The year of the Snake

Last year it was the year of the Dragon. 

Minutes old!

I remember last January sitting down with my doctor trying to convince him that my due-date was correct (it appears I didn't have any dated scans) and for MANY reasons I needed my baby to be born in the year of the Rabbit.  He looked at me and said, "I have Moms TELLING me they want Dragon babies.  Are you sure that you don't want a Dragon baby."  I assured him that I didn't and told him I hoped to see him with my baby instead of at my next prenatal "appointment."  Nurses would say how far along are you and I'd say... "well I think I'm 39.5 weeks but my doctor would say 37."  I think I was the only one that really saw the humor in the situation.



Those are the holiday crowds at the train station.

This was the backdrop of where I walked around before I went to the hosital.  Those highways remind me of labor:)

In the end, my little baby was born in the year of the Rabbit, our plans worked out (we didn't have to move out of our apartment before the owners came home, we kept our original travel plans, got a passport before offices closed due to the New Year and I finally had him in my arms.)  We saw grace over the timing of it. 

I don't by any means base my life, decisions or circumstances on the Chinese Zodiacs. I acknowledge the years and watch the impact it has on so many people. It's not only represented on cards, window hangings, text messages, balloons, receipts and stuffed animals, but people really do base life decisions, friendships and life partners around the zodiacs.  (this person and I SHOULD get along, etc.)

The Dragon year was considered a "lucky year" and an ideal one to get married in, have babies, renovate houses, etc.  It seemed that everyone was getting married, having babies and doing up their houses. I got use to always hearing hammers and drills. People gutted their apartments and totally did them up.  I'd see toilets in the dumpster, new windows on the curb, etc.  I'd visit friends and there was no escape from the hammers and pounding.  I think they were trying to "catch luck."

The snake has a meaning about craftiness and wariness.  Knowing that, the symbol this year has a big "happy" smile on it perhaps to reassure people who rest their worries, hopes and trust on the zodiacs that "luck" can still befriend them. 

There is a lot of superstition in this culture.

 

Hopefully people will make right decisions without fear not based on zodiacs, but on truth.

Maybe this year I'll hear fewer hammers and drills pounding away.

 

On another note, it seems that more and more people are coming back from the holidays and shops are slowly opening up.  I went to three different mini markets looking for bread this afternoon. Seems the bread suppliers are still on holiday. Can't wait to find some on the shelves again in the next few days;)  Thankfully the people that deliver our bottled water opened shop today after almost 2 weeks away and were able to deliver us three big containers of water.  We were almost out:)

Drinking water is just a phone call away.  A man drives his "water bike scooter?" over, knocks on our door and lifts them right into our water dispenser. 

 

 

An apartment

Big complex

Really big complex

Fireworks

Serious fireworks

Good night everyone.  Thanks for reading:)