tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81659395584172682482024-03-06T07:47:30.151+08:00Coffee, Tea or BaaboooEscaped from the little Red Dot ... Hanoi,Vietnam ... Shenzhen,China ... Perth, Australia .. Darwin, Australia ... back to Perth, Australia ... Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-67446307379792091662015-11-30T21:49:00.001+08:002015-11-30T21:49:44.730+08:00iShinChi Nishisuya Machiya<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HHdMQZiBJ6s" width="480"></iframe><br />
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This Christmas. Holiday. Discover Kyoto.<br />
If you're new to AirBnB, get ¥ 2,457 in travel credit when you stay:<br />
www.airbnb.com/c/jbu12?s=8<br />
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Request to book a 3-night stay at our Machiya with this special code to get (another) ¥5000 off!<br />
Mention: 12ELVES, subject to a 3 night minimum stay and availability. Valid for stays from: 6 Dec 2015 - 31 Jan 2016.<br />
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/8054460<br />
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The Stay:<br />
A 2-storey Machiya (wooden) building in a premium neighbourhood. Renovated and refurbished in August 2015. A contrast between the old and the new. Traditional yet modern. Distinctive. For the discerning traveller.<br />
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The Area:<br />
7-Eleven and Circle K convenience stores, 2 minutes away from each side.<br />
5 minutes walk to Nishihonganji Temple.<br />
Another 2 minutes walk to Costume Museum from Nishihonganji Temple.<br />
5 minutes walk to Kyoto Aquarium.<br />
4 minutes walk to Umekoji Park and the Locomotive Museum.<br />
15 minute walk down to Toji Temple (1.5km away).<br />
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The bus stops around the Machiya (2-4 minutes walk) has buses that takes you to Gion and downtown, CBD area where you find Nishiki market and restaurants, cafes, taverns. Take a direct train, from Tambaguchi station, 7 minutes away to go to Arashiyama, bamboo grove and Iwatayama, monkey mountain. There is also a direct bus to Kinkakuji, Golden Temple.<br />
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#christmas,#travel,#destinations,#vacation,#family,#japan,#TravelTheWorld,#vacation rental,#airbnb,#agoda,#holidaylettings,#holiday,#kyoto,#hotel,#WhyWe Travel,#DreamDestinations,#ExpediaFindYours,#LiveTravelChannelAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-57327043936839196352014-07-16T19:55:00.001+08:002014-07-16T19:55:12.497+08:00DANGER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/marktwain125615.html" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear.</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain.html" style="color: #0000aa; text-decoration: none;" title="view author">Mark Twain</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-22501691873263485712014-05-28T21:14:00.001+08:002014-05-29T13:48:10.256+08:00How to become invisibleI'm a real pro at this. In fact, everyone could do it after awhile since it tends to become second nature. How magic is that!<br />
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Let's get right into it then.</div>
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So easy, you're gonna throw an egg at me. Seriously.</div>
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Here's the secret : Put a bag over your head. Voila! You are instantly invisible. The caveat is YOU think you're invisible which is the important part yeah? However, thoughts are free and everyone else may not think the same way you do. So, you can think yourself invisible but others may not. So easy to understand no?</div>
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Nooooooo, of course not. </div>
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OK coconut heads, let's cut to the chase. It's this. Just three steps. I'm not joking this time.</div>
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1. Get married.</div>
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2. Have kids.</div>
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3. You will consequently be ignored and essentially disappear right into the background.</div>
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Look, the only time your family will sit up and look for you will be, when one of the events below happen:</div>
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<li>they run out of socks and clothes to wear because you forgot to do the laundry</li>
<li>the pantry is severely depleted, the fridge is running on empty</li>
<li>when they have misplaced an item, so they turn to you as a Super Locator of Lost Things</li>
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Ergo, you can be part of the wall decor for all they care so long as their basic needs are met daily. They don't give hoot if you're dead or alive. OK, I'm exaggerating but that's the way the ball rolls. See, perfect invisibility!</div>
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Incidentally, my latest baby does this admirably without even having to do anything! Even I have to be careful I don't step on him since he matches my floor tiles so perfectly. There's a lesson to be learned here. Since they're not noticing you most of the time, you might want to try making monkey faces at them just to test that your invisibility cloak is still working at full power. And also, to get your own back at them for the heck of it!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-27345112019609282972014-05-27T08:37:00.001+08:002014-05-28T21:20:02.431+08:00217 ... time to hatch a plan!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Air tickets have a nasty sharpness, they rip viciously across your pockets, barely giving me a chance to react. Now that I've shed blood, I have to make it worthwhile.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I need a plan. But I'm lost in a great vast, blankness. I haven't been lazy. I've been doing heavy duty researching, switching between my laptop to my tablet as the power wears thin on each. I even used B's iPad if he forgets to bring it to class ... ah, the sneaky cunning of mums. I charge it back up before he comes back and clear my history and cache. Password? No worries! Mothers are great hackers if they keep their eyes and ears open.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, I'm suffering information overload. It's a tough balancing act to decide in favour of an experience for your kids versus the man in your life. Food-wise, it's a no brainer as we're dead against wasting tummy space on lousy food. This is easy enough to schedule in but to make bookings in Japanese? B's grasp is not even beyond <span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Anata wa dono yō ni okonau nodesu ka! And to get a confirmed booking during the seasonal peak??? Hmmm, methinks, it's very dicey if we can even secure a decent meal during the holiday shutdown period. Plan B calls for backup bentos to be stocked up in the hotel/ryokan/shukubo/minshuku/hotel, depending on where we're staying.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">I won't be mapping our travel around food. I'll be deep hunting to see if there is great food available in the area we're loitering around. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">However, we must try out these:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Kaiseki ryori (Multi-course meal with as many as 20 dishes sometimes!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #212121;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Izakaya </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">(居酒屋, kind of like a casual tavern; this is more for the experience)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Ramen</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Go for at least 2 restaurants with michelin stars, since Japan has most of them globally! How can we pass this up when Perth doesn't even have one!!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">A delicious meal is a satisfying, fulfilling end to a day's touring eh? Have food will travel. Ergo, have (good) food and will be happy!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-28029515682909472172014-05-19T19:06:00.003+08:002014-05-28T14:18:01.893+08:00entrapment<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEtGOJ2QqB256yJlsGxPwQd6eErjsKsFaLtr0EUzqomdTghE5CuWz3ZqAnH4kvsDVF2h45PKzrGKsbn8FOwaAnhRZtbYrdBYbE8awIYeS7t43-16WusjumgUSc5PWo4KZGiOz6gmdfhE/s1600/Trapped.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEtGOJ2QqB256yJlsGxPwQd6eErjsKsFaLtr0EUzqomdTghE5CuWz3ZqAnH4kvsDVF2h45PKzrGKsbn8FOwaAnhRZtbYrdBYbE8awIYeS7t43-16WusjumgUSc5PWo4KZGiOz6gmdfhE/s1600/Trapped.png" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
