July 1st
This is kind of disorienting. We are finished with classes. We don't really have time to really sit down and prepare things for next semester and we are leaving tomorrow for 6 weeks. I've never left home for 6 weeks before. Linda is packing things that she doesn't want me to interfere with and my laundry is on the line so I can't pack until it is dry. So I'm kinda out of sorts and don't know what to do. Now I grow impatient and it is hard to just wait for the time to arrive. I know it will. With news that a friend of ours has taken a turn for the worse I become very anxious indeed to get home. I was just thinking that if I had a good book it would help the time. Then I thought of going to get one at an English bookstore nearby. But I don't think I will. I will just continue to wait and hope that the time rolls on by until it is time to leave.
Yesterday we got a bunch of stuff from a couple that is leaving China next week after 11 years living and working here. It is exciting and bitter-sweet for them. We got several more storage devices from them - like file cabinets and plastic sets of drawers. The most exciting thing we got was their refrigerator which is about twice as big as the one we had but still very small compared to a US model. Although we have gotten a real windfall, I'd much rather that John and Pricilla were staying. They are such good friends. And they are so enthusiastic about life and teaching here.
Tomorrow we embark on another travel adventure. I hope it is boring. Maybe then I can sleep a lot and arrive refreshed. We will see many of you in the coming weeks. I am excited about seeing each one of you.