Year 2011 has come to an end
and yes, I am still procrastinating the New Year resolutions
and I am still pondering the deeper meanings of year 2011

2011 has been eventful
For Malcolm, it was the beginning of formal education in Primary 1
He learned the ukelele, and started swinging some clubs
For Marcus, he learned to run, jump, climb (and broke two teeth in the process),
utter the cutest non-words and is looking to become a top runner in the under 3 years old category
For me, 2011 is about the importance of health, and not taking it all for granted.

A really bad bout of flu kept me off any strenuous physical sport for the last two months
Plus my knee seemed to be showing some wear and tear
So I weaned off the endorphins and feel good hormones
and went down the slippery slope of binging and indulgence

I am so thankful that I am finally getting my health back
and the craving for endorphins has manifested itself in a series of hiking trips into the central catchment areas and nature reserves

Just a few days before all the merriment began, we brought the boys for a long hike in the forest
We spotted the strangest dragonfly, watched funny looking bugs rowing in the stream, got caught in the rain and got all wet and muddy and dirty
Being a weekday afternoon, we were about the only people trudging through the forest

As the rain stopped, the late afternoon sun peeked through the overcast and found its way through the thick foliage bathing the forest in its warm and soft light
And as the natural hues of the forest changed by the minute
our wet gloomy hike was transformed into a surreal walk in another world
but alas, our mediocre photographic skills could capture none of that magic

We finally emerged from the forest in the evening
Couldn’t get enough, so we headed off to a nearby reservoir,
had dinner by the water and learned how to catch cray fish from a stranger

We were hoping to catch the sunset but it got cloudy
Our patience was rewarded with a beautiful orange hue that covered the sky
It was breathtaking and I secretly wished that the new year ahead will be filled with moment like this …
simple joy that money can’t buy