But what better way to get back into the swing than with a Strange Animal Sighting in our new backyard here in Buenos Aires?
Two days ago I was in the kitchen doing kitchen-y things and Milan was playing in the living room. The living room has a full wall of windows and a sliding glass door that looks out onto the patio and the backyard here in our new house. Suddenly Milan yells "Mommy mommy there is a creature in the backyard!"
By the time I came running in it was gone, but Milan was all excited and described it to me. "It was a monkey!" he said. "Just like my bed friend monkey!" His bed friends are the stuffed animals that over-populate his bed, and he has two monkeys in there: one that I made, the traditional sock-monkey design, and one that is a ruffed lemur. So....which one was it? "The lemur" he said. There was a lemur in our backyard? Now, I have to admit, I was a little disappointed since I've worked so hard to teach him that lemurs only live in Madagascar.
I said "Are you sure it wasn't a black and white cat?" "No," he said "because it had a loooong nose like this" and he stretched out his nose with his hands to show me how long it was. How big was it? He showed me with his hands, about the size of a cat. Okay. Well call me if it comes back.
I admit I did consider the possibility that there was a monkey (but not a lemur) in our backyard. What do I know about South American urban wildlife? We've seen parakeets flying in flocks around the neighborhood, maybe there are urban monkeys here, like in India. And if you have heard about my run-ins with monkeys in India, this is not a good development. I haven't exactly had time to do my research on the wildlife here yet.
Sure enough within 15 minutes the "creature" was back. It was a opposum! The next day (he came back!) I was able to get a picture of the fat guy waddling around our yard.
A google search tells me it is a White-Eared Opossum, common in South America. I don't know what he is doing waddling around our yard in the daytime, since he is supposed to be nocturnal. So there you have it. Not a lemur, but pretty interesting. And a marsupial with a pouch, just like kangaroos.
Other than exciting creatures in the backyard, we have settled into a routine here after 3 and a half weeks. The house is still a mess with a pile of coats by the front door waiting for a coat rack, piles of papers in the dining room and study waiting to find a home, piles of clothes that have to dry inside because it has been rainy this week. But the house is huge by our standards, with more rooms and closets than we know what to do with. Milan even has his own secret "Hobbit House" under the stairs.
The new school is amazing - huge, professional, and well organized. Milan is in class with 6 other students from the US, Brazil, and Argentina. All of his teachers are bilingual and he has Spanish class everyday. Tim has had a great start with his Chemistry and IB/AP classes. The new lab equipment, chemicals, supplies, and part-time professional lab assistant have made his prep much easier.
As for me, I have started Spanish lessons twice a week with a private tutor. I ride my bike to and from school to drop off and pick up Milan everyday, and go for runs along the river near school (except today with a new head cold - yuck). I am still feeling out-of-sorts, trying to figure out all the details of our new routine (what time do we need to leave the house to get to school on time? Which way do I ride my bike so I don't get stopped by the commuter train crossing? Where can I buy some decent vegetables, some fresh ginger, and something spicy to eat?!?). I miss my friends in China and in the U.S. and elsewhere - hope you guys are all doing well and enjoying the end of summer, wherever you are.
1 comment:
Love the picture it is great! Very cool! Sorry about the head cold. Miss you tons! And wish I could run with you! Talk soon! K
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