Norms

Things that have become the norm for me..

• Crossing the street with great care when the pedestrian light is green
• Cars creating their own right of passage on the road
• The constant beeping of car horns
• Jay walking while the car approaches at a certain speed
• Men facing the fence/ shrubs/ back to the raod doing certian things of nature
• Bargaining for most things
• Fireworks any time of the day literally any time from 0000 to 2359
• Having my weekly chocolate hideouts
• Push and shoove all the time
• Getting blessed by spit

So my colourful life continues....

The beginning of Fireworks

I am sitting in my room and the sound of fireworks surrounds me... There is a free display just along the street and it is so loud... it has been going on for almost 15 minutes now and the end is not in sight... the person is letting of about a dozen boxes of fireworks... Have been warned that it gets far worse during the Chinese New Year season... Well thank goodness I would be gone for about 7 days of it... That is what I hope anyway...technically speaking but then again anything goes would be a safer bet.... But one can't complain since it is a free show afterall...

Barefoot

Well the Christmas/ New Year Holiday has come to an end... Now it is back to Shanghai for 20 days before CNY hols.... Going from very hot to cool... Can't wait to cool down but I miss Jersey already/// Poor guy has been rather down and out too as he has not been well...

It has been an eventufl time here at the airport and I have not even left yet! I had to hvae my hand carrier xrayed before immigration... Then it was a long wait for the GST refund as the queue was extremely long.... it took me almost an hour to clear all of that... Now am in the holding area and have my boots back on... Yup I had to walk through barefoot as I was asked to take them off... Whoopee do.... well at least I did not set off the detector which is a good change for me...

Looks like it is going to be a crowded plane... thank goodness I have my favorite seat with ontly one other person next to me! Yippee...

till next time...

2009

Day one of 2009 is drawing to a close... Well it has been just another day for me...

I have been busy relaxing and enjoying the close companionship of Jersey... Though he has started this year with a limp which is not a good sign...

My holiday has been relaxing and refreshing.... I have caught up with old friends... hung out with new friends... seen friends that I have not seen for a long time... dewormed my stomach, slept lots which is soething that is so rare...

Think the most interesting thing that happened this year (okay it is only a day old but hey still...) is that Ray and I were out for dinner and coffee (desert too!) We went to Starbucks at Marina Square and ordered a Venti Joy tea (a blend, of black, green and Oolong) to have there... I happily drank the tea and we walked out of the shop... then the old man asked if we paid for the drink and for the life of us, we couldnt remember if we did or not... so back to Starbucks we went and asked the staff if we paid for the drink... They were stunned and asked around... Finally, someone remembered that we ordered the tea, she served us and the other person was supposed to mend th register but there was a breakdown somewhere and we had a "thank you for your honesty"- we had not paid for the drink!

Well while walking around tonight, I found out something else that I have in common with Ray... Nope not going to tell... me to know... you never to find out....

Right time to say good night. hello 2009, good bye 2008...Hope this year is another year filled with many wonderful memories, happy thoughts and significant earth shaking events....

One semester on...

It is hard to believe but my first semester here in Shanghai is just about over.. . I have been here for more than 4 months already... In that time, I have had the milk scare which was my first real introduction to Shanghai... Then there wa the egg problem and the worms in oranges problem... This is the life...

It has gone from really hot summer to coolish winter all in the space of the few months... Then there is the pollution/ grey skies/ sunny days and now frost on fake grass! It sure has been an adventure none the less...

But life is all good and as long as I continue to find things that float my boat... I am a happy camper... There is always the lovely hot chocolates made by Amanda in my chill spot.... Half price bakery items at either Raddisson or slightly further a field... Marks and Spenser for really pricey comfort food... and not to mention the wonders of cheap DVDs and great local food...

Photos to follow when I have the time to sort them out on the Mac....

Have a great holiday season....

the life

am sitting in a very relaxing spot with my trusty iPhone enjoying some soothing music after a hard day of work this is the life of the expat next stop foot massage time... That is after a nice hot chocolate from my favourite joint and then back out into the cool weather to catch a taxi in rush hour... That is an experience as there are few and far between where taxis are concerend

Cookies

Well I have been here in Shanghai for 4 months now and the time has come to begin baking cookies... It has been interesting getting all the various ingredients... Most of them had to be bought from the imported section but hey thats one of the joys of living here... But I must say, it is costing an arm and a leg... Hey as long as they taste good who cares

Well can't get everything or rather am not willing the capital outlay... hence the newest innovation from Joy's kitchen... Chopsticks instead of a cooling rack... As long as the job gets done and the end result is all that matters....

My stress reliever is in tack once again though I don't see myself doing it often- it is a cost thing more than anything else... Now to divide, sample and distribute...