Week 4 - Superbowl, clinic visit, shipment from Ireland, unpacking, bday party #2
This week was pretty busy actually but not a lot of stuff to talk about so I will try to keep it short.
Monday Mike found us a place to watch the Superbowl and have breakfast which was pretty cool. Since we moved to Ireland we haven't been able to really watch it because of the time difference but since here the time difference is so big it kind of works out. What we have been doing is putting the boys to bed and taking a 'nap' with them then waking up around midnight to have a few Superbowl treats and watch the broken down slow slingbox version of the game. It is pretty much torture but we do it until half time just to see as many commercials as we can...then we normally pass out or I stay up and watch a little more so that I can give Mike the update in the morning. But this year we were at the bar (at 8am) watching the game. Mike had to go to work after the game so he had coffee but I wouldn't pass up a chance for beer! We had a good time actually...just didn't get to see any commercials but otherwise it was great! That afternoon I took Shaun to the clinic to check out his rash. It has just been too long with this rash and even though I feel like its just a heat rash I was starting to get worried that it was something else and I didn't want it to get any worse. I tried making an appointment with some GP's that the mom group had suggested but they were all full for new patients and the earliest we could get in was 10 days!
So the other option is go to the clinic and pay and arm and leg, wait 2 hours and see the doctors there...so that is what we did. It started out good because when we got there it didn't seem to be very busy and the lady got us registered right away. She said it would be within the hour which I thought was reasonable considering the timing. So I had picked up Shaun early from school and he was hungry so we went down the hall to get a snack. When we came back the lady made us go into a room and be examined by some nurse because they were worried that he was contagious or something. I told them he had this rash for 3 weeks so it wasn't contagious but they insisted on locking us up in a room and sticking a tag on the door that said 'Isolation'! Seriously!!!!! We stayed in the room for about 10min then Shaun was getting upset because he wanted to play with the toys and watch the TV so we left the room to go pee, watch a little TV and get more food! What a joke. Anyway, the doctor finally comes in and she has to get all gowned up like Shaun has Ebola or something. I mean she basically had a hazmat suit on!!! After a quick investigation and after I told her I was pretty sure it was heat rash she agreed with me and said it just looked to need some steroids to help relieve the irritation.
Seemed simple enough. We had to go to the pharmacy to get it filled and when we walked into the pharmacy I was a little shocked at how crowded it was. They had this weird line system that was like a snake that curved around and people were qued up in this like just to turn in their prescription. Then you have to que or wait to be called to get your prescription and have a talk with some...person... before they would like you pay. Even though the room was pretty packed it didn't take more than 30min to get through it all so I guess I can't complain too much. The journey home was long because Shaun wanted to get a taxi but the taxi line was so long and only 1 taxi would come every 3-5min so we took the bus which was about a 35min ride...what a day. But I'm glad we figured out what the rash was about.
Tuesday I got to pamper myself a little...I went to get my hair done...this little Malaysian guy knows how to straighten my roots pretty good!! Before my appointment I had some time to walk around the city so I was doing some window shopping and looking for my Kopi place and ended up getting one of those popular sweet potatoes! There was no line and I only just looked over at the stand in confusion because I have never seen it without a line full of people waiting. The lady asked me to try one and I wasn't really thinking about it but after she asked me again I figured I better give it a try because it might be the only time I get to try it (there is no way I'm going to sit in line for an hour for a baked sweet potato)...so I got one! I didn't eat it right away because I wasn't in the mood but I had it later and it was pretty good...super super sweet!!!! After my hair appointment I went to Mike's favorite Indian restaurant to get food and after that I realized I would rarely go to a restaurant like this just because because it is way to expensive. The cost of the food I got was enough for me to get food from the hawker center for all of us at least 3x! Crazy!!!! But they do have some amazing butter chicken...I will have to find a hawker or cheaper place to go for butter chicken. After that I had more erronds to run so I was all over the city trying to get stuff done. Shopping for food for the house, finding batteries, glue, water bottles stuff like that. I'm sure it is much easier than what I did but right now I don't know all the different places to go so I go to the places that I do know and get it there...so inefficient but such is life. I'll figure it out soon enough.
