I met Andrew and Dan out at Green Ball before 5, as we’d judged the swell, wind and tide ideal at just this outrageously early hour. It was well worked out. Scrambling down the rock face to get to the jumpoff point in the gloom, the waves had a slight off shore spray and smooth faces. It wasn’t big, but just big enough to be interesting and we all had a great time. I was stoked to get my best 5 or 6 waves since Christmas and it restored my faith a little in what I had assumed were my waning skills. Back home to be greeted by a blinky eyed Cassy who assured me she’d been awake, “For a little while”, a breakfast of champions, then a relaxing morning reading.
After lunch we went to visit a friend of Cassy’s, Rhonda, who was in one of the local hospitals. Cass supplied her with a stack of magazines and stayed and chatted for a while. Cassy could well have saved this woman’s life and I hardly exaggerate. On Thursday night, at her regular book club meeting, Rhonda complained of pains in her calf and Cass asked her to describe them. They were exactly the symptoms that had led to Cass discovering her DVT, and the insistence of all to seek immediate medical help might well have been critical. She was hospitalized on the spot and remains there at least for the next week. Although Cass didn’t want to seem alarmist, she rightly told the others of the remarkable similarities and they acted upon her concerns: very lucky!
Afterwards, we went to the coffee museum down near Shipai station and had a pleasant hour or so chatting over our lovingly roasted ground bean drinks and a piece of cake. As we had lingered a while, we decided to get Spice Shop Indian takeaway on the way home to heat up for tea and subsequently it proved to be quite delicious.
We went to have a brunch at a new place we’d heard of over in Dazhi, near Neihu. The Door is an unreal find and pretty much mirrors the American diner style of café, The Diner, from way downtown. This place is a much more reasonable distance from us, so we’ll definitely be back. It was a pretty lazy day after that, although I did head up the hill to go to an Anzac day footy party, mainly to be there for a little half time presentation to Lewey that I had been worded up about beforehand. After a hit and run mission, and just the one beer, I came back home and Cass and I had a lovely walk along the riverbank where she told me all the news from home. She had been chatting to her Mum and dad and hearing some more about their further adventures in China and Singapore. Back again, I watched some footy, Cass did the grocery shopping and now we’re counting down to one of our least favored aspects of our job: the dreaded professional development day, which we have scheduled for tomorrow. Let’s have the kids any day, please!
My mate Mark has just landed back in Taipei from Japan, where his beloved father-in-law has died quite suddenly. He reckons he has aged a year in just a week, as a result of stress, shock and the burden of Buddhist funeral ceremonies and family support needs. Not a happy time.
Bookwise, I’m just finishing Dark Mirror and Cass is quite intrigued by The Magician’s Assistant. Photos: Cass and the pineapple guy who we often buy produce from in front of Mingde station. Lewey’s party last week, courtesy of Steve, the official photographer. Me at The Door. STOP PRESS: last photo is of Freeway 3 on Sunday arvo, between Taipei and Keelung. This is one of our most frequented roads and we are very shocked at this landslide. Just a couple of weeks ago, we were on this stretch with Chris and Val and we are on it most weekends. Here are some amazing pictures
