I tried to prepare the meatballs ahead of time. Good thing I did, because they were horrible. I mean really bad. I'm sure they tasted just fine, but they didn't want to be balls.
So I begged Flora to cook a beef dish, over the weekend, as I figured it would probably be a good idea to have one meat dish that was Chinese - to ensure our guests didn't starve to death.
I consulted with my friend Kathy again - I needed a pep talk after failing miserably at meatballs. After our conversation, I realized I had to make yet another trip out to the store, to pick up pickled things and boiled peanuts for appetizers, rice bowls, soup bowls, soup spoons (I forgot the chopstick holders), beer, and egg custard tarts for dessert.
The rest of the dinner preparation was comical at best - the bell peppers I bought (to make a bell pepper salad - my second veggie dish, because you have to have two veggie dishes) were rotten on the bottom (so out they went). We made camponata instead. The rice had bugs in it (GROSS!), so off Hubs went at the last minute to find some new rice - he ended up returning with the rice, and our guests. Chase was going wild the whole time, taking everything that we were trying to put away - out again - until she finally fell asleep, just five minutes before everyone appeared.
I'm happy to report that the dinner went well. We had WAY too much food (which is what you strive for, otherwise you are rude), because neither of the wives came, which brought the count down to 4, from 6 - and I cooked for 8, to be safe.
Perhaps the hardest part of the evening was the fact that one of the guests did not speak English, so trying to include him on things was difficult. They ended up not eating much rice, not using the rice bowls, or the soup bowls, or drinking any beer.
I'm so glad we had this opportunity, and they were good guests, but there are a lot of cultural differences. For example, they went to take off their shoes to come in, and hubs said "don't worry, you can leave them on." It was pretty clear they were torn and that keeping their shoes on went against everything that was right in the world. I'm sure it's considered rude, and probably dirty, to keep shoes on in the home.
Hubs also noticed that they were having a hard time eating with our chopsticks because there are little blue knobs at the top, which makes it almost impossible to put the chopsticks together.
I'm sure they left thinking, "those silly Americans."
It's a good thing they didn't know we actually bought those chopsticks in Thailand, which is silly in itself, as the Thais do not use chopsticks.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Dinner Party
On Saturday, we are expecting two couples (both Chinese) for dinner.
One couple speaks English; the other does not.
I must make them dinner.
Now I'm stressing.
Why? Because I want to make a dinner that they will like, which is actually quite difficult given (a) the Chinese palate - they enjoy pickled, salted and soyed dishes, (b) there needs to be excessive amounts of food, with many options - to showcase our greatfulness to them and (c) the fact I only have a tiny oven and two burners on my stove-top.
So I consulted a friend who has lived here for two years and she told me:
(a) Make spagetthi and meatballs
(b) Don't serve bread, they won't eat it
(c) Consider serving cold pork roast as well - there should be at least two meat dishes
(d) Serve a hot vegetable
(e) Do not serve Western-style salad (uncooked veggies are not really consumed here)
(f) Serve fruit and egg custard pies for dessert
(g) Make sure there are many different dishes - lots of food - as it is VERY bad if you offer small portions or if you (G-forbid) run out of food. There should be lots left over.
So I had a quick chat when I got home with Flora. She confirmed it all - especially the part about having a lot of food on the table. She said to make sure I had at least two vegetable and two meat dishes. Egads.
So here's the plan:
-Spaghetti with meatballs
-Roasted carrots and leeks
-Cold, cooked vegetable salad
-Some kind of chicken dish
Dessert: fruit
Anyone know a good one pot, Italian, crock pot, chicken dish? Maybe I should roast a chicken with vegetables, but I'm afraid it won't fit into my easy-bake oven.
One couple speaks English; the other does not.
I must make them dinner.
Now I'm stressing.
Why? Because I want to make a dinner that they will like, which is actually quite difficult given (a) the Chinese palate - they enjoy pickled, salted and soyed dishes, (b) there needs to be excessive amounts of food, with many options - to showcase our greatfulness to them and (c) the fact I only have a tiny oven and two burners on my stove-top.
So I consulted a friend who has lived here for two years and she told me:
(a) Make spagetthi and meatballs
(b) Don't serve bread, they won't eat it
(c) Consider serving cold pork roast as well - there should be at least two meat dishes
(d) Serve a hot vegetable
(e) Do not serve Western-style salad (uncooked veggies are not really consumed here)
(f) Serve fruit and egg custard pies for dessert
(g) Make sure there are many different dishes - lots of food - as it is VERY bad if you offer small portions or if you (G-forbid) run out of food. There should be lots left over.
So I had a quick chat when I got home with Flora. She confirmed it all - especially the part about having a lot of food on the table. She said to make sure I had at least two vegetable and two meat dishes. Egads.
So here's the plan:
-Spaghetti with meatballs
-Roasted carrots and leeks
-Cold, cooked vegetable salad
-Some kind of chicken dish
Dessert: fruit
Anyone know a good one pot, Italian, crock pot, chicken dish? Maybe I should roast a chicken with vegetables, but I'm afraid it won't fit into my easy-bake oven.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Dearest Daughter: 16 Months
Dear Chase,
You would not believe how much happiness you bring to your father, myself - not to mention everyone you meet. You're like magic. You actually sparkle. People can't help themselves when they are near you. They love your smile, your eyes, your fearlessness, your adventurous spirit, how happy you are, how sweet you are, how clever you are and your sense of humor.
I can only hope that as you travel through life that you retain these qualities. That you approach all challenges in life as you have in the past 16-months. Nothing phases you. If you fall, you stand up, brush yourself off, and continue what you were doing. You are already proving to be so resiliant.
You travel as if you were born to see the world. And while we are scaling down on our trips, you have already been to four cities in China, Thailand and Singapore in the last 8 months.
