October 2003

I feel like I have been trying to get this site updated for ever. There have been so many distractions and things to do around the house lately that it has been impossible to sit down and really get to grips with it.

We have settled into Singapore a lot more now. As Joe gets older we are able to start doing more things. We have also got our PR for Singapore and have bought a car. Life is so much easier for me since we got the car. No more loony taxi drivers to put up with, or lugging bags of Joe's paraphernalia around. I have no excuses not to be able to make it to the gym and Joe and I get out a lot more. Frosty and I did have to revise our highway code and take the Singapore theory test again. It was like being back at school being made to sit at little desks and told we couldn't use pencil! Having been made to sit this exam I am appalled though at the driving skills of the majority of people here and its one of my pet whinges. I can be heard saying rude words under my breath quite regularly and will have to come up with some alternatives now that Joe is becoming more aware! Drivers here have no concept of using their indicators or staying in lane. They are like scale-electric cars, they drive down the middle of the white line. They are also very impatient. I am often getting beeped at for not jumping out of a junction fast enough into oncoming traffic - I make them wait even longer then and sit there just for spite! I have even been beeped at for going to slow up the ramps in a car park! No one really takes any notice of the baby-on-board sticker in the back. Joe loves the car, its a very girlie red one with a winnie the pooh and tigger window screen on Joe's window. As you can guess Frosty doesn't drive very often as he looks like a hairdresser when he does!

Frosty and I have also made it out the house without Joe in tow a few times now. It was 7 months before we actually went out by ourselves and it felt a bit strange the first time but we soon got over that! It was so nice to go for a meal and there was peace and quiet and no interruptions! Our maid has now moved in with us as well so we always have a babysitter on hand now. Joe is very good and is usually asleep by 8pm so we put him to bed and then go out. Frosty finds it very hard to cope the next day though with a hangover and Joe at the same time. He should try getting up at 6.30 and giving him his breakfast with a hangover and no sleep. I am afraid he gets no sympathy from me as I am still the one who has to deal with Joe first thing in a morning! I am sure there will be plenty of Frosty hungover / drunk pictures to come in future updates of the website.

In June we went back to the UK, which for me was three years since my last visit. It was a chance for Joe to experience colder weather and for everyone to meet him especially his nanas and two great-grandmothers. The flight was a bit of a nightmare because Joe would not sleep, he was to interested in exploring everything going on around him and flirting with the air stewardesses. We had a week in sunny Liverpool and a week up in Carnforth. Of cause Joe was the star attraction and we had two great parties at each parents houses. Whilst in Liverpool we got to see Rachael up on stage singing, we saw our flat in the docklands for the first time and Frosty got sunburnt .... in Liverpool! In Carnforth Joe met the oldest member of our family, his great nana who is 92!

Back in July Claire and Matt came to Singapore for a visit. It was great because the boys had to stay at home on the Saturday afternoon while Claire and I went for some well deserved pampering and we had a facial and a leg massage. How I miss those beauty treatments that I used to do so regularly back in Bangkok. All of us went to Raffles on the Sunday and had brunch with lots of champagne. Very civilised it was too. It was here that the 'love' picture evolved after a few glasses of champers which can be seen in the photo section. I have been instructed that i must say that the picture was staged, but they are like a couple of love birds anyhow so it could just as easily happened by chance!

Joe went globe trotting again back to Bangkok in August. This time we took it easy and had a much more relaxing time. We stayed with Mawf and Frosty's spooky aura prevailed and Mawfy's apartment got flooded in a thunderstorm. I mean, its 10 floors up! It must have been Frosty! I was indulged this trip and got to eat all my favourite Thai foods and had a morning at the Marriot Hotel spa being pampered. As I lay there in the peace and quiet I was seriously contemplating chaining myself to the massage table and refusing to go home!
We caught up with Phil and Carole and met Emmet for the first time. I had forgotten how small babies were in those first months, Joe seemed like a right big bruiser compared to Emmet. It was also great to catch up with Ruby and Eric, Phil, Ant and Mark and Karen. As usual the trip was just not long enough.

We have had quite a few visitors again which has been really good, especially now that we can get out in the evenings. Theresa and Dom dropped by on their way to Europe. Khun Sulee was here in town on business and came round to play with Joe. Tony and Noung came with Vanessa, who has just recently turned one. Can't believe a year ago we were in Hong Kong celebrating her birth and what a gorgeous little girl she has turned into. Mickel who use to work with Mike came to stay for a few days and a few weeks ago we had the pleasure of Ant's company for the weekend. Joe was very intrigued with his new giant play mate.
Just as I am updating this, Sandra has been in town. We had a great night out last night at a Mexican restaurant and downing a fair few margaritas. Sandra can talk just as much as Claire and Frosty but I did manage to get a few words in last night! As we speak she is taking Orchard Road and her credit card by storm after being deprived of good shopping for so long living in Saigon.
We have seen Neil and khun Gee a few more times which Joe especially likes because Khun Gee always makes such a big fuss of him. He is now sporting lovely new clothes all the way from Italy - the poser!

Birdie x x x