Bistro at Great

By myself. Starts to enjoy lunch by myself. Took a set of Jap bentos box - pork chop with rice, soba, shrimp, crab roe salad & fruits + a bowl of soup. I bought a lemon tart, a strawberry tart & an apple tart. Real yummy!

A bar of white Godiva chocolate, too. Chocolates bring along happiness. Happiness is falling in love head over heels.

Dinner at home with 2 girls.

A's Mom bought Van a costume jewellery pendant. She enjoys the relation very much. A decent family.

Min works hard.

I am sleepy now.

little yellow croakers

Lunch at Harbour City - Crystal Jade - with Marga & Kevin. Assisted her to work on reports in the whole afternoon at her home. Listened to her grievances. So I know more how she got defeated. She is in need of support more than any other time. Being the elder sis, I must do my best to shore her up.

To hell with the acting appointment. Her well-being is most most important. But she is really too silly. Perhaps, she has been very lucky in the past. I have met very nasty people before. I said if it was the first time you experience such pressure, it is cos you are on your way up. Someone around is always jealous & ill-willed. That is the never changing rule of the game. Some handle it in a smart way. Some don't.

I have had little yellow croakers both at lunch and at dinner at Xiao Nan Guo in TST Centre. We all like it.

Albert Au's concert from 8 pm to 10:45 pm. Collective memory. Lee Hacken was the guest. $300,000.00 go to the Cancer Fund. Charity + entertainment. Very good. Many folk songs of my generation. Some are timeless pieces.

Hazel, Chi Lin & Nan Lian

On Friday, I heard a talk from Hazel. A pretty name. An intelligent face & a lovely voice.

Sat. - Min had her 2nd day of Ch exam at St. Catharine's. Porpor, Gungung, Michael, Jason & I went to the Fire Services Recreation Club for tea.

Saturday, I had my hair permed. then Marks & Spencer at Plaza Hollywood. Then a walk with Tsinghua pals at Chi Lin Nunnery & Nan Lian Garden. Imitation of Tang Dynasty architecture. Enjoyed looking at the trees, flowers & Buddhas.

Vegetarian food - $250.00 each. Then I went to Marga's place to join the BBQ. Porpor & Michael's family & A with my 2 girls. Nita, too.

I bought 3 tees. Wore one with pink & white horizontal stripes. Life could not have been sweeter.

a walk to Wanchai during lunch time

By myself. A walk to Landale Street & took a big bowl of "ho fan" with fish balls & fresh slices of beef - $35.00. Then, I bought some food from il Bel Paese. A famous Italian fine food shop. Half loaf of rye bread with dried fruits; 2 bottles of sugar-free blueberry jam; a choco bar of latte & a sugar-free choco bar. Expensive. A's family likes to buy from here. They like Parma ham & vinegar in barrels for bread & salad. I went up to the cockloft and saw an old foreigner sitting by a small table looking out into the street. He must be the owner. He seemed to be enjoying the leisure. I then walked back thru PP3 MTR subway & back to the office.

Achieved several goals during these 10 days. Feeling good. Work keeps coming but you are relieved when assignments are done one by one.

I love the world and I love myself very much! Our group of 4 buying mark 6 tickets has won $320.00. I really want to celebrate by a lunch together. See if the other 3 will agree.

Putonghua lesson at night. Hou never forgives those who bullied her & tortured so many, destroyed so many .......

Min will sit for HKCEE tomorrow in KT at 8:30 am. Must get up early.

L16 in HK Park

Lunch with Cat, Dan, Jo, Sal & Wong. A team of expertise. We will farewell Wong very soon.

Jo showed us her Agnes b tiny tote bag, leather wallet & a card holder - very pleased with what she has bought. That is women.

Bought cakes from Starbucks after work for Min - 3 lemon lamingtons, one choc, one lemon tart & one mandarin cheese cake. All tasty. So lamington is named after a popular Governor in Queensland in the 19th century. How can a man be associated with such a tiny piece of soft cake? Perhaps his wife. King taught me about this kind of cake. Knows eveything in life, with ease and laughters - by laughing at others.

