Clouds, Sun, Car Comparison, Endomondo, Finger Exercises

October 26^th Rain stopped play! Bob shredded his fingers practicing the guitar; Huan strained her vocal chords singing, (and Bob’s ears). I suppose it works both ways. I did have a break as the rain stopped by the evening so Dama dancing was the order of the day. More Chinese practice, I reckon another twenty years or so should do it!

October 27^th I had Huan with me on today’s walk, a rarity these days, it only happens at weekends. She didn’t fancy any hills so we decided to walk upriver through the countryside and back down the main road. The first thing we noticed when crossing the bridge, was how the clouds had come down right to our buildings.

We were able to walk next to the river for quite a long way today, the last time we had tried this, our feet were sinking in the mud. This looks like it may be the route of a new bypass and although not so pretty now, it should be a lovely walk once it’s all done. This is the view looking upriver.

Before too long though we were back onto the tarmac and heading into the sun. It’s a good job we were out reasonably early today!

After that it was a u-turn and then down the other side of the river until we reached the point where we had to go back to roads again. This is the view looking downriver.

We both enjoyed our little stroll, it was long enough, just over fourteen kilometres, at least as far as Endomondo is concerned. The route on the map looked as if it had a few GPS failures with two long straight lines, through buildings, through the river etc. I think the distance is probably correct though, it usually works out between twelve and thirteen but we did add extra today by following the riverbank. It was relaxed enough, nearly four hours.

Today being Sunday, a full English was on the menu, lubbly jubbly. Huan was in the kitchen today, I had volunteered yesterday, not that we worry about these things. After lunch, singing for Huan, bath for me, must try and get some bath salts!

Dancing in the evening for Huan, singing when she got home, I can still hear her now and it’s after ten o’clock. At least my guitar practice is long over, only my Chinese to do now and the internet is playing up again!

October 28th Today I was housebound again, under orders of course. The maintenance staff were coming to replace the touch time delay switch for the light outside our front door. They did replace the switch but the new one was not doing what it was supposed to do. I tried to explain and to argue my point of view but they were adamant it was ‘all OK’. Well, I did what I always do in these cases, waited until they had left and then re-installed the new switch myself. It works perfectly now!

October 29^th I was a lonely walker again today, one who didn’t really feel like it at all. Huan was at singing school. However, once out on the road I was fine. As well as walking I was doing my finger stretching exercises. First kilometre stretches for ten paces, relax for fifteen, second kilometre fifteen and fifteen, third twenty and twenty, fourth thirty and thirty and finally, fifth, one minute and one minute. Towards the end, I could feel my right hand forming a claw to match the left!

Today’s turnaround plan was another two hours or ten kilometres, whichever came last, but on the road towards Sanya this time. Here’s my u-turn point, two hours in, two minutes after I had done the ten kilometres. As you can see, it was a quiet day for traffic.

On the way back I spotted a little fish farm, these are the things you miss when you are driving. I guess it would be fairly easy to catch a fish here, even for an absolute fishing dummy like me.

A couple of ‘test’ cars passed me but I was too slow with the camera as they came from behind me. After that, my camera was ready, in continuous mode just in case. I never saw them again but this caught my eye, the ‘old’ and the ‘new’. It does make you think about what you really ‘need’ doesn’t it?

So, how far did the reluctant wanderer walk today? Instead of telling you the answer, I’ll show you. Here I am, back outside our building, showing off Endomondo. Not bad eh?

Scanning and printing for the ‘students’ in the afternoon. They had bought some music books from Taobao but somehow, as always seems to happen when the three of them try to organise anything together, they had bought the wrong ones! They borrowed a book from one of the other students for muggins to scan and print so they could still do their homework until the right books arrive.

October 30^th A reflective roaming along the banks of the mellow meandering river. That’s what I did this morning; along with some more exercises of course. This time I was using the finger strengthener. Index and middle finger are easy, they do what you tell them to. Pinky and ring finger are much more difficult, they don’t like to work alone. I watch guitarists on YouTube and I wonder at the speed, and accuracy at which they change chords, as well as the plucking skills of their right hands. I think they all started playing before they could walk! Anyway, here’s the device I was using today.

October 31^st Rain stopped play! Well, Huan went off to her singing lessons with her brolly up but I didn’t go walking. However, I didn’t want you to have no photo for the last day of the month so when we had a break in the rain I took this.

I spent most of the day creating bookmarks for my Yoyo Chinese tests. Presently, if I want to review a test I have to find the lesson, click through parts of it until finally landing on the test page. This way it will be much easier, well, easier to find them, maybe not easier to do them!

And that brings us to the end of another missive from me, a dispatch from deep in Hainan, a report from Robert, an epistle from the East or a letter from a loony! PS I checked to see if I could still use that word, this is what the dictionary says – “loony definition: 1 - silly or stupid: 2 - a person who is crazy, silly, or strange: 3 - foolish or crazy”. I guess I’m in there somewhere. Bye, till next time.