The Learner Is No More!

October 24^th Escort duty for me this morning, I had to walk ‘The Learner’ to the local traffic police station where she was due to take her fourth and final test. This is another theory test; it is about safety this time. She stopped at the little park for a nervous WC visit. I wandered around the building taking photographs.

You may remember the safety helmet notice from this park, well today I found another notice, this time aimed at car drivers. 速度激情, sùdù jīqíng - fast and furious, 车祸悲剧, chēhuò bēijù - car accident tragedy. Were the movies the inspiration?

And here is the lady herself, all smiles, and at this stage all she had done was put her name on the list, (in the queue) for today’s tests. I left her and set off for a wet walk.

On my way I spotted someone else standing in the rain. He obviously didn’t mind getting wet because a couple of minutes later he had his head in the water.

Walking up to Lizard Market I had no hopes, after all, it was raining and lizards like basking in the sun. So much for my biology lessons, look who I found.

Further down the road I passed our friendly songbird and for a change, I decided to make a video of him singing Jingle Bells, or at least whistling anyway. He wasn’t as vocal as normal, maybe the weather didn’t agree with him, https://youtu.be/_9frXCgYTuc

There were times when I wasn’t sure whether I was walking in a fine drizzle, or whether it was actually the clouds encroaching on the city.

Not long after this I called the Prime Minister who gave me the good news; she had passed her last test with flying colours. She needed 90% (45/50) and she got 96%. She still has to wait to get her licence though, and that will be given to her back at the driving school office in a day or two. I agreed to meet her at the other police station so she could check her Hainan hukou renewal.

On my way there I spotted a Harley! OK, so it wasn’t a real one and it wasn’t even three dimensional plus it was on an old Mercedes SUV.

When I met up with Huan she had already renewed her local hukou card, obviously a breakdown in communication somewhere. All I had wanted her to do was confirm whether it would take one day or one week. That means my next visa will be even shorter!

On our way home we met up with Yú, she had passed her ‘on the road’ driving test yesterday so we all went for lunch together. Various assorted dumplings were enjoyed by all.

Once at home Huan checked her ‘account’ and took a screenshot of her test results. The first and last were theory tests, the second and third were driving tests. Didn’t she do well!

Being Tuesday, I was duty chef and today I made the dish that I mentioned last week. It was Medieval - Funges – Mushrooms and Leeks. This recipe was in the post of 17^th May 2021. Today’s modifications were added garlic only. Here is what Huan’s looked like.

October 25^th The weather continues to interfere with our plans, we woke up to rain this morning and the promise that it would not go away early enough for us to walk. After lunch we took the risk, the computer said we should be OK until about four. To stay on the safe side we kept to the town roads, only having a mild detour to the big fish restaurant. We wanted to snap some egrets. We were mush too far to be sure but we think there are some babies in there.

We took the pictures from where these geese were, frightened to go in the water today I guess.

Is the white one the mother? She was certainly very protective; she made a run for me, turned back at the last minute. Huan wasn’t having that so she called the goose to come to her. It did the same, made a run at her and then “chickened” out just in time. You can see the short video of Huan’s encounter, without Huan, here - https://youtu.be/x72MlCTVQZg.

Goats come next, up above me. Unknown to me, although I perhaps should have realised, Huan was busy snapping me snapping the goats. They were busy scoffing bamboo leaves.

More birds now, at the Jingle Bell Bird shop. I was trying to get the singer to perform today but he seemed very reluctant. The owner brought the little bird out again so this time I thought I would get Huan to hold t and we could have a nice picture of them two getting to know each other. Well Huan had no problem with it perched on her finger but there was no way she was going to allow it to get too close to her nose, she was quite worried about being pecked. As for me, well at one stage it was looking up my nose but that wasn’t such a good snap. PS Bonus points for spotting that my sideboards (UK), sideburns (US), mutton chops (both) are missing this week. PPS Just like most wives, Huan didn’t notice until I pointed it out!

That’s just about it for today apart from an important bit of news that is. On the way home we had to pass by the driving school office, Huan couldn’t wait until tomorrow. Her luck was in; she is now a real 100% driver. Of course, now the real learning begins!

Note the happy smile, or is it a cheesy grin. How long now before ‘our’ car becomes the official drive of the Minister of Transport. Maybe I can still be the chauffeur. First we need to buy an official warning label for the back of the car. All new drivers have to display said sticker in a prominent position for a year after passing their test.

