Haircut anyone?

First off, thank goodness for satellite since I heard about the bridge collapse in Minneapolis first thing this morning. I was glued to CNN all day.

Thought I would post some fun pics of the neighborhood near our apartment. Since there is so much construction, the migrant workers from outside the city come and stay in makeshift buildings right on the construction site. Many are constructed from plywood and feature 4 bunk beds, no AC, no bathroom, etc. So after the days work is done, the men all congregate outside on the corner where the merchants come to them! One night on our walk we saw the traveling barber and she just set up her chair in the middle of the sidewalk (see pic). Check out of the photo of the "squat pot" taken in the ladies room. Most toilets are like the USA but once in awhile if your lucky, you'll stumble across one of these. Really challenges your leg muscles and your aim. What the photo doesn't capture is all the pee on the floor for those who missed.

Also posting our outdoor washing machine- which leaks all over our balcony so good thing it's outside! And a belated flight picture of Grace with her monkey- who we named George.

I had my first really exasperating day this week when I took Grace to get her kindergarten exam for pre-school. I had to go to the women's and children's hospital. First off , there were women having babies on their same floor where we got our exam and at the end of the hall was a glass paneled room full of small tubs. The new parents would bring their hours old baby to the room where the nurses would put an inter tube around their neck and float the baby (alone) in the tub. Crazy but really cute. Anyway, nobody spoke english so communicating to the doctors during the exam was tough. First we went into one exam room where a lady checked Grace's ears. Then we were shown back to the waiting room. When we were called again, we were shown back to the same room, same doctor where she did the next part of the exam. Then we went back to the waiting room, got called into a different room where the weighed/measured her. Then another room where they listened to her heart. Not sure why this couldn't have done all in one room. Finally we were sent back to the first floor where they did a finger stick and told me Grace had to pee in a cup for a urine sample. I tried to explain that she isn't potty trained so how am I supposed to get her to pee in a cup? After 30 minutes of discussion/charades, the resolution was that she HAD to give a sample but I could go home and get it in my own cup and bring it back the next day. Great- could be my urine for all they know! More to come on this.k.