Porpor came with Jason and brought us chuenpei drinks. Van dined out with A.

Strange enough, I always share same views with Dan in work.

Feel better

Heavy workload is no longer a concern when I find that I feel alright again. It is good that I can work - not a light task. Recently, I have read books on how our subconscious can play magic to our body and our environment. That is equivalent to prayers, as far as I can make out. Our will power, our fervent wish leads to what we want.

Grace told me about the pains & sufferings of her elder brother who suffered from celebral cancer and is receiving chemo treatment before transplant of bone marrow or sth.

Nothing to say but note his misfortune.

I can only thank the Almighty for what He grants me. The present is a present.

Lunch at Shiki with Irene. She is a comfort & support to me thruout these years.

Min likes music and she has got good taste. Van is diligent.

Looking forward to visiting the Nan Lian Garden this weekend with Tsinghua pals. It is just next to Chi Lin Nunnery in Diamond Hill. We will have a vegetarian meal after tour in the evening. Then I will join Marga's BBQ at her home. I have bought her a book "How to master anxieties."

I promise myself to be strong, happy & loving. I will be dutiful to my parents, my daughters & my assignments.

stomach ache

Belly pain, scary. Worried of relapse. A nightmare I never want to repeat.

Felt better in late morning.

Lunch at Summer Palace with B & Lee. B bought for me a frying pan - Tefal red. Judy IDD around 6 pm, too busy to talk to her for long.

Bought a pair of rouge Rockport walking shoes. Gave away the black ecco which scratched my heels. Dinner at home with Van.

A bought Porpor Chinese mushroom & conpoy.

Min went out today.

Sunday schedule

Breakfast - a cup of coffee + a Jap sweet potato - expensive cos it was organic food.

One hour walk in Sai Tso Wan Playground. Many children were playing baseball with parents watching. Some jogged. I like jogging loners. They are usually determined people who can enjoy quietude. Exercise & thoughts together.

Lunch was from restaurant downstairs. Home delivery. Bitter gourd & garoupa slices + rice + soup. Van took choy sum with ginger. Min only took oatmeal. Poor little baby who cannot eat. Very painful teeth & gum. She has to wait for a few days for adjustment. She is grateful to have Dr Tong helping her.

I want one more Agnes b bag. A beige one. Shopaholic?

Kevin asked his Mom to consult psychi. I support. I said I would like to go, too. I hope it can work to assist her by keeping her company.

Watched a VCD of a local movie. Silly & idle. But that is not bad for my Sunday schedule. No need to be serious & striving for excellence all the time. We have to be sloppy & lazy sometimes. Say, in a Sunday afternoon! Dozy, leisurely, doing nothing. Talking nonsense & reading gossipy magazines and wearing no make-up.

Dinner at Porpor's home. Everybody was happy. Min remained at home.

an expensive lunch

The "counter" consisted of a variety of delicious food. The main course was good - I took sirloin beef, Meg took lamb rack. But I really like the dessert most - pear cake with ice cream. I brought the choco sticks and almond sticks back to the office. I saw PC Lam & his "girl friend" - I suppose.

There were 3 tables in 18 Brooks. One table of retirees. Time flies. They leave one after the other. David brought along his wife, as usual. I told him about KK Leung.

Min went to Philip to fix her teeth & cleaning last evening. This morning, she went to Dr Tong to finish the wiring on the lower jaw. We went to Peking Restaurant for lunch. She shopped in leSportsac. She is very fond of the gift bags. She would have chosen the pattern if she had been there.

Van went out with A to meet his friends.

Mom likes the vaccum cup and the lotion/cream.

birthday dinner party

YM, Patrick & I treated Agnes with a dinner at Xiao Nan Guo at Man Yee Building, Central. She will take 10 days' leave for exam. I will become alone in the office. Getting used to her company.

