Ireland/China 2025, continuing (39)

[aadler]

Twenty-ninth day in China – July 19 Saturday

I got up just before 9:00AM, Susan just getting up as well. I’d brought things back with me from groceries yesterday, so Susan’s breakfast came from that while I just made more noodles for myself.

Texting in advance to let us know, Kevin came over to go to lunch with us. We crossed the street to the Thai Delight restaurant, each of us getting a different dish. (Mine was called “salt egg squid”, which was excellent.) Back at the apartment, we visited for some time, and he left when Joy arrived to take Susan for a manicure/pedicure. She also put in another food order for us, so I wouldn’t have to get as much carry-out.

Our basic day’s plans didn’t work out, however. Joy checked with the local places, and they all needed appointments rather than accepting walk-ins. And, when she took me to the bank so I could get more cash from the ATM … the machine wouldn’t accept my debit card, kept returning the message “Please use the chip” (?), and when I used Susan’s debit card instead, it would accept it but kept saying that any amount I tried to withdraw exceeded the limit.

Joy and I returned to the apartment, and she conferred with Susan for a bit before moving on herself.

During his previous visit, Kevin had told us that Logan wasn’t feeling well right now, so the normal dinner at the Yins’ was off. Kevin messaged to ask if we wanted to have dinner together, and of course we did. He came back to join us, and together we all went to the little restaurant Susan and I had visited three times before already. Reading the menu and talking to the staff, Kevin established that 1) it wasn’t a restaurant, it was a tea-house with a few meal selections, and 2) all the selections were vegetarian, what Susan and I had thought was different meat dishes were in fact meat imitations using mushrooms or tofu or something else, with carefully balanced spices to bolster the illusion. I tried one of their curry dishes, Kevin got blackened ‘pork’, and Susan chose the same black truffle rice we’d already identified as a favorite.

Rain had started while we were inside, but we took a route back to the apartment that kept us under cover. Kevin hung around talking for a substantial period of time, and took our umbrella with him when he left, on the understanding that he would return it tomorrow when he came to get us for church.

Evening Rosary for Susan and me, and reading, and video, and cross-stitching, and I made the necessary preparations for our bedtime.