Wednesday & Thursday were moving day. We got our stuff from Ireland on Thursday but the rental furniture we had needed to leave before they brought the other stuff in so they did that on Wednesday. It was a lot of moving around stuff and the place looked pretty bare after the rental stuff was gone but it was only for 1 day so not that big of an issue. The mess that they left behind was more of the problem. And the lack of cabinet space!!! In the kitchen I couldn't decide which side to put the plates and where to put the cookware.
There were at least 10 boxes of kitchen crap and I really don't have cabinet space for 10 boxes worth of kitchen stuff but somehow I managed to get it all in. The guy who was helping me unpack the kitchen just kept laughing at me every time he opened a new box. He was like "so many things ma'ma?" Yeah...so many thing...why so many thing I have no idea. We actually culled about 1/2 of our stash of cookware and dinning stuff because we knew we wouldn't need it here and we didn't have the room for it but still it wasn't enough. I might have been enough if we had all the cabinet space we thought we had but when we moved in we realized that there are about 4 cabinets in the kitchen that are dummy cabinets. They look like drawers but they aren't...apparently they are covering up something...whatever it is it is annoying because I am pretty sure I was counting on those cabinets for storage.
The same is true in our bathroom...2 of the 3 drawers are dummies...great thanks...now where am I going to put all my 50,000 hair products at? Seriously? After the disaster of a kitchen I had to do something with all of our clothes. This we knew was going to be an issue because there are no drawers in the rooms for clothes...pretty much they use hangers around here which isn't what we are use to. So I was searching all over for the million hangers that I had the guys in Ireland pack up for here but I couldn't find them! I could have screamed!!! We have to have a small army of hangers in our collection and I was pretty sure that I told the guys to box them for Singapore because I knew that I would need them but somehow they didn't get packed and now I am without all the extra hangers that I need.
I know its simple enough to buy more hangers but I am a women of principal and I know I own a million hangers so it is very difficult for me to go out and buy more! So I tried to be creative with the stuff that we had. For the boys stuff I have no idea how they accumulated so many summer clothes!!!! We lived in Ireland...I barely every put them in sorts so how do they have so many?? And I thought I got rid of a lot of the winter clothes but I forgot that I saved most of Lino's supply so that Shaun could use it for when we travel (Christmas or somewhere cold)...it was never ending. And I have their comforters too but I don't think they will be needing those much. So I had to get creative. The nice part about the built in wardrobes is that there is very useless storage way up at the top that I was able to use to store their winter stuff. If we need them its there and its not taking up any space that I would be using on a regular basis anyway so there was no loss and since we had got a little rack the weekend before I was able to use that for most of their clothes so it worked it. Our clothes and closet was a totally different story. I almost forgot how many summer clothes that I had from Texas...I basically only ware 5-10 items a year for either vacation or if I happen to go back to the states for the summer.
So when I was going through my billions of tank tops and shorts it was kind of fun and kind of crazy all at the same time. Most of this crap I have had since college which I guess is nice that I can still wear it but crazy because some of this crap is pretty old. Anyway, I got rid of a few items but most of it I would wear...now where to put it???? I couldn't really wrap my head around where all of my stuff and Mike's stuff was to go so I just hung up what I could and put the rest on the floor until I had some time to think about a plan to organize it better...not looking forward to that. So while I had a really busy 2 days of trying to organize, unpack and clean I feel like I didn't get much done but I guess that is how it goes. On Wednesday Lino & I trekked back out to the swimming lesson and I was able to convince them to let him do a tester lesson (I didn't re-sign him up from the previous week...I thought that they would automatically do that). I think the lessons at this school will be tough for him but great. The classes are small, like 5 kids and the instructors are in the pool with them. Its really hands on which is great. As expected, Lino needs to fix his technique because he has picked up so not so good habits. The coach seems to think he will be able to undo the habits soon enough and hopefully that will mean that Lino will be really swimming soon. I think he is going to really excel in swimming for the moment because it is an individual sport and he can compete at the school if he gets good enough. I can't see him doing a team sport at the moment because he is all about him and doesn't do so well with sharing but maybe eventually he will. We just need to find an outlet for him that he likes and is good at and then we can start pushing him to do better...maybe that will give him some focus or motivation outside of ipad time. Only time will tell but I am excited to see how it goes with swimming...I think he has the potential do be pretty good if only he has the mentality to stick with it! It was funny because when we were waiting for his lesson we were watching the polo club practice and he was just in awe of them. Then he said that he was going to dive off of that board and be a diver when he grows up. And I was like wow that would be pretty cool. The divers do cool tricks in the air then dive into the water...you sure you want to do that and not be a fast swimmer like we were watching in the Olympics the one time? He was like no I want to explore the sea...I want to be a diver! Oh, scuba diver you mean? Yeah!!!! I gotcha...well being a good swimmer is a great start to being a scuba diver! He was all for it. So lets see what happens. I think he will be doing something in the water for sure but it could be to early to tell...he is like a fish out of water though so I can't see him not doing some sort of water sport if it is available.
