I was just sitting here blog-surfing, well actually being distractible and wondering if I could find out anything online about a certain kite festival that was held this weekend – nope. Anyway, I just realized a small dumb thing I miss about America. I miss being able to sit on a carpeted floor and lean against the couch or chair and not have my butt slide out from under me. Here with all the floors either tile or some sort of wood-look planking (it’s China, I don’t know what’s real anymore) if you are brave enough to sit on the floor (don’t let the Chinese see you do that) and lean back, pretty soon you will experience the “butt slide”. That’s one way to sweep the floor. It makes life hard for those of us who have trouble sitting properly in chairs. I miss being able to drape myself across the furniture in whatever contortionist way felt most comfortable at the moment. Sure, I might get a kink in my neck, but I could always change positions and relax until my body said move. I like being able to trust friction to hold my relaxed-or-feeling-lazy self  in place while I read or write or just schlump. Now where did I put those ruby slippers?

On our way to church this morning I noticed someone had parked in the bus zone. Apparently the police noticed it too. This photo might make you glad for the way parking tickets are given in the U.S.

The paper you see on the windshield has been glued on with some sort of perma-glue. There is a matching paper glued onto the back window as well. That stuff is very hard to get off.

It is rare to see a driver ever repeat a parking violation after this happens to him (or her). Last week it was a BMW parked there. Apparently the enforcers took special pleasure in “ticketing” that one because they slapped the paper on the driver’s side of the windshield. I’m still wondering how they clean that stuff off.

I was walking by a tall building with a big government seal hanging above the doors and saw these men scrubbing away.

It seems everything is getting spruced up for the Asian Games next month.

Last night I was riding the bus over the Pearl River and for the first time saw all the lights that have been put up for the Asia games. WOW. I guess Guangzhou has to rival Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong for night lights. I have got to take a night river cruise before I leave this country.

winner-winner, chicken dinner 🙂