Blood Test

Just bought some eggs and fruit and ready-cooked sweet potatoes, and devoured one of those! Went down there and back in a "bam-bam cart" - little covered cart drawn by a motorbike. Most of the time we walk, but we wanted to be quick this time.

The weather has been remarkably kind the last few days, in the positive range, even up to 6 briefly during the day. But there is a forecast for snow for the next four days. The last lot (from a few days before Christmas) is still lying around in many places, though the roads are pretty clear now. Still piles of dirty ice along the streets - which melts into a puddle then re-freezes into a slippery patch!

I had a coat tailor made. It’s big and long (below my knees) and padded, with a padded, fur-lined hood. I feel quite invincible wearing it - and often too hot! The padding is actually down - feathers - I know because every now and then one slides out through a seam. Peter persuaded me to go bright, and so I got it made in red. It looks even brighter in the photos, kind of glows! Peter has bought one of the "Chinese Russian hats", with fur lined flaps that come down over his ears, and a Chinese army-style coat, so he is quite warm now too!

They keep extending our holidays more and more. My students left earlier than expected, and then they brought forward final exams and holidays, so we actually finish up this Sunday, 23rd, instead of the end of January as originally in the plan. They decided not to give me more lessons when my class finished up. I have been asked to work on a book about Australian Expressions to be used in the school Suits me!

And we start back at work on Feb 28th I think, so a longer break than we were originally told.

I decided it was time to get my haemachromatosis tested. Our liason person took me to the number one hospital for blood tests .(.. I really don't want to ever get sick in China!!) First they said the machine was broken -! Then we called in some "guanxi", family/relationship favours. The mother of one of my students is a doctor at the hospital. So she pulled some strings, and we were to return the next day with all the necessary paperwork in my hand to have the test done. I lined up, took my place on the little stool in front of the window, with my arm through the hole resting on the little cushion ... and they started making a fuss. We don't do this test, etc etc. So she got on her mobile phone and called our special doctor from the other end of the hospital to come and sort them out. So then they consented to take the blood. No results yet ... But I was told that the one and only doctor who does these tests has a dying husband, and therefore is finding it hard to be motivated to work. I guess that was the "broken machine". I am not sure how things will go when I have to start having venesection here (i.e. having blood taken to reduce my iron).

Happy continues to delight us. He is growing quite fast, looking a bit fat ( ... I keep wondering whether he is an already-pregnant female instead of a male). He is very tame, stays happily on a shoulder or in a pocket while you walk around, loves to share the sofa in front of the TV. I can't help wondering what happened to his brothers and sisters.