Happy Halloween

The local family group at D/Manor hired the common function room that's provided to condo residents. (our townhouse is part of a condo complex) and the families celebrated Halloween with pot luck barbeque! Yum. Pit was an adorable pumpkin and Frunty was a vampire/monster. I was a geek with a huge afro hairdo and the Mommy was a witch. Happy Birthday to Nonna!

Furniture Shopping

The Mommy asked the baby sitter from France to look after the kids tonight while we went furniture shopping. So many choices of furniture made from teak from Indonesia, acacia from India, and water hyacinthe rattan from Thailand. We basically need to furnish everything so it's a real adventure and opportunity to design an new look from our tropical home. Standard mattress length in Singapore is 190cm about 15 cm shorter than North American/European sizes and only 5 cm longer than my full height. I think I'll be needing to buy an import. Despite the compact mattress, the one I tested in the store was comfortable and I had a short nap while The Mommy jabbered on in the kitchen table section. Meanwhile, the boys at home were practicing French and we're happy that Frunty doesn't miss a beat.

New Bicycle

With the arrival of our things from Brussels, Frunty got his bike so The Mommy went a bought a new one for herself with a little seat on the back for Pit. Now they can scoot to and from the school in about 10 minutes!

Our Boxes

Our personal effects were delivered today. The boys were excited to open the boxes with their toys. I'm still not sure if having our kitchen things makes a difference - it's too hot and too time consuming to cook at home. The gas stove top just makes the kitchen like a small oven. Our refrigerator arrived at 6:30 and by 10pm it was making ice!

Need Appliances

Our townhouse did not have a refrigerator or washing machine so Pit and I went shopping. What a cute little helper. He was a real trooper walking in the heat to the store. The Mommy went shopping at the florist/nursery and had them deliver a small forest. My purchases could not be delivered same day.

Moving Day

We got the keys to our new townhouse today. We fully loaded a 7-seater taxi van to move all our belongings from Hougang - Central Place to D'Manor.

Sentosa and Magic Show

Two days ago I took the kids to a little island south of Singapore called Sentosa. It is a party island and feels a bit like Disney Land with a castle. There is a monorail which connects Sentosa to the mainland and the kids really enjoyed riding it. We bought three tickets each to take the chair lift up a little mountain and ride our luge down. Lots of fun!

Afterwards, we went to the Extreme Log Ride. I asked if it was scarey but they assured me it was fun and even appropriate for Pit. I gave them a piece of my mind afterwards as it was super scarey and Pit cried and Frunty felt sick. Anyway, we try our best to have fun but sometimes have to take some risks. Like when we were at Paris Disney and took Frunty on Crush's Roller coaster. That was terrifying for me!

We met Daddy afterwards and came home together. We can't wait to take him to Sentosa and are saving the visit of the pink dolphin to do with him.

Friday we vegged but today we took the kids to a Magic Show and Yo-Yo Show at United Square Mall, sponsored by Toys R'Us. Somehow I became a "friend" and now get emails regarding up and coming events. Pretty fun actually. The mall is specially geared to kids. I became a friend of "Vitakids" and got a bunch of allergy-free snacks/supplements.

Shea is here for Mandarin. Normally she comes on Sundays and Tuesdays but she is here today because tomorrow we are moving!!!!!! Gotta get to packing. Should be the last time for awhile as we just signed a two year contract, thank goodness!

Singapore's Night Safari

www.nightsafari.com.sg

We finally made it to the much anticipated night safari and it was worth the wait! What a great time! Last night we took the bus from Ang Mo Kio and who should we sit beside but a family from Frunty's school that we already met from Korea! A great start to a fun night. As we arrived, we could see torches in the dark sky. The night safari entrance feels to me like we are entering a village in Fiji, Bali or Indonesia with dancers performing tricks with fire, great music and even pumpkins lit up as Halloween approaches.

We got on the tram. Our Zoo family card gives us unlimited access to the night safari as well so we will definitely be back. We rode quietly through the jungles viewing different animals from all over the globe...even raccoons! Our tour guide, Abby, was excellent. Somehow, we got to sit in the very first row of the tram!

