Being in Wilmington

Well you know you are in Wilmington with all the towers and steeples.  The municipal building and the churches on Third Street certainly are landmarks.  Patt and I were in town for three days as Patt was attending a conference and I, well, I was there too.  Andrew loaned me one of his bicycles and I rode around town two of the mornings we were in town, taking a few iPhone photos.  Someone forgot to remind me to bring the camera.  

 Rode on quiet brick and cobblestone streets, 

and followed streets to dead ends at all sorts of interesting places.

of course saw lots of churches, St Mary's here. (I think)

And Andrew's house too.  We had dinner with Andrew and Jenna one evening, delightful evening it was. We ended up back at their house on 2nd St. which is just up from all the action area of town.  It is a real nice little two story, old, historical,  house complete with a plaque and an  actual stone marker in front of the house commemorating (?) British troops being stationed at this location and surrender of American forces at this particular site too.  Way to go Andrew in "protecting America and all"

Andrew took this photo and sent it to me of the dinner cruise ship that Patt and I were on (look closely on upper deck towards the back-- those two are us).

Patt's convention had chartered the dinner cruise and Patt took me as her date.  My name tag said guest of Patt Crissman, hers had numerous ribbons as in connoting someone at the convention who among other things sponsors a booth, has been to a bunch of these meetings and is a board member too.

 The cruise was fun and as we went past the port stuff we saw a ship from Panama.  Patt recognized the flag, I could read the word "Panama" on the back of the boat.

  and up river along the wetlands it was very pretty.  It was a grad time being in Wilmington.  I like going to conventions.

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch

While away, things around the ole renovation project moved a little slowly for a stretch, cabinets got installed, then things slowed as "waitin' on doors", "granite guy at a convention",  plumbing order not complete, and so on.

 So things just sorta sat here and as Patt has put it we have renovation fatigue.  Hot plate cooking and construction mess is not necessarily a life style we would chose at this point our lives.

 Well granite guy got back from his convention, and  so with helpers, as apparently it is heavy,

 he installed the granite counter tops.  If the back splash stuff is in, I reckon those people are next.

Doors were delivered yesterday, perhaps this project will indeed be completed.  We again are hopeful.

Flight home

As is rather obvious I had help with my luggage at the airport there as I was preparing to leave.  Those with sharp vision will notice Isaac just at the top of Lydia's head will to the front pulling my carry-on bag at a rather high rate of speed.  (You may have noticed the terminal is large and new -- you noticed correctly - you could add nice too).

Flights were all on time, seat assignments as good as you can get since none were upgraded to business ( darn it) and gates close, immigration and such smooth and of course sad to leave and glad to be home.

Last day is here again

A regular day includes me taking the kids to school followed by noodles on the street and watching the world go by for an interesting breakfast, which indeed is a good way to start the day --  The ride is not far, and gets the day started.

It has been fun taking the kids to school, and after leaving them experimenting with and settling on a breakfast.  this is the view from my breakfast table - observing and occasionally, but not to often being observed.

Today though we did some special shopping.  In addition to my departure tomorrow, Matt is leaving for a few days and will have an opportunity to take some school supplies to an impoverished community.  He was supposed to make this trip while I was here but schedules got changed and well he didn't, they rented a new apartment instead.  That is another story, but the trip is got delayed and is now on.

So the kids took some of their allowance and went to the local dongshei ("stuff") store -- that by the way is and excellent name for the store -- think old time hardware store crossed with old time 5 & dime store with" made in Japan" stuff from the early 50's -- yes that cheap plastic and metal stuff -- it is still being manufactured

name something other than food and clothing -- it is in there -- and the store is smaller than the living room-  kitchen of your house.  but packed.  Seriously -- coat tree - check , tape measure - check, cook pots- check, toy Dr. set- check, basketball- check, perfume- check, window fan- check, hammer- check, and so on.  

Though we were not buying toys, there were some that did need to be checked out, especially the big trucks. 

And the isles and a little tight,  

they bought notebooks, pens, pencil boxes, erasures, stickers, each item carefully selected.

 the proprietor  patient and helpful

The kids do a lot of shopping here and know the store and staff well.
(and are well known)

and of course I enjoyed watching it all, very very much.

in the morning it is off to the airport and home, been great --sure will miss being here but looking forward to getting home too.

