Saturday, July 29, 2017

Happy birthday to my dad!


Happy 84th birthday to my dad! We are so blessed to have him in our lives. He leads our family with character, warmth and laughter.

Some comments left on Facebook for him today include:

Happy birthday, Mr. Wilson! Thank you for everything that you did for my daddy.

HBD, WW! What a special legacy you have made with your life. Lots of us sure do love you, friend. Blessings.

Happy birthday Grandpa! You are one of my favorite people, and I hope you have the best day! Thank you for your wisdom, for the laughter, and for not laughing at my poor guesses during Wheel of Fortune 

Remember the guy in the middle from Pecos. A true man of God.

A man [for whom] I will always have the highest respect! Happy birthday!

Love your dad, happy bday to him! Please share my good wishes for him!

Monday, July 17, 2017

Restaurant

I just thought I'd show you the inside of a restaurant I went to the other day. I went during non-peak hours, as is the norm for me when dining alone. I think it's beautiful inside with somewhat unexpected decor. This restaurant's specialty is Chinese Sichuan (also known as Szechuan) food, which is spicy and YUM! 

Sunday, July 16, 2017

The Sky

One day last week the sky looked like it was on fire. It was beautiful. All these photos were taken from my south-facing balcony. 

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Downstairs lobby ain't much to brag about

Thank goodness I have an elevator! Mimi and I use it many times a day to go outside. There's an annoying little lobby at the bottom of the elevator, though, that we have to walk through to get outside. Some neighbors park their e-bikes in the lobby, instead of parking them one more floor down in the basement where they have ramps for easy in-and-out access. We have to squeeze by them to go in and out. There are signs in the lobby that say "no parking," but those signs have been there eight years and no one enforces the rules. In the photo above, Mimi and I have just come back inside the lobby from outside. We entered through a clear glass door that we have a key to.
The lobby is L-shaped, and we've just turned the corner of the L. There's the elevator on Mimi's left side. The lady from the 9th floor lets her brown male poodle pee at the very bottom of the stairs every single day (you can't see the stairs, but they are to Mimi's right side). People walk through the pee because they don't notice it until it is too late. Mimi, on the other hand, swings way out so she doesn't get anywhere near the puddle. 

Two families have first floor apartments. I wouldn't want to be them, with people right outside your door all the time waiting for the elevator.

All my neighbors used to be afraid of Mimi, because she barks loudly at them. Most of them have gotten used to her and laugh at her now. They know she's not going to bite. Maybe they don't all love her, but I'm not really thrilled with all their e-bikes and dog pee either, so we're even. 

In China, public areas like lobbies and stairwells are not well maintained. We have cleaners who come every morning with a wet rag mop. They go up to the 10th floor with the wet mop, and walk down the stairs mopping as they go. They never clean or re-moisten the mop during this routine, and things don't get very clean. The walls are black where the dirty mop slaps them when moving from side to side. 

Even very rich people live in this kind of environment where they have to put up with less-than-stellar public areas. What I mean is, I think the people on the 10th floor of my building, who have two floors and roof garden access and drive BMWs are probably millionaires. They have to deal with the dirt, clutter and dog pee just like us regular joes do. 

Friday, July 14, 2017

Neighborhood outing

My goal is to get out of the house once every day, besides walking my dog, whether I need to or not. I usually go out on my e-bike and roam around, run a few errands, or buy groceries. Last week I took a turn down an alleyway I'd never explored before, and I saw these pretty rusted metal doors, with faded Chinese poem banners, smothered in bright green ivy. I love it.
While I was taking pictures, a girl came up to me and asked, in English, if she could help me. I don't know if Chinese really have an intention to "help" foreigners when they ask this question, but it is a nice way to break the ice, let the foreigner know they speak English, and start a conversation. I found out this "girl," who looks about 18 at most, is 32 years old and has a husband and 8-month old child. They all live with her in-laws. We had a nice conversation and I made a new friend.

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

The small street market

As I mentioned in the previous post, I had to locate a new veggie market when my old alley market closed down. Sometimes, I really don't want to go to all the trouble to go into the big market that I showed you yesterday. I just want to hop off my e-bike and buy some veggies fast. I found a nice street market to go to, but it is further away than the big market. It's veggies are actually better though, and they even sell fresh asparagus! It's in a run down neighborhood, but I like the feeling in those neighborhoods, so I don't mind.
It's just a small little nook of a market.
See that asparagus in the middle of the photo?
The view right next to the street market. 

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

The big market in my neighborhood

After eight years of going to the same little family-owned veggie stall in my alleyway, one day it closed down. I was shocked! How could the family just disappear without saying goodbye? I couldn't believe it. I had to go in search of a new market. The other markets are further away, so it is not very convenient to get there. Instead of taking five or six steps from my e-bike to the veggies, I have to park, lock my bike, walk into a building, and make a real effort. But I found a really nice, pretty woman who always smiles at me and welcomes me, so I go to her section to buy veggies. That's her pictured above. 
There are many vendors in the building selling veggies, fruit, and meat.
I'm not much of a fruit eater, but the fruit looks nice.
Here is the entrance to the market building. The floor is often wet and muddy inside.
The market building is near a main road. I park my e-bike on the sidewalk like everyone else.
Another view of the market building.

Monday, July 10, 2017

Deluge

I was at an office building last weekend when a thunderstorm and downpour began. I went down to the lobby and saw the guards trying to keep it from being flooded. What a mess! What a miserable job they had that day. I had to wait half an hour before the rain slowed down enough for me to walk outside. 

Sunday, July 09, 2017

Subway people today

Young woman checks her cell phone on her long subway trip.
At first I thought they were ballerinas. But then I realized they just want to look precious.
Self-portrait. That's me in the reflection of her sunglasses.

Friday, July 07, 2017

Can't get enough of my Pekingese

 


I know one day I won't regret all these photos I've taken of Mimi. Sorry if looking at her isn't your thing. Just scroll on down. This blog is like my journal and I go to it to remember the days of my life. Mimi's a big part of it all. 

Wednesday, July 05, 2017

Shanghai Train Station

I travel to Shanghai via high-speed train. Here's a look at the train station platform. 

Monday, July 03, 2017

Shanghai's Nanjing Road East - Pedestrian Street Mall






As mentioned yesterday, there are two parts to Shanghai's Nanjing Road. Here are pictures of the east part, the pedestrian street that people think of when you say "Nanjing Road." If your feet hurt, you can pay the equivalent of 50 cents and get a ride from one end of the pedestrian street to the other. I love Shanghai. 

Sunday, July 02, 2017

Shanghai's Nanjing Road East




In Shanghai, Nanjing Road has two famous sections. Nanjing Road (west) is a pedestrian street mall and considered the heart of the city. About a mile away, maybe even less, is Nanjing Road East, which is newer and even more upscale. 

People dress well in Shanghai, and I used to dress smartly on my trips there. I would wear heals and wouldn't even be bothered by it. But now I have to wear flat shoes due to some problem with my right toe that some doctor said was osteoarthritis. In fact, the only shoes that don't hurt my feet are Converse All-Stars, so that's what I wear in Shanghai now. No one is looking for me to be a fashion trendsetter, so there's no need to dress up. 

Shanghai is a fun big city and I love my trips there. But I only like to go on days in which someone can let Mimi out for a walk midday. 

Saturday, July 01, 2017

Happy 62nd Anniversary

Happy anniversary to my parents!