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<iframe height="480" scrolling="no" src="//embed.readtapestry.com/s/VnBVn9ykI/" style="border: 0px;" width="852"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-36594024744290541352014-05-14T10:46:00.002+08:002014-05-14T10:46:35.882+08:00220 days to go ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8O1NWgFghL8EE9SjSDCWava-xnfuWXvtKfa_-wvPgX0aFcK9Lg26QBUPpm_jVCUNXT0jF8Hiris4X5JNx7IYWN3QFXTR7IfSZ9qjGe05tC0obAuilsPN5-vJgS6wjqQtSLIsMxccpw1E/s1600/Twilight+Skyline.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8O1NWgFghL8EE9SjSDCWava-xnfuWXvtKfa_-wvPgX0aFcK9Lg26QBUPpm_jVCUNXT0jF8Hiris4X5JNx7IYWN3QFXTR7IfSZ9qjGe05tC0obAuilsPN5-vJgS6wjqQtSLIsMxccpw1E/s1600/Twilight+Skyline.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm floating ... in the grey clouds</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with the imminence of rain crashing around me</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm trapped in the numbing drone of my daily routine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The chill is creeping through my veil of glass doors</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Birds are still trilling outside</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hum drum, drumming sound of soft rainfall</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Say something, say nothing</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quiet all round</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">except for the cawing of crows</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their black bodies glistening in the wet</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I look for the warmth of Max's furry body</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But he has retreated to his fleecy bed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">My path is fixed, sealed firmly down</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Why am I feeling lost?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Deep inside, I know but I'm afraid to say</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">We are a condemning lot, cruel sometimes</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Quick to judge, short on empathy</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Selfish and short-sighted</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Our innocence consumed by stony materialism</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Gone</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Why do I care?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The sunlight is breaking through</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">This is gonna be the best day of my life!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The American Authors on</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> my iPad</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">are saying something to my soul</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I need to chart my journey now.</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-80876009629681944522014-05-09T16:46:00.003+08:002014-05-09T16:46:27.793+08:00Mother's Day - M.U.M. = Messed Up Mummy<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I have just re-discovered my retired blog. And I found this dusty ol' draft from Aug 2010, almost 4 years ago, lost in junk space. </blockquote>
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Here I go ... My kids were also 4 years younger each. They're both older now, a little calmer, but the fighting is still going strong. Squabbling is alive and kicking EVERDAY! They make sure that I get my daily dose of head banging on the wall. Such is the wonder of children. You have to admire their creativity in conjuring up the most ridiculous scraps. They're deeply prolific in this area and natural experts in this department. </blockquote>
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I must have been in a blue fugue to write this. I'm still moody and messed up. Not at all your magazine perfect mum. Nope.</blockquote>
Friday, 9th May 2014 (2 more days to Mother's Day)<br />
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Getting pregnant is such a natural progression of married life. You never think too deeply into it. Not especially when you're in the emerging throes of your just newly wedded bliss as a twosome. No baby, no third party in the picture. Just pure, simple wedded bliss.<br />
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Ah, the uncomplicated simplicity of the early days ...<br />
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It's all gone now.<br />
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In the stressful present, it's a crowded foursome. The two little ones being The Dominant Forces That Be in my life. Each day is never lonely. Each day is tiring, and mind-draining. Each day I get torn between stress, anger and frustration. Moments of happiness are fleeting, too fleeting, and they disappear all too quickly in the face of kiddy mishaps.<br />
<br />
Then, I'm overcome with guilt, that I'm weak and not at all resilient. I'm lousy, in short.<br />
<br />
The extremities of emotional peaks and troughs are devastatingly intense. They can be damn hard to cope with.<br />
<br />
Children are an invasive force, without their even trying. Not only that, they will cause ripples (maybe earthquakes depending on how strong your congenial ties are) in your relationship with your partner. <br />
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Hey, when I look back, it's shocking that I never realized how starting a family is going to be such a freaking HUMONGOUS STEP!! Why doesn't the media and the O&B Department in the hospitals make a bigger issue out of it and have that up in neon lit warning signs?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-48163771029803183112010-11-23T17:07:00.000+08:002010-11-23T17:07:58.304+08:00Of husbands and frustrationTo be married to the hero (not too sure about that at this stress point) of my dreams for 15 years (holy moly, I had no idea it's that l-o-n-g already) or to be continually frustrated up the wall by my hero's idealistic (yes, definitely read idiotic here, I was being polite) projects? <br />
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Ahhhh, tough question that.<br />
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Does frittering away oh, say about a couple thou quid on a sporting hobby seem okay? Well let's say, it's his interest, his thing, nothing to do with me. Heck, fine. But what if that entailed me having to put up with not one but two guests over 10 days, who are hygienically challenged and have oddball eating preferences? Oh, maybe stuff me straight away into the nuthouse would be a safe option for him. <br />
<br />
I cook, I clean, I launder, I clean up some more ... it gets better. I get criticised by the guests still for my lousy cooking! And on top of that, I have to suffer having to entertain (read more cleaning and serving) the guests of our guests twice ... that really threw me ... into the pits of raging depression.<br />
<br />
Hands up if anyone has a dorkier hero than mine?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-60291191849674423902008-03-28T09:09:00.002+09:002008-03-28T09:32:26.281+09:00Take 45 mins of solitary blissThe irony of it all. Even with my newfound emancipation ever since Rhian has graduated away from toddlerhood and is now in full time schooling, it has NOT been easy to find time to write. Whenever I get a spot of time away from the mad rush of drudgery, I just flop and space out. And wonder of wonders, I realized that I have been succumbing to catnaps in the afternoon. A door is opened!!!<br /><br />I don't know if I should be happy or worried about this. Perhaps my age has dawned on my ignorant body and is telling me to watch it. I'm no spring chicken. What a terrible thought.<br /><br />Like I keep telling my newfound Japanese comrade in motherhood battle, an "<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">obasan"</span>!<br /><br />Again, I can't dally as long as I like. When my sandwich is munched up, and my tummy fortified to allay morning rumbles, there's vacuuming to be done, laundry to fold and clothes to iron. This is now almost half past nine in the morning, and by the time all that load is done, I'm probably just in time to do a little lunch. Or not. Depends on how zesty I will tackle the housework this morn. <br /><br />And I haven't forgotten that I'm down to a quarter tank of fuel, and it needs filling up. I'm nervous about making another trip to the petrol station. I know I have to do it this afternoon before the kids are back, so the car is topped up for the long trip to their Chinese classes tomorrow morning ... but I really don't feel like doing that. really really don't. <br /><br />I have been out all morning yesterday - shopping! There. The ugly truth is out. However, it's on an important mission. Hey! It really is! My sis will stand testimony to the fact that I'm no shopper. I have been faithfully wearing her hand-me-downs all my life and will continue to do so. She's the one with The Eye. Incidentally, she's the one making me do all the running because I have to coordinate my kids' clothing with hers. Coordinating children's wear across a continent is no mean feat. <br /><br />My sandwich is gone.