What a great weekend!

So the last week, I wanted to take a mental health day and go to Shanghai for a day trip, but something came up at work and I was needed. So Chase's mission was to provide me the most relaxing weekend possible so that I wouldn't feel so burnt out.

(The school is enrolling more and more children, so my classroom is getting a bit chaotic until all these new ones settle in)

So on Friday night we went to a buffet with some friends at the Dragon Hotel. It was good, but the vegetarian choices were limited. So they just prepared some curry, pasta, and a pizza for me and my friend, Misha. Not bad. Was stuffed.

On Saturday morning we went on a bike ride through the tea villages with a mountain biking group that goes out every weekend. I had no idea if I could even make the distance because I never go on bike rides that are a very long. But I rode for about 4 hours! We went to Dragon Well Village, Long Jing Village, and through Nine Creeks (literally nine creeks merge into the Qiantang River). It was great. There were many hills, but now with my fancy new bike, they are manageable. I had a great time! We ate lunch at a tea house along the way and I was hoping to get a taste of this year's Longjing Harvest. This weekend was supposed to be the prime weekend for sampling it.... read... the most expensive time as well. So we didn't get any, but I don't really like Longjing tea anyways. The chinese think it's some great green tea, but I think the flavor is to sharp, strong, and not rounded enough. I like buttery, soft green teas. More of a japanese style.

Anyways, a yoga session with Conrad was next. Conrad just moved to Hangzhou and is working on this Anusara-Inspired status, so it's a fun time always practicing together. He was also part of our Friday evening buffet outing.

Chase and I passed out early on Saturday evening. Cycling just drains you.

Sunday I spent time around the house, went grocery shopping, had a good tutoring session, and made black beans, salsa, guacamole, and rice. Then we vegged in front of the laptop, catching up on the 8th season of 24.

The weather's been getting better in Hangzhou and I'm really looking forward to a beautiful week.

We have a RAT in the house

It's been two weeks now. And this rat is taking over our lives. He eats anything that he can get his hands on. He climbs into our bed at night and wedges himself in between us. He likes to be on laps and demands to be leashed and walked. He's a pretty smart rat and can slide the sliding door to the kitchen where he attempts to eat food off the floor, until I kick him out of course.

He's three years old and some people in China might call him a "hong Gui Bing" which means red-haired poodle. We just thought he was a rat that needed a good home. But it's really because he doesn't have his hair right now. It was all cut off because his previous owners didn't brush him enough and it was so matted that it just had to be shaved off. The groomers say he won't look like a rat in about four months. So we are waiting to see if he's really a dog. But until then, we will love him like a dog. And Lola now has a brother in China. I don't know how she'll do when they eventually meet, but at least we didn't get her a sister. That would have been a disaster. She is the princess and would not like any competition from another princess. So we got a rat. I hope you like him. Oh, and his name is Milo.

Here he is snuggling on the couch.



He likes to be carried and here he is in perfect baby position standing on Chase's belt buckle for extra support.

Pics from our trip

Ok, so I have been so busy and haven't been able to sign back on to post more about our trip. And in all honesty, I did try several times but it's been impossible to upload pictures along with content because of China's firewall. So I decided, after some requests for more pictures, to set up a flickr account and link it to here so you can view.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48442435@N05/?saved=1

If you can't go there, try just searching for me: smvshryoc


Hope you enjoy the pictures and there will be more!