Hou returned from Japan with a box of glutinous dumplings with choco filling for Min.

Will go to lunch at Brasserie on the 8th in Conrad Hotel and 18 Brooks for dinner to farewell Steven.

KK Leung is still in hospital. Quite uncomfortable to hear about his light stroke.

Checked the meaning of "prosciutto" from internet. I bought a pack of 15 months from Great.

Marga quitted the acting appointment. I support her. After all, health is most important. Too much pressure bends us.

Application for Kevin succeeded.

Busy all over

Spent the whole morning in YMT dental clinic with Min yesterday. Went back for a meeting in the afternoon. Dinner with Agnes at Zen. Bought her a bottle of Crabtree & Evelyn lavender hand therapy as birthday present.

Bought a skirt made in India from French Connection for Van. White backing with charcoal flowers at the lower part.

Lunch at Lippo today. Meetings since 9 am. Another one at 3 pm. Denise is very friendly.

Bought food from Great - Prosciutto di Parma ham, cheese with herbs and salmon roes.

Van dines out & Min is sleeping.

8 m raised for charity

33,000 people walked & raised $8 m for Community Chest. Very good crowd control planned & done. The weather was misty or the air pollution was too bad.

Today, we had farewell lunch for Steven at Shanghai Garden. I have a new army green Agnes b shoulder bag made of light & water-proof materials with 2 outer pockets. Michelle has a set from leSportSac. Dark blue with animals pattern.

I will bring her to YMT dental clinic tomorrow morning and go back for a meeting in the afternoon.

HK Shenzhen Western Corridor

Last evening, Min & I saw the film "Spider Lilies" - a Taiwan movie with a theme on Lesbians. Taiwanese Mandarin is very different from that of Peking. It is a flower, with fatal arrangement that leaves never meet flowers. They do not grow at the same time, like lovers being separated by death.

Today, we had tea in a Mei Foo restaurant, then took western rail to Siu Hong station, then free bus to fetch us to the Corridor & walked for 2 hours.

It is a blessing that we can walk, we have spare money for donation and we have companions of simillar interest.

min to orthodontic

Lunch at Zen with Tam & Agnes. Always good food & good company to keep me alive.

Min has the lower braces fixed. Paid the initial and the rest by instalments of 15 months. Just hope everything goes smoothly. Will go to YMT on Tuesday. Bought a cap for golf player with UV. Good for outdoor exercises to screen off sunrays - protects both eyes & skin.

Dinner at Dan Ryan again, with Min this time. Linguine with clams & white sauce.

Then movie at AMC Pacific Place. $70.00 per ticket. 10% off for HSBC credit card. "Because I said so" by Diane Keaton etc. What a charming woman even at old age. Life experience, strength of character, confidence, desire for love and sense of humour make a woman attractive at all ages.

Will go to Mei Foo for morning tea on Sunday.

More & more tasks assigned. Means I am important & capable or that we are treated like donkeys? No choice. Can't afford a quality education for Min without work. Only if she can make it well, everything is worth the while. After all, work keeps me young, energetic and socialized. As I have a great chance to live up to 80+, I need to work instead to staying idle at home for another ...........years.

BTW, I pity Lau Tak-wah for his having been disturbed by a crazy woman fan.

lippo again

Lunch with Sharon, Lilian, Helen, YM & Agnes. We pre-celebrated Agnes' birthday on 14th. It is good to have festivals & cheerful occasions. Life will be meaningless if we do not have friends & mutual support.

Meeting for 3 hrs in the afternoon.

Dinner with Van at Dan Ryan - potato skins, Caesar sald & cioppino. So delicious.

We went to Ah Kam & Ah Tuen.

Min was sleeping when I returned.

Will meet Kevin on Sunday. Will join the Community Chest Charity Walk at Western Corridor on Sunday.

boss is back

Usual lunch at Jaffe Road. Edmund came, not SK. He seems interested to work.

Dinner at home with Min.

Guava is good.

After Easter

Lunch with J & P at the Banquet - PP3.

