Back in Australia again

I'm back in Australia for another holiday and here I am standing in front of Adelaide University watching the young students hurrying by on their way to their classes.
It's a holiday here on Monday 26th to commemorate ANZAC day. It's a day to honour the brave Australians soldiers that sacrificed their lives for the country.
While strolling through the Botanic Gardens on a hot day I saw a rather strange and beautiful sight. Colourful parrots are stopping by at this fountain for a cool bath and drink. Like all the other wild birds found in the park and around the city they are not fearful of people.
As is obvious, I had a very relaxing holiday. The autumn weather was perfect and I got to spend time with my children. We went strawberry picking and sun-bathed at the beach. And of course we enjoyed the bountiful fresh fruits and food.

Alice in Wonderland is in town

It's the school holidays and the crowds are flocking to the movie theaters to see the most popular show...Alice in Wonderland in 3D. I'm not a big fan of Alice but I can't help taking a few photos of the excited crowd as well as some of the characters back stage when I went to the Mall last weekend.

Some friends dropped by for dinner

Some "old" friends dropped by for dinner last Sunday night. I think they enjoyed the Malaysian food and Australian wine. It was exciting for me to hear the latest developments at ADORC. Gosh, am I really that short?

and......here's my little effort

Here's a picture of myself at the Mid Valley Megamall about to indulge in my favourite past-time...window shopping
I've finished decorating my home. Now to get a traditional qi pao for the Chinese New Year!

It's the festive season again

It’s the festive season again! Chinese New Year is just 2 weeks away and the shopping malls are all decorated up in red. To ensure that the year of the tiger brings prosperity and good luck we should wear new clothes and decorate our homes with lime plants, red lanterns and chinese characters in red and gold.

It is traditional to exchange gifts and even Jusco is competing with the local shops to promote their hampers and beautifully wrapped gift baskets.

This year Valentine’s Day happens to fall on the first day of Chinese New Year. It’s rather strange to see some shops displaying cute bears, pink hearts and red roses while others are decked out in the traditional Chinese New Year trimmings.

Farewell 2009

What an awesome year it has been! I successfully made the transition from working woman to a retiree. Working life in Japan was very enjoyable and fulfilling.....and so is retired life. No regrets so far.

I have been doing a lot of cleaning and dusting in my apartment. Got rid of my old sofa set in the living room and replaced it with one that has washable covers. Now it is easier to keep the place clean.

Christmas has come and gone. The children came back from Australia and we celebrated Christmas and the New Year with the extended family. Spent a lot of time hanging around the shopping malls, admiring the Christmas decorations and soaking in the festive atmosphere.

Hope you all had an enjoyable holiday with your families too and here's wishing you a wonderful year ahead.

Swimming a little, eating a lot

Although I still have a lot of unpacking, cleaning, and redecorating to do, I'm beginning to be more organized in my daily routine. Threw away a lot of unwanted junk which has been cluttering my life. The house is starting to look like a home again!
Yup, I've reached that important point of my life. I am reassessing my priorities and starting to plan the next step ahead....at least whatever is left of life's journey.
Spending lots of time with family members, especially mum. I'm going to buy a new swimming suit and work out in the pool and gym. Learning to bake and cook from watching AFC (Asian Food Channel) on TV. Much easier than reading cookery books. And after I've mastered a few recipes, I'm gonna invite friends over for afternoon tea by my poolside.