A Lost Ray of Soulshine, Joey

This past week I received a phone call from the states, Joey is gone. Gone as in not of this earth and my heart is breaking, again. For those of you that have no memories of Joey – allow me to tell you about a little dog that made everyone’s day a little brighter.

Joey was a rescue dog that rescued us more then we rescued him. A friend of mine is a vet in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and she got a call from an animal rescue group that had a number of dogs that they had taken from an elderly unstable woman in our area. I don’t recall the exact number of animals that they removed from her property but it was in the dozens. This friend of mine knew contacted me to tell me about the dogs and ask for some assistance in getting them cleaned and neutering assistance, something that I occasionally helped with in her small practice. Needless to say, I was in. Many of the dogs were ill and obviously in need of rescue, I will say this though, the woman loved these dogs, she just wasn’t able to care of them in a responsible manner. One of the puppies was this little guy that was so scared but had character. We thought the puppies were Yorkshire terrier; he sure looked like a Yorkie. My mother-in-law, Teena, had recently lost a Yorkie named Gimpy and she would love to have another. What better home for this little guy who needed a new family? I brought the puppy home and started working on his training. The plan, we all knows what happens to the best laid plans, was to get him housebroke and give him to Teena. We named him Joey, aka JoJo.
Joey did not do to well on the housebreaking. Bill referred to him as Shit for Brains more than once. Thing is that even with the occasional accident, JoJo’s want to please was so obvious that you just learned to deal with it. A few months pass and we gave JoJo to Teena. It was love at first sight. I cannot say the same for my father in law, Warren, but he came around eventually too.
Joey was great with everyone, human and animal. He loved his cats. Our family has always had several, house and barn cats to hang out with. He was great in the barn, didn’t roll in to cow poo as often as most of the dogs. He loved going for car rides and down to camp to swim in the Paint River with the kids. He just fit with this family of misfits. He would take the new animals under his paw and make them feel welcome. He was buddies to the occasional rabbit and liked to spend time with the guinea pig; never trying to harm any of them.
Several years ago, Joey found his true purpose in this world. Teena’s mother, Granny Mello, was admitted to a Senior Care Facility. Her mind was slipping and was unable to live unaccompanied. Teena, who has been a nurse for the State of Michigan most of her adult life, had a difficult time with the moving of her mother to this facility. To compound the move, Granny Mello’s brother, Unkie was also moved into the same facility due to medical/mental needs. Unkie passed some time there after and Granny was there alone. It was a several hour drive to and from the home but Teena went multiple times a week if needed or not. During one of these treks she decided to bring Joey too. What a trip….Joey was a star. It wasn’t often that Granny seemed to relax enough to exhale. She was always trying to figure out how to escape. She actually had some really good attempts on numerous occasions but when Joey was around she would exhale and just pet the dog. She talked to him, groomed him and followed him around the building pushing her wheelchair along behind him as he sucked up the attention like a sponge. The staff noticed how much she enjoyed the time and asked Teena to bring him to some of the other clients. From then on he was royalty. He would walk in the facility with his head up, tail wagging and make his rounds. He may have been small in stature but he was able to jump up and lay on clients beds for those that were bed bound, he would hitch a ride with those in the wheelchairs and seemed to know when he needed to move nice and slow for those that were in pain. Everyone had a better day when JoJo came to visit. Granny would even eat when he was beside her, something that she refused to do on bad days. Joey found his calling. Granny passed this past winter but I like to think that Joey made her final times warmer and brighter.
In addition to helping our seniors, Joey has also been helping the mentally disabled. There are a number of families in the community with children diagnosed with various challenges. Several of these kids fortunately able to spend time at Teena’s farm working with the sheep, rabbits and goats. Joey was the mascot to the farm. He spent many an hour following these young people around to keep an eye on them and his farm buddies. Again, he seemed to know when to be calm and available for the kids. Joey was an active member in the 4H club ran by Teena, Animal House. Kids, farm animals and Joey, another great combination.
Joey is gone. He will be buried on the family farm next to Shadow, Dobie and other members of our pet family. For some time I know that walking into the house will feel empty without him running to greet us, doing his dance of turning in circles, head on the ground with his butt in the air, happy dog, happy dog, happy dog. We will think of him and feel sad but take comfort in the knowledge that he doing what he did best which is sitting next to Granny Mello, getting her to eat, keeping her warm and finding the peace to exhale.

