A new hairstyle

Just thought you all might like to see the boys new hairstyle. I tell you the trends here in Hong Kong are so different to back home in Tampa!

Fun time had by all

Thankskgiving this year was celebrated with 3 Canadians, 2 Australians, 1 German and 4 Americans. Thank god we had the Americans and Canadians at the dinner table. The rest of us were just there for the good food, great conversation and all round good time.

We started the night off by saying what we were thankful for. Jackson of course said he was thankful for food! Dylan was thankful that he doesn't have to eat Tomatoes for the rest of his life and I was thankful that I had made it this long in Hong Kong. I was also thankful for not having to wash up anymore!

Today Wayne is off and we are going to go Christmas shopping for the boys. What do you get two boys that have everything? I know, a card! I guess we will just be wandering around all day trying to decide what to do for them. I have put our Christmas decorations up though. Our tree is 4ft high and has a slight lean to it. But it is very cool. No lights on it as yet, as I think once I put those on the tree it might just fall over. Stitch our cat has only pulled the tree over twice.

Yesterday was the annual fun fair at the boys school. It wasn't like the throwing china plates against a wall like we did back in the boys Lambrook Haileybury, UK days. Yesterday there were more blow up rides than I have ever seen. Did you know they have a blow up human table soccer game. It was very cool. I had the important job of being a volunteer for 85 minutes. When I asked what was required of me, all that was mentioned was that I had to throw out people from the gym who were eating, make sure no drinks were consumed in their either and no blood was allowed to be gushing from anyone. With these few rules in mind, I put my badge on and walked around the gym for 85 minutes watching my kids in the pillow fight contest and winning all those prizes that you end up putting in the bin once you get home.

Enjoy the pictures! Bye. xxx

Jackson scores!!!!

Hi all,

Jackson scored a goal in Ice Hockey practice today. YEAH!!!!! Dylan did really well too. I am so proud of the effort that they are putting into their practices. Who knew that their Canadian roots would start to show through at this late stage.

I promise photos of them dressed up to kill on the rink will be coming soon.

On another note, Jake Samples our little buddy in hospital in Chicago is off the critical list and onto the stable list at Loyola. Jen says that the staff at Loyola have been great to them.

Anyway, I'll chat soon.

Love to you all. xxxx

Jake please get better quickly...

I just received a call from my very good friend Jen. She was telling me that her son Jake had had a bad accident. This is just a quick note to get everybody to say a pray for our little buddy Jake. We love you Jake! Get better fast little buddy. xxx

Quidam rocks!

Just got back from Cirque du Soliel's Qiuidam. All I can say is that Quidam ROCKS!!!! Go see it. As you all know this is my first visit to see a Cirque du Soliel show. I can't wait to go and see another one now.

Tomorrow is Cirque du Soleil

Hi all!

Well I have had the pleasure of Dylan's company all week. Unfortunately he wasn't well so we didn't have that much fun. But tomorrow we will. We are all very excited we are off to Cirque du Soleil to see there Quidam show. So tomorrow watch out for my update.

The boys are both doing well in their Mandarin studies at school. So if you need any Mandarin translations done, I've got the boys for you.

Anyway till tomorrow,

Me.x

Dylan's Crook!!

Well poor old Dylan is down for the count today. Yesterday he woke up not feeling very well, and today he has woken up with a full blown cold. Not good as he is suppose to be at school designing his version of the Hotel Shangri-La for his Science and Math project.

Jackson on the other hand wanted to stay home too as he was not a 100% today. But alas, he has had so much time away from school this year he had to go to school and grin and bear it. Poor little devil. He is going to be having a big soccer game at school today. He is the goalie for the Grade 7 inter-murals final. I hope they win!

Wayne went to try on his new suits yesterday. I couldn't believe how fast they were to get the suit mock up done. We will be able to pick up all of his new clothes on Sunday. That should be a relief for him. He only has two suits he can wear at the moment. The suits sure look great on, but boy are they expensive. I guess it has been far too long since I have had to buy any sort of up market clothes for Wayne for work.

This Saturday we are off to see Cirque de Soleil - Quidam. I can't wait. I have wanted to see any of their shows for years now. The crazy thing was that we lived less than an hour away from the permanent Cirque de Soleil show - Nobu (I think that is how it is spelt) in Florida and we never went. I think it is cheaper here as well. Anyway, that will give me plenty to write about next week.

Today the weather here is awful. It is so bad you cannot see outside the windows. I feel like we are in a mist bubble again. Oh that's right we are so high up we are in the clouds.

Anyway, happy Tuesday everyone.

Love Sam. x

A beautiful day in Hong Kong!

Well today was one of the most beautiful days we have experienced over here in Hong Kong. The scorching temperatures are starting to cool down and the smog is starting to lessen.

Today we were wandering around on the dark side again (Kowloon) for some information for a school project for Dylan. He has to build a model replica of the Hotel Shangri-La Kowloon. Once he builds the model they will be putting electricity to it so you can see it light up. I just hope we don't start a fire!

While we were over that side of Hong Kong, Wayne went and got fitted for some suits and shirts from one of the local tailors. It seems a pretty good deal and he will have all these new outfits for work in under 5 days. It's definitely different than going to buy them off the rack at Marks and Spencers. Here's hoping we have done the right thing.

Once again tomorrow is Orthodontist day. Right now I feel like the money we have been saving for the boys for university, is all going to go in their mouths. At least they will be going to a cheap school with a lovely smile!

Till the next time we meet!!!!!

Watch out Cezanne!

Hi everyone. Well yesterday I found out that I can still put a pencil to a piece of paper and a recognizable shape appeared. While living the high life in Florida I let my passion for painting and anything arty and crafty have a bit of a rest. Yesterday I started up painting again. Not one course, but two were started up again yesterday. In the morning I was learning the basic arts of Chinese painting. Then in the afternoon it was off to my oil painting class.

The only issues that I had with my progress yesterday was that when Wayne arrived home late in the evening, he looked at my practice bamboo shoots and he thought I had spent an hour of my time learning how to paint bones. He did recover this morning and said that it did look more like bamboo shoots in the light of day. The oil painting I am going to be doing is a copy of a painting of Cezanne's while he was in the French town of Annecy. How I came about picking this picture is that I opened the book at this page and realized that this was the scene that made me say many years ago that Annecy was the place that I believed was the closest place to heaven. It has to be one of my favorite places I have ever been too.

Today I spoke to my good friend in Florida......A big hi to my mate around the corner Laurie. I am really happy for you with your new job. I do miss seeing your smiling face driving past my house. Over in the other part of Lithia is my good friend Amy Little.....Boy I miss playing at lunchtime. Keep smiling, that house of yours will be up and running in no time.

Now that it is November I have to start making our Christmas lunch plans. We were all disappointed not to be going to Australia for the holiday period, but there is always next year.

On the flooded apartment front....Thanks Ed, Vince, Amy and Cris for all your help with our place. Thanks to them, it will be back up and running very soon. Good luck Cookie on your interview for the student ambassador program on Saturday. You'll be great!

Things are getting easier for me here. I'm still not completely excited about living in Hong Kong, but I feel like I am starting to get over the 6 months settling in issues. This is definitely good news for my family who are living with me.

Anyway, everybody have a great weekend. We are off to find out how high and how wide the Kowloon Shangri-la hotel is. Dylan has to make a working hotel building for his science and math project. So it's back to the dark side of town for us all.

Love you all lots and lots,

Me. x