Photographs

As you can see there are very limited photographs on this site, they have not in the least made it easy to put them on. It is not as good as the Windows Live Blog site, that is now unfortunately closing, which is why they have redirected it to this WordPress site. I have to say that I don’t like it as much as the old site which did everything that I wanted it to do, this one doesn’t. I now have to decide what to do about letting people see my photo’s again. I will let you all know once I figure out the best way to go. If there is one!

What time is it?

Today must have been the final Jetlag day, we didn’t get up till 3pm, even the dog didn’t wake us up! So today has been a short day. We  went veggie shopping in the local market to stock up after the holiday as the fridge was just about empty. On the way back from the market we saw this guy standing on his head (and only his head) whilst playing the guitar and singing upside down! Talk about China’s got talent! unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me as we were carrying too much so now I have to wait to see if he performs anywhere else. We do have buskers galore here, mostly its old guys playing what they call the 2 string violin, played like a cello but it only has two strings and small round box sounder at the bottom. and most of them seem to be playing the same thing over and over again, which I suppose with the amount of people that pass by any one spot no one actually notices that they never play a full tune!

Rose is busy tidying up again and ‘sorting things out’ so I don’t expect that I will find anything any time soon. We have to go and get the car and driving documents redone as we still cant find where they are! and we can’t drive until we get them as unlike the UK you have to carry the documents with you at all times when driving. At least it will save some petrol till we get them again. I have no idea what rigmarole we will have to go through to do this but it should prove interesting at least.

UK Trip – October 2010

We are now back home in China after a few weeks visit back to Blighty and the autumnally freezing cold weather, well to me anyway. I didn’t get to visit everyone that I wanted to due to people working of all things and others having the dreaded flu virus that was going round. Thankfully we didn’t get any of it. I usually at least get a cold after travelling by air but this time nothing.

We stayed in the Southend area most of the first 2 and half weeks due to my daughter and her family going on holiday to Florida for 2 weeks from the 15th of October and this meant us staying around to look after their loopy dog Joey and the cat, they were like Garfield and his dog, but they were no bother and soon settled down without missing their owners. We had a few trips to the local Tesco to get some UK grub for our stay, No Chinese meals so far. We also got in a couple of visits to the local Toby carvery which was most enjoyable for me.

 

We managed a few local trips to visit old friends, Martin, Bob and my old friends Paul, Sue and Maisie (someone else with a new dog). Slightly further afield to Finchingfield we went to visit old workmates, Helen, Sheila, Chris and his girlfriend, Pete and Stuart, this was on one lunchtime at the local Fox Inn, good to get some  British pub grub once again. This was followed later in the day with a trip to Braintree to visit Betty and Roy.

The furthest we got those weeks was to Clacton, to visit James, Jasia, Thomaz and the new entry Elie. I was pleased to see that James has now settled into his job at last after a few strenuous times for him, maybe all the new family additions have helped in that respect.

During this time I had been able to drive my old Skoda Octavia once more and then had to hire a small Citroen once they came back and reclaimed the car. I tried to hook up with friend Jules but she was working on the only free day we had.

Once the family got back from Floriday we were able to travel further afield, the first trip was up to Sheffield to see someone I joined the RAF with Dave Goodrum and his family plus their dog Alice (dogs everywhere this trip!), I was going to meet Geoff Mercer but he had prior arrangements with a caravan! We spent the weekend with Dave and then went down to Southampton way to visit Tom and Di, we had hoped to see Roger another friend but he was another one unable to make it.

Next stop was to see Margaret but I was unable to get hold of her as well, so I thought she had probably gone away somewhere but it turned out that her phone wasn’t working correctly and she didn’t get any of my messages in time, so another bummer there not getting to see her. We decided to go straight to Bicester to the home of Bill and Lil who visited us here in China earlier, they were on their way back from Scotland and weren’t in when we arrived but we got a key from next door and stayed the night until they arrived. The last but one day was the only Chinese meal we had, but at least it was a good edible one. We spend the last two days with them before flying back here again.

Old friends

Well, they weren’t exactly old! but were my old work colleagues which we met at the Fox in Finchingfield, When I pulled up at the pub I thought it was closed as it had scaffolding all around it, but it turned out that they were just re doing the roof.

Everyone I wanted to see turned up and managed to get off work for the hour and some of us had lunch and we chatted with everyone and had a real nice time of it. My friends Helen and Sheila spread the word for me and they and a few of the IT guys turned up including Chris, and a nice young lady, with Pete (now married since we last met) and Stuart, still the same as ever, Stuart is getting thinner and Pete is err… filling out. Helen and Sheila are both still as mad as ever.

