One of the days of the Food and Culture Week would be devoted to fish dishes. 

To begin the week-long events, a parade was held showing the different categories of food that the famous chefs would prepare. 

Lady was invited to a very special cultural event in our city this week. The sun came out, making recent rainy days a memory.  

Maureen makes a wish and blows out her candles!  

We had a birthday party for Maureen, one of the other foreign teachers in our city. Lady made lasagna, ravioli, green salad, fruit salad, and yeast rolls. They had chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert. I didn't get any cake. I am not allowed to have chocolate. But, Carsten did give me a lot of treats from my treat jar, and he gave me some apple. Last night, Lady and I went with Carsten to the foot massage. I always love to go!  

Another Shot in the Hiney

I knew where we were going but I couldn't do anything about it, except wail loudly. The WHite COat greeted me warmly and called me by my Chinese name, Ma Li, but I didn't care. There were two other poor suckers in the office getting stuck. One was on an IV drip. Lady and i both hate that. I do not do well on an IV drip. I was due for my distemper shot today. I did not want to have any part of it and I let it be known. I growled at the White Coat and snapped in his direction. No, I didn't bite him. I am not allowed to bite him, but I sure thought about it. Lady keeps telling me it is for my own good. Yeah, right. She tried to bribe me with beggin' bacon strips, but I was moved. SHe held me so tightly as he stuck my rear. I cried. Yeah. Only one today. Okay, ate the bacon. Lady says I have to go back next month to have another rabies shot. The WHite Coat said I wasn't due for two more years, but Lady isn't taking any chances. I'm still hot, and can't go out much outside of my 'hood. Of course, I am rather famous since I have been on TV three times.
I sure am glad the rains have stopped. We had two solid weeks of rain. I got so muddy! I don't like to go out in the rain, so sometimes I made Lady pick me up! She doesn't mind. After all, I am just a little dog!

This is my new Mickey four days later. Lady didn't like finding all the stuffings all over our home. She also didn't like finding an ear and a foot on her side of the bed. I told you I really liked it!  

This is my new Mickey I told you about. I really like it. 

White Bags With White Boxes

Every time Lady comes home I greet her enthusiastically and begin to check any bags she might have brought home. The white bags with the white boxes are the best. The contain food! I can smell them out very quickly. Lady's meat-eating friends send me rice mixed with pork, beef, or occasionally chicken from the restaurants. Sometimes Lady lets me eat straight from the box, but most of the time she mixes in my dog chow. "You must get your vitamins and minerals, " she says. I'm a Pedigree Dog Chow dog. It's the only brand we can get in our city. SOmetimes Lady buys me another expensive special brand in the capital city, but it's all the same to me as long as it is different colors. I don't like the one-color stuff. Yuck.
Sometimes Lady brings home white bags with other stuff inside. I inspect them all. Yesterday, for example, I found a whole package of chicken dogs! But Lady snatched them away before I could dig in. I also found a new "Mickey Mouse" toy. I knew that was for me so I helped myself. I set to work immediately. Last night, Mickey was a little less fluffy, his stuffing decorating the living room floor, our bedroom floor, and inside our big bed. I hide under the blanket when Lady finds all the stuffing everywhere.
My fuzzy blanket disappeared. All that's left is one strip that says "Winnie the Dooh." I've been dragging around my old "Pooh" blanket around, and leaving yellow fluff everywhere. Lady says I am getting a new blanket very soon.
Rachel came over to visit me last night. She is younger than all the other teachers because she hasn't finished college yet. She helped Lady cook yesterday. Lady made apple pie. I got some crust. She also made spaghetti sauce, a lasagna, and spinach and cheese ravioli. She and Rachel had ravioli, snow peas, and apple pie for dinner. I had chicken dog a la dog chow, and a bacon Beggin' Strip for dessert! Tom brought them to me!
It was cold when we walked Rachel to the bus stop, so I wore my Pooh coat. It's been raining for the last two weeks straight! You'd think folks had never seen such a sight! The neighbors have seen me, but people at the restaurant have not. They made a lot of comments about me. I just ignore them and keep walking. Lady just smiles. I am ALWAYS in a harness when I leave my home so that I can keep control of Lady and lead her where I want to go. If I don't, some of these people might try to snatch me away from my Lady. I can tell you, I wouldn't make it easy for them! I don't even let friends pick me up, and I won't willingly go with anyone unless Lady sends me. After all, I am just a little dog, and I love my Lady.

They're off! Lady sure hated to say "zai jian" to her friends from home. Me too, because they gave me really good doggie bags!! 

The Temple of Heaven! 

The great wall! 

Tom learned to play the erhu! 

This calligraphist wrote a poem for Bettyanne. 

Lady loves flowers. The American teachers visited a scenic spot where Lady made this photo in the rain.  

Happy Mid Autumn Day

Today is the 15th day of the eighth month on the lunar calendar, or Mid Autumn Day. The closest holiday like it in the states is Thanksgiving. It is a time when the moon is its closest to the earth so appears huge in the sky. It is a time of reunion for families. The markets and supermarkets were jam-packed today with folks preparing for family to come home and celebrate together. I'm celebrating with Michael tonight! Lady packed my sleepover bag, and made me wear my coat. Everyone eats mooncakes today. A student brought Lady a huge box of moon cakes. She also had mooncakes at Margaret's hotel, and I am sure at the dinner. Moon cakes can be filled with fruit and nuts, or meat, or eggs. I get the meat filled ones! I make a huge mess because the crusts are flaky. They are round to remind us of the moon. I hope all my Chinese friends enjoy their Mid-Aumn Day! Zhong Qiu Jie Kuai Le!!!

This restaurant is brand new and beautiful. This Qilin is solid jade! 

Christopher's son, Tom, Big Tom, Bettyanne, and Christopher toast to the holiday. 

Jack, Lindsey, Sylvia, Mr. Ding and his wife toast the holiday and friendship. 

The school presented the American teachers with wonderful thank-you gifts: a photo album, a DVD, a CD of photos, a silk scarf, and a special comb that will prolong your life! The banquet was held in a beautiful new restaurant across from our neighborhood.