Give me a Super Bowl anytime over a discussion of politics and economics...

Andrea-- we have Chinese Immersion at my school too! Didn't know similar programs were all over! We also had a Chinese New Year parade. What grade is your son in? We started with Kinders and have added a grade each year, so that next year will be our first graduating 5th graders.

I also wonder where in China you'll be visiting as my dh has traveled wide and far throughout China the past several years. I can give you some travel tips and advice if you want!

Not sure how my work day is going to look today. The library is being used this morning for the annual Spelling Bee. Last year I got roped into judging which I thought would be fun, but was actually quite stressful. Parents attended and many disagreed when their children misspelled a word. I'm hoping others can judge while I quietly work in the background. I had weird dreams about it last night and didn't sleep well.

Ellie's planned outing didn't happen yesterday as the pet sitter got behind schedule and asked if she could do it today instead. I'm totally flexible so that was fine, but I was anxious all day yesterday for news, so that will carry over today.

Got to work and spilled my coffee.....

I made chicken wings for the Super Bowl but only ate 3 pieces. DH ate the rest! I took a walk while he watched the game.

Things are back to normal for me, at least mentally. I'm still waiting on a test result which will indicate if I'd benefit from chemo before radiation, but I've made peace with whatever treatments I need. I'm back to daily walking and moderate hiking. I'll wait 6 weeks from the surgery date (Jan 15) before I pick up any weights or do pushups. I learned from my surgery report that my clavipectoral fascia was cut in order to remove the one lymph node. This needs to heal before I start putting any stress on my pec muscle.

Michele, you are doing so well with your weight maintenance. Congrats!

Andrea, how exciting about the trip to China. My DH will be visiting our son in Korea this year.

Birchie, hope the storm is gone by now. Yikes!

Michele, I believe there are now over 200 Chinese immersion and partial-immersion programs throughout the US, most of which are funded by the Chinese government (!), which provides the trained teachers for these programs. Lansing has had the program for 9 years, so the oldest kids are now in 8th grade. We do 1/2 day immersion through 6th, then they continue with 90 min/day of dedicated language instruction in 7th and 8th, along with a regular middle school curriculum.

I'm not sure of our itinerary yet, beyond the fact that we fly in to Hong Kong on June 15th and leave from Beijing on July 12, leaving our Chinese-speaking, 11 year old DS behind with friends in Beijing for another month of immersion (they have a son exactly his age, and the plan is for them to go to a day camp together). Several different friends will be acting as tour guides for portions of our journey, and we are hoping to spend 5-6 days in Tibet as part of it (I know-visas are problematic, especially for Chinese nationals). Any travel advice you have is welcome. I will say, this looks very appealing: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attr...panda-base.htm

Pandas!! CUTE!!!

I don't think our program is funded by the Chinese. We have teachers that speak both languages running the program. We've had a couple of Chinese guest teachers that have come for a year but we had issues finding host families for them so we haven't had that for a couple of years.

Feel free to PM me Andrea when you have more details on your itinerary and I'll see what dh knows about the areas you'll be traveling into. His brother lives in Hong Kong so we've been there many times. My dh was "based" out of Beijing so he has most of his experience in China there, but he did travel throughout as well.

Thanks, Alice for the sweet comment. Glad to hear you are doing well-- physically and emotionally!

Thank you, Sheila and Alice, for thinking of me in the storms. It's calm again now with snow on the mountains, and snowdrops and daffodils in the garden. I'm still wearing a hat when I go out, though, and gloves.

That sounds lovely - the flowers and snowy mountain part.

We are descending into the deep freeze - minus 22 plus wind chill - for DH's birthday weekend. Luckily I have only my own dog to walk this weekend. I'm taking DH out for dinner one night and we are seeing the "Star Wars" movie for Valentine's Day.There will be a small cake, some wine (for DH - I can't lose 4 nights sleep for a glass of wine any more), and popcorn at the movie as my weekend "extras". Should be fun, despite the freezing temps.

Dagmar

Which of these two statements is true:
1) The dog ate my homework
2) The cat stole my Fitbit

If you guessed door number two, you're a winner!!

I had my fitbit (Zip, the clip-on kind) on the tabl to synch it with my computer, forgot to pick it up in my mad rush to get The Boy off to school, and when I came back it was gone. The cattens, of course, just stared at me blankly when I asked them to return it.

Good news is that it only took two days for DH and I to find it. (Under the radiator in the basement, a floor away from where I had left it.) My contact case took three. So, progress, of sorts.

Not much else going on here, except that it's been a ridiculously crazy week at work. I'm looking forward to a glass of something this weekend, and a free meal. I won't go overboard, but I think maybe a pot roast or stew or some other winter comfort food.

//kaw

One of my four cats got on the counter the other day and knocked off the lid to some little container I had sitting there. We keep a pile there to take to the recycling bin in the garage--he or she who walks that way first take the pile. It works. Anyway, she knocked off the lid. DH, when walking that way, could not find the lid. I said that one of the other cats heard the lid fall and came running. Sure enough, under the pantry door is where we found the lid. That cat loves shoving things under doors and couches. Once a month, we lift the couches to see what treasures (usually toy mice) are to be found.

kaw-- I've had number one happen before!! And I've had a dog chew a library book-- which I now use as my example each year to remind students not to let their pets near their library books. Glad your fitbit turned up.

My cat that has been off and on sick seems to be sick again, though hopefully not as much.... Sigh...

Tomorrow night is my school's auction gala/ dinner/ dance. For the first time it is open bar-- I think they're banking on parents imbibing and bidding big-- I will not be partaking, but I'm sure dh will. I've requested "vegetarian" for my meal so who knows what I'll get-- guessing some pasta of sorts with veggies?

Monday dh and I both have the day off so we are going to drive to Napa to have lunch, walk around, etc. We almost planned a last minute overnight trip there but the pet sitter was booked. She gave us the name of someone new to try but I don't want to do that to Ellie yet. By the way, in case you were wondering how she did the other day with the petsitter taking her out on a walk?? She did overall great!! The petsitter kept her for hours and took her out with several groups. She said she did great until the end when she apparently didn't like one of the dogs and growled at him repeatedly (she was in a crate in the car and he was loose so maybe she felt threatened by him??)..... She is going to try her again next week, but obviously not with the guy she didn't like...

Feeling the need for retail therapy BAD....

After finishing my 6 (!) dogwalks I lay on the bed with Natalie on my chest for about 15 minutes, listening to DH making dinner downstairs. Not only did he make dinner but he cleared and washed all the dishes too. I can really get to like this - been going on for close to two weeks now. I do like to cook but not after a day like today.

And all the food is reasonably healthy and relatively low cal. He asks me for input and shows me recipes before cooking them. I'm really enjoying the break from cooking.

Dagmar

Dagmar, that's great. I know you were super-frustrated for a while with DH's lack of initiative and poor diet, he must really be making progressive toward a lifestyle change.

Michele, thanks. I'll be sure to take you up on your offer of travel advice as we get closer.

Happy birthday, Dagmar!

Happy Happy Birthday
Dagmar

May you have 39 more and 39 more after that!

Happy Birthday Dagmar!!!! Hope it's a fun one!