Skip to main content

a shangri la christmas

Today is our xmas lunch at the Shangri La. It's a very ritzy place. So much in fact, that I'm leaving school early to get home so I can powder my nose and freshen up. To be frank, I'd much rather eat dinner at the Shangri La. It's decorated beautifully (white lights and tall pointy xmas trees) and it just seems like a place to have a xmas dinner, not lunch. But, no one asked me and I'll take a free lunch any day. Especially, at the Shangri La.

Since, my afternoon will be shot, studying wise, I'm also hoping to buy a treadmill today. I brought up the subject to Phil awhile back but we just haven't gone out and bought one. We looked at a couple stores yesterday and I found a few I liked. I did a bit of research last night and so hopefully I'll be able to get what I want today. I'm saying "I" because this is really my thing. Phil hates running and so I doubt he'll use it much. I started useing a treadmill when I was pregnant with Madeleine and I really liked it. The problem is that I won't have a TV to watch to pass the time. There's no room for a treadmill in the living room so it will be in the computer room. Our computer CD drive is broken so I can't use the computer as a DVD player. I figure for awhile I'll watch Season 3 of The Office since we have that on ITunes. Anyway, I'm excited to get my very own treadmill.

Yesterday after treadmill shopping we went to our favorite Indian Restaurant. Our city now has 3 of them. Isn't that wonderful? It was Madeleine's first time and she liked the nan and chicken. It was delicious.

Since very few restaurants have high-chairs here Madeleine has totally learned how to sit at a table like a little adult. She's so cute and well-behaved now that it's fun to eat out together. When we first got here it was a nightmare. She wouldn't sit, wouldn't eat, wouldn't stop touching everything. She still has her moments but over-all she's amazingly good. Yesterday, was particularly cute because she was doing the head bob and traditional Baliwood shoulder shake to the Indian music. Man, she's great.

Well, I'm off to the wonderful land of Putonghua.

*Disclaimer: I did not ask Blogspot to put ads in my blogs so I'm sorry they're there but since it's a free site, there's not much to do about it.

Popular posts from this blog

sourcream

Today I'm making a chicken dish in the crockpot with sourcream. It's actually quite amazing that this is happening. I would never normally have sourcream here because first of all I'd have to make a 30 min trip (not including the prep time to get the bus or taxi) to METRO in HanKou and secondly I'd have to spend a large sum of money for a gigantic tub of sourcream that wouldn't even fit in my little fridge and on top of that Phil doesn't even like sourcream (poor fellow). So how did I get this wonderful gift? The office bought a big tub for a party and they sold the leftovers. So, I'm making something like chicken stroganoff. For those concerned about what Phil will think, he'll like it because it's mixed in the dish. There's a stray dog that's been living on our floor (12th floor apartment) outside of the elevators. She showed up a few days ago. She either walked the 12 flights of stairs or rode the elevator. She's little, blac...

moving time

Well my house looks like it did at some point when we moved here about 2 years ago. Boxes lying around, no pictures up, hammers, cleaning rags and tape sitting in random spots around the living room. It's a mess. Another move, more good-byes and mixed emotions. I'm going to miss... ..real CH food whenever I want it for dirt cheap, ..a tailor that made all my curtains and waves to me every time I walk past her shop, ..the little boy who's parents own the light bulb shop and yells, "hello!" every time we pass by, ..all the little kids that very politely say, "Ayi" (Aunt) when they pass me, ..our first friend in Chengdu who owns a local shop and buys birds as a hobby - bird guy, as we call him, ..the best dumpling makers, the steamed bread makers, the shopkeepers that deliver our milk for free and know our address by heart, ..the courtyard of our complex where Maddie can play by herself or with her friends while we keep an eye on her from our 4th floor, ....

thankful

This morning I spent a wonderful time in my itty bitty kitchen with my little girls. We (I) made 2 pumpkin pies while they snacked on popcorn and cracker sticks. It's not often that I find cooking with 2 little ones underfoot wonderful. But this morning before tackling the job I had pryed for strength, patience and for an understanding that my job is one of the most precious ever. I also knew I had pretty much all day to get 2 pies made so there was no time pressure. This year I already feel in the Christmas spirit. There have been plenty of times in my life (adult life) that I didn't "feel" it. I was glad for it but I didn't have that cozy, let's make cookies and crafts, then snuggle on the floor under a blanket and watch It's a Wonderful Life feeling. Today is Thanksgiving. We'll celebrate it with turkey and all the trimmings tomorrow. I'm thankful for: Having all the spices I need for making multiple pumpkin pies. An oven that fits a 12 l...