The goodbyes begin -- our last noodle lunch

Deborah ( our neighbor and fellow Fulbrighter) and I have a favorite restaurant. It is tucked away in a neighborhood near campus, but you have to go up a dark alley to reach it. Suddenly you are welcomed by the sight of a lovely garden patio restaurant, which has fruit smoothies and Shaanxi province specialties in addition to great noodle soups. It's tiny, the food is great and you can eat outside, but away from the bustle of the street. Deborah and I (and of course Sophia, our lunchtime companion) have eaten there many times, and Thursday we went for the last time...

Deborah and her daughter opted for the one semester Fulbright and are leaving the day after Christmas to our great regret, and theirs, I think. Having another family to share the adventures with and make those early weeks less isolated and overwhelming has meant so much to all of us. They are leaving the day after Christmas, and Deborah and I keep getting to the point in our conversations of getting a little teary, and then quickly putting the thought off for another day....but they have begun to pack and have their goodbyes with students, friends, etc., so I will soon have to face the prospect of some lonelier lunches, and we will all find ourselves missing the people who have become like family since we have been here.
Who else will appreciate the fun of Sophia in restaurants and her emerging chopstick skills?

Tomorrow Deborah is hosting a big party for all her students and some other friends, and today we made fudge with the ingredients I brought back from Michigan.

Deborah also talked me into buying a toaster oven, which I should have done our first week here. My biggest hesitation was space, but it so good to eat toast again! We even made brownies today! It will be handy to have around for Christmas dinner too, which I am hosting.
We all had lunch with our Chinese tutor, Vicky, at a terrific restaurant in honor of Deborah and Kate.


Kate's best friend and Thomas's best friend at XIS happen to be brother and sister, so today they came for a playdate in the afternoon, which Thomas would not let me photograph. So today was a full day, and this evening was the Christmas party for my English students, and Thomas and Helen came to help. I will post those photos tomorrow.