Days 7,8 & 9

We've been here 9 days already and we feel pretty settled in to our new life. We can find the local markets, restaurants and bank. We can hail a taxi and get on a bus. We can get to the 'not far' menards otherwise know as the B&Q and the 'not far' flower market. The trouble is that when we get to these places and try to purchase or ask questions it gets a little complicated and comical. At a restaurant on Friday night we ordered by looking at pictures and pointing but we forgot to order rice. Since they already took the menu and we didn't know how to ask for a menu we tried to ask for and describe rice using sign language and pictionary. They brought us forks then napkins and anything else they could think of. We have now learned the word for rice. Its very important to have a calculator to figure out pricing and ours already died. Have you ever tried to use sign language or pictionary to buy a calculator?  I don't have one yet. I'll try again tomorrow. As for the 'not far' -- we've learned that when someone says its 'not far', it really is. Today I walked to the so called local flower market and I got back 2 hours later. One other really important thing that we've learned is to use our 360 degree eye sight and keep our head on a swivel stick.  When going out for a walk or run we are constantly looking to keep from being run over by a car, taxi, bus or bikes. Last time we were here in 2005, there were more bikes than cars. Now there are definitely more cars and the traffic is awful especially when it rains.

We've been busy since our last update. Fri. Sept. 9th was spent working out in the garden getting it ready for sod which was coming on Sat.  Bob has been helping Michael the gardener, teaching him about preparation for sod and maintenance after its in.  They rototilled the whole yard and then raked it. It was a lot of work. The new sod is in and it looks great. I have been working on some of the flower gardens getting them ready for Fall planting. The Fall season is warmer and longer here so the flowers will still bloom and not freeze for quite a while. We were really quite exhausted by 6 on Fri. night when Kristina knocked on our door and asked if we were up for a shampoo with massage at her local beauty salon and of course we (I) said sure.WE are always up for new experiences so off we went.  A half bottle of shampoo later, per person (I'm not kidding) and 45 minutes of scalp, neck, shoulders and back massage, we emerged feeling great and relaxed and Bob even got a new haircut!  Sat. we went in the rain to Panjiayuan a fantastic, huge outdoor market and then to Gaobeidian where furniture is made and sold, to get ideas for decorating the Mac. It was great fun looking but really hard not to buy. I could send home a crate full of really neat furniture to fill our home but Bob thinks differently.  Usually I say 'where there's a will there's a way but maybe not from here!  Today is Sunday and we went to church with new friends, had some relaxing time and took time to reflect on 9/11. Hope all is well at home.

 Working in the flower garden

 Shampoo massage

 Chinese Haircut 

 New Sod

 Lamp Shop in Gaobeidian

Inquiring about building doors