fours and more

The heat has been sucked out of our city, but we don't mind one bit. Starting late Thursday, the Eastern winds started blowing the ocean breeze over our way, and with it a much cooler temperature arrived. The rain has also been falling to help cool it off even further. With this sudden drop in temperature the students began to whine and wimper about it being too cold. 15 hours earlier they were saying it was too Hot!! some things will never change.

We finished another week of school in a spectacular fashion, with the Terry Fox Run. September 17th was International Terry Fox Run Day, and we joined everyone else around the globe in remembering this Great Canadian Hero. The rain drizzled slightly, but we reminded the students, and ourselves, that if Terry Fox could run a marathon each day on one leg for 140 odd days straight, we could take 15-20 minutes out of our day to honor him and the cause he chose to support. The rain fell harder, but our spirits and attitudes were lifted as we ran, thinking of just how many thousands, maybe even millions of people would be participating in the same event sometime later that day and the people's lives that could be changed, because of what Terry started some thirty years ago.

We continue to enjoy our bicycles, and Christina has taken it upon herself to decorate her bike to ward off the would-be-thieves. In China bike theft is rampant, one co-worker is on number 4 or 5 he can't remember, but Christina has implied some devious tactics. The Chinese are wary of some numbers due to their close pronunciation with other more 'negative' words. One such number, four, shares the same pinyin as the word die, however the tone is different. Being the clever and talented artist that she is, she proceeded to draw a lovely looking number FOUR on her back fender. Take that would be thieves!! steal this bike at your own peril!! I don't have to do the same, as my bike is usually locked up with hers, however if it does go missing, it will no doubt be when Christina's bike was not there, thus proving her FOUR theory worked!!

We head to Chengdu at the end of this month for a few days reprieve and visits with a number of wonderful friends before we settle in for a few months that culminates with the end of the semester and our 4 week vacation to Thailand. Tickets are booked, Mom and Dad Farnell are excited and we wonder who may take up the offer and join us?? January 16th to February 16th.