A Southerners continuing journey in China

[Arnold]

Jim , isn't it aweful how those Women treat us ? We might have to loose ALL our western way's for them ? Hahahaha

This is what it's all about , a Woman that really Loves you and cares for you . Make you want to kiss this whole Country to thank them for having such wonderful Wife's for us .:icon_wink:

[JimB]

Tonight we went out to Pizza Hut for dinner.  Met my new semi Niece and her mother.  The reason I say this is that, Zhang is Angels best friend from Beijing.  Cynthia is her daughter.  She has been calling me uncle Jim since Angel and I became engaged.  She is coming to the states to ger her Masters degree in hotel Management.  Now here is a cute girl. 23 years old, speaks excellent English, great personality and a lot of fun.  I am going to take care of her when I get back to the States.  She will be in Miami though.  So I will have to watch out for her.  She will have guys crawling after her.  Anyway tomorrow mornig she is coming over  so we can find her a laptop.  We are shopping on E bay and a few other places.  She cannot believe laptops are so cheap there.
PIzza Hut, is similar to the ones in the states with a few exceptions.  Pizza's are not big and round.  They are medium sized and square.  You can get them with all sorts of toppings, sea food etc.  They have a fruit bar par excellence.  Anyway the four of us sat and ate.  Cynthia and I talked with her mama and Angel talking.  then headed out to some shops to find things for tomorrow.  Stores here are different.  it is hard to describe except that imagine 4 floors, all one store except they have little booths that sell everything from soup to nuts, with computer parts, memory, dvd players, all sorts of electronics. Live seafood including turtles, snakes and you name it.  Similar to Wal Mart except China style. We bought some peaches, fresh baked bread and cheesecake. I will make breakfast of peach pancakes when Qingqing gets back on the 14th.  then we walked home.  It is hot here though. In the 90's, even at 8 PM.  I love this woman more and more. truly.  
My internal clock is all screwed up right now.  So we were just laying around and dozing off and on.  She said Ok, it is time for lunch.  She whipped out a huge bowl of home made dumplings that she had been working on earlier.  Manna from heaven.  Not spicy but just enough and a huge bowl just for myself. (hear that Dinger and Bong?)  After lunch, I cannot help.  so back to bed I go.  She picks out a movie from the internet. "Shooter" with Mark Wahlberg.  She says she really likes this movie.  Guys, can it get any better?  She likes action adventure movies, wants to take care of me, cooks up a storm.  Does my laundry every night.  I have hit the friggin jackpot.  Thank you China.  I have died and gone to heaven.  Tonight I get a full massage because I am  still not relaxed enough.  
I am meeting all of her friends. Both on the internet and in person.  her former teacher stopped by today after meeting me she said i was very handsome but too fat.  They tells it like they sees it.  It is hard to take but I do understand they are not being rude, just honest.  She tells me i am a very lucky man to which I replied I know that very well.
Tonight I just met another good friend.  she is a nurse in Wuhan with a husband who is the commander of the police in Wuhan.  good contacts, but be very careful Jim of things you want to do, with the ex.
Anyway tomorrow is another day.  I am having a great time so far.

Jim

[MLM]

Jim, sounds like your having the time of your life, keep it up and have more fun and by all means try and relax.
By the way those dumpling are great aren't they?
Okay, she cooks, does laundry, gives massages, likes the same type of movies you do and has connections with the police, what more could a guy ask for, so when are you getting married you lug head? :icon_biggrin:

[JimB]

Getting Married the 21st, do you think i am that stupid not too?  I am not letting this one get away.

[Arnold]

Well Jim , why should you ? Her name is Angel and she is acting like one . Good for you , nine more day's and you'll be on Cloud Nine . Does she play the Harp or the Pipa ?

[JimB]

Wednesday the 13th.

We had lunch with three of her friends today.  The Generals wife paid.  WOW!  She is a character though.  Cynthia was there to translate for me.  She was blushing a couple of times.  Her husband is a General in the army and I guess she hung around the barracks. lol.  She said that word is that American Mens sex drive was more than that of Chinese men and was Angel sore yet.  When Cynthia told me that I just started cracking up. Everyone else was blushing.  She turned to Angel and said Ok. She looked at me and said she was going to fix Angel up with an Officer.  I grabbed the knife from the table and pointed it at her.   then she looked back at me and said, I know how to use a gun.  I told her so do I and I have been to war have you?  That was it, she came over and gave me a hug.  She started laughing and said OK, you can have him, he is ok.  I think I have made a friend.  She did call me fat though.  she said she and I were both fat, that was why we sweat so much. She does not hold anything back.  You always know where you stand with her. I really like her.
It is so hot here in Beijing so we go back to the apartment in the afternoon where it is cooler.  we will go to the park this evening when it is cooler.  Not very exciting stuff, but it is the time to really get to know each other in person with nothing else in the way.  In my opinion the week will be the final stepping stone.  We already know but it is nice to confirm.  BUT, a new wrinkle was added in today.  baby talk was started.  that is one of the first things I said when we started this. I do not want another child.  First I am too old to be a new daddy.  I love kids, but someone else's.  Secondly, I want us to travel now that i am retired.  It is very hard to do with a new baby.  So I will have to wait and see if this was a momentary thing or if it is something that is going to really be a problem.  24 hour rule at least on this. Qingqing comes home tomorrow. So it will be the three of us for a few days before flying to Wuhan.   Lunch with baby brother tomorrow. more later.

