Sue B to get an MBE!

Congratulations to my step mum who is being honored by the Queen (and Tony Blair) for an MBE. This isn't for putting up with my dad, its for her services to the Blair's ect, ect.

Photos of Dad and Sue

Full honors list

A Very Merry Christmas

Some photos from our Christmas Day in Hong Kong. By the people sleeping on the couch I would say that we all had a good time...

Merry Christmas to everyone! You can see the photos here

ali, Caz, Padstow and Ivy

On a sad note...

It would seem that China is following Hong Kong's ideology for ripping anything older than 10 years down and building something new. This applies not just to buildings but to many cultural ideals that I suspect one day they will miss more than the glass temples that are being built to the gods of commerce.

The sad story that the headline refers to is that the Beijing government is to outlaw the sale of wild song birds that old Chinese men keep in cages and walk around the citys parks.

This has been around for over 2,000 years and it seems a shame that the government has done this. I hope that there are still birds for sale.

I have no idea whether this ban is going to affect Hong Kong and its bird market (I assume that this is a Beijing only law) but it seems a shame that such a tradition and activity for the elders of China will die out. Many of these men do no have wives or family and this is a pleasant way for them to spend their mornings.

A real shame, but I'm still going to have some birds on our balcony.

Feathered Facts:

— In the Ming and Qing dynasty civil servants commonly displayed their rank using “Mandarin Squares”. The embroidered badges displayed nine levels of birds, with the quail the lowliest and either the golden pheasant or white crane the highest

— The phrase “selection by hitting the bird screen” is used to mean choosing a husband after the story of the daughter of a 6th-century military commander who said that she would marry the man who hit a painting of a peacock twice with an arrow while running

— China's ornithological love affair came to an end with Chairman Mao. Because they ate grain he ordered the eradication of the sparrow population. Citizens were told to leave their houses and clap continuously — the noise scared the birds and kept them on the wing until they dropped from exhaustion

My sister gets yet another cat

Not really news but my sister has a new cat - Here is an image of the damn thing (Cats vs Dogs, we all know who is the winner!).

Going Dutch on your adopted child

Hong Kong's diplomatic staff on the whole are pretty good people. With the exception of the french and the Dutch.. The Dutch vice consul did this??! Not even the French can beat this one. A very sad story.

Get a load of these scumf*cks…

Every child is a gift, as the saying goes. But in a case that has stoked outrage on two continents, a Dutch diplomat posted in Hong Kong has been accused of returning his eight-year-old adopted daughter like an unwanted Christmas necktie. The story, which first appeared in the South China Morning Post on Dec. 9, began seven years ago, when Dutch vice consul Raymond Poeteray and his wife, Meta, adopted then-four-months-old Jade in South Korea. The couple, who also have two biological children, brought Jade with them to Indonesia and then to Hong Kong in 2004, although Poeteray never applied for Dutch nationality for the child — a curious oversight, given that he worked in a consulate. Then, last year, the Poeterays put Jade in the care of Hong Kong’s Social Welfare Department, saying they could no longer care for her because of the girl’s emotional remoteness.

I don’t even know what to say. What is wrong with those people? That poor little girl. Time has the whole sad, infuriating story. I would also like to know why they are still in Hong Kong - This guy should not be representing his country in this role. Shame on him, his wife and the Dutch government.

Mrs B agrees to buy me a PORSCHE for Christmas!

Yes dear friends, family and people who are mad enough to read this blog, Mrs B has agreed to buy me a Porsche 911... After 5 years together we have completed the most important step in our relationship.

No its not me meeting our wedding vows (or working out what the iron is) its the fact that Mrs B has said that she will buy me a Porsche. FINALLY.

She added a few conditions on the email (I have not read these but who cares, the car is mine, mine I tell you!) but here hey are (and I quote the email) if you want to read them here they are.

1. YOU have to have saved at least 50% of the cars value
2. It won't happen until you have had a Mini for at least a year (and driven home alive)
3. You will have to marry someone else stupid enough to fund this thing
4. Porsche actually allow you to buy one
5. You drive it over my dead body (as this is the only way I will approve such a purchase)

... Hell must freeze over before you have the car.

Done!

Dino & Emma's Wedding

Just back from a fabulous week-end in Edinburgh attending Dino and Emma's wedding. Emma did a great job organising everything and Dino did a great job hiring two excellent best men to speak on his behalf.

The day was absolutely beautiful and the evening bash was very cool and ended with a fireworks display.

Congratulations to them both and the best of luck! You can see the photos by clicking here

Cat people are mad: Official!

If you’re one of those types that gets great pleasure from dressing up your animals for Halloween, Christmas, Independence Day, etc. then we here at Snarfd have the perfect accessory for your sick passion: Kitty Wigs.

That’s right, no longer will the self-grooming habits of your cat suffice for those hard-to-impress moments with friends and family. Drop a Pink Passion, Bashful Blond, Silver Fox, or Electric Blue wig on your feline and watch the conversations really get started. Each package also includes a mouse with a rattle to distract your cat from the humiliation coming from above. Makes one wish for the good ‘ole days of reverence in ancient Egypt.

You know we’ve reached a new low when descriptions for kitty wigs end like this: “Blonde sets off your kitty’s eyes and makes your kitty look tan.” Wow. Next thing you know, they’ll be making wigs for infants. Damnit!

Hong Kong Dog Rescue Book launch - A success!

On Friday we launched the book (my first) and the party went incredibly well. With over 100 of Hong Kong's finest movers and shakers for drinks and a chance to show their pooches off to fellow dog owners.

Padstow and Ivy attended the party and were most certainly the stars. All in 300 books sold so far and a hope that it will be in stores in time for Christmas.

A great cause and a great party... Now if we can just tidy up the flat.