December 2nd Well the week started with an overcast day again, maybe not a good day for a long walk, so we decided to stick to town. I even took the camera bag just in case. The first photo of the week, the one that makes the thumbnail, is terrible this week!
Huan made up for it. On the road to the bank she found two lizards for me.
Crossing the road it was my turn to find a subject for Huan!
An ulterior motive for our walk to the bank was to get Huan into some window shops on the way home. She is getting very worried that the lift will be out of action if we order our new windows too late. Living where we do I can’t really argue with her and try to do things my way, that’s not the way that business works here!
Having spent too long in the shops we passed by Lizard market and found another one.
We had time for one photo of the trees and the mountains from the market.
The #2 bus was waiting for us so we hopped on and sat down, for a minute or two anyway. I stood up to let an old lady who needed a wheelchair and helpers have my seat. The bus driver of course just kept letting more and more people get on.
If you look at the old lady behind me in the picture above, she was also having a bit of trouble staying upright, especially when we turned corners. As soon as Huan could she then stood up and also gave away her seat. Aren’t we good today?
After lunch, a nap and preparations for dinner, we went to the last window shop on our list. On the way we passed building #6, the old lift has now been completely removed.
Nobody was in the window shop, the doors were open but nobody was around. Back home we went where I carried on with dinner.
My choice of ‘mix-ins’ was bacon, broccoli and onions. We had it with a simple salad and some Xinjiang bread but Huan thought it would be better with mashed potatoes. She could well be right. Anyway, here’s my plate and the dish with leftovers.
Was it nice? Well we both agreed that it was far better than my previous attempt, whenever that was. In fact if we had followed our eyes instead of our bellies we would more than likely have scoffed the lot today! Instead we now have an emergency dinner in the freezer.
December 3rd This morning’s plan was the window shop again, they were in this time and agreed to show Huan a couple of jobs they had done. This was the view from one of the apartments we visited, not a bad location. Of course they don’t have a river like we do!
I left Huan at the window shop to discuss details, her ideas and mine are not exactly the same and I think she should have her way rather than me have mine.
I went home to prepare today’s dinner. Huan and the window man came not long after me to do all the measuring. Hopefully Huan will have translated all my little worries for him! He said that he would provide some computer drawings for us tomorrow, I like that.
After lunch and the obligatory nap we were off out again, Huan to visit her bank and me to buy an AA battery for the living room clock. Here she is coming out of her first bank, I can’t understand why she is happy, the ATM is broken and we have to go to another one. PS Sorry for the atrocious picture, I was once again too far away.
On the way to the next bank we said hello to the other old man.
Huan then dragged me through the market where we bought fish for next week, some pork bones and some shellfish Here I am trying to mount the pavement to go home!
Even though my hands were full the director still thought I should take photos of small lizards in bushes. I dutifully obliged.
As if my hands were not full enough we had to stop at the gate and pick up two packages from the express delivery boxes there. Luckily they were small packages.
Back home it was time for me to continue with dinner.
I cooked some ‘mixed veg’ to go with the patties and the overall result was not too bad. They were certainly a step up from the last time we tried these but I would still like to make them a little firmer. Maybe more breadcrumbs? The first plate is Huan’s, before I emptied the saucepan of all the veggies; the second is mine, after the pan was emptied.
December 4th Another morning in and an afternoon out while waiting for the window man to send us proposed drawings. They never came at all today. Our walk was just around the town and river, the skies were grey and rain always appeared imminent. The ‘granny finger’ was busy and eventually I saw what SWMBO was pointing at.
Huan said this was a spider; I had no idea until we got home. She was right.
I knew this was an egret but it took me five attempts to get a half decent shot.
Being very short on subjects we decided to give you a view.
And then Huan decided I should take this one, the exact same lizard from yesterday in almost the exact same spot. I suppose a different angle is probably OK.
