We've had a busy 24 hours. We did indeed go to the concert last night.

It was held at a hotel/conference center around the corner from the school. The winter and spring concerts have been held there for a few years, once the school got big enough to warrant a 400 seat auditorium. But last night was the last concert to be held at the Garden Villa, as we will be using the beautiful theater space in the new building come spring.

The concert lived up to its billing. The little kids were as cute as could be, the recorders sounded better than I expected and the older kids were incredibly talented. We followed that up with a lovely pizza dinner with friends. Every now and then I need to satisfy the craving for some pizza and then be reminded that I really should wait until I go back to Simsbury and have the pizza at Little City. I'll just say that the company was way better than the food.

This morning we were up bright and early to join some folks for the second annual reindeer run at Aozihdi Park. One of the teachers at school invites the KAS community to run/walk a few times around the park and then gather afterwards at his apartment for a pancake breakfast. Who doesn't want the opportunity to get some exercise, chat with friends and be given candy canes? This is Claire, the daughter of some colleagues and a 6th grader at KAS, handing out the candy canes at the end of the run (or walk, in my case).

Reindeer antlers were optional, but quite popular, accessories.

After the walk and breakfast it was time to do some shopping. On our search for the toy store we came across a mall with an amazing little clothes shop. I splurged and bought a couple things for myself. As we were paying, the proprietors asked us to sit down and the woman gave us a cup of tea and seaweed with rice, which were delicious. While we ate her husband went into the shop next door and bought us a gift, a cute little mug with an odd little design on it. I've never been shopping where the shop owner bought me something. The hospitality here seems so sincere and heartfelt, like they were really, really glad we came to their shop. I love Taiwan.

The red hen sitting next to my new coffee cup is another purchase we made today - nesting measuring cups, because I need nesting chicken measuring cups, don't you?