Josephine Chow

http://josephinecwchow.blogs.friendster.com/photos/sauze_doulx_montgenvre_ma/index.html

Managed to upload the photos finally.

One day old Chloe

6 days later..

She already have her own little space - http://littlechloelin.spaces.live.com

I’m feeling extremely unhappy today.

I have bought my annual travelcard and it costed me an arm and a leg.

Much rather spending it on a spa break in Maldives.

Yes ok I know Valentine’s day was last week but I don’t have much time to update my blog these days..

Valentine’s day was spent up North on business with my two bosses having back to back meetings, didn’t get home till 9.30pm so not much of celebration for me and I was too tired to thinking about red roses and chocolate to be honest, so it was bit of surprise when I walked through the front door and realised Mike decorated our front room and was baking chocolate chip cookies for me..

These are my presents:

There are 41 ballons and each has a message attached to it

and those C’mon dolls, aren’t they cute?? Yo Yo!!

So it’s Chinese New Year! The year of Pig (or Boar I’m not sure which is correct) so my niece will be a piggy, hee hee..

Me and Mike went out for Italian on Saturday, very unconventional huh? Followed by a glass of champagne, well.. had to tried out my new champagne flutes (Western New Year gift from Sally and Albert and I have waited nearly 2 months for them) shame about the cheap moet though.

CNY celebration will be carried on throughout the whole of this weekend too… Opera on Friday, BBC CNY party on Saturday (thanks Anthony for the free tickets) and follow by dim sum with some of my colleagues on Sunday afternoon. Although, it doesn’t feel like Chinese New Year to me anymore.. had to go work, not wearing red, not getting any red packets.. and I’m going to be away from home for two days again for work

Just why can’t Britain cope when the weather is slightly abnormal? Needless to say it was a nightmare getting into work this morning. My UGG boots are completely ruined with the wet dirty slushy snow, I was so tempted to wear my snow-boots this morning but then I realised they’re stored up in the loft and I don’t have the time to get them. Oh well.. giving me excuse to buy some new UGG, hee hee..  I love them, I know they look ’stupid’ but they are just so comfy and the fur inside protects my bunions and reduce the pain, truly are the best shoes ever!

Next time it snow again I won’t be bother coming in!! Since the whole Britain shut down anyway I might as well join in!

I haven’t been on the tube for sometimes but I noticed there’s a new lastminute.com ad on one of the platform this morning - advertising the ‘5-a-year’ (an imitation of the 5-a-day fruits and vegs intake advertising)

romantic city break

skiing break

spa break

sunshine break

theater break

Great idea I thought and it bought a smile to my face, I love being on holiday and enjoy travelling very much. Planning holiday is one of my strongest area. Me and Mike are certainly living up to that. Today I’m planning the summer holiday, seeing no-one is interested with the Greek Island group holiday, we are thinking of going to Florida or somewhere in America instead, will see.. but will definitely get something sorted out soon.

At the same time, I’m also looking into next year’s winter break at Lapland! There are just too many places I need to go! There’s no surprise that I never have any savings cos I spend all of it on holiday!

In couple of weeks time we are going to see Puccini’s huge masterpiece Madam Butterfly, we have excellent seats in one of the boxes at the grand tier, from the reviews I have read this is a fantastic classical performance and those seats we have allowed a prefect 3D view of the entire round stage in the arena center.

All very exciting and I can’t wait!!

It’s 1st Feb and it’s finally pay-day! I think it’s outrageous that you only get the hard earn money after you have actually worked the entire month!

Last month was particularly difficult, my previous company paid us every 25th day of the month and now is all changed, so I had to make my last pay cheque last for nearly 6 weeks! and bearing in mind Christmas (the biggest expenditure!) Plus Canada holiday. Plus I am in fact unemployed the 1st week of 2007. Anyway, the dark days are over!

So.. 4th week into my job, ok over all, but sometimes I feel as though I don’t even existed.. for starter, because of space issue, I was placed in finance department, I have garments sitting next to me still wrapped inside poly bag as I don’t have a rail to hang them up. The accounts I have now were being handled by our overseas team previously and they are still dealing with the clients direct, so where do I stand?? (My main concern is of course how would my commissions be calculated?? haha.. mean I know but money is the only thing I get up at 6.30 for!)

The strangest thing of all, I have not even spoke to my boss yet (perhaps it’s a good thing).

It’s quite funny sitting in the finance department though, you will hear all those money issues.. and yesterday we have a ‘milk crisis’. Apparently, the milk consumption is rather high last month.. oh dear oh dear, I miss my old company already.. those buffet breakfast!!

OK, this is not a races comment but I think sooner or later I will be able to speak Indian, just now I was listening to Indian pop music My company is a global company, headquarter is in Bangladesh. My rough guess, 80% of employees in UK head office are Indian with the board directors are all Indians, so..

Ok, done with work. Me and Mike are going skiing again in March, just had my holiday approved aswell. I was abit worried cos appareantly, I am not supposed to take leave until I have completed 3 months of employment, so I was just couple of weeks short. But I’ve got away with it

We going to Italy and ski the massive Milky Way, how exciting?? Just pray for some decent snow now… oh and need to arrange a good travel insurance for Mikey!!

Have only just managed to sort out the holiday photos - see Canada Xmas 2006 album

So what did we get up to over the Christmas & New Year in Canada?