Where's John Paul ?

though the answer to that question was easy this time, it is not always so.  A very frequently called name is "John Paul"  oh John Paul"  where are you?  This little guy, is unbelievably curious, excited, excitable, and fast, very fast -- also coordinated for someone who is two and a few months old--or so it appears to me.  

Apparently he is left handed though not yet certain as has not completely settled hand preference nor has he selected favorite toys playing with all of them and building things with these large legos.  

He may take a stool off the porch around the corner to the key pad entry to the door to the stairwell and start punching keys as he sees the upstairs neighbors do or take one of the riding toys and be off.  Matt and Laura's efforts at boundaries are a work in progress.  ( probably always will be.  I have not shared that piece of good news with them )

 and goodness he is one loving little boy.  Note how he has tilted his head into my chest.  He does actively engage with others --- his grandaddy is one pushover for this kind of response.

 Adventure taking and in the park you had best be fast and not let your attention drift.

 As he and Isaac will be either together or gone separate directions rapidly in a hurry.

 John Paul, Luke, Laura and I went to a wholesalers shop area that is somewhat near where they live that supplies the many little stores, markets, streets vendors,  shops, and bulk purchasers  that are in the area.  It is row after row of speciality wholesale type shop one selling toothbrushes, another soft drinks, another candies, another shoes, various kinds of packaged or bulk foods and so on.

 and yes Laura drove right down that alley way after the white car did a 180 degree turn with lots of back and forward motions as the other motorized carts tried to squeeze through prior to completion of the turn -being very helpful to all concerned and expediting the process -- (not -- and sometimes I wonder just how anything gets done here )

 and here is John Paul about to start unloading the box that the clerk has loaded for Laura,  ( hence earning a chance to hear his name again).  I am holding Luke and  a camera.  Laura has been talking to the clerks, calling to John Paul as he moves around the store  and checking a list.  I assume when I am not here, Luke is in a backpack or one or both kids are at home with the helper.

what reminds me of our kids ?

Karen asked what reminded me of our kids when I was with Laura and Matt's kids, well first it ought to be easy for Karen to answer that question from looking at this photo.   She played with one of them when she was little.  This one.  

That is just for a starter too.  Yes indeed Lydia does look just a bit like Laura.  Lydia above at 5 and one half and Laura below at close to 5 but not quite is my guess.  Julianna looks a bit like Laura in profile I think and some expressions for sure.  I know Isaac is related to Laura because she was the last one with him just as he was born, but he is a ringer for his Dad.  No mistaking that, about all Laura's contribution to Isaac as far as I can tell is keeping him warm for those nine months.  And have already mentioned Luke's similar body construction to his Uncle ( solid ) 

 Crafts are a big deal, much like they were for  their Mom and Uncle and cousins.

 and neatness does not always count.  the effort and concentration is uniform and intense much like it was in times of yore.

 Snack time is also a big hit and much appreciated.  Molasses cookies with red hots are also huge, which ought to be a sure fire memory for Laura and Stephen.

and though in general good humor and grace and good will generally prevail, an occasional space / sharing / turn issue does come up that is not resolved amicably initially which I think was also true back home in Raleigh.

another note that is similar is that the kids do seem to have a real good time and spend a lot of time laughing -- and going to bed early --There are lots more similarities and some differences too, and time place and situations are always changing - --  

it turned out to be date day with Luke

The big four this time, plus the parental units went to a wedding on the outer edge of the 10 o'clock side of town ( not nearly as far from here as it could have been), leaving me at home to "baby sit" this guy.  It turned out to be a great day.  How can it miss when he starts it with a long nap and wakes up to a little ball playing.  And as Laura blogged he does indeed enjoy playing ball.  Other toys have little interest for him and he just keeps going back to a ball and brings one to you to engage with you with them.  Reminds me very much of Stephen in that regard.

 In addition to liking playing ball like Stephen did, Luke also is big like Stephen was.  The photo below could be one of Stephen but it is of Luke.   Looks so much like Stephen did (from the back)  it is un-real.  As a baby Stephen had for a baby a huge body structure, with a solid, firm, stocky build, with light wispy curly blond hair.  He had big wide hands, thick thick legs and was a guys guy.  (By the way that still pretty much describes Stephen)

Matt has a brother that I understand  pretty much fits close to that description also so I am going to go pretty far out on a limb here and predict that Luke will not play wide receiver or defensive back on a football team.  Somewhere real near the center position will be his most likely slot on a team.  Linebacker will be about as far from the line as he will get.

