The Boys Help out at University

Sue took Peter and Jack to school last week to help with her classes.  Sue had office hours and some students came to visit including "Darling" and "Rebecca" below.  Darling is a senior and Rebecca is a Junior.


They gave us a Santa pillow, a Santa hat and a wand, which Peter and Jack are modeling.

Darling has also become Chinese tutor.  On Mondays and Tuesdays we have lunch together and she teaches me tons of vocabulary and we talk in Chinese.  Or rather, she talks in Chinese, and I scratch my head a lot :).   She's very patient and helpful!

I asked her a couple of weeks ago to become my Chinese tutor, and she has been great; except about the issue of paying her.  She won't take any money so I have insisted on buying our lunches.  However now she says it's not fair that I have to buy all of the lunches - even though she is spending her time teaching me!  I continue to be persistent!
 

Rebecca, who took us to Xitang a couple of weekends ago.


... and here is Jack hanging out in Sue's class.  Normally he is quite shy and not talkative, but Sue gave him some readings to do in class and he walked to the front and did a really great job!  He would also take Sue out into the hall and say, "Hey Mom, let's do this..." and tell her his ideas about teaching!  He really enjoyed himself as he helped out in the classroom.

... and here's Peter sitting with some of the college kids, watching Sue's lesson.

No Water

We came home Christmas night to find that we have no water to our apartment.  Talking to the building superintendent, I was surprised to learn we may not have water for 2 days or more!  This is not that much of a problem except for 1) showers and 2) toilets!    Five people using a toilet with no water can get old  and smelly after awhile!  To solve the toilet issue, he brought me across the street with a bucket which I filled up from the neighbor's hose, then I schlepped it up the stairs to our 6th floor apartment. So now we have toilet flushing water.

If it continues past 2 days we will check into a hotel until our water service is back!  Our ayi can't cook or clean without water either, and she is quite happy to have the days off! 

We  have to look at the bright side, however; we still have internet service!  If I had to choose between no water and no internet, I'd choose no water!