Tuesday, March 7, 2006

Sticky-Tape Saves the Day

Marvellous stuff, sticky tape - or adhesive tape, Sellotape, Scotchtape, Durex, 'bonding strip' (Buzz Lightyear) - it has many names and so many uses.

When we were kids one of my favourite toys was a cereal box, scissors and sticky tape. My brothers and I made the most amazing creations. There's not much you can't do with it - temporarily, at least.

In Zhengzhou we noticed wide sticky tape all around the skirting boards and window ledges in our apartment, keeping out the icy draughts.

I have even seen a bus here in Wuxi which relies on sticky tape to hold the windscreen in.

So I guess I shouldn't be surprised that when the mob came to fix our drainage problem and they made a big hole in the tiles on the outside of our bath, they fixed it with a piece of cardboard and some sticky tape.

They said a lot of things yesterday, and I understood a word here and there - including "ming tian" meaning "tomorrow". So I guess they will be back today. I had better make sure I have finished using the bathroom ...

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