Was it Worth it? Not sure but it was a fun night!

(Wrote this over a month ago but forgot to click send.)

So I have been lapse in many of my duties over the last 2 months...not writing on this blog, check...not skyping my friends & family, check...not completely focused on all that Beijing has to offer, double check.  The reason for this can all be traced back to November 10th when I went to a meeting called the BSB Ball Planning Meeting.  Oh, if I had only been sick or if I'd liked my fellow Parent Association cohorts just a little less ...

There is a suburb of Beijing called Shunyi.  And in Shunyi is the other campus of the British School of Beijing.  I'm on the downtown PA Board and we were planning a Charity Ball with the PA of Shunyi.  I'd like to think we all said 'yes' b/c the pressure was there to say something and we didn't know any better to run screaming in the other direction.

I begrudgingly signed up to be on the Entertainment Committee and the Silent Auction committee.  I am not going to bore you with all the things that went wrong along the way but it was mainly a frustrating experience dealing with the 'other' group of ladies.  Lots of headaches, hair pulling, massive email debates and terrible leadership.

But there is a happy ending.  The Ball was a lot of fun and the other guests didn't seem to notice the things that didn't go quite as planned.  And the plus to all the complaining and moaning and venting is my 3 fellow downtown organizers and I bonded against the Shunyi organizers and are as thick as thieves.  And looking fantabulous, I might add.  ;-)

Oh and we also raised 110,000RMB ($17,000) for our charity of choice...ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital.  I should have probably have mentioned that before the 'fantabulous' part....

Are the Evil Spirits Gone Yet? Nope...10 more days....

Fireworks were invented in ancient China in the 12th century to scare away evil spirits.  Such important events and festivities as Chinese New Year.... were and still are times when fireworks are guaranteed sights.  China is the largest manufacturer and exporter of fireworks in the world. - Quoted from Wikipedia

Fireworks ARE guaranteed sights at the moment...and sounds....and smells....and sleepless night....and amazing moments....

You just have to see it to believe it (like many things in China).

Both of these videos were taken from our bedroom windows on the 3rd floor of a high-rise in downtown Beijing.  Please remember this is one corner of a city 10 times the size of Houston with 22 million Chinese people currently trying to ward off those aforementioned evil spirits....i.e. small piece of the big picture.

What I love about the video above is how I started to the right and just kept moving along as more people lit their fuses....I especially loved the fireworks over the major intersection.  I wonder what that bus driver was thinking?

So I leave you with the noise echoing in your ears...please think of us when you go to sleep tonight....in peace....we have 10 more days of this....

p.s.  The craziness is a bit fun...just wish there was an on/off switch.

Non-Stop Fun in Singapore

The family went to Singapore for 5 nights/4 days during the girls' Chinese New Year school break.  Patrick has been there for work but never for fun.  For such a small island (274 sq mi), it sure has a lot to do for the kiddie-winks.

  Day One - A morning wander around Orchard Road, an afternoon at the water park...

Wild Wild Wet on a rainy day

Best Zoo EVER!!!

Just when you think you've seen it all...

Before moving to China, I never imagined such wacky & wonderful things were 'out there'.  How else do you describe Chair Skating and Bike Skating on ice?  Now maybe these things are in the Northern U.S. but I think I'd have at least seen pics or heard about them during my years in Chicago.  No...I had to move to the other side of the world to have this much fun!!

Too Cool for School...it's the only way to travel on ice....

Please note the screwdriver attached to a spike...yeah, just give it to young kids

Tango line of Chair Skates

Please note the tango line continues in background

 And as a final parting image, please adsorb the absurdity and freakishness of the robot dressed in children's clothes, pulling a rickshaw...  Only in China....

 

Christmas 2010 - Seeing Houston from a Different Angle

Happy New Year to all our family and friends!  The McVeigh clan had a wonderful 3 weeks in Houston.  We were lucky enough to spend tons of time with the people we love.  We also got to see Houston from a totally different angle.  I rented a condo on the 19th floor in Tanglewood.  We always have loved thunderstorms (and miss them now) but they are totally awesome from a high-rise.  Thank you to Houston for delivering the range of weather we have come to expect...70 degree day (sandals), cold front (didn't bring a coat) and just enough thunderstorms to make us happy.  Too bad I was sick most of the trip....

I loved this game as a kid - "Perfection"  This was the Christmas of games.  I bought the girls this one, Connect Four, Operation, Monopoly Junior and taught my entire family Mexican Train.  Choo-choo!!

Sad tree but great view!  (Don't pity our tree - the girls loved decorating it.)

The girls with Andy Smith - the boy they will battle for someday.  ;-)

Christmas Eve with Rapunzel