The Shipment Has Arrived!!!!!!!!!! YAHOO!!!!!!!!

Yahoo! I am thrilled to proclaim that the shipment finally arrived from the states! It was truly on a slow boat and then docked for about 3 weeks in Shanghai. My fears were that we would receive only a portion of our shipment. Some of my new expat friends here have had terrible experiences with their shipments. So....when I learned that it is not uncommon to have "electronic equipment" withheld --- until you cough up a little extra RMB, I just prepared for no coffee pot.

Well -- I sit here this morning listening to the waterfall outside my window, the birds are chirping and I am savoring the last few drops of a mega cup of java! OOOOO Yeah! The weather has turned cooler -- much cooler! The rain has not stopped since our Wednesday evening and the roads are sludge covered. The area is in a state of perpetual renovation. Grime doesn't go away here without some effort! I still marvel at the number of people who work on the Clean Sweep Team! Yes, they are evident daily in their small army units, clad in green and yellow coveralls. It is their daily duty - which they perform with great vigor - to sweep the streets, sidewalks, trees, shrubs, refuse cans, you name it-- if it is not moving -- they sweep it! Their tools of the trade -- brush brooms! You can find them squatting in lines under the trees at lunch time -- they are never sitting or lying down. (I still can't figure out how they can "squat" for long periods of time here without their joints locking up tight! Perhaps this is the key to healthy knees.) They work from sunrise to sunset! I can not allow myself to toss out even a gum wrapper here in fear they will chase me down like a pack of wild animals and enslave me to their daily cadence.

We also have enjoyed a lovely loaf of freshly baked bread with homemade soup! What perfect timing! I am learning daily that God has orchestrated my days even down to the small wonders of warm soup and bread on a suddenly cold and rainy day! The smells of the bread baking in the breadmaker (THANKS LISA & RAMONA) filled the entire apartment building. We live on the fourth floor and the AYI's smile when I am baking bread or cooking. Jim tells me the aromas greet him at the building door downstairs. I plan to keep everyone smiling as much as possible.

The shipment was filled with books, jeans and our leather jackets. We have not needed jackets and blue jeans were too hot to wear except to dinner. We slept peacefully on "our" pillows for the first time since July for me and April for Jim. The familiar duvet and pillows may sound simple and quaint, but what comfort they delivered! I eagerly prepared the apartment with the few comforts I had packed and put away the books. We now have a small library of books to keep us busy during the cold winter months. The only book that wasn't delivered was a hymnal that I had placed into the shipment. However, the Bible that is Chinese/English was there! The man who assisted in unpacking the boxes, said .. Jesus! I said yes! He smiled.

The shipment also contained much needed meds and vitamins for Jim. I am slowly getting the apartment to reflect our sense of clutter and eclectic living style. I have found a Christmas cactus and the secondary bedrooms now appear to be cozy with the quilts on the beds. Now, if only I could get the bikes and golf clubs tucked away in a closet -- oh yeah -- those we don't have. So, visitors just need to overlook the wheels .....ha ha!

Despite the progress of making our hotel apartment "our home" I still miss HOME! I am so grateful to be here and I know deep in my heart that I am not here by chance. I will meet with a family next week to begin teaching their daughter some English. The family is from Korea and they do not speak any English and very little Mandarin. This should be a fun experience!

We have learned that a company "outing" has been scheduled for next weekend. We will be traveling to Xi An to view the terra cotta soldiers and other area hot spots. The trip will involve trains, planes and buses. I am eager to experience the overnight train ride -- planes I have had plenty of that -- and buses -- well a bus is a bus -right? No doubt I will have my camera and send plenty of pics.

Well, today is Halloween and I need to prepare the goody bags for the Ayi's. I have a small pumpkin at the door adorned with Jim's pirate hat! Halloween is yet another western tradition that is beginning to take root here in Suzhou. Stores are filled with face paints, glowing swords, and spider webs! Most of the locals just pass by until they see expats laughing and trying on the limited selection of masks and costumes.