October 26^th Another rainy start meaning another day very similar to yesterday. We set off out after lunch, the rain had eased off and was supposed to return at four. Sometimes after lunch w can feel quite lethargic but the cooler weather makes it a little easier. This creature was feeling slow though, is it a slug or a snail moving house?

Huan is not a fan of assorted small creatures, she prefers lizards, birds and snakes. She did manage to find a lizard before we left the little island behind.

We often see ‘brown’ birds, invariably in flight and too far away. When they land they do so in thick foliage where we have no chance of seeing them. Today however, one hopped onto a guy rope and stayed long enough for me to catch a photo. It was still very far away but you can at least see that it is indeed a ‘brown’ bird. (PS This photo is less than 10% of the original.)

Staying within the city limits Huan found another small lizard.

Just before the edge of town we turned up a side road where they were building new apartment blocks. For the last three years or more nothing has been happening there. All we could do was peer through the gate at the Disney castle on Feicui Park road.

Coming back into town we found another open space that we hadn’t seen before. The ground has been covered in some artificial green stuff, perhaps it is somewhere for the villagers to play games, or to celebrate something. Huan didn’t mind being in this photo, she is small enough!

Snowbirds are back in force although we didn’t see many today. We were walking during the siesta period I suppose. Anyway, many apartment complexes have water features and they seem to spend most of their time not working or not being used. When the snowbirds start returning however, the various building management companies turn them back on. After all, they need people to pay their annual maintenance fees!

Just to emphasise that it is lunch time, here’s the normal route to the park.

Most times, when we see butterflies they are either too quick for us, or we have taken too many photos of that particular species before. This one was neither of those, we found it outside the doors of the science museum.

Mere minutes later, I was admiring a nice shiny bolt on a fence when Huan quietly pointed out what was a few inches away from the bolt, something that I might want to photograph.

I took great pleasure in finding the next one all by myself.

I also take full credit for finding the last snap of the day, on the back of an electric moped. Huan did agree with the sentiment though.

October 27^th Would you believe it, actually I’m sure you would, we had a repeat of yesterday. Before we went to bed last night we checked the weather and it said ‘fine all day, rain about four in the afternoon’. Wrong! The rain started before we were even out of bed this morning and continued long enough to keep us indoors until after lunch. Still, Huan had plenty of time to cook up some drugs in the kitchen. She calls them vegetable balls, mostly Chinese white radish and flour, but once I start eating them I find it very difficult to stop. They are definitely addictive!

Off we went after lunch, first stopping at the gate and returning home because Huan had been busy on the on-line market again. It was only a box of sweet potatoes; I’ll use some of them for tomorrow’s soup. They were delivered by China Post with a Pikachu escort.

There is a show on Little Island tomorrow evening; it is the finale, so we were expecting them to maybe have a rehearsal today. Looking at the river and the washed out ford I think they may have to wait until tomorrow for any practice. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain too much tonight.

Huan was really on the ball today finding lizards here, there and everywhere.

Before too long she found another one, after finding some strange green thing first.

More car stuff for you, this one needs no translation. I wonder whether or not the car owner knows the origin of the quote. It was from Joseph Addison, (1672-1719), quite an interesting man - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Addison

We had to pass by Zhaode’s workplace so that Huan could drop off a bag of vegetable balls for him and Yú. There are three pooches there that we have known for years and they often try and follow us. Today we had to sneak through this alley between streets.

Another street scene, this one showing you why there will be no market in this location this week, or for the next three or four months.

Here is another car decal that needs no translation or explanation, just some cute pandas.

I told you Huan was on the ball today, here are another nine lizards, the collage is only one, it kept running round the tree to try and escape the camera.

There was in fact one more lizard but I wasn’t able to get a decent photo of that one. Instead I took a last snap of the river for the day.

All in all it was a good day, Huan was happy with all the lizard photos. We had walked more than we expected to, mostly because the rain stayed away. It was supposed to start at four, as I write this at eight the rain still hasn’t returned. What will tomorrow bring I wonder.

October 28^th Start as you mean to go on! Saturday was our normal market day, I suppose it still was despite the market being in a completely different place and far less navigable. First we had a walk, because the weather was good this morning, past lizard market where Huan started as she meant to go on, finding two lizards in as many minutes.

And that was just about it although we did find birds and rabbits in the market.

For a change for the weekend, we didn’t have our usual salad this week. Instead I told the Queen that I would treat her tomorrow night, another treat for passing her driving test. That will be four treats! I did tell her that she is very lucky; passing your test in the UK only qualifies you for one treat because there is only one test.

