Monday, April 25,2011

It's Monday evening. I had a wonderful week-end with my incredible husband and I am kind of sad. I miss my family. My Mom and sister went to surprise my Aunt in Minnesota for her 70th. birthday...I was unable to go because I am here in China. I have not heard from my son who has moved to Atlanta, Georgia...and that weighs heavy on my mind, and my heart. The reasons are many and far too complicated and complex to go into here.
I will be home in the USA in approximately 39 days. WOW! The time has flown by, and I can't believe I have been here for almost 5 months. The plus side is, I actually have enjoyed this fantastic experience and have made many friends and I will miss them when I go home for 4 months.
Now ...on to the week-end. On Friday, Mark took me to the Intercontinental Hotel for an exquisite steak dinner! To say it was OUTSTANDING is an understatement! You are talking to a "Meat and Potatoes" Midwestern gal here....she misses (and CRAVES!) a good steak dinner every now and then. That ain't easy in China, folks....So we splurged and paid for it dearly...but worth every penny if you ask me (or Mark!) :) We then ventured over to their Cigar bar so Mark could indulge in a cigar and we could have a nitecap to top off our evening. It was a great "date night" and I am one lucky gal!
Saturday and Sunday we just relaxed (I had NO homework, school is over and resumes May 4th). We went to Casa Zoe for breakfast on Saturday, then hung out at home. Sunday Mark made me pancakes for breakfast (YUMMY...he makes the BEST pancakes!) then we went to Auchan (EXTREMELY large grocery and superstore kind of store,... think Meijer's or Walmart) for groceries and a new coffeepot. We needed a new coffee pot because I broke the carafe of the old one by leaving it on the hot burner, forgetting to turn it off...and POOF..cracked all along the bottom! Yeah...I'm such a brainiac arent I?? :( While there, I had Mark take a picture (I didn't have my camera with me) of this because it always makes me laugh and grimace at the same time!

Yes it's Lay's potato chips...with the strangest of flavors...Hot and Sour Fish flavor, Blueberry flavor, and Lemon Green Tea flavor...doesn't that sound appetizing and appealing?? "BLECH" There are more weird flavors...I just happened to get those three in a row and thought a picture would be fun!! :)

SO, that was done. A nice, leisurely week-end.
We went to Malone's for dinner this evening (it's Monday!)and had our staple burger and beer for the week. A good burger as usual while Mark had a conference call. It was a balmy 74 degrees out, so we were outside. A nice evening. I also called my friend Celeste to say goodbye and safe travels as she is leaving tomorrow to head home to San Diego till August. I won't see her till I get back in October. I will miss her!! She has been such a good friend to me and I am lucky to have met her...I can't even think about her leaving at the end of the year without being very sad....at least we'll have the Fall before she heads home for good. Time to close and bid adieu till next time....