Boiled

Cam had a day off on Wednesday so I headed to the gym first, then he picked me up so I could go to my eye test.  There, we discovered I was day too early so we headed back to Westfield to pick up a few goodies and then to Ruth's apartment to see her kittens.  She's babysitting five kittens over Christmas.  From Ruth's we drove past Conrad's place and found him upon his scoot about to set forth to Westfield.  So we followed him there (yes, twice in one day) and had lunch (boiled eggs and bread, fantastic).  Then a spot of shopping ensued ... I ended up buying an Australian touring atlas, to keep my USA and South African ones company.  In the evening Cam made dinner and we watched Contagion which turned out to be quite fascinating.  I liked the science and the viral epidemiology aspects of it.  And also the shots of Hong Kong and San Francisco too.

Tuesday

After dropping Cam at work I headed to the gym and then home.  Had a chat to Warren at home and did all the ironing that had been backing up, while watching Wil Anderson on iView.  Then picked Cam up and made dinner ...

Boxing Day

After dropping Cam at work I headed to the gym and was joined by a few guilty souls working off their Christmas lunches.  Then to the beach to have a run and a swim, where I met Karen and her family.  She asked me to visit her later, which I did, to help her switch her SIM card from her old mobile phone to her new one.

Then I jumped on the scoot and went up to Watson's Bay.  The traffic was heavy and there were police roadblocks along the way, but they were universally friendly to me on my scoot and waved me on.  I parked and found my customary rock platform and was later joined by Ian, Jack and their overseas guests, to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart.  We had a lovely lunch on the rock platform after the crowds had gone.  Ian and company departed via ferry and I scooted home.

Christmas Day

Cam woke up with hayfever so we did a morning Christmas dash to the local supermarket to see if they had any remedies and then Cam remembered he had some medication he bought in Hong Kong, so we returned to the house and he took that.  Cam's father arrived and then they exchanged gifts.  I stayed out of it, as per usual.  For lunch we had prawns and several varieties of chicken kebabs -- delicious!

Suitably stuffed we visited Val and Jason and their kids and then drove home.  Stopped at Marulan to find that the place was deserted and the food options were limited, so we drove on to Sutton Forest and had an early dinner there.  And then made it back home in good time to Skype Brenda and talk about the events of the day.

Oh, Gavin rang me (we were having a text exchange) and we talked, though I had to cut him short as I was being summoned to the luncheon table.

Christmas Eve

I picked up Cam from work around 12 noon and we drove down to Canberra. The drive was okay and we stopped at Pheasants Nest to use the loo and then at Berrima for lunch and a spot of antique shopping.  Then onwards to the Wheatley rest stop where they had a driver reviver station and I had a splash of tea and a biscuit. 

In Canberra we conducted customary greetings and then later Val came round for dinner.  I sort-of helped with  a recipe for rissoles but it's not my strong point.  Then to bed, though Cam stayed up until midnight (maybe waiting for Santa?)

Liz

Went to Cam's place after work on Friday.  He made sausage casserole for dinner and we watched 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' ... oh, I wrapped all the Christmas gifts too.  I'm not a gift giver nor receiver, but I don't mind wrapping.

Head

Worked at home on Thursday.  Did a half-hearted workout at the gym before work.  In the evening I ended up with a massive headache.  The only explanation I can find is that our cleaner seems to have used a very stinky polish when cleaning and so the whole building was suffused with the pungent fragrance, and that gave me a headache.

Golper

Had dinner at the Gollan Perry's on Wednesday evening.  I made lemon cake for dessert; Dave made salad and pork and chicken, it was delicious!

China Visa 2

Went to back to the China visa place on Tuesday morning and managed to get my passport.  They are a marvel of efficiency. 

On the way home I had a few stops:  Officeworks for magazine holders; Woolworths for plastic crates; and Caltex for petrol, then to the gym for a light workout (though I must say I was not feeling very motivated at all). 

China visa 1

Went to the China Visa Application Service on Monday, to pick up my passport, only to be told that I was a day too early!  Doh!  Had to turn around and head home. 

