The Day

We started the day with a nice walk for the girls and a run for me.  We then got ready to go to the fabric market.  We met Sharla out front and Mr. Xue drove us over.  Once there we picked up the chair cushions I had made for our patio furniture that we inherited from Shannon and Rich when they left.  Aunt Sharon couldn't believe how many people were smoking in the store.  This is China.  This is the way it is.  Sharla ordered more cushions for her furniture and then we headed out.  We went back home.  We walked to Nick's Mart where Aunt Sharon made her first Chinese purchase...brown licorice.  She is just like my dad, that was his first purchase too in China.  We then went to the Times Store.  These 2 stores are the Western grocery stores.  A little pricey but when you need something from the US these are the spots to look for them.

First purchase.

Dead?  Nope, just sleeping on the job.

At 12:30 Mr. Xue picked us up to take us to school.  Cameron had swim class and I am a volunteer.  Today was the first day back in the pool since the fall.  At 12:50 we loaded up the kids on the bus and we followed them to the pool.  It is the nice pool at the same spot where we go bowling.  The pool is so much nicer and bigger than the pool we went to in the fall.  Peter and I were in charge of testing 13 kids to try and level them.  It went great and we found out what all the kids could or couldn't do.  Mom and Aunt Sharon were great spectators.

At school, before leaving for swim lessons.

On the bus ready to go.

The boys getting instructions from Mr. Li.

Nice caps huh?

Everyone was screaming because they thought it was cold. 
This is Cameron saying "what are they screaming for?"

Warming up.

Stretching.

This pool is awesome compared to the one we were at in the fall.

Ready to go back to school.

Once back at home we went over to Sharla's for Margaritas.  She bought strawberries when we were leaving the fabric market so she decided to make drinks.  Stine and Olivia were there too.  Mom and Aunt Sharon both had a little bit of Margaritas and I had a beer.  Then it was time to go back to school to pick Cameron up. 

Olivia, Sharla, and Stine enjoying drinks.

Enjoying a Margarita.

Cameron worked on his homework while the 3 of us sat out on the patio.  Two adults with a little girl were walking on the path below our patio when all of a sudden they stopped, the mom pulled down the girls pants, picked her up in a sitting position, and she peed on the man hole cover right in the middle of the path.  They knew we were watching too.  Of course I took a picture.  Not sure why the Chinese think this is ok.  It was a fabulous day out.  We then walked over to the ATM again to get more money.  This time Aunt Sharon's card worked.  She realized she was pushing the credit button instead of checking button.  She could have gotten money all along.  She was very relieved.  All is good in the banking world now in China. 

Yes, this is the bathroom.

The pee stain to prove it.

There was a hot game of Headbandz.  Then we had dinner and then we walked over to the stadium by Tesco Grocery Store to watch all the Chinese work out.  There were a ton of people.  A lot of them were staring at us because I think they were trying to figure out why the 3 of us look so much alike.  We have gotten this quite a bit over these first 2 days.  Even my friends who have met mom before aren't really sure which one she is when they see her with Aunt Sharon.  Now we have just really confused the Chinese.  Oh well.  At the track we walked around just watching all the people dance, play soccer, hacky sack, do Tai Chi, ride bikes, etc.  It is pretty funny. 

Fun game but the ladies couldn't figure out if things were animals or not.  Funny.

Dancing in front of the grocery store.

At the stadium.

All kinds of dancers.

More dancers.

The thing we have noticed most about mom and Aunt Sharon is they don't like to cross the streets.  They think they are going to get hit by a car.  For us it is second nature.  It was scary at first but now we know how to do it like the Chinese.  They must say "watch it" 20 times while walking.  Safety first I guess.

Back home Cameron was doing his homework and mom and Aunt Sharon were sitting on the couch.  Within 2 seconds they were both sound asleep.  The trip over is catching up with them.  Off for a fun weekend in Beijing tomorrow.

Wow, this is a fun trip.