with so many new toys in the flat, the kids are getting kind of reckless with toys and are quite guilty of leaving dolls, speed stacks, or whiteboards lying in a heap as they were distracted away from their activity by a sibling waving an alternative game or activity.
needless to say, the thinking toy box is fuller than it is has been in a long time.
and the kids are quite sore about this, as mean mummy is usually quite selective when choosing toys to put in the thinking box, and takes the ones the kids will feel the absence of most for example, BEBE, special blanket, baby batman, speedstax, all things strawberry shortcake, starwars, and nerf gun are choices that will immediately result in if not contrite, then a child promising change and can they pleasepleaseplease have the toy back again.
it is also cold in hong kong. i mean really cold.
yesterday i was determined not to let the cold get to me.
it was chinese new years for goodness sake! i called up our friend kersti (the first person i met in hong kong besides MC) and confirmed that YES, despite my croaky voice and sela's white face, we would be coming to visit that afternoon!
kersti has four children. kersti lives in mui wo, which means we needed to take a ferry.
we resolved to take the 12pm ferry. DRESS WARMLY kersti texted me.
i got caught up chatting with meg, who came over to drop off a dollhouse to the girls. the girls were reluctant to leave the flat they love their new wooden dollhouse so much.
suddenly charles said, "im going to have a shower!" and i said, "i don't think you have time" and he said, "well, what ferry are we catching?" and i responded, "noon!"
meg looked at her watch and lifted her eyebrows.
"it's 11.30" said my love.
"great!" i said. i had already laid out the kids jackets and jumpers.
meg and her girls left quickly and the kids did final wees and we got ready to leave.
we got in a taxi at 11.46.
i KNEW we were going to make the ferry. i just KNEW it.
and we did. we had to run for it, and the ferry dropped us off at the wrong terminal (Cheung chau), but we made it! yay us!
kersti's sister melanie met us at the ferry terminal, and we walked to kersti's house. there are only limited areas that you can drive your car on mui wo. we didn't mind.
kersti's house is gorgeous. so modern and done up, just fantastic for her family of four. the kids all share a room that has double bunk beds. the kids range in age from 16 months to nine. they are a laughing, loving, incredibly well behaved household. it was a pleasure to be there. and i ate lentil soup that was just balm to my throat.
sela was having a tough time. she fell asleep on the ferry over and was not her usual interactive self.
it worries me when she sulks. is this who she is? i know i can be a right cow at times.
is this my contribution to who she is?
after a fantastic dinner and after about half the dinner plates/bowls, etc were washed up, we decided we better head down to the terminal to catch the 7.20 ferry. the wind was whipping around us pretty wildly and the light rain was cold.
we made it with about three minutes to spare...but...there was no activity.
yes my friends, because of the fireworks, there would be NO FERRIES UNTIL 8.40pm.
ah yes.
a quick trip to mcdonalds for icecream to boost the kids flagging spirits.
kersti, husband albert and three of their kids joined us. (kelvin stayed behind with kersti's sister melanie).
left mcdonalds at 8pm. watched the fireworks for a bit and then had to keep walking because it was so cold. jasper was determined to help and insisted on pushing the baby's pram. sela started crying because she was worried we were going to miss the ferry. we turned and headed for the terminal, jasper's hands getting colder all the time as he insisted on continuing to push the pram.
we reached the ferry, thanked kersti and albert and the kids again, promised a repeat visit for pokfulam, and then boarded the ferry. sela immediately fell asleep.
our journey wasn't smooth, and when we arrived in hong kong for some reason i never really understood we sat infront of the docking bay for 30 minutes. how frustrating was that. carys started crying. it was 9.40pm.
finally, we got off the ferry. and then the fight was on for a taxi. we got in a queue, but after four minutes, we realised it wasn't moving. a quick word with charles and we realised we might be smarter heading over to IFC to try and catch a taxi. we took a team caldwell vote and the kids decided that we should head over to IFC as well.
as we were headed to the overpass that would take us to IFC, i saw an ambulance/police car move away. the spot they were occupying said. TAXI DROP OFF AND PICK UP ONLY. charles had continued walking and i called him back and said, "let's try this!"
and then one taxi came by, and sped by us.
and then another came, and slowed down.
about 30 people ran for it, but we were in the designated place, and it stopped for us. people suddenly realised the ambulance was gone and a queue instantly formed. oh we were pleased as we drove by the queue we were formerly in and saw that it hasn't moved. we had definitely made the right decision!
i congratulated team caldwell on their decision making and thanked them for trusting me when i wanted to stay at the place i reckoned the taxi might stop.
sleepily, sela said, "and i know just the reward, mummy"
"what's that, lovey" i said to her
"you can take all the toys out of the thinking box"
well, i didn't take them all, but i did take couple key players.
Good thinking Sela!!!
Posted by: Auntie Pammie | February 17, 2010 at 06:45 AM
Interesting. I am looking outside at present.The thermometer refuses
to register because it is frozen so I really can't tell if it is cold in Yellowknife.
Love to all....Dad
Posted by: Dad Lyons | February 17, 2010 at 08:10 AM
So glad you all had such a great visit with Kersti and her family. Way to go, Sela, for hanging on even when you felt awful. We love you!
M xox
Posted by: Mo aka Maureen aka Grandmother aka Mum | February 17, 2010 at 09:14 AM
What a HECTIC day! So nice and hot here, got to swap one day!!
Posted by: Mel | February 18, 2010 at 06:09 PM
All that Dad says, I am sure it is warmer in HK than in Yellowknife.
Posted by: joeinvegas | February 19, 2010 at 04:11 AM
Oh Tess, tell me about this year's winter... I am in the UK and the winter is dreadful!!! Missing my Equatorial line constant summer, ha ha ha. I'm sorry for your confused retiurn home but glad it all turned out fine.
Love and loads of cuddles to your children in special to the 3 almost birthday kids.
Odila
Posted by: Odila | February 19, 2010 at 09:41 PM