Friday 30 December 2011

Josh being a doctor

Josh plays hungry caterpillar, Felix does animal sounds

Hmmm.

What's the difference between "picking your battles" (A Good Thing) and "giving in" (A Bad Thing)?

If the boys want to switch the lamp on and off ad nauseam do I let them because I know they'll scream otherwise (=giving in) or because actually it's not really doing any harm (=picking my battle and saving my ammunition for toy-related aggression)

Thursday 22 December 2011

Let it snow!

Thanks to the Wizard for recommending this sooper dooper Christmassy jobby.

Type "let it snow" into Google, and behold the festive results!

Since Google is in Chinese in these parts, the first time I did this, I got an auto-translated page with just one button, which (inexplicably) just says "Defrost".

Deserted...



So the boys are getting older, I'm getting sadder. Will they ever love me, blah blah blah. To quote Glee (season 3, episode 8) my life is full of rich white girl problems. Time I grew a pair.

Meanwhile, Christmas is approaching with relentlessness (can you tell I'm a copywriter? Sorry folks but I have no creative writing left once I've written an introductory paragraph about a neo-classical ballet based on a Puccini opera - any guesses?) I am once again in Starbucks. While we're on the subject, why oh why does Starbies not have the truly superior hazelnut and choccy muffins that they piled high at Crimbo last year?

It's 9.30am. I've done the conversion and figured out that 9.30am in Hong Kong = about 5am in any other part of the world. Starbucks is echoingly empty, apart from a couple of elderly tai tais (who are sadly not wearing their PJs, just regular street clothes) and an office lady doing her make up. I am not complaining because it means I can work in relative peace. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Canto convo behind me is not really a distraction. Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like to go back to the UK and suddenly overhear a thousand conversations a day. It would feel so weird....like having had cotton wool in your ears for 3 1/2 years then taking it out and being shocked by the hullaballoo.

P.S. 9.50 am update - they've just switched the lights on, in time for the mainlander influx.

Wednesday 14 December 2011

Momentous occasion



For the first time in its history, this blog is publishing a retraction. Katamoran informs me that actually goose is very good for Crimbo lunch: "Lee has done it for several years now and it's seriously good! Turkey is banned from our home". 


Katharine, I'm definitely up for having my mind changed. In the meantime I eagerly await the outcome of the Hamkey that I am trying to persuade my family to have for Chrissy Day - who needs a turducken when you could combine pork goodness with a traditional turkey?! Waiting with baited breath.



Sunday 11 December 2011

Thursday 8 December 2011

All grown up

This is my absolute second favourite photo of all time. The only one that's better is the one of the boys in the playground because they are both in it.

Taken with the fabulous camera that my darling husband gave me for my birthday!!

The goose is getting fat



So there's no denying it, Starbucks is bashing me over the head with a "musical" reminder that Christmas is just around the corner. Our house is totally un-chrismafied, apart from the enormous box of 50 kids' presents that is shoved under the dining table. They're not for J & F, they are for a whole load of twins who will be at the annual MOMs Christmas Party on Saturday.

To tree or not to tree? How do we feel about fake trees (can't believe I just typed that out loud)? What are the odds on the boys ripping the lights out of the sockets and ending up with charred faces and stand-on-end hair as a result? Should I just face the fact that it's about time I trusted them? or is that the toffee nut latte talking?

I got our decos out the other day - they are looking really rather sad. They are mostly from Paris, I think we bought them about 5 years ago - can that be right? Anyway, I think it's time to reconsider the tree trimmings. Whether we have a tree or not.

At Joey's baby shower, we all gave the glowing mum-to-be tips about motherhood. Mine was dull and practical. But someone suggested that everyone should start a tradition with their kids, something that's special just for the family. And shouldn't it be at Christmas? So blogosphere, any ideas?

p.s. we once had a goose for Christmas lunch, it was minging, don't do it.

The recipe book



I started collecting recipes quite a while ago. In fact, the address I have written in the front of this recipe book (in case I lost it in a public place and someone wanted to return it to me - WTF?!) is 6, rue Francisque Sarcey, 75016, Paris. My sophisticated carbon dating equipment tells me that this dates it to the early 21st century - around 2001-2 to be precise.

Back then, I was under the illusion that at some point in the future I would "grow up" - that's also the reason I kept the Port Meirion Tea Set. I distinctly remember justifying it to Ross by saying that when the vicar came to tea, we'd have something reasonable to serve him from. What was I thinking?

So yes, I thought I would grow up, but I never ever thought that I would employ a maid. I collected all these recipes for the time in the future when I was grown up and cooked dinner for my husband once the kids were in bed. That hasn't quite come to pass. Sometimes I think about what it would be like to take Vergenia back to the UK with us on holiday. And I wonder how on earth I would explain the situation.