Friday I tried to do a little more organizing and I went to Ikea to get a utensil holder for the drawer and some sort of rack or storage for our clothes. I tried to go in and out but that place sucks you in for at least a good 45min every time you go. I love the place but hate it all at the same time. But I did find a nice alternative to more hangers or an expensive shelving system that we wouldn't need...there was this dorm room style hanging shelf that I think will work perfectly for my clothes...and it was only $15 so right up my alley for price! Shaun found some advertisement that he thought was pretty nice...he was studying it for a while.
Saturday was organize day and I had to return the trays that I had got from Ikea because they were too big for the drawers. So after our morning of organizing we actually ended up with a little free space which is good because I think we over crowded all the areas that we used so eventually we will use that space to make things more manageable. Then the worst idea we had was to go to Ikea...that place was a madhouse! Seriously!!!! I thought it would be quick because we just needed to return the drawers and get a new one that was it but it took like 1.5hrs to do it because there was a que for the return and it was congested getting through the place and I got lost because I'm an idiot and can never find my way through that place and I never know if stuff is in the display area or in the bottom part and where the heck in the restrooms? Why are they in the basement? Then the boys wanted ice cream because well they always want ice cream and its only 50cents so no big deal right? Well it is a little bit of a big deal when its a Saturday and the line to get ice cream and hot dogs wrap around the snack bar area....what a mess...but they got their ice cream and were happy for the rest of the afternoon. Oh I forgot to mention that the boys were insistent on riding their bikes to Ikea because now they have their bikes here and they are so in to them (this is new). So we let them ride their bikes and Lino actually did pretty good. He was super tired by the time we got to our first stop, lunch, but he didn't give up so that was good. The ride back was a little more difficult because he was tired and it was more up hill. Then just before we were at the apartment he had a little fall but the peddles fell onto his leg and scratched him up so he was over it. The poor sweet soul. We need to get a hand pump for the tires but this could be a regular thing which would be nice. Maybe we could eventually cycle to the train station which would save us a little time in the morning waiting for our favorite bus!
Sunday was ipad morning day then bday party for Shaun! My experience with taxi drivers is starting to become a little annoying. The guy we got to take us to the party had no idea where the place was and I had to map it on my phone to get us directions there. Then he couldn't even get into the parking lot because he was trying to put his car pass into the ticket machine that clearly said 'no cards...tap only'. So I ended up having to use my card to tap us in...I'm not even sure if it cost or how much it cost but man what a pain. The party was pretty relaxed with was good...it was at a trampoline park and Shaun loved it. He still isn't playing with all of the kids, he just likes to do his own thing, but I can tell he is starting to make some friends which is good. Its not easy coming in to the class 1/2 way through but he is so independent and excited about all the new stuff he doesn't seem to mind too much which is great. I really do think we are very lucky with our boys because their personalities are well suited for moving around. They just make friends where ever they go and they don't seem to mind to much the moving...but maybe that is because they are still young...I am sure it will change when they get bigger but maybe not. It could just be a personality thing. I am sure having a harder time with the move than they are and I was really looking forward to moving...I just need to find some friends and/or a job and it will be all good. After the party Shaun & I met up with Mike & Lino at the mall...crazy busy mall. Why do we keep going to this mall I have no idea but we do.
