The bus company

 Papa showed me the letter he received from the bus company about Hibou. It said that they immediately checked their records but found no record of him being handed in. Boo! I hope whoever picked him up is treating him well.

I miss you, Hibou

I'm so sad... I was looking in my box of treasure yesterday. I was very upset when I saw my photograph of Hibou again. I miss him so much. It's been a while, but it still hurts. When Papa came to get me up this morning, I was crying for him. I told Papa I wanted us to go look for him at the bus depot.

Papa promised to write a letter to the bus company.

Human swine flu victim

It's official

I have contracted the flu. Papa noticed on Saturday how my whole body was burning hot. He let me play for an hour out in the midday sun (Mad dogs and Englishmen, what?) after judo, and thought I had heatstroke. I had a temperature for two days, so Papa took me to see Dr. Max yesterday. Grandma met up with me at the doctor's surgery, and she also visited me at home, bringing me drinks and a new toy.

The Doc said it's 90% probable that I have the swine flu. I am to visit him again if the fever doesn't go down today, and he will give me Tamiflu. Papa got worried when he found out Tamiflu has some nasty side-effects on children. Fortunately, my temperature went back to normal by the time I woke up. I'll stay at home to rest today. Grandma arrived first think this morning.

Tournament

I took part in my first judo tournament today. We got up before 8, and Papa took me to the Tseung Kwan O Sports Centre, where it took place. I weighed in and was placed in the A-23 group (meaning under 23kg). After that, it was very boring, and I spent most of my time waiting for my event. Then I got to go on the big mat. I rushed at my opponent, and fought him for the whole 2-minute duration.

The judges declared my opponent the winner. My friend Danelle also lost out in the first round, which was also the semi-final, so she and I shared third place. My teacher, Sensei Ho, was officiating, and he game us our prize medals.

First day at Primary school

I started the news school year today. I am now a Primary One student. They put me in a class which is mostly made up of all the children in both my K3 classes who stayed on.

My friend Bendu Kuthi is in the same class as me. His brother Kolos is in the same class as Duncan.

Graffiti

Paris is full of graffiti - Papa says it's Italian. I see it everywhere, and I wonder why Italians want to paint Paris like this ;-). I asked Papa why it's on walls, trains, inside tunnels, who writes graffiti, and if the graffiti were done with pens.

Papa said it was illegal, and that it was usually done by 15 year-old boys: those wanting to tag walls of the Paris Metro sneak into stations at closing time, and hide out in the passages. Then, with spray paint can in hand, they set to work.

We went to a restaurant for lunch, where there were pens put out, and the walls of the toilet were covered with graffiti. I had a go of it myself, and drew a car.

I'm a graffiti artist

Broken!

Grandma gave me a camera, which I took it to France on holiday. Papa tells me I have been on an aeroplane before, when I was little, but I don't remember it. Our flight was nearly cancelled because there was a big storm; this one was quite a long flight, and I ate lots of pretzels, drank orange juice and Coca-Cola. I heard my ears go 'pop', too.

I saw many Mercedes taxis on the way to our Paris lodging. We even rode in one.
We went to see Auntie Miranda, Christophe and Camille, and we stayed at their house in Compiègne. The next day, we went to the castle in the town. I don't understand why it didn't look like a castle; Papa explained that what makes it a castle is what it was built for. This one had big, big rooms, and was used by two kings and two emperors.

I was in the transport museum at the castle, taking pictures of cars and coaches, and I dropped my new camera. It would not stop beeping when I tried to switch it off. Now, the lens refuses to go back in.

The lens is stuck

I wanted to tell Grandma what happened, so I drew her a picture, which Papa promised to give to her when he got home.

"Broken camra"

Summer camps

Because there's no school, Duncan and I are participating in summer camps at Kids' Gallery, and also having ice-skating lessons at Elements Shopping Centre. I don't like ice skating because my feet hurt. Papa says I have a big blister from wearing those tight boots; the one good thing is that Duncan and I get to spend the rest of the day, after skating, at Grandma's house.

