It Snowed!

So it snowed, not a lot, just a thin blanket of snow covering the ground. Yet, there are already people out with snow shovels clearing the courtyard and the walkways. I'm looking at you, Spokane.


Yesterday Karalygash and I scouted out a different fabric market. I quite liked it, there was a lot going on even though there weren't that many buyers. Most of the female vendors were busy knitting and talking to each other while the male vendors were playing cards. They were getting ready to close up(I keep forgetting that the businesses here run on Beijing time, so everything is two hours earlier), but we were able to ask some questions.

We stumbled into the notions section(buttons, zippers, trim, etc. for you non-sewers) which was huge. Have you ever been in a room filled entirely with buttons? You should. There were buttons the likes of which I've never seen before. I'm going to have to procure some of this fabric I've never seen before and some notions I've never seen before and make something to wear about Spokane that no one has ever seen before.
The knitting was interesting, too. They were all knitting in the round on, like, size 1 needles. It must take forever! I want to look more closely as they're knitting, because they're holding the needles in a style I'm unfamiliar with(I tend to knit in an English/Continental hybrid style, being left-handed and all). I haven't seen any knitting shops yet, that I'm aware of. Maybe I passed one and didn't recognize it. On the surface, everything is the same, but it's just the surface. It's like being in a parallel universe, except not everyone has mustaches or beards.
Last night I helped AnNar with her English homework, which reminded me of working at Mukogawa and helping my Japanese students with theirs. I should pick up a Chinese language workbook so she can help me with mine. I haven't yet explored the large bookstore here yet, so that's something to look forward to.