A decent night's sleep allowed me to get up at 8ish, and after some breakfast Tan said she was going to the gym at 11am so I said I'd come too. After yesterday I wanted to burn some of it off.
But first, as I was up, I went to the old people's leisure centre, which I now know is actually called 老年活动中心. Of course a few of them recognised me and within 2 minutes I was put on a table, and despite switching partners a few times, stayed on for over an hour, till one of the best players in the room wiped the floor with me, almost literally.
Back home I would have gone for a shower but Tan and I were to go to the gym so I sweated about for bit before going there. As she's paid for a personal trainer she has access to the VIP suite which is air conditioned and has free water. I'd brought my own water and wanted to sweat it off so went to the normal place. Tan gave a demo of a couple of the strength machines but when she went I couldn't work out how to operate some others so I ended up on the elliptical, which is what I wanted to do anyway. I managed 30 mins and 7.4km, and decided I would join this gym for the two months we're here.
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| Seated leg curl? For biceps? |
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| Not sure how true the 7.4lm was but it was 30 mins |
Tan was angry that my last year's mango video had been used to promote a mango company and tried to lodge a complaint but it wasn't upheld. Now one of the women who took me to the mango jie last year has contacted me about making money from doing this... I told Tan I'd had fun doing it and it was all harmless. I daresay nothing will come of this....
Back home after a shower I pinged A Wu to ask if he'd eaten and he told me to come down to his mum's where we'd ate yesterday. It's wasn't yet 1pm but a few blokes from last night were there around a table with beers and made me sit with them. I wondered if I hadn't pinged A Wu would he have invited me over anyway? I was certainly met with smiles as though I was meant to be there. I was told some people had stayed late enough to watch the 3am footy this morning, but there was still plenty of beer, which we were trying to make less of. After 90 mins of so we stopped eating and drinking and tidied up. I understood that A Wu's family owned next door too, which was a furniture shop and for the next hour we all set upon moving the furniture into the shop we'd just eaten in. Not really the sort of work you want to be doing at the hottest part of the day.
Then, the round table was set up again and food put on again. Two of the blokes responsible for the cooking were there and drinking faster than I could catch up with, so I formed an excuse that I needed to pop home for a "matter" and I'd be back in 20. It was a good idea as I could pick up a commemorative £2 coin for A Wu, one of a handful I brought this time as they are lighter than booze and a bit more unique. Tan was at home and I asked her if the meal was part of the funeral celebrations and she answered in the affirmative, so at least that justified me going back for a few beers. She also told me that we had another funeral, a baby celebration, and Chuan Chuan's wedding registration celebration on the 1st, 3rd, and 26th of July, and that it would be 1000 kuai each (not for each one I hope).
A Wu appreciated the gift, and shook my hand, something he rarely does, but he'd been drinking on and off since the early afternoon. Indeed so had I to some extent so at a reasonably early time I headed home flagging. By rights I should have fallen asleep but Tan came back at 9.30pm with a load of bbq for the kids. Nong had pinged me to go to KTV and I'd said I wasn't too sure but I got a bit of a second wind after the bbq and decided to make the effort and walk over as Leilei had taken the bike. It wasn't much past 10.30pm but I was a bit surprised to find her alone there. This has almost never happened before, and it makes the room feel really empty. But we had a couple of beers and I invited Li Kun, who said he'd make it with two others, and I think Nong was happy with that. A woman turned up who was probably the first female friend I've known Nong to have; she is much more of a mate in that sense.
Well Li Kun turned up with the singer mate I've known for years, and presently a few more people did too. Not a sell-out by any means and after a couple of beers the singing started properly and we didn't leave till well gone 2am. At least I hadn't missed any footy as there were only two late games on tonight and I watched the miserable Scots get sent home. Not that much less miserable so far than England though. And as there was still bbq left from yesterday I munched on a bit of that as hadn't had so much at the KTV. I noticed Tan getting a shower at halftime so realised her flight must be pretty early to Xi'an where her and some ex-colleagues are having a mini-reunion tomorrow.
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