done

Duty Number 1 for the Spring Festival is done. The couplets and 福 characters and associated bits and pieces have been pasted on all the doors, gates and door and gate posts, the back wall of the house opposite our gate, and the bengbengche. And two rolls of crackers were set off to complete that. My part is holding, carrying, or helping out with the ladder, pot of glue, brushes, and other bits needed to past these things up, then lighting the fireworks. Everybody else runs safely inside the courtyard as I prepare to light the crackers. Our dog, Zaizai, who generally follows me everywhere, stands beside me, then barks madly at the crackers as they explode. Fortunately he’s smart enough to not get close enough to them to get hurt.

Anyway, that’s done.