January-February 2013

Congratulations to Eric and Eliza.  They welcomed a baby girl which they named Blakely to their home on January 8.  She is a beautiful little baby and makes number seven for us.  Grandchildren are the best and I really love each one of mine.

Poor Donn had to miss his 60^th birthday this year because we were flying and by the time we got back to China his day was over.  Flight details:  Our flight back was cancelled 20 minutes before departure.  We were told that the next available flight would be the next day.  After a lot of “discussion” they got us onboard an American Airlines flight that left an hour later.  We were first in line and probably the only ones to get out of Vegas that day.  However we paid the piper and arrived without luggage.  Saturday we were finally reunited with our luggage which appeared to have been dropped from the plane as they passed over Suzhou ~ one was ripped and the other had lost a wheel.  It will give me a cause and keep me busy for a while as I fight with the airlines about all the items that were missing from our suitcases.

January 25, 2013, K2 Christmas Party at the InterContinental Hotel.  K2 had scheduled a fun Christmas Party at my favorite buffet.  It is one of the first places that we went to with Lim and actually found food that we could eat.  Up to that point last summer, we thought we might starve.  They gave away lots of prizes, but Donn and I were very unlucky and didn’t win anything.

CNY:  Chinese New Year is a solid month of celebrating.  There are fireworks going off all day and all night.  Everything shuts down and most of the Chinese Nationals leave and go on holiday.   We enjoyed several walks around Times Square to enjoy all the lighted displays.

Donn and I decided last minute that we were going to go to leave town as well.  Our destination:  Brisbane, Australia. We wanted to enjoy some ocean water and warm weather.   We had an amazing trip.   We went to a Koala Preserve and I actually got to hold a Koala.  We also got to pet and feed kangaroo.  We enjoyed several days of snorkeling and wave jumping.  Australia is a beautiful part of the world.  I would love to visit again one day.