The tongue was wonderful

Our small room in the hotel/motel is a big challenge. I have lots of books and Phuong has lots of computer gear, so we're knocking things over all the time, tripping over everything  and somehow losing track of our stuff. And, of course, everything is built for a smaller person. The sink, closet and fridge are low to the ground, so my back and mending hip are put to the test. I'm also tested by the four flights of stairs I walk a few times a day. The knob on our door started sticking, so I poured pure virgin olive oil all over it, and presto, good as new. That's one of my great accomplishments in Vietnam. We're making do and our relationship survives, despite the Nha Nghi.
We do have crazy neighbors -- an old Italian guy and his younger Vietnamese girlfriend. They scream and yell at each other every day and throw trash out the fourth-floor window. We got fed up one day -- I yelled at them to take their stupid fights outside and Phuong left a note by the door telling them to stop throwing trash out the window. 
I got an X-ray of my messed-up teeth for the dentist. That was interesting -- the X-ray room has paint chipping off the walls and a metal bed. Other than an X-ray machine, that was it. The X-ray guy had me hold the X-ray plate in place with my thumb, and he put me in a semi-sit-up position for my photo op. I guess the photo was OK. The price was certainly right -- $1.50 USD.
I gave the X-ray to the dentist on Friday, and she yanked out my crumbling bridge (top, front, four teeth) on Sunday. The process was surprisingly painless, but she didn't give me a temporary replacement so I'm ready for Halloween early. In the interest of full disclosure, I'll post a picture of my "before" front teeth. When the new bridge arrives in a couple of days, I'll post that photo as well. I can't teach for a few days because I don't have my million-dollar smile and my speech isn't quite the same -- I whistle on the "s" words.
Last week, when I had front teeth, Phuong cooked pig heart and pig tongue for our dinner. Both were delicious and Phuong did an excellent job preparing them. I would recommend both, but some people might be turned off by the texture of the tongue, although I had no problem with it.
I had good mojo with my classes last week, and even won a bet with a student about kilos and pounds. I mentioned that a kilo is 2.2 pounds, and a student nicknamed John was sure I was wrong and agreed to a bet, which, of course, I won. After all, I'm the teacher. The student is a great guy and the class is super awesome, so we had a good laugh over it and I tried to moon walk to celebrate.
A couple weeks ago a few students at a company annoyed me a little, asking me if I had been drinking beer before class because I was red. A little miffed, I told them I had just ridden 30 minutes on the back of a bike to class in 95-degree heat, that I grew up in a country that has cold weather, that I'm a big man, and that I'm not Vietnamese and acclimated to the conditions here. They laughed, and I don't know why.
Phuong beat me for the tennis championship last Friday, 6-3, and she followed that up by trouncing me 6-0. Man, I was pissed. But give me time, and I'll come up with the perfect excuse for my loss.