At a Chinese party, there's dancing, beer, orange drink, candy, sunflower seeds, fruit, peanuts,...Peanuts? I LOVE peanuts! Some people give performances. Lady was asked to sing a song. She sang, "Jesus Loves Me." Later, they asked her to sing a karaoke song, so she sang "Sealed With a Kiss."  

Last night, Lady went to a party with all 76 students in her English teachers' class at the university. They went to a Karaoke place. I have been before, but not this time. There seem to be several rules about karaoke: it must be very loud; there must be many broght flashing lights; you must sing slightly off key, and you must sing just off the beat.

No, Jeremiah, you are supposed to put the fruit in the basket! I am trying to teach him, but he really likes to play! Even though he is only three, Jeremiah attends a Chinese kindergarten during the week. There are fifty kids in his class! On Saturdays, he comes to my house.I think he learns more here! 

Jeremiah is Jenny's three-year-old son. He comes to visit me on Saturdays to learn English. He likes me a lot. He's a little mixed up, though. He tries to bark like me and licks Lady's hand! 

"Here you are!" Jeremiah finally gives me one of my own bone-shaped cookies. 

It's not nice to eat cookies in front of me and not share! Lady made some cookies and gave some to Jeremiah. What about me? 

Every Wednesday night, we meet at a teahouse in our neighborhood. Margaret, Linda and Kaylee are my very good friends. Kaylee shells peanuts for me. I don't drink the tea. They have a cat at this teahouse, and I keep my eye on it incase it decides to come down out of the tree! Yes, there are trees inside the teahouse, but I am strictly forbidden from lifting my leg on them, although I must admit I have tried. I don't see what the big deal is - a tree is a tree, right?

I didn't do it! I didn't make this mess. Lady found out it wasn't me peeing on the floor that made it all wet. There was a major leak under the tub. The workers came and made a huge mess. I was supposed to stay out of the room, but my dirty paw prints on the blue carpeting gave me away. I was looking for my water dish. Well, the workers returned and put the tub back in place. But, boy did they leave a mess! Lady is happy to have the leak fixed. I'll be glad when my water dish is back where it belongs.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Twelve humans came to my party tonight. Lady taught them all about the meaning of the holiday. I wore green so I wouldn't get pinched. Our Chinese friends had never heard of this holiday. They were busy writing down all the new vocabulary words as Lady explained about Patrick, who returned to Ireland to share God's love with the Irish. March 17th is the day it is said that he died. See? I am a good listener, too. Here's an Irish blessing for you:
May your neighbors respect you
Troubles neglect you
The angels protect you
And heaven accept you!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The humans ate Irish flag cookies, chocolate covered potato candy, potato chips, nuts, popcorn, and other goodies. They shared with me when Lady wasn't looking, but I know better than to eat chocolate. We played games such as hot potato. I got stuck with the potato so I didn't win a prize. We all danced to Irish music, and watched Riverdance on DVD. Lady had a bowl of my cookies on the table, so I danced for them. Can you find me sitting with Betty and Judy? Jenny is in white.  

Cherry (in the middle) is Lady's boss at the Education Bureau. Lori and Jade helped Lady get ready for the party and stayed to clean up. I tried to help.  

While Lady told the adults the history of St. Patrick's Day and how it is celebrated, the little humans colored. I watched for stuff to drop on the floor. The Chinese had never heard of this holiday before. They learned all about shamrocks and how St. Patrick used them to share about God to the very people who had enslaved him as a teenager. They also learned about leprechauns and Irish blessings.  

I gave lots of kisses, but even though my collar says, "Kiss me, I'm Irish," I didn't get any. Kaylee and Betty came to my party. 

Mr. Potato head? I feel ridiculous. 

This Buyi child collected water from the water wheel and is walking to her mother who is fishing. Continue on to read about Lady's trip and how I was left behind! All I got to see were these photos! 

The river is very important in the lives of the Buyi people. They catch fish with their hands, roast them, and sell them to tourists! They also use the river for washing. 

On her trip, Lady saw many examples of how the people used waterwheels to make their lives easier. This one operated a saw. 

These seeds are what it's all about. They are harvested and pressed for their oil. 

Lady brought back honey made by the bees who visited the rape flowers. Yum!  

This whole area is covered in rape flowers. The seeds of the rape flower are collected and pressed to obtain their oil. It is then processed for cooking oil! Have you ever heard of Rapeseed oil?  

Here's my friend Mr. Li, on a river raft at the falls. He is a corporate tax collector. The tax office in this city hosted Lady. They provided a car, driver, and an employee to take them all around to the beautiful spots. Belle is a newspaper editor, which got them in free at some places. That bamboo raft looks scary to me! 

On Lady's trip, this Buyi woman was cleaning the river. Oh, well. The water was too cold for a little dog like me! 

