Friday, 25 December 2009

Christmas and all that...








OK, so I haven't blogged since we got here. But you may as well have this instead of a massive email.... plus hopefuly the videos on here will work too! As always there are loads more on my Flikr account if you click the links under the pics/ vids.






Well aside from a sudden unexpected cold snap mid Nov (I had to rush out and buy us a winter wardrobe/bedding each) we haven't been wintry at all. Warmest autumn in 30 yrs etc etc.

Helping push Nov 14, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.

Finley is still pulling the crowds; he is liking it less now and had a panic the other week when 8 coachloads of school girls joined us on the beach and surrounded him squealing (them squealing not him). He did learn to 'jump' from watching them play games, tho until yesterday his jumps were all intention and a loud 'eeee-yooh' (scottish country dancing style) with arm swinging and no actual loss of ground contact. He's getting the hang of it now. He also does well in pressies & 2nd hand stuff from the mums of kids Pete teaches to sail - most are chinese and just adore the blue eyes Finley still has!


He can also walk most of the way down the covered path/ gardens to Stanley though due to detours, 'ooo'ing, leaf flapping, periods of intensely still concentration (ie nappy filling) and doubling back, etc, the 10 minute route generally takes over an hour. I have found the addition of a strawberry shaped shopping bag he can twirl like a bolas seems to encourage movement.
He tries to copy the old guys doing Tai chi etc.

Unlike several babies I have met he is totally tactile - everything has to be felt, squished, rubbed in his hair, the table, on us, then sprayed with swipes of his hands as far as he can get it to go. Yak, quite often. But he also loves 'helping' tidy with the mop, broom, etc so hopefully that will last! He's finally grown out of the squeaker shoes..not sure if thats good or bad, they were annoying but handy to locate him if he was out of sight.

We went to the local church fair - not quite like a typical UK one! Santa arrived by helicopter (and later turned out to be 1 of the scottish dance display team too) and the 2nd hand book stall had about 1 table of actual used books supplemented by 2 LORRY loads of new books at the same price. Oh and an hour of lion/ dragon dancers and chinese acrobatics!

Scottish dancing santa Stanley Dec 09, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.

I do have a bit of trouble with people just GIVING him things - toys, foods (everything seems to contain milk that he's allergic to), inappropriately dangerous to baby objects.....

Pete n Fin dress elmo , originally uploaded by wildcatfin.

I picked up a research student for a couple of weeks - Tiffany is at HKU studying journalism and picked body art for her paper, so followed me around and definitely got a taste of the odd things I do. Like the Abalone launch. Smelly.

Abalone girls the Fly shell eye pose, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.

Abalone girls pose water 3, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.

Abalone mermaid sat posed, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.
Luckily I had some nice bookings, as well as normal parties. HK Land (huge as everyone rents from them) pulled in the entire entertainment population of HK for their annual party. I painted a bunch of snow queens/ elves and stiltwalkers but missed most of the acts apart from rather stunning blonde triplets in white corsets playing electric fiddles.












The HKers were stunned - the girls had been told to make the most of their unusual hair, I could tell ;).










Then I did a (Zzzz) gold bodypaint - which due to it being my friend Zani in an already gold suit took all of 10 mins. But was in yet another v posh hotel so I marvelled at the massive loos, video lifts (all surfaces inc floor were playing videos) and amazing ostrich feathers xmas trees (I know 1 big plume costs about 5 UK here so how much the giant TREES were...) - and the fact that they were still building the stage (with our 'changing room' meant to be behind it) 10 minutes AFTER the business forum ON IT was meant to have started. Whoops.

