Random arty farty photo - from my walk home
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George's new bath toy alphabet presented me with a fairly irresistible photo opportunity
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Weekend photos
We jumped on the Star Ferry with the Binningtons yesterday, and although Bunky was feeling a little under the weather (and still is), we had a great time and he even managed a 90 minute snooze while we lunched at Mark and Emma's. Last night was Diwali night, and our building had its usual Indian buffet and drinks downstairs - delicious. Not a late night, but oooomph I was full by the time we left. Today has been a quiet one, as Bunky is still pretty clogged up and grumpy. Hopefully he'll be over it in a few days.
Anyway, a few photos from the weekend so far:
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The boys spending the afternoon in the stereo cabinet (it provides valuable warmth to their butts). The little NEC modem is what beams low quality, overly censored, five year old substandard television programmes chock full of ridiculous advertisements straight to our television. Ah, technology.
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Rachel and George outside the TST Star Ferry terminal
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This morning, just before I woke him from his post-breakfast nap
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Enjoying his delicious nectarine
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He's either concentrating on complicated maths problems, or filling his nappy. You guess which.
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The new squishface (and other photos)
George has a new face - the squishface. Usually pulled out when anticipating something awesome (read: "food"), but sometimes pulled out when he's excited about nothing in particular:
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And a few other random photos from today:
Trying out his new car seat and not very happy about it. Seriously, what a little drama queen.
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On mummy's shoulders
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I couldn't resist. Hong Kong parking at its finest in the IFC2 carpark this morning. If you think this is bad parking, you should see some of the driving...
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Pokfulam Market Day
We took the little man down to the monthly market, where he got to sit in the sun and hang with his mate Sam. Photos below are of Bunky and a few friends who were also there:
Sam with Cam and Carolin
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Bunky with his favourite wooden mouse
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Carolin (with blurry Cam in the foreground on the right)
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Nick with little Gus in "rugby ball" position
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Bunky and mummy (of course)
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Baby group [Password = name of Keane family chocolate labrador]
Emma and Mark asked me to take a few photos for their baby group, which is shortly disbanding due to the repatriation of some of its members. They are a fantastic bunch of really friendly people, and it was great fun - although a little exhausting (fourteen adults and fourteen children!) I've popped a few of the photos from the afternoon below (with some rough edits - I need to sit down for a few hours and do proper edits on all of them):
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"Young man, you're making a scene"
Ok, so no one actually said this to Bunky, but he was pretty damned vocal during our brunch at The Press Room today. Fortunately we had some very understanding ladies sitting next to us, and they happily waved and smiled at his lordship as he warmed his lungs up. Thankfully, a piece of his mummy's Croque Monsieur kept little Monsieur quiet for a few moments, and then a special order of toast (which the restaurant very kindly didn't charge us for) kept him happy - at least until he worked out how far he could throw that toast.
Needless to say, we gobbled our own food and left pretty quickly - despite it being a fairly vibrant and noisy place, Bunky's vocal chords were easily standing out above the rest. It was nice to get out of the house though...
Here's a photo that was taken just before Little Mr Shoutypants got going:
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Another photo from this morning (unfortunately I was only able to take it on my phone) - Rachel went to wake the little man up at 10am and found him at the wrong end of the cot, with his arm sticking out of the bars, and his newest teddy bear ("Flat Ted") on his head:
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Awww, bless.
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Dim sum, birthdays, quiet time
A hectic weekend for the little man, not helped by us thinking that today's birthday party was yesterday. On Saturday we got as far as about 30m from the birthday boy's driveway before we realised that we were a day early. Ah well, at least George got a swim out of it. This morning started with dim sum with the McBride clan in Wan Chai. The always reliable and extremely child-friendly Renaissance Harbourview:
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Which was followed by a nap and then a visit to little Riley's house for his first birthday celebration, just around the corner from where we live. That's the birthday boy Riley on the left and George's playmate Sam H on the right:
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And finally a little bit of quiet time for Bunky with his Mummy. Clearly, Daddy is quite hilarious:
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It's a short week this week - Thursday is China's Labour Day. We'll just enjoy the long weekend by chilling with the little man (although I'll probably need to head into work on Friday for at least some of the day).