After the tram ride, we enjoyed a fantastic show about nocturnal animals. It was so well done. Then we had satays and a plate of freshly cut fruit before taking the taxi back home. We can't wait to go back. There is a Halloween themed night which looks pretty scarey for the kids so Daddy and I may go.

Before I sign off, I forgot to mention that last week I saw Christmas decorations already displayed in some malls. I was pretty surprised since we haven't even had Halloween or American Thanksgiving yet! People here seem to be pretty excited about celebrating everything!

Off to Sentosa Island now! More to write about later!

Pit's Kindergarten

Today we visited Pit's kindergarten which is called Bethesda Bedok-Tampines Kindergarten. It is located in a brand new building which also houses the Open Brethren Church. It is a really lovely facility and not too far from our home. The English classroom looks cute as does the Mandarin. Pit wants to join the computer class where there are tiny chairs/tables and of course, tiny kids. He was a bit shy during our visit and tour but seemed comforted by the idea that I would sit upstairs while he goes to school so that the principal can call me to come down if need be. After awhile, I hope I can use the three hours that he is in class to do errands etc.

For both schools, a bus will pick up/deliver the kids from our home. Starting in January, it is the law that children wear seatbelts on these buses so I am pretty happy that both kids will start using buses in January. I was planning on riding Pit back and forth and may do that at first as I promised to sit upstairs while he is in class, as I said. It'll be quite a change to put them on a bus, that's for sure. I am used to going back and forth so many times a day. I had better find another way to exercise! Maybe going up and down our 4 storey home will keep me in shape!

After the school visit, we had lunch at a great, hawker's market called Feng Shan 85 by the school and then got in a taxi to the Air Force Museum. It was small but interesting. We were the only ones there the entire time. Later Sakae Sushi followed by Mandarin with Shea. She sure is doing a great job and Frunty and Pit were saying lots of words. Frunty actually is having mini-conversations with Shea. Wait til you hear him! Kids are fast asleep so it's time to look through the IKEA catalogue. Moving day is coming up!

Deepavali

Last night Daddy and I went to Little India to enjoy some Deepavali celebrations. We entered an amazing temple with a very long name. Sri Veeramakaliam is one of the oldest temples in Singapore on Serangoon Road. Frunty and Pit stayed home with French babysitter, Ines, for story time followed by bed. The evening was so warm and lovely. We bought some interesting fruits and veg to be juiced this morning. The kids are with their Mandarin tutor, Shea, as I write this. I want to go back and listen. Off to the Malaysian Travel Show we go after the lesson for lunch and to learn more about our new neighbour to the north! I love how north here still means hot and tropical!

Thanks nonni for your call. I will pass along your messages to the kids. Hope you all have a great Sunday too.

New Campus

Afterschool today, it was another surprise journey but Frunty guessed what it was when we got on the MRT. He said, "we are going to see my new school!" and was so excited that he did some dancing on the metro! We took a look at the school which is still under construction and talked to some workers who said it'll be ready by January. It is a brand new building not a renovated building. It looks just great! By the way, here in Singapore they call all school grounds, "campuses".

We visited the nearby mall to see what it had in store! The kids chose towels for their bathrooms. It is hard to believe we may go from one bathroom in Brussels to five here in Singapore. Gotta choose a lot of towels!

Frunty told me his teacher, by the way, left class early today for a Deepavali celebration as did some other kids in the class. Tomorrow evening, Daddy and I will go check out the lights in Little India as I found a babysitter. We may go back with the kids another night. Frunty begins a week of holidays so we can sleep in! Pit will be quite happy that he doesn't have to go back and forth to school as he wants to stay home and practise his typing! (his new hobby!)

It's getting really late and Daddy is still working. He is working US hours and Asian hours. Can't wait til he gets on island time too!

Our New Home

Today Daddy and I made an offer for a home here in Singapore and we'll wait to find out if the owners accept. I'll talk more about that when we have some confirmation. The kids and I went there today to take a look after having gone swimming across the street at another condo project that is brand new and has awesome facilities.

