Thinking of home

Tomorrow will be 6 months since we arrived in Singapore. The time has flown by and we've really adjusted to life here.  Things that were initially noticed for being different or strange are now just natural and unremarkable.  On Saturday morning, we caught the train out to a suburban swimming complex at Yishun.  Nothing fancy (apart from the electronic ticket machines and automated entry) but the girls do enjoy going to new places, even to just do things they could do at home (like swimming!).  While we were there, I was increasingly (but quietly) aware that the AFL Grand Final was underway.  Now those of you who know how closely I follow the football might be surprised, but when I looked up the half time scores on my iPhone, I almost choked up reporting to the girls that St Kilda were 6 points in front and it was obviously a close game.

Missing a Grand Final is a big deal, even for me.  One year, we watched the grand final from an outback pub at Arltunga, 100km east of Alice Springs.  The past few years we've been regulars at my sister Elissa's for the annual Grand Final BBQ, along with other friends we only see once a year.  So it brought on a bit of homesickness not to be there, hoping to win freddo frog for tipping the first goal (although, the fact that I was swimming in 32 degrees while it was 10 degrees and hailing in Melbourne did temper my wistful thoughts).

Coming back from swimming, the urge to get home was increasing, especially with the prospect of a close finish.  We stopped for lunch at a food court and then Alice and I began the dash home. We ended up running down the street and up the stairs.  The TV came on and I was able to sit down and enjoy the last 3 minutes of the fourth quarter.  I hadn't missed the Grand Final after all.

Fast Cars

We were invited to a Grand Prix party by some friends of ours at the condo, Jackie and Dave. It was held on the 27th of an office building which overlooked the track. It was a good view but after seeing the first lap I was too busy talking to notice the race again. Someone won apparently!

Wedding on the fly

Sunday night Matt and I went to the wedding of one his colleagues (also called Matt). The ceremony took place on the Singapore Flyer and we were invited to the reception after they had "landed". It was a small wedding and about 25% of the 30 guests were professional photographers as the bride, Iko is a model. Definitely the most photographed bride and groom in the history of weddings! I couldn't resist however and had to join in the media huddle with my small and humble digital camera looking somewhat amateurish beside their gigantic bazooka zoom lenses. It was a fun night - friendly people, nice food and a very happy bride and groom.

Galleries and Palaces

Yesterday we visited the Singapore Art Museum and were amazed at how much the kids were interested in the artwork. A little friend of Felicity's, Eleanor, slept over on Friday night so she came along too. Could easily have been mistaken for our third child but for her pommy accent. In the evening we were very daring and tried a Steamboat restaurant close to home. This involved us cooking our own meal on a gas cooker on the table. We ate pork balls, and something called fish glue and we must have done okay with the cooking as we all feel okay today.

Today we visited the Istana which is Malay for "Palace". The Istana is where the President of Singapore lives and is only open to the Public five times a year on Public Holidays -today is Hari Raya Puasa which is the end of Ramadan. We were able to take a look at a few of the state rooms inside which were very posh. The gardens of the palace are huge and even boast a nine hole golf course. The huge expanse of space in the heart of Singapore just seems very decadent and lavish considering every other pocket of land in its vicinity is overdeveloped with shopping malls, offices and condos.

Happy Birthday

Matt turned 38 yesterday - somehow that seems a lot younger than it did 10 years ago. Thanks to all those who skyped, called, sent presents and cards, texted and emailed and made him feel special. The favourite gift was the white tiger that the girls made for Daddy at Build-a-bear. Well it was the girls favourite anyway. Lucky Daddy, now he can join in all their teddy bear picnics! Matt and I had a lovely evening out - massages at Kenko's followed by a three course meal at Halia in the Botanic Gardens. While we sipped champagne and enjoyed the warm evening and the floodlit jungle surrounding the restaurant we couldn't help but feel lucky to be here right now.

Something Extra

It doesn't take long before daily life starts filling up with those extra activities. This term the girls are doing tennis after school on Tuesday, cheerleading on a Wednesday and Little Athletics on Friday. Matt does tap dancing when he's in the country on a Tuesday and I do Karate on a Wednesday morning and have achieved my yellow belt and am now working towards orange. (I have demonstrated to the girls my rather fierce front-to-knuckle punch followed by a roundhouse kick, and although they were somewhat impressed it did not fill them with the fear which I was hoping for and they are just as slow at getting ready in the morning as they have always been). To balance out the aggressive tone of that extra-curricular activity I am also doing yoga. One of the yoga classes I like is hot yoga. One would think that Singapore is hot enough if you simply turn the air-con off but apparently not so. The yoga room is heated to 38 degrees and you are dripping sweat like you've run a marathon after just a few minutes except the bonus is you don't actually have to run a marathon.

Below are some pictures that may be or may not be me doing my extra curricular activities.

A happy moment followed by a sad one

Last Thursday was the Family Concert at Avondale and our family was heavily featured. Felicity was in the choir and sang two items. Alice and Matt were the grand finale item singing "My Happy Moments Come From You" which Matt wrote for me over five years ago on our 8th Wedding Anniversary. Matt played guitar and Alice introduced the song and all the Mums in the audience cried it was so beautiful. It was rather sweet and I am now known around Avondale as the women whose husband writes music for her. Matt of course is now famous for setting the benchmark a bit high for other blokes.

After our lovely evening we came home to find Felicity's pet hamster Milly deceased. With many tears, we gave Milly an appropriate burial in the garden. The next morning Polly died too. The Pet Shop says it could have been a number of things - influenza, bacteria, overfeeding... So now we have two new hamsters, Pearl and Annie. We hope to have better luck this time around.

A taste of everything.

Ross and Alison Johnson dropped by yesterday for a 24 hour stayover on their way to Vietnam. We tried to cram as much in as possible. Coffee with neighbours. Lunch at little India. Tiger Beers on Boat Quay. Swim at Newton Gems. Singapore Sling at Raffles. Chilli Crab at East Coast Park. It was kind of impossible trying to show Singapore off in a day but it was fun trying.

Swim Sensations

Avondale Grammar Swimming Carnival was a lot of fun. The girls did very well in their individual races of breaststoke, freestyle and kickboard and much better than they expected, placing in each of their races. I even won a third in the mums race (although there was only four mums brave enough to compete). My job for the swim sports was swimming alongside weak swimmers and fortunately didn't have to save anyone. I preferred having a job that required me to be in the pool as sitting in the stands looked very hot and sweaty. To top it off the girls house "Ghana" also won the day just beating "Norway" and Argentina". Probably the first time that an African nation has blitzed the swimming.