Body surf

Last year when Grace and Mum came, we all went to Shek-O to show the kids some beautiful beaches in Hong Kong island. This is the result of body surf demonstration - Jon's head went straight into the sand under the wave, blood streaming down and he asked me if he is ok. I said you are just fine but when he walked into the changing room everyone was staring at him with the shocked face.

Sharp Peak

We went for a 2 day camp hike in Sai-Kung. Sharp peak has been one of the mountains we always wanted to hike but never did it with heavy backpacks (it is only accessible via 2 hour walk). We left our bags at the bushes then started the walk. Very treacherous and steep at some parts, the ground was lose, stones falling apart. Real hiking boots should help - we hike in running shoes all the time. We walked for about 16Km over the past 2 days with our light camping gear (no food no water, only a tent, sleeping bags, mattress, pillows, swimming gears and changing clothes, etc.). It felt like tons when hiking in hot and humid weather, especially uphill. We finally got home exhausted the next day and weighted our bags - it is only 10 and 7 kg!

Signing

We signed the paper last Friday during my lunch break. After the ceremony, I went back to work and Jon went swimming.

Worm farm

Our worm farm in the balcony.

Winnie the Pooh

Being a joker for everyone's entertainment I bought this hat for Jon's Rugby 7 outing, it is almost a rule that everyone has to dress up if you would like to get into south stand where young kids throwing beer at each other. Jon's got quiet a few pints and we decided to walk home from LKF. He was in the hat and said to people on the street "Where is the honey mate".

Picture taking

The funny thing about these pictures is that I bent my knees trying to be in the center. Hey I swear I didn't do that on purpose.

Helmet

Um, I was being made fun of wearing a helmet in this picture - my thick hair.

Skating in SGP

I was shipped in Singapore after Chinese New Year for about 5 weeks, in order to find something to do during the weekend, I again joined the local skating group. The lots are fun bunch, we started skating around 6pm and skate into the night while it is much cooler. stop for ice cream and soda, meeting other skating groups, etc.

Putting together

Few weeks after moving in - all furniture are second hand. We see no point of chopping down more trees for brand new wooden furniture while the second hand ones are just as good. One less item to the landfill is probably the best thing we can do to the environment living as a city dweller. __________________________________________________ We are still sleeping on the floor today, keep putting off the task to find a proper bed. The guest bedroom is pretty completed though.

Worm farm

Last year when we moved into our new flat, Jon had taken the responsibility of finding the kitchenware and furniture; I was responsible for the logistic and negotiating the prices. Jon would go round taking picture and sent them to me while I was at work. This is the kitchen rack stuff he found in IKEA. We are happily using it still. __________________________________________________________ We were crazy about house plants when we first moved in, and vowed to find a tree for our living room. We started with the small IKEA plant like that in the picture. Jon got it home and we watered it for 3 days before realizing it in fact plastic.

吾年未四十，而視茫茫，而髮蒼蒼，而齒牙動搖

Skating group in Singapore - the weather was just too hot and humid, we started around 6pm and skated into the night until 11. ________________________________________________ This is quoted from a famous ancient Chinese literature, translated into "I am not yet 40 years old, and have blurred vision, and have sandy white hair, and teeth shaking". This is pretty much how I feel today.

Elan and Dad

Last winter Dad walked back home alone one night and felt he cannot move his limps after getting home. He sat down and breathed slowly - finally regained mobility. He then called the emergency room and the doctor said it could be caused by extremely cold weather and it sounds like a minor stroke. Anyhow Dad is fine now walking around but he is very proud of himself handling this emergency very well. So he bragged about it to the neighbor, the stray dog mum (she feeds stray dog hence everyone calls her stray dog mum) said "Mr. Liao, you cannot die. If you die, no one is going to wheel Elan out for a walk".

Keep Calm and Carry On

There has been lots of changes in my life the past 2 years and they are not documented at all. What a shame. I moved away from Tokyo and settle in Hong Kong island with my partner Jon. I am using my Cantonese ID a lot more than my Canadian passport. I become a Yoga addict. I stop jogging but keep swimming weekly. I do not weight myself as obsessively as before. Just now I farewell my top right molar because the root was infected - thinking about the implant within 6 months.

Elan died on April 13 2014, 22 years old

Our dog died of old age this Sunday. Dad took it ok I think - he had a smoke after knowing the dog stopped breathing. This is the end of the endless chores of walking/wheeling Elan and cleaning the floor. But it is still sad. He had been part of the family (part of dad rather) for the past 22 years. I thank him for keeping dad company all these years.

The Village

Went dinner to Mum's adopted family in Hong Kong. Grand dad is 88 years old.