And that was it I’m afraid. There was another Chef Bob’s masterpiece though so we’ll show you that. This was just a soup made from the whizzed up leftovers of Monday’s kare kare. I added some pieces of shredded chicken, some white broad beans, some green vegetable whose name I do not know, a little whipping cream and a dash of milk. There’s a lot to be said for not throwing things away, we both enjoyed it very much! Huan had Xinjiang bread with hers and I had an old stale burger bun that I did not use in yesterday’s patties.
December 5th We both had a great sleep last night, woke up early enough and what’s more the sun was shining. That meant we had a morning walk today.
The granny finger was on top form today, two lizards within the first ten minutes.
The finger wasn’t just finding lizards!
It didn’t take long to find another lizard though.
Next up she found a creature that may or may not have already expired, but we don’t know for sure. In fact we don’t even know what it is.
And then, blow me down with a feather; she was at it yet again.
To give me a break she then found a spider, just for something different.
Of course that was only a temporary respite before she found her last lizard of the day. Just in case you are wondering, they are all different lizards and not varying views of the same ones!
We parted ways for a brief period, I walked along the path near the road and Huan walked along the riverside path passing the outdoor gym and the children’s playground on the way. All I managed to spot was this sign.
In the meantime Huan’s finger was busy on her phone taking far too many photos of both communal areas she was passing. Collages had to be made, children had to be blurred.
I took a view, just to emphasise how lovely the weather was today.
While Huan found the outdoor gym on the other side of the river!
Going home we passed through the other market, variously called the ‘bap market’, ‘sausage market’ or ‘lizard market’ depending how we feel. It was busy today.
For our last two we are back to moped accessories again. I thought this was ‘Tigger’ until I got home and now I’m not so sure. Huan thinks the second photo is all babies from the first one.
That was our day out. Our evening in was a little different. We received a pdf file with the drawings of our new windows, for approval before ordering. I am not over happy with a lot of the opening panes and their associated not opening panes. I am a big fan of symmetry and it appears not to be there. I didn’t argue with the boss. However, when it came to the kitchen balcony I had to raise my voice. The ‘wall’ was still there and the windows were only half size. Despite my asking for everything I said, and wrote, to be translated and passed to Mr. Window Man, Huan had managed to omit a lot of important information! We called him to the house and I tried, through Huan and my gesticulating arms to put him on the right track. That seemed to work; tomorrow he will send a team to destroy the existing balcony so that he can measure again. It will now be out of bounds for us for maybe a month or more.
December 6th Well the view from the bedroom balcony in the morning was not very clear.
The kitchen balcony on the other hand looked very different when I had cleared it.
Where did all the things go? Well, here, there and everywhere.
After all that heavy lifting and stuff, the guys came, had a look around and then said that they would not be doing any demolishing today. Instead they would be waiting until just before the new windows get delivered. I guess the living room will be crowded for a while. At least it meant that we could still go to the market, via the river of course.
And then we are back to ‘means of transport’, here’s a grandma on her way to, or from, market, dragging her chattels behind her. I think I’d rather have something a little faster!
And then, on the back of a pick-up, a spider and a ‘struggle’.
All these people would normally be going under the road alongside the river. They still end up in the same place though, and it is still just as busy.
Huan was wandering around behind me, stopping now and then to snap some photos. Here she found a Miao lady selling four coloured rice, and another lady selling deep fried yam biscuits. I don’t know about you but I don’t fancy any of those things.
And then, the reason we needed to go shopping today,
Now this one has us puzzled. The trader just said it was a mountain chicken but he couldn’t explain to us why it was wearing opaque shades. He just said it was wearing glasses!
On the way home we passed a new little bakery, well they call them bakeries but I think most of their stock is baked elsewhere and shipped in. Can you spot the error here?
And this is the other side of the door.
Finally, for our walk, here’s a possible last view of our apartment from the outside before all the new windows are fitted.
Due to all the heavy lifting this morning I decided we deserved to eat out again this evening. We stopped at the very first restaurant up the street. It started off as a pigeon gruel place but now it is much better, loads of meaty stuff for me. Here are our dishes with zero prizes for guessing which one is Huan’s and which one is mine! I do have vegetables too; they are under the meat and consist of potato strips and pickled cabbage.
