Since there is a post for you to read I'm sure you've guessed that we made the trip from Perth to Pensacola. The flight was LONG and sometimes uncomfortable, but we managed to make it in one piece.
Of course, if you've read previous posts you know all too well that it's not a McMillan vacation unless there is at least one issue. Everything was going well until we hit LA, where we were told we did not have all the necessary paperwork to board the flight that was going to take us to Houston. In Sydney we were given three boarding passes, one for the flight to LA, one for the LA to Houston leg, and the last one was for Houston to Pensacola. We specifically asked if we would need to check in for these flights and we were told that we were good to just be at the gates for boarding.
For whatever reason our elite status did not print out on our tickets for the LA to Houston leg. Our seats were in the front of the plane, so we were the last ones to board. With five minutes left before take off (they were behind in boarding due to all the layovers and issues with the storms up north) our boarding passes would not scan and we were told we had to wait for a supervisor. They kept asking us if we were given an additional paper and we kept telling them no. After attempting to fix the issue with no luck, they were nice enough to let us board the flight anyway stating that they would fix the problem later. We still did not understand what was wrong but were extremely excited they let us on the flight since there would have been no other way to get out of LA that day. Every flight out had standby lists with people trying to re-route their flights that had been cancelled/delayed in the previous days.
When we arrived in Houston we thought it would be a good idea to make sure our tickets were okay. Once again, our boarding passes were not valid but this time they were not going to let us board the flight until they were fixed. The gate attendant worked on it for 30 minutes with no luck and in the end we were told we had to contact the travel agent in Australia because it was their screw-up. It only too the travel agency about 15 minutes to agree that it was their problem. His only solution however, was for us to purchase the tickets again and then request a refund when we got back to Perth. There were several problems with this solution.
1. The flight was completely sold out with a stand by list for this flight and others the next day.
2. The price of the tickets would have been OUTRAGEOUS, since we were buying them at the gate.
3. We would have this same problem when we tried to take the return flights back. So we would have had to purchase a round trip ticket from Houston to Pensacola and then a one way ticket from Houston to LA. If any of these flights were now sold out our entire itinerary would be messed up.
4. And this is probably the most important point of all.... It was their screw up, not mine. Why should I have to pay for it and then do all the work to request the refund???
After another 30 minutes or so of arguing with him about this and then passing him off to the gate agent to try multiple solutions the problem was fixed and we arrived in Pensacola on time. We still don't know if the flights back have been fixed, but I'm sure we'll figure it out pretty quickly when we get ready to leave.
So, with the drama of the flights behind us we've been able to spend some quality time with the family. Christmas was great, and we've got sooooo much baby stuff to bring back. We're almost positive most of it will have to be mailed or separated by sizes with the larger ones being brought over by parents when they come to visit next year. Sad thing is, there's still more to come! Monday night we are having a dinner shower with family and close friends of the family.
I'm almost 6 months along now (about 23 weeks) and I am happy to say that over the past two weeks I've actually developed a "baby bump"! Jamie and I were amazed at how quickly it popped out, and I went from nothing to actually looking like I was pregnant. We even had to go shopping a few days ago, as I had to do away with my regular pants and buy some new ones. I probably could have stuck it out a few more weeks but since we were in the states we thought we'd take advantage of the prices and go ahead and buy some here.
Kylie is kicking away now, and she and Jamie actually have a game they play where they poke each other. He will poke at a spot and she will kick back where he was poking a few seconds before. This can go on several times, usually until Jamie gets his fill and decides to leave her alone for a while. A few hours later they do it again. It's so cute!
We hope everyone had a great Christmas and that you'll be able to enjoy your New Years as well.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
It doesn't feel like Christmas :(
As most of you know we spent Christmas in Singapore last year. It was really hard to get into the "Christmas spirit" but I finally managed. One of the best things about Singapore (in my opinion) is that they really go all out for Christmas. They decorate the Orchard shopping area and it looks amazing. They put up so many lights and change the theme every year so it's always different.
Jamie and I purchased our first fake tree and because we were staying in town we had gifts all around it. Not to mention that it was close to monsoon season so at night we could lay out on the balcony and with the wind you would get a slight chill, it was quite nice. But Perth is a different story.
