Marie's Web Log

Today is gotcha day. It's been two years (!!!) since that fateful day when we rode the lift (elevator) to the meeting room on the top floor of the hotel in hot and sticky Changsha and (in Ian's words) they put that little screaming bundle into our arms. That little bundle is now our wonderful daughter Amelia, the opinionated, chatty, music-loving, soon-to-be-three-year-old.

Wow, those first few months were tough. I remember them like it was yesterday. Lots of crying, especially at night. Very little sleeping (for baby or parents). Lots of arguing (for parents). What a nightmare. We've had some tough times since, as well, especially last winter when she was going through her bad tantrum stage. But we love her absolutely dearly.

Sometimes people ask if we'd like a second one. No, I don't think so. Not only could I not go through all that again, but I've never really wanted more than one. Best to quit while you're ahead.

Tomorrow is Amelia's official adoption day - the day we signed the papers at the county government office to make it all official. I've made a rather sorry looking little cake (don't ask!) and we're planning to have a little ceremony with three candles, one for us, one for her, and one for her birth parents. And maybe some Chinese food.

Sunday is the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Festival of the Mid-Autumn Moon. It happens on the 15th day of the eighth moon in the Chinese calendar. It's a festival of thanksgiving and a time for reuniting with family and friends; a bit like the Canadian or American Thanksgiving. So let me send our warmest love and greetings to you all, our dear friends and family.

Yesterday we went to (yes) the pub and the beach. We haven't done that for ages, honest. The pub we went to is called The Turf Hotel because it's situated at the Turf Locks on Exeter canal, where it joins the estuary. It's a beautiful spot, not least because you can't get to it by car. You can drive so far and then walk, or you can cycle, or you can take a ferry. Very peaceful. Then we drove down to Dawlish Warren beach just for an hour or so, so Amelia could play in the sand.

Last weekend we visited the nearby Powderham Castle. The only way you can see the inside is on a guided tour, which I'm usually not too keen on, but this one was quite sweet. My favourite part was the mirror they could crank open and closed to cover a window over a fireplace. And the fact that they have 14,000 books. (Mark, you'd be in heaven. A lot of them looked very old. They were behind wire screens.)

We wandered the grounds afterward and came across a Mulberry tree. Neither Ian nor I (nor Amelia, as far as we know!) had ever seen one before. The fruit looked a bit like an oversized raspberry. There was a sign saying we were welcome to pick them, but to be careful not to track the juice inside. And they are extremely messy - bite into one and you instantly have bright red juice running down your arm. I didn't like the taste - a bit sour, like gooseberries.

We bumped into one of the daughters of the current Earl of Devon, who lives with his wife in the castle. (Not to be confused with the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, who live in Derbyshire.) The daughter lives in the "stable house" on the estate with her four young daughters, and she was out picking berries with them. You could tell she was posh because she was wearing dirty jeans, a rumpled sweatshirt, and rubber boots.

Ian handed in his dissertation on Monday. He won't get his mark until November. No, we don't know what we're doing next.