Wagons Ho!

Today was another hot one in Shenyang.  I took the boys out early, well 9:00, so they could play before it got too hot and so Ayi could clean without us distracting her.  After playing in the dirt for while we took a stroll and ended up on the wrong side of the fence between our part of Eastern Venice and the Holy Land where Francis lives.  I was hoping she would be outside so we could say hello to her.  She invited us to a barbecue last month but we already had plans and I haven't talked to her since.  I didn't want her to think that we had forgotten about her.  When we got to the fence I didn't see her but the boys started yelling her name.  Sure enough, she had been out in her garden and heard them calling to her.  She came over and we talked for a minute then she took off and said she would come right back.  When she did she was carrying three lovely tomatoes and three cucumbers from her garden.  She handed them to us through the fence and then we chatted some more.  The kids wanted to go visit her but it would have been a long walk around the complex to the gate and she was going in to get a shower soon anyway.  She was finding it pretty warm too.  We said we would come visit another day when it's a bit cooler and I let her know that I think about her often.

We came back inside and the boys had baths, played in the bouncy house, and then we had lunch once Ayi was gone.  For the afternoon we turned on the air conditioner, closed the curtains and watched a couple of movies.  Then we read and practiced letters.  It was very nice.

When Tim called to see how we were doing he let me know that Paul, whom we have had over a few times, was getting his shipment today.  This was great news since before he left the US, Paul was kind enough to purchase a wagon for us.  We realized once we arrived in Shenyang and found our apartment that I would need something to drag the kids and groceries around in.  I started searching for a wagon but couldn't find one.  When I asked Chloe where we could possibly get one, she had never heard of or seen such a thing.  I looked at having my mom buy one in Canada and send it over but it was going to cost, if you can believe it, $500 to ship it!  The wagon wasn't even worth $100.  That's when we thought about Paul.  He was going to be leaving soon and we thought perhaps he would have some spare time to get the wagon and add it to his shipment.  He really came through for us, as you will see in the pictures.  It's an awesome wagon, the deluxe model.  He brought it over this evening right after his stuff arrived and once we were done supper we put it together.  I think we are really going to enjoy it.

I thought I would also include a few pictures from the last few days that I have been too lazy to upload until now.  We bought a new fan and Tim had lots of help putting it together.

Since their kid sized lazy boy is still in Canada, the boys have found a fun spot to sit and watch television.

Over the last week some poor suckers from the maintenance staff here at Eastern Venice have been given the job of hole diggers.  The picture below shows the THIRD hole they have dug.  The first two were a little smaller than this one and were quickly filled back in.  This one is definitely leading somewhere but it's getting so deep I think they may end up in China Canada.

Tomorrow I have my Chinese lesson then we will try out the wagon.  Tim pointed out that our sweet new ride  is likely to attract even more attention, if that's possible.  Oh well, I'm starting to understand how Brad and Angelina feel must feel, minus four kids.