Etcetera

As I sit here reflecting on all that has happened since my last blog post, my head spins with the possibilities of subject matter to relive as my fingers flicker across my keyboard. Instead, I suppose I'll hit the highlights:

• Found reason on three occasions to pull out the "holy wooden tub" from the junk room of my apartment (Thus named for the endless leaks it produces without a tarp as much as its use as a bapt*stry-- How's that for discreet?)
• Renewed relationships with friends from Jingzhou, Wuhan and even an old family friend from Pennsylvania.
• Celebrated Thanksgiving alongside the Oldhams, Kelleys, and my sweet friend Madison after baking 3 Apple Pies from scratch.  (I mention this whenever I can.  eg. "How was your weekend?";  "Well, I didn't bake 3 apple pies this time, but it was productive enough."
• Become as comfortable with Shine as I am to my left arm.  (And I'm left handed.)
• Traveled to Fenghuang for the third time of my stay in China-- 8 hours on a train is nothing to cheap souvenirs and quaint coffee shops.
• Discovered that being separated by 8,000 miles doesn't stop some relationships from growing.
• Signed up and studied for the HSK Level 3... and then skipped it. (Mind you I use the word "study" loosely.  I was ill prepared, would be an understatement.)
• Managed to put recipes left from my friends Katie and Elizabeth to use and overcome my phobia of being domesticated.
• Spent enough time with Daisy that words are no longer necessary in communication.  We merely blink at oneother and understand.
• Come to habitually speak such a simplified form of English that my Chinese friends think the English on movies and television shows must be in a different dialect.
• Finally become what I would deem as wholly self-sufficient in this foreign land. (With two weeks to spare!)

        ....etc.