When the ayi's come we have to clean after they leave. Do not need to go into the particulars here, maybe we are clean freaks or maybe they just don't get the concept. We clean the kitchen and sink and then the ayi cleans the kitchen and there is all kinds of unknown bits and pieces that were not there before. And stuff on the tile walls that is a different color than any products we use. So we just don't clean before the ayi's and it works out just fine. The ayi's come Mon, Wed, and Fri. I usually do a good clean after they leave on Wednesday and then just need a redo on Friday.
Well, here I sit on a Thursday morning watching DWTS and the doorbell rings. There is my ayi smiling at me. Since we don't speak the same language there was the usual jabba jabba jabba and then she went down the hall. Then they had the Chinese meeting and then she came back. With a piece of paper. They changed my Friday cleaning to today, so now I have to reclean the shit I cleaned yesterday after they left. And these people claim they have a plan.
Passport is in, I wonder if I can pick it up tomorrow or have to wait until Monday. Physical is the 14th that should be a treat.
Just talked to my Punkin Head and that makes me happy. If I get to go shopping over the holiday he wants me to look for golden cats with waving hands? Okey Dokey.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
I thought I was losing my mind
Ever since I had the implant surgery and tooth pulled I have not had the same sense of smell. Not a big deal as most everything here stinks. Did miss the smell of the Lilies (sic) that I decorate the apartment with, but still not a bad trade-off.
For the last month I have been smelling the wierdest stuff. Food smells. I think it is our neighbors as they moved in about a month ago. Last week it was green onions. So anyway, last night here I am by myself again and I start smelling something that seems to be burning. I am sniffing around as it was quite strong and I always remember The Towering Inferno and there is no Steve McQueen here at the Casa Shanghai.
Finally for some reason I am on the balcony sniffing and I hear this ruckus. Looking down and to the side I see all these people. Setting the street on fire. Now I am not talking about those little fires they always start to scare the spirits off I am talking the ENTIRE street is on fire. Which explained the smell but not the reason my neighbors from the hovels found it necessary to start the street on fire. That must be some big bad mojo they got over there at the hovels. I am starting to get real worried about this holiday we got coming.
Took a picture but it did not come out due to the angle and I did not want to fall off the balcony with Big Daddy out of town.
For the last month I have been smelling the wierdest stuff. Food smells. I think it is our neighbors as they moved in about a month ago. Last week it was green onions. So anyway, last night here I am by myself again and I start smelling something that seems to be burning. I am sniffing around as it was quite strong and I always remember The Towering Inferno and there is no Steve McQueen here at the Casa Shanghai.
Finally for some reason I am on the balcony sniffing and I hear this ruckus. Looking down and to the side I see all these people. Setting the street on fire. Now I am not talking about those little fires they always start to scare the spirits off I am talking the ENTIRE street is on fire. Which explained the smell but not the reason my neighbors from the hovels found it necessary to start the street on fire. That must be some big bad mojo they got over there at the hovels. I am starting to get real worried about this holiday we got coming.
Took a picture but it did not come out due to the angle and I did not want to fall off the balcony with Big Daddy out of town.
The anniversary trip
Well, this is another one of those the good, the bad, and the ugly-followed up by the bizarre. As I used to say to my boss, I can't make up this shit, I am not that good.
Mr. Green is no longer at the Best Western so I had to argue, politely, that I really could not eat lunch on the couch. This whole discussion took 10 minutes and finally they let me sit at the bar. This was after I told them 5 times I did not want a drink of water. Big Daddy was checking in and when he returned we ordered the burgers and fries and answered all the questions (another 10 minutes)and then they brought the food without the mustard. This of course created quite a stir and when they were finally convinced that butter was not mustard they all went off to a meeting. They finally brought over a manager who said, you want mustard, turned to them and said, jabba jabba jabba, and they all left again. Then 10 minutes later we got the mustard. For the cold hamburger. Ya just keep your expectations here really, really low and do not expect to eat on a regular basis with regular food. So we went to the buffet for dinner as it could not get worse. There was this cookie that looked great. I swear to God, this cookie was tasteless. I told Big Daddy and he said, no way. So he took a bite. That cookie had no taste of anything at all, no, nuhuh, no taste. Pretty though. I am getting ahead of myself here, but in the morning in the executive lounge I took this roll that looked like it might be coconut with toasted coconut on top. At first there was no taste. I thought, WTF, another no taste food item. The more I chewed the worse it got. I do not know WTF that was but I thought I was going to have run from the room. Big Daddy thinks it might have been dried fish. He declined to taste it.
