[imcarthur]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Of course, everything we hear comes 3rd hand from my stepson or via email from the bride. The grandmother’s illness is very serious – heart – and she has been in the hospital in Handan for a month & the bride’s mother has been spending a lot of time there & running back & forth to her job in Beijing – she’s gov’t too. This has sped up the plans & forced them to skip a Beijing wedding. The bride’s father is also traveling extensively right now & his availability is very limited. They are skipping the Tea Ceremony & since it’s immediately before New Year & in Handan, the guest count is to be very small. We were afraid that a wedding in Beijing would be a huge political affair with a who’s who of gov’t officials since he does move in those circles.

They are quite well off for China with a 3 BR condo in Beijing on Wanshou Rd & they provided a hefty down payment for a 2 BR condo for the bride in the southern CBD – Chaoyang area in Beijing. We suspect that they want to ensure their daughter – only child of course – doesn’t forget them when she emigrates to Canada later this year.

They have offered a friend’s condo for us in Handan, which we’ll accept & in Beijing we were offered accommodations in the Chaoyang condo but we plan to hotel it there.

Btw the bride doesn’t like gold . . . Swarovski Crystal is her thing & my wife is getting earrings & a necklace for her.

Ian