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Monday: Back to school! Todd worked from home today, always a treat.  Our water was off due to a broken pipe Sunday afternoon.  24 hours later and the water was still off. It finally came back on-brown water from the pipes, gross--around dinner time.  I did the dishes that had piled up as fast as I could in case it wasn't going to be on for long. I yelled to the family, "take a shower, quick!"  I then proceeded to mess up the kitchen making Thai food, Panang and Green curry and rice.  For dessert and family night, we headed down to Sea World to check out the new Baskin Robbins.  On the way home we went to the gym (to work it off, as Sophie said).  Letters from Ally to top off a good day.

Tuesday: Cold today! Lots of laundry to do since there was no water yesterday.  Chase and Brooke had their dirty clothes baskets all lined up.  My seminary students asked what the noise was.  I said "that's our clothes dryer." Evidently they don't even own a clothes dryer.  First no microwave, now no clothes dryer and no dishwashers or ovens. The oven here cracks me up.  In order to have a full sized oven you have to have an electric stove top.  This particular stove only works on high and the burners are slanted.  Making pancakes is pretty tough unless you stand there and hold the pan so it's even.  It doesn't have a plug, they hardwired it into the wall, so on occasion when it doesn't want to shut off, I have to turn it off and on at the circuit box. Sometimes it's off and I walk in and the red light pops on. At least I can use that as an excuse when my food doesn't turn out. I may have to switch out for a gas stove and small oven.  

   I went to Chinese class and there were just two of us today, so it was a semi private class.  The teacher would say a sentence and we had to tell her what she was saying.  I found out I'm a lot better at listening than putting sentences together in Chinese form and spitting them out.  I also learned that I shouldn't practice phrases such as "wait a minute" and "u-turn" while my driver is driving.  oops! Back to the gym--Todd and Brigham played squash with Kee and Anders from Todd's work and the girls and I exercised upstairs in the weight room with Ulrika.  She is a tiny but mighty woman (personal trainer) from Sweden with lots of stories to share.  She is married to Anders, Todd's business associate atHuawei. They live here in our neighborhood with two daughters and have a son living in Australia.  

Wednesday: We aren't going to be using our driver, Mr. Li anymore.  I found out I was supplementing two men to get to work instead of just the errands I needed. Windy today but the kids still had tennis lessons.  Sophie tricked me into taking her to Baskin Robbins on a date and then invited Brooke and Brynn.  We walked in and the worker said "Hi, Jane!"  oh boy.  I had been asking for the peanut butter chocolate.  Yesterday they said when the next ice cream barrel empties they would put it out. It wasn't out yet, but they went in the back and scooped some for me anyhow.  I deserved it today after hiking Nanshan with Joyce and Cherie.  We went up to the top gazebo where I have been a couple of times, but Joyce took us there and then up to another trail.  Down a bunch of stairs and then back up some more to what they call the "spaceship".  It is a big white brick gazebo, round, double-decker with a deck all around.  There is a concession stand selling drinks and ice cream.  People doing various things like splits and push-ups and all sorts of flexibility moves.  You should see the old ladies put their legs up on the bar, like splits on the wall. Joyce gave us a squat lesson (she's half Hong Kongese)and then we headed back down.  I wouldn't have made it but my friend had some good stories to tell about living in Jakarta, almost getting thrown in jail for something having to do with gold jewelry and bribing factory workers with cigarettes to avoid jail.  I think there's more stories coming.  I hope!  Met some nice expat ladies on the trail-Jennifer and Peggy and then home.

For dinner Sophie made up a menu, dressed up and put on an apron for "Sophie's Diner".  She had a drink menu-water, milk, or peach herb tea.  For dinner we could choose between an omelet or an egg sandwich with oranges on the side.  She did a good job bossing us around in the kitchen.  She preferred to cook-pulled a chair up and fried the eggs herself.  Then she handed out the bills.  That went over well. 

For mutual the boys constructed a poem to ask out the girls on a date. It's on my Facebook page if you want to see the video. 

Thursday: Fun to Skype with Julynn & finally hooked up viber also. I skipped myChinese class in order to go to lunch with friends who are slowly returning from the holidays. I skipped the foot massage beforehand, and I'm so glad.  My friend's back was completely red-bruised looking.  That massage place is not good!! Brooke and the girls babysat a couple little girls today. Todd rode his bike to meet a friend for lunch near walmart. 