On the plus side had our anniversary dinner at the Shangri-La and it was lovely.
Walked to Hong Kong in the morning with few incidents, got on the right trains and all this time. However on the re-entry I turn around after securing my passport to see Big Daddy in this special place with this guy looking very seriously at his passport. He was using a jewelers loupe. Not a scanner, not a chip reader, a jewelers loupe. Okey Dokey.
Bought some pearls, pictures on facebook. Got a wash and a blow dry, no pictures it was horrible.
Then I decided to wash my hands on the morning we were leaving. This is before my shower, just wanted to wash my hands. Big Mistake. Floor was wet, they are always wet, cheap hotel slippers, they are always cheap and boom I was down on the floor. I was really lucky I was not seriously hurt. But I was hurt enough to not be able to talk. It knocked the wind out of me and I could not get up. Huge scrape on my chest from the granite sink and very painful. Could not get an ice pack or any help from the hotel. It makes me wonder if something serious does ever happen, what do you do? These assholes do not have a clue. Big Daddy told the check out guy on the exec floor as we were leaving about how no one would respond or help us and the clerk said, Thank you very much.
Mr. Green is no longer at the Best Western so I had to argue, politely, that I really could not eat lunch on the couch. This whole discussion took 10 minutes and finally they let me sit at the bar. This was after I told them 5 times I did not want a drink of water. Big Daddy was checking in and when he returned we ordered the burgers and fries and answered all the questions (another 10 minutes)and then they brought the food without the mustard. This of course created quite a stir and when they were finally convinced that butter was not mustard they all went off to a meeting. They finally brought over a manager who said, you want mustard, turned to them and said, jabba jabba jabba, and they all left again. Then 10 minutes later we got the mustard. For the cold hamburger. Ya just keep your expectations here really, really low and do not expect to eat on a regular basis with regular food. So we went to the buffet for dinner as it could not get worse. There was this cookie that looked great. I swear to God, this cookie was tasteless. I told Big Daddy and he said, no way. So he took a bite. That cookie had no taste of anything at all, no, nuhuh, no taste. Pretty though. I am getting ahead of myself here, but in the morning in the executive lounge I took this roll that looked like it might be coconut with toasted coconut on top. At first there was no taste. I thought, WTF, another no taste food item. The more I chewed the worse it got. I do not know WTF that was but I thought I was going to have run from the room. Big Daddy thinks it might have been dried fish. He declined to taste it.
On the plus side had our anniversary dinner at the Shangri-La and it was lovely.
Walked to Hong Kong in the morning with few incidents, got on the right trains and all this time. However on the re-entry I turn around after securing my passport to see Big Daddy in this special place with this guy looking very seriously at his passport. He was using a jewelers loupe. Not a scanner, not a chip reader, a jewelers loupe. Okey Dokey.
Bought some pearls, pictures on facebook. Got a wash and a blow dry, no pictures it was horrible.
Then I decided to wash my hands on the morning we were leaving. This is before my shower, just wanted to wash my hands. Big Mistake. Floor was wet, they are always wet, cheap hotel slippers, they are always cheap and boom I was down on the floor. I was really lucky I was not seriously hurt. But I was hurt enough to not be able to talk. It knocked the wind out of me and I could not get up. Huge scrape on my chest from the granite sink and very painful. Could not get an ice pack or any help from the hotel. It makes me wonder if something serious does ever happen, what do you do? These assholes do not have a clue. Big Daddy told the check out guy on the exec floor as we were leaving about how no one would respond or help us and the clerk said, Thank you very much.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Detroit Melting Down Again
I am aghast at the news reports coming out of Detroit on the UAW workers caught on tape during their lunch hour behaving badly. These are not stupid guys. And every damn one of them knew better. I am so damn disappointed in every damn one of them for this stupid, stupid behavior.
These guys knew exactly what they were doing. And they also knew, every one of them, that there is a group in that plant that is pushing for the new 2 level platform and pay scale. The new lower level payscale people have been turning people in for work rules violations for a while now. And a large amount of the new people on the lower wage scale and in a different local are related to the union representatives at that plant, common gossip says. I would never know this for sure, only the common gossip.
