A Summer's School Pick-Up!

Sutton: A Typical Summer School Pick-Up! (20.8.2026)

Of course, we live in South-West Greater London (Sutton & Cheam) – which used to be East Surrey until 1965. The place is countryfied and full of trees and parks – the trees are in the streets – planted down the side of the pavements (my dad said – when he visited in 2000 – that this is “posh”). Sutton used to be terribly wealthy in all areas, but now is just a place that well-off people like to live despite the economy completely collapsing). Obviously, I am here just by accident. I ended-up here more or less by accident due to a relationship, etc. Still, we are where we are and have to make the most of it. The schools are good and we are providing the best education we can for our two daughters. This is my partner “Gee” (left) walking with “Kai-Lin” (right) – I am the rear-guard holding the ‘phone. Earlier that day, me and Gee had attended a School Assembly – within which all the children demonstrated to their parents what they had laerned over the last academic year (September-July).

Mooncakes Are in Town! (22.9.2023)

In 2023 this will fall on Friday September 29th! This coincides with what is termed the ‘Chung Yeung’ Festival – where the graves of the ancestors are cleaned and tidied! In Putonghua this is pronounced as ‘Chong Yang’ (重陽) and refers to the ‘Double Nine’ attribute common in the Book of Changes (essentially a ‘double-yang’ line in a hexagram implying incredible good luck – doubled). What all this means – and there are many more stories – is that we eat Mooncakes and pay respect to our deceased ancestors – either at their graves or at a shrine – where incense-sticks are lit. Meanwhile, there is a beautiful woman, a Jade Rabbit and even a Master-Archer – who is able to shoot-down false ‘Moons’! Like most cultural aspects in traditional China – there is a complexity of integration, contradiction, paradox and reconciliation! The main point is to wish everybody Good Luck for the future!