Kirst Afloat

At Narita

Leg one of the journey is complete. Never experienced such a miserable check- in in Hong Kong before. As of Friday afternoon, everything with our flights was kosher. Someone went into the system and totally screwed up our Portland to Atlanta flight. Instead of being seated together in First Class, Tom and I were in First with the two kids seated apart (totally apart) in Economy. We stood at the Northwest check-in counter for 60 minutes with nothing being resolved. In fact, when we left, we has one First ticket and three in economy. Not sure of we'll be flying Northwest again. Evidently we have to check with the gate agent before boarding the Narita-Portland flight. Claire freaked out that we were not able to get food before the first flight. I had some beef jerky and then she had a couple of Lifesavers so she calmed down a bit. After that a large inept American guy ran her over with his suitcase (twice!) on the moving sidewalk and then tried to start some sort of altercation with us. Bizarre! Kids ate cereal on the plane which is pretty much the only edible food. They just had McDonald's here and scored very cool Pokemon toys, cards and posters. Tom and I had sushi which was very good. Our usual routine at Narita. Looking forward to being back at our house. We'll spend the night in Atlanta and then drive the 2 1/2 hours to our house on Monday morning. Can't wait! Hope the rest of ou trip is uneventful but I'm not counting on it!

Last Day of School

Boy, am I tired!  The fact that it's been rainy and grey does not help at all, either.  The kids are finished at 12:00 today so I don't have to make lunches!  Yea!!!  I've been trying to figure out what to do after school and I'm pretty much undecided.  Hong Kong is not a great place to be when it's raining...I was originally going to take the kids swimming today with S and her two kids.  The weather didn't cooperate.  Then a small group of IMS kids were going to do something.  Right now the two suggestions are heading over the airport to see a cockpit simulator/airplane display stuff and watch Lego Racers in 4D.  However I'm not very much inclined to drive all the way out there to watch a movie that's 30 minutes long.  The other suggestion is the Museum of Coastal Defense.  Again, I'm not very motivated.  Tom suggested the Science Museum. I've never been (strange hours: 1 pm to 9 pm).  It looks good but I don't know if it will be totally chock a block.

Need to upload some more photos to Shutterfly before heading downstairs to get ready.  I am currently trying to get all of my 2007 photos uploaded before heading back to the States.  I still haven't finished my photo books for 2007 and the plan is to get it down back in Georgia.  I'm in fairly good shape EXCEPT I still have Photoshopped my photos from last summer.  And there's A LOT!  Just did the July ones from Georgia & Longboat Key.  Now need to focus on our Atlanta/Boston/Virginia trip and the rest of August back at our house.

Almost Done!

It's the second to last day of school this morning and the weather, once again, is crap!  Rainy, windy, thunderstorm warning.  Must be sure to leave a bit early or at least on time because traffic in Hong Kong is always a nightmare when it's raining.  People who normally do not drive to work, do, when it's wet and disgusting outside.

Have a bunch of stuff to try to get done today...flying out on Sunday morning!  And must remember to take Claire to pick up her new glasses after school.

We're all ready to be finished with this school year.

A Good Day to Stay Home

I don't think I've seen five warnings posted at the same time before on the Hong Kong Observatory website. 

 

• No. 8 Southwest Gale or Storm Signal: Gale or storm force wind is expected or blowing generally in Hong Kong near sea level, with a sustained wind speed of 63-117 km/h from the quarter indicated and gusts which may exceed 180 km/h, and the wind condition is expected to persist.

• Red Rainstorm Warning: Heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall generally over Hong Kong, exceeding 50 millimetres in an hour, and is likely to continue.

• Thunderstorm Warning

• Landslip Warning:  A landslip warning will be issued by the Hong Kong Observatory whenever the Geotechnical Engineering Office expects a high chance of many landslips as a result of persistent heavy rainfall. The Warning is aimed at predicting the occurrence of numerous landslips, and isolated landslips which cannot be predicted will occur from time to time in response to less severe rainfall when the Warning is not in force.

• Special Announcement on Flooding in the Northern New Territories:  The special announcement supplements routine weather forecasts by drawing attention to potential flooding in the northern New Territories due to heavy rain. It is intended to prompt the public to take precautionary measures against flooding and to alert farmers, fish farm operators, engineers, contractors and others who are likely to suffer losses from flooding.

It's Nasty Out There

Wind and rain really picking up at the moment.  The boat is being blown in its slip. (And we're a BIG, HEAVY boat---60+ tons...)  Not horrendous, but there's quite a bit of movement.  I'm not worried, though.  And I don't feel the need to abandon ship (which we've done in the past both here and during a hurricane in CT). 

Really, really going back to bed now!

Typhoon 8

Here is the latest Tropical Cyclone Bulletin issued by the Hong Kong Observatory.

The No. 8 Northwest Gale or Storm Signal is in force.

This means that winds with mean speeds of 63 kilometres per hour or more are expected from the northwest quarter.

At 4 a.m., Severe Tropical Storm Fengshen was centred about 15 kilometres east of Hong Kong Observatory (near 22.3 degrees north 114.4 degrees east) and is forecast to move north or north-northwest at about 14 kilometres per hour crossing the eastern waters of Hong Kong.