<br /><br />I don't want to go but I have to. My bottom may atrophy onto my carpet if I let be.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-70357852032242207022008-02-29T13:42:00.003+09:002008-02-29T13:57:52.956+09:00Independence DayzzzR has started Pre-School already and I'm rewarded with 5 full days of unnatural emancipation for 6 whole hours to do whatever I like! <br /><br />Awesome.<br /><br />The first day Rhian went to school, I was left feeling a little lost though. The house was so<span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">quiet</span>. So very quiet without her incessant chatter. Hubby says I ought to make a recording of her voice and play it during the day to make the day seem "normal".<br /><br />That seems like an idea. I kept wondering at intervals what she was doing at school, and if she was fitting in okay.<br /><br />The very next day, the second day she was due to attend school, however, the teachers went on semi-strike. They all stopped work for a half-day to conduct a meeting. It looks like they are fighting for good reasons though, which I'm sort of in favour of. I'm still of the firm belief that teachers belong to this very noble group who willingly dedicate their lives towards the education of little terrors. I mean, I'm really up to my neck, and I probably sink many times, so what is my two little ones compared to their class-full??? It's an awfully heavy responsibility to mind and teach them. Not everyone has the emotional mettle to be a good teacher.<br /><br />So, here I am with a bit of time again. And I decide to start writing a little again. I'm ambling ... I haven't really gotten my mind round to the fact of my 6-hour liberation for 5 days at a stretch! Besides "penning" down my thoughts now and then in this blog, I haven't a clue yet about how to structure my time. In a constructive manner as opposed to my spacing out.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-76861432668337870322008-02-13T13:01:00.004+09:002008-02-29T13:42:53.708+09:00Someone broke into my car!We were all trooping back merrily to my after B's Jujitsu class at the Melville Recreation Centre. And me being forever, a Blur Queen, got into my seat, reached for my GPS, and discovered that it was not in the compartment. Still, I continued to calmly rummage around for it at the front. I thought B had stashed it elsewhere for me. So, I got out to get round to to the back. Then, I see this big hole in my side panel window .......<br /><br />oooh .... my .... god ....<br /><br />There were shattered glass shards and splinters strewn all over the back seat.<br /><br />What a baaaaaaaaad way to end the day.<br /><br />I lost my trusty GPS, the in-car entertainment set for my kids which was 2 TV screens, remote controls, game consoles, and the player itself ... On the bright side though, my lovely boy and girl were not the least bit concerned about losing their back seat entertainment. Instead, they exclaimed, "Oh, poor mummy! How will you get around without the GPS? You will get lost???"<br /><br />That's me. I'm so hopeless and my kids are so wonderfully aware about this. So, despite the unlucky hassle of not only losing stuff, but having to pay to replace lost items, and not to mention, the nasty cleanup in my car, it does soothe the shaken senses when your kids care more about you than their "toys".Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-26709385913005781402008-01-30T14:30:00.000+09:002008-01-30T14:33:27.392+09:002008<embed src="http://widget.bigoo.ws/generators/glitter-factory/show.swf?message=Wishing%20you%20a%0DHappy%0D%26%20%0DProsperous%0D2008%21&font=http://widget.bigoo.ws/generators/glitter-factory/fonts/plainn_lib.swf&glitter=http://widget.bigoo.ws/generators/glitter-factory/glitters/glitter10.swf&clickURL=http://www.bigoo.ws/&type=0&clickLABEL=Glitter Generators&bevel=1&shadow=1&glow=1&blur=0&fade=0&blink=0&gb=2&ga=0.6&gi=0&gc=10053120&bb=2&bc=0&sb=7&sa=0.7&si=0&sc=0&blb=7&ls=0&fontsize=72&num=10" quality="best" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="530" height="492" name="glitters" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /><br><a href="http://www.bigoo.ws/">Glitter Generators</a></embed>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-57851908695801132872008-01-21T15:23:00.000+09:002008-01-21T16:09:24.567+09:00Come and Join Me in Australia!Hey Everyone,<br /><br />Australia is in serious shortage of skilled, experienced engineers for the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Oil & Gas sector</span> here. I'm working with a bunch of great guys, or should I say, 2 great guys. Mmmm, sorry girls, these guys are taken. Mine including. Keep coming back and I will unravel the mystery.<br /><br />Come over and check out <a href="http://www.novexx.com.sg/">Novexx, a niche headhunting firm</a>, with a global recruitment outlook for the energy and resources sector.<br /><br />Are you game to switch to ...<br /><ul><li>a happy balance between family and work, </li><li>earn a darn sight more, </li><li>live on your own land and not some hole in the sky, </li><li>have great outdoor spaces and activities for your kids, </li><li>to actually believe and watch your kids absolutely enjoying schooling and to realize you're not beset by any exam jitters at all, </li><li>best of all, and this one is my personal favorite, to see my husband back by between 5-5.30pm, Mon-Fri</li><li>that your husband is fully participating in your kids growth as much as you</li><li>your bank savings are earning decent rates from 6% onwards</li><li>no silly societal and peer pressure here, so ...</li><li>no need to strive for 4Cs anymore, and keep up with the Joneses (or Changs, Durais' or god knows what else may come up!)</li><li>no shame in being a bricklayer or in a hard labour trade which rakes in big, big bucks here</li><li>no shame in working at MacDonald's or being a cashier ...</li><li>no aspiring to climb the corporate ladder because a welder may be earning twice as much as a manager, and yet have less than half the worries ... I really like this as it is such a twist on allthat Machiavellian conniving so rift in the corporate world, <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">nyyyaaaahh! So, basically, a person can say, "B*lls to you, who cares if you're some high-level managerial *ss if you're getting worse ... so don't you stick your snotty nose up at me ..." (me personal opinion and no offense intended, just wanting to highlight the funny but realistic side of this) - cool eh?</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">almost left this out, the equivalent of CPF here is the Super which totally belongs to you and is yours to manage if you have the experience to do this. You are also free to invest it in a wide-ranging selection from property to stocks, australian or international, lots more - yes, not quite so narrow-minded here it seems. You do not need to have one leg in the grave to touch your super. Just the usual age eligibility of 65 will do. And the government here will not mess with your super or stick their fingers into it.</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br /></span></li></ul><br />Now, let's turn to the papers here, in view of this shortage of skilled professionals, to show I'm really not B*llsh*tting. <br /><br />A look at today's news headlined an article titled, <span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,23083250-5012424,00.html">Unconventional recruitment winning</a>, <span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">(click to read full article)</span></span></span>. The following has been excerpted from the article.<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">According to the RCSA survey, <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">engineers are in the most wanted category</span>, closely followed by business professionals.<br /></blockquote>Interestingly, the skills shortage top 10 list includes, you wouldn't believe it!<br />-<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Receptionists and telephonists !!!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: arial;">Do </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: arial;" href="mailto:jasminebu@novexx.com.sg">drop me a line and give me a buzz</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: arial;"> if you want to take up this challenge.</span></span><br /></div><br /><br />Yours truly,<br />JasAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-6066806311965481392008-01-21T14:37:00.000+09:002008-01-21T15:02:44.382+09:00Lotterywest Australia Day Skyworks Celebrations 2008<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlfIT3CMSvWS2xg-UmVLvqlez_uyfAWwZm0PgXJOeeQkyMCVzyOQy0wiMDRX12K9vAHUFAmhMs-9OOlORz_rX1lVAMdqGLs3toCrgVbMdCTEZLpNCpfaJcZdLbZXDLJmKS3Ktteku0uU/s1600-h/180px-Lotterywest_Skyworks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlfIT3CMSvWS2xg-UmVLvqlez_uyfAWwZm0PgXJOeeQkyMCVzyOQy0wiMDRX12K9vAHUFAmhMs-9OOlORz_rX1lVAMdqGLs3toCrgVbMdCTEZLpNCpfaJcZdLbZXDLJmKS3Ktteku0uU/s400/180px-Lotterywest_Skyworks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157805856681847122" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">City of Perth</span></span></a><br /></div><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/JASMIN%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/JASMIN%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />We'll be heading down to Langley Park to have a family day out and watch the kids go wild with all those activities galore starting from one end of the Swan River and swinging right around to the other side. This is a one BIG MOTHER of an event!