Third Day, SH

When I woke up yesterday, I counted to the days of our departure from here and I nearly cried when I found I have so many days left to go. I've never wanted to get out of a place so quickly. My first visit to Shanghai 12 years ago was in late December, the coldest time of the year, and I swore that I'd never come to SH again when it's cold. But here I am again. It's still not spring. The trees are bare, the sky is heavy and cloudy, and people are dressed for winter . I hate it most when the wind blows and last night was breezy. I was reminded of another place I'll never go to in winter: Wellington, NZ. The wind there is sadistic. The cold wind last night blew straight into my scalp and I was reminded again how thin my hair is. I wraped my scarf over my head and walk around like a gypsy. Who cares about looks in such weather. Hub and i stayed home, fell asleep again after lunch (hibernation) and then went out in search of SH's best burger, of all things, because I read about it in my fave SH blog, Sugar and Spice (can't link that bc I don't know how to using an iPad. Speaking of which, isn't it dang/awesome that they have improved the iPad 2 camera?) Anyway, the burger made Hub pass a decree: no western food while we're here. Too bad for him because Yi has booked lunch for us at Table No. 1 today and I've been waiting to eat there, even giving up the choice of going to Mr & Mrs Bund. On my previous trip here 1 1/2 years ago, I was frustrated after a while because the relatives were so insistent (SHainese r very persistent, their O.P. is to wear you down until you give in) on planning our meals. I hardly had time to do my own thing (shop) or eat at my own choice of restaurants. This trip, we have sent out a strong message (and they'll know it's me, bc Hub is known from young (he left Sh when he was eight) to be a very compliant, good and considerate boy. Somebody has to be the bad guy and it's usually me. Was at Yi's office last night but somehow we couldn't get on the Net. Her office is awesome;I've not seen an office like that before. There's a gym, a bar with a beautiful magazine-worthy stainless steel island with beer tap, a kitchen and a bedroom for tired architects. The open plan office is modern, in grey and white, with bamboo plants as screens. It used to be a bicycle factory so it's huge with a high ceiling. I considered getting a friend in KK, who's coming to SH today, to bring bring my 25 year-old (i think) hard copy of Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club, or The Opposite Of Fate. All her other books that I have are in soft copies and nearly worn into half. I love her writing and stories so I was thrilled beyond words when Yi was introduced to Amy through email. I didn't know that she would be coming to China this weekend; thought that she had already left. Other than the cold, we're enjoying ourselves not doing much. Spring is late this year. The weather forecast this weekend is even colder temperatures. We are too early for loquats and yangmei, two fruits not found anywhere else in the world. We have to come back when the weather's kinder. I don't know why but my post have no paragraphs and i'm too lazy to fiddle with html when i don't have a mouse.