Summer Days

It’s been so long since I’ve written, guess that happens with three kids! We stay quite busy these days. My neck is still a pain, they took Xray’s on Monday to see if it’s bone instead of muscle that causing the pain and I’ll find out today when I go back to the doctor. She’s been doing lots of muscle therapy and has found a big lump that won’t go away with the muscle therapy, so she’s thinking it’s a vertebra that’s twisted. Fun, fun, fun. The pain has gotten better, but I’m still not able to turn my head fully to the right, so I look kinda funny when I’m wandering around looking at things.

I’ve been getting out quite a bit in the mornings, while Ashley and Liz are at summer camp and school. Ryken stays home with Xiaoshu and her daughter, Yao Lan, who is now working for us also. I’ve been checking out different markets here and there – basically any place to shop here is called a market, unless it’s a HIGHEND place, with actual air conditioned stores, then it’s a mall. I’ve been to some pretty cool places and have enjoyed seeing a lot of the local culture. I really enjoy the fruit, veggie and meat markets. You gotta have a strong stomach for the meat market, considering they sell the whole PIG – only cut up – ears, tails and head. It’s quite interesting. Anthony and I went to the computer market last weekend. I really don’t know how they make their money – there seemed to be a zillion of the same shops over and over again, all selling the same things.

We also went to Summer Palace last weekend with the kids. As much as I like for the kids to experience some of the touristy stuff here, it was hard to handle with them. The place is not made for strollers or the handicap – although there are a few ramps here and there. And the Chinese just love to take pictures of our kids – not just from afar, but actually putting their kids next to our kids, having them pose and taking pics. I finally got to the point where I just walked around saying NO, NO, NO (in Chinese of course) to anyone and everyone who was taking pics. It just gets to be too much. Liz is very protective of Ryken and would actually pull the stroller canopy over him when people would get too close. Pretty cute. One lady actually came up behind Liz and scooped her up and held her. That was too much, Liz was scared and freaked out. I don’t really understand what makes someone think they can just pick up a child they don’t know (from behind even) and that it is ok. Just strange. Summer palace was BEAUTIFUL and hopefully we’ll go back someday without the kids and stroller and enjoy the place.

The weather has been off and on – lots of rain lately and even cool temps – record breaking cool temps from what I’ve heard. One day last week, it was absolutely gorgeous and I spent most of the day at the pool with the kids. It was just perfect and only the 2nd blue sky day I’ve seen since we got here (how sad is that?!). But this week,s it’s just been rain, rain and more rain. We no longer have grass in about ½ the yard, from all the rain. It’s just one big mud pit.