#102 Back in China

I am back in Suzhou after a full month away in the U.S. Kathleen and the kids are staying in Peoria for another month or so. They will return to China after the Olympics and just before schools starts. In the meantime, I am living alone in our very quiet China house. Here is the now typical dinner scene as I eat cold pizza and read my Bill Bryson book.

On my first day back to work, I had a trip scheduled to Xuzhou for "Motor Grader Day" with the Global Purchasing team. It was a good event, but with my jet lag, waning enthusiam for the city of Xuzhou, and the return to reality after a long time off, it made for a rather difficult first week back.

Now that the weekend is here and I am better rested, I am feeling happy for things to get back to normal. Kathleen let me take her Dragonfly card and I went with the Bairds to get a massage today. A good massage always helps me appreciate China. Then I tried my hand at some grocery shopping and finished up with lunch at a new restaurant at Xindu Guang Chang. I also noticed that the second Coldstone Creamery is open, but I did not stop there because I am taking on the Body for Life challenge that Kathleen and friends are promoting (more on that later). Perhaps I will have a Coldstone on my "Free Day".