Marilyn is feeling a little better following her "unfortunate altercation" with the bathroom countertop and floor. Her lips are healing nicely (hopefully no more pureed chicken stew) and the bridge of her nose is yellowing a little as the bruise goes away. She is still sore and her face hurts when she tries to apply creams and stuff. But she claims to have had no hot flashes since the fall. Marilyn's hoping it's not just a temporary thing. (She'll have to tell you if the whole thing was worth it.) She hasn't been out of the apartment for five days ... we'll have to do something about that.
The sky is blue here for two days in a row. I'm sure the powers-that-be will take all of the credit for it.
I'm looking forward to visiting the U.S. in December. Other than seeing those of you we can, I really don't miss anything else. I'm not really excited about being inundated with Christmas decorations and music in stores and malls.
I'm also looking forward to the new school year and the kids I'll have in class. I'm especially looking forward to teaching His Word to them. Next week, assuming Marilyn is better, I'll spend time in the classroom re-assembling it after the crews painted everything. I like deciding on the posters and such that I'll make and put on the walls. Then there'll be a trip to the plant market for half a dozen hanging plants and to the furniture market to buy a sofa (something really gaudy) for the kids to lounge on.
The Lord is, as always, very good to us. With the exception of her "unfortunate altercation", we are healthy and the summer is becoming a relaxing time.
A young woman attorney asked me at English Corner on Friday night what my life goals were ... did I want a lot of money, to travel, etc? I told her that there were different categories:
a) to be the best man, husband, father, grandfather (#12 enroute) and friend possible;
b) to be content with life and the things that happen;
c) to do the things that, when I see my Jesus face-to-face, will bring a smile to His face and allow Him to say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant".
I explained that much of my life was spent chasing other things, spending my energies with other attitudes, and selfishness. Now, I try to keep my eyes on Heaven as I anticipate that at anytime I will see Him. I also explained that I am not perfect and make many mistakes on any given day but that He loves me and forgives me and only wants (and offers) the best for my life ... now and after death. She was very attentive ... pray for her, her English name is Sunny.
Later y'all,
In His Name
Dad/Mark/Grandpa
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
10 July 2008
This has been an odd sort of week.
We went to Ikea in Beijing with other families on Monday. That's an all-day ordeal, considering the 5 hour round trip and that it claims to be the 2nd biggest Ikea in the world.
Tuesday was pretty lazy. Nothing going on. As I predicted, the gas meter guy showed up at about 7:30pm, read the meter and I paid him cash. It rained all day and we stayed in.
Yesterday was going pretty lazy, too. Marilyn had been feeling a little more tired than usual and had taken a nap. I was on the laptop watching a video with headphones when she tapped me on the shoulder. She had gone to the bathroom, leaned on the counter and then had awakened on the floor staring up at the door knob. She doesn't remember anything. She had cut the inside of her upper and lower lips with her teeth(?), had hurt her nose and put a dent on her forehead at the hairline. She wouldn't go to the doctor and spent the next 3 hours throwing up and suffering diarrhea while I held on to her in case she felt like passing out again. She then slept for a little while, worried about how bad she might look and at 8:30 went to bed until around 6am. She's still pretty banged up today. Her neck and shoulders hurt. Her nose, lips and forehead are very tender.
This evening she told me she doesn't need to be "watched" anymore. She made some rice and we had a little dinner together. She is in the living room looking for some "chick flick" for us to watch together. Oh joy!
Later y'all,
In His Name,
Mark/Dad/Grandpa
We went to Ikea in Beijing with other families on Monday. That's an all-day ordeal, considering the 5 hour round trip and that it claims to be the 2nd biggest Ikea in the world.
Tuesday was pretty lazy. Nothing going on. As I predicted, the gas meter guy showed up at about 7:30pm, read the meter and I paid him cash. It rained all day and we stayed in.
Yesterday was going pretty lazy, too. Marilyn had been feeling a little more tired than usual and had taken a nap. I was on the laptop watching a video with headphones when she tapped me on the shoulder. She had gone to the bathroom, leaned on the counter and then had awakened on the floor staring up at the door knob. She doesn't remember anything. She had cut the inside of her upper and lower lips with her teeth(?), had hurt her nose and put a dent on her forehead at the hairline. She wouldn't go to the doctor and spent the next 3 hours throwing up and suffering diarrhea while I held on to her in case she felt like passing out again. She then slept for a little while, worried about how bad she might look and at 8:30 went to bed until around 6am. She's still pretty banged up today. Her neck and shoulders hurt. Her nose, lips and forehead are very tender.
This evening she told me she doesn't need to be "watched" anymore. She made some rice and we had a little dinner together. She is in the living room looking for some "chick flick" for us to watch together. Oh joy!
Later y'all,
In His Name,
Mark/Dad/Grandpa
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
3 July 2008
I was telling Marilyn that I am now operating in life in a similar fashion to my Grandpa Ted Prescott when he retired in 1965.
Every month when he received his Social Security and Carpenter's Union pension checks, he and Grandma Myrtie went from place to place, in the old Ford, paying their bills in cash. That included the electric company (PG&E), the water company, the rent, the mortuary (for their burial plots) and the phone company. I never knew him to write a check, although he may have. I always thought that was an awful lot of effort.
Last week I went to what is called the State Grid (~5km) and paid, in advance, for about five months of electricity in cash. (I'll ride my bike next time, since I know where it is now.) Yesterday I rode my bike about 8km to the doctor's office to get our blood pressure medication. (They only issue one month's worth at a time because of the difficulty/uncertainty of getting shipments in from Hong Kong.) On the way back, I searched for and stopped at another place to pay, again in advance, for about 5-6 months of water. The gas meter lady will come to our place soon for cash. One of our high school kids makes extra money paying off everyone's phone bills for us each month for a slight fee, and then coming around to us for cash. I'm forgoing the mortuary stuff for the time being. ;-)
Life is simple here, but, in its own way, more complicated.
Later, y'all
In His Name,
Mark/Dad/Grandpa
Every month when he received his Social Security and Carpenter's Union pension checks, he and Grandma Myrtie went from place to place, in the old Ford, paying their bills in cash. That included the electric company (PG&E), the water company, the rent, the mortuary (for their burial plots) and the phone company. I never knew him to write a check, although he may have. I always thought that was an awful lot of effort.
Last week I went to what is called the State Grid (~5km) and paid, in advance, for about five months of electricity in cash. (I'll ride my bike next time, since I know where it is now.) Yesterday I rode my bike about 8km to the doctor's office to get our blood pressure medication. (They only issue one month's worth at a time because of the difficulty/uncertainty of getting shipments in from Hong Kong.) On the way back, I searched for and stopped at another place to pay, again in advance, for about 5-6 months of water. The gas meter lady will come to our place soon for cash. One of our high school kids makes extra money paying off everyone's phone bills for us each month for a slight fee, and then coming around to us for cash. I'm forgoing the mortuary stuff for the time being. ;-)
Life is simple here, but, in its own way, more complicated.
Later, y'all
In His Name,
Mark/Dad/Grandpa
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