Welcome Year of the Horse!

As I write, it is New Year’s Eve here in China, and what a massive national celebration it is.

The Lunar New Year, sometimes referred to as Spring Festival, is sort of like the Western world’s New Year + Christmas + Easter all rolled into one.

Mostly like Easter, I think, as this is a holiday of renewal + fresh starts for many.  Indeed, I’m really hoping the Lithium therapy brings me a fresh start this year without incessant pain.

In the largest annual human migration on earth, literally hundreds of millions of Chinese are all traveling at once today to visit family and friends.

So here in Kunming this afternoon we had a little celebration of our own at Tongren Hospital.

The weather is just beautiful right now … lovely spring days all this week, and even the trees here get dressed up for China’s Spring Festival!

Trees Dress Up in Our Neighborhood

Our hospital celebration featured a homemade dumpling competition organised by Dr. Zhu and her staff.   Only in China!

Hey!  You think a quad cannot roll dumplings?  Feast at least your eyes on these puppies … I made 24 altogether!

My Dumpling Production Line

Dr. Zhu was in great form today, even bringing along an entire case of excellent French wine for everyone to enjoy.

Dumplings à la Française

Mom Working Alongside Dr. Zhu

All the spinal cord patients + hospital nursing staff + senior rehab team members attended and pitched right in, rolling dumplings, cooking sweet sticky rice … and eating and eating … truly China’s favorite national pastime!

Cooking in the SCI Rehab Center

Yummy … Traditional Duck! (although I am a vegetarian)

Everyone had a really good time, and on my way out I was loaded down by Dr. Zhu with a weekend’s supply of extra dumplings … a lapful, actually!

And then I was back out into the sunshine with booming fireworks even so early in the day, with individual citizens setting miniature bonfires on public sidewalks, burning documents from the old year to usher in good fortune for the New Year.

So I wish my readers one and all great good health and prosperity in the Year of the Horse … Kung Hei Fat Choy!