Grocery Shopping

I went to our local little grocery store to pick up items for dinner. I purchased all that is in the photo for 90 RMB. In US funds this is about $12.00.

There are four meats, one tofu, three packages of mixed veggies, three seasoning jars, two chocolates, a large juice, one package of coated peanuts, a watermelon and a honey pomalo fruit. All of this plus rice and you have three meals for a family of four plus leftovers for lunch. There is also three different baked goods that I trying for the first time. They have a name but I have no idea what it is or what they are - I am just trying a couple randomly. The baked goods are items that the chinese seem to enjoy for a meal. One of them has minced green onions in it, the other has a meat filling with an egg baked on the bottom of it and the third is something like a fried donut rolled in sugar. Not to bad for $12.00.

Ming Ruins

Bill had a week off of work for National Holiday (see prior blog entry). We spent a few days exploring more of our city. In the foot hills around Purple Mountain are a number of favorite tourist sites. Let me apologize for the sweaty photos. The weather had cooled off until the day that we decided to go hiking up several flights of stairs.

Our first stop was to the San Yat-sen Mausoleum. San Yat-sen is known as the father of modern China. The over the top design of his mausoleum is to show what China could have been had he lived long enough to assume power. I don't what the whole story is but the site is a big pilgramige for the people of Taiwan. San Yat-sen passed in 1925. Here is what I do know...there were a lot of freaking stairs. You pass through three levels to get to the main building.

The first level is at a gentle slope. The second is a normal stair incline. The third and by far most intense is the tiptoe climb to the main building. I am walking daily. Infact, I have lost several (10-12) in two months from the exercise and diet changes. I thought I was going to die. I am being passed by tiny old ladies. Women that saw WWII out their bedroom window are all but skipping up the stairway.

Me - I am grunting because I cannot breathe. My legs are burning and I think I am going to puke. Sweat is pouring off me like Niagra Falls. By the time I got to the top I was so disgusted with myself that I wasn't in the mood to hang around but I was dreading the walk back down. Now mind you, to get from one site to the next you have to hike. We did find out that there is a service for hire that will drive you to the sites but that was after the fact and to be honest. I need the exercise.

Our second stop was the Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty. More to come.....

Bridges and Eyewear

Happy National Day.

We are in the middle of a big holiday here in China. I don't know exactly what all of the hoopla is but here is the best summary I have to offer. National Day is comparable to our July 4th, Independence Day. Were we celebrate of freedom and well, independence. National Day is a celebration of the Communism. Bills coworkers opted to work the past Saturday and Sunday so that they could be off on all week. The actual holiday as appointed by the government is just Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There were some fireworks to celebrate but overall it has been a quiet week. Next year will be a bigger celebration. Every five years the state sponsors fireworks for National Day. Again, I cannot give you the reasoning behind this just repeating what I have been told.

Also, this week was the 50th Anniversary of the First Nanjing Bridge over the Yangtze River. This is a big source of pride to the Chinese. In 1950's, the bridge was originally designed by a group of Soviet engineers but they left China in a politically motivated huff. (I am quoting a book on that one.) Then a group of American engineers reviewed the plans and told the Chinese that it couldn't be built. This is a huge river and it is a dual bridge; cars on the upper level and train tracks on the lower. The Americans left and a group of loyal Chinese engineers decided that they were going to do it and they did. It took reorganizing the entire Chinese steel industry but they successfully open the bridge in 1968.