After the lunch we called in to see our friends Betty and Roy in Braintree, they are knocking on their 80’s now so can officially be classed as old friends!

Everyone seems to be having boiler trouble at the moment, but I suppose that’s just because it’s the start of winter and boilers that have been little used during the summer months are now being tested again. In China I only have to worry about Air conditioners. Heat isn’t a problem, well most of the year anyway. It will however start to cool down a little from the normal 30 deg C, when we go back as it is now sliding into our winter so although no frost or snow or even very low temps, lowest will be around 16 or so and jeans will have to replace my normal shorts for a couple of months.

They had a bit of a typhoon while we have been away, but normally it doesn’t do much damage or anything in our city which is surrounded by mountains to fend off the worst of the weather.

It is however still freezing here (well for me anyway) in the UK, and am missing the heat.

The first week

We have been at my daughters here in Southend now for a week, the impressions I have of the UK now are that its bloody cold and it seems the people are a little on the depressed side, there appears to be no hustle and bustle like Shenzhen, One thing they both have in common is Road Works! Most of the main routes here seem to have been dug up in one way or another with traffic either at a standstill or at walking pace.

The sun here is extra bright, it doesn’t have the pollution to go through that it does in China. I am here during the period of the severe budget cuts the Government is starting to implement this week, so that is making everyone a little less cheerful than normal!

The dog (Joey) and the cat (Tiger) have now both settled down with us and acting quite normal, well for the dog, I am not sure how acting normal is as he is a bit of a loony, not a bad loony just unable to keep still, a little like my wife really, they make a good pair. The cat is a bit like Garfield and treats the dog with the same contempt.

We apparently have a plumber coming on Saturday to replace Lisa and Gerry’s boiler as it leaks a bit and keeps going off. So I will se the difference between the ‘little men’ in China and the ‘Tradesmen’ in the UK. This afternoon we are off to visit old work friends and a few others so should be a pleasant day today.

Saw 4!

Well now been in the UK for 3 days, first day getting over the flight, second day took family to Gatwick for their holiday in Florida, and we now settle down for 2 weeks while we look after the cat and the dog. The cat is easy, Tigger, and the dog Joey is addicted to balls, rubber ones, I am pleased to report, you have to put them in a cupboard before he stops bringing them to you!

Ater we dropped the family at Gatwick we dropped in to look around Lakeside shopping centre, we arrived at just around 7am as we had left early for the flight, so Lakeside doesnt open till 10, so had a bit of a hang around, first in Tesco’s 24hr shop then a little wander round. eventually it opened and we had breakfast and then I saw it…. The teeth whitening kiosk, My teeth are not the greatest of colours and I had seen these booths when we were in Canada, but didn’t really have time to visit one then. so I thought Ok, I’ll give it a go.

It is very painless, although a bit odd and you feel like your in a Saw movie, they first of all clean your teeth and then put this plastic gob opener in your mouth, the top bit of which is ok as it fits round your lips but the bottom bit is just thin and tends to slightly cut into your lower lip, so he put a little cushion on it, then they swab your teeth with something and the wait a few moments then you get the headset put on you, through which you can listen to music if you want and also get a massage from the chair, I opted out of those, anyway, he then attaches this light to the headset that shines into your mouth so you have your gob forced open and a light stuck in it, then they switch it on, mmmmmmmmm constant hum. Its then that you start to feel like your in a horror movie waiting for something to happen, like having the light drill through the back of your head or something. You get this little cycle of treatment 3 times in an hour, then its rince out the mouth and done. My teeth went 4 shades whiter, not  quite bright white, but I didn’t expect that, but at least now I can smile for the cameras! My old gnashers were getting to look a bit weary, but have now been revitalised! All I have to do now is carry on with the old whitening toothpaste and all should be well, Well, I can always go back again on the next visit if I wanted to go up another couple of bright  steps.

Home for a while

Things will be quiet here on the blog for a month as I am back in the UK for a holiday then, will resume around November time. Photo’s should then re appear after I figure out how to put them on this new thing!

Photo update

My photos can now be found at this address

http://cid-076e901de13f9dca.photos.live.com/albums.aspx

Photographs

You will now immediately notice that the Live spaces has ceased to exist and has been taken over by WordPress. What this has meant unfortunately as it that ALL of my photo’s on here are no longer available to you until I figure out how to put some back on again! The blogs are still there, but it so far is a pain.

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