OMG BBQ

Well, as of late this afternoon, it's official: my Mum is moving to China in August for at least a year. Mum is a highly accomplished teacher, and has accepted a position teaching French at an embassy school in Beijing.

So first? GO MUM!

And second?

FAAAAACK, now I need to pay for a trip for my little family to China. BAH.

China has figured large in our family for at least thirty years. During the 80's, when "Chinese" cooking became all the rage, my father turned away from electric woks and crappy North American ingredients, and chose to pursue the lonely road which involved rusting cleavers, perfectly rounded woks, cuts of meat no one else would eat, and ingredients in our pantry that no one could read the labels of. Your family might have gone through the Chinese food phase, but my family went through CHINA.

And still does today.

My mum currently has a perfectly normal "Canadian" home. Well, except for the fact that her house is decorated in a Chinese style. And disregard the framed pieces of Chinese embroidery. And please don't mention the teas in her cupboard, or the chop (name seal) sitting on her desk.

In MY house, we won't talk about the small riverstone that has the character "Forever" handcarved in to it (once upon time, a stone I gave my father to explain to him how much I loved him.) We won't talk about the pens, or the linens, or the inkstands which are all very definitely Chinese and all occupy places of honour in my home.

My name is Irma.

I am Canadian Scots Ukranian English Catholic Anglican Jewish.

And I can't wait to go home to China.



(please send money)