So, you have a huge disruption in the company with multiple owners and then bankruptcy, unknown UAW changes as the upper echelon and International does not commincate with the local, Chrysler management scrambling to keep their jobs and taking that out on the hourly, treating suppliers like shit (which shut down the plant how many times), and having the Italians take pictures of your lunch bucket on a table-and when maybe things might be getting better-y'all decide the local party store and park is the way to keep your jobs.
The thing is everyone is under the gun now. And yes, I am sorry to have to tell you this, everyone represents their employer. At work or not, what you do is who you are.
You guys know who you are and I know who you are. And every damn one of you sorry assholes need to get up and apologoze to your co-workers and apologize to the American people who loaned you the money (not for the first time) to stay in business.
And for the asshole too lazy to get out of the minivan and pick up the bottle after he missed the trash can, were you trying to keep your union brothers and sisters in the Parks and Rec crew employed. Slob.
These guys knew exactly what they were doing. And they also knew, every one of them, that there is a group in that plant that is pushing for the new 2 level platform and pay scale. The new lower level payscale people have been turning people in for work rules violations for a while now. And a large amount of the new people on the lower wage scale and in a different local are related to the union representatives at that plant, common gossip says. I would never know this for sure, only the common gossip.
So, you have a huge disruption in the company with multiple owners and then bankruptcy, unknown UAW changes as the upper echelon and International does not commincate with the local, Chrysler management scrambling to keep their jobs and taking that out on the hourly, treating suppliers like shit (which shut down the plant how many times), and having the Italians take pictures of your lunch bucket on a table-and when maybe things might be getting better-y'all decide the local party store and park is the way to keep your jobs.
The thing is everyone is under the gun now. And yes, I am sorry to have to tell you this, everyone represents their employer. At work or not, what you do is who you are.
You guys know who you are and I know who you are. And every damn one of you sorry assholes need to get up and apologoze to your co-workers and apologize to the American people who loaned you the money (not for the first time) to stay in business.
And for the asshole too lazy to get out of the minivan and pick up the bottle after he missed the trash can, were you trying to keep your union brothers and sisters in the Parks and Rec crew employed. Slob.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
A touch of Homesickness
As the bus left the terminal today at Hongqiao Airport I felt a lump in my throat. There they were, a sight unseen for many months, rat traps at the perimeters of the terminal. Spaced just far enough apart so there is no waiting at any one rat trap. My goodness I have not seen publicly displayed rat traps since the Plant Loco days. I can remember them like I saw them yesterday with the little tufts of seat foam and covers sticking out the openings just so, with a few chicken bones in front kinda like rat lawn decorations.
Now, don't get me wrong, we got rats in the US too, we just kinda hide the traps from the public. Nothing like announcing, You Bet Your Ass We Got Rats. Big Uns, too. Never forget the one in the yard at Plant Loco named Grandaddy, he was an old tough one. He scared many a greenhorn supplier sent to the yard at dusk.
China Southern seems to be keeping with no bread and drink trolleys while on the ground since the reports of the 2 planes with cargo fires. And the Air Traffic Announcement was only a 30 minute delay this morning. Actually got into Shenzhen on time. Unbelievable. Wonder if the airlines on the ATC's ass since they can't keep the pax quiet with a box of bread.
Another thing, China Southern seems to have no PM on these planes as seats and armrests are always broken. And this is not a safety issue with them. Amazing. The seat in front of Big Daddy would not go back into upright position and it was like oh well, have some more bread. The FA knew this at take-off and only worried about it when Big Daddy could not get his tray down to eat his bread. And they are the better airline here in China, they are better than those dogs at China Eastern. And you get more bread.
I am getting better at posting pictures on FB since I cannot get it right on this blog, so my goal is to get a complete album of walking to Hong Kong as that is the plan for morning. It is not so hot but still rainy so that might be a fun walk. And my curling iron is broken so hair should look divine.
Now, don't get me wrong, we got rats in the US too, we just kinda hide the traps from the public. Nothing like announcing, You Bet Your Ass We Got Rats. Big Uns, too. Never forget the one in the yard at Plant Loco named Grandaddy, he was an old tough one. He scared many a greenhorn supplier sent to the yard at dusk.
China Southern seems to be keeping with no bread and drink trolleys while on the ground since the reports of the 2 planes with cargo fires. And the Air Traffic Announcement was only a 30 minute delay this morning. Actually got into Shenzhen on time. Unbelievable. Wonder if the airlines on the ATC's ass since they can't keep the pax quiet with a box of bread.