Yoga and Vegetarian

I am always blunt about my Vegetarian friends, I told them "look, I don't really want to hang out with you because you are no fun. You don't enjoy the same food as I do and you don't drink. Because of you, we have to eat at some wooshy washy expensive Vegetarian restaurants, in which the food I don't even like!?!? Please don't expect to see me in any dinner party that you are planning to join." After practicing yoga, I am eating less and less meat (they smell). I ran into this yoga instructor who is strongly against animal killing - he advised us to try. I was pondering about the possibility and decided to give it a go. It is greener, more environmental friendly and cheaper. My shopping basket is filled with fresh veggies and tofu. Some cheese and beans (to make sure I get enough protein and calcium). It is indeed cheaper!! Though I allow myself to eat small amount of fish, I can still go out hanging out with friends thank god alcohol is not made of animal protein. I decide not to make my friends' life difficult, I can eat in any restaurant but just not much meat. It seems like being a yogi and vegetarian is always part of 30 something woman's life...

2 bad movies

On my way from Tokyo to Hong Kong, showing 2 movies in the 4 and half hour flight. Ok, I really hate them and I think I should record my resentment and despice. "We bought a Zoo" might be a real story, but, com'on. The 7-year old girl who behaves like a 27 year old sensible woman? Making peanut butter sandwiches, slided them into ziplog bag and labeled them? The script writer is either doing too much drug or has never met a devil like 7-year old (that's what they really are). I dislike that little girl the most, her innocent demeanors seem insincere and fake. I basically don't like anyone in the film, they are just too nice and too far away from reality. The 14 year old rebelious son turned around to be the good friend of the dad? Oh, give me a break. This is indeed a feeling-good movie, but it would be great if we are viewing it as if it is a carton, I think it works pretty well for teenages or anyone younger. "Hugo" is another bad movie. Viewing it as if it is an anima won't even work. There is no logic to the story. A 10 year old boy lives in the train station without food and any form of care. That's totally just too fictionary. It is unclear why the great movie producer gave up his career - he is not making great movies anyways as far as I can see from the clips. I gave up the 20 minutes before the end, I think I would be better off by spacing out, otherwise my brain cells would die if keep staring at the screen. One question to ask (BBC also asked that before), why the French kids speak English with British Accent?

Being in Hong Kong

Um, 80% of my pictures are about drinking and eating... Maybe I should seriously thinking about getting a new camera. My new boss from Sydney, Taro-san is obviously not giving him any break.
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Hong Kong amazes me in may ways. People live in a way not like Japanese or Westerners, they bravely and courageously show their true selves. Not trying to cover up being a Chinese, for example. Not trying to be "White". Funny thing is that I think this is one of the few places where girls do not prefer western guys (belive me you see many of those in Tokyo or Taipei). I guess the reason is complex, Hong Kong has been a British colony for almost hundred of years, long history of communication with English speaking world. Nothing is really too fancy in Hong Kong girls' eyes. They are also very practical, these English official or expats hang around in the maid serviced high-end apartment all because they are expats. When they return home, the living standard is very questionable. What's so cool to marry a foreigner and move away from the convenient, exciting and volatile Hong Kong? Find a rich local guy is their first priority. One thing I cannot understand is that Hong Kong ladies are trendy and very fashionable before certain age. But after that threshold, their taste or fashion sense are just like some wire snapping. Seeing many middle age ladies wearing tights (ok, tights that you cannot see thru, but they are still tights) walking on the streets as if that's just normal casual dress. I almost want to shake them into their sense, tights are called tights because they are designed to be worn inside something!!!

Angry Bird

I went grocery shopping without shopping bag, I ended up putting the cabbage and carrots to my handbag. When returning back to the office, before emptying my bag, mobile phone rang and I had to empty the bag to fish out my phone (women spend half of their life trying to find things from the hang bags) - my colleagues made fun of me by taking photo of the contents
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My second nephew is a kid with a lot of characters. He came back from school, dressed as angry bird - with 2 thick black eye browses painted on his face and refused to let anyone touch it. It just so happened that he came down with flu after school. We suspected it was the serious stomach flu virus infection, hence hurried him to the pediatrician's clinic.

The doctor said no words about his obviously artificial painted eye browses but carried out normal examination as if there are tons of kids coming to her clinic with them every day.

Godsend

Taken last year summer only received it just now... The dinner with my Japanese bank clients and San Francisco Colleagues.
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Traveled to and from Toronto within 3 days. I barely slept since Thursday morning due to the stress and jetlag. I flew back on the red eye flight, departing from Toronton at 1:40am. Somehow I got upgraded to premium economic class and had a good space to relax. After a meal and movie, I popped a sleeping pill and passed out for 12 hours, woke up just few minutes before landing. A 15 hour journey is not too bad, I am in a reasonable state to work.