It's hot here! Being from Florida and spending time in Louisiana and Texas I don't expect a snowy Christmas, but people are celebrating summer break here. I did put our Christmas tree up, thinking that it would at least look like Christmas but I started to regret it as soon as I put the lights up. I have no other decorations for the house, nor do I have any gifts to put under it because I have done the majority of our shopping online. This way we didn't have to carry a bunch of stuff over and I won't have to spend so much time trying to get it done in the week before Christmas. Jamie and I will have to do some shopping for each other, but most everyone else will already be done. When we were back in the US I would usually have all of my shopping done before Thanksgiving, simply because I HATE the big crowds. People get rude, the stores are a mess, and I can't stand the lines everywhere. I wanted to cut that out as much as possible this year so I didn't spend my time at home pissed off!
So I'm here in Perth (loving it don't get me wrong), with a Christmas tree up, no gifts under it, and a husband who has been gone 18 out of the last 21 days. No wonder I can't get into the Christmas Spirit!
Hope everyone back home decorated this year because by the time we get there I will need a big pick-me-up! We are only 13 days away from out trip home and even though I say it every time it REALLY couldn't come any sooner!
Jamie and I purchased our first fake tree and because we were staying in town we had gifts all around it. Not to mention that it was close to monsoon season so at night we could lay out on the balcony and with the wind you would get a slight chill, it was quite nice. But Perth is a different story.
It's hot here! Being from Florida and spending time in Louisiana and Texas I don't expect a snowy Christmas, but people are celebrating summer break here. I did put our Christmas tree up, thinking that it would at least look like Christmas but I started to regret it as soon as I put the lights up. I have no other decorations for the house, nor do I have any gifts to put under it because I have done the majority of our shopping online. This way we didn't have to carry a bunch of stuff over and I won't have to spend so much time trying to get it done in the week before Christmas. Jamie and I will have to do some shopping for each other, but most everyone else will already be done. When we were back in the US I would usually have all of my shopping done before Thanksgiving, simply because I HATE the big crowds. People get rude, the stores are a mess, and I can't stand the lines everywhere. I wanted to cut that out as much as possible this year so I didn't spend my time at home pissed off!
So I'm here in Perth (loving it don't get me wrong), with a Christmas tree up, no gifts under it, and a husband who has been gone 18 out of the last 21 days. No wonder I can't get into the Christmas Spirit!
Hope everyone back home decorated this year because by the time we get there I will need a big pick-me-up! We are only 13 days away from out trip home and even though I say it every time it REALLY couldn't come any sooner!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Meet Kylie!!
Today Jamie and I went for my 19 week anatomy scan of the baby. It's amazing to see how much she's grown just in the last few weeks and see the details that you couldn't really see before. She seems to be quite stubborn, as every time we do a scan she makes sure to move away from the screen and cover her face but we were able to get a few good shots this time.
The ultrasound tech kept poking and shaking my stomach to make her move and after doing this a few times Kylie looked at the screen and gave us the finger! Guess she truly is a McMillan! We all got a kick out of it, even if she doesn't really know what shes doing yet.
Below are a few photos and a cute video of her scratching her nose. As she goes through the motions you can see her go from what looks like a smile to a nice, almost perfected little pout! If that's the face we have to look forward to seeing when we tell her no Jamie's in for a rough ride!
Other than that no excitement around here. Jamie came home this past Saturday after a 2 week trip to Singapore and Bangkok. Unfortunatly he will be leaving again Wednesday morning to head back over to Singapore (yes, again!!). Hopefully this will be his last trip before we head back home for the holidays, but who knows? We've got only 18 more days until our departure and we can't wait! Hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving and were able to relax and enjoy the family time!
The ultrasound tech kept poking and shaking my stomach to make her move and after doing this a few times Kylie looked at the screen and gave us the finger! Guess she truly is a McMillan! We all got a kick out of it, even if she doesn't really know what shes doing yet.
Below are a few photos and a cute video of her scratching her nose. As she goes through the motions you can see her go from what looks like a smile to a nice, almost perfected little pout! If that's the face we have to look forward to seeing when we tell her no Jamie's in for a rough ride!