Your father and I just celebrated 12 years of knowing each other (8.5 years of marriage) - and of the things we've seen and done, we are most in awe and the proudest of you, my dear.
We love you so.
You would not believe how much happiness you bring to your father, myself - not to mention everyone you meet. You're like magic. You actually sparkle. People can't help themselves when they are near you. They love your smile, your eyes, your fearlessness, your adventurous spirit, how happy you are, how sweet you are, how clever you are and your sense of humor.
I can only hope that as you travel through life that you retain these qualities. That you approach all challenges in life as you have in the past 16-months. Nothing phases you. If you fall, you stand up, brush yourself off, and continue what you were doing. You are already proving to be so resiliant.
You travel as if you were born to see the world. And while we are scaling down on our trips, you have already been to four cities in China, Thailand and Singapore in the last 8 months.
Your father and I just celebrated 12 years of knowing each other (8.5 years of marriage) - and of the things we've seen and done, we are most in awe and the proudest of you, my dear.
We love you so.
And Another Report...
Jul 04, 2007 - The Straits Times - BEIJING engineered the removal of nearly a third of a World Bank report on pollution in China due to concern that findings on premature deaths could provoke 'social unrest'.
The report, produced in cooperation with Chinese government ministries over several years, found that about 750,000 people die prematurely in China each year, mainly from air pollution.
China's State Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) and Health Ministry asked the World Bank to cut the calculations of premature deaths from the report when a draft was finished last year, according to World Bank advisers and Chinese officials.
Advisers to the research team said ministries told this information, including a detailed map showing which parts of the country saw the most deaths, was too sensitive.
'The World Bank was told that it could not publish this information. It was too sensitive and could cause social unrest,' one adviser to the study told the Financial Times.
Sixteen of the world's 20 most polluted cities are in China, according to previous World Bank research.
Mr Guo Xiaomin, a retired Sepa official who coordinated the Chinese research team, said some material was omitted from the pollution report due to concern that the methodology was unreliable.
But he also said such information on premature deaths 'could cause misunderstanding'.
'We did not announce these figures. We did not want to make this report too thick,' he said in an interview.
The pared-down report, titled Cost Of Pollution In China, has yet to be officially launched but a version, which can be downloaded from the Internet, was released at a conference in Beijing in March.
Missing from this report are the research project's findings that high air pollution levels in Chinese cities are leading to the premature deaths of 350,000 to 400,000 people each year.
Another 300,000 people die prematurely each year from exposure to poor air indoors, according to advisers.
In addition, around 60,000 premature deaths were attributable to poor-quality water that caused severe diarrhoea as well as stomach, liver and bladder cancer.
The mortality information was 'reluctantly' excised by the World Bank from the published report, according to advisers to the research project.
Sepa and the Health Ministry declined to comment.
The World Bank said the findings of the report were still being discussed with the government.
A World Bank spokesman said: 'The conference version of the report did not include some of the issues still under discussion.'
She said the findings of the report were due to be released as a series of papers soon.
FINANCIAL TIMES
http://news.asiaone.com.sg/st/st_20070704_135558.html
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Mosquitoes
So it looks as though bathing Chase in mosquito repellant, using the mosquito zapper and the mosquito tent will keep the pests away from our little sweetheart.
Unfortunately, it was I, who was bitten last night. Three times. The bumps are huge.
Unfortunately, it was I, who was bitten last night. Three times. The bumps are huge.
Monday, July 02, 2007
2 a.m.
Chase made the time zone transition from China to the US without a problem, but she is having a hard time making the adjustment back.
I foolishly believed we kicked it yesterday. She was doing really well - and then fell into a deep slumber from 4:30 p.m. and slept until 2 a.m. Hubs and I couldn't wake her. We even tried the ole, "look, there's Santa!" routine. Not even a flicker of the eye lashes. She clearly needed the rest.
And so, at 2 a.m. when she awoke, we did some dishes, re*organized* the cabinets, colored, and I tried my hardest to bore her to sleep, which finally happened at 4:30 a.m. She proceeded to sleep for another hour and a half, and as I could not drag my sorry, sleepy body off the bed, Hubs took the 6 a.m.-7:30 a.m. shift, at which point he woke me as he needed to go to work.
It was about this time when I noticed she had four new mosquito bites on her legs, which means she now has a total of about NINE bites (at least). After seeing (the day before) she had been bitten, I went out and bought an electric mosquito killer, one of those thingies that kills mosquitoes using high frequency. Unfortunately it wasn't on all night - or maybe one of those mosquitoes was immune to the pitch (although I did find two dead mosquitoes on the window sill this morning). So now I have mosquito repellant (to soak her in before putting her to bed) and a full blown mosquito net that is set up like a tent over her bed.
I remember thinking a while back how "cool" those nets are - (I've always seen them in movies so there is something in my brain that links them to hot, romantic nights) and now that we actually need them, I'm not loving them so much. In fact, they now create more problems, because I have to zip Chase into her bed at night - not something that is easy to do - and I know it will drive her NUTS if she wakes up and is suddenly stuck in her bed.
At any rate, Chase managed to get through the morning without a nap and then fell asleep when the clock struck noon. She slept poorly for about 30 minutes and is now running around, trying so hard to keep her eyes open. We have a play date at 3 p.m. with Ho Di - and frankly, I feel as though I'm going to fall asleep before she does.
Seems odds are very high she'll crash at 4 p.m. today, too.
So the question becomes - do I wake her after an hour or let her sleep?
I foolishly believed we kicked it yesterday. She was doing really well - and then fell into a deep slumber from 4:30 p.m. and slept until 2 a.m. Hubs and I couldn't wake her. We even tried the ole, "look, there's Santa!" routine. Not even a flicker of the eye lashes. She clearly needed the rest.
