It had to happen eventually

It had to happen eventually, a flag pole that is. Well to be completely honest its a piece of bamboo with a loop of rope attached. flags. The picture does not really do it justice.  No idea what the correct etiquette is for flags so until someone complains.....



Hong Kong countryside

One of Lantau Island's hidden gems.  The picture does not do it justice.  Crystal clear rock pools and pristine countrysideand all just a few miles from one of the busiest and crowded places on earth. 

Lantau Buffalos - Medal winners (Under eights)

The under eights team photo after receiving their players' medal for participating in the Valley Fort rugby competition  at Kings park Kowloon.  Arthur is on the bottom row, second from the left.

Changeable Lizard

This fellow was displaying / sunning in the vegetable plot outside the house.   I know its a bloke as he is turning his head and neck orange coloured. About a foot long from head to tail in all.   When we first spotted him his head and neck was bright orange colour but as I got closer to take the pictures it slowly began to fade and lighten, presumably an attempt to make himself less conspicuous.

DIY

Its got to be said that I am absolutely useless at DIY. 
Q.  How long does it take to put up four venetian blinds? 
A. Not sure as so far today I have only managed to put up three.

Barking deer on South Lantau Road



Muntjac Deer



This Sunday morning, as we were driving over to Tong Fuk from Mui Wo for mini rugby we were lucky enough to spot a Muntjac deer run back into the undergrowth from the road side. 

Although apparently common in the woods and hillsides of Hong Kong, (a fact we can vouch for at Man Kok Tsui as they are partial to digging up Nuch's sweet potato crops) and often heard "barking" they are seldom seen.   Our first sighting ever.    

Chinese New Year at Man Kok Tsui

At long last we have electricity we can rely on, lights that work, fuses that are safe and switches that no longer look like something from a Frankenstein horror movie.   So not wishing to waste an opportunity we packed up the boat and headed off for a weekend of isolation.  It was brilliant.  No phones, no internet, no TV and no crowds.  The weather was warm and sunny and the winds were calm.  The boys were over the moon as they could now power up their infernal Nintendo thingys and I was happy as I could now get back to my ham fisted DIY and the obligatory random power tool use.  Nuch of course was in seventh heaven as she could now boil water, use the microwave and put food into a fridge that worked.

Mini Rugby - Lantau Style

As Chinese New Year approached, the normally vacant footie pitch has been commandeered for the Tong Fuk village party.  So the boys had to endure mini rugby on the beach.  It was pretty cold but noone seemed to mind and as luckily the tide was out, noone had to fish the balls out of the sea (or children come to think of it).

Birds we have oggled this month at Man Kok Tsui

Two buzzards (possibly paired) soaring.

A very fast peregrine falcon that screamed as it flew round and round in circles over one of the headlands

Possibly a buzzard being mobbed by a crow

Also two kingfishers and loads of blackbirds (Not the same as UK versions).  Spring seems to be early this year for the migrations.  Maybe I need to start looking at getting a decent camera to sanp the smaller birds too.

Oh yes and Nipper the dog discovered her terrier instincts when she was introduced to a rat that had been caught in next doors rat rap.   It took her a while to work out what to do, she knew she was meant to do something but the sly old rat kept stopping moving which seemed to phase the dog.  Once the rat mad a dash for cover, it was the last thing it shold have done.......

The renovations continue

This month will see a big leap forward for our little house.  All the electrics will be completed.  All the plumbing will be completed and all our savings will be depleted!   All we have to do now is clean up the paintwork (thank you electricians and plumbers) chuck in some furniture and sit back and relax.  

Not all true actually.   The potable water connection will take some time as the wheels of burocracy churn slowly.  We now have the mountain water piped in from the "clean" well, so we can at least flush the loo etc.  Once the water services department trot along and add in their meter we will have potable water to the kitchen and the bathroom.  Alas we still need to wait for the electricity board to also trot on over and reconnect our shiny new 3 phase circuits.   Once they have done that we can all make use of a rather fine electric water heater.   A hot shower!!!!!!.   A shave with hot water!!!!!!   Oh joy, oh joy.

Any how pictures to follow once we have tidied up a bit more.

HK Mini Rugby Tournament

Both Arthur and Matthew took part in the annual mini rugby tournament on Sunday.   Matthew was not too interested and gave up after two games.  As he put it "They kept catching me so what's the point?"   Arthur on the other hand seemed to enjoy it immensely and thanks to the eager coaches he ended up playing twelve games and scoring four or five tries.  

The South Lantau Buffalos' Mini Rugby Team, 2010 season opener

Year ten, month ten and day ten and how better to celebrate the unusual date than with a resounding victory at mini rugby over the blue team?  Here Jak explains what happened, while Arthur remains content to let him do the talking while he gets on with the more tricky task of perfecting the "down in one" routine.

 

And here, Arthur puts in some spirited defending much to the frustration of a rather desperate blue team parent who can be heard attempting to direct his son from the sideline.    Who was it that said its not all about winning? 

A politically incorrect python

Now would this be best used as shoe leather or should it grow a bit more and become a belt?