up to Christmas

Haven't had an awful lot of stuff to write about recently and have tried to stay busy

Greece was quite interesting....but I wouldn't want to live there...added a few more pictures from there.

So I will add some pictures as I have said I would and then try to talk around them. Did all my Christmas shopping this weekend....well almost all. That and some helping others get clubs or bargain....all in a week's work...

Unfortunate incident at the market where we got most of our stuff...Reg's bike, a really good one, was stolen.....we had been inside for a couple of hours....and when we came out, his bike was gone...Mike Halley's was still there and my three wheeler of course...who would want that.....Reg did as I would do...sort of shrugged it off and said ok I guess I walk home today....guess someone needed it more than him....I have heard that 500 bikes are stolen per day....seems like a lot but not with the number of bikes you see here..so he was off to buy another one and apparently after talking to him it will be here mid-week....

Saw a Lamborghini on an excursion out last week...the one just like the one they blew up in a Mission Impossible movie with Tom Cruise......man what a vehicle...got a picture of it then afterward thought I should have asked the owner if I could sit in it....that would have been a hoot....it is a yellow/orange colour and I have it on the blog

Mike and I had our pictures in the World of Suzie Wong's newspaper...guess that makes us famous....tuxes and all....

Finally have my income tax settle with Revenue Canada now if I can get the Sask gov't insurance to fix up my license I will be happy...

Hanging my Christmas tie on the apartment door...got to get in the Christmas spirit you know....man for a country that doesn't believe in Christmas and all the other things, they sure to whole hog over a lot of it.....lots of decorations, trees, lights, etc.

Reg's son Ian arrived here just tonight and will be staying about 10 days...met him tonight....Reg bought some skewers at our corner store....was really smoggy out so not a good start, well maybe a realistic start to the time here....we have our basketball tournament this weekend so will be gearing up for that...7 teams and us....

been trying to work on my Nokia and learn a little bit more....I can voice call now...need to get the GPS maps into the system...then the fun starts....

Had a bit of a feather in my cap...the owner asked me to put a little blurb on the CIS website about my marathons and the dedication, training and desire needed to accomplish your goals. He wanted me to relate it to the students and try to get them to realize some of their potential. I had it put on, along with a couple of pictures. If you want to have a look, it is at www.cisb.com.cn . It is under events.

We are having a group over to evaluate our school so we can be accredited for some organization...so we will have to go through all the stuff that makes "good" schools....along with all the paperwork that goes with it....the administrivia....it gets a little tiresome.....they are having a school improvement committee....sounds so much like the Sask School Improvement Project of about 15 years ago that we went through only with a lot more BS from all over the world.....oooops am I showing my bias.....I may be getting too old for this.

Mark Graham...the young pe teacher and I were out late one night.....see I am trying to keep up with these young bucks.....anyway, we went to a massage parlour late at night....when I got out, the two girls and guy on duty told me he had fallen asleep and wanted to know what to do with him....I told them to leave him sleep and left.....he came "home" at about 8:30 to my apt and gave my gloves back to me....we smiled about that...imagine falling asleep at the massage parlour...he said that must have been a wasted one...I guess

Our bball tournament went off without a hitch....CISB probably was the only team to give the eventual winner any kind of a game....BWYA won with 2nd stringers in the finals and still won it handily.....good comments from the coaches....

Have booked our flights to Malaysia for the Chinese New Year....Reg and David and I will be going...now to just find a beach....and a couple of good hotels...we want to go there just to relax...especially Reg.

May also go to Harbin again...there is the universiade for Hockey there...university age hockey callenge...and there are 3 kids from the University of Saskatchewan..going to see if I can get the crew here to go again....something to do for a weekend...

Saw a funny sign again...typical...Coffee..then right below it...Massage Why not

Christmas dinner tonight and then will meet Henry and go to the bar called Mix...for a drink...then an early evening....last night to blog I think and then I will start a new one....got one suitcase almost completely packed and the other is 1/2 done...now to get some clothes in there hahaha...

Had a good time at the Christmas party...met another person from Saskatchewan...Saskatoon...name was Dwayne Melrose ...he is a cousin of Barry Melrose, a coach in the NHL...he wants to play some hockey here so I will email an address to get in contact with the hockey league here....dinner was not great shake...not enough....but we had some fun....again..notice the chandelier in the foyer and also the Christmas tree...at the bar there was a small train going around the bar...unusual...we had a couple of draws at the meal and I got up and asked one of the waitresses if I won if she would accompany me to the hotel for the night and the morning breakfast....as a jest and she agreed.....unluckily or maybe luckily I never won....had a couple of the youngsters say that I should stay next year... guess they think that I bring something to the school....

Went to Mix with Henry and stayed out too late but didn't get tipsy...just tired...the bar music was very loud....Henry had med a couple of ladies on line and so I think he wanted another person there as a "helper"...had a couple of dances but the ladies were younger and then they left for another part of the huge bar... not sure if that is the Chinese way of dating....anyway, we left and came back to my apt after ordering skewers of meat from the local shop here....slept in and didn't do much all day....which is ok now and then....have a couple more pictures to put on and then this blog is history....

See ya in the New Year.....Shen dan jia quai le.....Merry Christmas
Zhu he da ji Xin Xian hao....Happy New Year
I THINK