Sharing Smiles

Yesterday was a good day, though characteristic of a Monday – gray here, kind of slow, and full of cleaning up from the weekend, haha!

I did about 4 loads of laundry, which considering that each load takes 2.5 hours, requires hanging on the racks, taking off the racks, etc. was a little mundane, but had to be done as we’d bought towels and other things that needed to be washed! We still have about 2 more loads, but I left them for Ping Me to do today when she comes.

Talked to the fam and to Ashley for a bit, then got off to the gym to do an hour of cardio and some abs – what WAS exciting and unexpected at the gym is that while on the stairstepper, literally less than 20 feet in front of me, a window blew out and shattered! It was very windy here yesterday and I guess the window was weak somehow, and blew into a million pieces all over the treadmills (no one was there, thank goodness) into the room. This window was like 2 feet x 4 feet and each piece was pea-sized, so it was kind of crazy! On the plus side I now had some great air blowing through straight to me to finish my workout, and had something to watch to pass the time as the little Chinese lady was attempting to clean the glass with a mini broom and dustpan! What is so different about things here, though, is that they were just pushing out the window glass to the street below (3 stories below) without anyone sort of protecting anyone who might be walking down there (I know this because when I was done they were still doing this and bits of glass were raining from the sky)?! I can't explain why this is, but noteworthy!

When I got home I did some more online chatting, made an excellent grilled cheese (yum!), and then decided to get my errands over with. Went on my walk to the neighborhood center to check things out (there is a post office there!), then to the salon to pick up my hair straightener which came in (which is ceramic, communication success!!!), then to the lake and then home.

Then I worked on my blog posts from the weekend which took forever (because of the current camera/picture situation), Curt made it home, and we went to the grocery store together to brainstorm on what to make for dinner. We ended up deciding on chicken and rice, with cream of mushroom and bigger mushrooms, so got home, sautéed the mushrooms, cooked the rice in beef broth, cooked up the chicken, combined mushrooms, soup, chicken, and then had one of the yummiest meals! LOL It was so good!

Then I watched some Animal Planet, Curt went to the gym, and when he got back we got online and received a call that PaPa (Curt’s grandpa) is in the hospital… oh no! Things are ok this morning from the news we got, but keep him in your prayers!

On a general note about China, while on my walks I see workers along the pathways and streets doing miscellaneous things, and on one of these walks there was a lady amongst a group of 20 or so digging and tilling up the ground close to the sidewalk where I was walking. It was such a fun moment – she stopped to look up at me, and I sort of half-smiled at her, which I think surprised her (I don’t think Chinese people smile at each other, or even acknowledge each other as they pass as we mostly do), and after hesitating she half-smiled back. This made me smile even bigger, to which SHE responded with an even bigger smile, so that by the time we were upon each other we were both beaming! Her smile was toothless, for the most part, and she was probably a lot younger than what she looked (she looked to me like she was in her 60’s), but so contagious... and it was something that for whatever reason, I probably won’t ever forget. I was thinking as I passed her that memories like those will be my favorite of China… random snapshots of two different cultures colliding and sharing smiles…

On another general note – I listen to my iPod on these walks, and just put it on shuffle, and do you know what song ALWAYS comes on?! Counting Crows “American Girls,” which puts such a spring into my step because of where I am (not in America)! Haha

Anyway, hope everyone has a great day, don’t forget to keep PaPa in your prayers, and I’ll talk to you guys soon! Crazy – I’ll be home again in less than 10 days!

Love,