Then we headed home to meet Eli for a sushi dinner. We met Eli from Japan in the elevator at our old place near Orchard Road. In about 30 seconds, we found out that she is off to Toronto for a year and we quickly exchanged email addresses. Now she'll be staying with a close family friend in Toronto and she is really happy about it. I was thinking about how my relationship with Japan continues to grow year after year. I did promise to promote ties between Canada and Japan and have done so faithfully ever since I left Japan in 1998.

Today was such a gorgeous day. It was grey and there was a slightly cool breeze. Cool is still about 26 degrees Celsius though! Although it rained a bit, it doesn't get cold afterwards. It gets steamy hot as soon as the sun comes out. It feels like you're in a steam room. I personally love it.

Frunty's First Reflexology Treatment!

Nonna has a poem on her fridge about how to have fun with kids and I have kept a lot of it in my mind all these years. Like going to the cinema in your jammies. Haven't planted licorice yet but have used it as a straw while drinking gingerale. I like the one about surprising kids sometimes too.

So today afterschool, instead of walking to the MRT and coming home, we jumped in a taxi. The kids tried to guess where our adventure was headed but I said, "It's a surprise". It was fun when we arrived at Parkway Parade and approached the area where kids can make a craft to stick on the window without making an appointment. The kids cheered! We had seen this craft corner when we first visited the mall. I think it was our first week in Singapore.

Afterwards, we had some time to use up before their tied-for-first place dinner spot, "Pepper Steak" minus the pepper! So I suggested massages. I have offered several times before. Boy was I shocked when Frunty said he would like to try a half hour reflexology treatment!!

And didn't he sit in that chair, forcing it to recline, with his hands behind his head, wearing his school uniform, having his feet massaged like a little prince? Afterwards he told me that it was "heaven" but during he said, "I love it. I want to come back everyday!" That's my son!

On the price list, there is a section for kids because isn't it lovely that children are encouraged to enjoy this healthy past-time as well? Pit sat and watched Frunty while I had a back, shoulder, neck massage. If you come to visit, and you like massage, you'll see how great it is to have these spontaneous treatments at incredibly low prices compared to the "west". Who can resist?!

After the massages came dinner and then another jump in the taxi to make it home. We did manage, just for the record, to do half an hour of math homework at a little wooden desk in a book shop called Borders at the mall while Pit looked through some books. Afterwards we read some together and it made me feel like I was at a Chapters again. It's been a long time! It was really fun and I just love the selection of kids' books. Soon we'll get library cards too.

Manicure

It seems to be part of the culture here to go for an express manicure or pedicure or back massage. So I say, why not partake in this Singaporean past-time! I am now typing with nails which are almost, I can see, the same colour as my champagne-pink laptop!! Go wild!

The kids are asleep. They had a great Mandarin lesson tonight. I could hear the three of them laughing a lot while Daddy and I discussed housing issues in the other room. I could hear Frunty and Pit saying words in Mandarin. Sounds great.

Frunty has informed us that he is a "master" bowler and has started his own bowling club at school. While Pit wants to return to Brussels where the sushi tastes better, Frunty doesn't want to leave his school and new friends, not ever. Apparently they bowl each morning before classes and he has formed a team with Miguel, Isqandar and Amira, the tiny girl with glasses. How cute can you get?! He told all of this to me while we were in the sauna afterschool today. (we need to warm up as the pool can be chilly...I never thought I would use the word "chilly" while in Singapore except when inside a department store!)

We enjoyed kuru-kuru sushi again. It is fun to watch the kids take the different dishes off the conveyor belt and Frunty orders different dishes himself using the mouse. (each table as its own computer.) Luckily Sakae Sushi delivers because we may not live very close to one of their branches in our new home...wherever that may be! In the meantime, we'll enjoy sushi and purchasing bags of fruit afterwards. While I pay at Sakae, the kids run over and choose a gorgeous, freshly cut piece of fruit at the little fruit bar where we get or got freshly squeezed juices. I give them the money and they really have fun doing the transactions themselves. They are very gracious and tell me they say "thank you"!

What fun!

Juicing Queen

On Saturday we visited Ikea. It was a lot of fun to take a look at what we can purchase when we get our new home. We are still in temporary housing but because we are in a fun area called Hougang, it is nice. The commute to school is tiring though so I hope we can finalize something soon.