One more thing I forgot.  We went to a supermarket today to buy some things.  While there I decided to take a couple of pictures to show how it was pretty much the same as in the US, after a\bout 3 shots, the general manager came up to me shouting, "NO Pictures, NO Pictures.  Put camera away or I take".  It is really funny, I have taken pictures all over China and never had a problem, except in a supermarket.  Now that is strange.  I understand about security but that was funny.
Jim

[MLM]

8 more days Jim, 8 more days.

[MLM]

(2) She is serious about the baby, so instead of 24 hour rule, it may need to be 24 month rule in this case! These Chinese women think no man is too old to have a new baby!!!


Yeah tell me about it Hahaha, your next JimB LOL

[JimB]

Scott,
It was dark when we arrived in the apartment and I did not see the neighbors balcony that close. So I did not know there was one.  Surprise!!

Yes, I imagine you are right. There will be conflicts.  I am keeping my cool.  I hope.  She brought up the question of the baby again.  I reminded her of our first conversation about this.  she remembered but would hope I change my mind.  I said I will think about it.  But in truth.  No way.  So I will tell her that tomorrow after I think long and hard.

Jim

[Vince G]

Jim tell her what I told my lady (if it's the same? hehe) I told her everything works fine down there without any pills for help. But with age allot of the swimmers have retired. So the odds of having a baby are slim. If it happens it happens. At this age? I like kids too. As long as I can hand them back to the parents.

[JimB]

I did not mean I was going to tell her NO WAY.  that was for yall.  I will be more diplomatic about it.  I already told her I had a vasectomy years ago.  It would take a lot to have it reversed. So I have set it up already

Vince,

Thanks for the offer on Cynthia, I will take you up on it.  I will give you her e mail.  She also has to chnge airports in New York, which worries me for her.  She speaks excellent English.  But I worry anyway.  She is the sweetest girl.  I feel like her american father.

[Scottish_Rob]

Jim, now that the neigbour has seen the goods (:angel:) maybe she now want a baby....lol:blush::angel::icon_biggrin:

sorry mate just saw that the neighbour was male....heheheh

[shaun]

What do you want to bet that the next morning most of the neighborhood was visiting the neighbor to get a look?

[Vince G]

Maybe the neighbor thought he saw a ghost? a white blurry thing in the darkness. He might have set up camera's by now wanting to catch a photo.

[JimB]

People are looking at me funny in the neighborhood.  But I do not know if it is that or just because I am the only Westerner here.  I think it just happened so fast that he is not sure what he saw.

Qingqing came home today with her cousin in tow.  They are only going to be here for about 3 days because Qingqing has a beauty pageant in Shanghai on Saturday.  It went as well as could be expected.  She was happy because of the gifts she received from me.  And she made an effort to get along.  so good start.

Well Lunch today with little brother, his wife and my newest girlfriend.  their 5 year old daughter Zhou Zhou.  She is adorable. We were at the restaurant, momma handed her a rubics cube and in 15 minutes it was done.  5 years old.  She is a little mother. Takes care of everybody.  She raised her glass and said in English, welcome Uncle Jim.   We ate in a Korean BBQ place. good food.  For those who do not know, in China a BBQ place is where there is a sort of grill in the middle of the table.  they bring out raw food and you cook it to your taste.  Good idea.  7 of us for under 50 USD.  we had leftovers.  We had a good time, then everyone came back to the apartment.  Angel, Qingqing, cousin and Zhou Zhou went clothes shopping for Qingqing for her pageant.  Leaving brother in law and sister in law alone with me.  neither of them speak english, however with the Besta we had a pretty good time.  Got along really well.  Later when they came back, Angel cooked a dinner.  Now this is where I would like to draw the line with Qingqing.  Angel cooked for 7 people, she could not sit at the table because there were not enough chairs, so I would have had the two girls sit on the couch and eat.  But, kept my mouth shut.  Angel had to stand next to me.  She would not let me get up and no one else made the effort.  So she was like a waitress.  I tried three times to get her to sit down and eat with us.  she just said it was her job.  She cooked, then cleaned up and did dishes.  No one else even offered except me and she would not hear of it.  Later we all went for a walk in the park when it cooled off.  LIke I said we are not doing anything exciting, just being together.  By the way the jacks and the Yo Yo was a big hit.  everyone tried the YoYo and got a laugh.  Zhou Zhou loved the jacks game.  she must have played it for 3 hours.(Just a heads up guys). When I asked Zhou if she would like to learn to count in English, she shook her head yes.  So I grabbed one jack and she said in English, One, then tow all the way to ten.  All I could do was laugh.  She said did I learn English?  I said you are doing much better than your Uncle.  He cant count to ten in Chinese.  
Each day I love her more.  I could not ask for a better wife than this woman. If anything i need to tone her down a bit..  Time to go to bed.  These exciting days are taking their toll. lol.

PS.  I can not get on any blogs or facebook from here.  Must be blocked.