25th Dec - spent the entire day travelling to Canada including a 6 hours transfer from Minneapolis to Thunder Bay, not slept for 24 hours absolutely shattered and came down with the flu, was wondering why I would torture myself.

26th Dec - tired and sick, doing the family thing, had xmas meal and opened presents, I have never seen so many presents under one tree in my whole life, it’s mental!

27th Dec - out and about, went to see Lake Superior which is partly frozen, early night for me cos I was sick but gang was screaming all night playing Mario party game.

28th Dec - went out for a meal before heading to a house party at friend of Shelby’s. We were drinking and playing Cranium the whole night, great laugh!

29th Dec - didn’t get up till 4 in the afternoon!! so ended up staying home playing games, and watch TV

30th Dec - went to cinema to watch Holiday (or theatre should I call it) and enjoyed the local Chinese food, hmm..

31st Dec - New Year Eve, we went to a ’shag’ party and dance the night away (it’s a North-western Ontario thing, the term Shag comes from combining ‘bridal shower’ and ’stag’. It’s a wedding fund raising party organised by the couple) This has to be the cheapest New Year party I have ever been to, between me and Mike we spent a total of £20, this included entrance fees and at least 8 drinks each, wuhahahah..

1st Jan - went to see this amazing Kakabeka Falls, it is the second largest waterfall in Ontario, after Niagara Falls and spent the afternoon walk around the national park. Mike and I went out for dinner in the evening to find the restaurant completely deserted, but we ate there anyway. Pop into the casino nearby after the meal but was refused entry - I didn’t have ID with me and I don’t look 30.

2nd Jan - was planning to do some tubing at night but the skiing slope is closed due to warm weather.

3rd Jan - up early to go skiing finally. Drove down to Lusten North-west of America and spent the day there. Mike loved snowboarding now…

4th Jan - final day in Canada, still no sign of any snow.. spent more time shopping and Mike bought his set of snowboard and boots

5th Jan - began our journey home, it was sad to have to say goodbye to Shelby, Damien, Ginger and Badger..

Arrived home the following day feeling miserable and tired, with a mountain of laundry to do (which we are still trying to get through believe it or not) Then we both suffered the worse jet-lag, I ended up going to my new job on Monday with less than 3 hours sleep.. and guess what? I was an hour late on my first day thanks to those reliable train services, it’s taken me nearly 3 hours to get to work. aiyiyi..
Anyway, it’s now the 2nd week into my new job, it’s too soon to say if I like it or hate it but it’s been ok so far. I have finally have my own desk and computer but still missing a phone.. going to spend this week in Liverpool for couple of meetings and will be back on Friday afternoon.
I do feel drained though firstly because of the commute I have to do now and secondly, the lack of exercising. Feeling guilty for not been to the gym for over 3 weeks now, this job doesn’t allow me to follow the same gym routine as I am used to.
Mike has been very good and supportive though, he now does all the food shopping, cooking and laundry, but not the hoovering yet but that will come.. hee hee..

Realised I have not yet have my next holiday booked which is rather unusual for me..  however plans has been made: March skiing, July Greece group summer holiday and hopefully spend next Xmas and New Year in Malaysia & Thailand.

We celerate Xmas early this year - had our Christmas meal last night and opened all the presents, then woke up this morning to find Santa has already been with my stocking full of gifts (didn’t have chance to leave out some mince pies and carrots!!)

Thank you everyone for those lovely gifts! Have a lovely Christmas and New Year!!
Off to Canada tomorrow (woo hoo!!) see you all in the new year

This is one of my 3 CHOCOLATE CAKE

1/ caterpilla shape chocolate sponge cake

2/ chocolate mousse cake

3/ chocolate gateau trimmed with profiteroles

I’m OD on chocolate cake and the thought of it still make me ill… OHH dame it! Belgian chocolate pudding is on the menu for our Xmas dinner this Saturday, hopefully, by then I will be over with this chococake phobia.

There are the photos from my party last Saturday

http://josephinecwchow.blogs.friendster.com/photos/my_birthday_party_2006/index.html

Probably the first birthday party which I managed to walk out of the venue sober I have been good I must say - I have only drank a total of 23 units of alcohol over the 3 days celebration

Yes, I have talked about it enough times and it’s finally here.. I’m offically OLD!!

Last night I celebrated my final night of being young by going to spin class, followed by a piece of tuna steak and roasted vegs for dinner.

I’m now treating myself to a avocado mozzarella rocket tomato and pesto warm painni for lunch, yummy!!

Have received two presents so far - a nice Symthson leather travel wallet from Albert and Sally, and Jo Malone candle from people at work, with a bunch of flower and cake. It’s quite funny that my boss only put ‘PAH!!’ on my birthday card, still very bitter that I’m leaving surely, haha.. (have been suffering from his sarcastic comments alot laterly)

Not sure what Mike’s got me but he is surely not just gonna let me have it so easily.. He’s left clues lying around the house which would eventually lead me to find my present(s) - Hopefully!

I have solved the 1st mystery relatively quickly where I found the second message that says "X-7=_LS". I really struggled with it, who the hell would know the answer to this non-sense anyway… So I had to phone him to to get more clues, hee hee.. I’ve got the answer now I just can’t wait to get home to my next clue. This ‘present’ better be worthwhile!! But hey, this is fun.. my Mikey is always full of ideas

I wish everyday is my birthday!!