Anyway, after Ikea we visited a shop called The Courts which has home/electronics and a fun, play zone for Whiz Kids. We put the kids in for an hour and walked around to check out furniture, beds etc. I found myself in the kitchen department and came home with a Philips Juicer! The representative gave me a bag of apples and carrots so I could juice that very night. I had asked for one or two but he insisted I take the whole bag "compliments of Philips!" He also gave me a thermos and two mugs.

So we have been juicing ever since. Apple and carrot and I have had celery and green apple. I plan to make different variations. It's a good way to get the kids to try different veggies and with the pulp, we can make carrot cake or something else. On Sunday, we made pancakes with the pulp.

I don't think the fun ever does stop!

French Babysitting

After our camping trip in Corsica, we were taking the bus up to Ajaccio to catch our plane when we met a French guy traveling with his wife. It turned out that on that very same day, their daughter was commencing a university year in Singapore. After several emails, Irene came over today for the first time and gave me a list of her friends, one of whom already came to us when we were near Orchard Road, who will be able to babysit en francais.

The kids were thrilled. Frunty raised both arms up in the air, shouting "J'adore le francais!" It must be a comfort food for them. I surprised myself by talking quite well with Irene when she first arrived and eventually, I needed to make some calls and go to the shops. She will come over next week and hopefully on a regular basis to help our kids continue their French. I was really impressed to hear so much French coming from Pit, by the way. I couldn't be prouder of my two little guys, conversing away, en francais.

In the meantime, I am in the middle of negotiations regarding several properties we are interested in and definitely feeling the heat. The agents are working on behalf of owners and their tactics are good. Luckily I am getting some insider information on these properties as I have been hanging around the area and talking to people who actually live there, pay rent and one such woman who is herself a property consultant. I appreciate her support at this time. This blog is supposed to be about having fun with our darlings so I just want to comment briefly on how I am a little, Canadian blow fish up against some big, hungry sharks over here. Today I was actually followed down the street by another agent. They are all competing with eachother and it is pretty intense.

Frunty has successfully completed his second week of school and got 29/30 on his spelling B. I am really proud of him as we studied the words in the taxi on the way to school and he seemed a bit sleepy. Meanwhile, he clearly was learning them and his printing was really lovely to boot.

I think I have found a lovely kindergarten for Pit near our potential new home. It is a toss up between the one with a Montessori method which is very close by but in a tiny home and quite expensive versus the government run, brand new kindergarten facility a little farther away but considerably more reasonable. I figure the bike ride will do us all good and I took the route already to test it out. The side walk is quite wide and there is a piece of grass dividing it with the actual road plus big, beautiful trees along the way. The kids wear tiny, orange and yellow uniforms and look absolutely adorable. Unlike the Montessori one, I did not see another International student but only native Singaporeans. I still think that Pit will fit in okay and will take him there next week to have a little visit. He would then begin in January.

Well, I don't think I can get any more tired than I am right now and am so grateful for the Sakae Sushi resto down below us where we had dinner. Daddy is on his way home and will find some sushi take-out waiting for him which I am sure he'll enjoy. These days are a bit tiring and overwhelming at times and I wouldn't change them for anything. It takes a lot of work to build up a new life from almost nothing...again. But with smiling faces all around, including my own kids, I know it is all worthwhile. Frunty, on one last note, has gone from never wanting to leave Brussels to wanting to become a Singapore citizen...he told me tonight during story time. Imagine that!?

SAM

After breakfast this morning, we headed to the pool for a family swim which always includes time in the sauna and the playground. When Daddy finishes his weights, he looks for us. We are hiding in the slide, laughing. What's fun is sliding down really quickly with wet swim suits on!

At 11 am, we had our first Mandarin lesson with Shea from China. Our kids have already picked up some Mandarin so today was more of a review and an introduction to pinyin. (the Chinese sounds converted into our Roman sounds) The kids got the 4 (+1) tones right away while I struggled to get my voice to go up and down and crinkly, like Pit's eyebrows! It'll take me time but the kids will probably be conversing by next year! (aaargh!)