Another thing, China Southern seems to have no PM on these planes as seats and armrests are always broken. And this is not a safety issue with them. Amazing. The seat in front of Big Daddy would not go back into upright position and it was like oh well, have some more bread. The FA knew this at take-off and only worried about it when Big Daddy could not get his tray down to eat his bread. And they are the better airline here in China, they are better than those dogs at China Eastern. And you get more bread.
I am getting better at posting pictures on FB since I cannot get it right on this blog, so my goal is to get a complete album of walking to Hong Kong as that is the plan for morning. It is not so hot but still rainy so that might be a fun walk. And my curling iron is broken so hair should look divine.
Monday, September 20, 2010
A Question Answered
When we were at the Portman Center this week I bought a paperback titled-101 Stories for Foreigners to Understand Chinese People by Yi S. Ellis with Brian D. Ellis. Excellent easy read for simple problems and questions that pop up here. My biggest question so far was answered in this book. Why in the hell do these Chinese women wear nylons and ugly nylon ankle socks in the hottest months of the year. And they wear them with sandles. So they do not get backaches and headaches. You see, when you sweat the sweat glands in your feet open up-to sweat. So the cold air (this is the mysterious hiding cold air) sneaks into the pores of your feet and travels up the body intact-never sweated out-and voila, you now have a backache. Soon to be followed by a headache. So these ugly, cheap, crappy nylon piece of shit socks are actually medical devices. Who knew.
Went to the US Consulate for my passport request today. There were lots and lots of Chinese people trying to get to the window. Some guy came and grabbed us and took us to the window and said put your passport in. You ever try to reach pass the huddles masses of Chinese people that have made it all the way to the window? So one down and many to go, they will email when the passport is ready. There was one young dude and the passport guy was telling him, this is the second time you lost your passport. Once more and no go dude. You will have to wait until it is up for renewal. I bet this guy can't breathe again without someone making note of it. A US customs guy told Big Daddy what they are worth on the black market and I bet this guy will get the TSA random extra search for the rest of his life.
I do not want to talk about the taxi driver picking his nose, or the girl with plastic butterflys on her toenails or the fact that anyone has toenails long enough to put plastic shit on them. I thought the black girls at Plant Loco had long toenails and they cannot hold a candle to some of these Chinese women. Another Kodak moment and no camera.
Went to the US Consulate for my passport request today. There were lots and lots of Chinese people trying to get to the window. Some guy came and grabbed us and took us to the window and said put your passport in. You ever try to reach pass the huddles masses of Chinese people that have made it all the way to the window? So one down and many to go, they will email when the passport is ready. There was one young dude and the passport guy was telling him, this is the second time you lost your passport. Once more and no go dude. You will have to wait until it is up for renewal. I bet this guy can't breathe again without someone making note of it. A US customs guy told Big Daddy what they are worth on the black market and I bet this guy will get the TSA random extra search for the rest of his life.
I do not want to talk about the taxi driver picking his nose, or the girl with plastic butterflys on her toenails or the fact that anyone has toenails long enough to put plastic shit on them. I thought the black girls at Plant Loco had long toenails and they cannot hold a candle to some of these Chinese women. Another Kodak moment and no camera.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Ok, It is getting better, or why we need to keep a stiff upper lip
This has been an informative weekend. We should start with Sunday and work back.
Just got home from Taikang Lu and what a hoot. Had a drink at Amay's and gave her some books we had read and some moon cakes. She has a lendiing/buying library in the rabbit warren and supports the Red Cross here. The Red Cross here is state run. She is trying hard to learn English-she is fluent by Chinese standards-and different philosophy. She would not take our money for the coffee beans we bought or the drinks. We still left a tip, yes some of us westerners insist on tipping for great service.
Then we stopped at the wet market and I remembered it all. I have avoided going there recently for the heat and the craziness, but I went back. Yes, the snakes do escape from the plastic bins. The ladies grab them and put them back. I do not want further information on this issue. We got some great herbs and vegetables and some Martha Stewart eggs. They are blue and green, very light colors. Come on, you gotta buy these once. Could not buy the little eggs, I think they are quail. Then some guy came chasing me down waving a bag of what looked like chunks of red type meat. I almost bought a live chicken or goose just to see Big Daddy's face when I walked up to him.