<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/skyworks/whatson.html"><br /></a></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/skyworks/whatson.html">Yo people, check out this bursting menu of activities at the Skyworks Event 2008!</a></span><br /></div><br />And we'll head back to our cosy suburb and nestle down by a good spot at our riverside and watch the fireworks spectacular far from the madding crowds. Bring our trusty picnic mat, picnic basket and we're set to wind down for a lovely evening dinner with a fantastic live dinner entertainment of pyrotechnics!<br /><br />Cheers mates!!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-34165193970251764312008-01-21T14:07:00.000+09:002008-01-21T14:25:04.547+09:00We buzzzzz ...<div><embed src="http://apps.rockyou.com/rockyou.swf?instanceid=99199440&ver=102906" quality="high" salign="lt" width="500" height="375" wmode="transparent" name="rockyou" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"/></embed><br><a style="padding-right:1px;" target="_BLANK" href="http://www.rockyou.com/?type=slideshow&refid=99199440"><img style="border:0px;" src="http://apps.rockyou.com/link/logo.gif"></a><a style="padding-right:1px;" target="_BLANK" href="http://www.rockyou.com/slideshow_create.php?refid=99199440&source=cyo"><img style="border:0px;" src="http://apps.rockyou.com/link/create_own.gif"></a><a style="padding-right:1px;" target="_BLANK" href="http://www.rockyou.com/show_my_gallery.php?instanceid=99199440"><img style="border:0px;" src="http://apps.rockyou.com/link/view_all.gif"></a></div><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-58534788551696961272007-12-17T09:48:00.000+09:002007-12-17T10:40:05.156+09:00Merry Christmas! and Getting back in tempo<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfSOKNW8chFnEQ6jByNKOlyMwj1KhZTcc98Un37o9zgN6LPa_vCHkfXBHfdwnaS00y2oVSzM1XbqnMBaXHAcEt-NTPFC9sEjj-TtcB82oIEiXMoFILOgkzVNeW_BwFNglqySYo4FUs-c/s1600-h/20071202_111933.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfSOKNW8chFnEQ6jByNKOlyMwj1KhZTcc98Un37o9zgN6LPa_vCHkfXBHfdwnaS00y2oVSzM1XbqnMBaXHAcEt-NTPFC9sEjj-TtcB82oIEiXMoFILOgkzVNeW_BwFNglqySYo4FUs-c/s400/20071202_111933.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144739003374626098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Our suburb</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family: lucida grande;"><br />Wishing everyone a Very Merry X'mas!</span></span><br /></div><br />We're finally up and running with the internet after a hiccup-fraught application which took many calls back and forth and 2 failed applications before it took off. Woo! Nothing but the f-word will describe that slow-moving agony ... nope, it's frustration!!! What were you guys thinking of?<br /><br />Anyways, I believe my blog will stay neglected for a l-o-n-g while because there's too much to do and so much life to catch up on over here, back in Perth, and in a most picturesque suburb imaginable. It's north-facing, our townhouse is north-facing and we're very near the water - the Swan River - so, it's all plenty good as far as SL's career path feng shui goes. I was worried that we would only be getting the tail end of the fair weather after heading back here, since Dec brings back the heat slowly but surely. It's all good so far however, because, there have been cold fronts coming in and keeping the heat at bay. It's now a cool 16 degrees as I type this at night ....... so very lovely and cold ... what more could we ask for? So, before I lose myself and gush you all into yawning boredom, here are some pics to perk you up!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfZ_4IxFzIrRtifoCbV-NjkeTBP110rSVGk7tqBZj114-L64JjszEEs109YV_jAx-ORGGJPCdDK5VJ-HmfFfnUMd5ZCcnwB0XRuSqpIHivN8s9wuAr6jsGkF0175pg5d0TnKok4xfOwg/s1600-h/20071202_111954.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfZ_4IxFzIrRtifoCbV-NjkeTBP110rSVGk7tqBZj114-L64JjszEEs109YV_jAx-ORGGJPCdDK5VJ-HmfFfnUMd5ZCcnwB0XRuSqpIHivN8s9wuAr6jsGkF0175pg5d0TnKok4xfOwg/s400/20071202_111954.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144739003374626114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: bold;">Jacaranda-lined streets make for pleasant walks</span></span><br /></div><br /><br />Thanks to this beautiful suburb, you find us outdoors an awful lot. The tree-lined streets with their purple over-hanging branches frames the street scape makes walking very pleasant indeed. Top that off with the cool weather favouring us at the moment, and it's <span style="font-style: italic;">BLISS!<br /><br /><br /></span>My kids love cycling along the river. If we're out around 4pm or so and there are gusty winds coming in, you'll be greeted by fabulous views of the kite surfers with their huge, colorful kites dotting the air pulling the surfers beneath them over the waves. Fantastic sight! It's a popular spot for kite surfing on account of the strong sea breezes. I'm crossing my fingers that lovely, strong sea breezes will keep the summer heat at bay, and hold out all the way until it gets cool around April or so ...<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWlBVA9mS6K9fL9hKY_cE-z1n_jYoP08Mfr_1BeSD2psGKkslGfiaH8rv9_Szts4qE6ZBlEXFkA-VwALXP5VAPtgKYZpfLcOX8GGCKeN6m2L1eyL6NscLDf7VnzWL31e0ccoXQMcYfxo/s1600-h/20071122_170730.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWlBVA9mS6K9fL9hKY_cE-z1n_jYoP08Mfr_1BeSD2psGKkslGfiaH8rv9_Szts4qE6ZBlEXFkA-VwALXP5VAPtgKYZpfLcOX8GGCKeN6m2L1eyL6NscLDf7VnzWL31e0ccoXQMcYfxo/s400/20071122_170730.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144741348426769778" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZbLu4k6YLjmTWZpcn4pn1sjKcggjAWysDWmmd2ZH2OZE1rPsrCP7zl-PzYM3T0cmO2fJ6dZlzF87TE4eP-tt9n2s9LtnTqtvQ-2126Pep25s3Oftuj4vGitOPjLDf3ZhnW2uNSCKTeM/s1600-h/20071124_195410.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZbLu4k6YLjmTWZpcn4pn1sjKcggjAWysDWmmd2ZH2OZE1rPsrCP7zl-PzYM3T0cmO2fJ6dZlzF87TE4eP-tt9n2s9LtnTqtvQ-2126Pep25s3Oftuj4vGitOPjLDf3ZhnW2uNSCKTeM/s400/20071124_195410.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144741357016704386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">One of our many cycling forays along the Swan foreshore just behind us</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztPemWJfbVn6CwDzsQhi-nfjUcF7z4eESrKY7v0NEEqZ3eh4U1BFMPec_mSg1M9_d7EZF7Pgf0VIOAsxYBacP6mZhDTS5Atdw0gyIxPtOzQnNQpMf-e2amKmf8fPtRmF7iAaUXXCp_N0/s1600-h/20071124_194749.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztPemWJfbVn6CwDzsQhi-nfjUcF7z4eESrKY7v0NEEqZ3eh4U1BFMPec_mSg1M9_d7EZF7Pgf0VIOAsxYBacP6mZhDTS5Atdw0gyIxPtOzQnNQpMf-e2amKmf8fPtRmF7iAaUXXCp_N0/s400/20071124_194749.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144739007669593442" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp0ESCp4dTsMUjTdcbBjQDQM6mF3HncCwg74MddLH3PJfiYAuingw67mEEwUivXSQjxP7wY9fmPkOE_on9rMJXjdTJgeqx_kC3o6rh9B4bacFLMFtZJJdu47yfse4iJ7nkl1RfX6xpOo/s1600-h/20071124_194854.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp0ESCp4dTsMUjTdcbBjQDQM6mF3HncCwg74MddLH3PJfiYAuingw67mEEwUivXSQjxP7wY9fmPkOE_on9rMJXjdTJgeqx_kC3o6rh9B4bacFLMFtZJJdu47yfse4iJ7nkl1RfX6xpOo/s400/20071124_194854.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144739007669593426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Our after dinner sunset strolls</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br />If my kids can't get out cycling, they do it around the back yard. The roses are also coming into season and the terrors have been thrilled with the bursting colours of the blooms.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3hg28vX0T3wu_z35EDQo05Y6UNxFxrXNRfUJWfO-5ET1EIgzAHlzDxte1YFjXuJXRARAeWTQ-Be76_z3Rx6HZuQbYGFTwRyHThAVG3CULUV-9OKOBmhais29Ek_WW-sOM3y4B1Sqqag/s1600-h/20071216_132343.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3hg28vX0T3wu_z35EDQo05Y6UNxFxrXNRfUJWfO-5ET1EIgzAHlzDxte1YFjXuJXRARAeWTQ-Be76_z3Rx6HZuQbYGFTwRyHThAVG3CULUV-9OKOBmhais29Ek_WW-sOM3y4B1Sqqag/s400/20071216_132343.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144741361311671698" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyPHCECKutEn7u1Cz0fyTbymnhyBVmSe9mnWkNvh_LJ2HLsOeDS6uYdtu6Vh5fYooiKu7GSFBtdOY4Y5HQpP0kxAgSHGsApN03XqtlQ2ejJsYrbAktai8tgMHnCVVzhP5lkLI2Ki13Fc/s1600-h/20071215_094958.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyPHCECKutEn7u1Cz0fyTbymnhyBVmSe9mnWkNvh_LJ2HLsOeDS6uYdtu6Vh5fYooiKu7GSFBtdOY4Y5HQpP0kxAgSHGsApN03XqtlQ2ejJsYrbAktai8tgMHnCVVzhP5lkLI2Ki13Fc/s400/20071215_094958.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144741365606639010" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Mucking around and Roses we picked from our backyard</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAhW1qssE4ULLCUiGWIi_CuIbpX2QQSR-0LAMQfIW2KYsy5Be08hO8mYGIqlOL8taHfI9EtpjSZJx_x_oM-uvxV5luVxat_Y054vOWV80Z-w1HLpqD5f6IS36Px96lGBaXM3fLt_yyJQ/s1600-h/20071208_140825.