It's been a funny old week:
Rushing like mad at work to get work finished before the Chinese New Year holiday, Brenda's birthday on Thursday, a poorly Buster at home, ooh and I got nabbed by the fuzz.
I don't like talking much about work. Suffice it to say, and I feel I say this each year, I'm busier now than I was ten years ago -even one year ago. Perhaps the job is busier and there's more to do. Perhaps I'm finding more work to do. Perhaps I should shut up.
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Brenda had a birth day on Thursday (I swear she has one every year...) so I thought we should 'ave it large! We've been before to Spoon at the Intercontinental Hotel down by the harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui. Sipping cocktails in the Lobby Lounge has always a bit of a luxurious tradition and is de rigeur whenever we visit. There's something about the view, the expanse of glass, the Star Pisces gliding past. I can't remember the names of the drinks except they were both Dragon-'somethings'. This time our cocktails were served on little multi-coloured illuminated drinks mats which, to my mind, were too bright (if not garish) and served to gild an already over-priced lilly.
I recall on our last visit being very impressed with Spoon's ambience, presentation and prices. This time was equally memorable. Taking our table by the window overlooking the harbour all the staff knew my name (probably more to do with the concierge aggressively barking gwailo-type noises into their earpieces than a reflection of my esteemed reputation as international bon viveur, grandgousier and Hong Kong's all-round good bloke).
Full silver service is nicely done in Hong Kong and, depending on where you are and that calibre of staff, makes you feel that all your needs are met -well, most. At the now-departed and demolished Ritz-Carlton's Toscana accompanying any movement around the table the staff would say "whisprs", which I presumed to be "Excuse me, please". A good restaurant should train and then hold onto their staff. Spoon has a good friendly Captain (rather adept at crumbing down) and quite a good Sommelier. I wasn't feeling that lavish, leaving the $20,000 Bordeauxs and Burgundies for when I win the Mark 6, and, because we were consuming seafood, settled on an lovely Galician Albariño that perfectly suited the dishes -young, green and fresh.
If I was to do a 'Winner's Dinners', my biggest complaint is that the portions were too small -even for a top notch place. On this occasion the dishes were certainly not the inspired culinary perfections I expected. Having said that, they provided a nicely written congratulatory chocolatey message to Brenda on her Rum Baba: It's not often you can say that!
Baked Alaska should certainly be sampled if it's on the menu. Although mine was nicely flamed, it was otherwise unremarkable.
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Buster is unwell. He has many
things wrong with him that we know about and probably a few more that
are hidden. He has an enlarged heart, probably as a result of his
earlier, more desperate times. As previously mentioned, he had
heartworm and I'm sure that gave him cardiac problems. He had a huge
puss-filled lump on his side removed not so long ago and the hole never
quite healed and had screwworm larvae in it. He has
arthritic hip joints and cancer in his front left humerus which will probably finish him off. I suppose he's an old boy and old boys get ill. We should
have called him 'Lucky".
I took him out for a short walk yesterday which he seemed to enjoy. Navigating the steps down the road outside the house is a problem. He's weakening each week and I know it won't be long before he can't get down them at all -and that will be the moment we're both dreading.
I've bought him some extra-strength doggy food to try to arrest his weight loss from cachexia, so he's having Hill's Prescription tinned food which costs $38 a shot (2 per day!). I bought enough for a while, so that was another $888.
So here are some pictures of Himself sat by the water -it was a far as his old bones could take him. He stared at the river for quite a time lost in his thoughts. I wondered if he was recollecting, or savouring the view, or just bored. I doubt it was the latter, because he just moves on when that happens, but there was something going on in his mind. His illness has stirred quiet waters.
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I got done for speeding down the Hiram's Highway. I can't remember how many times I've been done there. This time I lost another 3 points on the license, plus I didn't have my license with me so on top of the $450 the smiling PC took great pleasure in awarding me a $320 fine.
So, all-in-all, it's been a bit of a funny old week.
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