Friday:  Taught seminary-played the scripture mastery game where one team shoots baskets while the other team tries to find the reference. That's been their favorite so far.    Brigham and I then headed to Hong Kong on the ferry.  Todd and the rest of the family came later.  We got my wallet from Disneyland that I lost three weeks ago. We also lunched at BLT Burger and mailed a package to Ally.  We took a taxi to the hotel and then the MTR to the mall to meet the family for dinner at Simply Life.  We shopped a bit at the mall and then took the metro to the Ladies' Market.  Don't know why it's called the ladies' market, it's just a night market. Here we found some ties, a watch for the boys, chopsticks, memory sticks, portable phone batteries and the boys picked out some basketball jerseys. On the way home we were getting off the subway and Sophie starts screaming an ugly scream.  Her fingers got stuck in the subway door. Even when pulling on her hand we couldn't get it free.    We all started yelling to push the emergency button.  After a few moments, someone on the outside pulled the door back and we were finally able to pull her hand out. She had quite a crowd around her, one lady was rubbing her fingers and blowing on her hand.  As we were walking down the hallway, the entire train was watching Sophie.  The subway was shut down for a bit and workers were swarming around with walkie talkies, checking out the situation.  So exciting to shut down the Hong Kong Metro network! She will have a story to tell.  Her fingers are swollen and bruised.  Back to the hotel, we had a mini girls night/boys night.  I think the girls had more fun--pillow fights and caramel corn, journal writing and photo shoots.  Boys watched a movie.  If you are ever in a city with a Pentahotel, check them out!

In Hong Kong it's hard to get used to walking on the left side of things.  I guess if you drive on the left, you walk and the left side of the sidewalk, stairs, subway etc.  There are even signs posted that say "keep left".  

Saturday: Todd, Chase and I were up early to head to the temple. Brooke, on her own, got all the other kids ready, checked out of the hotel, and got a taxi to the temple.

Todd here: Going through the temple with Chase on Saturday was great.  It was certainly a parenthood payback experience.  The temple president here in Hong Kong is new and was living in Brisbane, Australia before being called to serve as the temple president a few months ago.  We had a talk with a member of the new temple presidency and then were able to go through the session with Chase.  

We then went to a nice lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Simply Life, which is in the mall by the temple (yes, we ate there for dinner last night too, it's that good!)

Todd and the kids then went to a movie, (Frozen...3-D, in English) while I went toPrizeMart where they have some Costco products. It is a small store and there was a line out the door.  I had to wait nearly 30 minutes just to get into the place.  When I did get in, I was pushed from the back and smashed into the lady in front of me. It was the craziest I've seen people. And one point I said very loudly, "WAIT". They said, "solly, solly" and kept on shopping.  They were all buying chocolate and cookies and treats, I'm assuming for Chinese New Year.  The FerreroRocher is so popular I guess.  The Chinese were buying it by the case.  We have also been warned by people and by newsletter, that now is high season for theft, pick pocketing, and kidnapping. When I was finally able to get out of there, I rushed to the subway to the ferry building to buy tickets to get home. I was carrying four bags through the city, all full of mixed nuts, three pounds of almonds, fig bars, cans of food, boxed milk, chocolate, and other grocery items that we can't get in China.  My shoulders were killing me.  The family met me just before the ferry was leaving and we were off across the water headed home.  We watched a few episodes of Downton Abbey, unpacked and then had a good night's sleep. 

Sunday: Cox's and Roy Greenland came over for ham and potato dinner. President Cox played us some songs on the guitar. He is Carol Lynn Pearson's cousin.  Shane and Dusty came over tonight. We popped popcorn and watched Man From Snowy River.  I also tried making yogurt in the crock pot once again.  My other three times have failed because I can't get temperatures right.  Hoping in the morning we will find a crock full of yogurt this time.  I'll let you know if it works. 

That's a wrap! Our first 6 months in China is complete.  I think from here on out it will go much more quickly.

Hope all is well with you and your family.  We miss you all.  Until next week...

Keep in touch, come visit!

Love from China,

Jane & Family