I hadn't eaten all day really so I was dying for food so I got me something and some food for the boys for later and we headed out. While we were waiting for the shuttle bus to the condo we saw one of the ladies that we had met during our house hunting trip. I had seen her before around the condo but this time I made sure to get her number. Its crazy because I know or have contact info for several people but still haven't been able to make the real connection yet...I really have to start working on that...that will be a task for March. Once we got back home poor Lino had to do some homework but thankfully he wasn't to put off by it so it went as good as can be expected. Mike worked with him for the first time and I think he was feeling the pain very quickly but he managed to keep his cool with was great.
Then it was music, dancing and bubble time on the balcony!!! A great way to end the week. Shaun really loves to dance and he was determined to have a dance party so we had to oblige him...hard to say no to those dace moves!
Oh before I ended my week I turned my whole load of white clothes pink because I put in a red towel into the wash...what an idiot. And I got to chat with my girl Gina for a while which was nice!
Monday Mike found us a place to watch the Superbowl and have breakfast which was pretty cool. Since we moved to Ireland we haven't been able to really watch it because of the time difference but since here the time difference is so big it kind of works out. What we have been doing is putting the boys to bed and taking a 'nap' with them then waking up around midnight to have a few Superbowl treats and watch the broken down slow slingbox version of the game. It is pretty much torture but we do it until half time just to see as many commercials as we can...then we normally pass out or I stay up and watch a little more so that I can give Mike the update in the morning. But this year we were at the bar (at 8am) watching the game. Mike had to go to work after the game so he had coffee but I wouldn't pass up a chance for beer! We had a good time actually...just didn't get to see any commercials but otherwise it was great! That afternoon I took Shaun to the clinic to check out his rash. It has just been too long with this rash and even though I feel like its just a heat rash I was starting to get worried that it was something else and I didn't want it to get any worse. I tried making an appointment with some GP's that the mom group had suggested but they were all full for new patients and the earliest we could get in was 10 days! 
There were at least 10 boxes of kitchen crap and I really don't have cabinet space for 10 boxes worth of kitchen stuff but somehow I managed to get it all in. The guy who was helping me unpack the kitchen just kept laughing at me every time he opened a new box. He was like "so many things ma'ma?" Yeah...so many thing...why so many thing I have no idea. We actually culled about 1/2 of our stash of cookware and dinning stuff because we knew we wouldn't need it here and we didn't have the room for it but still it wasn't enough. I might have been enough if we had all the cabinet space we thought we had but when we moved in we realized that there are about 4 cabinets in the kitchen that are dummy cabinets. They look like drawers but they aren't...apparently they are covering up something...whatever it is it is annoying because I am pretty sure I was counting on those cabinets for storage.
The same is true in our bathroom...2 of the 3 drawers are dummies...great thanks...now where am I going to put all my 50,000 hair products at? Seriously? After the disaster of a kitchen I had to do something with all of our clothes. This we knew was going to be an issue because there are no drawers in the rooms for clothes...pretty much they use hangers around here which isn't what we are use to. So I was searching all over for the million hangers that I had the guys in Ireland pack up for here but I couldn't find them! I could have screamed!!! We have to have a small army of hangers in our collection and I was pretty sure that I told the guys to box them for Singapore because I knew that I would need them but somehow they didn't get packed and now I am without all the extra hangers that I need.
I know its simple enough to buy more hangers but I am a women of principal and I know I own a million hangers so it is very difficult for me to go out and buy more! So I tried to be creative with the stuff that we had. For the boys stuff I have no idea how they accumulated so many summer clothes!!!! We lived in Ireland...I barely every put them in sorts so how do they have so many?? And I thought I got rid of a lot of the winter clothes but I forgot that I saved most of Lino's supply so that Shaun could use it for when we travel (Christmas or somewhere cold)...it was never ending. And I have their comforters too but I don't think they will be needing those much. So I had to get creative. The nice part about the built in wardrobes is that there is very useless storage way up at the top that I was able to use to store their winter stuff. If we need them its there and its not taking up any space that I would be using on a regular basis anyway so there was no loss and since we had got a little rack the weekend before I was able to use that for most of their clothes so it worked it. Our clothes and closet was a totally different story. I almost forgot how many summer clothes that I had from Texas...I basically only ware 5-10 items a year for either vacation or if I happen to go back to the states for the summer.