Other than that no excitement around here. Jamie came home this past Saturday after a 2 week trip to Singapore and Bangkok. Unfortunatly he will be leaving again Wednesday morning to head back over to Singapore (yes, again!!). Hopefully this will be his last trip before we head back home for the holidays, but who knows? We've got only 18 more days until our departure and we can't wait! Hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving and were able to relax and enjoy the family time!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Settling In
It's been almost a month since the last update and it's been a busy one! First off the girls are home and for the most part doing great! We signed the paperwork for our house on Oct 30th, so when we picked them up from the quarantine we were able to bring them by the new house to see what they thought. They absolutely love it!! Thank goodness, cause they were the primary factor in us picking this house! I can't tell you how many times a day they ask to go out to the backyard. It's almost annoying, but I know they are super excited to have the freedom to run around again! Not too mention the space inside the house. It's a bit different from the place in Singapore.
The house we are now in is the same one I told you about last time. It took almost 2 weeks of going back and forth but we were happy with everything in the end. It took about a week for us to actually stay here, but we wanted to wait until all of the shipments arrived and most of the furniture was set up and the cable was on. The Internet has just been connected (it took 3 weeks for them to turn it on!!) which is why this update is a little late. Here are some photos of the house and the girls enjoying the backyard!
(Front view and part of backyard area)
(Budder on the patio and Punkin in the grass)
We received 2 shipments for this move. One with our items from Singapore and another from Houston that we had sent over with more of our furniture. Unfortunately this move of our stuff didn't go as well as last time and we had several items that were broken and even a few that were stolen! We are in the process of making a claim with insurance and hopefully everything works out. I'm not concerned about the broken items being replaced (as I have proof of those damages) but the missing items are another story. It's their word against mine, but I do have the inventory sheet that we filed with the insurance company to get the policy before we moved. I am afraid that the moving company may come back and say that there is no proof those items were actually in the shipment, and they would be correct. They don't take an inventory of every item, only a general description of what is in the box (i.e. glassware, shoes etc.) as they pack. You are suppose to go around and watch them, but you can't watch 8 people at one time! Guess we'll see what happens in the next few weeks. I don't have my hopes up.
Other than that things are going great. Jamie and I are really enjoying the area and things really feel like home! He is actually away on business right now (Singapore and Thailand) but will be back in about a week. Looks like I'll be spending Thanksgiving on my own! Although I haven't had any luck finding a turkey anyway! Everything for my nursing license has been approved and at this point we are just awaiting the results of my English test, which should arrive in a few weeks.
On another note, (some of you have already heard the news) but for those that don't know Jamie and I are expecting a little girl! I'm sure you are thinking "I didn't even know you were pregnant" but don't feel bad. No one did. We found out shortly after we arrived back in Singapore from our home trip and decided that we wanted to tell our parents in a special way. In order to do it the way we planned we needed to know the sex of the baby so we decided to wait to make the announcement. All grandparents seem to be thrilled as are the expecting mom and dad! We have decided to name her Kylie and she should be arriving around the end of April. So far everything is going really well so hopefully it continues!
Other than that it's life as usual around the McMillan household. We've started the count down for our trip home for Christmas and it couldn't come fast enough! Only 28 more days to go and I'll be sitting at the new Buffalo Wild Wings in Pensacola giving Kylie a taste of some real food!
The house we are now in is the same one I told you about last time. It took almost 2 weeks of going back and forth but we were happy with everything in the end. It took about a week for us to actually stay here, but we wanted to wait until all of the shipments arrived and most of the furniture was set up and the cable was on. The Internet has just been connected (it took 3 weeks for them to turn it on!!) which is why this update is a little late. Here are some photos of the house and the girls enjoying the backyard!