Look at that photo below, if that couldn't be Stephen, I don't know who it could be -- but I took it today of Luke.  And the two of us had a grand time too.

 We  went out to eat at a nearby restaurant and we had fried rice with two spoons and a Coke and a milk from home.

Check out the hand and leg size.  The boy can eat too.  Likes his groceries - no surprise there.

Luke alos liked watching the cooks and the action at the noodle making table, note the noodles being swung into the air in the background.  This is a Moslem restaurant- guys with the hats - and they do not sell beer and I had to supply my own Coke, but they are fun to watch and take an interest in us.

 We eat here often and the owner comes to talk with me in Chinese of course.  I figure he either is amazed at my ability to say so very little in Chinese or figures that if he says enough to me in Chinese I will eventually understand.  I speak back to him in English.  He does not appear to understand.

Fortunately other customers did not interrupt us bother us or fawn over Luke and his blue eyes as is often done.  In other words, the only person who took Luke's photo was me.

Luke did not take a photo of me as is the custom on one of our date days -- in the future he will undoubtedly  do so, but this year, well we just had to much going on.

the following photos are from earlier in the trip and I wanted to put in just to show off grandson's endearing trait of grinning for the camera.  Photo number one is just him playing ball again, rolling back and forth with someone.

 photo number two comes with "Luke "  ' smile" and smile, he does, all scrunched up, eyes squeezed closed, lips curled and grin griped ready for the camera.  Grandaddy and his parents think he is cute.  I suspect he does too.

By the way, after a long leisurely lunch, we strolled back by way of a market street and got home in time for our afternoon naps which both of us enjoyed.  A great way to spend a date day with a grandson and I got to miss a wedding and a long car ride too.

twice into town - Metro and Apartment looking

Early in the afternoon, Mat, the big three, and I went to the Metro to do some serious grocery shopping.  I was first struck by the intersection being constructed just beyond the parking lot to the Metro.  Metro is a German store much like Costco or Sams Club and is also where Stephen and Jen have shopped in Panama

This one though is in China, and has a stuff like you would expect in one of those ware house retail stores and lots of lots of people.

The kids of course have a blast.  We had two shopping carts - Matt sent me to find some stuff and I found him and the gang by sound first, sight second.

This is the road that is under construction near the Metro,  imagine putting a second level (or more) over Glenwood Avenue in front of Crabtree,  or I-40 business through Greensboro.

Not that it is needed or anything.   And public transportation is good too.  I counted seven busses in sight going our direction at just one stop light.  There is also a subway system.

Later in the day I was back in town this time with the adults, Matt and Laura as they are considering moving to a new location.  This building - or another one -- goodness they look alike, tall, in gated complexes, with highly landscaped yards, and next to each other, close to major roads is where they will live.   There!   I just described where they and several million other people live.  The "tall, close to major roads and some degree of effort at stylized landscape" would describe most city housing here and more people live here than do in North Carolina

I have often said China is a land of contrast, here we are walking toward a shopping center near the above apartment complex and took a shortcut through a construction site, ( what ? someone said lookout ? be careful !   no people obviously needed a path, and someone else obviously saw a chance to grow a few vegetables, and the construction never seems to stop (not background of this and following photo)

Just past the foot path though the "garden", we came out under the highway toward a row of rather grand shopping centers, think Southpoint Mall, or Crabtree  or something very nice with US and European and high end Chinese retail.

Patt and I took the kids to play in a play area and to eat in one of these places last year and I wrote about it.  The bridge above is of course a highway.  Note the bicycles and bicycle cart going under the bridge.

the Chinese highway engineers do not seem to be afraid of using asphalt.  Now pedestrians seem to be given very little consideration, especially considering how many there are of them--- let 'em walk -- walking is good - so walk far -- seems to be the philosophy.

The photo next photo after this one is taken from the shopping center looking back towards where I am standing as I took this one but looking a little to my right -

  at the right side of the  photo below under the lighted bridge is where I was standing when I took the above photo.   The major road with the lighted "A" shaped bridge is the main north south road through town.

We had a nice dinner at a Japanese chain restaurant in the mall.  The kids were back home with three baby sitters.