Mini magical mystery tours, piano, and meal

Woke up at 10 as Uncle Yellow was calling me to see if I could go out to eat this evening. I said ok, hopefully, before falling back to sleep for another 30 mins. I mean, it's got to be done as we'll be gone soon.

I took the kids out at midday to get some diaozi and baozi then drove to get a pai qiu, a simple volleyball, to play with. We then went on a mini mystery tour to the basketball stadium to find a place to eat in the shade. They actually ate pretty well, helped by the fact they hadn't had breakfast. We spent more time than most people would deem healthy watching some rather large ants gallivanting on a tree. Two of them seemed intent on bringing back a bit of dried bird poo and I told Leilei they were drunk, which he thought was amusing.

Nice lunch of bao zi and jiao zi

Showing off the decals that we recently adorned the dian dong che with

We then went for a walk around the locked basketball stadium and saw that a football stadium was being built nearby too. Will there be a Pingguo Utd soon? Due to the growing heat we went back home at 1.30 and chilled for a bit under the A/C. I tried to get a nap but Uncle Yellow called again just to confirm tonight.

I headed this ball into the stadium that is being built

At 4pm I called Tan to tell her I'd be out for a meal soon. She was once again at the doctor's. If he's any good why are all her friends always there? I mean I can understand going for massages regularly but when it's someone who's supposed to cure things it doesn't seem right that you see him more than your husband.

I managed to drop off the kids a tad early and went to practise piano until Uncle Yellow's friend Chen called 20 minutes later. Yesterday's piano room fan was not working so I went to another room to play. But the piano there was so out of tune I ended up practising Pine Apple Rag and ended up having a go at Maple Leaf Rag as it was the only thing that could cure such an instrument. I was over the 10 minutes I told Chen I'd be so went home after forcing 10 kuai on the piano place boss, even though I'd only been there 30 mins and she didn't want anything. Chen called soon after I got home so I met him and we drove the 5 minute walk to the house to eat.

Having a go at Maple Leaf Rag

This was another family affair in a normal house, and there were women and kids. I noticed a guitar on display but when I went to reach it I sadly noted it only had four strings. I didn't have long to be sad though as I was called to eat with the other blokes. I was a bit disheartened to be served German beer. Not just because it was foreign but because it was twice as strong as our normal beer. I needn't have worried though as we were soon on the 2.5% Snowflake beer.

With some of my mates at the meal

I'd left Skype on so of course got a colleague asking me to do something. Actually, this came as a relief as I could genuinely say I needed to go home for a bit. I got a lift there, and half an hour later took the dian dong che back to the house to continue the meal until 10ish, except on the way I remembered to stop off at the seamstress with whom I'd left my trousers to have the pockets fixed. I was so happy to see the job she'd done, and she only wanted 6 kuai. I had 7 loose and managed to get her to accept them.

It's like having a new pair of trousers

I wasn't back at the meal for more than 45 minutes when Tan called me to pick the kids as she was going somewhere. I was quite grateful for this second excuse too as I was stuffed, so said my goodbyes to my friends.

We'd moved on to bull testicle before I left

I picked up the kids and took them on another magical mystery tour but this time it was "only" to the Beihai seafood place, where we had a little to eat and drink before Tan called angrily at 11 to ask where we were, even though we were about to leave. Grrr. At least the kids enjoyed it before I took them home and got them showered.