Busy, busy end of the week!

I've been a bit busy with all my social activities and school work. I'll tell you, I could not work and keep up this kind of social calendar!
Thursday I walked over to the Courtyard Marriott for a lunch that the EAS ladies had. it was delicious! I was pleasantly surprised at all the offerings. It was a buffet, and had everything on it from a salad bar, Chinese and Western offerings-- including steak! For those of you who don't know...I love vegetables but I am a "Meatatarian" What can I say, I'm a Midwestern gal who grew up with a Father who was a "meat and potatoes" man. BRING ON THE BEEF! We also had a desert bar and coffee and tea. It was quite the spread.
I thoroughly enjoyed my dining companions as well. I have been trying to meet others so I sat with folks I had not met. It was wonderful! I sat with two women from Finland and another lady from the U.K. The lady from the U.K. lives in my apartment complex. They were discussing the needlework get together planned for the following morning and encouraged me to come. I declined saying... I don't knit and people find it pretty difficult to teach left handers. One of the women from Finland (Raya) spoke up and said "Oh, it's fun, please come we need more people like you there!" She said it was a nice time having tea and coffee and socializing. More on that later...
Val(the lady from the U.K) and I walked back over to the complex together and made plans to meet up in the AM for the walk over to Pam's for the needlework session. So we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. Mark called to say that we were having dinner with some of the guys from work (including his boss)at La Cosa Vostra. YUMMY! That is the Italian place...and believe me it did not disappoint! I sat next to one of Mark's colleagues from Japan who asked if I spoke any Japanese..to which my reply was..."only Syianara" He and I had a quick chuckle about that. Dinner was fabulous...that could be one of my favorite spots in Suzhou for Western cuisine that's for sure!
The morning was very rainy and cold. Mark suggested that he send Mr. Shen (our driver) back for Val and I so we could ride over instead of walking in the cold rain. I was happy about that. So, Mr. Shen picked Val and I up at 09:45 and off we went to Pam's apartment. He dropped us off and the game plan was for him to wait and then take us home or wherever. The needlework social was a lot of fun. I am really beginning to establish some friends here :) Well, around noon, we decided to go have lunch. We went to a local Chinese restaurant....(I had my reservations about this!)But, when in Rome...right? So, we went to a Schezuan place. Now, I don't do Chinese at home so I was a bit apprehensive. Well, I have discovered I like A LOT of the Chinese vegetables and I'm pretty adventurous to try things. The other thing was eating with chopsticks. I am getting better everyday! Lunch was good and pretty cheap! 27 RMB ($4.15) There were 7 of us and there was plenty of food. At lunch, everyone discussed going to a local market that sold fabric and sewing and needle craft items. I said I could take 3 others in the car. I called Mr. Shen only to discover he was at the local Government office picking up Mark's residency permit. No worries....we hop in cabs and head over. Traffic was a bit slow...but we made it there in about 20 minutes.
We had a look around and some of the ladies bought fabric and other needle work notions. So, we decide to catch a cab back....NOT SO EASY!:( We tried for about 20 minutes to get a cab) and decide this is not working and one of the ladies has ridden the bus a few times and she knows the bus # of the one we need. We are right near the bus stop (a very busy bus stop...with many, many buses picking up and letting off). We hop on for 3 RMB (46 cents!) I had to laugh because my wonderful husband has told me on many occasions that Mr. Shen will take me and pick me up wherever I need to go...really?? Why am I on a bus being stared at like an alien life form then? It was an experience and not a bad one really...the bus was warm and clean, and you just get used to the people staring! We made it back in about 15 minutes. The saga continues....
Pam gets off the bus a stop before us and Val and I get off about two blocks from the apartment complex. The rain has stopped so it's not a bad walk. We bid each other good bye and head to our apartments. I get to my apartment entrance door, and it's locked! I look over and there is a calling panel that has not been there since Mark moved in in December. It was just a bunch of wires hanging out with nothing attached. Oh, and usually people just leave the doors wide open, NOT TODAY! So now, it's 3:15 in the afternoon it's cold I have to go to the bathroom, and I am now locked out of my apartment! Great! So, I stand there for a few minutes trying to will someone to come out of my building...no luck! I then ring my apartment thinking maybe the cleaning lady is still there and she will let me in (there is a camera)...still no luck. I then see a button to call building management. No one answers...lovely! I am really annoyed now. I grab my phone thinking...I'm going to call Mark and share this wonderful experience I am having and ask him why exactly did I move 7800 miles from home? Oh...my phone is dead! Yep...didn't charge it and now the battery is totally dead! While I am contemplating my dilemma and having a serious case of the "poor me's", I think how the heck am I going to get.....oh I think I have an idea!! I remember Mark showing me the Ebike entrance to the garage and there are stairs there as well. So, I walk around to there..down the stairs and.... yes, success! I take the elevator up to my floor, walk into the apartment and Mrs. Song is here! Really? I guess she didn't know how to work the intercom/calling system...who knows...I can't ask her because I don't speak Chinese and she doesn't speak English. <<>>Welcome to China!!! I run to the bathroom (yes...run!) and think... is it too early for a cocktail??