Happy New Year ~ of the Dog!!!

To bring in the Chinese New Year, we were all invited to Michelle’s friend’s place. A multi dished feast like the previous year’s was most enjoyable. Again, Michelle was having to be everybody’s interpreter. Reg had bought over $200 of fireworks that afternoon(That's him on the left) so for most of the evening, the boys were playing with their toys outside. They were more like kids actually. In the hours leading up to midnight, fireworks and firecrackers were being lit at every street corner. Huge blasts would rock cars and alarms would sound off. The air was thick of fog ~ and perhaps even smog. We took videos of the surroundings and if you closed your eyes, you’d swear you were listening to coverage on the War on Iraq. At midnight, everybody goes back inside to eat some dumplings. Turns out that while the boys go blow their fingers off outside, the others are inside rolling dough and stuffing dumplings. You can’t get any fresher than that.

At around one o’clock, it’s time to leave. Once in a while, you hear fire crackers in the distance. This is where Reg gets the idea of lighting sticks of TNT and tossing them out the car window. We feel that on this particular evening, we are permitted to do anything. The strict laws and rules and regulations are tossed out the window along with the crackers. We are all having fun like kids. As we arrive at our apartment complex, the signs that fireworks and crackers were lit are everywhere. All of the foot paths are covered with empty shells and red packaging turned into shreds. At two in the morning, Kev and Reg are still lighting the TNT sticks and throwing them 20 meters away. The explosions echo throughout the apartment complex and we’re sure that we can be herd within a 10km radius…

As I crawl into bed that morning, my ears are still ringing. Content with my evening, I turn off my mobile phone, bring a tall glass of water to my bed side table and snuggle-up with Minou and Chico ~ I’m looking forward to my sleep-in. These few seconds of bliss are quickly shattered by an explosion followed by car alarm sirens. And all throughout the night, the noises continued… At 0630, the biggest bangs got me out of bed. All day, I wore my mp3 player to muffle the constant, and by now aggravating, blasts. Five days have gone by and still, fireworks are being lit, all day and all night. Never could you imagine such a thing unless you actually saw it. The colorful fireworks are lit by the main entrance to my apartment building and explode only 10 meters away from my living room window. It’s a colorful display for sure, but the novelty has worn off. These festivities is scheduled to last a total of 15 days…oh-joy!

Below is a pic of Jane's son: "Sunny" ~ or as we call him: "Damian". Many children get their new clothes during Spring Festival. You gotta admit, he's adorable!