Today it was back into the kitchen for me again and leek and sweet potato soup was on the menu.

For the soup the only modification was nutmeg powder instead of grated nutmeg. For the topping there was no change although mine didn’t come out half as well as the one in the recipe. For the croutes, we bought some cheese rolls ready made. Don’t do it, I think it would be far better to follow the recipe completely. PS You can always add some sliced smoked sausage if you feel that you need something to satisfy your inner carnivore. We didn’t add anything and enjoyed it as it was. The quantity will make enough for four people as a starter but as a main course it made enough for us to eat today and for Huan to have a small bowl for breakfast tomorrow.

Almost as soon as we finished dinner the heavens opened, in a big way. I guess the finale of the show that was due to take place this evening will either be postponed or cancelled. No worries for me, I had only planned a lazy one anyway.

October 29^th And yet again last night’s weather forecast was hopelessly wrong, we woke up to the pitter patter of not so tiny raindrops this morning. However, just like yesterday the weather cleared up after lunch so off we went. Our only plan was not to go too far and to be back before the rain forecast time of four.

Let’s start with a part of Little Island that you haven’t seen before, and Huan’s first and only lizard sighting of the day.

Staying on the hard stuff we went for a little walk behind the hotel where the villas with no title deeds are. It was my turn to find something, a skink.

This one is a view of where we once tried to walk but a local farming lady advised us to stay away; it was an area popular with snakes. It looks like it would be even more popular now!

Lots of little side excursions were taken today, one of them was a part of Feicui Park.

Unusually, it was Huan who pointed out this beautiful spider, I wonder if it bites.

This was the view as we headed for home. There had been some threats of rain but thankfully that’s all they were. We felt happy of course!

Our last one is another electric moped, this time its windshield. It is emblazoned with ducks galore and the words “Carpe Diem”. I wonder if they know what it means. I had actually forgotten so had to look it up and it seems we are nearly all wrong! (“carpe diem” is a horticultural metaphor that, particularly seen in the context of the poem, is more accurately translated as “plucking the day,”) https://daily.jstor.org/how-carpe-diem-got-lost-in-translation/

As promised I took Huan for another celebratory dinner, the fourth in the test series! Huan had the choice of where to eat and she chose a fish restaurant.

“Is that alcohol?” I asked. Huan replied “It is alcohol but medicinal.” We had tea!

Luckily for me there were other options and luckily for both of us non-spicy options too. Huan did choose fish, I chose chicken.

And here we are both trying the fish.

And finally what could be better for Huan than a doggy bag. Not only that but the doggy bag also means that Huan doesn’t have to cook fish tomorrow either.

October 30^th Monday and no shopping, we have enough for today and of course we have dinner in the bag. Our first job was a return visit to the dentist; my upper and lower molars were not meeting as they should have been. I thought he would have removed the bridge, filed the teeth underneath and then replaced it. Instead he filed the bridge! My mouth does feel a lot better now, although I’m not sure he chose the best way.

After the dentist we took Huan for some ‘driving lessons’, my choice of words. All through her testing the speed was very highly controlled in order to concentrate on the technicalities. She was also learning in a smaller car, (length, width, height and cc). That means real learning starts now. All we did was go up and down the road to somewhere doing u-turns at either end of the central reservation. For the last few circuits I let Huan go round alone thinking that she may be more confident without me in the car. By law she can drive now! I made a video for her to see how she is doing, for you only a couple of photos. Just look at the grin in the last photo in the collage!

After lunch we did more of the same but I left her to it and went for a walk for an hour. To make sure I wasn’t away too long, or too far, I went down the side of the bridge.

I ran into a short delay behind the school, there was no way to sneak past this watering can.

Finally for the day, and for the week, here are three little creatures. You may think there are only two but look carefully at the beak of the bird.

In the end I was away for fifty seven minutes equating to four kilometres, long enough for Huan to be ready to go home. Presently I am still the one driving home, there are road works outside our gate and our car park needs Huan to have a little more experience and confidence. Before too long though, Hyacinth will no longer be a back seat driver. I still have a year as the highway driver though; she is not allowed to drive there until she has had her licence for a year.

From two happy teddy bears here we wish you all a good week and hope that you are all happy too. Try and ignore the negativity in your social media, do what I do, scroll past it or even better, snooze certain friends and even sometimes certain family. They will never know! C U soon!