Ireland/China 2025, continuing (32)

[aadler]

Twenty-second day in China – July 12 Saturday

I got up in the neighborhood of 8:30AM, Susan pretty much the same. Normal breakfast (noodles for me, a kind of roll I brought back for Susan from the 7‑Eleven). We had hoped to have Kevin and Amber visit us during the day, but found that he’d been called in to work and not returning till the afternoon.

Somewhat after noon, I went downstairs and got more stuff from 7‑Eleven (what? it’s close and convenient), and that was our lunch.

Rain kept going on and off, and in the later afternoon it got heavy enough that Kevin called to express some concern: even with our using an umbrella, he worried that there might be enough puddles in the street to make Susan’s progress by wheelchair problematic. We chose in advance not to go over to the Yins’ this evening, with more specific plans not yet made.

Around about 5:00PM, I finished my first draft of this year’s fic for summer_of_giles. I’ll sit on it for a couple of days, then go back and start revising and tightening it up. I’m not really satisfied with it as it stands, but then I never am; my experience has been that finishing a piece in the first place is the part that matters, improving it coming much more easily. And now I can start on the birthday fanfic I started planning for Amber clear back in, what, December? Since her birthday is August 1st, that’s cutting things pretty close, but the story I’m planning really shouldn’t be that long or take very long.

About 6:00PM we went downstairs to find a place to eat, in one of the spots just over from the 7‑Eleven where I do most of my shopping. After we made our order, there were some minor misunderstandings, which we had trouble working past … but finally I pulled out my phone, went into Settings, then Wifi connections, then pointed to one of the headings — which the waiter agreed was theirs — then had him enter their password once that was in. Then I was able to access my translator page, and put in the question that allowed us to settle things.* The food was quite good, and I used that same translator page to offer thanks to everyone for being so helpful and courteous.

*(In the past, Kevin found a way to provide us with a used phone which allowed us Internet access. I don’t know what’s so different about this time, if he’s just preoccupied with having a new baby — What kind of excuse is that? — or if he simply doesn’t realize how much of a problem it is for us to not be able to talk with anyone, anywhere, unless THEY use a translator app. We’ll get by. As seen above, I’m adaptable.)

Back upstairs, I gathered our laundry and got it started in the apartment’s small washing machine.

Kevin came over somewhat before 8:00PM to visit, and stayed till nearly 9:30. (I pulled out the laundry during this time, and hung it up out on the balcony to air-dry.)

Reading and relaxing in the later evening. Susan went to bed 11:00, and I was ready to go to bed by 11:15.