This is what I didn't get to see. Oh, well. Looks like a little dog could get lost very quickly! 

Left Behind

Last Friday, as they were climbing the mountain, Belle invited Lady and I to visit a beautiful scenic spot with her and her husband. Lady rushed home to shower, change, and pack for both of us. An hour later we were standing outside our gate packed and ready to go. Then it happened. Goldie called and said I shouldn't go because Lady was being hosted by the county. That's the CHinese way-for a third party to tell you the bad news. She said Judy and Betty were waiting for me to come visit them again. So, I had no idea I wasn't going with Lady. We drove for a little while and stopped in front of Judy's building where I got out. Lady hugged me and handed my bag to little Betty. Wait a minute, I thought! Where are you going without me? This wasn't the plan!
I watched as Lady, Belle and Mr. Li drove away. Left behind.
The very next day, Judy and Betty took me to the park for English Corner. There was Lady! SHe told us all about the miles and miles of yellow flowers, and the tall, rocky mountains protruded from the yellow. She told us of the terraced mountainsides with ribbons of yellow. Buyi people were busy at work keeping bees, working their oxen preparing more fields, and sellin gtheir crafts and goods. Lady rode river rafts and saw cascading waterfalls and shoals. She rode along the mountainside on a mule and looked down on the winding river. The blue cloudless sky was warmed by the bright sun. She ate colored rice, and brought some back for me, but I was not impressed. Rice? So what if it is colored? It isn't meat. Lady noticed that my belly was quite full. Judy had already fed me a dinner of meat soup! Betty was out of school Friday because her teachers were celebrating Women's Day by taking a trip. So, I had plenty of attention.
Oh, well, maybe next time. After all, I'm just a little dog and I am really not much trouble!

International Women's Day

It may be the Year of the Dog, but March 8th is International Women's Day. I'm pretty sure it is just for humans, but I still got in on Lady's celebration of Women's Day. The Wednesday Night English Corner met for dinner at a neighborhood restaurant. In China, the women are recognized in different ways in their work place. Our friend Jenny went to climb Green Mountain with other police women. Our friend Cherry, with the Education Bureau, is going to Hainan Island with other women from her department. Some women teachers had the afternoon free, and others were given gifts. I don't think the women who sweep our streets got anything. We gathered for a dinner with our friends, and the men toasted the ladies.
Lady went to the capital city last week for a special gathering of foreign women in China. I went to stay with Judy and her daughter, Betty, age 8. I slept with Betty every night. She and Judy both love me so much that they want me to come for another visit. They gave me beef soup and meat! At the dinner, I jumped up in Judy's lap. She rewarded me with sweet and sour pork, and some ham. Lady was happy to eat her old lady potatoes, fried pumpkin cakes, corn, spicy tofu, and fried potatoes. I was happy to eat meat! Lady brought me back some special Purina dog chow, but it just doesn't compare to the meat I get when we go out to eat!
I went from lap to lap after dinner as the humans talked. Edward has joined us the past three weeks. He translates English into Chinese. I bet he can't translate dog into Chinese!
In our home it is always the Year of the Dog, and always Lady's Day!

Lady's Home! Lady's Home!

Last week, Lady quickly packed her bag and put it by the front door. The strange thing is, she didn't pack mine! Early the next morning she was gone!At a decent hour in the morning, Little Bit's Dad came by. I am always leary when someone comes and tries to take me away. I usually hide under the sofa. Well, Little Bit's Dad came in, sat down, and turned on the TV. Eventually, I came out. He gave me a sausage! He is o-kay! When he headed for the door, I wanted to go out. I took him for a walk in the neighborhood, then back to my home. Later that evening, Little Bit herself came! I was happy to see her, but didn't want to leave my home. Maybe they won't bring me back. I must be here waiting for Lady. Boy and Bigger Girl came as well. They played with me and gave me treats. And so it was into the new week. Dad, Little Bit, Boy, and Bigger girl came to go for a walk with me and to play. I got to sleep in my own bed. They played Tug -o-war with me as well.
A few days later, I heard Lady outside the door. Yippee! Lady's home! She had been to Thailand to get her (Z) work visa. In China, foreigners must have an invtation to work in China and earn money. Lady has been on a businees exploration visa (F) for the past year. By law, she cannot earn any money on an F visa. So, she was "paid" in rice, fruit, oil, chocolate, and nuts. She had to leave the country in order to get the new visa. She brought me back shoe-shaped treats, and Doggie cookies. I gave her face a good bath! She was very happy to see me!
This morning, Lady left very early. I stayed in the bed. She began teaching part-time at the local university. She will continue to go to the countryside to teach students and train teachers. If she has to stay overnight, she will bring me! Lady is teaching English to freshmen. She likes it very much! When she returned, I took her out to take care of business, and buy some sausages for good little dogs! After all, I am just a little dog, and I love meat!