When our washing machine flashed an error code and cried its high pitched shriek for attention yet one more time, we decided it was time for it to go to that indeterminate white good's graveyard. Where do all those large white goods go to die anyway? Perhaps this is a question for another time. It was late Sunday morning and we were sitting around not doing much. In the space of 5 minutes, I had checked a few words in the dictionary ("washing machine" or xiyigi is not a word I use everyday!), ripped on some shorts and a shirt and made my way to the main road a few minutes away. Directly opposite was yet another brand new electronic store recently opened and playing-card decks of flat screen tellys fanned out before me lining the walls of the gleaming new showroom. Initially discouraged, I was then directed to the second floor, where I spotted the compact machine we needed for our back verandah, told the salesman I wanted it, paid and gave my particulars. I was home not 15 minutes after we decided to get a new machine and it was subsequently delivered at 8 p.m. last night. Not only that, but they took the old one and the packaging away as well!! I love this country!
It made us ruminate on our time here on island. This second washing machine was a bit of a shock, but we figured out we were on our 3rd computer, 3rd television, second toaster oven, second water cooler and at least our 7th upright fan. Fingers crossed for our fridge, which lumbers on with a creak and a groan and our long suffering, hard working split system air-conditioner: a big ticket item that has had a little preventative maintenance, but not a lot. Really though, to be fair, in Taiwanese very unfriendly conditions for appliances, with its saturated sulphur-laden air, we've done pretty well over the last 11 years. Our little Sony stereo, bought new when we moved into Fletcher Street in 1993, somehow keeps on working despite the CD player giving up a few years back. We'll nurse it along for a bit longer yet!
It was a huge weekend for football of both codes as the Grand Finals were played out. I gave out the annual tipping awards at half time of the main game of AFL down at Patio 84 as is becoming tradition. The beer and the tall stories began flowing early and the day is especially brutal considering the time difference between the two countries: we had our first beer before the sun passed the yardarm! Nonetheless, despite a longish afternoon, I arrived home for tea bearing the impressively delectable pizza offerings from a new place in the Shi Dong road called "Part Time Su". All vegetetarian, the pizzas are sensational. We opted to share three small ones, of pesto vegetable, 5 vegetable mix and a hot and spicy variety. Superb!
On Sunday, we again couldn't tear ourselves away from "Eat Burger" for lunch before getting some specialty supplies from the SOGO supermarket close by. Cass bought herself an interesting can of drink: it is "sparkling chardonnay" by the famous Japanese brewing company, Kirin. Surely not champagne in a can for just $1.50?....we'll wait for Cassy's verdict when she tries it next Friday.
The dreaded "hiatus" which has loomed large for a couple of weeks has lowered its cape of despair over all of us this morning. Wal is moping, Brandon is disappointed and I'm in shock: no more football till March?? Bring on the South Africans: that first ball fired in anger from the Gabba for the opening of the cricket series on November 9 just cannot come soon enough!
My prodigious reading output of late continues unabated, as I have now started reading "The Auschwitz Volunteer: Beyond Bravery" a truly shocking and harrowing autobiography. Unfortunately for my darling, Cassy has been reading 100 literary interpretations of "Of Mice and Men" written by her 8th graders: good times! Photos are a bit of a mix from phone and camera. One of my students' parents ordered macaroons from Paul's in Paris and had them flown direct to Taiwan. The box features Swarovski crystals and the macaroons themselves were a taste sensation beyond description. She was adamant that I deserved this generous gift for the improvement she saw in her son: lucky for me, this kid seems to learn by himself! Others are of an excited Cass with her "champagne", a strange bent guitar spotted at "Eat", and a photo wall and busy workers at "Part Time Su".
