Our schedule ..

Actually My schedule in Beijing is very busy.  I am one of those people that just loves to take "wrong" street and then just discover what that street has to offer to me :) So far I know  LOT  what happens around my area- well only about 8 KM radius in every direction.  . I have discovered couple of Methadone rehab centers about 2 km from us( side streets), couple of interesting farmers markets,  bazaar places, supermarkets,  cool looking buildings, clubs, restaurants in every corner,   parks, fun bridges etc. It is  not that hard to walk around here. It is hard to cross the streets, or bargain in marketplaces. I usually write everything down on paper, and if they don't like my price, I usually walk  away. Few times they yell something in Chinese , which means that they probably agree with my price.. Good for them. :D

We haven't shopped for furniture yet. I need few  traditional pieces mixed in with our contemporary rental furniture. Antique stores are everywhere. Nick just does not like going to those places that much. He can't handle the smell, and crowded  places. Me on the other hand, AM WILLING to shred a   tear or 2 to get what I need lol..:D  

Life in general is interesting here.  We have  cleaning lady coming in twice a week ( 2 dollars an hour for cleaning), we havent hired Ayi jet, since  we have lot of trust issues, and we hate  firing them later if we don't like them. SO we are just using our building cleaning staff. I let them know when I want them up here, and they will and clean for an  our - 2 cleaning ladies total 30  yuan. Not bad. If we are going to hire Ayi- "AUnty"- who comes to our house around 8 an and leaves 5 pm , then we end up paying around 3000 yuan== 455 dollars per month. She would cook( if we want), clean, organize, iron, hang out with gabriel... She would do pretty much everything, so I can spend  more time in Facebook........ Maybe not... But we are thinking about getting one  later.
Also-- I REFUSE to drive here. NO WAY Jose,. Again-- I need a driver, since Nick is exhausted driving to work every day-- 14  km takes him about one hour  and then at night another our in traffic. So when he gets home he is grump  44 year old man, who will bitch about  how much life in china sucks-- BTW, our nightly ritual...
 So , most likely I will get a driver  later-- HE pretty much has to hang out in front of our building all time ( if we hire him   full time) or part time driver will come when I call him and say-- tomorrow I need to go to visit my friend. I need you for 4 hours etc...  :D

ANyway- I do lot of walking here, lot of eating, lot of beer drinking -- Local beer is GREAT :D.  I also do lot of head shaking -- YES or NO, started taking Mandarin lessons-- SOOO FUCKING HARD...    after first- one hour lesson my brains went  kabooom and I almost gave up. So today I decided I AM NOT GIVING UP-- So I did one  more hour without tutor..  Luckily my tutor speaks very good english, and her teaching method is  pretty good.

I think I stop for now-- We have very busy schedule ahead of us- On friday the 17th we are going to Tokyo for 3 days.   On first of Oktober  we are going to spend couple of days with my  husbands family, and from there we  are going to Hong Kong.  I wanted to travel- So Now I am finally getting what I  wanted, and I am not complaining at all:D Life is beautiful..

BTW-- Reginas  "11th" birthday is coming up on september 19th, and her one year passing anniversary  RIP My beautiful Princess Regina:)    YOu are constantly in our minds :D

Forever in our heart, forever in our mind.
xoxoxo