Yesterday was the true 50th anniversary. We were going to the northside of the river to go look at eye glasses. One of the members of our Expat family was wanting to purchase new glass and Robin, a coworker said that he know the place to get the best deal. Well, the traffic to cross the bridge was insane. I think the normal 30 minute trip took close to two hours. Everyone was going to the bridge. It is a nice bridge with some great patriotic statues. It isn't like London Bridge or San Fransisco Bridge, it just looked like a bridge. Anyway, we saw the bridge, drove over the bridge and got to the optical area.
Yes, we are talking deals. I wish there was a way to get glasses for all of you and send them. The styles are by the thousands. Any color, shape, ornamentation you want - they got it. I bought a new pair of glasses because I just couldn't pass up the deal. I got single vision, anti-glare, non scratch surface with frames for.....wait for it....wait for it......$11.00 US. What is that?

Tomorrow we are going to the Ming Ruins at the base of Purple Mountain. More to come.

Knitting Kitty

Porche found a new hiding spot.
I spent the better part of an hour trying to find her this afternoon.
I finally gave up and decided to sit in my new chair from IKEA and work on some knitting.
I get comfy and lean over the reach in my knitting bag and "HELLO KITTY".

What are they doing to My Karma?

I have a question for you…what do you do when you are out to dinner with a couple and one of them is embarrassingly rude to the staff?

I guess I need to be a little more specific to help you answer that question.

The other evening, Bill and I went to dinner with a couple that has also relocated to China. They are not American; I say this because Americans get a lot of bad press outside of the US and this will be seen as negative press.

Chinese restaurants are different then American – Duh. When you go out to share a meal with someone you are not only sharing food, but you also are sharing your time and spirit. Meals are not only about nutrition and business but about friendship and enjoyment. They are a way of telling your fellow diner that you want to be with them and you value their presense in your life. Many of our group meals have lasted for a couple hours. They owners will never throw you out of their place even if it is after closing time or you have finished eating and are just sitting around talking. This would be extremely disrespectful and they just will not do it.

Sequence of the meal is also different then our normal. You typically will not order one plate for each person, you order a variety of foods and the meal is served in large plates to share with the whole table. You know "family style". Also, when you place your order, you need to be aware that the food will be served in the order you requested and rice is always served last, unless you tell the staff to bring it with the meat dishes. Sodas will be served cold but the Chinese do not use ice. You can ask for it but 50% of the time it is not available. Soda is usually served by the can with a glass and normally you can find Coca Cola or Sprite, only. Water is not recommended until a certain tolerance level is obtained - gastric issues. Tea is everywhere and it too can take some adjustment time (see: gastric issues) but for the most part is very good.

Those of us from the south, iced tea are not available in restaurants, however, bottled tea is at most stores and corner stands. It is green tea - a little different in taste, specially when you first start drinking it, somewhat like drinking perfume water.

Any of you have the grandma that put a drop of perfume in your tea to make you sweeter on the inside? Tastes like that. For those that I just freaked out a little, sorry, do some more research on southern folk practices. I digress.

Back to our dinner...

We went to a great Indian place that we only recently discovered. It has the best Vegetable Samaso I have tasted and the Mutton Tikka is divine. Bill got a bottle of wine and I ordered our food and our fellow diners ordered what they want. Oh, and Chinese don’t seem to get the concept of separate bills so typically we just divide the check or in the case with this couple they spend 15 minutes going through what they ordered and pay to the dime-most of the time.

Our food starts coming out, a plate at a time. The staff brings out one plate and then in about 10 minutes brings out a second, 10 minutes more a third. This goes on and on. Now my first two items ordered came out first. The next few dishes were stuff that they ordered – things that were cooked on a grill and are cooked all night, easy to get on the table stuff. Most Chinese places cook as ordered, the basic stock is there but the individual dishes are made when ordered, so you need to be prepared to sit and visit. No fast food here.