Friday I tried to do a little more organizing and I went to Ikea to get a utensil holder for the drawer and some sort of rack or storage for our clothes. I tried to go in and out but that place sucks you in for at least a good 45min every time you go. I love the place but hate it all at the same time. But I did find a nice alternative to more hangers or an expensive shelving system that we wouldn't need...there was this dorm room style hanging shelf that I think will work perfectly for my clothes...and it was only $15 so right up my alley for price! Shaun found some advertisement that he thought was pretty nice...he was studying it for a while.
Saturday was organize day and I had to return the trays that I had got from Ikea because they were too big for the drawers. So after our morning of organizing we actually ended up with a little free space which is good because I think we over crowded all the areas that we used so eventually we will use that space to make things more manageable. Then the worst idea we had was to go to Ikea...that place was a madhouse! Seriously!!!! I thought it would be quick because we just needed to return the drawers and get a new one that was it but it took like 1.5hrs to do it because there was a que for the return and it was congested getting through the place and I got lost because I'm an idiot and can never find my way through that place and I never know if stuff is in the display area or in the bottom part and where the heck in the restrooms? Why are they in the basement? Then the boys wanted ice cream because well they always want ice cream and its only 50cents so no big deal right? Well it is a little bit of a big deal when its a Saturday and the line to get ice cream and hot dogs wrap around the snack bar area....what a mess...but they got their ice cream and were happy for the rest of the afternoon. Oh I forgot to mention that the boys were insistent on riding their bikes to Ikea because now they have their bikes here and they are so in to them (this is new). So we let them ride their bikes and Lino actually did pretty good. He was super tired by the time we got to our first stop, lunch, but he didn't give up so that was good. The ride back was a little more difficult because he was tired and it was more up hill. Then just before we were at the apartment he had a little fall but the peddles fell onto his leg and scratched him up so he was over it. The poor sweet soul. We need to get a hand pump for the tires but this could be a regular thing which would be nice. Maybe we could eventually cycle to the train station which would save us a little time in the morning waiting for our favorite bus!
Sunday was ipad morning day then bday party for Shaun! My experience with taxi drivers is starting to become a little annoying. The guy we got to take us to the party had no idea where the place was and I had to map it on my phone to get us directions there. Then he couldn't even get into the parking lot because he was trying to put his car pass into the ticket machine that clearly said 'no cards...tap only'. So I ended up having to use my card to tap us in...I'm not even sure if it cost or how much it cost but man what a pain. The party was pretty relaxed with was good...it was at a trampoline park and Shaun loved it. He still isn't playing with all of the kids, he just likes to do his own thing, but I can tell he is starting to make some friends which is good. Its not easy coming in to the class 1/2 way through but he is so independent and excited about all the new stuff he doesn't seem to mind too much which is great. I really do think we are very lucky with our boys because their personalities are well suited for moving around. They just make friends where ever they go and they don't seem to mind to much the moving...but maybe that is because they are still young...I am sure it will change when they get bigger but maybe not. It could just be a personality thing. I am sure having a harder time with the move than they are and I was really looking forward to moving...I just need to find some friends and/or a job and it will be all good. After the party Shaun & I met up with Mike & Lino at the mall...crazy busy mall. Why do we keep going to this mall I have no idea but we do.
Then it was music, dancing and bubble time on the balcony!!! A great way to end the week. Shaun really loves to dance and he was determined to have a dance party so we had to oblige him...hard to say no to those dace moves!Oh before I ended my week I turned my whole load of white clothes pink because I put in a red towel into the wash...what an idiot. And I got to chat with my girl Gina for a while which was nice!
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