And so, at 2 a.m. when she awoke, we did some dishes, re*organized* the cabinets, colored, and I tried my hardest to bore her to sleep, which finally happened at 4:30 a.m. She proceeded to sleep for another hour and a half, and as I could not drag my sorry, sleepy body off the bed, Hubs took the 6 a.m.-7:30 a.m. shift, at which point he woke me as he needed to go to work.
It was about this time when I noticed she had four new mosquito bites on her legs, which means she now has a total of about NINE bites (at least). After seeing (the day before) she had been bitten, I went out and bought an electric mosquito killer, one of those thingies that kills mosquitoes using high frequency. Unfortunately it wasn't on all night - or maybe one of those mosquitoes was immune to the pitch (although I did find two dead mosquitoes on the window sill this morning). So now I have mosquito repellant (to soak her in before putting her to bed) and a full blown mosquito net that is set up like a tent over her bed.
I remember thinking a while back how "cool" those nets are - (I've always seen them in movies so there is something in my brain that links them to hot, romantic nights) and now that we actually need them, I'm not loving them so much. In fact, they now create more problems, because I have to zip Chase into her bed at night - not something that is easy to do - and I know it will drive her NUTS if she wakes up and is suddenly stuck in her bed.
At any rate, Chase managed to get through the morning without a nap and then fell asleep when the clock struck noon. She slept poorly for about 30 minutes and is now running around, trying so hard to keep her eyes open. We have a play date at 3 p.m. with Ho Di - and frankly, I feel as though I'm going to fall asleep before she does.
Seems odds are very high she'll crash at 4 p.m. today, too.
So the question becomes - do I wake her after an hour or let her sleep?
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Back To Dalian
After flying for what felt like f-o-r-e-v-e-r, and a very long, unexpected delay in Korea, we finally rolled into Dalian around 9 p.m. last night.
Chase, unfortunately, had no intention of sleeping (having slept quite a bit on the plane, unlike her parents). She wanted to play with all of her toys- at least twice. She was wound up like a top. Spinning out of control until almost 2 a.m.
Finally she crashed. But woke up screaming about 20 minutes later. After a little snuggle, she slept again until about 3 a.m. Waking up once again by screaming. I ran to her room and found her standing up, in the corner of her room (I'm pretty sure she sleepwalks). She fell asleep once again and then woke up for good at about 4:30 a.m.
I was so tired I was completely disoriented when I woke up.
Hubs confided in me that he was too.
Returning to Dalian filled me with mixed emotions (strong perhaps due to sheer exhaustion). This city is great. The people are wonderful. Our lifestyle is outrageous. But I miss the US. I miss how easy everything is there; how safe everything feels (latest news here is the FDA has banned the purchase of fish and shrimp from China, which just happens to be what we have been living on for the past 6 months).
I feel more confident, now that I am armed with hydrogene peroxide (for removing pesticides from vegetables) and a heavy-duty water filter, which I have already put to use -- we found green algae growing in our *drinking* water bottle this morning.
Calgon, take me away.
Chase, unfortunately, had no intention of sleeping (having slept quite a bit on the plane, unlike her parents). She wanted to play with all of her toys- at least twice. She was wound up like a top. Spinning out of control until almost 2 a.m.
Finally she crashed. But woke up screaming about 20 minutes later. After a little snuggle, she slept again until about 3 a.m. Waking up once again by screaming. I ran to her room and found her standing up, in the corner of her room (I'm pretty sure she sleepwalks). She fell asleep once again and then woke up for good at about 4:30 a.m.
I was so tired I was completely disoriented when I woke up.
Hubs confided in me that he was too.
Returning to Dalian filled me with mixed emotions (strong perhaps due to sheer exhaustion). This city is great. The people are wonderful. Our lifestyle is outrageous. But I miss the US. I miss how easy everything is there; how safe everything feels (latest news here is the FDA has banned the purchase of fish and shrimp from China, which just happens to be what we have been living on for the past 6 months).
I feel more confident, now that I am armed with hydrogene peroxide (for removing pesticides from vegetables) and a heavy-duty water filter, which I have already put to use -- we found green algae growing in our *drinking* water bottle this morning.
Calgon, take me away.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Missing Out
Confession: I feel like I've been missing out a little on the new mum scene. You know, meeting other mums over coffee, play dates, baby yoga, swim, etc.
However, while I was in Portland, I overheard two new mums gossiping over coffee...
"You know Lisa just shows up like she rolled out of bed. I mean, what's with her hair? I know she has three kids, but she should really have her act together by now."
I couldn't stop listening. Neither could Hubs. Seriously. We didn't say two words to each other for about a half hour as the ladies dished on their *best friends.*
I came away feeling pretty happy about my little playgroup in Dalian.
However, while I was in Portland, I overheard two new mums gossiping over coffee...
"You know Lisa just shows up like she rolled out of bed. I mean, what's with her hair? I know she has three kids, but she should really have her act together by now."
I couldn't stop listening. Neither could Hubs. Seriously. We didn't say two words to each other for about a half hour as the ladies dished on their *best friends.*
I came away feeling pretty happy about my little playgroup in Dalian.
Cravings
After nearly three weeks of eating everything I've craved over the past six months, I think I've gained about 20 lbs.
Really.
The only thing left on my list of things to consume is a hostess fruit pie. Lemon if possible. If there is no lemon, I will settle for Apple.
I can't really explain my Hostess fruit pie craving. All I know is that I get it every year.
There's just something about that pie shell - all glazed with sugar. The way it cracks open. The way the gooey inside pulls apart (I'm drooling just thinking about it).
Really.
The only thing left on my list of things to consume is a hostess fruit pie. Lemon if possible. If there is no lemon, I will settle for Apple.
I can't really explain my Hostess fruit pie craving. All I know is that I get it every year.
