Ever Expanding Peas and Useless Doctors

I learned a very important lesson today - dried peas are expandy...VERY expandy. My project for today was pea soup. I bough some bulk mixed peas last week (green, yellow, and black) and set off to work today to make them into a delicious crockpot soup. I poured my peas and such into the crockpot, covered them with water, and away I went. An hour later I returned to the kitchen to check progress only to find the top of the crockpot being pushed off by a pile of ever-expanding peas that seemed to be longing for escape. And now I know. Dried peas require water and lots of it! I solved my dilemma by scooping out half of the mixture into a bowl and cooking the other half while group two waited their turn. Round one of pea soup making was a great success and round two is now in the works.

I had also planned to make seafood chowder today. I really want to get the freezer fully stocked before Lily arrives. There's still hope for my chowder, but I just seem to be in the mood to boycott potato peeling today. We'll see how it goes.

That was certainly not the most exciting part of my week, however! Yesterday, I went for another visit to the Maternity hospital - allegedly the best hospital in which to have a baby - for a check up. Let's just say that by the time I left, I was ready to a) Kick several people and b) Hop a plane back to Canada.

Upon arrival, I decided to pay the extra 2 rmb to see the specialist instead of the "regular doctor". That was, by far, the worst waste of 4o cents I could possibly imagine. The woman was terrible - TERRIBLE! I am about to pop a baby, and she didn't ask me a single question other than, "Why haven't you had more tests?!" (read: Why haven't you given us more money?). Had I been able to communicate with her on my own, without the use of my translator, I would have promptly asked her, "Why don't you tell me...you're the DOCTOR!?" *sigh...* So, she wrote out requisitions for a barrage of tests that would be absolutely useless at this point in my pregnancy, as well as a urine test. Let me tell you a bit about a urine test in China - it may just be the most unsanitary thing I've ever seen. First, you are given a small plastic cup and a small plastic test tube. You are then to pee into the cup and pour it into the test tube. Following that, you bring your test tube to a window where it sits, open to the air, for over and hour (in my case) until they finally decide to get your results going. Ick.

So after wading through a sea of 1000 pregnant ladies do my test and waiting for two hours to get my results, it was off to see the same terrible doctor again. She decided, upon analysis of my results, that I must have a bladder infection (nope, I don't - trust me, I would know). To remedy said imaginary bladder infection, she gave me...a topical cream for my internal " infection. GAH! So, I am now 200 rmb poorer and the proud owner of two boxes of bladder cream that will never get touched.

To top off my wonderful day at the hospital, the staff refused to fill out my pre-authorization forms for the insurance company. REFUSED! Ooooh well. I called the insurance lady, explained the situation, and they will take care of it on their end. Oh, by the way, did I mention that my last visit to this hospital involved one very large unidentified bug scurrying across the floor and many colonies of ominous black mold??

Other than my horrible visit to the way-too-busy maternity hospital, yesterday was actually quite a good and productive day! I managed to get lots of shopping done while I was out, including the purchase of a Christmas tree and a crockpot (which is now cooking my pea soup!). I also picked up the pretty red guitar that Daniel has been drooling over as a surprise - now the guitar lessons can begin! Thanks again, Mom and Dad Stewart, for the early Christmas presents!

Hmmm...what else is new and exciting? Oh! I actually had a baby shower! Some of the girls planned a baby shower and hosted it right next door last week. We got a few of the necessities we were still needing and then went out an shopped for the rest the next day. I think we now officially have everything we need!

Aside from that, the most exciting part of our week here in China was that were were both terribly ill. I was very sick over the weekend, but that ended up being nothing compared with Daniel on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. At one point he had a fever of 104.5 (literally the highest fever I have ever seen) but we managed to get it down with lots of fluids, a little bit of drugs, and me running up and down the stairs for cold compresses every 5 minutes! It was good practice for having children though! Luckily, Daniel is feeling much better now and is at least well enough that he is back to work today.

So, I think that is enough excitement for one day, but I am beginning to enjoy my Random Overviews...so here we go:



For today,Thursday, December 4th

Outside my window...it is very windy and rather chilly! All of the fine folk here from BC seem to think that is is freezing cold outside. Luckily, I'm from NS and I know better! It's not so bad.

I am thankful for...the forethought to cook food ahead of time and put it in the freezer. It has already come in handy more than once when we were too ill to go get groceries, and I am sure that it will come in handy over and over again.

I am also very thankful for good friends. I was blessed enough to have my very kind neighbour come with me on my excursion yesterday so I would be able to go shopping and not worry that I was walking around alone and about to pop a baby. It was also extremely helpful to have someone to carry all of the heavy things!

Really, I am thankful for all of the wonderful people in my life - Today my wonderful husband, in particular, who worries like crazy about me and makes sure I know how much he appreciates everything I do for us.

From the kitchen... Well, last week's pizza was a success! I managed to make 20 pizzas over the weekend! Now, as we all know, is the pea soup and, if I get really ambitious, seafood chowder. Hopefully tomorrow I will make some bread, maybe tea biscuits, and perhaps some homemade "pop tarts". I would be more ambitious than that, but I literally have NO vegetables in the house. After I get some Saturday, it's time for Chili, quiche, and maybe stew and pot pie. We'll see how far we make it before baby comes!

Also, I am very excited about my purchase of candy cups so I can now make homemade candies! Since I am lacking MANY ingredients, I am limited to peanut butter, cherry, coffee, and perhaps vanilla flavors. We shall see...perhaps I'll find a way to be more creative!

I am going... to have baby very soon! Other than that, hopefully next to nowhere, as I am really getting quite tired!

I am reading... Harry Potter aloud with Daniel. It stared only because I was sick and he was searching for a way to make me feel better. It worked!

I am hoping... that baby comes very soon. I am full term now, so it's safe, and we have lots of post delivery paperwork that needs doing!

I am creating... so many recipes for delicious truffles. Unfortunately, I have the ingredients handy to make...well...none. Pooh.

Around the house...I don't even want to look. It's a little...untidy. I am hoping to remedy that tomorrow. However, the Christmas tree upstairs does make me smile! It's not decorated yet, but I think we will be fixing that tonight!

One of my favorite things... is watching Christmas movies with Daniel. We've done quite a bit of that lately. I'm really looking forward to when we can all sit down and watch them as a family as well.

A few plans for the rest of the week...cooking, more cooking, and...ummm...having a baby?

A picture thought I am sharing with you... Just remember when working with dry ingredients - VERY expandy!!