HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH - LOVE FROM US IN HK

Congratulations Josh - we hope you have a wonderful birthday and year ahead. Love from Aiden, Evan, Ange and Dad.

New year hols at Po Lam and Shek O

I'm doomed to deafness at the mo - and thought I'd catch up on these posts in lieu of phoning you which would be pointless. The op went fine (so far) hospital and staff were great, the two nights and a day and a half flashed by in a blur of anaesthesia. I had two pethidine jabs along the way for pain, which are quite fun because they really work and put you on cloud nine at the same time. Its not that comfortable at the moment. Being deaf is an education; I can hear loud sounds though, and for the time being it's quite peaceful. I suspect it's going to be grim by day ten though, Monday next week I go to get the plugs which I understand are stitched into my ears taken out. I suspect that's going to be unpleasant.

The boys got scooters for Christmas and what better place than Po Lam park to take them for a run. It's a very cool park with curving lanes and tracks - a greenbelt running in between the highrises. They've both got pretty practised at scooters on our front patio, though Aiden's two years give him finesse which Ev lacks, but makes up for in enthusiasm.

On Sunday last, the holiday's final, we met Jens, Camilla and Freja on Shek O Beach - fabulous day - crisp with good cloud pattern for some gel flash tungsten blue arrangements (they look a bit dark in small format - clicking on them should brighten them up), maybe 22 degrees. Jens brought a kite for the boys to fly which was really kind of him, and I like the photo of Ev looking kite-casual below. I also think the landscape with Camilla and Freja in the background worked really well. We had lunch at the Thai restaurant before heading home - perfect day.