Gale force wind is affecting western Hong Kong. Sheltered by terrain, wind speeds are lower in other areas. Winds are expected to become west to southwesterlies later this morning and those places sheltered by terrain will become exposed. The public should beware of the coming change in wind direction.

In the past hour, the maximum sustained winds recorded at Chek Lap Kok and Cheung Chau were 64 and 67 kilometres per hour with maximum gusts 78 and 107 kilometres per hour respectively.

The boat isn't moving around that much at the moment.  It seemed to be worse when Tom & Claire arrived home after 8 last night.  (Claire had a birthday party---a movie at Pacific Place, Prince Caspian, and then dinner at Dan Ryan's---and Tom was very nice and offered to pick her up.  That saved me from having to drive 45 minutes back into the city to collect her.)

Don't know how long the T8 signal will be up.  If it stays up, all school (and my manicure) will be cancelled today.  If the signal is lowered to a "Strong Wind Signal Number 3", Claire will have school but James will not.  That's never a popular call on our boat.

Going back to bed...not sure if I have to get up in 90 minutes to get ready for my day...

Into Africa

A couple of months ago, I mentioned to a friend that I had just sorted through James' and Claire's clothing.  I was trying to figure out what to do with all of the (multitude) of things that they had grown out of.  (At Christmas, Mariz brought back tons of stuff to her village in the Philippines which was fantastic!)  My friend mentioned that her brother was going to Africa and was looking to bring clothes to some children there.  (Long story...short version: his girlfriend had bought a house there and he and his girlfriend had "adopted" a nearby village.)

My friend later forwarded these pictures to me which are SO cool.  My kids were amazed to see their clothes with new owners in Africa!  These children had walked for a couple of hours from another village to come collect the clothing.

This boy was so excited to wear his new clothes that he accidently put both legs into the same leg hole. He wore the shorts that way for the entire time!  Isn't he beautiful?

Walking back home to their village.

Lunch at the Top Deck

We had a fun lunch today at the Top Deck (Jumbo) in Aberdeen.  It was a select group of current and ex-IMS mothers.  Probably one of the funniest parts was the name tags we all wore.  We had to pick one with out looking at it.  Each one said, "Hello, My Name is..." 

Some that I remember are:

• Turd Ferguson
• Bad Dog
• Trophy Wife
• Tess Tickles
• Maxi Pad
• Barf Vader
• Pregnant
• Mary Juana
• Faye Slift
• Baby Cakes
• Yummy Mummy
• Hot Mama

Anyway we all laughed a lot...and we were the only people there...

On a different note, can you believe that it's still bloody raining here???  However the Observatory is forecasting sun for the next six days.  Not sure if that's possible...

Things are Looking Up

What a difference a day makes.  And an entire night of uninterrupted sleep!  James did very well with his evening dose of Augmentin.  I slowly syringed it into his "cheek pocket".  He dealt.  After 2.5 ml, he ate half of his White Rabbit.  Then he decided he had had enough.  He took off upstairs and ate the rest of the candy.  Five minutes later I asked him to come back down and he did.  He took the final ml of Augmentin and then ate dinner.  Yea! 

By bed time, we could already see a difference.  James was acting much more like himself and his nose was already much better.  No visible snot.

(My peace was just ruined.  James just toddled upstairs crying.  Turns out that he dreamt someone took his DS Lite.  No fever today.  No congestion.  A huge improvement although James asked hopefully, "Do I have to take my medicine today?")

Claire will go to school today.  Yea!  Poor thing is covered in mosquito bites (as well as some other type).   She was attacked Monday night while I was at hockey.  She fell asleep in my bedroom and Mariz left the bedroom door open.  (I always do a visual check of the bedrooms before turning off the light.  Just to be sure that there are no mosquitoes.)  Claire has some bites on her legs, a whole bunch across the bottom of her back, her arms are fairly covered and she even has bites on her face and neck.  Crazy!  Must be all the damned rain.  There was a couple of hours of sun on Monday afternoon before the rain returned.  And the biting bugs invaded the boat, I guess.  I've killed a whole bunch and the bug zappers have also been busy.

Need to go get ready.  Will take James with me this morning.  After dropping Claire off, I'm thinking about taking James to the gym with me.  I really need to go and it's the only way I'll have time today.  He'll be good to go back to school tomorrow...I don't feel good about sending him today although he'd probably be fine. 

There a lunch for a select group of fun IMS and ex-IMS moms today at the Top Deck (of Jumbo in Aberdeen).  I will bring James home later this morning and then head out to that.

Gotta run!

The Antibiotic Blues

Yes, it is an ear infection.  A first for James as are the antibiotics.  Round one of getting him to take the Augmentin was not a success.  He gagged it all up.  Fortunately I remember Claire doing this as well so I was semi-prepared.  We were sitting on the wood floor in the galley so it was easy to clean up.  I mixed the next dose with fruit smoothie but it was a hassle trying to get him to drink it all.  He did but it involved played rounds (and rounds) of Mario Kart with him. 

Tonight I'm going to try the syringe again.  G said that after the third or fourth successful time, your kid will be resigned to the fact that they have to take their medicine.  K recently had antibiotics for the first time and that's how G handled it.  Not fun, though.

13 more doses to go.