Quiet as many are still on holiday.

Porpor & Jeffrey went to see Mr Bean at apm Palace.

Dinner with Min & Van dined out. I am happy to see the 2 girls grow up. Yet I have to bear with children not always beside me.

Agnes will have her birthday on 14th. We will celebrate in the evening of 19th. Still thinking what to be bought as gift.

Marga told me that Porpor was admitted into casualty last night as she had tummy pain and was diagnosed to be inflamed intestines.

Hurray! I' ve made it.

I have seen "Meet the Robinsons" with Jeff at apm Palace. Walt Disney 3D movie. US optimistic, amazing, imaginative story for an orphan boy to become a great inventor. From alone & deserted to be having a big big loving family.

Always hope. Go ahead. Don't cry for whatever is unfortunate. The future is always a happy tomorrow. Never give up.

Then, we had lunch at Lei Garden with Porpor. So I went to different places during the 5 day vacation. Gungung & Mike liked the fried noodles. It is not too difficult to please those around us if we try, with a heart.

Min is having tuition on Econ. Wish her all the success in the Exam.

May & Jason have returned from Shanghai.

I had tea in Jusco,. Taikoo, with Ella. I bought some radish, cabbage & cheese from Japan. I bought some cream cakes for Min.

Easter Sunday

I went to St Teresa's Church to attend mass by myself. Then, I joined the Paus for Jap lunch in Nikko Hotel. Bought a box of udon for Min. Van has gone to A's home.

We will go to Porpor's place for dinner.

Glad to email with Yiu. He knows quite a lot about me. We first met each other 0n 1.2.1978. Now, some have retired. Only YY & I remain. So far away, yet can just talk quite freely. He is as warm and as friendly as ever. If he had not left, he should be either P or C.

Van & A cooked at home. They took lamb racks & canned soup.

Gungung is worried about Mike. I will bring Jeff to see "Meet the Robinsons" tomorrow at 10:10 am.

The Waterfront

We played badminton for 2 hrs in the Clubhouse. 5 of us. Then HK Old Rest in Miramar Shopping Mall. Then I went to Liola & bought a navy blue jacket with orange threads.

If I go to a new place everyday, that quite amounts to a short trip.

Nina Kung had such a huge estate. Can't imagine what it actually worths.

Mickey came today for tuition.

Flora & Ah Yee are just like friends.

Only Min & Nita & me for dinner.

a quiet Easter

I have a very quiet Easter holiday. HK is quiet, too. Many have left for trips.

Van has gone out to BBQ. Min is still sleeping. I went to Fong. She is not talkative. The shopping mall downstairs is not active until at least 1 pm.

I should do more reading. Tomorrow, I will go to the residence club of A's sister in TST to play badminton. A is very warm and friendly to our family. Sago tea with J in Taiwanese cafe downstairs. So comfortable.

Michael brought us to TszWanShan to have chiu chow food in a restaurant. Yummy yummy & inexpensive. Round table, stools & not high-class. But good price & good food. Porpor, Gungung, Michael, Jeff, Marga, Min & me. Invaluable gathering. Just nice to be together. The harmony in our family is unquestionable.

Nita took one day off. Dolly's husband & son are here for 2 weeks.

nina the wealthy

In the top list of wealth, yet I never find her enviable. Husband kidnapped twice & died a horrible death. No children. Her security was always under threats. Never seen her elegantly dressed, only looked good when she was young & wearing Chinese cheung-sham in Shanghai. For the rest of time, just queer, like an aged woman with mental problems. Who says she wasn't? The last 10 years was engaged in lawsuits with father-in-law. Almost charged with fraud or forging documents. Surrounded by advantage seekers of all sorts. Appearance not attractive. Seldom seen to do charity.

Marga still lingers on the state of no confidence and anxieties.

I start to read "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" - a book Helen sent to me when I was sick. See if I can help Marga a bit.

Will not see King until 16th. What a long, long time!

