New Year's in Miri

The McCarthy Family wishes all our family and friends a Happy New Year and all the best in 2009!

We have now been away for five days which explains for the lack of posts. Most days have been spent by the pool - today was a record for us staying at the pool from 10am to 5pm with only Ayden going up for a nap. We have also had a couple of fantastic dinners at a nearly seafood restaurant. We're here for another couple of days before heading home Friday. Donncha heads out Sunday and Iman and Jack go back to school Monday. Till then we're still chilling.

Our Christmas Day

Here are pictures from the big day. The kids had a fantastic day and it was great to see them so excited. Our day started with Santa's presents at 6:30 am - the kids loved their presents - thanks Santa, till next year! Lunch was fairly straightforward and stress free except Donncha did have a turkey moment! We then had family presents time which has become a regular feature on our Christmas days. The kids then spent the rest of the afternoon playing with their new toys. And in the evening we had friends round for more food!

The moment the kids have been waiting for - Santa's presents are under the tree!!!

"Wow", "A fire scooter", "Roller blades", "Golf", "Cool"

On Skype to Grannie and Grandad in Ireland

Jack can't wait for lunch

Roller blade queen!

Nearly ready

All pose for a family photograph but Ayden has other plans!

Patiently waiting for presents

And Ayden get's the first one

Iman and my mum make bracelets from the kit Aunty Eilis and Aunty Mairead sent

O Christmas Tree

I just snuck downstairs and it looks like Santa's just been. So many exciting gifts under the tree and I can't wait to see the three little faces in the morning. Good night everyone and Happy Christmas!

Christmas Hash

It was my first Christmas hash last night. The run was good but the OnOn that followed at Siggy's was excellent. We sang some songs and also did the "Secret Santa" - everyone that came brought a wrapped gift - no less than $10. When your name was pulled out the hat you got to rummage and choose a present. The hares and hosts then treated us to a fantastic turkey dinner which was superb - hope my turkey turns out that good on Christmas day. On on!

The hares - Gaby, Siggy and Bettina

Face to face with a green serpent!

Yesterday was probably one day in the jungle that I dreaded would ever happen. We were up on the Mentiri road, probably one of my favorite walks. I have previously ran the area once on a hash followed by marking it on a walk. I am familiar with the walk now and yesterday was able to lead it confidently. We started off on a fab note, we saw baby spiders in a web and birds were singing for us. It was a cool morning and the jungle was more beautiful than usual. About three quarters way through, Carolyn and I were chatting in front when Margaret came forward to swiftly push us ahead and get the other 3 to come through quickly . None of us knew what was going on or what Margaret had seen but she stopped us and said that we had all just walked past a snake on a branch basking in the sun. 

I WALKED PAST IT!!!! All I can say is I am glad that I did not spot it first cos I would have screamed and screamed!!! 

Seven years Margaret has been walking in the jungle and she has never seen a snake. Of course she wanted to go back so she leashed her dog and Carolyn held on to her whist I stood there shaking. Meanwhile the others crept back to admire the snake and take pictures. I was happy to walk away and even thought of passing my camera to one of the others but I would never have forgiven myself to pass the opportunity so I crept us off the path and shakily took the pictures. What a beauty but so much fear in me! Naj said she wished she took a picture of fear in my face. Following opinions from others we reckon it was viper but one that had just had a big meal thus no interest in moving. I must admit I suddenly lost my nerve walking freely in the jungle and needed a helping hand but what do I expect it is a jungle with wild creatures afterall!

A gathering of friends

Last saturday Donncha and I hosted a pre-Christmas party. It was raining cats and dogs and we couldn't use the outside area we had fabricated so we had our 50 guests crammed into the house. Surprisingly it worked really well and we had excellent reviews of the evening. And the fish and chips served fresh from the van was a real winner. Thank you to all that came and made the evening a good one for all of us. Till next year!

Jan, Siggy, Yurgen and Nellie

Ulrich and Naj

Fanny, Emmanuel, Eleanor, Zeina & Donncha

SanSan, Bettina, Donncha and Tina

Remembering a friend

This week ten years ago my dear friend Faridah Abu Bakar a.k.a Fab to friends and Fred to me, passed away. Dearly missed by family and friends. Al Fatihah

Bapa Jack is coming home!

