A recap of the recent 3 weeks

     It has been a luxury to be able to enjoy 3 free weeks. Life truly slowed down in the village. We woke up in the cheerful chirping of birds, breathing the fresh moist morning air. Unlike the previous holidays, I did not make a plan, so there is not a reference for review. However, I feel it is time to sit down and think about what I have done and what to do in the next month.

    Generally, I cough less and feel healthier than the previous months. I guess it is because of the better rest and nutrition I take. 

    I spent the first 2 weeks in my parents in law's. I sent the kids to pingpong lessons in the morning, and took a nap in the afternoon. Then we did some exercise. Sometimes, I had breakfast outside and had a nice walk on the bridge before the lesson. The kids loved it. Also, I got to practice driving in the process. Even though there were two accidents and I got to pay for my mistakes,  I still felt lucky to be able to drive. 

    Then we drove back to my parents'. We hung out every day in the courtyard. I idled away the time, sitting and staring into the sky, bathing the kids. The kids created silly games to entertain themselves. As my WeChat moments were bombarded with photos fantastic views and food from all over the world, I just felt contented to be able to sit in the village and enjoy the peacefulness. 

    Sometimes, I watched Friends and gained a new perspective on this classic soap opera. The first time I watched it was in 2008, the second time in 2018. Maybe it is because I am a more mature mother, I start wondering how the main characters were raised by their parents. I start to understand their personalities lead to their life choices, some of which may seem coincidental at first. For example, Monica was raised by a strict mother, who  has an obvious preference for her brother. So Monica made great efforts to impress her mother. She tried hard to keep her apartment neat in all details before her mother's visiting. She fluffed her pillows repetitively, checked everything in the living room to make sure everything is in perfect condition.