Edmund, SK & KW Tam came back to tea yesterday. In a few years' time, I would be doing the same, if God permits me to live long. Still no news from William. Will have lunch with SK & Mike Chiu after Easter.

Will go to see "Mr Bean" at Palace apm this afternoon.

Dinner at Kowloon City with Marga + Kevin, had Jap food and Hop Shing dessert at Lung Kong Road.

queer happenings

No news is good news. A woman walked in the Lion Rock with 2 friends. She slipped & fell from height & died. A container vehicle crashed a taxi, both taxi driver & passenger not killed. A man riding bicycle was killed by a van next to it. A robber had a fight with people he robbed. He brought along a gun and a knife. Eventually the knife cut his leg and caused his death by too much bleeding.

Lunch - noodles bar. Always comfortable to be with my good companion.

Min's orthodontic plan is upset cos she is going to UK. Have to seek alternative.

Fong is annoyed with my being late for 1/2 hour. I did not mean it. Just caught by a sequence of events. I guess she will not continue with the shop. Otherwise, she should behave better towards a customer.

Ah Yee also saw The Pursuit of Happyness. She liked it.

Bette King is always composed & gentle. I am not surprised if she has suitors.

Penthouse at Hotel Miramar

I brought roast fish for Min. She could take it. The boiled potato was not eaten.

The wedding banquet was so so except that we spent one hour listening to Pak Chai & his wife boasting. His elder son earns more than $100,000.00 per month, flying to all famous cities. His daughter-in-law got 6A in School Cert. - St. Mary's. His younger son is the boss of a trading company. He is often with "big" clients and his entertainment fees each month amount more than a couple of ten thousand dollars. His friends are the racing memebrs who own horses & they appear in the Jockey Club for what what cups/events.

Wise they are as the rest of my family refused to go. Only poor me & Michael spared our precious time to accompany our parents. Jeffrey did not know what they were talking about.

EQ - what modern people highly regard and I have sub-standard EQ. That is why I suffer. Some just keep quiet & detached on whatever happens - clever & self-protective. Some bite back until blood comes out - aggressive & feeling swell. I am neither. I get caught.

Anyway, just be myself. No need to copy anyone. No use to behave like any others. Be myself and now I am really sleepy.

Tomorrow, I will bring Min to YMT for orthodontic treatment to have her lower row of teeth to wear braces.

Wenxi is nice to me & he is my little darling. I treasure what I am & what I have, say, Wenxi's sweet emails. I love myself & all those who love me as I am and as they are. Good enough to be me & them. God has made us in differnt colours, shapes & characters. Why bother to compare or imitate?

April Fools' Day

Today is April Fools' Day. So we will make fun of each other.

Last evening, we had a happy gathering in Marga's home. The walk was real refreshing. Kevin told me about the Outward Bound Camp. Very challenging. He is terrific at finishing that. A test and strengthening exercise.

Marga seemed to be in much better mood. Dinner at her place and Pau was off duty. Beef steaks, gooseliver paste, lobster bisque, French fries, button mushrooms, fried cabbage, red & white wines followed by sesame ice-cream and sweet potatoes dessert. Andrew was shown some photos of Van, Kevin & Min when they were small.

Kevin played guitar & sang. Michelle sang also. His bedroom is made bigger by merging 2 small ones. Very comfortable and cabinets for shoes in the corridor.

May has brought Jason to Shanghai for holiday. How cute - children nowadays are so well provided. Porpor said Jason tel & asked Michael to fetch him home by a car.

Pa was not feeling well yesterday. He is better today after medication and using the respiratory appliance.

Bethany is a caring institute. The Registrar replied my email very promtly giving an email address of the Matron in their place. They will recommend local orthodontics and the Matron will accompany Min when she receives treatment. I am relieved. Can't make her fly back every month.

Ella came over to KaiTin & we had tea in KFC inside Jusco Supermarket. Old friends are indispensable. I depend on people, people around me. I am not at all strong. I am but an emotional woman who laughs or cries easily.