It has been a few days since my last post. Nothing has changed much except I have come down with a nasty cold. New Years day we went to the Temple Fair. That was a mistake. So many people you could hardly move and below 0 in temp.(that is where I got the cold) we walked from one end straight to the other and then tried to get a taxi. No go, I was so cold my ears were numb. We walked a couple of miles to get a taxi.
The family has been having a great time together. The women all wanted me to give them their English names. So I thought about each one and did. they seem to really like it. I kept them all starting with a G. Gina of course my wife, my brother in laws wife is Grace, Younger sister is Gayle and older sister is Gwen. The girls are Suzie Q and Sarah. I also showed them the meaning of each name. It fits them and is a heck of a lot easier on me to call them by their English names as I get tongue tied on their Chinese names and my wife usually refers to them by their place in the family. Older sister, younger sister, younger brother. The first name I came up with was Georgia and they all laughed very hard. I said what is the matter and they said that it sounds in Chinese like toenail. So they stopped that one. Every once in a while they still call Gayle, toenail. Even my brother in law wanted one. So I gave him David, dont know why just liked it. He loves it as he said David was a very handsome man in history. Which is true. So now everyone except Mama has English names. She did not want one and anyway everyone calls her Mama. The two teenage girls already had English names. We have had a really good time together. I was nervous at first, but even the bathroom has been ok. Ten people and one bathroom. I usually get my shower about midnight. they have of course a small water heater about 5 gallons of hot water. the third person usually ends up with cold water. The sleeping arrangements are Gina and I have our own room, we are the newlyweds. 4 adults and 3 kids in the other bedroom and Mama sleeps on the bunk bed in the living room. It is like camping at the cabin. lol In the evenings we play Mahjong and Gin rummy or crazy eights and rotate. I have taught everyone the card games and go fish to the kids. they love it. Grace is winning at everything. It is fun just watching her when she wins. She squeals, dances around in her chair and claps her hands. Mama does not like gambling so no one plays for money, otherwise Grace would have all of it and she knows that too.
This afternoon everyone is gone except me. It is nice and quiet. When they are here the noise is loud. If you didnt know better you would think they are fighting but it is just their way. My wife tells me in their family they never fight, ever.
Three days after new years and the fireworks are still going off. Now I hardly pay attention to them. they tell me this will go on for 15 days. I would love to be a vendor of fireworks at this time of year.
There is not a thermostat in the rooms. It is controlled by a central console outside of the apartments. And it is always chilly. They dont mind, they just put on extra clothes. it is what we should really do, but of course we wont. They have the old fashioned steam pipes. One in each room. if you are warm, you can put the cover on. The central government controls this. I cant remember the start date my wife told me, but i remember she was freezing in here because even though it was very cold outside they had no heat because it was too early.
I got a message from my sister to call her as soon as possible. My phone is not covered here as we have my wife's phone, so I called her on skype. She told me that my mother is in serious condition in the hospital and that on Friday they would have the results of the tests on her heart. It looks as though one of her valves need replacing. She is 78 years old and with her medical conditions, she is not a good surgical risk. So if she is going to have surgery, i will leave here on Friday and go back to the US as the earliest they can do the surgery would be on Monday. Unless of course she goes critical. I hate leaving my wife early but of course she understands. I keep debating with myself about going anyway, so tonight when I get my sister on the phone I will leave the decision up to her whether I should go now anyway. she is the one closest and has the best feel.
If I miss everyone in GZ, have a good time and I wish we could be there, I really do.
