Wow! Great BLOG Hi All,
Gagee here at Lauren's 18th birthday....(Chalo is typing)
Just a hello to every body and im surprised that everyone is wearing winter clothing as I though it was tropical? Everyone looks so happy and it makes us happy!
That's for now!
Love Gagee ...
and the rest of the gang
feef meets china Feef looks like a movie star cruising around. You guys look very happy, I like the two handsome dudes in the robes. Today is Laurens BD were going to the Keg Mansion for dinner hope its not ghosty. Martha
Merry Chris Mas and Happy Roel Year! Mio famiglia - I'm very happy that you all seem to be having such a great Christmas, despite not having my wonderful self there. Actually, I didn't think that having a good time without me was possible. :) Have fun in the zhous... Love, Me.
School break? Hi Amy and Roel,
I'm happy to read that Chris made it for Christmas! Do you have time off from school for the holidays? I'm afraid I know very little about the educational system/calendar in China. We certainly enjoyed our Thanksgiving with 2 Craigs and Carly, her first as an American!
Yams anyone? Hey guys,
Glad you finally got to see the blog! And, yes, the place is open, Lauren, should you wish to venture across the Pacific...I'll even cook you some yams!
Happy new year! Love, Amy, Roel and Chris
merry christmas Hi you three, merry chistmas, i told carly today that we missed your yams at dinner, hope your all jolly, heres Carrie, well, I'm finally looking at your blog. Can you believe it? We have eaten non stop for two days and now we're here, at Marth's practically comatose.... It was great talking to you today. Carly called tonight just after we finished eating. She sounded like her usual upbeat self. We hadn't opened her gifts at that point, but she sent some really cute goodies. Anyway it's very interesting looking at the photos of your Shanghai home, work and all. Before long I'll be there with you. Here's Lauren......Hey there you three....It is not 910 on Christmas night, and we just finished dinner and opening presents and it was definently not the same without the famous sweet potatoes of Amy! I hope that you guys had a great Christmas and that you have a great Canadian New Year! Lots of love and maybe someday my mom and I can venture on that long plane trip over the Pacific to see you guys. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Lots of love, Lauren
What's a few maggots... Dear Martha, Thanks for the chuckle. You sound in fine form, too! I love getting your take on things...it keeps the maggots and mayhem in perspective. There are days when a bunch of wriggling larvae for sale seems quite normal, and, yes, your boss is right...the terra-cotta soliders are mind-blowing...but then so are the maggots. (i think that three times is enough for the......M_ _ _ _ _ _ _!!) Just add them to the long list of other incredible things that make up everyday life over here. But then come on down and see for yourselves...how many times does one get the chance to see mag.... - oops! and all such other mind-boggling sights? Glad to hear from you! Deck them halls this Xmas...and have a great new year! Add coming to Shanghai to your resolutions!
Love, Amy
Brrr!! Dear Martha,
YOU had me at the Xmas dinner and lost me with the 25-40 cm of snow!! Here i was feeling very sorry for myself with the lack of Xmas spirit over here, despite a lot of good intentions (but that's the subject of today's blog!) and then you mentioned the ''s" word...:-) Looking forward to talking to you guys, and seeing the Feef ourselves for our 'green' Shanghai Xmas..have a turkey leg on me and a wonderful Xmas! Ho-ho-ho! Love, Amy
maggots? Ok!!! You had me at Starbucks coffee but lost me at the maggots. You guys look great in the pics, I enjoy reading your blog, its great.
Love Martha
history lesson I feel smarter already! What a great trip/experience for you two, my old boss went to see the soldiers and she said it was overwhelming. Tomorrow were having xmas dinner for the Feef you must be excited about seeing him. Tonight were in the middle of a snow storm, 25-40 cm expected, so I better go round up some soldiers of my own to dig me out. Love Martha
Yes, Cathy truly was loved Dear Cindy, And maybe that is the greatest testament to a person...that they were loved as much as Cathy was. Thanks for the lovely comments, Cindy. I'm glad to hear from you, and hopefully we can share holidays together in the future...All the best, Amy
Cathy was truly amazing... Dear Car, Yes, Cathy was so incredible...and it's still so hard to believe that she is gone from our lives. Now that Xmas is approaching I remember her last two Christmases she shared with us, and I'm so glad we got to have those. Let's try to keep her with us by remembering all of those good times...Love, Mom
Our Canadian Brains are agog too... Dear Carly,
Thanks for the nice comment...your dad is busily reading "1421: The Year China Discovered the World"...maybe he's cribbing for his takeover??!! I'm glad you enjoyed the mini-lesson on Chinese history...no comments yet on any mistakes I made, so that's very positive. I'm re-reading "Frontiers of Heaven: A Journey to the End of China" by Stanley Steward, a man who travelled across China via the Silk Road, and his Xian leg seems to coorborate everything I said, so that's heartening! Fascinating read...maybe we can head out on the Silk Road next... Love you...Mom
Thanks for sharing Hi Amy,
Thanks for sharing your adventures! Carly sent me a link to your blog and I've found it fascinating. I'm eager to hear about the school conditions/situation. I was touched also by your tribute to Cathy and enjoyed the pictures you've posted. She was loved!
Cindy
Finally Dad has achieved his greatest wish, an army that he can command!