Then I became a wholesale dealer in mad eyelashes, mainly feathery. I'd spotted cool peacock ones in a chemist chain and people in the UK etc wanted me to get more, then HK YAF asked me to do makeup for the Urban Dance Fest. 80 dancers, me, 5 vols, needing dramatic modern dayglo stuff...eyelashes and sponged stencils it is then! So I found the wholesalers and had a brief trip to northern Kowloon to choose them all. Yum! (Good discount I get so if anyone wants some do say.) The Dance Fest itself was on a day I had 4 bookings already, but I did do the launch/ Swire Xmas party for them the night before where we trialled my designs/ lashes. Drag queen it WAS, bit Clockwork Orange too, but matched the ideas sheet, costumes and would stand out to the crowds watching (were 5 diff themes/ groups). Sue & Pete came along - missed the dancers/ singers etc but did see the amazing photo exhibition (dancers leaping around randomn HK spots like under the motor-causeway) and got stuffed on yummy canapes and mulled wine.

Then had a nice one in a law office, decorating staff for their annual costume ball. This office went as people from Batman - I have yet to see them in costume too but they emailed to say not only did they beat their mortal enemies the Finance Dept, my 2-face won the top prize and their office won best group costume too!

Batman booking 2face evil, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.

I also did a test shoot (where model, photog & I all work for free to test new skills and get portfolio pics etc) on an idea I have had for a while - a full body glitter tattoo. I'd done my 1st ever freehand glitter tatt (and came 2nd, beaten only by World Champ Bibi) at the Welsh fest this summer, so had offerred small ones at the RHKYC Ball in Nov after my live bodypaint, where it was very popular. Symone teaches pole dancing, silk dances (where you hang from a silk streamer) etc, and agreed to let me coat her in body glue and cosmetic glitter at her pole studio. The photos can't do it justice, it was SO sparkly, wow.
MVI_0810, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.Definite seller - already have 2 clients interested in it, think it will be great for dancers or hostesses at events as its waterproof and can be done the day before as will last several days. Luckily Symone said it wasn't too bad to get off with rubbing alcohol. (On a side note, WOW how cool and fit is a pole dancer? Am tempted to take a class with her, not that I'd ever be able to do the flying/ hanging upside down moves like her, but anything would be lovely!).

Then I had a mental Saturday (again - get 1 a month) starting with painting 4 hrs outside at a 100 kid birthday football party - the best bit being the giant table football game where the KIDS were the players strapped to poles; 2nd booking decorating bar staff; 3rd the pre-party for the guy who arranged a UV extravaganza for his 30th (friends flew in from around the world); followed by painting at the private members nightclub (the one with the tank of live sharks) until 1 am.Not the easiest working conditions - nosiy and pitch black so I had on my old field studies (bat walks!) head torch.

Bens UV party IMG_0910, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.
Yowch but fun - all his mates made SUCH fab efforts at dressing up UV! I also did my annual gig at the party for the man who owns Cathay Pacific/ Swire in his amazing house. Well, in the garden - freezing cold for once but this yr including a stiltwalking Xmas tree and a scottish reindeer strolling about playing on his fiddle...

Then Sue arrived from a sodden UK and we had a week of cold dull rain which was a shock to her - she wore every item she had with her in 1 go, I think! Most unusual - usually no rain until about March! Since then we have been doing the usual - trips to Stanley and Ocean Park (Sue liked it so much she got a season pass too and we go about every 3 days - much less exhausting in small bouts). Fin still looooves the goldfish especially the big tubs outside where he tries to catch them despite me and all the chinese tourists telling him no. We went for her birthday too and then out to Stanley for dinner.
Fins boingy glowy yoyo thing dec 09 sues bday.AVI, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.A german restauraunt - new one on me! I ordered a pork knuckle and got half a large pig.... We also toured several of the malls to llok at their decorations as that's a huge deal here - its all about getting everyone to want photos against your Xmas displays!

Sue n Fin Repluse Bay dec 09, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.

