Annie & Mike Go to Shanghai

Annie & Mike Go to Shanghai

Good evening everyone!

Our household goods shipment arrived last Wednesday but we were unable to get power to the CPU. Finally, after some email discussion with Geoff Crowe, the computer creator - and the purchase of a new View Sonic monitor, a new Microsoft keyboard / mouse and a new Epson color printer - we are back in business. I'll work on the webcam this week in my spare time.

Today Mike went to Mass without me. I haven't been feeling well the last few days. I think it is due to the extreme heat - 96 degrees+ which feels like 106 degrees with the humidity factored in. In other words, this Yankee girl is NOT comfortable here near the East China Sea! I guess I didn't read the fine print in the contract.

I did meet him and his friends, Meg and Nicole at Malone's after Mass. Malone's is a great Irish American pub about RMB22 away in a cab ride. I had a spinach salad because I didn't think the bar food would be good for me and a fabulous chocolate milk shake - Bert's and Jerry's are still tops in my book when it comes to chocolate shakes but Malone's was a good standby, nonetheless. They are a chain - there is one in PuDong across the river too.

We then took a walk over to the fabulous Portman - Ritz Carlton Hotel which is a lovely facility. Lots of great shops and restaurants around there. Lovely lobby where they had some beautiful Chinese girls playing traditional Chinese folk tunes. The traditional Chinese music is so relaxing - I think I'm going to have to pick up some CD's here to play while I'm napping on the veranda . . .

I checked out some "beauty parlors" - Toni&Guy's which has swarms of lovely Chinese hair and nail techs and some cute Chinese boys too. Very expensive - I need to watch those pennies since I'm not working now. They do not do acryllic nails either so it's either gel nails (I don't know what the difference is) or just a manicure. They do have OPI polishes though and it looks clean. Also a small Italian shop that does do acryllic nails but their prices are exhorbitant. I'm going to keep looking.

This evening, I read emails and talked with my brother. He and Anne McCreary are having a great "vacation" in downtown Beaver, Pennsylvania. It sounds like he spent time with my friends on Friday and his friends on Saturday. I'm hoping he'll decide to move back to the "garden spot of the world" - that is a direct quote from my Father.

Since this adventure began, I've lost almost 30 pounds so I'm on my way to becoming the svelte old lady I know I can be. I've decided to use the gym at least 3 times a week. This week will be difficult because I've got lots of plans. I won't bore you with them now because once I do them, I can share them with you.

Monday should be exciting - the apartment will have CNN Headline News - yipee - TV is terrible - we get BBC (not bad but they are butchering Barak Obama's first name), CNBC which is all about finance and none of that news is good, HBO Asia where the movies are all old - we saw Gladiator ( we saw this with Kate and Rory when they were young at the theatre at the Waterfront when it first opened)and The General's Daughter with John Travolta (not too bad but old). Then we get Bloomberg but there is no audio and MTV but I don't think it's the real MTV because I haven't seen anyone I know on it - but then who would I know nowadays? Should be an exciting day. Oh, and laundry - more laundry - I'm getting so good at it. I just wish I had my old machines. . . Rachel, I'm hoping they are working well for you.

Stay tuned for my exploits in Shanghai, China.