Oh the Cuckoo...

...she's a pretty bird
She warbles as she flies
But I never give her water
Till the fourth day of July.


There's a cuckoo that sings to me every day.
S/he lives behind our apartments.
I hear her (I'll just call it a "she") whenever I do laundry.
(We have a Malibu Barbie washer and dryer on our back porch. I say that because they are plastic and small - but they do the trick! I am used to everything in the States being so BIG and STURDY - you know STEEL appliances!).

I am just so gosh darned HAPPY lately.
I am not going to overanalyze this new Sue (I honestly am a bit manic - have been for many, many years). I will just enjoy the ride!

Today Anjoli went back to school. I passed a new friend, Hilary, who hails from Toronto in the hall. I worked with her at the Book Fair last month. Awesome woman - so friendly and smart. She went to McGill in Montreal and knew the exact street where we lived (for a year -not even - 10 months actually! too c-c-c-c-old!).She got her degree in library science. Anyway, she's the PTA bookstore manager - when I met her last month we got to chatting and she let me know that she was looking for someone to replace her next year....so...ding ding ding...c'est MOI! I am SO EXCITED.
So, this morning she bought me coffee and I spent 3 hours with her in the bookstore. I helped her take down the Christmas decorations, etc and re-shelve books that weren't sold at the Book Fair. She started showing me the ropes - it's a REALLY big job - just like running your own bookstore! There are books from kindergarten through adult levels.
The profits go toward getting two authors to come to the school to lecture and sign their books.
We left the school together - I walked with her to her car. I told her I was deaf in one ear from "the surgery." She just stopped and said: "What surgery?" I am so surprised (and proud!) that I hadn't even told her - for awhile it was one of the first things I would tell people I had just met - just to explain what was going on with my crooked face.
I told her the story and her mouth dropped to the ground...then she gave me a big hug and said, "who CARES about your face! You're here! You're alive! I am SO glad we are working together - you are such a lovely person....and we have to get together outside of school - our daughters have to meet!" She has a daughter who, since KINDERGARTEN has attended a Chinese school (she's NOT even Asian - but she was born here and insisted on going to a Chinese school - I am SO impressed!!). Her daughter is the same age as Anjoli. I've met lots of other cool, FRIENDLY moms in the past month or so volunteering at the school. I'm so glad...I knew I WOULD.
Things just take time.

Over the weekend I went to get acupuncture after missing a week and a half of treatments and the doctor looked at me and said "Looks BETTER!" He's right - the paralysis IS improving. I have been taking this secret herbal tea (a mixture of herbs - he won't tell me what's in it!). It's supposed to help the neurons grow. I wonder if it is the tea that is helping? I drink it twice a day.

I will post pics of my route to my Chinese doctor's office. It's a really nice walk. Last time I went I ran out of batteries JUST as I got my doc to pose! He's so sweet. So I will take a pic of him tomorrow and post pics tomorrow night.

Have a great week everyone!

Love,
Suexx