still in china

thanks everyone for your kind comments and thoughts.  no, i haven't fallen off the edge of the earth,  i'm still here!  eager to get on with life and blogging, and of course catching up with all of you.  many of you have moved and had great changes in my year of no blogging.  i will be so happy to catch up with you and to peep in on you.


before summer vacation my family took a 10 day china trip.  we went to some places we had been wanting to see and i had been meaning to share some of the images but, of course, never did.  i am going to do this now.  enjoy.


we spent a few days in beijing.  i had so much fun and there was so much to do that i would love to return and have a more relaxed visit.  not always as fun to cram more in to your time.  i like to relax and enjoy my time.  anyway,  first we visited the forbidden city.  there was quite a crowd and the non-queueing ( which translates to pushing, shoving, and dog eat dog atmosphere) was at its best.

holding hands so they don't get seperated

the iconic view of the front of the forbidden city

dragon rubbed shiny and smooth by the many fingers walking past.  i hope they all received good luck.  i rubbed extra hard. this was around a window frame.






all right guys,  i am having trouble loading my pics has taken me three hours to load two pics will try again this evening

if you hadn't noticed that my posts have not been up to the usual standard that is because i have been in a sort of funk. although i did do all but two days of nablopomo in november it wasn't very exciting. i must admit that life has been getting me down. if you remember a while back i posted about a site called hero factory. so this morning before i step out my door i made a little hero to go with me. he is armed with a flame thrower to go before me and take out all obstacles and foes. wish me luck!

ninth folder, ninth picture

someone asked me to do this. so i opened my pictures went to the ninth folder and then chose the ninth picture. this was taken on a trip to hong kong. we were riding on the open-top double decker bus. whoever would like to do this please join.

chicken soup with rice

In April I will go away
To far off Spain or old Bombay
And dream about hot soup all day
Oh, my, oh, once, oh, my, oh, twice
Oh, my, oh, chicken soup with rice

let's talk a little about chicken soup. chicken soup is the supreme comfort food. it is the soup your mother brought you when you had a cold or were sick in your bed. you ate it with crackers and let the warm broth slide down your throat. it is the soup you ate when coming in from a days play in the cold weather. it melted all the icicles and warmed you from the inside out. it would warm your frosty fingers as you cradled the mug between your hands.

today though when i am speaking of chicken soup i am speaking of the need to take a break. i am in need of a break. my children are in need of a break from me. when i sing carole king's chicken soup to my five year old all i can think of is the escape the song evokes. the escape from everyday problems and the saving grace of chicken soup to right all wrongs. a little chicken soup is much needed in our home today, with the power to heal and soothe and rather like calgon take you away.

we are celebrating thanksgiving here on saturday. of all the holidays that i miss not being in the u.s. for, this is the one that is hardest for me. christmas was always about just my husband and kids. rarely did we travel or spend it anywhere else but at our own home and in our own way, so this really hasn't changed much.
thanksgiving on the other hand has always been about spending it with extended family. the brothers and sisters i grew up with and my parents. people getting their feelings hurt. teasing. burning the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes. i miss those things. i miss that my children don't get to complain about sitting at the kids table, or the thrill of finally not sitting at the kids table. football games and heralding in the christmas season by getting out the decorations and listening to christmas music. so as we try to make our own thanksgiving traditions tomorrow, think about what your traditions are. what are the things that you cherish about this holiday?

quotes

The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!" -Henry Ward Beecher

magical reindeer gems

for a mere 20 dollars you could purchase that unique gift you are looking for. the gift that will put all others to shame. yes we are talking about the gift that is sure to be on everyone's list.

limited edition

reindeer dung necklaces.

i know 20 dollars may seem steep so if you are on a budget you could opt for the $7.50 ornament instead.

evidently there is a zoo in illinois that has the dung dehydrated and sterilized. wouldn't you like that to be on your resume? reindeer dung sterilizer. anyway, so they dehydrate, string them, add a little paint and glitter and presto, the world's most sought after christmas gift. do you give this to people you like? i do know people who have received "crap" for christmas only they didn't get any glitter with it.

maybe i should buy a pet and go into business for myself. magical goldfish gem bracelets. guinea pig gem earrings. it could be a thriving enterprise. so if you are looking for that gift for the person who has everything, or maybe someone who loves to recycle this is the gift for you.

http://www.cityblm.org/parks/Miller-Park-Zoo/gift-shop.htm