Shopping with Rosie and a most unusual birthday gift

I have a dear friend in Oklahoma City named Rosie. She and I met this past year and have become fast friends. She introduced me to her sister and another friend of theirs, and the four of us have become very close. I can go to dinner with them and we can fill hours of time with laughter.

At any rate, one of the residents needed an English name. Her Chinese nickname is "Ping" and Mandy said, "that sounds like Pink!". Well, I really didn't think "Pink" a good English name for her, so I chose "Rosie" instead. So, now I have a friend here in China named Rosie as well :)

We had Grand Rounds yesterday afternoon (Thursday 4/16). I listened intently. Based on the visual fields, etc, I could tell the case was a newly diagnosed bitemporal hemianopia secondary to a pituitary adenoma. So, I did get something from the lecture.

Afterwards, Rosie wanted to know if I had tried Chinese cherries. I told her I hadn't. I had seen people selling them in the street, but honestly didn't know what they were. She said the time in which you can buy these is limited (about a 1-2 week stretch in the spring), so she suggested she take me to purchase some!

We walked to a little market and the fruit was beautiful. Rosie told me her brother sells fruit too (in a different town in China). So she knew how to pick the fruit! I bought some cherries, bananas, and apples. She told me to soak the cherries in salt water for about five minutes, and then rinse and they would be ready to eat!

Rosie at the market

Rosie surveying the fruit.

She also took me to a few stores to get some items I was missing. A bowl and spoon for my hotel room, some extra hangers, etc. It was so nice of her.

In the evening, I went for a walk in the park. It was a nice night and many people were out exercising.

 

Views from the park across the street from my hotel.

There is a lot of air pollution in Chengdu. Not as much as in Beijing, but still, it is very smoggy. Many people will walk around with masks covering their nose and mouth. Aron said, when he was a child, that "you used to be able to see the blue sky, but these days, not so much". Indeed, the sky has yet to look "blue" to me :-/ 

A favorite mode of transportation for the Chinese--scooters. And bicycles with motors on them. (Don't worry mom, I will NOT be riding on one of these!) Please note the "blue sky" in the background... :-/

Mandy has told the residents that my birthday is this coming Monday, April 20. (She says she knows because I had to supply her with a copy of my passport :)). At any rate, Cookie (one of the residents), came up to me yesterday after Grand Rounds and said, "I have a birthday present for you". She then proceeded to give me a mask! It was the most unusual birthday gift I think I have ever received, but also one of the kindest. She is concerned about my health/lungs while I am here and wants to make sure I am safe :)

Cookie and our masks :)