September 2007

Well we are three quarters of the way through another year and i'm still astounded every time i get round to updating the site how long its been since the last time. I've now no more excuses to being so tardy as Joe started 'proper' school this month and i've got a few extra hours a week to spend on my computer. Though i have a list as long as my arm to tackle first! I thought i would have so much free time that i'd be well on top of things by now, but the reality hasn't been the case.

Back in February (yes that's how far behind i am) my mum and dad came for a whole month. Descending on us for a couple of weeks they then headed off for their usual rest in Thailand, doing nothing much apart from relaxing, recharging their batteries and getting their strength back for another 6 days with the kids. When they came back they stayed in a hotel - the Elizabeth - which they said was rubbish so we don't recommend that one if you ever need a hotel in Singapore. The Thursday before they arrived Sean had his baby group birthday cake, then my mum and dad arrived on the Saturday which was my dad's birthday and then on the Sunday was Sean's birthday. We were so caked out by then that Sean's candle got stuck in an apple struddel and we had it with custard for pudding! They were still here when it was my birthday so for once we celebrated singing happy birthday with more than just us and our maid!

When my dad comes Joe always remembers that he builds great structures with the wooden bricks so the sack of bricks was pulled out almost instantaneously. Sean had to be held back on most occasions from kicking them down and upsetting Joey. Both of them are pretty good at building big towers now. The kids were also interested in growing some plants so seen as we seem to kill just about every plant that we have ever had on balconys since we moved to asia (only things that have ever lived are spider plants in the uk) we took a trip to a garden centre and left that task to my dad. About a week after my dad had gone we had great shoots coming up from the gladiolas (see photo page for evidence). Two weeks after that everything was dead! The seeds didn't even make an effort and not even a weed! How disappointing for a two and four year old when waiting a week seemed like a decade for them. Next year when my dad comes again i'm going to get him to plant stuff the first day he arrives and if they still die then i know its not me... its just my balconys!

We did the usual trips to the zoo, sentosa, which was nice as the festival in bloom was on and there were the most gorgeous displays of flowers all set around a nursery rhyme theme, so the kids loved it and so did my dad because he likes his flowers and garden stuff. The usual botanic gardens walks, a sunday morning on the beach at sentosa, where Sean spent the whole 3 hours sat on a sun lounger refusing to go anywhere near the sand and Joe on the other hand couldn't get enough of it, and for Sean his first trip to the night safari. He was so excited on the tram seeing animals in the dark that even the guide commented on his enthusiasm. Not one for wanting to go to bed early, he walked round most of the circuit and was still going strong when we stopped at the end for our beer and chips before going home. Joe on the other hand had his drink, got up out of his seat and plonked himself down in Sean's pushchair and went to sleep! How i wish Sean loved his sleep like Joe.

In May we went up to Bangkok for Kerryann's first holy communion. It was held in the same church that we got married in which was nice to go and visit again. It was lovely to see my god daughter after so long, looking beautiful and ever so good with Sean and the younger kids. Actually all the kids that were there to see her were so well behaved. We went to the Marriott on the riverside for drinks and food later - another old haunt - one of the first places i taught English when i first moved to Bangkok. Jerome and Noi looked after us so well the time we were there, sending their driver on numerous occasions to ferry us around from the airport and the christening and we had a lovely time catching up, seeing how their business had grown, seeing how the kids had grown up and spending a lovely Sunday afternoon with them and their friends.

Sunday mornings have seen Joe and Rachel pay us a quick visit, Big Joe having to sit most of the morning with a bucket on his head, draped in a gymborree t-shirt ( don't ask me why, i can't remember, just one of those games that little Joe and his imagination would have dreamt up.) We took Seany on his first ride on a bum boat on the Singapore River followed by hooters for lunch. Frosty actually took both of them at once to the pool and all three came back..... same can't be said for trips to HMV. Sunday nights we often go up to the British club for our tea and Joe and Sean's favourite part is getting the white ball for the pool table and rolling it down into the pockets..... reminds me of saturday afternoons down the working men's club with my dad, where we got a packet of crisps, a bottle of coke and boring racing was on the tv!

Frosty has taken up karate again and trains every monday night down at the British club. Sometimes he trains at the club's dojo and Joe goes along to watch. He is now in training for his brown belt. On these occasions Joe is so well behaved and very interested that once he is 5 we will ask him if he wants to start karate classes too. At the moment he practices his moves on poor old Seany.

We are pleased to announce that in March Joe and Seany got their first cousin and Frosty became an Uncle to Lila, born to Rachel, Frosty's youngest sister. She is now 6 months old and looks like her mum.

Birdie x x x