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAhW1qssE4ULLCUiGWIi_CuIbpX2QQSR-0LAMQfIW2KYsy5Be08hO8mYGIqlOL8taHfI9EtpjSZJx_x_oM-uvxV5luVxat_Y054vOWV80Z-w1HLpqD5f6IS36Px96lGBaXM3fLt_yyJQ/s400/20071208_140825.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144741369901606322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Flower-giving ceremony for the old folks<br />at the Fo Guang Shan Temple<br />where B+R became flower girls and boys</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdpZgdqCKSziPO3WweLg78pL79pyxDdMsTLZfm8VZlvlYIZlmwwULCxwqhLXaIGpRBzW2hMb6FBHZ3q2IOi7Fs13yuFVRD43lePmIy4VhNNLe3tD4KGIN67D3m-aZjAxf18DjDwxORqg/s1600-h/20071111_194553.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdpZgdqCKSziPO3WweLg78pL79pyxDdMsTLZfm8VZlvlYIZlmwwULCxwqhLXaIGpRBzW2hMb6FBHZ3q2IOi7Fs13yuFVRD43lePmIy4VhNNLe3tD4KGIN67D3m-aZjAxf18DjDwxORqg/s400/20071111_194553.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144738999079658786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Claisemont Cove, Royal Street at East Perth </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">where we love hanging out. Now, the picture does not do it </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">justice but it's absolutely <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">woweee </span>when you're down there in the flesh. <br />Trust me, this is not your crowded, noisome UOB Boat Quay,<br />Clark Quay gala. It's much quieter, genteel and family-friendly! <br />Oh, there's a family pub there too but the noise level is tolerable.<br /> If you don't like that, you can always stroll further down towards the park lands.</span></span><br /></div><br /><br />Well, that's our little update for now. As it is, we're still finding our feet here, and yes, we're taking our own very sweet time over it. Which, I might add, is very pleasant! Must be the Christmas season lulling us into a slower pace too I guess. There are parties to attend, places to go and to simply soak in the beautiful surrounds.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And until then, please ...<br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Have a Very Merry Christmas!</span></span><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-47389515175333995492007-11-09T13:07:00.000+09:002007-11-09T13:39:33.175+09:00Transitional limbo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wACBFuSdvZOKtcfeO8-LSLfnQN0F3oHOlkzb3t23TCVUSzu7B8cISa7nb-qoKq5_SJpaiKk5FkCSxSjjKhP_acQfQmXViS10gCbQWCEDUC7BWAshjPBFuFGk5BW6iVbIhmkoMFYSRjk/s1600-h/20071109_104155.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wACBFuSdvZOKtcfeO8-LSLfnQN0F3oHOlkzb3t23TCVUSzu7B8cISa7nb-qoKq5_SJpaiKk5FkCSxSjjKhP_acQfQmXViS10gCbQWCEDUC7BWAshjPBFuFGk5BW6iVbIhmkoMFYSRjk/s400/20071109_104155.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130694920454101858" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLykxMC33zRgE2NqTGlW3Dqs9K9oshrnz8XDa38Ur5NQBo5syCV8H-9D3U6VsxXH9GJFraA1oMtV5pxem0nGcFfIhpcqtusZURTwxkVYM4YCR7zvmph-k62fh9E88eTjniOFXyVGEEIhY/s1600-h/20071109_104155.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLykxMC33zRgE2NqTGlW3Dqs9K9oshrnz8XDa38Ur5NQBo5syCV8H-9D3U6VsxXH9GJFraA1oMtV5pxem0nGcFfIhpcqtusZURTwxkVYM4YCR7zvmph-k62fh9E88eTjniOFXyVGEEIhY/s400/20071109_104155.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130694572561750866" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LlZAAQywPRcA_4qrHgZ03dYNKd2Te9336PLkjxICaBim92e7dUfM4YdVaCxJrPhbdNsf1v2J_rekB7Qfc65WUxgaJtPgVzmAusnE92ayO4bWJIJ9bYUeqjrptJnO6J7VKzTUQBDws5I/s1600-h/20071109_105233.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LlZAAQywPRcA_4qrHgZ03dYNKd2Te9336PLkjxICaBim92e7dUfM4YdVaCxJrPhbdNsf1v2J_rekB7Qfc65WUxgaJtPgVzmAusnE92ayO4bWJIJ9bYUeqjrptJnO6J7VKzTUQBDws5I/s400/20071109_105233.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130687769333553986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Queen's Park, East Perth</span></span><br /></div><br /><br />Desperation. A feeling I can do less with. I'm glad we got over this. It's been a frustration-filled two and a half week's worth of house hunting. The houses get snapped up so fast. Just gone in a blink ...<br /><br />There was an open house we went to at 11am. <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">It was advertised for 11am.</span> We planned, we reached, a minute or two <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">before</span> 11am. And when we walked through the open door, we were greeted with <blockquote style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">sorry, but it's been leased out ten minutes ago.</blockquote>Leaves you speechless.<br /><br />We changed options many times, looking at other areas, other choices. Bought the papers, scoured through the listings faithfully, and went to many home opens, drove by, and around many suburbs to get a feel of the areas - it was a lot of effort. Checked up the real estate website everday, we probably boosted their page views by a fair chunk. Instead of our usual screen savers, you saw the real estate home page. It was that bad, that frustrating, and that desperate.<br /><br />It's all over now. I'm left curiously deflated. A hurdle crossed. But, curiously, empty. Aimless even. Nothing to solve, nothing to research for the time being. Tell me that again. That humans are strange and contradictory. Maybe it's just me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-37860786129488312702007-11-05T08:31:00.001+09:002007-11-05T09:57:43.515+09:00At another crossroad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKKSs2o25iZdgP1i7veNnIWT-cgSvgIt3PhJKhe2CnRC6a9h2KHze7hDD9V9G4kczbLPLjI4V52FZbiIvfLIyK3ECZRk_BbsES-PD-gTwSftG64bJHdst2RSCo03m5uKyzTzMHnVjMW4/s1600-h/20071102_130117.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKKSs2o25iZdgP1i7veNnIWT-cgSvgIt3PhJKhe2CnRC6a9h2KHze7hDD9V9G4kczbLPLjI4V52FZbiIvfLIyK3ECZRk_BbsES-PD-gTwSftG64bJHdst2RSCo03m5uKyzTzMHnVjMW4/s320/20071102_130117.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129135537452021330" border="0" /></a>Good Morning!<br /><br />Here we are safely ensconced in Perth once again. Happy smiling faces all around. It's good to be back. That's for a million times sure. Internet connection here has been tacky (as usual ... is there ANY place in AU where the connection is not? Since the whole thing is under the whimsical monopoly of Telstra). I have had trouble logging into my blog account. But, since this is a complimentary service that comes with this accommodation, it's still GREAT - yaaaay! <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0unKjhdq-f8SBh7j0h10nCrnmh3PUmDMayggM5FjtHLC9PoAGVmpzSkAlwp-6DI1n-rnIut1UmVZBPJrFBU549SANRn-f_Twqhyyxmx0zgBtGsyy2AQJRxzWrJr_W4lwgS3OqwinIPHY/s1600-h/20071101_185416.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0unKjhdq-f8SBh7j0h10nCrnmh3PUmDMayggM5FjtHLC9PoAGVmpzSkAlwp-6DI1n-rnIut1UmVZBPJrFBU549SANRn-f_Twqhyyxmx0zgBtGsyy2AQJRxzWrJr_W4lwgS3OqwinIPHY/s320/20071101_185416.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129136757222733474" border="0" /></a>At least, we still get to do a great many things online. Here are some pictures of this terrace we're putting up at. It's a neat little place. Bedrooms, toilet, bathroom are upstairs. Open plan kitchen with full mod cons, dining and living are downstairs. A little breakfast baloney out front, overlooking the pool below - although the pool is closed at the moment ... place is also secure. Entry by keycards, one for the apartment and one for the parking area. Everything hunky dory as far as transitions go. The next step though has proven to be rather ... tricky, to er, put it mildly and to avoid getting my emotions up.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoprlN-OfmmgpKZyQD2E7rVhCizHhaVoNfXFV7z6lIli_Z5ldvgg5ADJiiGJvRE9ewgm2uUOlXOHEbs3GTJxEtNBtu5D6Oq7czBem6k9xZFbLkk00mKiJbxZfUQP_NFBwfluK3_xqmOg/s1600-h/20071102_125123.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoprlN-OfmmgpKZyQD2E7rVhCizHhaVoNfXFV7z6lIli_Z5ldvgg5ADJiiGJvRE9ewgm2uUOlXOHEbs3GTJxEtNBtu5D6Oq7czBem6k9xZFbLkk00mKiJbxZfUQP_NFBwfluK3_xqmOg/s320/20071102_125123.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129136761517700802" border="0" /></a>Location is convenient. Riverside is across the other side of the road. I walked to Swan Bell's and the Barrack Jetty with my kids in the bracing coolness. Wonderful!! How we have missed that in Darwin. Brandon was so happy,he kept yelling, "ooh, it's nice and cold! I love it!" We love walking in cold weather. You don't even work up a sweat! How fantastic is that? A pleasant, non-sweaty, cardio workout that you can enjoy together in tandem with your kids!!<br /><br />YES, we have been walking to our heart's content, everywhere!! Queen's Park is just behind with a beautiful family of cygnets and lots of other water fowl, except you have to watch out for the bird poop. Otherwise, it's a beautiful, postcard perfect park. We've chosen to walk to the Murray/Hay street malls instead of hopping onto the CAT services, since it's not that far, and I wanted to just soak in the city sights along the way.