There's just something about that pie shell - all glazed with sugar. The way it cracks open. The way the gooey inside pulls apart (I'm drooling just thinking about it).
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Updates
So much has happened, following are a few highlights.
- Flying with a toddler is WAY different from flying with an infant. To all my friends with infants - travel NOW. Go see Europe. See Asia. Do it now, before your child can walk. Take it from me, the "fasten seat-belt sign" means nothing to a toddler.
- On my (10 hr) flight to Portland (via Beijing and San Fran), a woman sitting next to me was kind enough to point out there was a row of seats (about 10 rows back) that was wide open. She told me, with pursed lips and forced kindness, "I have a two year old and I find it helpful to fly with as much room as possible." I replied, "thank you, but I prefer the bulk head."
- My high school reunion was good, although only 6 other people showed up for it.
- Living in Europe just doesn't give you the same level of culture shock upon return as living in China. The thing that hit me most is how overweight Americans are... and I'm in Oregon - with loads of active, physically fit, granola crunchers. And I was still blown away. I shouldn't be talking, because I'm no skinny Minnie, but coming from a city where you just don't see much in the way of extra weight on people...well it really struck me. And the kicker is that I just really "got" for the first time how much it is part of our culture - sure you 'know' why it happens, but the portion sizes are super huge - I found myself stuffing a massive chimichanga into my body, packing it in, as if I had to make it fit. Hubs and I decided to gorge ourselves - as you can't get Mexican food in China - and I actually ate spoonfuls of guacamole - alone, with nothing else. It was so good. The point is, I understand why Americans are heavy. Food (especially anything processed and full of sugar, salt, starch) tastes so good. But comparing what we eat in China (rice, tofu, fish), to what a typical American eats, it sure makes me want to stick to a Chinese-type diet (even after we return).
- Hubs flew out to PDX for my Dad's wedding (photos to come when I've downloaded everything from our camera). We had a great time with family. It was wonderful. The wedding was at the Coast, so Chase got to play in the sand for the first time. At first she didn't know what to do, she didn't like the sand in her toes, but 10 minutes later she didn't want to leave - ever.
- Nana Cris has really been working overtime to keep Chase busy. She set up "learning stations" all over her house. Little pitchers filled with rice. Different spoons for Chase to carry rice from one bowl to the next. Clear plastic tubes for Chase to roll marbles down. A box with smaller boxes in it, to be sorted. Lots of water play. A very special thanks from me to Nana Cris for rearranging her schedule so that I could get my hair cut, go to dentist appointments, etc.
- Grandpa Mark also gets a big thanks for all his time playing with Chase. And for the lovely building blocks he created for her. They are wonderful! Thanks Dad!
- And of course I need to thank my little cousins, Sean and Julia, for all the time they played with Chase too!
- Other than that, we mostly spent our days on the road, visiting friends and family. I'm on a red-eye to Mississippi tonight. Good times. Here's to hoping my daughter sleeps right through it.
- Flying with a toddler is WAY different from flying with an infant. To all my friends with infants - travel NOW. Go see Europe. See Asia. Do it now, before your child can walk. Take it from me, the "fasten seat-belt sign" means nothing to a toddler.
- On my (10 hr) flight to Portland (via Beijing and San Fran), a woman sitting next to me was kind enough to point out there was a row of seats (about 10 rows back) that was wide open. She told me, with pursed lips and forced kindness, "I have a two year old and I find it helpful to fly with as much room as possible." I replied, "thank you, but I prefer the bulk head."
- My high school reunion was good, although only 6 other people showed up for it.
- Living in Europe just doesn't give you the same level of culture shock upon return as living in China. The thing that hit me most is how overweight Americans are... and I'm in Oregon - with loads of active, physically fit, granola crunchers. And I was still blown away. I shouldn't be talking, because I'm no skinny Minnie, but coming from a city where you just don't see much in the way of extra weight on people...well it really struck me. And the kicker is that I just really "got" for the first time how much it is part of our culture - sure you 'know' why it happens, but the portion sizes are super huge - I found myself stuffing a massive chimichanga into my body, packing it in, as if I had to make it fit. Hubs and I decided to gorge ourselves - as you can't get Mexican food in China - and I actually ate spoonfuls of guacamole - alone, with nothing else. It was so good. The point is, I understand why Americans are heavy. Food (especially anything processed and full of sugar, salt, starch) tastes so good. But comparing what we eat in China (rice, tofu, fish), to what a typical American eats, it sure makes me want to stick to a Chinese-type diet (even after we return).
- Hubs flew out to PDX for my Dad's wedding (photos to come when I've downloaded everything from our camera). We had a great time with family. It was wonderful. The wedding was at the Coast, so Chase got to play in the sand for the first time. At first she didn't know what to do, she didn't like the sand in her toes, but 10 minutes later she didn't want to leave - ever.
- Nana Cris has really been working overtime to keep Chase busy. She set up "learning stations" all over her house. Little pitchers filled with rice. Different spoons for Chase to carry rice from one bowl to the next. Clear plastic tubes for Chase to roll marbles down. A box with smaller boxes in it, to be sorted. Lots of water play. A very special thanks from me to Nana Cris for rearranging her schedule so that I could get my hair cut, go to dentist appointments, etc.
- Grandpa Mark also gets a big thanks for all his time playing with Chase. And for the lovely building blocks he created for her. They are wonderful! Thanks Dad!
- And of course I need to thank my little cousins, Sean and Julia, for all the time they played with Chase too!
- Other than that, we mostly spent our days on the road, visiting friends and family. I'm on a red-eye to Mississippi tonight. Good times. Here's to hoping my daughter sleeps right through it.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Radio Silence
Will post updates as soon as I can *find* the time. Departing Portland tomorrow - to Jackson, MS.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
The Furniture Arrived!