(Front view and part of backyard area)
(Budder on the patio and Punkin in the grass)
We received 2 shipments for this move. One with our items from Singapore and another from Houston that we had sent over with more of our furniture. Unfortunately this move of our stuff didn't go as well as last time and we had several items that were broken and even a few that were stolen! We are in the process of making a claim with insurance and hopefully everything works out. I'm not concerned about the broken items being replaced (as I have proof of those damages) but the missing items are another story. It's their word against mine, but I do have the inventory sheet that we filed with the insurance company to get the policy before we moved. I am afraid that the moving company may come back and say that there is no proof those items were actually in the shipment, and they would be correct. They don't take an inventory of every item, only a general description of what is in the box (i.e. glassware, shoes etc.) as they pack. You are suppose to go around and watch them, but you can't watch 8 people at one time! Guess we'll see what happens in the next few weeks. I don't have my hopes up.
Other than that things are going great. Jamie and I are really enjoying the area and things really feel like home! He is actually away on business right now (Singapore and Thailand) but will be back in about a week. Looks like I'll be spending Thanksgiving on my own! Although I haven't had any luck finding a turkey anyway! Everything for my nursing license has been approved and at this point we are just awaiting the results of my English test, which should arrive in a few weeks.
On another note, (some of you have already heard the news) but for those that don't know Jamie and I are expecting a little girl! I'm sure you are thinking "I didn't even know you were pregnant" but don't feel bad. No one did. We found out shortly after we arrived back in Singapore from our home trip and decided that we wanted to tell our parents in a special way. In order to do it the way we planned we needed to know the sex of the baby so we decided to wait to make the announcement. All grandparents seem to be thrilled as are the expecting mom and dad! We have decided to name her Kylie and she should be arriving around the end of April. So far everything is going really well so hopefully it continues!
Other than that it's life as usual around the McMillan household. We've started the count down for our trip home for Christmas and it couldn't come fast enough! Only 28 more days to go and I'll be sitting at the new Buffalo Wild Wings in Pensacola giving Kylie a taste of some real food!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Australian Update
It's been a while since we've done an update but things here have been pretty busy. We've been looking at houses, getting the lay of the land and adjusting to our new surroundings. So far everything has been great, and we're really enjoying the area.
We bought a car for me a little over a week ago and it's been so nice being able to get around on my own! I'm starting to get the "driving" thing down, and I only hit a minimal amount of curbs these days! We call it my little "go cart" because it's so small. I got a 2009 Toyota Corolla hatchback. It's so cute! Funny thing is, we paid almost the same for this car as we did my Mazda 6 back in Texas (well, about $2000 less for this car) but my Mazda was fully loaded. I can't think of one option we could have added to it, and my little Corolla only has power windows, for the front seats! Funny how the price of things can vary so much depending on where you are in the world.
We've also made an offer on a house and are in the middle of negotiations as of now. Hopefully that will get settled soon, as we just found out today that both of our shipments (one from Singapore and one from Texas) have cleared customs and are ready for delivery.
I've been to see the girls once a week since we arrived and they seem to be doing well. We will pick them up this Saturday morning and I can't wait!! I miss them soooo much I can't stand it!
Guess our big news for this update is that Jamie celebrated his 29th birthday this past Sunday. Unfortunately for him he had to have a wisdom tooth taken out on Friday, so he didn't feel too much liking celebrating! The dentist decided he didn't need to be put to sleep to have it taken out and well, lets just say the job she did was less than par! Way less!! Jamie was in lots of pain after it was done and all day on Saturday. Jamie never takes pain medication, and by Friday night he was begging for it! His poor face was so swollen, and the inside of his mouth looks like a bomb went off! His stitches look horrible, and we're still trying to figure out why she cut the area she did to get that tooth out. Not gonna lie, it looks pretty bad!
For his birthday I decided to get him a new set of golf clubs, since he will hopefully be getting a membership over here. But, since he was feeling so bad he really wasn't up to going to pick any out. We were able to go out to eat on Sunday though, and enjoy the ice cream cake I got for him that night. Hopefully we'll be able to get his gift this weekend and he'll be able to take advantage of this great weather and get some use out of them.
Hopefully my next update will be about us moving into our house. We've got the beach house for a few more weeks, but it would be nice to have everything moved in and set up before we have to be out of here.
