From our guest blogger, Maureen…

Editor's note: As I sit here and post this blog, Carys is in bed wailing because she misses Blake and Mo. We all do! We had a wonderful 44 hour visit, alas, it was only 44 hours. Blake and Maureen left this afternoon. Maureen's report follows.

Two delightful flights from both Heathrow and Frankfurt has brought us to Hong Kong – had a fab sleep on the last flight, thankfully.  The Caldwell gang were at the airport to meet us and we were wrapped up in endless hugs and kisses on our arrival.  By this point Blake and I were feeling odd from jet lag and lay down for a few hours.  Tess and Charles have given us their bed – sigh, it has been bliss.  Lo and behold, Tess and Charles had a dinner party that evening: Terry and Nick, and Tess' boss from ICM, Deanna and her husband, Dave.  It all made for very interesting company and the kidlets had made settings for us all with handwritten menus.  Blake lasted until the first course and knew he could not manage the meal and instead had a bowl of breakfast cereal… and was then off to bed for the night by approx. 8:30 – 9:00 pm.  I lasted another 30 – 45 minutes and bid my adieus. (At left: Jasper waiting at the airport and Sebastian later on in the day at home.)

We both slept all night long and did not get up until 8 am, feeling so much better.  We lazed around and drank tea whilst chatting and finally got dressed and headed off to church.  So wonderful to see familiar faces at church who greeted us all so warmly.  A fine sermon on humility and what humility is – "not thinking less of oneself  but thinking of oneself less" … "knowing who and what we are in Christ".  Laurel (a fellow Rafa fan  : )  and her daughters joined us after church at The Flying Pan (in a new location in Wanchai) for a fine breakfast.  I fondly remembered Fintry "Fat Boy" breakfasts as I enjoyed an "English Breakfast." And now we are home with thoughts of going for a hike but after the late night the girls are having a nap and I may join them.  Not sure if Tess and Blake are actually going to do the walk but they are the most stalwart, I must say.
 
This evening we are going to the Aberdeen Boat Club for dinner and more friends of Tess and Charles will be there as well.  So, it has been vintage Hong Kong and soooo worth coming.

The new flat is excellent.  Very high ceilings with a much improved paint job, greenery out most windows, quieter as they are well off the main drag.  The girls have their own room, the boys theirs and of course, a master en suite for Tess and Charles.  They have decorated brilliantly, in my humble opinion  : )  A cosy living room with couches and bean bags, art work and family pictures throughout the flat, a small but efficient kitchen with Liza's bedroom and bathroom off the kitchen.  A large area has been designated for the dining room and makes for a spacious feel to the whole place.  We feel very comfortable.