gung hei fat choy

Happy Lunar New Year friends, family, readers and lurkers! Hope the Year of the Dog is a good one for all of you.

Starting the year auspiciously, working on the new novel, reading poetry submitted by two students for my first consultations tomorrow. I'll hang with Rita later. She has assembled all the ingredients for a New Year's vegetarian recipe that the Chinese American poet Frances Chung used to make.

I am sort of allowed to drive now. "You probably can," said my physiotherapist, "as long as you stay away from my route home."

Big party last night put on by birthday boys Steve Lee and David Khang. Great seeing more old friends and making new ones. Stuffed my face with chap chae.

On the way home we saw a single huge firework go off at the end of my street. The things you can get over the counter these days!