The Relatives Came to Visit

It's all about fun ... real fun. Five brothers and sisters, all their spouses, and 14 cousins ... all withing eight years of age! When you put that many family together, something is bound to happen.

We were a motley crew for golfers. Harley was a trow-back for the ages wearing his 1970's cut-off jeans and flip flops. DJ was 16 with a mop of thick, curly brown hair tossing in the wind. He was full of energy and life. Dan, the Italian Stallion, was the man in khaki pants and Dockside shoes. He was the preacher in the bunch. Last there was me, just out to have a great time and create memories.

Standing on the 4th tee box, it was time to pull out the driver. The four of us hit our tee shots; two in the water, two on the fairway. We laughed and joked as we walked to our next shot. While looking his ball Harley found another four. He never did find his original shot, but that didn't matter, he was still three balls ahead.

Eventually it was time to approach the green. Each of us took our turn. Of the first three shots, one of us made the green. Last to shoot was DJ.

Now Dj was a bit excited and a bit cocky. He thought he could hit the ball the necessary 170 yards to the pin in one swing. He was even willing to put money on it but no one took up his offer. As I watched him line up his shot, I noticed that he was aimed a bit to the left. Directly in front of him was a small creek and to the left of the fairway, all the way to the hole, was a long narrow pond. DJ took a firm grip on his club. He looked up, he looked own. Then he looked up again, and lloked down. He waggled, and then he drew his club back.

His body recoiled and then he let fly with his swing. As he pulled the club down the wind whistled in the air, it was as if he pulled the trigger on a gun. As he hit the ball it took off screaming through the air.

The trajectory was perfect, he had hit the ball perfectly! It was gone! Suddenly, the sounds around us went deftly quiet. The whisper coming off his lips could be heard, "Oh No!" We watched as the ball took off over the pond, it seemed to travel for hours, yet it was only seconds. I was frozen in time, I watched ... and then I ran. Then DJ ran. We ran as fast as we could. Within seconds people were after us for DJ's ball had flown ... into a house! Fortunately it had missed the windows and hit the siding.

We were able to hide and get away from the people, but as DJ said later on, "It was the scaredest he had ever been in his life." I doubt that we will play golf on that course again. However, it did leave us with a memory we will never forget!

Civil War reflection

In class we studied the Civil War. As a final project we went into the woods to answer our essential questions for the unit. I remember the best part of the unit was learning how to work together as a north or south unit. Wearing the uniforms helped to create the sense of belonging to one or the other. We also kept journals as we went along. The competition was great but also a lot of fun. Each team was only as strong as their weakest link ... and the weak link became stronger in time.

Creativity rules! To watch more go to YouTube or visit our photo's on Picasa.

Big Buildings in Hong Kong

I have always enjoyed walking the streets of Hong Kong Island. There a few trees and green areas so it takes some imagination. The forests of Hong Kong are buildings. They tower above the pavement, 40, 50, 60 stories and more. They are the guardians of life, watching the city as it sleeps and wakes, ever present, ever silent, yet ever changing.

As I walk through the buildings I imagine the buildings as being the giant redwood trees of California. They tower above the streets, looking at cars as if they were ants. I can go above them and look down from the Peak. At one point Hong Kong was home to 10 of the 100 tallest towers in the world!

My favorite building is the Bank of China building. This building was designed by the famous Chinese architect I. M. Pei. It was completed in 1989. The building is probably the most famous in all of Hong Kong. Built with a series of reflective triangles, it is almost transparent during the day and the night. I enjoy going to the observation floor. It has to be one of the most remarkable buildings ever built. It's not just a building, in true Hong Kong fashion, ... it's a landmark.

Good Friends are a Treasure

Ah ... memories! We had a lot of people come visit it was the friends we made here that we will remember. Tim the Toyman Sweiter is an entertainment engineer. Tim was the guy that created all the computerization for Small World at Hong Kong Disneyland. He and his wife, Lauren, are off to Singapore next month. He took us for a tour of Small World shortly after it opened. A highlight of our visit was learning from him all the background that went into the ride. He described his contribution to Small world as anything that moved, he was responsible for it. Of course, much to his chagrin, when we arrived nothing was moving on the outside.

Other good friends are Joe and Kathy Hamilton. They came with us on the tour. I couldn't believe it, until that time they had never been to a Disney theme park. We helped Joe and Kathy lead a care group from church for a couple of years.

We often had lunch these guys (and Nanda when she was here) on Sunday after church at Island ECC. They are definitely four friends we will never forget! The good news is that now we have three free timeshares ... Hong Kong Hamiltons Inn, Singapore Sweiters Suites, and the Philippine Gatchalan Fortress.

My Hong Kong Journal

This is the beginning of my journal of memories of Hong Kong. Each day I will enter another story of something I remember about Hong Kong.