June 3rd

Paula Ferrel gave me a huge bag full of instant oatmeal packets in assorted flavors;more than I could ever eat. So I made granola bars out of them! They're really good! The oatmeal had pieces of blueberries, strawberries and peaches and I added chocolate chips (from Lori) and other ingredients. I sort of followed a recipe from the Internet. It made enough to last me for one a day for the rest of our stay! Saturday we went to the Little Italy area of Tianjin. Bodo and Elke went with us. We were not impressed. Just expensive restaurants and souvenir shops. Then Dad and I walked down "Walking Street";no cars allowed. Bodo said they were having markets on the street, but it was just high class stores with sales. We managed to buy a few things :) Bodo and Elke are here for 2 months. He's teaching Mechanical Engineering. They're from Germany and live in the next apt. bldg. He can not believe that we don't drink;not ever! Saturday he kept asking if I wanted a beer. I think his wife got mad at him! Dad told them a little about the Church. It's been so hard for Dad to not talk to people about the Church. I knew that would be the hardest part of China for him. But he's done quite well. He hasn't landed in jail yet. Today he wanted to pack a suitcase, but I restrained him. Everything in it would get wrinkled in two weeks. Our Branch Pres, is flying to Seattle next Sunday and has offered to take a suitcase for us. Johnathan will pick it up for us. It'll probably have our winter coats and other stuff we won't need for awhile. I bought some silk pants from a street vendor last week. They're nice but they wrinkle more than I thought they would, and they might be a little too big also. Tomorrow night for FHE we're taking a river cruise through Tianjin. I've heard it's very pretty. Love you all. Write to me!! I'm getting trunky!! And we check the e-mail ALL the time!! Love ya !!! Mom XXOO