Year of the Snake

This week the new staff had an Orientation Recall so our staff meeting was cancelled. We quite liked having a few extra hours away from the workplace but the most interesting thing to come out of the meeting was the number of discrepancies now becoming obvious between branches and between leadership expectations and different intake years. Apparently we are not all getting the same message. Looks like the next meeting of the leadership team will be an interesting one, Eric will be able to get the info first hand. I've now been given all the files containing details of previous arrangements for the annual MAE Great Race (which wasn't held last year for the first time due to lack of interest in an organizing committee). It will be resumed in 2013 as I have put my hand up to coordinate it, co-opting Eric and Richard, and now June has offered to help as well. Good to have someone on board who has participated previously. 

The walking group wandered through Bukit Brown Cemetery this week. It got its name from the first land owner, George Henry Brown, a ship owner, Merchant and Commission Agent from Calcutta. In the early 1920's it was acquired by the council for a public burial ground and was eventually closed, but not before more than 100,000 graves were installed. In the 1970's, the cemetery faced the threat of being cleared for redevelopment, but it was granted a reprieve. Now, the cemetery is quite overgrown and home to many bird species and wild life which makes it an especially good site for the walking group. It was a particularly grey morning, with rain threatening, so Eric didn't take binoculars this time. We will have to return when I am more mobile, but we can't afford to wait too long as once again they are planning to redevelop the site, removing almost 4,000 graves to make way for a new 4-lane road that will cut through the cemetery. 

I joined the group at the MacRichie Reservoir Cafe for lunch and we celebrated Peter's 60th with more cake which June had managed to stash in a locker earlier.  Eric had a few words for our new  'Uncle' (local term of endearment for older person). Pete's birthday is not actually for another week but most of us will all be away for Chinese New Year so there will be no walk scheduled. We are off to Tioman Is for a few days. My knee is much better but I am still restricted and have to remind myself to take it easy so it will heal. No walking other than is necessary to get to and from work and the train etc. Still avoiding steps as much as possible and certainly not running for buses. Trying some pool walking instead.

Chinese New Year officially starts next weekend so MAE staff had the special dinner Tuesday night, right in Trengganu Street Chinatown at the same restaurant that we ate at with Adrian when he was here in December. Yu Sheng Salad was a feature of the meal where you all offer specific wishes of prosperity on each other as the  hostess adds each ingredient, then using chop sticks you all toss the salad high and calls 'lo hei' meaning toss higher and higher for a prosperous new year. 

Ric and 'ric suitably dressed in red

We got to see the lantern lit up as we walked to Crazy Elephant for some live music at the end of the night.

Tiger Beer have been running a couple of promotions where you can collect specially labelled bottles and wobble-headed mandarin figures. We now have the full set and Tiger brewery is doing well. 

It is my turn to do afternoon tea on Wednesday so I asked Ann for suggestions of what I should take to commemorate Waitangi Day, not being able to get roasted possum or kiwi fruit here. Her suggestions included Pavlova (what else) or maybe meringues, Mallow Puffs (same as Arnott's Chocolate Royals), Anzac Biscuits and Mouse Traps (easy to make she says). Butter slices of bread. Spread with Marmite/vegemite. Cut into 3 pieces longways. Keep close together on oven tray and sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese. Bake in hot oven until cheese bubbles. Can be done in advance and keep in airtight container.
I figured I could manage this, now that we have a small bench top oven this year.