As I type this, I have realized that life is pretty much the same for our family no matter where we are. Here at the bachelor pad, there are 5 laptops open, one video game being played, someone is doing homework, and someone is taking a nap. Pretty much the same thing that can be found when we are all together in Shanghai.
I am required to be in ZJG for 7 consecutive days, so everyone came up here yesterday to have dinner with my local friends and then spend the night and head back sometime today. So, being the wonderful and brave wife that Natalie is, she accepted the challenge of my request to cook Western food for all of my friends. We had burritos, Spanish rice, nacho cheese dip, regular and lime tortilla chips, Mexican corn salad, apple pie, and chocolate chip brownies. It was excellent. After showing my friends how they were supposed to fix their food, they quickly began to eat and seemed to enjoy it. It was nice for my friends to see my family all together and for our family to see my adopted kids (even though they are all in their early 20's, mostly married, and there is one baby, they all still act like little kids).
I also got to have the fun experience of trying to find a can opener for Natalie to open up a can of sauce. I went to the two small stores across the street to find one, but I didn't know what they were called in Chinese. So, I tried to find a can that would use an opener and then tell the workers that I wanted to open the can (I know the words for this). Unfortunately, I could not find a can that needed an opener. I tried to call 3 friends to translate, but it was nap time in China and nobody was available. So, I hopped on the scooter and went to the local "K-Mart". Again, I was unable to locate a can that requires an opener, so I wandered the first floor and couldn't find any kitchen utensils. Then I climbed up to the second floor (the cart escalator was turned off, it was like walking up a 60 degree ramp) in my flip-flops. After wandering the entire second floor, I found the kitchen utensils and what appeared to be a quasi-can opener. Just as I was going to accept it as my choice, I noticed the perfect can opener just like you would use in the States. So 45 minutes and 10.5 RMB (1.5 USD) I was home.
The other fun thing that happened was I sent all 4 kids across the street to the store to buy pop. The workers are used to me coming in, but I am pretty sure they were flabbergasted when the 4 white kids came in and 2 of them looked the same! Jacob said they got stared at a lot, but they survived and made it back safely.
Anyway, that was the weekend!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Karen and the Welser's Write:
Life is fun as we know it. Here's your michigan tip of the day: TAKE A FLASHLIGHT! When I was asked to put Athena, my friends LARGE black lab puppy (1 1/2 yrs old) in the breezeway and close the door for the night, I thought No Problem! I had already been sniffed over by her and she liked me...more than I'd prefer! So at 10pm, I went around through the back gate ... wait it's dark, where's the ga--BONK! Oh..there's the gate. So I go in and start to gingerly walk around to the breezeway as Athena now believes theres an intruder. As I'm trying to call Athena in my best "remember me?, you like me!" voice, I trip over the huge vine root sticking out of the ground. Athena is now at my head still barking so I reach out in darkness hoping to hit a tongue and no teeth. Yep, I got tongue and lots of it! All ended up well, but next time I will TAKE A FLASHLIGHT!
Oh my - what a trip!!! (you too Karen - makes one a little nervous, doesn't it.)
Sounds like the Western Cooking was a big hit - good for you Natalie!
I understand we have a young man with a broken thumb as a result of what???
Take care - how did I know that today would be the day to check the blog for any new updates.
Take care - miss all of you and love you.
G-ma R
Natalie, you're pretty brave. I had to make American food when I was in England for our American Thanksgiving dinner. (Have I told this before?) It was little peanut butter pie and finding the ingredients in a country where I spoke the language was daunting enough. Did you know that they don't have graham crackers in England? And here I thought it was a basic food.
I decided to check your blog on a whim today, and low and behold you are blogging again! I love, love, love the updates! Even if it is your common everyday life, it is so different from our life here. Your meal sounds great, Natalie! I enjoyed reading all the updates from the kids a few updates ago. And, Mark, your food escapades sound interesting to say the least! Wow...We miss you guys. Hope you have a blast with Beth in a few days. I wish I could come along.
Post a Comment