A Whitby Christmas

On Sunday we drove to Winmalee to Cam's mother's side's annual Christmas function.  The drive was fine and we arrived in about an hour and 15 minutes.  I was the newbie (along with James, the latest grandchild) so I had to be introduced to all.  I think I made good progress.  Lunch seemed to go well and we left after 3 pm. 

At home, Karen had invited us and Sheila for Christmas drinks, so we went over there and drank champagne, ate baby quiches and delicious mince pies. 

Study 2

Cam and I tackled the study on Saturday.  He built the bookshelves and then we moved them into the study, then moved the contents back.  I have acres of shelf space now!  So there is plenty of room to grow.

Went to Officeworks in the afternoon to look at magazine holders and document boxes.  They cost more than the bookshelves!  Anyway I'll use them to get more organised with loose papers and such.

Had my last massage with Georgy on Saturday afternoon.  He did particularly brilliant work on my back and shoulders. 

After the massage we ended up at Guzman y Gomez for a quick dinner and then to the cinema to see the new Mission Impossible.  My first time to go the Bondi Junction cinema!  The movie was great but there were a few scary moments where I clutched Cam a bit too tightly. 

Study 2

On Friday, I managed to clear the study inbetween tea breaks while working.  In fact it was a good way to refresh the mind:  have a cup of tea and carry some books out of the study into the lounge. 

I also saw Kerry in the morning.  He replaced both the upper arch wire and the lower arch wire and now my teeth hurt again!

In the evening Cam and I walked up to Bondi Junction and I bought some painkillers, then we met Helen for dinner.  We went to the delicious Ichi Ban Boshi and had noodles.  Cam talked about our trip to Hong Kong:  what a story!

After dinner we stopped in at Woolworths and then walked back.  It was a little chilly for a summer evening but not too bad.

Train

Scooted to Newtown on Thursday evening for dinner and a catch-up with Andrew.  I parked up near the Newtown Hotel and then forgot how long King Street is -- I met Andrew at Hum which is much closer to the station.  At Hum, I was motivated to find a Whitney Houston CD, since Ikea had been playing her stuff while we were there the previous evening.

For dinner we ended up at Sushi Train and had a long chat about work, blogs, managers, travel, Christmas, families, mothers, brothers, sisters, boyfriends, study and careers. 

Study 1

Went to Ikea on Wednesday evening, the new one in Tempe.  It's huge.  We had dinner and I had the impression that people just came there to eat.  Some families had vast mounds of food on little trolleys, specially designed to carry cafetaria trays. 

We wandered around the store (though not the full path) and I ended up buying two Billy bookcases plus the height extension.  Cam is going to build them this weekend and we're going to re-organise the study so it can be a place of productive work and not as messy as it is currently.  I think with all the studying, I've accumulated many books and folders and paper, so the study needs a makeover. 

Golper

After work on Monday I headed to Cam's place and then we both went to the Gollan Perrys for dinner.  Nice shepherd's pie!  And then home to collapse.  My weekend had two late nights in a row and I need a bit of rest.

Oh oh oh, lots of mail arrived on Monday.  My textbook for 2012 arrived, which was good.  And later, the postie turned up with registered mail:  it was my chop (stamp) from Hong Kong (also Cam's chop).  And, curiously, my driver licence from Singapore via the Australian High Commission there.  It was the one that I lost in my wallet in January.  It seems to have been handed to the Singapore Police Force around May and then forwarded to the Australian High Commission, who neatly posted it to me.  Meanwhile, I've had to replace my driver licence twice since I lost my wallet in January! 

Ironing

Well, Sunday was the day of NO ironing.  Took Cam to work, went to the gym on the way home, then decided to go to see Ian, Matt and Jack.  When I arrived Ian and Matt and Rosie were at Bunnings so I talked to Jack for while, then to Ian then to Matt.  A southerly change rolled in, spectacularly, as we watched from Ian's balcony, followed by intense rain.  I waited for the rain to subside a little before leaving. 

