Updates on Everything Important

It's been a while since I posted anything new, and I think some updates are in order! 

The Graycie Update:  Graycie is healing well.  The vet took some xrays the day after we found her, and he said that her pelvis is NOT, in fact, in two pieces; instead, she is just severely bruised and road-rashed.  She has no broken bones at all!  He still thinks she was hit by a car, but in my humble, non-professional opinion, I think if she had been hit by a car, she would have been more squished and crushed.  Mike's childhood dog, Cuddles, got hit by a car and it not only broke her bones, but shattered them.  I think she got hit by a golf cart, motorcycle, or moped.  Or maybe even a bike.  Which may mean that someone was aiming for her.  (After all, how do you get accidentally hit by a golf cart or a bike?  It's like the steamroller from Austin Powers.  Noooooooooo!)

In any case, I have been faithfully administering oral antibiotics, pain killers, anti-inflammatories, and antibacterial cream.  I finally gave her a bath last night - she came home so dirty, but her wounds were so open I didn't want to soak them in water at the time.  Today, she is much cleaner and fluffier!  She does not move around much - just stays in her cat bed nearly 24 hours - but she is getting stronger every day.  No news on the tail.  It still doesn't work at all and appears to have no feeling.  Come on, tail!  Come back!  We're supposed to wait two weeks before we decide it's permanently paralyzed. 

The Car Update:  We're committed to a car, but we don't have it yet.  Here's the (long) story:  we have been looking for a car, but have had very little luck for a long time.  People that sell used cars on camp price them WAY too high, and we have been advised not to buy a used car from a Saudi because they do not take care of their cars (200,000 km odometer with never an oil change!)  So it's either wait for an ex-pat to sell their car here on camp or just go buy a new one.  We did find one very promising one (a Tahoe, I think? I can't remember) being sold by an ex-pat in Ras Tanura, but it got sold out from under us.  Mike found a Chevy Cavalier in ok condition from a Chinese guy; it was cheap and would be fine for a "camp car" (means we only drive it on camp and don't take it off the compound).  It didn't have too many kilometers, but it had paint issues, the windows don't roll back up easily, the power locks don't work, no key clicker, etc, etc.  We were considering that when we contacted a Sri Lankan on camp who does car repairs and finds cars for people.  He found us a Hyundai Santa Fe in much better condition, and we agreed to buy that one as our camp car.  We are trying to get the details worked out now, but we have to hurry.  If the paperwork etc does not go through by Saturday, we lose the car.  It's really hard to get anything done expediently around here, so although we are trying hard to make it happen, this might slip through our fingers, too.  

Incidentally, this car is...well, there's no other way of saying it....butt-ugly.  It's reddish-brown with black hub caps.  It is certainly the only one of its kind on camp, and we will be recognized wherever we go!  But since Mike is only going to use it to get back and forth to work (6 minute commute, door to door), we figure it doesn't matter.  If we get to buy the car, I will post a picture.  It's a Saudi-mobile, and I think I might suggest we name it Clyde after Ahab the Arab's camel.  

The Shipment Update:  Our shipment is still sitting in the Port of Savannah, as far as we know.  It doesn't look like it's left on the boat yet.  No other news there.  Still waiting. 

The Boys Update:  The boys are doing well.  Everett seems to be making some friends at preschool - at least, he comes home and can tell us some more names of his classmates.  He also sings songs he learned at preschool, and he's been learning about making patterns.  Everett now consistently dresses himself and buckles his own seat belt in the car every time - and pretty quickly, too!  Moreover, we discovered the other day that he is beginning to read. (!!)  He can read three and four letter words, and he likes to read things and then announce them to us ("Mommy, that word is cat!", or "The peanut butter says Jif!")  We are so proud!  Only 3 1/2!  Soon he'll be writing a dissertation on something very profound, I'm sure.  

Lawrence is also doing well, although we are struggling with his nap schedule.  Two naps are too many and one is not enough!  He is a big boy now, physically - he is thick and heavy, weighing almost as much as Everett, and he is one tough kid in terms of bumps and bruises.  He makes sure he can do everything Ebett (or sometimes Weh-wett) does.  He also has been pulling the throw-myself-down-face-first-and-cry-on-the-floor-when-I-don't-get-my-way stunt a lot.  It's very funny!  I do feel sorry for him when he does it in the sand playgound, though.  It never fails to surprise him that he comes up with a mouthful of sand. 

The Baby Update:  Baby looks good at last check.  She is estimated to weigh roughly four pounds and we are still on track for an April 8 due date.  She moves around a lot and her head is down.  Eight weeks to go.  Getting closer.  

Can't think of any more news from these parts...all else is about the same.  More news as it develops.