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Monday, May 21, 2012

Expected Randomness

One thing's for sure: When you're new to the language and culture, there is no such thing as a boring day. I (Kevin) learned this rather quickly when we first moved to China in 2001. While shopping for furniture, a man walked up to me, rubbed my arm and then walked away. I suppose he'd never seen arm hair before, but still, a little unsettling. Thankfully, this kind of randomness doesn't happen to us as much now, but we still experience the unexpected every day. The following photos give a glimpse.


It might not be so unusual for a washing machine to pour forth water across the kitchen floor, but try fixing the washer by leaning the 200 lb contraption on a folding stool borrowed from the stairway above our apartment. Then, add that our fabulous cook was able to offer advice while shelling peas. Of course, the most random thing for my co-worker friends was me taking this picture.




We've never been to Ireland, but I imagine if I stepped into a pub there, it might look something like this one ... well, minus the two Nutcrackers that guard the billiards table year round. From time to time, we do drink from the shot glasses ... with grape juice for communion. This Irish Pub is the location of our Sunday fellowships. But when you think about it, it's really quite fitting since the melody of Amazing Grace began as a tavern song. Anything and everything can be redeemed ... even an Irish Pub in China.



Molly and Hudson enjoy going up and down escalators, but these magnetic ramps are quite amazing. No matter the supermarket we shop, our carts stick to the ramp as we go up to the second or third floor. Except for one scary experience, the wheels roll away from the ramp at the top. Thankfully in the one exception, a nearby staff member could help before Dayna's cart crashed into me.
    


I've never been the biggest fan of slippers; I prefer to just keep my shoes on. But when Dayna came home one afternoon with Molly and Hudson's new slippers, my attitude changed. Those four little slippers are the coolest slippers I've ever seen. 

Monday, May 14, 2012

Haircuts

Since we've lived in China for two months now, it was time for Kevin and Hudson to have haircuts. We put it off as long as we could, but finally made plans for our friend Sherri to take us to her family's regular barber shop on Saturday. When we walked over there, we learned it was closed for remodeling, so we started walking up the street in the opposite direction. It didn't take long for us to find another one. Hudson knew he was getting his hair cut, but he didn't fully understand why they wanted to wash it first. This was his first professional shampoo and he was not impressed!
He kept saying "too hot" or "too cold" or "all done" but he survived. I love how you can see in the picture that he was holding a cookie with his left hand and Molly with his right hand. She came over to encourage him through it.

I'm not sure how much experience the stylist has had with young children because he seemed surprised that I wanted to hold Hudson on my lap while he cut his hair. There was no way in the world Hudson would've stayed in the chair on his own! And the stylist was experienced -- the shop charges for haircuts based on the level of the stylist: 11 yuan ($1.75) or 21 yuan ($3.40). We splurged! :)
 It also helped Hudson to see Kevin having his hair cut next to us.
I'm sorry for the quality of the "after pic" but trust me, the stylist did a great job. Hudson is so handsome! And he looks so grown up.
He's eating baozi that we picked up from a little shop on the way that morning. (Remember that's my favorite traditional breakfast food.) Molly and Hudson really like it too. Successful morning all around.
~Dayna