Hello to all.  I think I may have figured a way to resume blogging on my new computer and I am glad to be back in contact with you via blog spot.  I am sorry for the long interruption but I replaced my HP laptop with an Apple several months ago and I honestly have had a very difficult time learning to use this new operating system. It may seem like a flimsy excuse but it is the truth.  Now I have to get back into  the routine of updating and taking photos.  I have become complacent and lazy during my downtime.  Now that I am back I will try to do better.
So much has happened since I last wrote.  I will hit a few highlights.  I was in Penang for Christmas and had a lovely day with English friends who invited me to spend the holiday with them. We had a typical English Christmas dinner with roasted chicken,  leg of lamb, Yorkshire pudding, trifle and poppers.  I brought eggnog that I made combining recipes from several sources and I added enough brandy that everyone seemed to like it.

Jackie Honey and her daughter Corrie invited me for Chritmas dinner.  It is an English custom the break poppers and wear silly paper hats on Christmas.  Seems very Charles Dickens.  Corrie's boyfriend Paul is not pictured because he was busy cooking at photo time.

        

            Some of the CHristmas day spread                                                           

Early in January I had to exit Malaysia so that I could get another 3 month visa.  I went to Bangkok to visit my old friend Tosh Asada who is now living there.  David Cheng, another friend who lives in  New York, met me and we had a fine time exploring that bustling city together.  It was the first time that my two very dear friends had met and I was a little apprehensive that there would be some friction.  Fortunately they were quite compatible and I was interested to hear their very insightful conversations about me.  

                            David Cheng and Tosh Asada chatting on the ferry in Bangkok

Mister Ed posing in front of an unusual sculpture at Bangkok Art Center

It was children's day in Bangkok and this boy was showing me something about Muay Thai boxing

I got back to Penang in time for the next major festival in this multicultural city.  This was the mega Indian festival call Thaipusam and it occurs when several planets and stars align, something like the dawning of the age of Aquarius.  Devotees fast and pray in preparation for the finale when they pierce themselves with huge fish hook looking wires or swordlike daggers and then proceed trance like through the streets to a huge Hindu temple where they are absolved of their sins.  In all my experiences this is probably the most bizarre I have ever seen and I still cringe when I think about those swords passing through people's tongues or cheeks.  Yikes!  I took a million pictures and here are a few.

After Thaipusam came Chinese new years and sadly I was out of town for the big night when my Chinese family here invited me for their traditional new years dinner.  It was quite an honor to be invited and I was so disappointed that I had committed myself to go to Langkawi Island at that time.  Langkawi is a duty free port accessible by 4 hour ferry from Penang.  I went with an English lady  friend, Marian Grove, who was here for the winter and her son and his girlfriend.  Since alcohol is very highly taxed in this Muslim country I took advantage of the opportunity to buy duty free Baileys, Jack Daniels and Malibu rum.  

Marian Grove from London dressed in sari for a night out

Since then not too much has happened.  I bought a guitar and I am relearning to play a little bit.  I try to hike 8 miles and swim 30 minutes every day.  That pretty well takes up my mornings.  In the afternoons I usually nap, shop, go to cinema or run errands.   I added another year this month so I am a little closer to social security benefits at age 66.  Thankfully I am very healthy.  I  became a little worried about my stomach a few weeks ago but I had it checked out and the doctor told me there was no sign of any serious problem.  He advised abstaining from coffee and spicy food.  I asked how I am supposed to eat non spicy food in Penang.  My life is good and I  appreciate every day.  When I was in my 20's I envisioned myself living something like I am living now.  So I guess it is all coming together.  

Thanks for reading and I will do better with blogging now that I have found out how.

 This is one of my favorite hiking trails.  It is in the jungle just uphill from where I live.

                                                          I swim every day and I have found swimming laps with a  snorkel.   

Celebrating my birthday on May 13 with my friend Shah Sukur.  I wanted Mexican food but it seems there is non in all of Penang so we had Italian which was a fine second choice.