First Public Holiday

At about 9:30 this morning we heard the unmistakable sound of beating drums in the street. Looking out the window we saw the Lion Dancers arriving in a truck at our condo's front gate. We made our way downstairs and assembled with many other residents in the courtyard. It was a great opportunity to meet a few neighbours. Vincent lives right next door and is Treasurer of the Body Corporate so will be able to keep us up to date with goings on. He mentioned the whole complex is due for a repaint which will begin after CNY. Coincidentally we had met his wife Christina earlier when we blew a fuse one evening and didn't know where to begin looking for a fuse box. Anyway in due course the Lion Dancers performed their ritual which was colorful, noisy and very 'up close and personal'.

The lion actually came up to each and every person and nibbled us. There were 2 actually. When one took the offerings the head appeared to swallow the tray and then it moved forward and sat on it. Just a few minutes later the tray was revealed with peeled mandarins and devoured cake. It then managed to throw half-eaten leafy greens out to us while it batted it's eyelids, tweaked its ears and wiggled its tail. All very comical. 

After it had finished, the Mandarin shared lollies with the crowd and we were urged to join in. We thought it was all over then but next came on the Dragon Dancers (same dancers, different props). These were amazingly energetic and their movements captivating. How privileged were we to have this all in our own backyard so to speak? 

We got talking to another resident, Angela who has lived in the complex for all 14 yrs since it was built. Coincidently she has one daughter born in '86 and another in '88. One in the Year of the Tiger, another in the Year of the Dragon - just like our boys.  Tigers always land on their feet and like to stand out in the crowd, ready for their next act, pursuing their passion with unyeilding energy. We're talking about you Adrian. On the other hand Dragon babies are said to possess great strength and leadership qualities. Go Luke! An auspicious year for a wedding to.
To celebrate CNY we were granted a half day holiday! Unheard of in Aust but it did also come with a pay bonus. The problem with the half day holiday is that many of the students reschedule the classes they would miss so we have been having extra students and running separate lessons in the one session. A bit tricky. I attended a Social Reps mtg on Thursday at one of the other branches. It was good to get to see another facility, this one at Bishan is in a Community Centre rather than a shopping mall like ours. We have a Community Centre at Serangoon too and I intend to visit it tomorrow if it is open, also the library but they might both be closed due to CNY.  Community Centres usually offer meeting rooms and recreation halls for public use so I am interested to see if there are classes on offer I could join on my mornings off.
We have both endured colds this week.  Eric got it first and now he is on the mend and I am hoping to be feeling better tomorrow.  Not really surprising when you look back over the last month or so and note all the changes and constant decision-making etc.  Now we have an opportunity to relax and typically the first thing that happens is you get sick. At least it is only a cold. We were planning a 2 hr walk in MacRichie Reservoir Park with other MAE teachers tomorrow, which includes a treetop swing bridge section, but will have to wait and see how I am feeling in the morning.
Our first visitors arrive tomorrow night.  Yve and John are on their way back to Darwin after a cycling holiday in Vietnam and Cambodia, they have 2 nights with us.  We have been out buying sheets and towels this week, just like every other family on the island it would seem.  CNY is the time to renew, refresh, repaint..... We are looking forward to their company and hope they will be comfortable on mattresses on the lounge room floor.  We do have a second bedroom and bathroom but both small, only a trundle bed in there and not able to spread them both down.  They will be the guinea pigs for the rest of you!