Two weeks to go

More pictures

Really not looking forward to camp tomorrow....here's some new pictures...

Pictures

Hong Kong Thanksgiving

Yesterday was "Hong Kong Thanksgiving" here on Lantau since next Thursday we have program (actually 3 simultaneous programs) so we had it yesterday at 2pm.

I prepared my dish the night before and let it sit overnight to let all the tastes melt together as per the directions. I went to Jacky's house in Mui Wo to use her oven. It's crazy how only one person in my circle of acquaintances actually has an oven in Hong Kong. I arrived there shortly before noon and put my two 13x9" pans in her gas oven to cook for an hour at 350.

Onnalea showed up and I helped her cut up stuff for her squash,apple,onion, and curry soup that turned out to be incredible.

After the baking was done I loaded up the pans in my fleece lined New Balance shopping bag and walked to get a taxi straight to Pui O (Saataan) Beach. We had snacks and appetisers for a few minutes while waiting for the rest of the people to show up and then dug in to the feast.

There was all the usual stuff, just cooked differently. The two turkeys were boiled, maybe brined? Gravy and cranberry sauce, stuffing that looked like jello pudding with raisins (but tasted really good), squash, green bean casserole, my cheesy potatoes, salad, and a bunch of other stuff I'm forgetting.












































We gorged ourselves with food and after emerging from a food induced coma Katy and I went for a walk on the beach. When we came back everyone was running out on the beach dressed in PFDs and holding paddles getting ready for a game of Hurley.

I jumped into the game and Katy was taking some pictures with my phone. After less than 5 minutes into the game, Craig and I went for the ball at full speed (illustrated on the left) and somehow we ended up both face first into the sand. Except my face was aided by Craig's knee in the back of my head as he flew over me. That was it for me, I'm still feeling a little of the effects and still removing the sand from my nostrils...















I met with Megan this morning to go over my schedule for next week and see what I'm doing as the co-coordinator. It's a 2.5 day/2 night camp with ~140 5th graders.... 15-17 per group, it should be.....interesting..... Is it December yet?

Anyway it's in upper 50s and lower 60s again today, this is frigid for Hong Kong, looks like it might be a cold winter.

Time off (and some new pictures)

A quick post before bed,

Today, I ran one activity in the rotation with the corporate group that came in they arrived at 2pm and went straight into the beach games rotation we set up. Then they had dinner and awards and left at 7:30. We broke down and ate leftovers and i grabbed a couple boxes to hold me over the next two days.

We are having our Thanksgiving celebration hosted by T.I. on Friday, I want to make something, but I'm not sure yet, I was thinking cheezy cubed potatoes...




I also want to wish my special lady a very happy birthday :)

One month left?!?!

That's right, many people are flying out of Hong Kong and back to the states around the week of December 14-17, moving on... another batch comes and goes and I stay... so it goes in the outdoor industry leading such a transient lifestyle, ahhhh but that's the draw of it too.

Anyway two weeks of hell just ended, haha, my tribe finished 5th out of 12 today, with a strong 2nd in the tribal chant that took place at West Island School on Hong Kong Island this morning. We would have taken 2nd overall if my kids handn't broken "Daanald" their egg to care for throughout the week. Daan is how you say egg in Cantonese, hehe, only my Chinese kids got that one...

We also have the weekend off AND next Wednesday and Thursday off, so nice! I'm in desperate need of this time off since I definitely need rest to fight off this cold that is hitting me. I feel ok energy wise, but just getting a cough and sinus aches.

After our debrief at the school I went in to Tom Lee Music in Wan Chai and picked up a spare set of guitar strings just in case I have any breakages, you can't just drive 20 minutes to Plattsburgh and take your choice of 15 different kinds at Bob's Music. It's a 5-25 minute wait for the bus, a 25 minute ferry ride, a 25 minute walk/subway/walk to the nearest music store with maybe 3 kinds of acoustic strings and these times are if you hit the transports exactly and don't have to wait.

After picking up strings I made my way back to Tung Chung via the MTR (subway) to meet Katy after she got out of work. After talking for a while she headed home and I went and grabbed some Indian food with my dinner allowance from T.I. and then caught the 7:05 bus back to Pui O and arrived here about 25 minutes later.

Now I don't think i'm going to move from this spot on the futon for a couple days....I might be able to actually do it, I have my laptop and music for entertainment, leftover food scraps scattered around me for sustenance, an old tea bag and some half filled leftover bottles of water for hydration, an air conditioner that I could turn on with my reachin' stick, and hey this futon is sketchy enough that I'm sure a few "accidents" would go unnoticed at least for a few days....

New addition to the family....

Yesterday, I met Katy in the city with plans of going to get my haircut, look at acoustic guitars, and maybe go Christmas shopping.

Ended up we (I) spent a lot of time looking at and playing guitars, before finally deciding on one. It ended up being about $170 US for a solid top guitar and soft case. They don't bargain or give discounts at the place I bought from, I couldn't even get picks or cheap strings or a discount on the gig bag from them... Anyway I think it's an excellent guitar for the price I paid, nice wood, and fretboard, deep bass sound with decent mid and high range. This is all coming from a guy who hasn't really played a decent instrument for more than 5 minutes in about 8 months, so who knows anymore.

Before purchasing the guitar Katy and I went to Pizza Express and had some really good food, yes Good good, (not Hong Kong good, for those of you keeping track) I had a pizza and Katy had marinated portabello mushroom with greens and almonds on it.

We also decided to go see "This is it" Michael Jackson's movie and it actually wasn't bad, it definately changed my view of him.

A 5 day 3 night camp starts tomorrow at 7:15, I'm still recovering from last week, vocally, mentally, and physically, but I should be ready to go tomorrow. I'm staying over Tuesday and Wednesday this week with the kids.

I'm doing the gauntlet of activities again this week with kayaking, gorging, adventure race, Cheung Chau expedition, raft building, among many others in our action packed days.
Dinner in Mui Wo with a bunch of the gang in about an hour.

I just recorded 3 videos for people to see my new acquisition, "Understand Your Man" is a new one that I learned from Johnny Cash and then the ol' standby "Wreck of Old 97" and then finally a record of the "Redwing" tribute piece I arranged after Millard passed away.

Mariachi 2009 (2)

Mariachi 2009