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6d6vqD37GNolsW9VrviJ3X9cIbXmUBLfmaTujh413TYbyM-G4sY9bRcfyzzNcePgQeOdpZ6pm7zt7CDDPBZo51YdlVUewrCYlQctXbfi71FHIOxrqmG9OPnP5OxEoyImnrVnohBp-R3c/s1600-h/20071102_115913.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6d6vqD37GNolsW9VrviJ3X9cIbXmUBLfmaTujh413TYbyM-G4sY9bRcfyzzNcePgQeOdpZ6pm7zt7CDDPBZo51YdlVUewrCYlQctXbfi71FHIOxrqmG9OPnP5OxEoyImnrVnohBp-R3c/s320/20071102_115913.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129136761517700786" border="0" /></a>And oh! the scrummelicious food is pure heaven to get back to! SL is definitely back into his element here. He's been in food heaven ever since. And to sweeten it all, prices here are also wonderfully cheaper than in Darwin ... by jove, it's GOOOOOOOD to be here again.<br /><br /><br />We've forgotten that stuff in Perth is so much cheaper than in Darwin. Petrol is also cheaper @ 1.28!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJxI6Rm2h_zBMHSdAIwfZ6LIX_KsrX_WqVx2nxLkuzY3Ihve_ignLsp_B3FNYrTdhSSbo9P8r2UfmANS8P_PLX5ZJF_xvYM8e52VIxU_gt5h3C7y7YFdII8rmJOiAFj4-zs92mzJ0x7g/s1600-h/20071102_115938.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJxI6Rm2h_zBMHSdAIwfZ6LIX_KsrX_WqVx2nxLkuzY3Ihve_ignLsp_B3FNYrTdhSSbo9P8r2UfmANS8P_PLX5ZJF_xvYM8e52VIxU_gt5h3C7y7YFdII8rmJOiAFj4-zs92mzJ0x7g/s320/20071102_115938.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129136765812668114" border="0" /></a>What else is different for me?<br /><br />Well, there are LOTS of vehicles out on the roads. I haven't gotten my nerves up to really drive about here yet ... if I can get them straight in the first place. Maybe, it's because we're smack in the midst of the CBD and that we've to go over the freeways each time we need to go into surburbia. It freaks me out. Too many lanes, too many exits clustered together, and too many roads telling you no right turn here, left turn only ... it's a nightmare gone berserk for a greenhorn like me!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58svM26ZW_7wr_T_fBUqrVuBj0cirLpAyp_6WXLplUaDEJm_LAnk3K3zmMEDwxi9uZwdP2Z0lIW2LnBQED_Z9VLDf8ujvG-I81drLrSLdWLKUJCWn58VODf889UQwm-kasbxgV9lMfC4/s1600-h/20071102_120215.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58svM26ZW_7wr_T_fBUqrVuBj0cirLpAyp_6WXLplUaDEJm_LAnk3K3zmMEDwxi9uZwdP2Z0lIW2LnBQED_Z9VLDf8ujvG-I81drLrSLdWLKUJCWn58VODf889UQwm-kasbxgV9lMfC4/s320/20071102_120215.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129135546041955954" border="0" /></a>The other royal headache has been the house hunting. It's been an extremely, insanely mad raceto get a rental over here! You can probably guess that it's been a frustrating hunt thus far. Rents have also gone up a fair bit since we've been gone and supply has shrunken to a pitiful trickle. We've been to a fair few viewings but have not turned up anything suitable. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OrZOmh4kGUZE8fVcdoVkTgh9mR7xCV-P2rWfaVio5QBdzVd-QJfDhoHz9fufS1JfDmVUvmfVVpoJSc3_k2SaX8EoO4DkeNnvJ-1KEin2ykSjrOJYNeQWnBJO_eaxJ0j7yMdV3hOJM7k/s1600-h/20071031_174316.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OrZOmh4kGUZE8fVcdoVkTgh9mR7xCV-P2rWfaVio5QBdzVd-QJfDhoHz9fufS1JfDmVUvmfVVpoJSc3_k2SaX8EoO4DkeNnvJ-1KEin2ykSjrOJYNeQWnBJO_eaxJ0j7yMdV3hOJM7k/s320/20071031_174316.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129136765812668130" border="0" /></a><br />We've just spent the weekends and at least 3 evenings driving about, looking at houses, suburbs ... <br /><br />It's been tiring for the kids but something we've needed to do. Tiring for my poor man too ...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDuVJP-snKNi8M83Uw7la6FA0R3M1AqmgcNxcmNW8YFaSNJe4VlVPJdRv0a27_pDdJQfkd3-0xaLwplqeUOzh_5HgsJglOXOmIOmJ_aIdKndUHvJFnqMJrda6zLWG_6m1euvNbfm6sKU/s1600-h/20071102_165209.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDuVJP-snKNi8M83Uw7la6FA0R3M1AqmgcNxcmNW8YFaSNJe4VlVPJdRv0a27_pDdJQfkd3-0xaLwplqeUOzh_5HgsJglOXOmIOmJ_aIdKndUHvJFnqMJrda6zLWG_6m1euvNbfm6sKU/s320/20071102_165209.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129133596126803458" border="0" /></a><br />On happier notes, my kids have been reacquainting themselves with King's Park, and loving it.<br /><br />They love the lovely lawns and running all over the grounds.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4e2s6Dbb5b83W9eAOzxVV3Au0zX8OcIuvSkZbER9YOqjZF3EVe3Gb2LnNUsde8PaW1LWghjgQ9tZS3XlFMY2vETTnJq4RcrXLzhCczrChHBv0mSf77Su6p9sg5NKK0-SsqMfL9jJkjXU/s1600-h/20071102_150157.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4e2s6Dbb5b83W9eAOzxVV3Au0zX8OcIuvSkZbER9YOqjZF3EVe3Gb2LnNUsde8PaW1LWghjgQ9tZS3XlFMY2vETTnJq4RcrXLzhCczrChHBv0mSf77Su6p9sg5NKK0-SsqMfL9jJkjXU/s320/20071102_150157.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129133600421770770" border="0" /></a><br />From the high vantage point, we've been able to enjoy leisurely but spectacular views of the Red Bull Air Race. The planes were zipping and somersaulting overhead and we could watch their aerial acrobatics over the river.<br /><br />Great picnic outing.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SpgjMTU0VYZF2D3n1tfdpzPiXkblqUH0uLlxaOCOxO6wwzuVmO3JOA8fhzp1ZyOOL9OwGzdlc57UHKty8UfXp6-x20vxfSOkGcZHKPHNwPU-h8kjps4yWQD0CwDWEY671__qP1sx7cE/s1600-h/20071102_150015.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SpgjMTU0VYZF2D3n1tfdpzPiXkblqUH0uLlxaOCOxO6wwzuVmO3JOA8fhzp1ZyOOL9OwGzdlc57UHKty8UfXp6-x20vxfSOkGcZHKPHNwPU-h8kjps4yWQD0CwDWEY671__qP1sx7cE/s320/20071102_150015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129133604716738082" border="0" /></a><br />So, of course, we did it again the very next day!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRwDwulCTwWGg80Cuwdy8urol5RSVy97YWdhZ4wmOsrbmYCrS5cxmotk6pnR53Z0s3Z3EFgskhj1wyJ70F4JV7EfJZgFXm6Ah-GuNDwC8toZg9TQUh0bdwhR6R10wb8cONd61FDr38mw/s1600-h/20071101_153619.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRwDwulCTwWGg80Cuwdy8urol5RSVy97YWdhZ4wmOsrbmYCrS5cxmotk6pnR53Z0s3Z3EFgskhj1wyJ70F4JV7EfJZgFXm6Ah-GuNDwC8toZg9TQUh0bdwhR6R10wb8cONd61FDr38mw/s320/20071101_153619.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129133609011705394" border="0" /></a><br />Water Garden.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcRqI4Nq7KMYOrCu1KQs0d69AMGL-X1x2pPEVUGFdGq5gxoO_qas2PjT2JFg91GYlJma023aSd7aB2T0hRIpd2YrVRk-aABLHDVY9q_eScwrxZw6T10k3_5rk3XJyAotYIVzIKoxWGEU/s1600-h/20071101_151347.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcRqI4Nq7KMYOrCu1KQs0d69AMGL-X1x2pPEVUGFdGq5gxoO_qas2PjT2JFg91GYlJma023aSd7aB2T0hRIpd2YrVRk-aABLHDVY9q_eScwrxZw6T10k3_5rk3XJyAotYIVzIKoxWGEU/s320/20071101_151347.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129133609011705410" border="0" /></a><br />Walkway with Glassed Bridge overlooking the Old Swan Brewery.<br /><br />We're now starting out our 3rd week here ... and many more to come.<br /><br /><br />See you again next time, that is, if I can login in ...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheerio!!</span></span><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-40199623712014434282007-10-10T10:59:00.000+08:002007-10-10T11:45:12.220+08:00Versions of Mum,Mummy,Mom,Mommy,Mother ...I have just discovered from chatting to one of the preschooler's mom (to Rhian's classmate) that she is working a 20-hour week from home, whilst still breast-feeding her 10-month old baby, and caring for 2 boys, a 4-year old and 6-year old! Wow! It's amazing ... I can't think of any amongst my peers who can juggle it THIS WELL on their own! We'd be screaming up the wall and have regular visits to the psychiatrist or crying for our mum's help, or maids ... ! On top of that, I see her smiling all the time, and she's kissing baby very often too. She's with IBM by the way, and still needs to fly into Sydney on occasion for meetings. Of course, there's a great deal of self-sacrifice there. She does work into the nights, stealing some quiet hours to work when baby's asleep but I still say holy moly ... and I still see her a very normal mum, well-adjusted, no sign of paranoia anywhere.<br /><br />When I start to grumble I'll have to think twice. Getting your degree does not prepare you adequately to be a great mum. Nobody teaches you that. I don't know which is the worse off. That I'm not working, and have only 2 to deal with - what's that compared to her? Or to actually choose work over having to look after your own kids because you can't cope with full-time ie.,using work as an escapist strategy? Or to choose work over kids for the sake of having more money to pay for the maids, private daycare, extra classes for the kids, keep a bigger car and then grumble about not having enough time with your kids? Some mums are really, really strong! This is what I've been observing and learning here. An absolute sense of independance. No falling back on grandparents, or maids, or childcare. I keep seeing many cases of mums who are totally self-reliant, and hey! I'm learning something everyday. To be with your own kids 24/7 forever and happily after, requires patience of the highest order. This is a level of tolerance and patience which tests me daily. Sometimes I set new records, sometimes I metamorphose into a demented virago. Many times I wished to be single at my most depressed, or at least enjoying a kids-free twosome with my hubby.