my original plan was to wake up at 7:00 and go to the market day (ganji) in bake. but bake is not very far from here (changshou), closer than the distance to yanjia (the town nearest our construction work site), so i figured it wouldn't take too long to get to so i could sleep in a little late. i woke up an hour later at 8:00, partly because i wanted to, but mostly because one of my neighbors began loud renovation work and the banging of demolition was driving me crazy.

winter solstice lunch at xianglian's place:
i arrived late as usual. i got off at ancient changshou and ran back to town what would normally require about 20 minutes to walk. all the training sure came in handy!

afternoon in old changshou: