Monday, February 22, 2010

Venting

Okay folks, I'm a wee bit pissed off. I've been up since 3:30 am and it is now 4:57. Living in Shanghai is in some words; exciting, polluted, noisy - what NOISY?!?!? Yes, NOISY.

I've had this cough for about 3 weeks now and well, I didn't want to keep Mike awake - he has to go to work every day, if you know what I mean. He needs his rest to be at top form to be able to deal with the people in his office who don't speak to him in English. His command of Mandarin is even less than mine and that is saying alot.

So, I've been sleeping in the back bedroom so he can get a full night's rest. It still doesn't work because he usually gets up about 5 anyway.

Tonight though at 3:30 am they started with the jackhammer and I had about enough. I called downstairs and woke Tim up - So sorry Tim! BUT darn it - Mr. Chen says that if you call the police, the police will make them quit. So I called Tim and he was sleeping and I'm sure I woke him from a sounds sleep - he's in the Lobby so he would not have heard it - there are stores on the other side of his area that would have muffled the noise. So sorry Tim.

Anyway - after about 30 minutes - the jackhammering stopped. NOT because Tim sent the doorman out to check it out but because they were done.

You see, they are working around the clock - and I mean AROUND THE CLOCK to get this huge city of 21 MILLION people ready for the World Expo 2010. Every street has been dug up (or so it seems) and pipe laid and God-knows-what-else-has-been-laid so that they can pave the streets and make it absolutely beautiful for the World Expo.

Everyone has suffered sleepless nights because of World Expo - I sure hope it's worth it. . .

I'm going back to bed now that I've vented!

Good night.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

A new year and a new Walmart!

Yesterday, Cynthia, Julie, Connie and I took our lives in our hands and went to Walmart. What I mean is that Julie's driver is a crazy driver - our Westinghouse drivers are not nearly as wild and crazzeeyyy and I'm glad for that. I'm also glad I had my book to read so I didn't have to watch the road. He was weaving in and out of traffic. Pretty terrifying for me, an old lady. . . It was a real treat though. Saw lots of interesting things - Connie was looking for a bicycle and I think she found one - a folding one - that costs about $28.50. It's so cute - If we move to a decent area in June, I might think about getting one.

Walmart was great. Clean and not as crowded as Carrefour and we found Keebler crackers, Heinz ketchup and some beautiful produce. I bought carrots, chives, leeks for chicken soup (it's going to get cold again) and some great strawberries and bananas.

Mike went to see Avatar last night with John Kennedy. He really enjoyed the movie - I'm so glad because I would NEVER go see that kind of film. I'm glad he's found a buddy to do things like that with.

Today I attended the Chinese Symbols and Patterns lecture by Mr. Joe Zhou at the Shanghai Museum. It was lovely, we received a book detailing all the symbols particular to Chinese history and proceeded through the Museum checking out all those symbols we had learned.

Mr. Zhou treated us to tea and a pastry in the Tea Room. Cynthia and I enjoyed that and then we went over to the Museum Shop where we found many beautiful items - note cards, umbrellas, Chinese jackets and beautiful table runners. I wish I had lots of money to spend but I know I will not be able to keep all the beautiful things I've seen here. My apartment is only 3 bedrooms and my house in Plum won't contain all Chinese furniture and other items.

Was supposed to meet John to go to the Fabric Market - he and Jane are going to a work dinner tomorrow and they need to wear traditional Chinese clothing. I couldn't get a hold of him -his Chinese phone is being wonky and Jane's has lost it's charge. Go figure! He will meet me tomorrow morning and we'll check out the scene then.

Need to check on Myszka - she had a cough yesterday - it is going around. And my friend, Sue hasn't been well since she got back. The dirt and grime of coal-fired power plants really takes a toll on us living here.