days. I had something very disturbing happen to me the other day. I've been working through it and I'll be okay, especially now that we've made the decision to come home and not stay here for another year. (I guess that might be news to some of you. We decided two night ago. I think Kelly talks more about it in his blog....www.el_pastoro.blogspot.com) One of the draw backs about living in this country is when something bad happens, there's no police force to help you or make you feel safe. I got some pepper spray for the duration of our stay and I will carry it with me everywhere I go. I know that pepper spray is illegal in Canada, but not here. We bought it in the mall yesterday, from a store called 'sport spy' which can supply your every 'military' need. I'm not happy about carrying this stuff, but it gives me piece of mind, sort of. I was reading the instructions on the back of the pepper spray and they sure don't leave out any details. Sorry for not telling the details of what happened. But don't worry, nothing bad has happened until now and truly it could've been a lot worse. Could happen in any country.
I bet you're wishing that I would've just stuck to the Michael Jackson humor instead huh? Kelly and I are off to Santo Domingo in about an hour. We're going to get some lunch and then hit the road. Happy Valentines day to all!

2003-02-13T12:29:00.000-08:00

Don't have time to write. I have to catch the bus. Want to see where Kelly and I are staying for Valentines day? Click here http://www.dominican-rep.com/Hotel-Palacio.html

2003-02-11T09:10:00.000-08:00

My Uncle Larry who lives in Australia wrote me an e-mail today. He was wondering what in the world this blog thing is. Glorified diary? Maybe. "Omnibus e-mail"? (I don't know what omnibus means, but I think it means something like "looming") I asked Kelly how come I'm doing this blog thing and he said "For goodness sake Brooke that's first sentence that hasn't had "michael jackson" in it since Thursday. It's nice to have you back". I guess one should ask Jordon Cooper as to why we do these blogs. He would have a good answer, and I bet he would know the definition of omnibus. But as for you Uncle Larry, while you are flying country to country in those airplanes and growing tired of the same old internet junk, you can check in on me, your God-daughter, and see what I'm up to every single day!
I gotta go toss a coin. Bet most of you don't know what that means, but my Uncle Larry does.

2003-02-10T05:34:00.001-08:00

All weekend, all I could talk about was Michael Jackson. Seemed like every conversation I had, we'd end up discussing him/her.....(I think he's A-sexual, neither a him nor a her, like a plant). Some people bought my theory about Michael and LaToya being one in the same, although, most people didn't care too much. You probably don't care too much either so I'll cut it out. Here's something you might be interested in, Kelly and I have to decide by Monday whether or not we're coming back here next year. Sufficed to say we've had many discussions about what we're going to do.....too bad they all end with the same confusion and uncertainty that we entered into the conversations with. It's a really hard decision. One thing I know for sure, I'm not as confused as ol' Michael Jackson, that's for certain. Peter Pan...What's that about?

2003-02-07T08:46:00.001-08:00

Kelly set me up on this thing. I feel alot of pressure because who know's who's going to read this? Probably clever people and really good spellers who might think I'm not so clever and even worse, that I'm bad at spelling. (Holy, self esteem issues.) Well for all of you who read Kelly's blog, you know where we are in the world and what it's like from his point of view. I guess you get my point of view sometimes, but that's only when I'm standing behind him reading what he's writing and I tell him something to write in there. I'm glad to have my own blog now.
I probably won't write again until Monday because we're going to be at the beach all weekend. I'll write again later on today if something interesting happens. It's hard to recognize things that are interesting because the strangest things have become common place. Dead dogs on the road that have been there for two weeks, chicken running across the keyboard of your computer, AND THE POWER GOING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MICHAEL JACKSON SPECIAL!!!! I just remembered that happened last night. I was so focused and interested in that show. Kelly was amazed at how long I sat still and attended. Then, all of a sudden, just when Jacko was about to throw down on the moonwalk, the power goes out and the place is black. We sat in silence for a few minutes and then uttered curses on Hippolito (president of the dom.rep) If you saw that show or have it on tape, let me know because I'd sure like to see it. I have some theories on Michael Jackson if you ever want to hear them. One theory is Michael Jackson and LaToya Jackson are the same person. You want to know why? Just talk to me, I have some ideas about what goes on there.