Chase's bedroom is finally coming together.
Except, to my dismay, her new sheets don't 'exactly go' with the rest of the room.
They should be red, but instead I fell in love with a lime green and pink print.
But at least it is looking more and more like a little girl's room; less like a nursery.
The butterfly cabinet, small chair and small table arrived today from Beijing.
It's so great to finally have a room with our own things in it.
We've been living in furnished apartments for so long.
We've forgotten what it's like to be surrounded by our own things.
Goodness me, it feels so good.
Very warm and cuddly.
Chase likes it too ...
Except, to my dismay, her new sheets don't 'exactly go' with the rest of the room.
They should be red, but instead I fell in love with a lime green and pink print.
But at least it is looking more and more like a little girl's room; less like a nursery.
The butterfly cabinet, small chair and small table arrived today from Beijing.
It's so great to finally have a room with our own things in it.
We've been living in furnished apartments for so long.
We've forgotten what it's like to be surrounded by our own things.
Goodness me, it feels so good.
Very warm and cuddly.
Chase likes it too ...
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Worse Than The Cable Guy
The shippers (the ones who are responsible for safely moving the goods we purchased in Beijing to our home in Dalian) are slower than molasses in January. And worse than any cable guy in the States.
We were expecting delivery yesterday. Hung around until well after delivery time. No one showed. And so we had a Chinese friend call to see what the delay was about - turns out, the truck was in an accident. They asked if they could deliver our items today, Sunday, at 8 a.m.
No problem. Chase wakes up at 7 a.m. E-v-e-r-y d-a-y. Yesterday she woke up at 6:30 a.m., just to see if we would wake up to.
So 8:00 a.m. arrives. No delivery. 9:30 - still no delivery. Hubs calls one of his friends from work to have him call them (again). Turns out they had an "emergency" delivery (whatever that means) and could now deliver at 11 a.m.
Would you believe that they didn't show up at 11 a.m.? Nor did they show up at 2 p.m. as they indicated they would at 12:30 p.m. when we called to say, "hey, what the heck?"
So now we wait. And stew. And wait. Hubs is reading. Littlest Lolly is going through my purse. Taking things out. Putting things back in. Taking things out. Putting things back in.
We haven't been outside all day. We're afraid to leave the house, because as soon as we do, the movers are bound to arrive.
We were expecting delivery yesterday. Hung around until well after delivery time. No one showed. And so we had a Chinese friend call to see what the delay was about - turns out, the truck was in an accident. They asked if they could deliver our items today, Sunday, at 8 a.m.
No problem. Chase wakes up at 7 a.m. E-v-e-r-y d-a-y. Yesterday she woke up at 6:30 a.m., just to see if we would wake up to.
So 8:00 a.m. arrives. No delivery. 9:30 - still no delivery. Hubs calls one of his friends from work to have him call them (again). Turns out they had an "emergency" delivery (whatever that means) and could now deliver at 11 a.m.
Would you believe that they didn't show up at 11 a.m.? Nor did they show up at 2 p.m. as they indicated they would at 12:30 p.m. when we called to say, "hey, what the heck?"
So now we wait. And stew. And wait. Hubs is reading. Littlest Lolly is going through my purse. Taking things out. Putting things back in. Taking things out. Putting things back in.
We haven't been outside all day. We're afraid to leave the house, because as soon as we do, the movers are bound to arrive.
'The List'
This morning, Hubs said "this article says we should not use Chinese toothpaste."
I thought to myself, "good thing we don't buy Chinese toothpaste."
But then I thought, "hmm, I think there might, actually be Chinese on our tube of Crest."
And then, sure enough, I went into the bathroom and saw our Crest toothpaste tube (the-one-with-Chinese-writing!), was almost gone! Seriously.
I can't keep track of all the things I'm not supposed to buy, so I've started a list.
For those that have not seen the headlines re. Chinese toothpaste, please visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18841928/
I thought to myself, "good thing we don't buy Chinese toothpaste."
But then I thought, "hmm, I think there might, actually be Chinese on our tube of Crest."
And then, sure enough, I went into the bathroom and saw our Crest toothpaste tube (the-one-with-Chinese-writing!), was almost gone! Seriously.
I can't keep track of all the things I'm not supposed to buy, so I've started a list.
For those that have not seen the headlines re. Chinese toothpaste, please visit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18841928/
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Making Me Tired
I get tired just thinking about my upcoming trip to the US.
YES, I am very excited to go.
YES, I am very excited to see friends and family.
YES, I am very excited to eat-salad-every-day-without-worry-of-illegal-pesticides.
You see, I have learned that the hardest thing about international travel with an infant isn't the part on the plane (although that can certainly be a challenge). And no, the hardest thing isn't that you-can't-bring-anything-you-need-on-the-plane-like-teething-gel. As it turns out, the hardest part is that the little one doesn't really "get" the time zone thing - especially when your destination is 10 hours behind. It's a total night/day flip/flop. You leave on the same day you arrive after traveling a-gazillion-hours.
It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to function like an adult during the day.
Maybe this time Chase can drive; I will sleep in her car seat.
YES, I am very excited to go.
YES, I am very excited to see friends and family.
YES, I am very excited to eat-salad-every-day-without-worry-of-illegal-pesticides.
You see, I have learned that the hardest thing about international travel with an infant isn't the part on the plane (although that can certainly be a challenge). And no, the hardest thing isn't that you-can't-bring-anything-you-need-on-the-plane-like-teething-gel. As it turns out, the hardest part is that the little one doesn't really "get" the time zone thing - especially when your destination is 10 hours behind. It's a total night/day flip/flop. You leave on the same day you arrive after traveling a-gazillion-hours.
It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to function like an adult during the day.