We bought a car for me a little over a week ago and it's been so nice being able to get around on my own! I'm starting to get the "driving" thing down, and I only hit a minimal amount of curbs these days! We call it my little "go cart" because it's so small. I got a 2009 Toyota Corolla hatchback. It's so cute! Funny thing is, we paid almost the same for this car as we did my Mazda 6 back in Texas (well, about $2000 less for this car) but my Mazda was fully loaded. I can't think of one option we could have added to it, and my little Corolla only has power windows, for the front seats! Funny how the price of things can vary so much depending on where you are in the world.
We've also made an offer on a house and are in the middle of negotiations as of now. Hopefully that will get settled soon, as we just found out today that both of our shipments (one from Singapore and one from Texas) have cleared customs and are ready for delivery.
I've been to see the girls once a week since we arrived and they seem to be doing well. We will pick them up this Saturday morning and I can't wait!! I miss them soooo much I can't stand it!
Guess our big news for this update is that Jamie celebrated his 29th birthday this past Sunday. Unfortunately for him he had to have a wisdom tooth taken out on Friday, so he didn't feel too much liking celebrating! The dentist decided he didn't need to be put to sleep to have it taken out and well, lets just say the job she did was less than par! Way less!! Jamie was in lots of pain after it was done and all day on Saturday. Jamie never takes pain medication, and by Friday night he was begging for it! His poor face was so swollen, and the inside of his mouth looks like a bomb went off! His stitches look horrible, and we're still trying to figure out why she cut the area she did to get that tooth out. Not gonna lie, it looks pretty bad!
For his birthday I decided to get him a new set of golf clubs, since he will hopefully be getting a membership over here. But, since he was feeling so bad he really wasn't up to going to pick any out. We were able to go out to eat on Sunday though, and enjoy the ice cream cake I got for him that night. Hopefully we'll be able to get his gift this weekend and he'll be able to take advantage of this great weather and get some use out of them.
Hopefully my next update will be about us moving into our house. We've got the beach house for a few more weeks, but it would be nice to have everything moved in and set up before we have to be out of here.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
We're here!!
All 4 of the McMillan's are now in Perth, safe and sound. The weather has been great. Around 70 - 75 and sunny during the day and in the 50's, cool and breezy at night. It feels a little weird having "winter weather", but I must say it's a nice change from 85 and humid as hell!
We were able to see the girls on Tuesday and they seem to be doing well. Budder is a little stressed out and has managed to lick her top lip raw. I think part of it was not having a "baby" in the crate with her so the girls up at the quarantine were going to take care of that. The people up there seem to be pretty nice, and they just adore Punkin and Budder!
Jamie and I have been busy trying to get things going. We've got some house appointments scheduled for this afternoon, and we spent yesterday afternoon looking at cars for me and getting info on cell phones. I think Jamie is adjusting well to driving on the wrong side, but I still get pretty nervous about it. I've managed to only drive twice, and that was basically in the neighborhood going to eat and to the grocery store. I can't really explain it, but it just feels wrong! I'm sure I'll get used to it but for now I'll let Jamie drive.
The area we are staying in is gorgeous! We're in the Cottesloe Beach area, which is one of the beaches we visited when we were here in February. With a one minute walk I am at the beach and the views are just amazing! We'll probably start taking pictures this weekend to show everyone.
So far the move has been good but we've got sooo much to do! It will be a busy couple weeks ahead but hopefully they go by fast!
We were able to see the girls on Tuesday and they seem to be doing well. Budder is a little stressed out and has managed to lick her top lip raw. I think part of it was not having a "baby" in the crate with her so the girls up at the quarantine were going to take care of that. The people up there seem to be pretty nice, and they just adore Punkin and Budder!
Jamie and I have been busy trying to get things going. We've got some house appointments scheduled for this afternoon, and we spent yesterday afternoon looking at cars for me and getting info on cell phones. I think Jamie is adjusting well to driving on the wrong side, but I still get pretty nervous about it. I've managed to only drive twice, and that was basically in the neighborhood going to eat and to the grocery store. I can't really explain it, but it just feels wrong! I'm sure I'll get used to it but for now I'll let Jamie drive.
The area we are staying in is gorgeous! We're in the Cottesloe Beach area, which is one of the beaches we visited when we were here in February. With a one minute walk I am at the beach and the views are just amazing! We'll probably start taking pictures this weekend to show everyone.