Thanks for the very informative blogpost guys... The history of China is very impressive. My Chinese history is mainly 20th Century. My Canadian brain can't comprehend anything longer.
Love you both,
Carly
Hey guys! Dear Marth and Lauren,
It was GREAT to hear from you both!! Marth, you are mother of the year, and Lauren, you'll have to work hard in order to keep your mom in the style she wants to become accustomed to :-) But seriously, as you know by now the Feef should be on his way back to Washington after Cathy's funeral. I felt terrible about not being able to attend, and that is a big problem with the distance from home. And yes, I do get homesick, especially when a tragedy happens like Cathy's sudden passing away. Last weekend I felt so sad thinking about her past Xmas, and knowing that was her last one with us. I really wished I could go to the funeral, but when we heard that Chris was going we felt that he could be the family's representative, because of the tremendous distance we would have to go. I'm really proud of Chris giving up his Cuba holiday and I'm so glad he was there for Carly and Craig Jr. and Sr. I'm glad you're enjoying the blogs, but we are suspending them in light of the sad news. I'll miss Cathy and her warmth, courage and love for life. Her passing has left a void in our family, as well as the loss of a friend. Take care you guys. Something like this makes one really appreciate their loved ones, and your message came just at the right moment.
Love, Amy
PS -- don't forget Shanghai in your travel plans :-)
hi Hi you two, really digging the blogs, sounds like you are working hard. Carrie said she was talking to you, lots of school meetings. You mentioned Roel is feeling home sick, are you too? As you mentioned its getting darker here, probablly around 630. Winter is coming but that being said it was a beautiful day 24 degrees, I went down to Cherry Beach to walk Daisy and their were many sailboats out, I was thinking about you two. Carrie, Chalo, Chris P and of course the Feef are all off to Cuba next weekend, I wish Lauren and I could go but can't with Lauren's school, but we are going on a cruise during Lauren's reading week in Feb. Keep blogging, love the stories..Love Martha...here is Lauren....I like the blog. Its great hearing about your adventures in China. Glendon is slowly becoming my new habitat for learning. Its a lot different from Malvern, hard to get into how organized you have to be, especially how laid back Malvern was with due dates and all. I am talking to Carly, and it is great hearing her graduate adventures in Washington. It's good to hear that you and Roel are starting to get into the new life style of the adventurous, exotic travellers. Keep up with the blog and so we can hear all about your new life. Love you both. Lauren
Headbangers are us Hey Marth! It was great to hear from you and, yes, you HAVE to get a computer! Take it from a headbanger...it's time to get in the groove 21st century-wise!! Besides, it makes the distances a lot smaller. It was nice to hear about Thanksgiving, and I think Harry is trying to speak to me...I forgot about his birthday (that happens over here a lot...Craig are you reading? Mike? oops!!) and then I had a vivid dream about him...and after reading your message i think it was on his birthday!! So Harry is still with us :-) So get a computer and get online and drop me a line!! Have to run now...work is beckoning. Tell Lauren i think about her all the time at Glendon, working hard...is she enjoying it? Tell her that's an absolute must! Talk to you later. Say hi to the gang, Love, Amy
We're counting down the days. All of the Christmas music played, all of the time, everywhere helps! Start looking into flights too, roomie!! Talk to you this weekend? Love, Luolan
hey Hi you two, your blog is great sounds like your adventure is going well (except for that market selling frogs and EELS!), your apartment looks very cute and cozy. Everything here is good just had turkey dinner, quiet without you two headbangers. Lauren is grooving along at Glendon with papers starting to loom. Happy Anniversary, 35 yrs is quite a milestone, was also Harry's BD on the 10th, on thanksgiving we watched movies with him, but it made us all a little sad. I will keep in touch, Lauren got a laptop for school, so I'm getting more into that thing called the web.
Love you, Martha.
Sure looks like you are getting a lot of yang for your buck (yuan?) Hey Mom and Dad!
Glad to know that you are alive and well, despite the noise, heat, scooters and typhoons. Thanks for the wonderful blog entry.. Craig and I really enjoyed reading it. The pictures of Shanghai that you posted don't really add up.. It seems like you two are in the Chinese Monte Carlo or something (or have they been doctored by the comrades??).
Can't wait for the next installment!
Love you both,
Carly and Craig
Hey you guys!
This blog that you have going is absolutely great! It is so great getting to hear about all your experiences and adventures as they are taking place.
The resort seems and looks amazing. Its exciting that you have found your apartment and i hope all is going well for you guys over there. We all miss you guys sooo much!
Keep us posted on your exotic new lives!
Love you both,
Lauren
We are a couple of intrepid wannabe hippies -- young at heart -- who have dropped out of the Canadian rat race to explore life in the Shanghai teaching circuit. Join us on journey -- but only if you dare (or have nothing else better to do) What we lack in youth and energy, we'll try to make up for in entertainment value -- or a couple of laughs with us (or at us, at the very least :-).... full info
Gagee
non-member comment
Wow! Great BLOG
Hi All, Gagee here at Lauren's 18th birthday....(Chalo is typing) Just a hello to every body and im surprised that everyone is wearing winter clothing as I though it was tropical? Everyone looks so happy and it makes us happy! That's for now! Love Gagee ... and the rest of the gang