Maybe this time Chase can drive; I will sleep in her car seat.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Bottleless Bedtime
Ever since she turned one, I have been trying to figure out the best way to wean Chase from the bottle. At this point, the bottle is been much more about comfort than a convenient device to ensure one's child consumes enough nutrients.
With my trip the US only a week away, I have been asking myself if I should bring the bottles (they take up so much room and are such a *bleeping* hassle). I'm hesitant to admit this, but I have actually spent time debating this issue with myself.
So it is with great joy that I report my question answered itself.
During our weekend in Beijing, it was so hot that Chase was drinking shed-loads of water. She produced so many diapers, I couldn't begin to count them. As we were "going going going" all the time, she literally fell asleep when she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore (as did we all), which means that the whole "have a bottle before bed" thing didn't happen for three days.
And so Hubs and I decided to continue the bottleless bedtime routine after we returned to Dalian.
We're two days into bottleless bedtime ... so far, so good. Admittedly, it takes a good deal longer to put her down for naps during the day, and nights take a little more time. But if I have to wait a little longer, it's worth it to (a) beat the bottle and (b) lighten my load.
And yes, I know bottleless isn't a word.
With my trip the US only a week away, I have been asking myself if I should bring the bottles (they take up so much room and are such a *bleeping* hassle). I'm hesitant to admit this, but I have actually spent time debating this issue with myself.
So it is with great joy that I report my question answered itself.
During our weekend in Beijing, it was so hot that Chase was drinking shed-loads of water. She produced so many diapers, I couldn't begin to count them. As we were "going going going" all the time, she literally fell asleep when she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore (as did we all), which means that the whole "have a bottle before bed" thing didn't happen for three days.
And so Hubs and I decided to continue the bottleless bedtime routine after we returned to Dalian.
We're two days into bottleless bedtime ... so far, so good. Admittedly, it takes a good deal longer to put her down for naps during the day, and nights take a little more time. But if I have to wait a little longer, it's worth it to (a) beat the bottle and (b) lighten my load.
And yes, I know bottleless isn't a word.
What I Miss Most
- Friends (we have friends here, but it's just not the same)
- Lime
- Avocados
- Blue cheese, all artisan cheeses, wine
- Fresh herbs
- Organic produce
- Free range beef and chicken
- Organic, hormone-free milk
- Speaking English to someone else who speaks English
- Finding everything I need at one store
- Being able to buy all ingredients I need for a recipe
- Carrots that are orange in the middle
- Clean public restrooms (I'm so tired of holes)
- Backyard BBQs
- A game of Croquet after dinner (way back when - when we had a backyard)
- Bacolna Dolce dessert from Papa Hayden's
- Having a garden
- Lime
- Avocados
- Blue cheese, all artisan cheeses, wine
- Fresh herbs
- Organic produce
- Free range beef and chicken
- Organic, hormone-free milk
- Speaking English to someone else who speaks English
- Finding everything I need at one store
- Being able to buy all ingredients I need for a recipe
- Carrots that are orange in the middle
- Clean public restrooms (I'm so tired of holes)
- Backyard BBQs
- A game of Croquet after dinner (way back when - when we had a backyard)
- Bacolna Dolce dessert from Papa Hayden's
- Having a garden
News Of The Day
The good...
PARIS (AFP) - An international team of scientists has isolated antibodies that could provide treatment for bird flu in humans, according to a study published Tuesday.
The bad...
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Federal health authorities said Tuesday that they are looking for people who may have been exposed to a rare and potentially fatal form of tuberculosis from an infected passenger during two trans-Atlantic flights this month.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Ten U.S. troops died in Iraq on Monday, including eight killed in a deadly chain of events that began when a U.S. helicopter was shot down, according to a U.S. military official.
And what we were waiting to hear...
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Britney Spears says she "hit rock bottom," in a message posted on her Web site about the end of her marriage and her time in rehab.
PARIS (AFP) - An international team of scientists has isolated antibodies that could provide treatment for bird flu in humans, according to a study published Tuesday.
The bad...
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Federal health authorities said Tuesday that they are looking for people who may have been exposed to a rare and potentially fatal form of tuberculosis from an infected passenger during two trans-Atlantic flights this month.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Ten U.S. troops died in Iraq on Monday, including eight killed in a deadly chain of events that began when a U.S. helicopter was shot down, according to a U.S. military official.
And what we were waiting to hear...
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Britney Spears says she "hit rock bottom," in a message posted on her Web site about the end of her marriage and her time in rehab.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Beijing
Day 1:
Chase decided she wanted to see The Great Wall of China. So off we went.
After a quick, one hour flight, we arrived in Beijing. We were picked up from the airport by a driver, who took us directly to The Wall. (For those looking to visit Beijing, I highly recommend contacting William at beijingdriver@188.com).
I had a minor anxiety attack when I realized that in order to see The Wall we had to take a chair lift. Chase handled it better than I did. She sat very still and took it all quite seriously (the sunglasses and smile are an attempt to hide my panic).
I'm not sure what I expected, but I must say that hiking The Wall is not for the faint of heart. In all seriousness - if one is looking for a heck of a workout, one should definitely combine steep, uneven stairs with the additional weight of a small child.
As I needed a break, Hubs took Chase up to the very top - and then past a sign that read "do not pass." And yes, we had some words when he returned. Chase, meanwhile, soaked in the brilliant view. We could not have had better weather.
Here's a shot of from the top of The "Wild" Wall, which is now overgrown and falling into disrepair. Special thanks to Hubs for snapping this during his walkabout.
And then we started back down...
Just a few more steps (ha!)...
After the Wall, we went back to our hotel (I have to say, if one ever decides to visit The Great Wall, going directly from the airport is the way to do it). From there, we decided to do a bit of shopping. After our little shopping spree (the first of many), we headed over to an old friend's house for dinner.
