Finishing touches on the basement

What to say? Can you really describe the joy that a heated ceramic floor gives you? A walk-in shower with a seat and hand-held shower head that is big enough for two. In the main living room, soft lighting from potlights on a dimmer switch with a floating ceiling to provide access to the plumbing and the electrical. Can't wait for the built in closet and shelving to be installed next.

Spring is in the air

Spring is in the air and nothing sings of spring more than flowers....in this case carved veggie flowers of course. The occasion to make the start of this new beginning was was Ms Crowded House and her hubby, Dictator K, combined birthday dinner at Sushi Kaji. The chef did not disappoint serving up a splendid mix (save one thing).

First, there was a crab croquette with lotus root chip. Then came an appetitzer of cold soba noodles with stewed clam and scallop which was followed by a hot beef and watercress soup. The next dish was a fried fish smothered with shitake mushrooms and snow peas greens. A plate of sashmi dish and penultimately, a medley of nigri from tuna belly to lobster completed the main course.

Alas, the disappointment was a somewhat suspiciously slimy tastless fish egg mousse. This makes the overall experience less satisfying as Kaiseki Sakura or Toju. However, the dessert (a lime merangie with fresh fruit) to a lesser degree and the company of good friends to a greater degree did make up for this.

Everybody's Birthday

The Lunar New Year is not a one day affair. Instead, the chinese have made it a nearly two week celebration. On the seventh day of the new year, "everybody's birthday" is the theme. On this day, everyone essentially becomes a year old at the same time. In honour of this, the traditional noodle dish is prepared (the dish with the tongs). Noodles signifying long life in the ancient chinese tradition. Prawns when said in cantonese is a homonym for laughter...HA! Everyone should celebrate life with joy. The mushroom dish is another new year staple. In cantonese, it is the homonym for Fatt Choy (prosperity). Naturally, the king of the oinkers was also eaten. Actually, given its size, we'll likely be eating the remains of the pig throughout the year.

Wii Wii Wonderful

I am not very much of a videogame player. Actually make that I am not a videogame player. I have tried out various systems from X-box to the P3P and Gamecube at various parties but didn't really understand the appeal. Enter Wii.

I receive the console quite by accident after a colleague of mine chanced upon it at the shelves of the local Walmart. She bought the last two units. One was snatched up by yours truely. The other was purchased by another colleague of mine who is equally disinterested in video games (but who has a four year old boy).

What fun was had that evening at the homestead. Bowling, tennis, boxing....all played with the full furor of competition. Even my father got into the action and turns out is quite a wicked Wii bowler.

Drenched in the sweat, massaging my Wii elbows and wrists, I smiled and gazed about the room. I realized that there was a rabid videogame addict in each and everyone of us.