Life with a driver...

Looking from afar -- life with a driver seems wonderful...conjuring images of elegant dark limosines. The reality in China is usually a silver mini van (so much more practical...) and a deep appreciation for the skill that's involved in staying safe on these crazy Chinese streets.

But the days of hopping in the car and scooting to Walmart are over. We try to plan our days... Often, John and I leave together in the morning -- he goes to the office and I go to my language class. We can communicate numbers fairly well (I say fairly because poor Yan Shifu has gotten the wrong info from us -- the numbers 4 and 10 sound very similar).

We try to be respectful of his time -- he works 6 days a week. If we're going to a late dinner, we'll often take a cab home.

Yan Shifu has also become my language teacher in the car. He's so proud of me when I get something right...and he'll drill me until my tones are perfect. I get an image of Megan with Madeline...who at 10 months is also learning words...smiling -- encouraging. Meg says Madeline can understand more than she can say -- just like me!

I can't wait until I know enough Chinese to chat in the morning, "How's Mrs. Yan? What's Yan Yan (his daughter) up to? Does she have a boyfriend? Does she want to get married in the park across from our apartment and have the reception at our house?" The usual stuff...

It should be easier...cleaning supplies

First-- imagine me buying cleaning supplies. And if you can make that leap, imagine me stumbling through the colorful chaos of the Chinese grocery store. How I miss my darling Kim and Wanda! They took such good care of us.

But even I couldn't bear to move into our new apartment without making sure the bathrooms were clean. Yes, bathrooms. John was concerned -- he thinks the fact that I'm nice to him is related to the fact that I've never done any housework....

Thanks to the field trip with my Berlitz teacher, I knew where to go in the store. What I didn't know is the day before Chinese New Year is the day before Thanksgiving in the US...times 1.3 billion people!

I was squinting at the endless Chinese bottles of chemicals when I heard a quiet, "Mrs..?" It was Yan Shifu! John told me he calls me Mrs. He followed me into the store to help. And I did just fine -- including a fairly elaborate pantomine to describe paper towels for 8 darling clerks-- you try it!

And yes, I survived my cleaning of the bathrooms. And yes, John's taking me for a lovely dinner tonight to erase the memory.

Tuesday is the big move!