Merry Christmas

Angie and I started our Christmas weekend with lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in town, Vegetarian Lifestyle. Then it was on to Dragonfly for two hours of massages, a trip to Shanghai's biggest baby mall, a quick dinner at home, and then the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra at the Musical Hall. A silly and fun Christmas concert. Then home to exchange gifts. Angie got me a wonderful sweater and hat, made me a matching cashmere scarf, got me a pile of cool Bruce Lee postcards, and two really neat picture frames. Great gifts from the heart.

Today is Christmas morning and we're hoping for calls from the family soon. We awoke to the familiar sounds of our neighbors upstairs drilling into the floorboards. It's been two weeks of drilling, nailing, sawing, etc... When I say our neighbors, I mean our neighbors. The construction crew that is doing renovations is living in the empty apartment while they work seven days a week from 8am to 8pm. That's pretty typical. Especially around this time of year with everyone trying to make a few extra yuan before the new year. Seems a lot of friends are going through the same these days. The downside of growth I suppose.

Well, Merry Christmas to everyone who is celebrating either a holy Christian day or an All-American secular day of family and giving.