Graduation

This human swine flu is still around, there has still been no school since June, and our official graduation has been cancelled. Instead, Audrey's mum invited a whole group of us to their home in Sai Kung for a Graduation Party today.

Audrey has a big house, enough space for everyone. There were nearly twenty children there, ten classmates, and ten siblings. Gary the magician was there - he was very funny today, playing lots of magic tricks and jokes, and getting us playing party games.

Gary Charm, pulling a rabbit out of his hat

Group photograph

Ms Li (黎老師), Ms Qiu (邱老師) and Ms Gui (桂老師) were also invited. Everybody brought some food and drink. Mummy made a chocolate cake, and Papa brought some wine; Li laoshi brought a special K3A graduation cake for the celebration. There was so much food that Duncan and I began helping ourselves before everyone else.

ring around the graduation cake

We had lots of fun because there were so many toys, we didn't want to leave.

Bicycle

Papa took the stabiliser wheels off my bike last week. I finally got it when Papa helped me push off on my bike when we went to the park again today. I was able to ride for more than a hundred yards without help, and it was so much fun feeling the wind in my hair.

The park was in a bit of a mess because they were doing some building work. Although I fell down a few times and I wobbled a bit at first, I managed to stay upright towards the end. I was even able to turn to avoid an tree.

Papa was so impressed he said he would buy me a new bike soon.

Cabin fever

School's out. We've been off school since 12 June because of the swine flu. Fortunately, we still have swimming and Kids' Gallery until the end of June; we also have visitors - Mommy's friend Shao Hui and her children Romain and Lucie. We went to Ocean Park together.

After Romain and Lucie left, we had a play date with Marco at his house in Fotan on Tuesday. The next Tuesday, Mummy took us to Disneyland. We met up with Bendu, his brothers and his mummy.

A Bug's Life

Program with credit

Tonight, I made my acting debut at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. I was in a Kids' Gallery production of A Bug's Life, as part of Musical Drama.

Me in a purple ladybug costume

I had a small part, playing a 'Lively Ladybug'. Mummy and Papa, Grandma and the Gugus were all there to see me.

Us Ladybugs danced and traipsed around on the stage, and  we also got to speak a few words. We all got to imitate our favourite animal. I said I was a snake, and writhed around on the stage, and the audience laughed.

Dragon boat day

It was a cold day, and it also rained hard. We took a slow bus to Stanley, where they were holding the International Dragon-boat Festival. When we arrived, we ran into Tyler and Lucas.

Tug of war with Lucas

Then, we had our photo taken with a group which called itself the Nordic Vikings

Nordic Vikings

one of the dragon boats

6 years young

For my sixth birthday, I invited some friends from school, and a few relatives. My cousins Zach and Maya, Uncle Desmond, my Gugus and Grandma were there. So were Hugo and Danelle, two old friends from my Judo group.

Happy Birthday to me!

Grandma had ordered my birthday cake specially in the form of Lightning McQueen, and it was encrusted with soft fruit.

my cake

Back in Hong Kong

School broke up for Christmas holidays, Gugu took me to see the Nutcracker Suite. I also went last year, but this year was the first time for Duncan and Maya. The next day, we boarded the train for Nanjing, where my other Grandma and Grandpa live. Like our last trip to mainland China, we went on an overnight train. We spent two weeks there. We were hoping to see some snow, but we were disappointed. I was hoping to have my front teeth in time for Christmas, just like in the song, but Santa did not grant me that wish. My grandparents often took me and Duncan to the zoo. They also took us to the Nanjing marine park.

We arrived back in Hong Kong yesterday. I showed Mummy and Papa my new teeth, which started to poke out during the train journey home. I was so thrilled to get home, because I had been so looking forward to finding what Santa put in my Christmas stocking. I got some small toys, some candy, and a robot. This year, I got two lemons, and so did Duncan.

I didn't want to get up this morning, but it was a school day. Papa let me take some of my candy to school to share with my friends.