Then we sauntered down Raijin Lu and I swear I bought roasted chesnuts. Where in the world can you buy roasted chestnuts in September. If that is indeed what they are. They do not taste bad. Then when Big Daddy left me alone for a moment in front of the cookie store and I was looking at this big thing that reminded of a farm implement for something very strange. I never lived on a farm so I cannot describe it other than to say it is strange. I had seen it before and I was flummoxed as to the use of this article. People started buying things from it and everyone seemed quite excited. The sign said 2.50 so I ponied up in the line and gave over 10 RMB, the owner person said 4 and I said OK. They were hot and greasy, the longer we walked toward home the greasier the bag got. They were like a fried bisquit stuffed with a meat type substance. Not good, but for China they at least had some flavor. We took the rest down to the security guards and you would have thought we gave them manna from heaven.
Saturday we went to the Portman Center to get my passport photos taken. It does not matter where in the world you get these photos taken you will always look like shit. Then we decided to find the embassy so it would not be a trial for us on Monday. We learned that Chinese people will speak to you in Chinese for a long time even though they know you do not speak or understand Chinese and they do not speak your language either. Then we decided to walk to our favorite restaurant on Maoming Lu, big mistake. From Nanjing Lu to some place I cannot spell, but about 10 blocks away, you cannot get a taxi on Maoming Lu and if you did you would kill yourself because the cars never move anyway.
Weather is better, hair sucks since the bad haircut, leasing people came today to review Big Daddy's complaints of the wall paper and such for the new lease. I laughed my ass off as I know these people think this shit is all great. When Big Daddy showed them the scars on the floor Shemp stomped on it 3 times, as if to show it is solid. They so not understand what is pretty and desirable and what is OK- this will last for a week or so. God, I read that and thought I am speaking Chinglish.
Just got home from Taikang Lu and what a hoot. Had a drink at Amay's and gave her some books we had read and some moon cakes. She has a lendiing/buying library in the rabbit warren and supports the Red Cross here. The Red Cross here is state run. She is trying hard to learn English-she is fluent by Chinese standards-and different philosophy. She would not take our money for the coffee beans we bought or the drinks. We still left a tip, yes some of us westerners insist on tipping for great service.
Then we stopped at the wet market and I remembered it all. I have avoided going there recently for the heat and the craziness, but I went back. Yes, the snakes do escape from the plastic bins. The ladies grab them and put them back. I do not want further information on this issue. We got some great herbs and vegetables and some Martha Stewart eggs. They are blue and green, very light colors. Come on, you gotta buy these once. Could not buy the little eggs, I think they are quail. Then some guy came chasing me down waving a bag of what looked like chunks of red type meat. I almost bought a live chicken or goose just to see Big Daddy's face when I walked up to him.
Then we sauntered down Raijin Lu and I swear I bought roasted chesnuts. Where in the world can you buy roasted chestnuts in September. If that is indeed what they are. They do not taste bad. Then when Big Daddy left me alone for a moment in front of the cookie store and I was looking at this big thing that reminded of a farm implement for something very strange. I never lived on a farm so I cannot describe it other than to say it is strange. I had seen it before and I was flummoxed as to the use of this article. People started buying things from it and everyone seemed quite excited. The sign said 2.50 so I ponied up in the line and gave over 10 RMB, the owner person said 4 and I said OK. They were hot and greasy, the longer we walked toward home the greasier the bag got. They were like a fried bisquit stuffed with a meat type substance. Not good, but for China they at least had some flavor. We took the rest down to the security guards and you would have thought we gave them manna from heaven.
Saturday we went to the Portman Center to get my passport photos taken. It does not matter where in the world you get these photos taken you will always look like shit. Then we decided to find the embassy so it would not be a trial for us on Monday. We learned that Chinese people will speak to you in Chinese for a long time even though they know you do not speak or understand Chinese and they do not speak your language either. Then we decided to walk to our favorite restaurant on Maoming Lu, big mistake. From Nanjing Lu to some place I cannot spell, but about 10 blocks away, you cannot get a taxi on Maoming Lu and if you did you would kill yourself because the cars never move anyway.
Weather is better, hair sucks since the bad haircut, leasing people came today to review Big Daddy's complaints of the wall paper and such for the new lease. I laughed my ass off as I know these people think this shit is all great. When Big Daddy showed them the scars on the floor Shemp stomped on it 3 times, as if to show it is solid. They so not understand what is pretty and desirable and what is OK- this will last for a week or so. God, I read that and thought I am speaking Chinglish.
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