Life Without Part Two

No clothes dryer.

Most Chinese homes do not have a dryer. Our friend Ned went shopping with R one day. R was asking him about a good place to purchase a dryer. Puzzled, Ned informed R that a dryer is unnecessary because the washing machine dries the clothes by spinning the water out of them after getting them clean!

We found this amusing, but the truth is, our washer does have a pretty killer spin cycle. It sounds like a jet engine preparing for lift-off. The washing machine, a front-loader, is tucked under a kitchen counter. Our kitchen also has what I have dubbed the “laundry room,” an enclosed porch with a little sink where I keep the cleaning tools (it also has the best view in the house). On a bar suspended from the ceiling, I can hang our wet things to dry. With the window open, the clothes dry pretty quickly, unless it is a particularly humid day.

If we get a dryer, it will have to go out on the enclosed patio in our living room, giving us three different laundry areas. For this reason, and because the lack of a dryer just hasn’t bothered me too much, we have not been quick to run out and find one. After dinner each night, I run a load or two through the washer hang the things to dry, and they are ready to go by morning. IA observed that with this laundry schedule, he really only needs to own two sets of clothes. Once he grows out of his current wardrobe, he wants to try living simply, with only two shirts and two pairs of pants. If you know IA, this will not surprise you at all!

Speaking of IA, he has taken to going out each evening for a run.  There is a track that goes around the park across the street, and last night he not only did eight laps, but also ran around our complex and then up the seven flights of stairs home! He has also been more aware of what he is eating, and trying be careful not to eat too much. Seems like we have entered a new phase of his teenage years…

No car .

Last week was the kids’ first week to attend two youth group activities, and I didn’t even have to drive them anywhere--one of the perks of living without an automobile! On Thursday nights a group meets to play soccer with some local young people. The kids made the hour-long subway ride with the B. girls to get to the field. IA played mid-field and AA was on defense. Although they were the youngest kids playing, they felt like everyone was truly playing for the fun of it, and they were able to get the ball a fair amount.  Judging by their sore muscles the next day, it was also a good physical work-out. On Friday night they all made the same trek again and this time enjoyed a study at the home of one of the students. These weekly events will be a great way for I & A to meet some new friends and be encouraged in English.

That's all for now. In my next post I'll post some photos from our first English Club!