Back to Reality

After the excitement of last weekend, back to work this week. Had a couple of evenings out including some BBQ beef and Kareoke with a client in one of the Kowloon-side hotspots. Also working yesterday until 3pm so by the time A. and I got down to the HK Stadium all the 7s tickets had gone. Disaster. Watched the exhibition rugby anyway although after the third player had been carried from the field and A. was again wondering "why is that rugbyman walking funny?" decided to call it a day so that he was not put off the game for life and went to meet Em and V at Dan Ryan's for some food and then a trip out to see the Christmas lights in Central.

Did the same thing with A. last year whch was not nearly so successful (we forgot the camera so bought a disposable which A. insisted on taking charge of. As a consequence we had a variety of altercations during the walk around the lights and 30+ photographs of the pavement, the backs of people's heads etc.). This year everyone was better behaved and we wrote various messages to Grandmas M and P and new Cousin J at Santa's wishing corner.

Today was a lot cooler so did not get up to much. Met some new people in the play area who's daughter goes to A.'s nursery - a tri-linqual household (German, Swedish and English) which puts us all to shame. Also attempted to cook roast beef for the first time ever. D. not particulaly impressed by the smoke billowing into her room.

Tomorrow I have an interview at social services regarding some frineds of ours who are hoping to adopt so should prove interesting.

Long Weekend

After the excitement of Ocean Park on Friday, we decided to take advantage of the good weather with a day at Shek O beach. Arrived at around 11.30 and for the first time in ages found a parking spot right next to the beach. Spent $70 on a couple of deckchairs and a parasol and we were well and truly sorted.

V. took a while to get used to the wind - very hot in the sun but definitely cooler in the shade so Em and V. wrapped up in shade whilst A. and I explored the beach (pretty well deserted until after lunch). The surf was up so A. was keen to do some wave jumping (involving me lifting him over the waves - a game that can continue for hours and probably means his arms are around 3 inches longer than normal).

We had stopped off for HK's most expensive sandwiches at a little place in Red Hill next to A's school so it was very much the traditional picnic lunch with added sand.

Having acquired a reasonably pink complexion we headed home at around 4 and spent the next couple of hours trying to get A. off to sleep in preparation for our first meal out in the evening( with some friends W and K) since V. was born. We ended up going in two stages with me going with the wine and Em arriving about 40 minutes with V. and some chocolate. A lovely evening (K's recently acquired EPL football on cable adding the finishing touch).

We ended the weekend with a a packed programme today. Church with A in the morning followed by the St Anne's parish BBQ (there is something quite surreal watching priests perform YMCA...) and then off to the last couple of hours of the Professions rugby 7s at Stanley Fort. I think A. was more interested in the PLA soldiers guarding the entrance and the wide variety of bouncy castles than the rugby but a good time was definitely had by all.

On the crest of a wave

After the spending the last couple of weeks locked in the office, managed a day off today and what a day. Blue skies and (apart from when in the direct sunlight) very pleasant. Took the family off to Ocean Park to see the sharks (A.) and the Jellyfish Display (E. and I). Despite it being a weekday, still busy but much more bearable than the unrelenting heat and crowds of the Summer months.

Had a meal at the Bayview restaurant when we arrived and then went to the Shark Acquarium and the Atoll reef. E and I have seen some pretty good aquariaum (Aquriai?) in various parts of the world but I am still impressed by the Atoll reef - a few years ago I met one of the guys who painted the rock to give them the vivid "rock" colours (his business card said he was a Rock Artist) and the fish are extraordinary. The Jellyfish display was excellent (although the lighting perhaps a little bit Hollywood) and it was a terrific HK day rounded off by a quick play with A. in the Stanley play area near the bus stop and a gingerbread and white Chocolate decaff latte in Pacific Coffee.

Christmas seems to have arrived big time without me noticing (although leaving the office on Thursday I was struck by the definite smell of pine in the air from the enormous Christmas tree in the lobby. Ocean Park had treated us to a medley of salsa style Christmas hits whilst Pacific Coffee stuck to the slightly more mainstream pop Christmass classics. I am sure I will get sick of it over the next few weeks but it was a pleasant reminder that Christmas is around the corner.