Stories of the Middle Kingdom

I am grateful....

Thankful Thought #1

I am thankful for a doctor’s office in town served by Singaporean doctors and Filipino nurses who speak English. I can go there and they know exactly what I need. I don’t have to fight crowds or explain what Singulair is. They are able to get all my prescribed medicines for me, service I can’t get from a regular, local hospital. I even can have a private room when I get my 3-hour long I.V. drip.

And never mind that I have to stand outside in the freezing temperatures for half an hour, barely able to stand, while vomiting, to flag down a taxi. (I did have someone trying to help me get a taxi, not that it was that successful.) And never mind that in the end I take a “black car” (illegal taxi) because no real taxi will stop for me, and never mind that I freak out said taxi driver when I throw up in the back of his car (imagine his relief when he realized I had a plastic shopping bag to catch it all), and never mind that it takes half an hour to get there. I’m just glad that (a) the Singporean doctors take my insurance card, keeping me from having to stop at an ATM on the way, and (b) I am well when the I.V.’s and injections are over.

Lest we forget, I had no such luxuries when I lived in Bedrock. I am truly thankful and think the Singaporean doctors and Filipino nurses are somehow angels sent from heaven.

Thankful Thought #2

One word sums up my second strand of thankfulness: Betty. Okay, two words say it better: Betty Crocker.

Imagine how I felt Thursday morning when I heard that China’s president Hu Jintao was at the White House state dinner eating apple pie. Is that even fair? It surely didn’t seem so. I don't recall being a big fan of apple pies before, and I think I've only made one before in my life, but apple pie envy got the best of me.

So I pulled out my Betty Crocker cookbook and realized that yes, I too, could eat apple pie today.

I got some apples, and threw in the other ingredients (do you KNOW how easy it is to make apple pie from scratch – who knew?), and voila, an hour and a half later I had the most delicious apple pie I have ever tasted.

I had a box mix for the pie crust. It, too, was courtesy of Betty Crocker. I bought it here around Christmas time. I could have made the crust from scratch, but the thought of dealing with shortening didn’t sound all that much fun.

If I had frozen pie crusts like you do in the USA and Australia, I think I would make pies all the time.

So, a big shout out to Betty, whoever you really are! I should have taken home ec in high school instead of trigonometry, but since I didn't I appreciate your help (and my mom's help as well...although I regret I didn't pay close attention when I should have).