Man Man Lai

Slowly, slowly...forward.

The studio is coming along. Bed built, washing machine delivered, second-hand drinking fountain cleaned, drinking water delivered, Christmas palm installed, plumbing phase 1 finished.

Equivalents:
285 yuan will buy you an 80 min oil massage or a second-hand washing machine.
New washing machines are closer to 1,000 yuan, so I scored a deal.

Semi-equivalents:
Hi-phone costs about 600 RMB. A "iPhone" will cost you 800.
A real one...you do the math.

TO DO List:
1) Finish installing washing machine/plumbing
2) Buy a wooden bath basin for the room (maybe i can at least get a drain attached and boil water)
3) Buy an electric heater or two.
4) Buy a humidifier.
5) Try the public bath house in the village.
6) Buy a good torch, aka flashlight (and batteries).
7) Plan a studio warming and bring in the new year party mid-Jan.

I shot video for the first time in ages, maybe years.
A record store and hair salon. Heard some Beijing rock and folk. Got my hair chopped off!
It has been a good day.

Tomorrow is Friday and most of my friends leave for holiday this weekend. One friend asked what I'd want from the UK. Someone said Marmite. My mind drew a blank, but my mouth started to water for that weird salty goodness of Marmite. A childhood memory like toast with strawberry jam and boiled egg or large croutons with butter and brown sugar the neighbors would give me with tea. I think they were Dutch and don't know the proper name for the croutons, but same texture just larger. Now Im thinking of Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Santa. There are some really lovely chewy brown nuggets the moorish "helpers" would throw as they paraded through the streets in my compound growing up that I would love to taste again if I knew what they were. I think it would be in the ginger cookie family, but not sure. I'll have to ask my friend Poppy who I met in Beijing, but has recently moved to Holland to bring some back for me.

time for bed. cold outside. warm inside. thankgoodness.

XXX
Su