Happy New Year!

2008 already? How did that happen? And the coming of the New Year also marks my 8 month anniversary in Korea. So that means I have 10 months left. Looking back on how the first 8 months flew by, I can only suspect the next 10 will go by even faster.

We spent New Year's Eve at our favourite "Self Club Bar" the Crazy Duck. We're regulars there and the owner knows us and there's a good pack of other regulars we're getting to know by site if not by name so we thought it would be a good place to ring in the New Year. It was a night of rum buckets, dancing and fancy dress. And good fun. Sadly, there was no countdown to midnight, we just kinda watched the clock and when it changed to 12:00 we started cheering and kissing.

Here are some photos of the highlights of the evening:

Here's me posing in my sexy sequined hat.

Here's some of the group: Pip, Rupali, Mike, Myself and Collin in front.

Posing again. Love this pic. I look like I'm waiting for a martini or something...but should also be checked into a mental home.

Hannah enjoying the creepiest mask in the world.

One of the best things about the Crazy Duck is the regular who we call our "helmet-haired spirit guide." He's always there in a strange costume of some kind making balloon animals and schmoozing, though he can't speak a word of English. He gave Mike a business card once, and I guess he's like a clown for hire. But anyway, he made me these wings. I was so overjoyed with them...it seemed like a good omen to welcome the New Year.

I brought them home and gave them to Hue. He is still wearing them, though they are slowly losing air.

At school on New Year's Day we had a western-style New Year's Party with the kids. We had Time Square live from New York on the big screen and played games and had party hats that the kids made and noise makers. At "midnight" sang Auld Lang Syne and tried to get them to kiss their friends. (Not likely...)

Here's me pouring some apple juice "champagne" for the kids. (Look closely and you'll see how red eyes are. The lack of sleep and the emotion of missing everyone at home kinda got to me...)

Happy New Year!!!! toast.

New Year's babies chillin with Father time just before they crash the party and Father Time gets kicked out.

It was pretty fun, anyway. I don't know if the kids understood what they heck was going on, but they like playing with balloons and juice is always good...

Some exciting things have happened since New Year as well...I finally got a new ipod after getting the run-around from my insurance company and many fruitless trips to the repair store who never have regular hours and always seem to be closed whenever I take the hour and half trip into Seoul to go see them. So it's been a month and a half sice I broke my old one. Naturally I was pretty happy to see the new one.

I bought tickets to see Bjork in Seoul in February. Once in a lifetime opportunity...

I have also bought a jangu. Remember the hour glass shaped drum I fell in love with at the Korean Folk Village? Well I found a place in Seoul where I can take lessons to learn to play it so I spent my Christmas money to buy one. The lessons don't start until March and I can't wait!

Getting a little artsy with the photos lately...

Isn't he shiny and beautiful? I have no name for him yet...

And the most exciting news: I have a new nephew! My sister and her husband had their second child on January 2nd. I won't post pictures because I don't know how they would feel about their son being put on the world wide web...but trust me he is the most handsome baby in the world.

So Happy New Year everyone! Going ice fishing next weekend so I'm sure I'll have some great stories from that!