Three Views of our Sunday Morning Ride

Down the hill in early morning freshness

Past the dogs who sometimes futilely chase

Through the smell of stirring cafés

Onto the main road

Where cars and motos zoom

Past and passed by other cyclists

Riding spiffy bikes, decked out in all the best gear

Some offering a "morning" in passing

Runners on the sidewalks

Serious faced in concentration

Up the hill by dalat

Past sleeping tourist buses

Feel the day breeze beginning

Down the flag hill

Salt sea and beach scents tickle the nose

Snatch a view of rising sun over the turquoise sea, slice of yellow white beach

Past the Tesco stretch

Busy community already well awake

The hot stretch now

The sun higher, not many shady spots

Will we get green lights

Or a red and have to stop and sweat in the sun?

Next a shady strip

But busy and not much shoulder

So can't enjoy much

Round the circle at gurney

Onto the no-longer-by-the-sea waterfront

The smell of man made mud flats

Bustling breakfast cafés

Full of delicious food and swanky prices

Wide sidewalks full of young and old 

Enjoying "waterfront" stroll, walk, jog

Swing around the corner, swept into the flow of the final stretch

A wide tree lined avenue

Shaded from the heat of the now fully risen sun

Onto white gravel as we enter the back parking lot

Empty still before 1st service

We're early enough for a cool down under the fans

A drink of teh and talk with new friends

Make the wait enjoyable

Up to church!

_______________________________

Down the hill in the cool of the morning

Over the bump, past a car

Past the early opening stores

Onto the smell of the main road

Fresh smell lost to car exhaust

Past the many runners and walkers

Up past Dalat - the parking lot is full - And another set of bikers

One side, other side, both ways work

Good, not tired as we bike up the hill

Thankful for breezes, shade, and coolness

Mom comes up without trying

Let her pass down the hill

At Tesco, more green lights appear

As people hurry from place to place

Or maybe outside just because

Island Plaza's red light

A biker passes us again

Going again with green lights

Looking at the White lines go by

Seoul garden, two bikers pass by

Aiden gets a thumbs up

Around the roundabout

The familiar egg smell wafts

From the manmade islands in progress

Less bikers now - more people instead

Down the Gurney stretch

Shaded by middle-aged trees

Turning the corner

Easy road switch

Even with cars zooming by

Watching Aiden play at something

Holding only by his feet

Church in sight

A runner stops

In order to let us go by

Turn the corner with a bump

Into the parking lot

Lock up our bikes for Chinese church

Early, so talk and drink teh first

Forgot to take off my helmet

So I go back and lock up again

Singing "We Enthrone You"

Let a car pass

One cup of teh

Go up to church

________________

Skipping Chinese church

Dad and me start out an hour later

But today - in a lurch

Thumping heart

Ragged breath

What a late start!

Not another stop light

Why that car so slow?

Is the church in sight?

Up hill and down

Round the corner

Over mound

Sun is high

Hot and bright

No time to sigh

This my is my lot

When I choose second service

Can you guess what Dad forgot?

Dreaming of Nova Scotia

 So Grace and Dad went to KL this week to get Grace's visa moved to her new passport.  What was supposed to be a short overnighter, turned into all week. So Jasmin, Aiden and I decided to explore a new beach for our Valentine's day.  It was a lot of fun - full of rock climbing adventure instead of sandy beach supper cooking. 
By these pictures, one could think we were on any number of beaches in Nova Scotia...

 We clambered along the shore, looking for the best picnic spot.  We found all sorts of fun rock formations, got satisfactorily wet and barnacle cut, and ate a simple picnic on a large rock surrounded by waves washing and sloshing around the bottom.

           

 And then, with a jolt, mom remembered where in the world we were... this far into the sunset we have only about 1/2 hour before it would be pitch black and we had quite the clamber back to the road...

 We made it - just in time, catching a few last photos - these ones not so Nova Scotia reminiscent, but beautiful none the less.

 All the way along the beach Aiden's voice was extra high with excitement and all the way home on the bus talk was all about when we could come again and with Dad and Grace... so I think this impromptu outing was a successful hit

Minor Amusements of Today

(When the question heading says "briefly describe"...)

Rome's transition from Republic to Empire.
Julius Caesar broke everything and then died so a different guy decided to screw the government and do the empire way.

Jasmin

Contrast and compare the governments of the Romans and Canada.

Ours is better, not broken, and not in the past.

Jasmin

(What comes out when we start craving meat...)

                  Saya suka masakan sangat sup yang tidak nipis.

                     I like to eat thick stew. 

Grace

Can we not be veggie-trains today?

Aiden

Aiden and Jasmin

      This week began with a trip to the hospital with Jasmin. A twice-scrapped knee decided we needed a little more excitement in life and so became infected... swelled the whole knee, grew red and hot, put out pus pimples, and started a red line up the inside of her thigh.  This last is what sent us to the hospital - it's no joke and no waiting at that point.  (We only went to the hospital because it was after hours though.) We avoided IV antibiotics, but we brought home a mini pharmacy of pills to bring us through. And she's fine now, just slogging her way through the last days of a pill regimen that had her rearranging meal times and counting hours.

    Aiden is deep into chess at the moment. All because Dad was watching a chess game replay online one rest day!  Now we each are asked to play chess regularly... so we are quite glad for the numerous online chess games and instructional sites available! Only the more he plays on the computer, the better he plays against the rest of us... he's already a worthy opponent to give us some lively games.  Sometimes it draws in Grace and Dad so much Mom has a hard time getting them to the table for a meal!

    Aiden has also graduated to a bike with gears and is travelling farther afield than before.  This week he made it all the way to his Chinese class - about 5km.  Not quite ready to tackle getting to church (about 10km), but he's confident enough that he's asking for extra trips to work at getting ready!  Mom and Dad are quite pleased to not have him on the back of our bikes in our travels - he is getting heavy :o)  Still, now we have to add in extra travel time...

    Aiden and Jasmin have a twin lisp but for different reasons.  Aiden lost a front tooth after what seemed like "forever" of being wiggly. And the adult tooth is taking its sweet time in showing up.  Jasmin now has an expander - the first stage of fixing her teeth to make it easier to eat. She's been looking forward (!) to this for a while now, waiting for all her adult teeth to come in. Now she's having to get used to something in her mouth all the time and a substantial lisp, she's not quite so excited about it - but still looking forward to a better shaped mouth of teeth.

Next week begins Chinese New Year. The roadside and market has been fuller than usual - stalls selling red paper lanterns and loads of firecrackers and fireworks which we shall experience randomly all next week. Indeed, random explosions of firecrackers have already started... All outside classes and activities are on break for a week or two while the new year is thoroughly celebrated, so we are looking to catch up on things in house - and hopefully do some celebrating with friends, if we can.