I've taken to calling Mister Lee "Mister 8-2", because all he has done since our plane landed is say "Bballi Bballi" - which, for our non-affiliated readers, sounds like: "pall-e, pall-e" - the Korean numbers 8 and 2, respectively. "Bballi, bballi" means "hurry hurry" and I wonder if this is something new my husband has acquired or if my two month tenure in Canada has rendered me dim and slow-witted. Really, I wonder that. I started to unpack our bags but was nudged aside by my husband who claimed he could do it faster. Laundry? He could do it faster. Hammer a nail into the wall? He could do it faster. Find a new camera for us to buy? Mister 8-2 can do it faster and he really wanted to.

I just re-read that and I realize that it sounds like he might be trying to do me favour by taking over domestic chores, or by lovingly allowing me to ease my jet lagged soul back into the Asian swing of things. This is possible, I suppose, but it's so annoying that the disadvantages seriously outweigh any possible advantages. I just want to slap him or shoo him away - but what I really do is sigh and mutter to myself and then, you know, do things my own way anyway. I'm not easily converted to things but the Mister likes to convert, I'm learning, and this illuminates one of the biggest challenges of our marriage, so far:

We have similar personalities but we're fiercely dissimilar in our behaviours. And neither of us want to change. Meh.

So there you have it. We're alike - yet we aren't. Profundus wowus.

Anyway, aside from wanting to (just periodically) strangle my husband it is good to be back in my own apartment again, with my books and curtains and pillows and bathtub and high-speed Internet access and posh rice cooker. And, since Mister 8-2 is currently snoring gently in bed, cuddled happily with the World's Best Fusion Baby, and looking so peaceful and cute, and since I really did miss him a lot over the summer, and because one can never really have too many commas in a sentence, I can also say this: it's nice to be a complete family again.

Aphex Twin - violin solo
Youth Group - on a string

Coming soon? My Best of Canada Report - plus pictures from our new camera! ~