It's been a long 12 days for us and Donncha is finally coming home tomorrow. Nearly every morning Jack wakes up asking "Where's Bapa?" and Ayden continually asks "Mana Bapa Jack", where's Jack's Dad? - long story, basically Jack calls me Mama Jack and his Dad is Bapa Jack so poor Ayden just copies him.

We have busy plans for the weekend including the eagerly awaited monthly kids hash. The kids will also want to have their favorite lunch - a trip to the Japanese for their fill of edamame beans, sushi rolls, noodles and salmon sashimi. It's probably the only restaurant that Donncha and I can keep the kids sitting without any help because they are too busy eating! 

More orchids

Here are more orchids from the garden.

Above is a wild orchid taken at Bukit ShahBandar

Ice-cream at the Yacht Club

Whenever we're at the Yacht club and we feel that the kids have had enough splashing around and need to be getting home we always offer ice-cream. And we always add in that it will be home time soon and there are never any protests. And with their togs still on it doesn't matter how messy they get!

The Spider Orchid

My mother loves orchids and  have had them in her garden for as long as I can remember. But it has only been recent that I have taken more notice of them. I have never known for orchids to have a flowering season but since last month most of the orchid plants in the garden have flowers and last month on one walk to Bukit Shahbandar the wild orchids were also in bloom. 

And earlier this week Jasmine pointed out to me the Spider Orchid which I totally would have missed. As I say I don't know much about orchids but I'm told this one's rare and seeing it up close I'm not surprised - it's weird but at the same time beautiful. 

A Girls Night

A couple of nights ago Naj invited a group of girlfriends to her place for a get together and bite to eat. With the exception of Bettina these are women who I met on the hash only earlier this year. The hash is a great way to make new friends and since February I have seen most of these women every Tuesday and some even twice a week with the Monday morning walk. It was a fantastic evening of food and chat and many funny stories were told. And all in Naj's beautifully decorated home - thank you Naj. And the poinsettia above - this was bought in Brunei and it's up there to remind myself that I need to buy one! 

Top row l to r Amanda, Bettina, Tina, Naj & Veronica

Bottom l to r Nancy, Norma, Margaret & Sonia

Jack's haircut

Apologies for the lack of updates but with the school holidays I am finding I have even less time to myself. Earlier in the week I went to the hairdressers accompanied by Jack and Ayden. Ayden refused to have a hair cut but Jack was very keen. For a while now I have delegated the boys' haircutting to Donncha and I must say he has done very well. Jack sat down on his own and kept very still while the man worked away. And the end result looked great. 

Eid-ul-Adha

Muslims worldwide celebrated Eid-ul-Adha today. In Brunei and Malaysia it is also known as Hari Raya Haji as it is the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage. It is also known as Festival of Sacrifice. I was going more about the significance of this day for Muslims but I don't think I could have put it better than this gentleman. For us in Brunei it is a day with family and today we had lunch at my parents with some aunts, uncles and cousins. I think in the Middle East it is a bigger celebration with public holidays up to a week. 

For me this day always brings memories of my late paternal grandmother as it was always spent in her house in my early childhood. In fact my earliest memory of celebrating the day was watching the men of the family slaughtering a couple of goats at the bottom of her garden - I was just starting to enjoy feeding them!

The McCarthy family wishes all our Muslim friends a Happy Eid-ul-Adha.

Nasi Tumpeng

This superb presentation of rice and various savory dishes placed on a large tray lined with banana leaves is called Nasi Tumpeng. It is an Indonesian celebration dish commonly made for birthdays, births, graduations, public holidays etc. My Aunt got the Indonesian lady working with her to make one for my Dad. The centre was yellow cone shaped rice - yellow rice is commonly used in this region to symbolize prosperity and success. Clockwise the dishes were, a veg cooked with minced prawns, sambal anchovies, sambal tempe, fried chicken, beef rendang, fried prawns and potato beef patties - it was all very nice.

My Aunt also made these lovely pie ti which are basically small pastry cups with a filling of stir fried prawns and veg.

We then had two birthday cakes - one for Fatin and one for my Dad.

And as usual, all went for the candles

And was again re-lit for the ones that needed the extra go!