This week Fin got a new tooth so now has 8 - 4 evenly top and bottom. He also worked out how to climb onto dining chairs (and then the table) so its not so much a 30 second rule as a 3 second - we have to stack the chairs and hook their legs under the table bar so he can't get on them. Now he has to RUN everywhere, only stopping when his feet get confused or he meets and obstacle like a door edge/ wall - he has a fantastic egg between his eyebrows right now which threatens to give him 2 black eyes for Xmas, oh dear. But still runs. Scared the other toddlers/ mums on his 1st play date at an amazing kids centre in Cyberport (rooms of cool toys and a 'multi-sensory' room where he was so happy he ran in circles for 20 mins). Jumping (and missing the edge) of the sofa being another fave that scares us. Plus hes not eating well anymore, whether due to teething we are not sure - but where does he get the energy form then? An afternoon with his sitter Maicey seems to be about the only thing to wear him out! Sadly he is very determined with a right temper (Petes side) but does seem to forget bad moods fast(my side :)) after a wail and a thow and a stamp/ lie / sit on the ground. Not boding well for terrible two's, etc. And he will go right back to where/ what you stopped him doing as soon as he can. Doh.

Sue's here a few more weeks then off to see her Katie who's expecting in Aug, in NZ, then back to us for another month. Brians arriving for a few weeks with us in Jan.

Petes attempting to paraglide or windsurf as often as the conditions allow, which is not much recently. He pops down very early to Stanley Beach where he stores his kit at the unlocked, unattended racks of the windsurf 'club (and its still there - I don't know where all this fear of robbers etc here comes from). He has a few hours then comes back before 9 or heads straight to work. He also got chased by police in a boat and guards on the beach when the main windsurfing club/ beach was suddenly taken over by the East Asian Games. Even though the race didn't start until hours later and was miles off in the bay. At least they removed the shark nets for a bit... As for his flying, they seem to 'para-wait' ie hang out on top of mountains and then give up when its dark and walk back down, a lot. Someone had a problem and landed on 3 helpers (Philippino maids on a day off) on Shek O beach last month so theres been a lot of bad press about it - fortunate as the guy wasn't in Petes flying club and really should have been able to avoid it.

Heres what we did on Christmas Eve anyway;

Xmas eve 09 Repulse Bay, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.
paddling on the beach - 28 degrees, steamy!- then walking to meet Pete on his last day of work. Fins loving the seaon due to all the music being played everywhere - he jiggles and rocks and stamps to just about any tunes he hears - I must get some cds! He can also now climb the steps of the mini slide down below our block, throw himself off the slide and then run tround for more. Bit hairy on the bigger slides thoigh. And he LOVES wee girls of any age - boys he will stare at but girls he will slowly edge up to and then tentively pat once. He has also started patting me, Sue and Maicey on the bum, i have NO idea why :)

Today we had chocs for brekkie;rang Kate in NZ to hear their Beach Barbie (Brian had just arrived from the UK) and then got smart to go to lunch Pete booked at RHKYC. Which was GREAT - all sorts of salads and starters from Shi or whelks to smoked salmon; turkey & all the trimmings (sadly brussels were soggy brown lumps) with the best gravy ever, and we especially liked the roast ostrich. None of us had the goose iver they pan-fired to your order but it smelt yummy. Then we had a huge range of puds, the Yule choc log and the 'Gingerbread Pudding' (sort of a bread pud but actually NICE) were yum too.

Xmas Day 09 us RHKYC lunch, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.
(As we don't have an oven at home, like many Hong Kongers).

Xmas Day 09 mr bump RHKYC lunch, originally uploaded by wildcatfin.
What was fab was by chance Pete had got a balcony table which overlooks the play area so even when takinf turns amusing Finley we could see the others. They have a great wendy house (Fins fave) and pirate-ship play assemblage as well as having about 30 asstd trikes there for him to try.


Anyway, thanks for all the messages/ letters etc, I will keep saying GET SKYPE to those of you who haven't yet. Its brilliant especially if its computer to computer as we can video call - Finley recognise the regulars, shows off to the camera, and shouts at the screen whenever we open a laptop just incase someone is on there for him!

Merry Christmas & Happy Hogmany!
Love Cat, Pete & Finley xxx

PS Just had to add some of the GORGEOUS pics Michelle just sent me that she snapped when I was hired by Shell / Bacton Gas Terminal round the corner from Sue's farm this July -awwww HOW cute???!

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