Happy New Year! 新年好
Xīnnián hǎo
Brooke, Brigham, Sophie (and her hat and ukulele) and I went to Luohu to pick out some birthday presents and fabric. The girls are starting sewing lessons this week. We found a nice lady named June who sells blankets, fabric, aprons, pillow covers and towels in her little cubby. BUT underneath the cubby she has hermes and prada wallets and purses and dvds. We weren't in the market for those things but she had a stream of customers who knew where to find her. The networking system is a bit nuts here. There are hundreds of little shops. You ask for something and if they don't have it, they make a quick call, walk across to another booth and show up with your request. I guess they have the same owner, and multiple locations to cover the area. We found ourselves bargaining at two shops with the same owner. It was awkward for them when we found out. Luohu days make for long travel days. You are on the subway for an hour each way. Crowded, smelly, smoky. I almost always return hungry and with a headache. People watching can't be beat, however! Sophie wanted to throw her hat on the ground for money while she played her ukulele.
Tuesday: Mr Li took us to Sam's club to get some things for New Year's eve. The lines were super long. A lady butts right in front of us with her one head of lettuce. Well, ok. I'm fine with that, but give me a head nod or hand gesture or look at me at least. You know, kind of like when you are wanting to merge in traffic. Oh ya,Chinese drivers don't do that in traffic situations either. I better adapt if I'm living in their country, I guess.
Brooke and her friend Milani have a photography business called Parashoot. They had a photo shoot this afternoon. She made a great video for the family that they are going to love.
We headed to Coyote for Taco Tuesday with Nashes and Shane for our New Year's Eve dinner. Todd and Nashes were stuck in traffic and arrived about an hour later than we did. Tacos were tasty and then we headed home for the party. Sears came over and the table was full of food. Anna brought seven layer dip, homemade caramel and the pretzel/caramel/chocolate treats. Pon brought apples and peanuts and mini cherry cheesecakes. The hit of the night was Pon's apple slice with a piece of Anna's caramel and peanuts on top of that. A few games later and it was showtime. We used a random countdown on YouTube, had some sparkling cider and that was that!
Wednesday: Happy New Year! We went to get our nails done and get haircuts while the boys played basketball and soccer at the park. I came out with feathered hair by Kevin, and had to walk around Shekou like that. I should have taken a photo for your entertainment. Todd and the girls looked shiny and new however! The girls are a fan of the massage that comes with the haircuts.
Walked by a restaurant on the way to Sea World.(SIDE NOTE: Sea World is a metro stop, not a Sea World with dolphins. It has a big ship that's landlocked and restaurants and shops and fountains. They just opened a new Hilton hotel and built a new restaurant mall. I heard that Shekou Port will be a place for cruise ships to dock in the future.) We heard a saw behind two swinging doors. Sophie is skipping along the torn up sidewalk and says, "I hope they aren't cutting an animal back there" and keeps on skipping down the road, as if that was a normal question for a seven year old. Chances were high that she was correct. A man walked out in a white & dirty apron doing food prep, right after we passed. There was a counter and a few buckets on the ground inside the doors.
Thursday: Mailed a letter to Ally. A whole bunch of Christmas cards came at once. Letter from Ally on this Thursday P-day. She is staying in Katrineholm for now but her companion was transferred. Her new companion is from Provo, Utah, Chantelle LaFontaine. She is ready to get to work. After being in Katrineholm since August, she will be ready for a transfer herself next time. We had quinoa stuffed avacados for dinner, google the recipe, they were delicious! Brynn lost a tooth and we went to the gym.
Friday: Happy Birthday to Brigham! Crepes for breakfast at his request, lunch at Simply Life, and steaks (australian from Sam's) for dinner. We also went to decathlon (a sporting goods store) where the Chinese come to let their children run CRAZY on the weekends. I guess when everyone lives in apartments that they need a place to play. Kids in roller blades and helmets, trying out the bikes, scooters, skateboards and all the balls. I'm always watching to not get a skateboard in the ankle. His birthday dessert was my grandma's peanut butter rice krispie cookie. Works for me!
Saturday: we went to Coastal City to meet the Ho's for dim sum this morning. They were celebrating Milani's birthday. Elsa checked off some boxes on a sheet of paper and things started filling up the table on a giant lazy susan. Pretty soon it was covered in more food than the 15 of us could eat. We had dumplings and vegetables and rolls and steamed biscuits filled with custard, tofu pudding, cow stomach on turnips (of which Chase and Brooke partook), bbq pork buns, shanghai dumplings with ginger broth, egg tarts, spring rolls, steamed ginger cake, and washed it all down with hot water. They also brought us a big bag of organic Mandarin oranges. Todd went on a run up a different mountain with our neighbor to a mariner statue and fort. He said that helped to burn off the MSG consumed. The rest of us laid around with headaches.
Sadly Todd's grandma fell and broke her hip and a rib. Her surgery of a complete hip replacement went well so we are happy about that. Also, little niece Ivy, who was badly burned mid-december was able to walk at physical therapy, yeah!
Sunday: Normal Sunday. Preparing for the next week of seminary.
Hope you are all doing well and that you have some new goals and renewed hope for this new year. I lovesaying that Ally will be home this year and we will be home next year!
"Be believing, be happy, don't get discouraged, things always work out." ~Gordon B. Hinckley
Love from China,
Taylor Fam
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