Silly me, I did not take any pictures. Her daughter, Margo, bears a striking resemblance to Chase. The girls got along famously. They chased each other. Babbled at each other. And really interacted and played with each other. It was super cute.
We had a lovely time and look forward to seeing them both again soon.
Day 2:
First stop - The Dirt Market - Beijing's oldest, largest flea market. So many stalls, with so much rubbish, but for those who take the time, I'm sure it's a great place to find hidden treasure. The market opens around sunrise (4 a.m.-ish) and then closes around 5 p.m. We arrived about 8 a.m. and people were already swarming in. And yes, it was really hot. Already. At 8 a.m.
We walked away with a gorgeous Tibetan carpet and a few strands of pearls.
Chase loved running her fingers through the strands of pearls.
She just could not get enough.
And then she found the bags (and bags and bags) of pearls.
We knew we were in trouble!
Next - we hopped a cab to 798, a trendy warehouse-turned-arts-district. What struck me most about the art in Beijing - as well as the art in Shanghai - is the anger and sadness captured within the pieces. Some pieces were dark - in both color and subject matter, while others were brilliantly colored but seriously twisted.
Note the Tibetan carpet hubs is toting - because we are crazy enough to bring along a carpet (and a toddler) on an art walk.
Unfortunately, darling Lolly tripped while she was walking and didn't catch herself in time.
She ended up with quite a mark on her forehead. We stopped for lunch and ordered a banana split (worse one ever), but the bananas seemed to cheer her up pretty quickly.
We walked until I was so exhausted I could no longer stand (almost 4 hours) - and we still had not seen it all. The heat, plus the extra weight of a small child and a Tibetan carpet, forced us to cut our tour a little short.
And then we got our second (third?) wind and headed to a warehouse that sells antiques, collectibles and new furniture. They do serious business there - so serious they have their own shippers in-house. So we toured 3 massive floors of furniture (with a shipper shopping with us) and came away with some lovely pieces, which should arrive in the next week or so.
And yes, we bought these itty-bitty chairs for Chase. She just loved them so much. And we bought a little (low) antique table, to go with the chairs.
And then, as the doors were closing, we heard about another warehouse.
Hubs wanted to go. I wanted to go.
But it was 6 p.m. and I was out of snacks (and diapers) for Chase.
So we headed back to the hotel for showers.
I told Hubs that we should tuck in and order room service.
Hubs told me he wanted to go out to a Mexican restaurant.
It was all I could do to motivate myself to get off the bed.
But I am so glad we went.
It was amazing. They had lime.
They even had guacamole.
Beijing only just allowed avocados in last year.
We met the owner. She had some great stories.
I highly recommend the Mexican Wave restaurant.
Chase fell asleep in the cab on the way there, so Hubs and I enjoyed time together unwinding.
Day 3:
After sleeping quite poorly (thanks to a midnight demolition crew with jackhammers), we awoke and headed out to T-square (sorry about the self-censoring, but I want to keep this blog off any watch lists).
A quick shot of us in T-square (below), just in front of the Forbidden City (which was undergoing restoration and was totally covered by scaffolding in preparation for the 2008 Olympics). For this reason, we decided to save the Forbidden City for our next visit to Beijing.
Our little diplomat...
And then we went to the Temple of Heaven, which was used by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911) to worship Heaven and pray for good harvests.
At this point, our dearest little one was so hot and exhausted - it was all she could do to keep her eyes open. It was so hot. I can't begin to describe how hot.
And Chase was soooo tired...
We soon discovered that the grounds of the Temple of Heaven were huge. Just when we thought we had seen it all, another building, courtyard or pavillion came into sight.
We were all hot, grumpy and exhausted. It wasn't pretty. Sure, we should have actually read and followed the map/guide, but that would have been too easy.
And then Chase woke up.
Let me just say, she was so 'over' the Temple of Heaven.
And then there was more...
And more...
And finally we managed to find a path where Chase could walk without being mobbed. Plus it had some shade. So we set her down and let her stretch her legs. She happily played about and made it quite clear that she was more than happy to use her little legs. In fact, she threw a little tantrum when we tried to move her from the spot. Eventually we picked her up, and ran toward the exit (and the nearest cab with AC) singing nursery rhyms as she wiggled and wailed.
Next was the Pearl Market, for more pearls (after all, one can never have too many), then came a feast of Thai food (for the first time in 6 months) for lunch.
Following our late lunch, we headed back to the hotel, grabbed our bags and made for the airport.
The things that most surprised me about Beijing - (1) it was so Western (there were white people everywhere), (2) it was so green (tree-lined streets!) , (3) it was so filthy (and I mean unbelievably filthy), and (4) it was so hot (and it is May).
Things that didn't surprise me - the air quality was horrible. I could feel it, see it, taste it. Chase's eyes even became red and weepy for a little while. Everyone's skin broke out on the second day.
Anyone who thinks they don't need to recycle should visit Beijing. The air is muddy with toxins. It scares me to think of what is actually in the rain (which waters the crops).
It makes me want to become an environmentalist.
But I also left Beijing happy to know that a truly international city is so close - and feeling like there was still so much I wanted to see and do there.
Chase decided she wanted to see The Great Wall of China. So off we went.
After a quick, one hour flight, we arrived in Beijing. We were picked up from the airport by a driver, who took us directly to The Wall. (For those looking to visit Beijing, I highly recommend contacting William at beijingdriver@188.com).
I had a minor anxiety attack when I realized that in order to see The Wall we had to take a chair lift. Chase handled it better than I did. She sat very still and took it all quite seriously (the sunglasses and smile are an attempt to hide my panic).
I'm not sure what I expected, but I must say that hiking The Wall is not for the faint of heart. In all seriousness - if one is looking for a heck of a workout, one should definitely combine steep, uneven stairs with the additional weight of a small child.
