Random Stuff

Just thought I'd post some random thoughts/observations from past few days.

On my home from a Class Parent meeting at Liz's school, I watched a taxi driver pull over on a 4 lane road (pretty major road) walk to some bushes and take care of business.

I did some shopping last night at Pines Supermarket, an expat market with imported foods, to get some imported yogurt and milk (until this melamine dairy thing is solved no local dairy products for us!) and noticed they've gotten in a big selection of US imported foods - like Teddy Grahams and Handy Pudding Paks and Fruit Loops and Mac N Cheese - ahhh good old healthy American food.

I am loving driving a car here in Shanghai! Yes, there are times it truly SUCKS - like being stuck in traffic and taking 1 hour and45 minutes to go about 15 miles with 1 screaming kid in the back - but overall, it is a nice freedom. I do get upset at the driving style here, but am learning how to deal with it without getting too mad. I say lots of swear words (sorry kids) and honk my horn way more than I would in the States.

They are doing construction in a house across our little street. They did about 3 days of jackhammering brick/concrete in the house - with piles and piles of it ending outside in the driveway/street. That was carted away and then a big truck delivered loads of big huge concrete "bricks". Then 2 guys spent all day putting one brick on each end of a stick and hauling them upstairs into the house using their shoulders. Will try to sneak a picture of it soon - it really is amazing. I guess they are just completely redoing the inside walls of the house. The complex we moved into is new and so there are all these "shell" houses that were sold by the developer and then the house owner competely renovates and finishes out the inside how they want. Since everything is done with concrete here, that means a lot of jackhammering and a lot of concrete dust everywhere! It has been interesting to watch the process. The construction guys also tend to live in the house they are renovating...so there is laundry hanging out the windows and they gather to eat in the garages in the evenings. So far, they've been friendly to us.

I am completely overwhelmed by having to keep track of the kids schedules - with 2 kids in proper school at 2 different campuses (would be similar to one in elementary school and one in middle school) and 1 in a little nursery at a different place. It's a lot of work just remembering who goes where at what time to do this or that. Thankfully, Liz is not at all interested in doing any sort of activity after school - that makes it a bit calmer. Ashley is trying out today for the Year 3/4 choir and then we have a meeting tonight to learn about the Touring Choir which she could audition for if she wanted - this choir would involve traveling to Vienna (!!!!!) to work with the Vienna Boys Choir. After tonight, we will see if she is interested. If not, there is always next year (assuming we will still be here). I am absolutely amazed at the opportunities offered at Dulwich for their students.

Our new couch should be coming today! I am so super excited - will post pics when it is here. We ordered it a few weeks ago and had to wait for it to be made. It is leather and L shaped. Currently we are using a friends couch (it only cost 35 kuai - about 5 us dollars - to have a taxi bring her couch to our house) until our new couch comes. The borrowed couch really only sits 2 people, which has been a bit of a problem when the kids all want to cuddle and read stories. We barely all fit!

We have gotten a Phillipino Satellite and I have not watched so much American TV since leaving the States back in 2004! The Phillipinos LOVED American TV. It's been great fun flipping around the different channels and finding some surprising things to watch - I found out in the mornings they show "The Today Show" - which is quite fun to get a different view and news perspective other than CNN.