A mixed bag
A strange mix of photos: One of Ben asleep on the couch this morning, one of Bunky wearing his now obligatory blueberry facemask, and one from Kennedy Town (taken from the car):
A feast of weekend photos (of varying quality)
The weekend started with a bang - George visited my office and was manhandled and photographed by everyone who came near him. He coped admirably - here's a quick one I took of him with Suki (my secretary):
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Saturday morning we headed to Wagyu - a restaurant in town which apparently did pretty good brunch too. It was really good and great value, and even George quite enjoyed himself (he had home made bolognaise courtesy of his mummy). Here is a fairly blurry photo of Bunky making a bit of noise on Rachel's knee:
Check out the teeth- they're really starting to show now. He doesn't seem overly bothered by them though.
As I walked into the restaurant, I was struggling with the stroller (minus George, who was already inside) and trying to get up their front step. A Hong Kong princess was also going in, and I moved aside to let her through. Her thanks to me was to then let the door close in my face and on the stroller.
Thankfully, Karma took over, and 45 minutes later (much to my amusement) she was still sitting alone, waiting for her tablemates. Sucker. I took a photo of the princess so that I could savour the moment at a later date:
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This made me laugh too - a bus advertisement for English tutors (who reportedly pull in about a million HK per month). You'd think the English tutors might have proofed their ad:
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And a photo of his lordship and his driver on the way back to the car:
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On Sunday we decided to get out and about and ended up at the Peak for a walk. Not the greatest weather (lots of pollution), but I got a few photos of Bunky and his driver:
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And finally... post dinner shenanigans: face painting with banana and yogurt.
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Random photo from my walk home
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Typhoon morning
The HK Observatory called a Typhoon 8 last night, which meant that we got to come home early (to play with George), and since it's still in force, we go to work late. It'll be lifted in another 40 minutes, but then everyone gets about two hours to get to work (it takes a while for buses and taxis to get going again). Although I walk to work, I might take a sneaky extra half hour with George... Here are a few photos from this morning:
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A few other photos from around and about. Firstly, the cats find safety in numbers. And Ben's fat tummy provides ample warmth for Poppy:
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This one from the real estate agency next to the supermarket. I think they're trying to say that the market is hot at the moment, but they probably should have avoided using an online translator:
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And finally this one from our pool area. There was a gale force wind blowing when I took it, plus I was laughing at the time:
Saturday morning at the Stoep, Saturday evening at the bar
The Binnington Clan very kindly invited us along to join them for a day at Mui Wo - we had a bit of a play in the ocean and then had a great early lunch at the Stoep Restaurant (a South African barbeque place). Here are a few photos of the day - firstly, the locals call a spade a spade. And a sick bag a Vomit Bag:
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And a few of big Sam and little Eva:
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...as well as one of Rachel and Bunky:
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And tonight I went out to watch the rugby at a pub in Wan Chai, and took this on of my fellow rugby watchers (they had to go outside for their nicotine fix, thanks to the new anti-smoking laws):
A load of photos
Patrick and Barbara have now left for New Zealand (they'll be close to halfway by now), and so I have a bit of time to crank out a few photos from the past week with them. Firstly, one of Bunky from yesterday morning. You know, just looking cute and stuff. Note his two favourite toys by his side - a little yellow ball and a chewed up cardboard tube:
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Moving right along - we took Rachel's employer's boat out for the day on Wednesday. We headed out to Clearwater Bay for a spot of lunch (on the boat) and a swim (which for Bunky also occurred on the boat thanks to an inflatable paddling pool):
That's windswept hair, not baby baldness...
Anyway, someone really enjoyed his own paddling pool. Note the furrowed brow:
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Also note that he's inherited - from his mother - the ability to blink during the 1/200th of a second that the camera shutter is open:
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And here's the little monkey being entertained by his Granny B. You may have noticed by now that someone seems to have developed a little tummy:
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And then a few from the trip home:
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For P&B's last night in Hong Kong, we went to a little outdoor Thai restaurant in Deepwater Bay that Rachel had been to a few times (once with Aunty Jane). It was pretty dark, but I clicked off a few photos anyway - one of Barbara, one of Patrick, and one of the table of ladies that was set up on the beach (we have to try that table next time). I had to take a stealthy photo of them, but I think I got sprung.
Monday morning photos
Not much from yesterday - here's one from this morning, George playing with very special favourite cardboard tube:
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And one from last night - Angelo was in town, so we headed out with the cameras and took some photos in town:
Monkey
Modelling the monkey beanie that Uncle Ash and Aunty Zoe gave him:
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And a random photo taken from the corner of Pedder Street and Queens Road:
