newest cozy

Here's the latest of the 6 cozies I've crocheted over the last month or two. I like the colors in this yarn a lot.

...and the way the color variegation highlights the concentric circles.
On another note, I think this might be my 300th post! I say "think" because there might be the odd draft or two floating around, being counted in my blogger tally. Not sure if 300 posts is really celebrate-able, but a milestone none the less!

movies movies

I saw three movies this weekend (in a very liberal sense of the word... I think only college fraternities consider Thursday as part of the weekend).

Thursday: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Friday: Juno. Sunday: No Country for Old Men.

All very different movies, and all very good. I didn't feel like I "got" everything in No Country, but it's probably nothing a little research on IMDB won't clear up. I'm a long-time Coen brothers' fan, and this movie definitely doesn't disappoint. It's a bit gorier than I was expecting though. So much so that I found myself shielding my eyes in bloody anticipation on more than one occasion.

Now it's just There Will Be Blood left on my short list of movies to see.

Here we are enjoying some mango desserts after Juno. Note Simon's heart-shaped dish. And my mango drink cozy.

inevitability

It was bound to happen sooner or later; it was really just a matter of when.

Yes, Sal and I showed up at church today wearing matching sweaters. We knew that we both had one, so it wasn't the least bit surprising. We both happened to be ushers too, so quite a few people asked if it was some sort of uniform. Haha.

Here we are with our matching sweaters and matching chai lattes (in non-matching hand-made cozies. Side note: Sal's cozy has cool snaps!).

green power: 6 days and counting

I picked up my Green Power number today, along with the little chip I have to attach to my shoe. It's the first time I've ever been officially registered for a hike like this, and it all feels so, well, official. Hopefully I'm ready.
Here's a photo I took during last Saturday's 28 km training hike. We walked from the Choi Hung MTR station to Pak Tam Au in Sai Kung. It was MacLehose Stages 3, 4, and part of 5 backwards. I can't remember exactly where I took the photo below... maybe on Stage 3? I think this might be the view from the infamous Rooster Hill, but I'm not sure.
I'm still looking for sponsors for the hike, so if you'd like to support Green Power, let me know! :)

r2d2 knit hat

I have an ever-growing list of topics that I've been meaning to blog about, but this has special permission to cut the queue, because it's just that cool.

Yes, that's right. -- it's an R2D2 beanie, complete with the little knobby things and everything. It's made by Carissa of Carissa Knits, who I found out about via the Craft Magazine blog.

If you like what you see, don't bother asking me to make you one. I checked out the pattern and it reminded me that I'm really just a beginning knitter -- it's completely over my head. I'll stick to crocheting coffee cozies for now, thank you very much.

wilson trail -- cloudy hill and the eight fairies

I'd done minimal hiking since the Trail Walker in November, and with the Green Power 50k coming up soon, it was time to get some training in. So yesterday, I followed my dad and Dave (who I will hereafter affectionately refer to as "the Daves") on the last couple stages of the Wilson Trail, which ended up being about 24k, with some pretty intense climbs over Cloudy Hill and the Eight Fairies (Pat Sin Leng). I'd hiked the Eight Fairies last September with my dad (and had had an interesting time with my grass allergy), but had never climbed Cloudy Hill before. It was nice to be out on a relatively unfamiliar trail, and the weather was absolutely perfect for hiking!

The Daves at the top of our first summit, with Cloudy Hill [surprisingly] visible in the background. Apparently, Cloudy Hill is usually, well, cloudy. But not yesterday.
Stairs, stairs, and more stairs going up to Cloudy Hill.

Looking down from Cloudy hill at the path that we'd just come up.

There were more markers along this portion of the Wilson than other stages we'd hiked before. It's a trail that has become notorious (among us at least) for being poorly marked.

Making our way to the Eight Fairies.

The view from the 8th and tallest of the Eight Fairies, with the seven other fairies ahead of us.

An abandoned village near the end of the trail, near Bride's Pool.

Another abandoned building. I'd like to go back to this village and explore further...

More evidence of human habitation.

We passed a number of streams. Flash flood warnings are common, but I'd never seen one of these signs before. Scary.

Giant ferns everywhere.

The Wilson Trail ends at a small village called Nam Chung. Here are some of the village houses next to a mangrove swamp.

Next Saturday we'll be doing another practice hike, this time on the good ol' Maclehose trail.

eliott

Sal and I went to visit Robyn and Eliott in the hospital last week, and then went over to see the whole family during Chinese New Year. Here are some photos!

Robyn looking lovely, even in her hospital gown. I love Eliott's cheeks in this one...

Eliott and Auntie Salome.

Various poses.

And a few days later at the Steuernagel residence...

Sal playing with big brother Owen.

A blurry shot of E and me... and yes, contrary to the way this photo looks, I do know how to hold a baby.

The Steuernagel family of four!

One last shot of Robyn and Eliott -- he's such a doll in this picture!

kung hei fat choi

Happy Year of the Rat!

Chinese New Year break is coming to an end, and I'm going back to school tomorrow. It was an interesting week. I reconnected with old friends, went to a friend's dad's funeral, met another's new baby, got sick with the flu, got better and did some baking and crocheting, and then of course, got some hiking in as well. With all the contrasting activities, I couldn't help but be reminded of this passage from Ecclesiastes:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven;
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to week and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear down and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Photos to come...