Making groceries

Yesterday was the day to go get the new visa, they are letting me in. I think. I do not trust the medical exam for various reasons, the first of which they said I have great eyesight. Since I could not see anything and told the creepy guy "I don't know" numerous times I find this suspect. Anyway the visit to the immigration police went very quickly, we were actually done before the scheduled appointment time. Taxi ride was quick, Chinese guy was waiting and had gaunji, no problem. When he brings back my passports next week I have to go to the play station. Think he means police, we'll see.

Since we had all this spare time I asked Big Daddy if instead of going out to dinner and the shopping mall would he prefer to cook the chicken he keeps talking about. He was so excited I thought he would pee his pants. This of course meant we had to make groceries at the wet market.

Step 1, go to bar. Order Campari and soda and tell Amay I need her to write a letter. So on the back of a coaster she writes in Chinese--fat lady chicken with no head, feet, or stomach. On another coaster she writes I do not speak Chinese. Now I am good to go.

Step 2, go to wet market and show coaster to chicken dude. He reads it and gives me a thumbs up. Big Daddy thinks he was gonna to try a pass a rooster off on us but changed his mind and went for the hens. Big Daddy grew up on a farm and knows all things chicken. Next thing I know he is putting me eyeball to eyeball with this chicken. We say okay, he flops her on the scale and pantomines 50. Then he goes in the back room with the chicken.

Step 3, go to favorite veggie lady and stock up on produce. This was just under 50 RMB for lots of food from taters and poblamo peppers to ginger root and maters. Also onions, garlic, turnips and greens.

Step 4, go back to chicken guy to find Gertie (that is what I named the chicken) in a bag on top of the rooster rack. I think the message to the roosters was "this could be you". The roosters were poking at her, but Big Daddy explained the unsharpening of bird beaks. So for less than 15 dollars US I had fresh as can be chicken and veggies for the week.

Step 5, inform Big Daddy that I expect serious chicken cleaning and inspection from him when we get home. BD informs me that the feet were in the bag for good luck.

Step 6, eat. nice salad, broccoli, fried taters with peppers and chicken. Chicken was still a little tougher than I am used to. I think this is how chicken tastes and chews when it is free range without hormones. Or maybe just the chickens here are as skinny as the women. Still not bad. Not as big a chicken as I get at Farms Market-and that was Amish chicken from reputable farmer-but not bad. Chickens look bigger with feathers and a head.

Pictures will be on FB as I still can't post photos on this blog.

Oh, and the Germans are leaving so maybe I can use the gym again.