In the evening Cam and I watched Requiem for Detroit? on ABC iView -- it's worth watching to see a great city ruined ...

Time flies

Wow, time flies so quickly here in Sydney ...

So: Saturday.  Took Cam to work, wafted around the gym, then wafted home.  Did some laundry and then more wafting and didn't achieve much I think ... in the evening Cam cam round and then we had a walk to Bondi Beach, then back again, and Richard and Colin came round for dessert and Cam showed them the Hong Kong photos and we talked about ideas for our trip to NZ in February. 

The End Is Naai

Just finished watching Pieter-Dirk Uys's The End Is Naai.  Man, he's such a brilliant actor, satirist and savager of political egos.  I must look and see if I can find some of his more recent stuff.

CX139

We flew home yesterday (Tuesday) on CX139.  An uneventful flight.  The airport at HK is vast and huge and airy and a marvel of modern architecture, and also of quiet efficiency.  I had congee for breakfast; Cam has bacon and eggs.  On the flight I watched several movies as did Cam and the time seemed to pass quickly enough.  We landed from the west at Sydney which I've never done before (well, not that I can remember). 

Cam and I used the SmartGate to enter Australia (Cam was impressed) and our baggage came through pretty quickly and we were off in a taxi within about 25 minutes.  I dropped Cam at his place then headed to my place, where nothing much had changed.  Couldn't sleep right away so ended up watching Pieter Dirk Uys on DVD ...

Steamy

5 Dec

Our last day in HK ... more to come soon.

Peak

4 Dec

We spent the day exploring the Hong Kong side ... more to come soon.

Lantau

3 Dec

We spent the day exploring Lantau ... more to come soon.

Arrival

2 Dec

Second day of my event.  Cam arrived at about 3 pm and made his way from HK airport via the train and and taxi to the hotel.  After my event finished, I packed up and passed all the shipping over to the business centre for processing then went to see Cam.  We decided to head to the tailor on the Hong Kong side to get that going.

Cam was amazed by the efficiency of the MTR as we travelled to Admiralty.  It was crowded but smooth.  At the tailors, we spent a long time looking at fabrics and choosing fabrics.  I'd stained my pink shirt so I had to have another one made; I also wanted a plain black shirt for going out purposes; and I wanted a deep mid-blue plain shirt to complement the other choices in my wardrobe.  And I also ordered trousers, with a wider cut than last time.  Cam had two shirts made, one black for work; and another in a red and blue on white check. 

From there we had a long walk around Wan Chai and ended up eating in a HK-style café, before heading home.  This is plain yet wholesome food and Cam was amazed at the stunningly low prices (by Australian standards).

Event 1

1 Dec


This was the first day of our event.  Had a good morning prepping, then started the event around noon.  All went well.  In the evening I took the whole group to dinner across the harbour at Causeway Bay.  It had been a long day but they did not seem to want to sit down and eat, instead they were chatting away ...

Meets

30 Nov

This was a prep day, so we had lots of meetings within the hotel.  I had my briefing with Tiffany, our events manager, then a briefing much later with our VP.  All seemed to go well.  Most of them went off to dinner but I demurred and had a room service dinner and called Cam.

CX110

29 Nov

Flew to Hong Kong, Cam dropped me off at the airport.  I had too much luggage (carrying training materials and such) so they were going to charge me excess baggage.  No biggie.  But then the check in woman said she had a message and trooped off to the main counter, then came back to inform me I had been upgraded to business class (!) and that the baggage charge was waived.  Lovely. 

Had a nice flight and watched movies.  I lost my cap somewhere between Hong Kong airport and my hotel room and never found it again, but that's okay, I'm ready for a new cap. 

Hotel room was lovely as always, with a view to the east. 

MBA

28 Nov

Well I decided to apply for the MBA and see what happens.  I have one unit left to go on my HR Masters so will finish by June next year and graduate in October, then a few more units (six, to be precise) to finish the MBA.