<br /><br />Which brings me to this article I found as I was surfing around desultorily wondering why I'm a housewife. Yep, me and my mood fluxes. I'd been reading this article below about <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.canadianbusiness.com/my_money/investing/article.jsp?content=20060801_105126_5260&page=1">how an old couple managed to retire in luxury on $2,000 a month</a>. Now, that cuts through like a shining path of real hope!!<br /><br />If they can do that, then, anybody can do that!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-77794480038325163512007-10-08T07:38:00.000+08:002007-10-08T07:43:28.440+08:00Crawling alongWooooh ... it's just 7.14am and the mercury is rising. It's already warming up outside! Another HOT, HOT, HOT day, and the start of the last school term for the year. Back to school for my kids today. And we're down to 11 days only before we fly. And escape before the cyclone season hits.<br /><br />Somehow, it feels like I'm going back to "work" today. Have to make 3 tinkles today about our vacating this place and to pass on another challenging task to our removalist. Have to call the pest people. And one very important personal call. Oh, and I have to check my lottery tickets too! That's ultra important too.<br /><br />Nothing eventful at the moment, nor yesterday. The days are just too hot to be outside, risking skin cancer and gallivanting under an UV radiation level of 14 ... you don't see any kids at all, nobody at the playgrounds, nobody cycling past even at 4pm. It's really too hot. With no social appointments yesterday, we were all snugly at home on a humdrum Sunday, and made chocolate chip cookies. Except for Brandon who got lucky. C - his classmate came over with his Dad to invite him to go for a movie with them. Since, Rhian had no invites, she was stuck with us, but, she gamely proclaimed that it was okay and she could finish up all the cookies for Brandon!<br /><br />oops, gotta go hustle them to school now.<br /><br />9am. Golly, almost missed some comments, since my laziness.<br /><br />First off, a great big thank you to <a href="http://everydayhealy.blogspot.com/">Healy</a> for tagging me. Ummm, you've just tagged an almost hermit, so I've run out of people (bloggers). But if you want me to tag (recommend) books, now that's different! Okay, I've got one overiding wish.<br />Oh, please keep us midge-free forever. Those are nasty little buggers. One of my friends told me it'd take about 4-5 years for those scars to fade.<br /><br />And I've to say sorry to <a href="http://everydayhealy.blogspot.com/">Healy</a>. But, my mind is preoccupied with our move at the moment. I've got my mother's gene for worrying. I won't stop thinking about it until it's over and done with. So, this is about what I can come up with ... sorry.<br /><br />I hope to back online in a more active way when we're settled though.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com119tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-10567089072460969522007-10-06T15:54:00.000+08:002007-10-06T16:03:38.773+08:00It's my life ...... a new chapter. "It's my life!" that's one of SL's all-time Bon Jovi favourite. Curiously apt for the way we've been going about our lives' business. We've been walking where we have wanted to go instead of having society dictate our steps. I'd rather see it as being for good, since, our happiness factor has been steadily rising up the meter. Guess we must be doing fairly okay so far. In any case, there's no looking back, only forwards, and we must go on.<br /><br />My apologies for letting this blog vanish off into the ether. My usual, poor banalities on offer here ... tired, hectic, gently making goodbyes, throwing away some stuff that's gotten old or have simply become redundant, a little packing, organizing ... okay, okay, I've been really <span style="font-weight: bold;">LAAAZZZy!!!!!!</span><br /><br />Had my place sprayed over to rid ourselves of the nasty bugs and crawlies. Chlorinator casing had its final days and cracked under the strain of the sun's heat. Water leaked out and was a potential hazard. It was a 2-week delay before the cell was replaced whilst the pool got dirtier by the day. But thank god, it's fixed by now! Only, the vacuum hose for the pool had to have a last laugh at us, and decided to break itself into 3 separate sections. So, we ended up in Bunnings hunting for the proper hose before we could get the *$#%*&@ pool vacuumed!<br /><br />It's a burning 35 degrees now in the afternoon. I've got the ceiling fan on and my air-con at full blast. The spiders and midges have reappeared with a vengeance for young blood. Most notably, my kids' blood, marking their victory with many little scars! I'll never forget that one great, big, horrible scab which formed on Rhian's leg, the size of a 20-cent Australian coin (the AU 20-cent coin is nearly the size of a SG 50-cent coin btw). Both of them are sporting many battle scars on their legs. There's a secret society of spiders lurking about somewhere in my house. As soon as the cobwebs are swept off the corners, new ones spring up overnight ... and boy, do the crickets love my place. They're kicking it every night zinging their kind of music. Man, it's a daily battle with the creepy crawlies.<br /><br />And, according to the news today, things are going to take a turn for the worst!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2007/10/06/2263_ntnews.html">Horror cyclone season feared</a><br /><br />If you've read that news link above, it looks like things can get <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">really, really bad</span> ... Meteorologists here are forecasting at least 3 to 4 cyclones when La Nina hits the Top End. The first cyclone may hit as early as in late November of this year. <br /><br />Eh, things don't look so bad for me after all. At least, we're going to be well out of the way before any cyclone mischief! It's just under 2 weeks and we'll be flying off. Will probably wrap up the internet service here by next weekend. So, this blog'll take a backseat for a another good while yet. Until I find my feet back in Perth.<br /><br />Well, another new suburb, new neighbours, faces to get used to, and running the whole, mad cycle again. The intention is to stay longer, but you never how the tides of change will flow. <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Righteo, my cogwheels are a little on the rusty side here. So, this'll be a short one. I need more gas to fire up my fossilizing grey lump up there. I really must get a move on and exercise it more. Finding it a bit hard to get my thoughts organized ... </span><br /><br />Everything's sort of in transit at the moment for me. I'm trying to use up all the perishables in the kitchen. My poor family will be eating lots of spaghetti over the next week because there are 2 jumbo bottles of the sauce waiting to be used. I'm fine with it since I eat to live. But it will test my better half's appetite severely. Spaghetti once a month is just about his limit. But 3 times a week is really asking him his life! May be good for him though. He may go on a voluntary diet for the whole of next week.<br /><br />Probably have to plonk in a meal at our favourite restaurant here to compensate for the spaghetti, now and then. We've discovered this great eatery run by a Taiwanese boss, who's also the head chef himself. It's not just his superb cooking but it's been very satisfying to be able to converse with someone in Chinese mixed with Hokkien! And - Waaaaah, simply great Chinese cuisine! Never have we tasted such great Chinese cooking. I mean proper, authentic Chinese style cooking. Here, most of the so-called Chinese restaurants are serving <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">mock</span> Chinese food that's been heavily westernised ........................ you can imagine how depressing that's been for the past 12 months we've been here.<br /><br />Onward ho!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-89227441863778460192007-09-13T14:08:00.000+08:002007-09-13T15:01:32.686+08:00Loose EndsWhoopeee! There's a $20 million lottery jackpot this Saturday! Anyone wants to have a potshot at this? Sure would save anybody from the PAP's recent price hike on everything from hospitals to bus fares and anything else they can come up with. Oh, oh, almost forgot the "annuity" component they just slapped on the CPF nest egg. Not that it would be much of a nest egg after that ... Oh, and I've still got prized possession of a virus which sure is, taking its bloody sweet time to clear off.<br /><br />It got my spirits down to the level where I wanted to can this blog because I didn't have the energy to write anymore.