Another Christmas gone

The week before Christmas was a hectic one. Punkin got really sick last weekend so I spent Sunday afternoon in the vet's office trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Turns out she got amoebic dysentery! She was on two different medications as well as Pepto when needed. Budder was also put back on her back medication because she started having really bad back spasms. Once on that medication she was eating and drinking everything in site! I just knew that with our luck one of them would end up at the vet's office again for Christmas, but lucky for us they are both doing much better.

Even though we had to spend Christmas away from family it was a good one. I got Jamie lots of fun gifts (some of which still have not arrived, but it's the thought...right?) and I think he really liked all of them. His big gift was a new Tag Heuer watch. Recently, he has mentioned getting a new one (Jamie likes watches like I like purses) but failed to point any out that he would like. I didn't want to ask for his opinion on any because I feared that he would know I was planning to get one. So I was on my own, and I was nervous about picking one out for him. The moment I found this one I knew it was the one I had to get.

I was a little nervous about it after the fact, because he has stated numerous times that he does not particularly care for Tag Heuer watches. His reason is because he thinks they look too "sporty", but I thought that this one was very classic and decided to take a chance. In the end, he loved it for the same reason I did (the brown dial) so it worked out well. His other gifts included a motorized tie rack, gym ball, some books, a few shirts, and the other stuff I can't mention yet.

My gifts were awesome as well. I got this years M&M dispenser, two other M&M collectables, a beautiful inlaid wood photo album from Sorrento, some gift cards, a wallet, a necklace, and the best gift of all....... a new camera!!

Oh, I also got two purses about a month ago that were for Christmas as well but lets get back to my camera!

It's great! It takes the most amazing shots, like you are looking right at it! Jamie took some really good photos while I was playing with the girls and their new gifts and they came out so good. We also went back down to Orchard Rd Christmas night and re-shot some of the lights.

Saturday we went to the Botanic Gardens and tried the camera out there. It's unbelievable how much better the photos are with this camera. I can't wait to "really" learn how to use it. Right now we are "accidentally" taking good photos!

We have been talking about getting a really good camera for a while but I was not expecting to get one this soon. It was the best gift!

I've got lots of photos to post, but our computer has decided to be a piece of crap and not install the disk. We ordered a new one this weekend so by the time it gets here I'll have a whole album for you to see!

Most of you realize that tomorrow is New Years Eve, but it is also Budders 7th birthday. After lots of searching I was able to find someone who does dog birthday cakes so I can't wait to see what it looks like. I'm sure I'll have lots of photos from that as well.

We have plans to meet some friends at Clarke Quay for dinner and drinks to ring in the New Year. I'm sure I'll have lots to post this weekend!

We hope everyone had a great Christmas and was able to spend lots of time with friends and family.

Have a safe and happy New Year, and we'll post again in 2009!!

Merry Christmas!!

I should have posted this before, but this will give you an idea of what I got to listen to while shopping, or riding in a taxi. They usually play the songs in English, but sometimes you will hear the popular songs in different dialects of Chinese as well. Hope you enjoy it! Christmas was good here, I'll post more later.

Merry Christmas from THE MCMILLAN'S (Jamie, Erica, Punkin & Budder)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkcPF8xW8Ow

Are You Serious??

Since Jamie and I are lucky enough to spend Christmas in Singapore by ourselves this year the mail route between Singapore and the US has been busy. We mailed out a big package, Jamie's parents mailed out a big package as well as a few small ones for me, and my mom mailed a big package as well. About three weeks have went by and only 1 package has managed to make it to it's destination. No one seems to know anything, and oh, in case you didn't know, scanning a package at each check point is optional for the post office. So even though they offer track and confirm they decide if you actually get to use it!

I sent out my package first and it arrived in the US (San Francisco to be exact) at 7:37 am on Dec 9th. Somehow, it still has not made it to customs for clearance. It's status reads "Inbound into Customs". So, yesterday I called the post office in the US. I was told that customs can hold my package for as long as they like. Why you ask, because they are customs and they got it like that, but I should receive a letter in 30-45 days IF there is a problem with it. Then I was hung up on, TWICE! Simply because I tried to ask a question. No, Really! Jamie was right beside me and will back me up that I did not get an attitude, not once!

The second person I spoke with gave me the info, and when I tried to ask if there was a number for customs that I could call I got out "Is there a " and he started in again. "Ma'am, I've already told you once, but I will paraphrase it for you again" and went on. When I tried to ask my question a second time he hung up on me. After I decided that was going nowhere I decide to call customs. I was then told by the customs agent that a status of "Inbound" means that it has not arrived at customs yet, and that it can take 3-5 days for the post office to transfer a package to them. They received it on the 9th, it is now the 18th, and they are at the same location. He then said "well, it's Christmas, I guess there's a lot of mail".

No, Really?!

So what I got out of all this is that the post office says that customs has my package, customs says that the post office never dropped it off, and all I really know for sure is that none of my families gifts or Christmas cards are going to get there on time. Great!

Next dilemma, Jamie's mom sent 2 packages out on the same date. One arrived yesterday (Thank god cause it was Jamie's big gift from me!!!), and the other was never scanned out of the post office it was dropped off at. 13 days later no one knows where my package is because it was not scanned, because scanning is optional!

I'm trying to look on the bright side, but it's hard to do when it's monsoon season, Budders' back has been bothering her, and I lost another strand of lights on my Christmas tree. So now I'm down to one, and, it's the row at the bottom of the tree that you can hardly see.

Merry Christmas Everyone! Hope your holidays are as fun filled as mine!

Guess that's life

Just when you think you're getting all settled in and know where everything is Christmas comes along! I never thought that I would find shopping so annoying, but I do! It's so hard to find items for Christmas when you are not really in the "Christmas" spirit and it's hard to get into the spirit when it's 85 degrees outside.

The biggest problem with shopping is that everything here is more than double what you would pay in the US. For example a Coach wallet is $510 Singapore dollars here (which is about $355 US dollars) but in the US the same wallet is $210, that's a big difference!

A lot of things are like that here. Watches that go for $2500 in the US are $3500 US dollars here. There are things you can find deals on, but you have to look so hard for them you get tired of looking around. Having items shipped over from the US are not really an option either since 1) it cost a lot of money to ship things and 2) anything sent over that is = $400 SGD or more is subject to duty and tax. So you will pay tax on it in the US and tax over here.

Oh well, guess that's how it goes! (Wouldn't you know it just as I am sitting here writing this one of the strands of lights on my Christmas tree just went out, go figure, guess we will be spending Christmas without family and lights!).

I was however able to find some stuff for Jamie and I can thankfully say that I am DONE shopping! YEAH! Jamie however is now going though the same problems that I have been having the past couple weeks and he is more aggravated than I was (to be expected when you hate shopping to begin with).

On another note Jamie and I are an aunt and uncle once again. My sister delivered a baby girl on Monday at 5:56 pm. She was 7lbs 10oz and I hear she is doing well. I don't have any photos yet, but when I do I will post some.

I do however have photos of our place. I realized that out of all the pictures I've posted there are none of the place. I am also including some photos of Orchard Road which is all lit up and decorated with stuff right now. It's not really "Christmas" like to me (the theme is "It's a sweet Christmas In Singapore"), but anything at this point will do!

View into lobby from lift and view from door


Small sitting balcony and larger balcony

View from balcony and balcony from inside.

View from weight room and guest bedroom and weight room

Master bedroom and masterbath, with another view of living room.

Below are the photos from Orchard Road. Looks more impressive in person.