I can haz new camera!
Ever since Xinjiang last year and the incident of the Guava Juice of Great Evil, my camera shutters have not been able to fully close nor open any quicker than a snail on sedatives trying to run the hundred meter dash. It also had focus-issues, apparently trying to compensate for my glasses by obligingly giving all my subjects an extra bit of blur.
angel_katchan found a place in Qingpu having a sale - normally priced coolpix cameras at 1500rmb going for 900. She snagged a red one and got a black one for me. I will take new pics of the horde once Ruthie comes back from the groomers tomorrow. She and Sammy and are going in for vaxxies as well. I shall give no quarter, take no prisoners, nor allow any butt to remain undesecrated by a thermometer. We will remain healthy in this house, dammit.
I took E and Ch to lunch yesterday as a reward for the awesome presentation they did the other day - a 5 year language arts plan outlining courseware, textbooks, and plans to have everything adhere to Ontario standards to be provided to our students (both China-born and international, ie CBC or ABC) that's gonna start in September next year. These two have been writing the textbook (an actual book that will have an ISBN number and everything) and researching like mad things for the last month, staying at the office until 10pm and beyond some nights, trying to get things done. I couldn't help much because I was out of the office a lot doing teacher training and evals. They did a fantastic job and I'm looking forward to seeing that course start up. I have a few ideas lined up for the 'community outreach' program that we'll be doing with it, not the least of which would be to get the SCAA involved in a school visit, or one of the Roots and Shoots peeps that help out coming out to help start up a 'Green club'. I've had contacts like these for a while but no way to use them.
Kat, L, Jo, the Chibi and I hit Saizaria a few nights ago for dinner as well. We haven't been out together as a group in a while and it was good to see them. Jo comes over a lot since she now lives closer to us, but L still lives in Jinshan and it takes 2 hours to get here by bus and subway/taxi. It's like driving to Welland from Toronto to hang out for a few hours.
Not much else to report. *waves to mom* I hope you have returned safely from your cruise and that it was a good one! Pete, ditto you! I'm looking forward to stories and pictures!