Time to call the repair man or not!

I really didn't want to call the repair man, but for several days I could here water running in the pipes.  I could hear and so could everyone else that it was coming from the vent that is above the chandelier in the cut out in the ceiling.  So, here are the repair men trying to fix my problem.  Obviously, I can not communicate it to them that it is not coming from the vent they are looking at, but I would have also thought they could have heard it themselves.  Thanks to google translator, they translated to me "that I have a rolling stone stuck in the air conditioner".  I really wanted to laugh but just said okay.  They were going to need to come back and would need three hours to fix it.  So, we agreed to a day and time.  In the meantime, Patty and I started on a repair mission of our own.  We went back into the laundry room to check the air conditioner.  When we opened the door to the room where it is stored, we discovered about 6 inches of water!  Did they not check and see this?  Anyways, we noticed a drain in the back corner.  So, I put on some of Casey's old shoes and took a look for myself.  I could see the hole and told Casey's mom to pass me a broom. I took the broom, turned it over and stuck the handle down the hole.  Obviously, there was something stuck!  After a few pokes, I felt whatever it was move and away went the water and the sound of a "rolling stone" stuck in my air conditioner.  When they arrived to fix it again, we so kindly told them the problem went away and we were all set.  

Security at its finest!

I wanted to take Casey's parent to see where Casey worked.  So one morning we had Jacky take us over for a visit.  The factory is the white building in the background.  This is the temporary security gate they have in place while they are still building the new one.  Please take note that those are bricks attached to the end of the pole and what they use to open and close the gate.   Talk about manual labor!

When in China, you must try the food and beer!

Here we are at Hotpot!  Patty is trying to master those chopsticks!  At this restaurant we are drinking "1958" which is a locally brewed beer here in China.  

Here we are at Harbin's, enjoying some Harbin's (A different chinese beer) before we indulge in some dumplings!

American food!

Pat and Steve not only brought themselves, but they came fully loaded with treats for me, I mean all of us.  Fruit snacks, jelly bellies and toys for Ellen.   Granola bars, rice-a-roni, black beans and oatmeal for me.  Oh I think Casey got some beef jerky.  Ellen and I also enjoyed that too!  

Welcome to China Pat and Steve!

We were all pretty excited to see grandma and grandpa, but there was one little girl that was beyond excited!  Grandma and grandpa arrived on Monday January 28th.  They had already been to California and Florida before they arrived to see us.  So needless to say we spent the first day relaxing and letting them get adjusted to the time change!

Sheng ri kuai le! (Happy Birthday!)

It was Takila's "American" birthday so we took her out to dinner to celebrate and then went back to our apartment to open presents and have cookies!   

The Chinese birthday is different every year because it is based on the lunar calendar.  Her birthday is always the 23rd day after the Chinese New Year.  The new year falls on a different date each year, so she celebrates her chinese birthday on a different date each year.  This year for example she will celebrate it on March 4th.  According to our calendar it is always the 23rd day after our new year, which makes it January 23rd........every year!

Dumplings

The best part of learning how to make dumplings was also spending the afternoon with some of the wonderful people we have met here in China.  Here I am with Sue after she worked so hard on preparing a wonderful afternoon of teaching us how to make dumplings and other wonderful Chinese dishes.  

Want to learn more about dumplings, visit this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumpling

Here Ellen is enjoying time with Stella.  They had a great afternoon dancing, playing, eatching Chinese soap operas and eating apples!

Japanese style dining

Mikado Japanese Restaurant

Every month for our ladies luncheon we go to a different place for lunch.  On this day we went to a Japanese restaurant and even ate in a traditional Japanese style room.  It was very different as we sat on the floor, but there was room for our feet to hang down below us.  And of course we took our shoes off before entering the room.  Our lunch was served in a "bento box".  A traditional bento holds rice, fish or meat, with pickled or cooked vegetables.