December 7th My brain was about ready to explode again this morning. First of all the Window Man had not been to measure our kitchen balcony for the new windows yet, the demolition man appeared to have given him duff gen. Trying to get Huan to understand was not so easy either, in the end I had to destroy some of the balcony wall tiles myself so that she could see what I was talking about. After that she called the Window Man to come and measure again. Before he arrived, just to overheat my poor brain cell even more, we were told that our lift would be out of action as of tomorrow. So much for the beginning of next year. Huan had to stay in to ensure our balcony got measured so I dashed out to do Monday’s shopping today, while we still had a lift. First of course I had to get out of the car park, the lift guy’s pick-up was blocking me in.
Arriving home I found Huan downstairs to welcome me and help me with the shopping. Yes, tomorrow became today and we had to climb seven floors with a week’s shopping! Huan took a couple of snaps on the way.
In the house I found the bathroom door frame missing a bit.
While I was shopping Mr. Window Man had been and Huan got him to destroy the bathroom door frame so that we could still use the washing machine. Previously it had been on the balcony which will soon be demolished and rebuilt with windows.
I didn’t mind the door frame being destroyed because our plan is to replace all the internal doors once we have got the windows completed. Huan’s paying for the windows and I’m paying (much less) for the doors. Mr. Window Man almost had her agreeing to new tiles all over the house until I stepped in and said some things would have to wait.
December 8th Monday and no shopping, what would we do? Actually, there was still some shopping needed; I had to find an extension board for the washing machine and the water heater together. Don’t worry, they won’t be used at the same time, the water heater wILL be switched off while the washing machine is in use. This is a temporary measure until our windows and balconies are all done. First though, a little walk, spot another new gym.
It didn’t take the bloodhound long to sniff out some prey. I took three photographs of this fellow but I think you might enjoy this one.
And then, from me, an enormous tree!
Well it could be enormous, if you were an ant. Huan wasn’t happy with what she had found so far so she really got down to it!
Still on our way out we were accosted by this lady as we passed through the ‘no title deed’ complex. She made a beeline for us and after ascertaining my nationality wanted to shake my hand. Actually I don’t think it would have mattered if I had been Russian or American, her first two guesses. It took Huan a little while to catch on but she did have to explain that we were in fact married and that we lived here in Wuzhishan. I was not a tourist and Huan was not my translator! Here they are exchanging phone numbers.
Walking along in front I was busy taking scenery shots again.
Then we were into town and in the beginning trying to do the impossible, or so it seemed. We needed an extender with a 16A plug, a short(ish) cable and two sockets, one 16A and one 10A. Who would have thought that it could be so difficult? We found one that was quite cheap but despite being marked 16A the seller said it was not suitable for air conditioners or water heaters. Those are the two items that use a 16A supply here. Eventually we went back to the first shop that we had been to, the one where I had told him that we would more than likely be back later. After confirming that we could use our water heater we bought the item.
Back home we went and of course there was no lift, nor will there be for the next two to four weeks! Here’s the stairs, then Huan and then me…………
Once lunch was over the temporary installation was done in the second bathroom. It will do for the next three to four weeks. All I have to do is remember to make sure that Huan turns off the water heater before using the washing machine, better to be safe than sorry. It might seem obvious but we will not be using this shower for the duration!
Have you been wondering about dinner today? Well my plans were scuppered by SWMBO having ordered lamb from Pinduoduo which arrived here on Saturday afternoon already having thawed. It was a bag of chopped up bones so I got down to cooking it immediately. Yesterday I added vegetables and we had lamb stew for dinner last night. Today’s dinner is of course more of the same. Here’s a photo of it for you.
And there you have it, for another week. Think about us as we navigate the seven floors of our ‘stairway to “up and down” every day while we think about you and your front doors and gardens! We are absolutely not jealous, what makes you think that? Love to one and all and see you in our (or my) next composition.
