Tiao Pi

Here are pictures of the nature reserve near our house, I'd like to walk this area but with nate, he likes throwing rocks into the small stream or larger dam areas so I have not been able to see the rest of this nature reserve. I'd also like to rent a golf cart (can't buy as we have no more garage room!) so that I can explore the rest of this community, there are many other nice trails not accessible by car but to get a sense of the lay of the land by buggy would already take some time.

This week i went to speak to a property broker on whether we should buy here, it looks like although supply is dwindling and demand is great and apparently dainfern is 30% undervalued, the buyer's taxes, income taxes, commissions etc. don't make the numbers that attractive in the time frame that we will be here.

Today I pick nate up at school, I am standing behind the door area so I can only here the group time which is story time going on...

Teacher : and what color are the blocks NATE...
N: yellow
T: class...
class: blue
T: Nate stop that, and what did john then do with the blocks...
T: NATE
T: he stacked them up into a tower
T: Nate please stop that

I can't see what is going on but the other day I could spy Nate eating his dirty toes (urgh). After class I ask the teacher what Nate was up to, she said he is very disruptive in class, he likes tickling or bothering other kids, tho he is adapting better to group time and working indoors more often now. I said his Taipei teacher called him "Tiao Pi" (naughty or cheeky) and his teacher here said, he is very intelligent, we must be firm with him, he likes pushing the boundaries more than normal kids.

sigh... I better go back to reading Dreikurs on pshychology of kids. I have minimised the use of 1-2-3's but may need to reinstate that and also the naughty mat again. How does one stop a kid from whining? He does pick up alot of bad habits from observing other kids whose parents aren't strict and nip the problem at the bud.

So, I have been reading, the biorgraphy of Africa, I did not realise how big the continent is until the author put a map of africa and showed how one can fit the USA, China, India, N. Zealand and Europe land masses to come up with the equivalent size! This place is huge.

We are having our first shabbat tomorrow. I still need to get some loose cushions, some hand towels, mats etc etc etc... but hopefully with the warmth of our home and the presence of good company, food and wine, no one will notice these minor things?

Just to end, wine here is so good and so unbelievably cheap... its great. To all you readers, please come to SA and join us on a drink fest...