Family back

Things here move forward week by week, toward the next holiday. We had another farewell for Ann on Saturday night with a few familiar faces around a table topped with pizza and beer. She has just spent a couple of days on the train up to Kota Bharu (east coast peninsula Malaysia, almost at the Thai border) and back through KL where she met up with another ex MAE colleague now working in a branch there. An email from NZ reports that settling back is not so easy. There's another holiday destination lined up for us.

We had Luke and Tahlia back from Koh Samui looking tanned and relaxed. Luke and Eric joined the walkers on a bike ride Monday at East Coast Park. A few new faces joined the group so it will be interesting to see which ones continue throughout the year. My knee still prevents me from doing much other than getting through the working day though the specialist has got me on some good pain killers and I find out the results of the MRI next Monday. Tahlia and I ended up checking out the shoe shops in Nex which was funny; my feet are too big and hers are too small for Asian styles. 

In the afternoon we took them to Chinatown which was a riot of colour and also now boasting writhing serpent lanterns to celebrate Chinese New Year - the Year of the Snake. Must look amazing glowing at night.

Later we met up with Peter and had dinner at an Italian place we have discovered walking distance between each of our homes. Tuesday we went to Arab St for lunch at Zam Zams and then VivoCity to see Life of Pi. I struggled through this book and was interested to see how anyone could make a movie of it. I'm amazed at what they were able to achieve and the retelling on film helped answer some doubts I had about the story.  Luke and Tahlia took us to  dinner overlooking the water and Sentosa Is for my upcoming birthday. Then we wandered out along the board walk expecting to watch the crane dance from the best vantage point, but it doesn't operate on a Tue night. Should have checked Google.

On their last morning they took off early to the zoo and we had gone to work before they returned and then left for the airport. We have really enjoyed spending time with these two, they have lots of tentative plans for the future and no doubt at least some of them will come to fruition while the others morph into some other direction. It is lovely to be involved in the journey. Meanwhile, Adrian has begun the serious business of looking to buy his first home.  We are keen to be involved in that journey too, which is a good thing since he is expecting he might need some help too.