As I needed a break, Hubs took Chase up to the very top - and then past a sign that read "do not pass." And yes, we had some words when he returned. Chase, meanwhile, soaked in the brilliant view. We could not have had better weather.
Here's a shot of from the top of The "Wild" Wall, which is now overgrown and falling into disrepair. Special thanks to Hubs for snapping this during his walkabout.
And then we started back down...
Just a few more steps (ha!)...
After the Wall, we went back to our hotel (I have to say, if one ever decides to visit The Great Wall, going directly from the airport is the way to do it). From there, we decided to do a bit of shopping. After our little shopping spree (the first of many), we headed over to an old friend's house for dinner.
Silly me, I did not take any pictures. Her daughter, Margo, bears a striking resemblance to Chase. The girls got along famously. They chased each other. Babbled at each other. And really interacted and played with each other. It was super cute.
We had a lovely time and look forward to seeing them both again soon.
Day 2:
First stop - The Dirt Market - Beijing's oldest, largest flea market. So many stalls, with so much rubbish, but for those who take the time, I'm sure it's a great place to find hidden treasure. The market opens around sunrise (4 a.m.-ish) and then closes around 5 p.m. We arrived about 8 a.m. and people were already swarming in. And yes, it was really hot. Already. At 8 a.m.
We walked away with a gorgeous Tibetan carpet and a few strands of pearls.
Chase loved running her fingers through the strands of pearls.
She just could not get enough.
And then she found the bags (and bags and bags) of pearls.
We knew we were in trouble!
Next - we hopped a cab to 798, a trendy warehouse-turned-arts-district. What struck me most about the art in Beijing - as well as the art in Shanghai - is the anger and sadness captured within the pieces. Some pieces were dark - in both color and subject matter, while others were brilliantly colored but seriously twisted.
Note the Tibetan carpet hubs is toting - because we are crazy enough to bring along a carpet (and a toddler) on an art walk.
Unfortunately, darling Lolly tripped while she was walking and didn't catch herself in time.
She ended up with quite a mark on her forehead. We stopped for lunch and ordered a banana split (worse one ever), but the bananas seemed to cheer her up pretty quickly.
We walked until I was so exhausted I could no longer stand (almost 4 hours) - and we still had not seen it all. The heat, plus the extra weight of a small child and a Tibetan carpet, forced us to cut our tour a little short.
And then we got our second (third?) wind and headed to a warehouse that sells antiques, collectibles and new furniture. They do serious business there - so serious they have their own shippers in-house. So we toured 3 massive floors of furniture (with a shipper shopping with us) and came away with some lovely pieces, which should arrive in the next week or so.
And yes, we bought these itty-bitty chairs for Chase. She just loved them so much. And we bought a little (low) antique table, to go with the chairs.
And then, as the doors were closing, we heard about another warehouse.
Hubs wanted to go. I wanted to go.
But it was 6 p.m. and I was out of snacks (and diapers) for Chase.
So we headed back to the hotel for showers.
I told Hubs that we should tuck in and order room service.
Hubs told me he wanted to go out to a Mexican restaurant.
It was all I could do to motivate myself to get off the bed.
But I am so glad we went.
It was amazing. They had lime.
They even had guacamole.
Beijing only just allowed avocados in last year.
We met the owner. She had some great stories.
I highly recommend the Mexican Wave restaurant.
Chase fell asleep in the cab on the way there, so Hubs and I enjoyed time together unwinding.
Day 3:
After sleeping quite poorly (thanks to a midnight demolition crew with jackhammers), we awoke and headed out to T-square (sorry about the self-censoring, but I want to keep this blog off any watch lists).
A quick shot of us in T-square (below), just in front of the Forbidden City (which was undergoing restoration and was totally covered by scaffolding in preparation for the 2008 Olympics). For this reason, we decided to save the Forbidden City for our next visit to Beijing.
Our little diplomat...
And then we went to the Temple of Heaven, which was used by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911) to worship Heaven and pray for good harvests.
At this point, our dearest little one was so hot and exhausted - it was all she could do to keep her eyes open. It was so hot. I can't begin to describe how hot.
And Chase was soooo tired...
We soon discovered that the grounds of the Temple of Heaven were huge. Just when we thought we had seen it all, another building, courtyard or pavillion came into sight.
We were all hot, grumpy and exhausted. It wasn't pretty. Sure, we should have actually read and followed the map/guide, but that would have been too easy.
And then Chase woke up.
Let me just say, she was so 'over' the Temple of Heaven.
And then there was more...
And more...
And finally we managed to find a path where Chase could walk without being mobbed. Plus it had some shade. So we set her down and let her stretch her legs. She happily played about and made it quite clear that she was more than happy to use her little legs. In fact, she threw a little tantrum when we tried to move her from the spot. Eventually we picked her up, and ran toward the exit (and the nearest cab with AC) singing nursery rhyms as she wiggled and wailed.
Next was the Pearl Market, for more pearls (after all, one can never have too many), then came a feast of Thai food (for the first time in 6 months) for lunch.
Following our late lunch, we headed back to the hotel, grabbed our bags and made for the airport.
The things that most surprised me about Beijing - (1) it was so Western (there were white people everywhere), (2) it was so green (tree-lined streets!) , (3) it was so filthy (and I mean unbelievably filthy), and (4) it was so hot (and it is May).
Things that didn't surprise me - the air quality was horrible. I could feel it, see it, taste it. Chase's eyes even became red and weepy for a little while. Everyone's skin broke out on the second day.
Anyone who thinks they don't need to recycle should visit Beijing. The air is muddy with toxins. It scares me to think of what is actually in the rain (which waters the crops).
It makes me want to become an environmentalist.
But I also left Beijing happy to know that a truly international city is so close - and feeling like there was still so much I wanted to see and do there.
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