<br /><br />So, there still is a humongous demand for experienced Oil&Gas people here in Australia. You don't need to contend with a pesky SG government who keeps poking their fingers everywhere into every aspect of your lives. Very low cost education here for the kids who will probably never want to study in a SG school again after having attended just one lesson here. Still affordable property here relative to SG's hole in the sky. You get it landed on at least 500-600 sqm worth of land. Paying a crazy 600K for a pigeon hole in the sky? Why not consider something here? Very nice cars for just $30K a piece with no irritating COE to bugger you, and they all at least 3 litres and above. For that matter, you might be able to afford 2 cars. You are free to manage your own Super (equivalent to SG's CPF) once it hits 200K and over. Invest it in property, stocks, whatever with your own full responsibility. The AU politicians aren't going to nanny you over your money like this. The Unions will be swarming them over if they ever have any funny ideas like this. The Unions are damn powerful here. You seriously don't want to see one at your door. And because of them, everybody works decent man-hours here. You will likely be at home with the family by 5pm.<br /><br />There are no various petty fees lying in wait for you here and there. The roads are free for your use, any time of day. Except that you will have to pay for parking in the CBD areas of course. Yep, no ERP here. Otherwise, most parking is free. You've got your own garage, so no worries about car park price hikes. The CAT buses plying the Perth CBD area are all free.<br /><br />No maids here. You are responsible for your own housekeeping, gardening and lawn mowing. At least, that's what is expected of a matured adult. You're probably not going to live in a mansion. 200-300 sqm of space isn't going to kill you, so, it's still manageable by me. You can still have housekeeping services if you can afford it of course. But don't expect to get a live-in, 24 hours service maid hanging around you here. Labour costs are a LOT higher here. I would expect anything from $60-100 onwards per hour.<br /><br />Yet, despite the high tax, you do accumulate savings very fast. Due to the DIY lifestyle here, you are pretty much in charge of your own life. And depending on how you live, a debt-free lifestyle is definitely within reach.<br /><br />Just one Kakadu National Park covers almost 20,000 sqkm relative to Singapore's 704 sqkm. So, there's is plentiful land to explore. Go up North for the whales, down south to Bunbury to see the dolphins, Gold Coast is on the eastern seaboard, a varied Sydney is also there to add a cosmopolitan touch. It's going to take you like, a year to go around Australia.<br /><br />Oh, and Perth is also fairly near to SG, so you can fly back at least once a year without too much hassle.<br /><br />Any takers out there?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-82984044804125274462007-09-09T15:03:00.000+08:002007-09-09T15:05:05.791+08:00Going ...Bugger this lingering cough.<br /><br />We've got 6 more weeks to go ...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-87179190834336100122007-09-07T10:22:00.000+08:002007-09-07T11:10:51.666+08:00Back to realitySo much news I've missed out on. So little time. Lots of reading to catch up on to make up for the time I spent mooning in bed. So many things happening everyday, all at once. Time waits for no one, many lives go on and many events keep taking place ... like ...<br /><br />There's a poop smear on the wall this morning, courtesy of Rhian. How on earth she did that, I'd rather not know. Her brother has no idea how she did it too. The squabbles have also begun afresh after days of quiet solitude as comrades in illness. Brandon bit Rhian on her fanny for some reason too. Well, at least, it tells me they're OK now. But they're both grounded at their desk doing some paperwork for dishing out their nonsense before the day has barely started.<br /><br />Aussies are finding it harder each day to juggle daily finances on top of rising property prices and rising interest rates, whilst the Australian economy keeps riding new highs on the crest of the China boom. Meanwhile, $55 billion worth of business deals has been inked between Australia and China. The latest is a deal worth <a href="http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,22377827-462,00.html">$45 billion between Woodside and PetroChina</a>. At the other end of the scale, there's been this very funny bit of Singapore news that still gives me the giggles. The headline reads (drumroll please), <a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_147472.html">"Watch out Google, here comes SPH Search"!</a> Click to read the article's boldly worded non-event. I still cringe when I see it.<br /><br />It's hilarious isn't it? I can only imagine that the journalist must have been holed up in a well in some <span style="font-style: italic;">ulu</span> part of the swamps in SG to make an audacious statement like this. Either that, or he must be very junior. Geez, don't they know how massive the international competition is outside??? If that's the way the younger generation's mindset is going, it doesn't bode too well for the future. Singapore might be one of the 4 Tigers, but it pays to be mindful and aware and be respectful of the larger economies out there. Bearing in mind our various disadvantages, and a decreasing proficiency in Mandarin ... it's all too easy to get left behind. A $2 billion investment in our country is a mere drop in the ocean, on the global platform. Thank God, Google is so gigantic that it isn't even going to bother with a little flea bite. Or mouse fart, as one of my ex-bosses would put it very aptly.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8165939558417268248.post-350380882709909002007-09-06T11:56:00.000+08:002007-09-06T12:47:53.960+08:00Resident Evil : V is for virusHaven't been to my laptop in <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">ages</span> with one medical crisis after another surfacing at home. It wears you down pretty fast. I've lost some of my precious weight which I'm now having a hard time regaining since my appetite doesn't want to cooperate with me. But that's small sacrifice. My big relief is seeing my kids on the road to recovery at long, long last.<br /><br />Both SL and I have been battling the devil of a virus that's been hopping from Brandon to Rhian and moi! It started with Brandon first. It spread to Rhian through her own greed. They were both having lunch and Brandon had soup since he had fits of vomiting. Of course, Rhian wanted to have some of what he was having, since she is not one to be left out. She had plopped her spoon into Brandon's half-eaten bowl and merrily slurping and helping herself when I had my back turned to get something else for the table. That did it!! She contracted a fever that very night. By the following day, she had a scorching fever zinging between 39 and 40 degrees!! We had to keep hosing her down with cold water to bring the fever down to less dangerous levels. We were sponging her down through the night - make that 3 nights. She was prescribed the standard dose of antibiotics, Amoxycillin, which she's still on at the moment.<br /><br />Between Rhian and Brandon, that had to make a drama-filled blood, gore and vomit story. The coughing fits usually triggered a vomit or a nose bleed. That's why my Nose Bleed post below. The bloody sheets, soiled clothes, blood-stained hankies were piling up into a veritable mountain in the laundry basket. I was changing the washing the bedsheets for 3 days, yep, counting today, since I am washing yesterday's mess.<br /><br />That was pretty bad. There was no song and dance left in her, and she was really, very, very quiet and so still, it was nerve-wrecking for me. Since, I was the main caregiver, I contracted the virus as well since, she was coughing into my face every so often. Involuntarily that is, which is ok by me, since she can't control that. I went down (at last) one night, and SL had to take leave to care for all 3 of us ... the poor man. He wasn't spared either with all of us so highly diseased. Luckily, he only got the tail-end of it which was quickly fought off with a couple of flu tablets and plenty of water.<br /><br />I'm a little woozy now even as I type this as I've just had my medication. My babes are in my room watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.<br /><br />During my brief periods of bed incarceration, I thank my stars for great Taiwanese varieties,<span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">超级星光大道 where we discovered this great Taiwanese singer, 萧敬腾 who could be the next big thing. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">超级星光大道 is like American Idol. Only thing is that I find it even more exciting and challenging than the original! The other one is this fantastic, hilarious Taiwanese talk show, </span>康熙来了. Hosted by Kang Yong (well-known celebrity author) and Xu Xi Di (of Asos fame). I love their rapier sharp wit and repartee. They sure helped lift up many a dull moments.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>萧敬腾 背叛</b><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IKS5x-NWMBs"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IKS5x-NWMBs" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01382069034819145764noreply@blogger.com1