Nasty smoggy day today....couldn't even see one bridge this morning and tonight I can just make out the first bridge. I sent Abi off to school this morning, went for a run, did a little shopping, got my toes done, had a dentist appointment (I have a temporary crown as of today), and now I am working on a quilt top. I sent "the staff" home early today and I am going to finish me quilt top, pack for America and watch a movie if I don't fall asleep first.

Tim is in Houston. Abi is packing for her scuba trip......and....yes...this really is a school activity. I will be joining Tim in Houston on Tuesday.

We spent the day at a volleyball tournament on the other side of the city. Between games I went to the pearl market and did some power shopping for the YWCA.

Okay....I am totally disgusted again. Contaminated Milk Power....you have got to be kidding! Anyone that could devise a profit scheme that put babies in danger does not have an ounce of conscience, sense of right or wrong, or ethics.

According to the Shanghai Daily the hospitals were over run in Hebei Province yesterday by parents with babies. They waited in long lines to get their infants checked for kidney stones. Some arrived as early as 5:00am (two hours before the hospital opened) to get a place in line. Three babies died and so far 6,244 infants are confirmed sick after drinking milk powder that was contaminated with melamine. Melamine was added to the milk power because....well...the bottom line is....MONEY!

Today I was very busy going from one fun event to another. I started my day with a little exercise in the swimming pool. Then I went to JinQiao for a nice brunch at a friends home....great food....and very nice company. And this was followed by a drive to the other side of the city for lunch and an afternoon of quilting and lively discussion about many topics.
When I got home (from the comfort of our big orange chairs overlooking the river) I read my email and played with a computer program that I am trying to learn. Xiao Zhang surprised me with a snack that she delivered to my chair (I am soooooo spoiled) and now I can smell dinner cooking in the kitchen. Life is very good in China today!

Sights from Abi's hiking/camping trip last weekend....

The first day they met at the school at 5:00am. They rode the bus for about 2 hours and then started their 6 hour hike.....They were given several GPS's and told to find thier way to the camp.

They found the camp!!!

Back to School and Volleyball Season

Abi has two volleyball games this week and two games on Saturday. And.....her school is having an open house tonight so we can meet all of her teachers. It must be Fall.

My faith in mankind has been restored!!

Today I was riding in the car not paying attention to anything but my computer screen (this is a great thing about having a driver…you can multi-task!). We stopped at a busy intersection and something caught my eye. I looked up and discovered that an elderly man had fallen in the cross walk…..AND….three people were helping him!!! Two people helped him stand up and one person searched around to find his glasses. I was so happy to see this kindness extended to a stranger that I wanted to scream Hallelujah! And…thank you God for putting me in that place at that moment…..my hope is restored!

Today is Monday....a national holiday in China. The holiday is Mid-Autumn Festival and the tradition is to give and receive moon cakes. We sampled many kinds of moon cakes last year and decided that our favorites.....drum roll please.....Haggen Daz!!! We are such "Westerners"!!! The Haggen Daz moon cakes are made of .....you guessed it.....ice cream and we much prefer these to the pork and egg cakes. Sometimes...."while in Rome (or China)" it is just more fun to do (or eat) what is familiar!

Tim was finally able to take some time away from work (and the phone) this weekend and we spent Saturday morning touring some friends from HP around the city. And...Saturday evening we went to dinner with another HP friend that lives in the US (Camas, Washinton) but grew up in Shanghai. I have been in a bit of a "funk" since the incident at Yu Garden and Jenny was very insightful and offered some interesting perspectives on the culture. Thank you Jenny!!! I think I am ready to move on now and get out of my "funk!"

Abi was away most of the weekend camping with the student council kids. They went to an "outward bound" camp area and had a great time hiking and participating in team building activities.

This afternoon Tim drove our friend Hellen and I to the golf course where he plays. The drive is over one hour from our house towards the Pudong airport. I could immediately see why he likes to go there....it was like stepping onto a southern plantation with beautiful green fields and gardens and it seemed far far way from the city. We had lunch on the patio and watched the golfers come and go. There was a nice breeze blowing that kept the temperature very comfortable. After we left the golf course we drove through a small village and discovered a beautiful park/garden with signs calling it the "Flower Port". It looks like a great place for a picnic and we are planning to visit it again soon!

News from home....My brother is a Grandfather!!! Oh my gosh!!! Congratulations to Cody and Amanda Fitch on the birth of their son Adrian. With his birth our whole family shifts positions in the cycle of life....now my parents and GREAT Grandparents and I guess that makes Tim and I....GREAT Aunt and Uncle! So hard to believe!

The weather has been pretty good today until now. A dark cloud just rolled in and there is lightening flashing all around our building...YIKES! We have seen many of these storms during the past month. It is a pretty great show from the 36th floor.

All is well in China.
Tim is really really busy with work....starts at 6:00am and goes until 12:30am. Abi is back in school and will be taking a "bonding" trip this weekend for the student counsel kids. They are going rafting, hiking, and camping. I heard they will be cooking their own food too!

Abi has several volleyball games each week and that seems to keep us all busy.

My tooth is much better. The root canal was "successful". I have been impressed with the dental care I received. Now just waiting a couple of weeks for the crown process to begin. Oh goodie!

Tucker arrived back in Bellingham safely. Abi started school today. Tim has been playing badminton every Monday evening with his work group. And....he invited me to play with them today.....and...I have to say....this is not our typical "backyard badminton" game. This is a serious work out and fun all at the same time. I think this might become a "regular activity" for the Spoffords.