I had told the wait staff to bring our rice when they brought the mutton. No problem. Most of the other couples choices came out in the early stages of our evening minus the rice and a bread sandwich for their teenager. REMINDER: RICE IS SERVED LAST. The bread for the sandwich is called Naan. It is hot made on a clay oven and can also be time consuming to make. My bread had just come out minutes before the sandwich. So no worries right? Oh no, the couple were fidgeting and sighing and mumbling and I am thinking, OMG here we go again.

“I am not paying for that rice. mumble, mumble, mumble. If they wanted me to pay for it they should have brought it out when they brought my food.” he kept repeating. I suggested if they were ready to go, why don't they leave the money with there son and he can ride home with us when we are all finished. Nope. Didn't work. More mumbling. I am waiting for my tea, which I ordered at the end of the meal. Note to self, order at the beginning next time. The kid wraps his sandwich to go, I think he may have been a little embarrassed too. I know that my dad used to act like this and I would want to just crawl under the table.

The gal that has been waiting on us, very attentively I might add, comes over and I ask for the check. I make an attempt to get two bills since I know there is going to be a scene with the other party’s bill. She tried but the boss man just didn’t get it. So I pay for our food: One veggie dish, four meat dishes, two plain rice, one naan, two cokes, one bottle of wine and one pot of masala tea total bill: 445 Yuan or $65.00. (FYI, the wine was nearly half the bill, that is how reasonable prices are here. Can you imagine all that food for $30 in the US.)

The father is still mumbling to whomever is listening, “I cannot believe they would take so long on rice. They can just take it off of my bill.”

So I am waiting on my tea completly dreading the next 10 minutes of my life when it begins; the great debate on whether or not to pay for the rice. The girl did bring out the rice and pack it to go with the sandwich. But oh, no. Not good enough. After several minutes of back and forth – which I am sure felt like an eternity to Bill, because the whole time the dude was arguing I am whispering to Bill, “How much was the f’ing rice? I will pay for it. Just make him shut up.”

The girl kept saying, “You ordered it, you pay for it.” The Chinese don’t get the whole western thing.

You know what, this is THEIR country, and THEY are the home team. Not us. It is their rules, their space, and their culture. We are the interlopers.

The couple settles their bill, minus the rice and walk out.

I, being me, am still embarrassed. I am done, what is this doing to my Karma? I have to live in this town and I like the food there so no one is going to mess it up for me. I go to ask for a plastic cup for the remainder of my tea and I ask the girl how much was the rice? 30 RMB - $5. All that for five stinking bucks and they put it into a container to take home - lunch tomorrow, wake up people.

Jeez…I tell the gal to give me the rice and I hand her 30RMB. I tell her I am sorry and thank you for her kindness. She doesn’t know what to do…they are not used to people acting like these people did and definitely not used to someone stepping up to fix things. I tell her boss that I want the rice and sorry for the scene. He tells me thank you and they package my tea and rice and shake my hand with a polite little bow and I leave the restaurant.

I made right by the server and the owner but I am still pissed at the dude for acting like that. They have been in this country for 6 months – when are they going to learn respect. You know that we bitch in America about all the forgieners coming to our country and not learning our language or how to drive properly or maintain their yards, whatever. How can we bitch if we are not willing to show the same respect for a country that we are visiting or relocating too. The Mexicans want to come to America for more work and better pay, I get that. I get that most Americans refuse to do the work that the Mexicans are willing to do. I have no arguement with this except if you want to live in the US and get the benifits of being in the US then dammit someone better start speaking English.

It just amazed me that we are not talking about the wealthy French or Brazilians, not even snotty Americans, no and if they were it would be still not be acceptable. Ofcourse, my evil side is ranting...how would they like it if I was in their home country, in their restaurant and at the end of the meal - I demanded my burrito for free because it didn’t taste like the ones from Taco Bell or because the chili relleno was too spicy hot not like they make it in Michigan at La Senorita’s. Take that off my bill.