I think my love of Friday's started around the time I started school... or probably more around the time my mom started making us pull a wagon around town selling cookies. She somehow convinced us to do this by promising to rent a VCR player from the library and we could rent a movie. Seriously. We may have been desperate for entertainment and that somehow justified the idea of knocking on doors and selling bags of cookies to my brother and I. Anyway, I have a long history of lovin' me some Friday.
Today tested that love. Actually it just tested my sanity. I've been suffering from a bought of insomnia for the last few weeks. I think something to do with constantly changing time zone for the last 18 months so I've been real real tired this week. Last night I told Kyle that I didn't think that the hot water heater was working... the lack of hot water didn't seem to bother him until he went to take a shower about 3 hours later. Crap. So he started digging into the wires in the wall (there is a switch to turn on and off the hot water heater) and he declared that they were all fried. At which point I went to bed. He ended up getting it fixed but it meant that we both had to shower in the morning.
I was late. This is normal but we were real late and we had to get Kenz to school then get back to meet the driver so he could take us to the store. I blame this serious of events for what is about to happen. As soon as we pull into the parking lot at the store I remembered that I have to have a coin to get a cart. And normally the driver who takes me has a coin for me but today I had the other driver. Evidently people had been stealing carts and selling them. I can't really imagine what sort of profit margins there are in that but whatever. So new plan. He drops us off and right before you enter the grocery part of the store there is a tiny store that sells girl accessories. Ok, I will get something cheap for the girls and get a coin back so that I can get a cart. Kaylie wanted some cheap little headband and Madi wanted a umbrella (the child is obsessed with them) ok, whatever. I also got a little headband for Kenz. I looked at the screen as she was checking us out and I almost passed out! The two headbands alone where 44RMB and the Umbrella was 59! I needed 1 coin! I only brought a little over what I needed for groceries. I put back the umbrella. Madi melted. The cashier hurried to show me cheaper umbrellas. (the Chinese recognize and understand cheap people) we got a cheap umbrella. She handed me change. She was out of the coin I needed. FOR THE LOVE. (this is my new favorite saying from Texas authors) I indicated to her that I NEEDED A COIN! by slightly freaking out. She got the point. She went over to her purse and gave me a coin. OMG. I bought all this crap and I could have just gotten one of these coins from her. I think they are work about $0.15. Whatever. We got through the store. I couldn't get everything on my list because of the exorbitant amount we paid for some plastic crap that will soon break. Got back to the car without breaking any eggs. Truly remarkable. We got home and I stick the key in the door. Nothing. I then realized that I had grabbed the girls play key instead of our apartment key. They look remarkably similar. Unreal. So the driver looks at me and I say no good. I point to the key and shake my head. He starts laughing. I start laughing but it was laughter that could turn into s meltdown at any point. He looks at me and says (I will paraphrase, just think broken English surrounded by Chinese and gestures. We understand each other that is all that matters) I will go back to Sany and get the key from Kyle and be back here at 1pm. It was like 10:45am. I said 1pm??? He said, yes. 1pm. Please wait.
Sigh. At this point he sets down the groceries right on top of the girls cup of gross pond water filled with tadpoles. Someone told me recently that little girls were so nice because they didn't get into gross things. My kids missed that memo. I tried to save the groceries. Kaylie tried to save her disgusting pets. And I was thinking in my mind. 1 o'clock? I realize it is a 30 minute drive but we are stranded out of our apartment!!! And then I remembered that this man doesn't like to miss a meal. There was a bit of disgruntlement when he had to bring Kyle home during supper a couple of times. Ok then, I guess you should definitely sit down and eat some lunch. I'll just give these kids some cookies and tea. No problems. Please Wait. And the driver left. We stood in the dark hallway for about 10 minutes then decided to sit outside. I could hear my phone ringing at this point and the desperation to get inside was getting to me a bit so we headed out doors. It began to rain. Joy. We sat on an old broken golf cart that sits outside our building and hung out. Finally we decided to go pick up Kenz from school to try to distract ourselves from the misery.
On the way home from the school we stopped at the little store and got some snacks to help pass the time. The girls rode some rides that are insanely long and then we walked back to the golf cart. On our way we ran into the driver. I pointed at my wrist and said 1 o'clock??? It was like 11:45. I then realized my mistake. It is rare to see anyone wearing a watch here so when you tap your wrist for the time that gesture really doesn't carry over like some other ones. The driver looked at me, looked at his phone stuttered something about 20 o'clock sputtered out something else then said I dont' understand in Chinese. I said I don't understand either but it is jolly great to see you!!! He walked us up to our apartment and let us in. I called Kyle. He was laughing his head off. He said that the driver called the translator. He had come back and opened the door, came into our apartment and couldn't find us. WHAT? hahahaha! somehow he thought that he would unlock the door and find us inside. If only. Anyway, evidently 1 o'clock meant I will go get the key and be right back. Maybe there was something lost in translation with those gestures and random English words.
The worst part about this entire day was that about three days ago Kyle told me that we should hide a key somewhere outside our apartment for the day that we got locked out. I assured him that would never happen. I always took my key. Besides people here are scavengers and take everything. Someone would surely take it. Ugh. Now I'm going to have to hear about this for the next, oh I don't know, entire lifetime!
New umbrella. And yes, she is wearing socks on her hands. She likes to be fancy.
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