Left: LiuYunShan, XioJing, Michael, me, DaMingCenter: Michael, XiaoJing helping JoRei study for college entrance exams
Right: ReiRei, JoWen, me & Li
I think keeping this journal, writing yesterday's events the first thing each morning, is keeping me from anticipating the new day's events. I just had to force myself to stop thinking how I'm enjoying myself so I can think about yesterday. The peddler called as usual around 6:30. He isn't calling today (because it's Sunday?). I peeled a couple mangoes for breakfast, trying to stall our departure for Xiao Yee's. Soon tho we were on our way. She has bought steamed pancakes which we spread with bean paste and fold into bings. Xiao Jing put extra hot bean paste on hers. We had the usual warm milk with honey and then warm yogurt.
Since we've planned a week in the minority areas near Tibet we viewed a dvd (Shar Shen has hundreds of them) of dances from these areas. Shar Shen is a gentle, interesting fellow. Michael says he is a self taught man-expert in minority culture. This explains his interest in my impressions of China. He walks with a limp now since a heavy tool fell on his ankle at work. It has been treated with Chinese medicine and is tightly wrapped . He has probably been told to rest it but he's walking anticipating our every need and also caring for his mother who is ill and lives a bus-ride away. He is in mourning for his father who died last year. In recognition of this he is growing a beard. It frames his lower face giving him a look of wisdom. Today he is limping heavily. Probably from climbing 8 flights of stairs to check our electronic water heater device in the bath room.
Later Da ming (meaning Great Enlightenment), Xiao Jing's brother brings his wife, Liu Yun Shen, their daughter, Re Re and Wein, the younger daughter. To indicate endearment the names are doubled. Thus ReRe and WenWen. They bring me a gift of a Piao tea pot and some very fine red tea compressed into 1" wheels and another container of tea. I am delighted. Da Ming immediately takes the pot from his wife and demonstrates its use. He is without question the leader of the family. Wei sits for her exams this week. Her scores will decide whether she is university material. She is now given the Chinese/English translator job of fielding questions and answers as they occur. They left soon after but we will have dinner with them Monday evening.
We left for a restaurant where we met a friend and kindergarten classmate of Xiao Jing's. He had told her years ago that she must become a writer. She has just published her third book.
Xiao Yee, Xiao Yun, and Da Ming were with us. After 2 hours we walked through a lovely park where Xiao Jing played as a child. Her family home (now gone)was nearby.
Home from there. To the Miou (a minority group) area for church service Sunday.
