WOW

Wow - it's February. Just what we all need. A brand new month. Actually this is going to be a great month. Have a holiday to do.

The Burns Night - sorry no photo from Burns Night. But, it was impressive I'd have say. The Balikpapan Burns Society did a really awesome job. Was just like one of those Red Carpet events you see on Entertainment tonight. Complete with the guy and his camera taking your picture when you arrived through the metal detectors (Yeah, we're still in Balikpapan) Pretty snazzy though - and everyone was all dressed all up. Was like the who's who of Balikpapan. Bagpipes, Scottish dancing, lots of kilts, lots of whiskey, more whiskey and a really great meal.

My first time to taste Haggis, ever. Isn't as bad as I thought it would be, although I think they may have added a bit of Indonesian spice to it. Jazzed it up a bit. Maybe? I was expecting it to be a little more bland than that. Haggis served with Bashed Neeps and Champit Tatties. Tatties are potatoes and the Neeps are mashed turnips. The Neeps - sorry, but I did not really care for that stuff too much. But the other Me did. Your mother would be proud of you, although you did comment yesterday that it might have had something to do with Whiskey.

It wasn't just Haggis either. Started out with Cock-a-leekie soup. No wonder Robby Burns was such a good poet - look the language he had to work with. Scottish really is a language in fact, and hard to understand too. It was a really nice dinner, lamb stew, trifle, shortbread and a thing they called tablet which tasted just like like fudge to me.

Now imagine this. A bottle of Whiskey that sold for $1,850 US. Auctioned off that night. I guess. Can't imagine it myself. You've probably figured out I'm not a big fan of whiskey, at-all-ever, yuck. But I guess, some people really, like the stuff. So apparently this was not just any bottle of Whiskey - it was in fact a Limited Edition, 37 year old Bottle of Whiskey. “Famous Grouse”. And only one of 250 in the world. A special Whiskey in honor of Robby Burns. Wow - can't imagine paying that much for a bottle of anything. Hope the lucky guy enjoys it.

TODAY: Well thought I had the pool thing this morning - but no body showed. Change of plans I guess. Guess that means I have lots of time to do other stuff. Like clean-up the mess in the office. AGAIN. AGAIN. AGAIN. I am so good at that.

Back on the milk mission again.

Ok, we're February-ready. Let's do it!

Good to Go!

LOCH NESS

Loch Ness in Balikpapan - I think not. But it is the Scottish weekend coming up. I think this guy is called a water monitor, anyways it's Robby Burns Supper tomorrow night. And it's a SOLD OUT event. Hope you got your tickets everyone. And kilts and tartans and whatever else you'll need.

Had a great lunch yesterday and checked out a couple new shops in town too - how exciting to have something new. Didn't buy a single though. Just window shopped. [But got these really cool little key chains with solar-powered lights - for free. COOL! and Thank You]

Me and the other Me have started working out the details for holiday we are going to take very soon. Someplace in Malaysia it looks like - going to start in KL and visit some friends ........... after that - well, just not sure yet. Thinking about a place called Penang on the west coast. Check out this place Eastern & Oriental Hotel, maybe, the price is right and it looks really cool. Or, maybe this one Jerejak. We'll see. Malaysia might not be a big place but there's a whole bunch of options, and lots and lots of things to see and do. Any suggestions?

TODAY: Not sure yet. Busy morning in the office and later have a couple little errands to run and then we'll see. Almost time for a weekend everyone. Let's do it!

Good to Go!

THE COLOUR OF BLUE

SPLASH!! The colour of BLUE ........... just unloaded itself all over this umbrella. Love it. What a great colour. What a great umbrella. The colour of BLUE.

I think the hairdresser was just what I needed yesterday. Gave me a bit of a boost. + I had a really good massage too. Got my VIP & VIM back. ........ and being that it's FRIDAY and a long weekend too, might have something to do with that.

Well the whole town seems to gearing up for the Robby Burns Supper (Scottish) event. There's a whole lot of HOOP LA going on around here. And there's even a group of people that have organized dance lessons for the big night. Today I get to start my part in all of it. January 31st - and there's still a few tickets left for any of you that can't decide. I think the word FORMAL attire has scared a few folks. Don't worry, just put on your best - whatever it is. Or, maybe it's the thought of eating HAGGIS. Haggis - what's that?

TODAY: Rainy day Friday here. All day. Oh well - they can't all be sunshine I guess. Maybe tomorrow.

So we'll make a quick appearance at the BBC tonight, for a bit, but then off and and our way to some farewell-ing after that. The problem with being an Expat - the hardest part - by far, is the farewell part. I think it's way easier to be one of the first to leave - never the last.

Need to hurry to the grocery store this afternoon and try to buy some milk. Actually, it isn't really a grocery store - but it works. It's a place called Toko Royal and the owner's name is K. Not sure if "K" is his real name or if it stands for something else or how to spell it. But, K supplies all us Expats with our little tastes of, or versions of, our tastes of home, and we sure appreciate that. Need to find something (or decide) what I'm cooking for a little dinner party we're having this weekend too.

And ............ have some work to do too! Have a couple projects I need to (start) get finished by the middle of next week.

Good to Go!

DRAGON FLYS + SNAGS

Ok, so the Dragon Fly - I guess, just because it was there.

Now about the SNAGS. What the !@#* are SNAGS? I have to admit, at first I truly thought it was a misprint. And I had to ask. So, next week the Le Grandeur Hotel is having an Australia Day event. And the poster says they'll be serving SNAGS. I thought they did a misprint that turned snacks into SNAGS. It's not uncommon for stuff like that to happen around here - In fact this week the Calgary Flames became the CALAGARAY Flames in Saturday's Jakarta Post. Well anyways, SNAGS, it turns out are Australian Sausages. Who would ever have thought of that? I don't remember any SNAGS on the menu when I was there. And along with the SNAGS, there's going to be Aussie Pies, Aussie Burgers, Aussie Steaks and a whole lot of beer.

Now that I'm topic of events: we still have a few seats left at our table for Robby Burns Night. Free Whiskey (YUCK) and men in skirts (????). Any takers? Should be a fun night I think.

Fortnight Lunch: how about tomorrow for that?

Record time for bill paying yesterday. That was good. That was GREAT in fact. Gotta like it when that happens. And I think I found the new cinema everyone's been talking about. Imagine that - a new cinema in town. CINEMA 21. Now I just need to actually go there and see if the movies are in English or Bahasa. English would be great, but even Bahasa with subtitles would work.

TODAY: Off to the Haai Hotel this morning for coffee and a cooking class. My first time to this place - I've seen the sign before and sort-of looks like it's off the beaten path a bit. We'll see - always up for a little adventure in life. And we have sunshine - lots of it. Great way to start the day don't you think?

Good to Go!