March 17th Another week and we still are no nearer to having any new windows. It seems that our frames are here in Wuzhishan but our glass panes were not finished before the New Year holidays. Why? Because our windows are the more expensive type and have a logo on them. As far as I can see it is just more excuses. I’m beginning to think that we chose the wrong supplier but there’s not a lot that we can do about it now.
Also, because we had been to
Sanya yesterday today became our weekly shopping day. Nothing to report really,
other than that we met a couple of children from
Dinner was a pork bone stew which was not what I had planned. In fact I had bought everything that was on the list for my three days of cooking this week and then Huan found big pork bones! I’m not complaining, it’s an easy meal to prepare. No photos today I’m afraid.
March 18th Today was my plan, a closer
look at the stairway we had previously seen in Nansheng. First we had to get
the #5 bus to Nansheng, on the way to the bus stop we met
And there was our destination, a pointy thing in the forest.
Speaking of pointy things, there
it is again,
Before we began going up, we took another two views for you.
And then we were at the bottom of the steps. Was it too late to change my mind?
I had to have two rest stops on the way up. That means it must equate to more than seven floors!
Very much breathless, well me anyway, we reached the top. I translated the sign for you using WeChat, part seems to be difficult. Google wouldn’t do it either.
After all that the ‘Tea Pavillion’ was closed. I guess you would have to contact the hotel to get them to open it up for you. Even though we could not enter the building or get on to the balcony the view was still worth it.
Going down was much easier, and quicker, than going up. We found a new way to go back into Nansheng. On the way Huan did her usual. She’s very happy when they are red.
Some views of the road.
Well Huan likes red so I found red!
Ever competitive Huan found another one. The first photo was from a distance, the second photo was much closer. Why? The lizards appeared to come and take a look at me!
It must have been my day today, I found this chap peering over a garden wall.
Our new road brought us out on the road at the other side of the bridge. We never knew about it because it wasn’t obvious looking the other way.
Huan headed on over the bridge, I had spotted a route underneath it.
People were busy collecting shells for dinner.
Huan of course found me, too small in the photo really but cropping helped.
Huan took the high road and I took the riverbed. She found another lizard and her own shellfish collector. Here you can see the bag on her back.
As for me, well I had problems. There was no way I could climb over the wall, I did try. Instead I walked through the vegetation praying that no snakes were resting in there.
The green way worked. There was no way up to the road bridge so we walked back to the pedestrian one. Crossing the bridge I spotted a little insect and did my best to get as close as possible to try and get a decent shot. Only when we uploaded the photograph to the computer did I spot the yellow and black banded abdomen.
Back on the bus we hopped and returned home. At the other end I spotted a birdie.
That was the end of our day. We enjoyed the walk, even the stairs despite the effort required. New roads and paths are always interesting too. With the walk totalling seven kilometres and the stairs we definitely needed naps today, two hours worth in fact!
March 19th Window Man is due to arrive this morning, Huan prepared a bit more.
I think Huan ran out of plastic! Not to worry, I need to have something to do when I’m stuck in the house. She did cover the printer though.
Window Man turned up at nine thirty with someone who I guess was the foreman. Orders were given; work may start at two thirty. I reiterated my worries about people down below.
We had an early nap to make sure we were alive and awake when the workers arrived. Guess what? They didn’t arrive! Window Man said that they would be here tomorrow so we told him it would have to be in the afternoon. He agreed.
After dinner, no photos, we went out for a little walk and a bit of shopping. Snowbirds were exceptionally busy at various places en route. Here there is a band and the conductor is leading both the band and the audience. They sounded quite good too.
Back home to watch Ridley, another police show. Bedtime included the alarm clock today.
March 20th An early reveille this morning, shower and shave needed before another visit to the local hospital, this time for my third rabies shot. (I had two at once last time.) The procedure was the same as last time, see the doctor downstairs first, pay the required fees (¥328.00) and then proceed to the second floor.
Here I am being zapped while signing the disclaimer forms.
And in this one I am helping the doctor correct the mistake in my second name.
No need for any explanation here!
“On the second day of the
second lunar month,
https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202603/19/WS69bbf86fa310d6866eb3ec64.html We just went for lunch with the neighbours. We took a bus there, here’s another view from the bus stop
Huan took the group photo, note that I am dutifully avoiding the alcohol.
Here’s the grub, ten restaurant dishes and three provided by Yú.
And here’s the aftermath with the ladies filling up the doggie bags.
