The real reason I became a teacher...

...is because I grew up with long vacations.  Like all good things, once you get used to them, it's hard to give them up.  (In truth it was only one part of my decision, but a significant part.)  I don't mind working hard when I work, but I like to have a lot of time to play as well.  Today was my first real day of vacation.  I finished grading late yesterday evening and then rushed home to have a cookie-making party with some friends.  My family always makes a ton of Christmas cookies, so I thought I should share the fun. 

Apologies, because of my recent adventures and bad blogging behavior, I'm going to have to present things in a non-chronological order.  So today I'll talk about the past couple of days and then tomorrow I'll show you the rest of the Hong Kong photos.  Deal?

Going backwards - today was awesome.  Angie and I rolled out of bed just before 9 so that we could have a McDonald's sendoff breakfast for Beth.  She left for Beijing this morning to visit her boyfriend for a week.  After that I took my sweet time catching up on some emails and stuff around the house, then I took some cookies in to Tenny, one of the hard-working ladies in the Admin office.  She's going on leave after today and was at school to help administer the TOEFL test.  (Test of English as a Foreign Language)  I didn't want to go all the way into Taipa just for that, so I went by the Old Taipa Tavern for a late lunch of their glorious fish and chips.  I'm picky about my fish, thanks to Dad, but this is pretty delicious stuff.  (That's the fish, climbing over the mountain of "chips".)

 

I ate at a leisurely pace (it's so nice not to have to rush anything!) while I read the book I started at the beginning of the semester: Contemporary Chinese Politics.  I'm only on the second chapter and Mao is already beginning to take over.  It's really interesting since I know so little about world history.  One of the many things I wish I had more time to study in my spare time. 


Came back in time to hit mass and was disappointed to find that they did not perform a single Christmas song.  (sigh)  Luckily, I have iTunes for that.  Rachel gifted me with some freebies for my birthday and I hadn't decided what to use them on yet, so Christmas music won.  I got two because they were both so awesome.  First, an Annie Lennox album that I noticed in HK... 

...and A Motown Christmas, because I cannot even imagine how I lived this long without having Stevie Wonder's version of Ave Maria.  Thanks Rach!


Later in the evening we went to pick up Veronica, who came from HK on the ferry to visit.  We left a bit early to see the lunar eclipse and stood out in the cold at the reservoir trying to take some photos.  Kind of useless without a tripod, but this is what I got.

Not bad for my little camera, eh?  I also took a picture of some of the crazy Christmas lanterns that have begun appearing around town.  The plastic has finally been removed and they're all lit up and crazy.

And here are some more I noticed in Old Taipa Village this afternoon.  Hideous! 
(Click to enlarge)

Is this for Christmas?  What are they doing?

But here was an unexpected pleasure - a huge real tree at the ferry terminal.  I might have to go back and smell it a few more times.  After picking up Veronica we came back home, made some Ovaltine (it tastes weird here) and watched "How to Train Your Dragon".  It was cute and celebrated two things I love - my Norwegian heritage and D&D.  I know some other "little boys" who can recite all the stats for each type of dragon as well.  :)

So going backward in time, here are some shots of the cookie-making party.  These come compliments of Winnie, Miranda, and Carol, I think.  Can't remember whose FB page I took them off of.

These are but a small selection of the cookies my parents make for the holidays.  The painted sugar cookies are Mom's favorite, so we make a ton of those.  I'm usually the roller, but Carol helped me out.  I made the fudge and Russian teacakes beforehand so we'd have something to enjoy right away, and Beth got these gingerbread men to paint.  The guests all brought treats and drinks as well - thanks ladies!

From L to R: Stella (a graduate assistant who shares our office), Beth, Winnie (a new friend we met through Carol), Karen, and then Angie and I on the bottom.  Carol is holding the camera.  The first batch got kind of dark because my little oven is a bit tricky to regulate, but by the end I think we mastered it.  Yum!!!