Smiles amidst one of those little horror patches

It's been a bit of a time; a burst of travel, this exam (a day and a bit away - loads of work done, but not feeling secure yet about the outcome - 75% pass always a bit hairy).  But there has been a feast of delight too - so here goes:  the weather has been this good - but MURDEROUSLY hot - here is the view from the office - loved the light coming off the ocean liner terminal to the left:

Aiden has been out with his mates on boats various - so an 11 year old selfie - Harry with an overdose of brightly coloured zinc, which I rather liked

He also got his ID card - great excitement - Angie is finding out what we can do about getting one for you - I will have answers to this in the course of the month - considering you are now officially over 11, definitely, it hopefully will be doable.

There have been some much missed visitors - summer in the northern hemisphere brings people back for the holiday season.  Dylan and Courtney are here which is divine (will get pics next weekend).  Kyle came to visit, a super-lovely mate of Dylan's who we delight in seeing - quite a surprise too - he's always been very tall, but used to be very skinny too - not any more.  He's playing rugby competitively and has come back to HK over the summer to try out for a professional contract here. The skinny has ended.  Had to take a pic of him and Ev having it out at Fifa (dirty word now?  Should call it something else).  Laughed at the contrast. He arrived and announced it was his birthday - woohooo - Ange made a cake, we sang happy birthday.

And then to round it all off, the Coxs got a new boat at their Kenton house - what a cool thing - designed to have a gang of people on board, fishing, chilling, soaking up a bit of December sun.  I am super excited about going cruising on the river on it.  Might even catch a fish.

Sheung Sze Wan series contintued

This is a continuation of my desaturated Sheung Sze Wan series.  Nothing riveting, but I like the documentary feel and the washed out colours.  Starting with the village hall - so Chinese, but with a basketball hoop.

The bridge that was washed away by the water from a black rainstorm in (I cant remember when - maybe 2011 ... looked for the pictures, but couldn't find them, grrrr) is getting replaced at last.  Apparently only a footbridge though - which is daft - because the beach has a big parking lot behind it now rendered redundant.

Angie and Ev at Trev and Lexie's house which you know - its really a lovely spot.

Saturday profound, Sunday sublime

Had such an unusual, but rarely valuable conversation on Saturday.  We went to a party.  Lovely people (sadly leaving for Manila); the woman Nanette plays in Ange's tennis team.  You will remember her as being the person who has the Tesla P85+, who was away when you were here.  Anyway, I digress.  Ange has a friend, Sherida, who played in the same tennis team, but is now, suddenly, dying from cancer.  She came to the party, and I had a conversation with her.  She told me that she was having chemo, because it might prolong her life by a further 9 months.  She has three girls.  I asked her what looked different suddenly from her perspective, what turned out to really matter.  She said enjoying every thing in every day, spending time with her kids, and friendship.  In the former instance, she gave going for a swim as an example - the feeling of water running down her body.  It made me think, a lot - how focused I can be on stuff that is happening tomorrow, the week after. So I wasn't like that today - and had a beauty - hit the rower reasonably early, sanded the coffee table, joined the others in getting butt kicked by Ev at Cludo, Park 'n Shop, lunch, oiled the table, read a bit, tea with Ange, hit the beach with the little brothers, nice game of cricket - supplemented by some Indian dudes who were also on the beach - swam out to the biscuits, generally stuffed around taking a few pics, headed home for dinner.  A perfect day - full of life.  It was great to speak to you on Saturday, you shine sunshine into me, into us.  Thanks.

Not possible to take just an ordinary picture - it's a posed life now...

... this one was funny, because Evan was giggling too much to get it together to follow the instructions...

So I had to wait until guards were dropped for a moment. 

Time to head home - breathtakingly humid - insane weather - I forget every year just what a monster it can be - Aiden found a piece of litter, good boy, took it out - made a pirate's parrot - evening falling fast - only one junk left in the bay, and the street lights coming on in the hills behind.

And here is the new office - though the table of course does not live here - just to show, sanded talcum smooth, and oiled; top left - working new aircon - makes the place inhabitable.  

Birthday girl

Today is Rose's birthday.  I went out for an early ride here this morning, and was thinking, too late, that I should have taken a camera and snapped her a sunrise birthday pic.  It was a beautiful morning - a moment of not-raining (these being very rare for the next month or so).  But at 4.45am it was 32 degrees with 94% humidity.  Birds starting to sing in the sauna.  Anyway - a camera is impossible (unless you seal it in some sort of waterproof bag) - if it's not falling from the sky, it is pouring from your pores.  So I couldn't do a photo.  Then later I was reading a cycling blog, and it had an article about the perils of animals - man they are pesky - dogs (not looking, or chasing), wild pigs, smaller stuff - insects too - big badass insects that thwack you very hard on the nose.  I rode through a cloud of flying ants, somehow one of them found its creepy crawly way into my cycling top - and then got very busy trying to get out (for this I don't blame it).  Anyway - back to the article (one more digression, apparently Australian magpies are known for attacking cyclists - too bizarre). It had this super-fantastic photo of a smiling dog - so that is going to be the birthday pic - and there is a bike in it too (nice bike as it happens - cyclocross ).  Looks like the kind of dog that chases and catches successfully.  Looks like it might have had the cyclist for breakfast.

Because I am mildly obsessive - here is the bike (sad, I know).  For what it is worth, I predict these will take a big bite out of the mountain-bike market.  This is what you want to be riding if you want a great commuter, a bit of trail riding etc - they actually work - note slim little knobblies - not some huge studded takkie that you have to schlepp around for fun.

The woody goes and two from Durban days

Sadly the time arrived for Ange's dad to sell his woodie - the much loved Morris Minor station wagon that was part of the delight of Knysna.  I think it was becoming a real mission to maintain and was pretty exciting to drive (from an education perspective - dodgy synchromesh, cable activated drum brakes - push very hard on the pedal, and slow gradually). None-the-less, a moment of sadness in many ways - something old-world and wonderful.  The other two pics I found because they were part of the same period, though in Durban - love them both.

Aiden showers - Clearwater Bay Second Beach

Occasionally I take a photo that I think is lovely.  This is one of those photos.  I love his hands, the water cascading off him, his farmer's tan - though in his case tennis, soccer, rugby, cricket - I love the bold stripe on his trunks, the symmetry of the showers, their shiny button mounts, and their faded numbers; there is something of a passing glory to them that beach places seem often to have.  I love the patch of organic texture in the leaves.  Its all so everyday yet perfect - loved being there.  How's your marathon challenge - been meaning to ask - hope making you smile.  

Oldish but nice

Was sorting out some pics for some friends, came across these two - really like the humour suggested.