I told Huan that we didn’t need a doggy bag, but just like usual, one word from me and she just does as she pleases. Courtesy of Yú this is a bag of dumplings.
We walked home, one of the other couples said they would walk along the riverside with us. We hadn’t even reached the riverside before they changed their minds! Huan walked home with them and I went home alone. I needed the long walk after eating too much. Tomorrow is usually when we visit the riverside market and show you crowds galore. This was the scene today.
Well Window Man’s workers didn’t turn up this afternoon either. What will tomorrow bring?
March 21st We started the day with a waiting game, the workers were supposed to be here at nine. It was probably nearer ten when they got here but at least they did get here. Within minutes I was arguing with them. Their plane was to remove both the kitchen balcony doors and the bedroom balcony doors first. I told them, in no uncertain terms, that we were not going to sleep with our home open to the elements. They modified their ‘plan’ and began with the kitchen balcony floor. I would have preferred to see the windows done first.
You may have spotted the lady there; she was the wheelbarrow operator and rubble remover.
Here’s the progress photo for the balcony, they may start the wall tomorrow.
The bedroom balcony was next for the chop.
And here’s the result, at least for today.
The kitchen floor was next; I had thought that this would have been a job to be done at the end.
The guy doing the kitchen work asked if there were pipes under the floor. We told him that there were but that we couldn’t tell him exactly where. He found one and burst it!
That was the end of the work for today, at least for the window gang. The repair man came sometime after seven.
He had to go away again because the pipe he had brought was not the same material as the one under our floor. He cut a piece out before he went. Planning here is just like the orange clown’s.
The last kitchen photo of the day is with the bridge in place.
Our water is back on, but no cooking will be possible for a while. We need the kitchen to be sorted out first and I don’t think that will be until after the windows are installed. Tonight we had planned to go out for dinner but by the time everyone had left it was too late. Fast food was ordered in, just burgers, but we forgot to take any photos. Sorry…
March 22nd The workers duly arrived this morning and got down to it. I was expecting them to start on the bedroom balcony, removing the railing ready to install the new windows. It seems I was mistaken. Only one of them was here today and his first job was to finish the kitchen floor removal. It seems Window Man doesn’t have enough staff available!
He then got started in the bathroom where our bath needed to be removed.
By this time I had come back from my trip to town where I had offloaded my old Bluetooth enabled headphones to the electronics fix-it man. The ear pads were falling to pieces. I bought a new, much cheaper pair, which will do for what I need. I also bought lunch.
Huan went for a nap; I stayed awake to wait for the afternoon shift. When they came they said they were waiting for the boss to come and then they would be back. They never came back!
No cooking this evening, just find somewhere nice to eat. We had tried an indoor BBQ place in Baijiahui before but it had always been too busy. That’s where we went today.
A few photos of one of the chefs.
I kept this photo until the last because of the T-shirt. I doubt that the lady wearing it has any idea who Dylan Thomas was or what the meaning behind it is. Do you know?
March 23rd This morning the workers said that they would not be able to come this morning but that they would come in the afternoon. Ah well, I needed a morning to visit my friendly doctor for my monthly bout of bobbyfilla and supply of female hormones. The doctor was in a different office today but he had seen me on his computer so he came to see where we were. We had gone to the wrong place. I enjoy seeing him and I believe the feeling is mutual but I just wish my grasp of Chinese was better than it is.
Here, in the first photo, I am sorting out the pictures of the medicines I needed today. In the second photo I am trying to convince the next patient that British people do not like war. I added that no country’s people really like war. In the third photo the prescription has been printed.
As always Huan took photos of me taking money out of my wallet. At least she missed the moth!
I collected the medicine and then we were in the mainline room.
Today I remembered something that I have forgotten every other time, something to read! This book is one that I have been reading on and off for months now. I really must finish it.
Finally, on the way home, I had a chat with Dafu and Dodo.
Huan napped and I waited. The workers never returned. Window Man did, to talk to Huan about the bath and what he could do for us. After he had gone, I tried to explain to Huan that the best thing is to first remove everything that is within the confinements of the old bath. Only then can we decide what we want to do.
Dinner was out again this evening but close to the house, we are getting tired.
Will our windows be any nearer to installation next week? You will have to tune in then to find out. In the meantime, we can’t cook or even take showers very easily. Please send lottery winnings a.s.a.p. Oh, and don’t forget clicking and commenting. Ta ta!
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