So What's For Dinner

​I know that soe of you are waiting for a post about where we are oing and what we are going to be doing  Well you are going to hae to wait just a bit longer for that but I do proise that I will get bak to the story soon soonish If you are wondering why y typing is so bad I a haing soe probles with y laptop  (For the less adentuous a ersion of this post using the onsreen keyboard is below)
Today I a just going to gie you a little slie of life story so you an feel like you are sitting right here beside e you know liing the life ause its pretty aazing  Really   It goes like this:
Yesterday whih was Sunday I was aking dinner as I tend to do ost-eery-night (!) and when I went to hek on the potatoes I had boiling I disoered that the gas was out Well that sared the **** out of e for a seond beause a gas burner that is ON without any flae an be a diey situation  I uikly realized that we were not in danger of blowing up beause in fat there was no gas going through the line  While this was a less atastrophi situation it still wasn’t optial Why you ask  Well here in our part of hina all utilities work on a pay-in-adane plan So you load up a sart ard with oney and slide the ard into the eter and then oila – power or water or gas  Its not a bad syste eept when you run out at an inopportune tie Like 7p on Sunday night  Why is this an inopportune tie you ay ask Well that would be beause the gas ard (for soe opletely unknown reason) an only be refilled on     Sunday! So it will be another week before we an fill the gas ard and turn the gas bak on  Joy
In the eantie we do hae a irowae and an oen so we are not opletely without ooking options What we are also without at least for the tie being is eat  Our eat an has been losed for the last week for no apparent reason unless he took a late New Year holiday I don’t know of another soure for eat in our illage so until he oes bak we are egetarians  egetarians without a stoe
Tonights gouret eal was supposed to be aaroni and heese  (Don’t roll your eyes at y aroni and heese This is a speial treat oer here at $350 a bo  -- haha sounds really epensie with no periods!)There used to be a reioe on the bo for aking it in the irowae but not anyore apparently But google is y bestest friend so off I went to find the diretions (I a also thankful for y pn sine google is banned in hina) I a also thankful that google is so sart and an figure out what I want een with soe pretty ritial letters issing   So there I a searhing google through y pn so I an ake $350 aaroni and heese in the irowae beause y gas ard ant be refilled for a week  and just giggling at the absurdity of our lies  Writing about it on a keyboard that is issing nearly the whole botto row of letters and ost of the punctuation just adds to the fun Soeday if I hae the energy Ill write about the eletriity  
A final note: I hae been thinking for seeral days that it would be nie to ake pudding  Alas no pudding with no stoe (I a not trying THAT in the irowae!) Then Kristen reinded e that I ery niely bought an instant pudding i sine she doesn’t like to ake it on the stovetop So happily we WILL hae soe pudding for dessert!

The stove is actually on a cooking porch behind the kitchen. Think hot in the summer and freezing in the winter.

The kitchen. Although come to think of it there is nothing in the "kitchen" to cook with: the stove is on the porch, the microwave is in the entryhall, and the oven is in the dining room.

​Here's the version with the 'c' , 'm' and 'v' and punctuation. 
I know that some of you are waiting for a post about where we are going and what we are going to be doing.  Well you are going to have to wait just a bit longer for that but I do promise that I will get back to the story soon. Soonish. Today I am just going to give you a little slice of life story so you can feel like you are sitting right here beside me, you know living the life, because it’s pretty amazing.  Really.   It goes like this:
Yesterday which was Sunday I was making dinner as I tend to do most-every-night (!) and when I went to check on the potatoes I had boiling I discovered that the gas was out. Well that scared the **** out of me for a second because a gas burner that is ON without any flame can be a dicey situation.  I quickly realized that we were not in danger of blowing up because in fact there was no gas going through the line.  While that was some relief, it still wasn’t optimal. Why you ask?  Well here in our part of China all utilities work on a pay-in-advance plan. So you load up a smart card with money and slide the card into the meter and then, voila!, power or water or gas.  It’s not a bad system except when you run out at an inopportune time. Like 7pm on Sunday night.  Why is this an inopportune time you may ask? Well, that would be because the gas card (for some completely unknown reason) can only be refilled on …  Sunday! So it will be another week before we can fill the gas card and turn the gas back on.  Joy.
In the meantime we do have a microwave and an oven so we are not completely without cooking options.  What we are also without at least for the time being is meat.  Our meat man has been closed for the last week for no apparent reason. Maybe he took a late New Year holiday? I don’t know of another source for meat in our village so until he comes back we are vegetarians.  Vegetarians without a stove.
Tonight’s gourmet meal was supposed to be macaroni and cheese.  (Don’t roll your eyes at my macaroni and cheese! This is a special treat over here, primarily for emergencies at $3.50 a box  --  still sounds expensive even with the periods!)There used to be a recipe on the box for making it in the microwave but not anymore apparently. But google is my bestest friend so off I went to find the directions. (I am also thankful for my vpn since google is banned in China.) I am also thankful that google is so smart and can figure out what I want even with some pretty critical letters missing.   So there I am searching google through my vpn so I can make $3.50 macaroni and cheese in the microwave because my gas card can’t be refilled for a week and just giggling at the absurdity of our lives.  Writing about it on a keyboard that is missing nearly the whole bottom row of letters and most of the punctuation just adds to the fun. Someday if I have the energy I’ll write about the electricity. 
A final note: I have been thinking for several days that it would be nice to make pudding.  Alas no pudding with no stove (I am not trying THAT in the microwave!) Then Kristen reminded me that I very nicely bought an instant pudding mix since she doesn’t like to make it on the stovetop. So happily we WILL have some pudding for dessert!