Yea Don, whatever.
Day - 5 began great. Breakfast with Ted and Sisi and off to the Embassy but it turns out they are closed due to Chinese grave cleaning holiday. Rats!!!!
Peggy went back to the motel to pack and leave for Shaoguan. Peggy as we are getting out of the taxi rips out the driver. I mean up one side of the wall and down the other. I thought good greif but ignored it. We went to the bus station and headed for Shaoguan. Peggy has told me for quite a while that the trip is 1 hour. Try 3. I remember what Ted told me a dinner the night before. If they are crabby ask them if they are hungry. If they say no then tell them to take a nap. So on the bus I tell her to sleep. She did. Problem solved. Well??? Not so fast.
We walk to the hotel in Shaoguan, check in and go to eat. Before we went to eat I have a little talk about spending money. It is going out too fast and I want it to slow down. We go to the restaurant, order the food, it arrives then suddenly she is all over the waitress. Yelling and insulting. I ask Peggy to calm down. She says OK but goes right back at it. She acknowledges she is wrong but continues. I try to calm her down some. I am not sure what is wrong but we continue. She mutters through most of dinner but all smiles at me.
Later that evening she finally wants to talk about red envelope and how much money goes inside. We are far apart from each other. So I attack the big one; engagement money. I tell her I will pay 1000RMB. She enquirers USD and not RMB? The $#&% hits the fan. We argue back and forth and I learn that her brother-in-law gave her mother the equivalent of $3000.00USD of course mine was an insult. Mine is not even $200.00USD.
She goes to bed angry and does not want to talk to me. I am left dazed and confused. I began to realize her anger earlier in the evening was because she wanted everything to be perfect when meeting her family so she had been hypersensitive about everything. It is good to know but I am thinking our relationship is over. My head swims with details as I lie in bed wondering what will happen next.
I asked on the forum what would be a proper amount of money to give but I never thought of asking the brother-in-law.
Day – 6
I get up early as usual having not slept well. I am on the internet when mpo4747 Mike signs into yahoo instant messaging. We talk a little and I tell him what is going on. Then Peggy’s sister signs in just as Peggy is beginning to wake up. She still really isn’t talking much and goes to take a shower. I talk with Peggy’s sister a little then Peggy comes in. They have a long discussion. Of course I cannot understand a thing because they are speaking Chinese so I am on pins and needles.
Then Peggy tells me her sister wants to talk with me. To my amazement her sister is supporting me. She told Peggy that the amount of money was up to me so she needed to live with it. Then her sister tells me to not leave things with Peggy open ended. Always come to agreement then it avoids argument later. Finally Peggy’s sister tells me the most important thing to do right now was to get an engagement ring on her finger. This will have the most value and the first thing mom will look for when she arrives at the motel. All is well in paradise again. Way to go sister.
So off we go to find a ring and more money. So I feed Peggy pancakes at McDonalds, she loves them, we find a ring, hit a bank, I mean hit the bank and back to the hotel to find her mother, brother and family waiting. Peggy gets real nervous. As we are getting into the elevator I ask Peggy if she is going to introduce me to her family? She is embarrassed but introduces. On the elevator ride up mom notices ring and smiles. Mom brings food she made from grass, peanuts, and a few herbs. She is calling them cakes. I am thinking grass? Until I bite into one. They are incredibly good. Forget dumplings it is all about the grass cakes guys. Her brother is a farmer and brings tangerines that are vine ripened. Unbelievably good.
Peggy children and granddaughter arrive and we go to lunch. It is a huge affair. I’ve seen the pictures but didn’t realize. Peggy is disappointed that two of her sisters did not come. The other brother had to leave on a business trip but was very happy with the events of the day which of course made me very happy. Mom approves of me. Brother approves so I guess it is a done deal, I will become a grandfather very soon. Again, all is well in paradise.
Days 7 and 8 being composed. SO many pictures and so little time but will get to them.
