Virg'n Mary (Virg in front)
My hands are ruined! A small, painful, bone like bump is protruding from the bottom pad of my left hand and I can’t bend my right hand back without pain. To add insult to injury I now have a red raw stigmata appearing on the middle of my right palm…hhmmm.
The first two injuries are a result of my skate park trips and have necessitated some adjustments in my activities. I have to strap my wrist up to lift weights and use a machine rather than the free weights for a while. My right hand kills me when pressing to standing position on the surfboard, so it has actually helped me stand a bit quicker to lessen the pain. The third injury is not the result of a miraculous vision or a divine calling, but rather the aftermath of using a screwdriver to build a wardrobe on Sunday. I am about to make a bold statement: after the next of these wardrobes is built, I am NEVER building another one!! I’ve built a fair few of these things in my time and I am now officially retired from the flat pack re-assembly game. It’s quite possible that the incomprehensible Chinese instructions didn’t help and the drawings didn’t match what was actually in the pack but I have now had enough. I will build the other one with the sweet thought that I will never again be afflicted with morning after stigmata and a structure that bears little resemblance to the picture on the box, but more to a kid’s cubby house assembled from scrap timber! I’m getting frustrated just remembering this so……
On a lighter note, we had a very enjoyable Saturday afternoon/evening when we went to see the outstanding “Million Dollar Baby”. I know it and “The Aviator” are in the running for the best picture Oscar so I thought it might be interesting to see both before the decision. If it was up to me, Million $ would win in a canter. Soaring performances from all three leads backed up a magnificent story. I won’t spoil it if you haven’t seen it, but the twist in the movie had me gasping. It was certainly a triumph for all concerned and had me thinking about the issues even today at work. This is the best movie I’ve seen for a couple of years (and I’ve seen a few!!) After braving the teeming streets, we walked up to Royal Host for tea. Although not a restaurant of fine dining, this Japanese “family” restaurant chain is a sentimental favorite of mine. When I walk in, I always remember sitting there and drinking the bottomless cup of coffee with Carl and Rob while we discussed our plans all those years ago when we first went to Japan.
It was a celebration of sorts on Saturday, as it was 25 years ago on this day that a skinny punk with a shock of fuzzy hair audaciously decided to chat to the beautiful young girl at the Uni 1st year’s “get to know you” BBQ. Little did we know how far we’d come! In fact, this day five years ago, when we shared a bottle of champagne on the very balcony where we met all those years before, we were at a much different point in our lives. We were ensconced in our Georgetown home with Eugene, working happily at the Grammar School, with nary a thought to change anything. Five years on we have a new house at home, an exciting life here in Taiwan and the opportunity to continue to travel on our breaks. We have a whole household of stuff as well as car, bike and of course, Virg’n Mary. While still teaching, this is an invigorating job of different challenges and recognition of a job done well. We couldn’t imagine in our wildest dreams that we’d be here now while standing on that balcony 5 years ago, so what might the next 5 years bring?
The weather has not improved. It is still cold, wet and miserable and more is forecast for this week. Ross and I were thankful to spy a rare window of opportunity on Sunday afternoon and set about to make the most of it. The wind died to a whisper and the rain stopped momentarily about 3pm. We made some hasty arrangements and rushed to the Pillbox and enjoyed glassy smooth waves. They were small but great fun and although it again started raining heavily before we got out, it was a tiny slice of excellent conditions, quite freakily appearing out of nowhere and disappearing just as quickly. For once we were in the right place at the right time!