The thing I don't like about family style eating is, you don't know how much you've eaten! I've eaten way too much Peking duck one night, because it's not good the second day and there wasn't that much left. We had Peking duck with jam and pear slices wrapped up in a thin flour tortilla and a salty black bean spread with green onion and cucumber. Yum. Fried rice is done a little bit different everywhere you go. Sometimes it's good and it's gone. Sometimes one bit is enough.
The green onions are supersized! Think leeks. It's better for you, so they say. Last time we went to the supermarket, the kids and I waited in the seafood section, counting how many fished jumped out onto the floor or into another tank. Some fish jumped two tanks over! I'm surprised the frogs never leap for it though.
Now they are doing construction on the sidewalk where the bus stop is. They've run a well used(rusted) metal fence perimeter. It's just dandy to get to or from the bus stop, you need to swish the fence so you don't get hit by traffic. And if you are real lucky the wind will be blowing and get sand/dirt/debris in your mouth, eyes and hair! Now I know why they always wear scarves, to cover their faces. I did it once. But I thoughtI stick out like a soar thumb, so I just always wear my sunglasses.
I'm addicted to these spicy peanuts, and eat them at least 1 meal a day(it's like the same food over and over and over and over). I'm told eating too many peanuts is not healthy. I was given a bag of black walnuts. Huh.
Not my house, so I tend to stay out of the kitchen. But I do try to wash the dishes. I don't understand how they think cold water gets oil off of dishes! I'm surprised they are not more sick, but I guess their immune system is top notch used to cutting up fruit and putting the knife away unwashed(no fruit flies?). How about this: 1 chopping board for cooked foods only, one for uncooked only. So if you want to cut up a cucumber and eat it raw, you cut it up on the raw (meat) cutting board!
Everyone is obsessed with mops here. They are soooo dirty! At the store they have so many mops to try and different mop buckets. I told my mother-in-law they are dirty. She told me she has several mop heads. I've never seen it changed and they use the same water over and over. It grosses me out. Finally she is interest in getting swiffer style mop. I look all over, none here have the built in squirt bottle. I'm used to my clorox ready-mop back home. I've only see one imported from Japan for 600rmb~$100usd! So I get a squirtless one for a reasonable price and lots of microfiber clothes, since there is so much dust(add 3 kids) here, it's necessary to sweep and mop at least twice a day. I show how nifty it is to get way under all the furniture and get that dust with the new. She wants to get a new mop bucket! At the store they demonstrate to use the same dirty mop bucket water onto a sponge to water the floor then use the swiffer style to "clean". They don't understand it defeats the purpose, we are trying to get rid of the mop bucket too!
If it's shown on Chinese TV it's gospel. There is a segment on how kids eyes are hurt watching ipad like devices for over 20 minutes. There was a show on about a girl in boarding school from age 7-14 and ate her hair everyday, they think as she was lonely and ended up needing surgery to remove the giant hairball in her stomach. Later that day I was showing my purchase of an ink stick for Chinese calligraphy. I was told it's no good. What is good is the old one that has been in the family because it doesn't smell bad and you can use it to get rid of red spots on the throat. Would I like it. No thank you. I don't want that responsibility.
So later that night I research about these ink sticks. Well back in the day they were made with herbs for a pleasing smell and medicinal purposes. Like oil, in the ink stick was used to cure skin diseases. Today of course like everything else is processed more cheaply and more chemicals. Well I came across an article about a Chinese artist who makes his own ink sticks from human hair powder. The human hair powder from a Shanghai medical facility is used to treat anxiety. They didn't believe me until they read the article. Oh, it's true(it's from China). Guess the young girl was self medicating!
I was complaining about not getting away from the cottonwood, my nose has been so stuffed. Register nothing. The next day on the news a segment on how many people are sick from the white stuff of trees. No kidding, you don't say.
Some of the coolest fashion trends: still neon colors from head to toe, pants where the crotch hangs down to the knee for both guys and gals and panty hose reinforced line showing below skirts or past shorts! I'll pass!
They are very loose with their family terms. Like they call cousins, brother or sister. I don't think so! To any Tom, Dick or Harry on the street parents tell their kids this is yeye(grampa), nainai(grama), and the words for younger sister, younger brother. I don't think you should be calling strangers family members! Distant family doesn't tend to stay in touch unless they want something. You may not hear from them for 20 plus years then one day they call and are in town(mind you've moved several times since you last saw them!) Then there is family members adopting each others kids. Especially back when they used to have more than one kid. Example one family had several daughters no sons and is rather well off, but the sibling has only sons and not financially stable, so they sell off "adopt" to their family their sons. Possibly like a "god parent" or benefactor that sends money until age 18, then the kid goes to live with the benefactor. What! I was jokingly told this is what they wanted to do with one of my sons. I did not take it as a joke and they are lucky I'm already here.
My mother-in-law was going to take me to a different haggler alley type of place. Great. We just need to wait for the laundry to be done. No problem. Before it's ended the blasted news comes on, might rain. So. I don't want to go. It might not. News says it might. I have no fear, off I go. Do you think it rained?
2 months left! I think I can, I think I can!
Some other things for thought I forgot to write about our plane experiences. "In case of Emergency cut here", on the side of a plane. Sealed sick bags. You need to tear to open. Really is there time? You are more likely to tear it length wise and then it's of no use.
Cool restaurant decor
Cars go any which way and often drive on the line
No comments:
Post a Comment