We took the kids to visit SAM today: Singapore Art Museum for an open house which we read about in the Straits Times newspaper. It was funny to run into Daddy's colleague and his family as we had just seen them on Friday night at the Lantern party. Plus, it is a big city and we are already running into people we know. We have only been here a few weeks!!

We enjoyed some free candy floss and balloon dogs and signed up for several activities including the Animal Trail and Safari (hunt around SAM for hidden animals and colour your own animal designs) and best of all, making a terrarium (fit an entire eco-system into a jam jar.) The jar was made in Italy, by the way! We took a long time creating a doll using recycled materials so brought it home to finish it here. There is so much to do in Singapore. I am looking forward to the night safari at the zoo which has a Halloween theme right now!

Frunty cheered because he has completed his first week of school and thought he wouldn't have to go back. Then I explained that very soon, he'll have a week's holiday followed by a bit of school and then two months off. It looks like he'll return happily to school tomorrow. I am happy he has this time before starting P2 in January.

Mid-Autumn Festival

This morning, Pit asked me how we were going to bring the fish that we caught at the Fish Farm back to Brussels. This hasn't been the first time that he has asked me a question about Belgium. He says it is too hot here and he wants to go back. Of course, I don't hear him asking these questions when he is frolicking about in the pool because, obviously, he is distracted and having fun. Eventually, and once we are settled in our home, I hope that he'll feel better about being here.

Yesterday afterschool, the three of us went to the Shaw Center to see the new Meatball movie. It was a way to celebrate Frunty's first week of school having been completed and to escape the heat during the hottest part of the day. Apparently, fires in Indonesia are creating a haze here which in turn makes a greenhouse-like effect. I don't find it unbearable in the least. What I did fine hard was the air-con in the theatre. I had to wrap a beach towel around myself and was happy that Pit was sitting on my lap. The movie was quite fun and afterwards, we took bus #36 to Parkway Parade to go to an afterwork office party hosted by a colleague at his condo to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with mooncakes and lanterns.

In the mall's food court, the kids ate beef and rice and this way we arrived at the party at 6pm with food in our bellies. This was smart as most of the food there had things in it we couldn't eat and also, the kids were so excited that I don't think they would have eaten even if they had been hungry. Instead, they got into the pool which had a jungle gym beside it and splash away.

The party was great and we got to know some more colleagues. The hosts' daughter played soccer with our boys so well that we were the very last to leave the party having had a marvelous time. Highlights were the pomelo contest in which the guys had to race against eachother to peel their fruit. I think Daddy came in second which was pretty good! For me, standing around the pool, watching the kids have fun, chatting about life in Singapore with a local, seeing all the palm trees lit up with little lights made for a magical evening.

We did come home to find some of the aforementioned fish dead but luckily, many new babies are still doing okay. What a week!

National Childrens' Day!

Frunty's first week of school includes a day off to celebrate Childrens' Day! Kids are so reverred here and the motto at Frunty's school is: "Enriched beyond limits. Loved beyond measure." So far, our experience at Tampines Primary is that this is true! He was placed in a Tamil class but after telling us he wanted to be with his friends in the Mandarin class, we got him moved over there which is where we ultimately want him to be. Everyone seems to be very accomodating and we are enjoying the friendliness of the school very much.

So today we enjoyed our "new" pool with adjoining jungle gym. We have moved from the Orchard/Scotts Road area to Hougang which is a nice change. Quieter, less hectic and more ethnic, less touristy. I did love starting our sejour in Singapore down in the center because it is pretty exciting.

In the afternoon, Daddy headed off to the office and I took the kids to Qian Hu Fish Farm where you get to keep what you catch! www.qianhu.com Now we have two, tiny fish tanks beside the kids' beds!

Tomorrow night is yet another celebration at a colleague's house where everyone from the office is invited. We'll be making Chinese lanterns together and enjoying a buffet and sparklers too. I would say that the main goal in Singapore is to play as hard as you work. Work hard in the classroom but goof around with balloons and games in the gym wearing your chevalier costume. Work hard in the office but make sure you enjoy your colleagues while swimming at night in a pool surrounded by lanterns. Does the fun ever stop here? No wonder the people are always smiling and are so friendly!