So far the move has been good but we've got sooo much to do! It will be a busy couple weeks ahead but hopefully they go by fast!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Last night in Singapore
It's been a busy week, but we've managed to get everything taken care of! Tuesday was the last vet appointment, and instead of it being the basic check up it was scheduled to be Punkin ended up having amoebic dysentery....AGAIN! It started Monday and I was so afraid the symptoms wouldn't clear up before she had to leave and that would have just made the trip that much more difficult for her. Luckily, we started her on antibiotics Tuesday morning and she was doing much better by Wednesday night.
Thursday was a very LONG and EMOTIONAL day for me, but I somehow managed not to drive Jamie completely mad! The girls and I left Thursday morning around 9:30 to head to the Changi Quarantine Station for their inspection and kennel sealing. I walked them around while they were getting the paperwork settled and they were sealed in the crates around 10:45. We then went to the agent that would weight them and get them on the plane. Their flight was scheduled to depart at 2:20 with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur. They landed in Perth around 11:30 that night, but because of the time they were not taken to the quarantine station in Perth until 6 am the next morning! They had to spend almost 24 hours sealed in their crates, how miserable!! They had a very long journey to say the least. I am very excited to say that they did arrive safe and sound and when we spoke with the lady in Perth she said they were adjusting well. She kept talking about how "cute" and "adorable" everyone thought they were, and that made me feel much better. We have an appointment to see them and take them for a walk on Tuesday and I can't wait!
So, now we're in the hotel we stayed in when we first visited Singapore. The condo is packed, cleaned and the keys turned in. All that's left for us to do is board the plane in the morning and start our new adventure in Perth! We're excited, but we know there's a lot that needs to be done in the next few weeks. I'll try my best to keep everyone as updated as I can!
Thursday was a very LONG and EMOTIONAL day for me, but I somehow managed not to drive Jamie completely mad! The girls and I left Thursday morning around 9:30 to head to the Changi Quarantine Station for their inspection and kennel sealing. I walked them around while they were getting the paperwork settled and they were sealed in the crates around 10:45. We then went to the agent that would weight them and get them on the plane. Their flight was scheduled to depart at 2:20 with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur. They landed in Perth around 11:30 that night, but because of the time they were not taken to the quarantine station in Perth until 6 am the next morning! They had to spend almost 24 hours sealed in their crates, how miserable!! They had a very long journey to say the least. I am very excited to say that they did arrive safe and sound and when we spoke with the lady in Perth she said they were adjusting well. She kept talking about how "cute" and "adorable" everyone thought they were, and that made me feel much better. We have an appointment to see them and take them for a walk on Tuesday and I can't wait!
So, now we're in the hotel we stayed in when we first visited Singapore. The condo is packed, cleaned and the keys turned in. All that's left for us to do is board the plane in the morning and start our new adventure in Perth! We're excited, but we know there's a lot that needs to be done in the next few weeks. I'll try my best to keep everyone as updated as I can!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
My husband, Mr. Fixit
Things around the McMillan household have surprisingly been going pretty smoothly. The rabies antibody test results arrived last Thursday and everything was good. Jamie got the paperwork filled out by the government vet in Singapore Thursday afternoon and had everything sent off to Australia on Friday morning. Monday was a holiday for us, but not Australia, so we received out last approval on Monday afternoon!! Whoo Hoo, Australia here we come, finally!!
As of now everything is in order. The girls flights have been booked and confirmed. Quarantine space booked and confirmed, and we're down to our last vet appointment before they go (which will be on Tuesday). We had a very relaxing weekend and by Monday night I thought it would be smooth sailing until we left.
I must have forgotten that usually when I run into a streak were everything is going well something bad usually happens to knock me back down. A few weeks ago Jamie's mom was telling me that she discovered a new way to clean our diamond jewelry. She heard somewhere that if you soak them in straight vodka it would do the trick. She tried it and it worked, so I thought I would try it out too.
Monday morning I filled up a small glass with absolute vodka and and began to soak most of my diamonds in it. I had my wedding set of course, three sets of diamond stud earrings (1.5 ct total, 1 ct total, and .5 ct total) as well as my 3 stone necklace. That night before bed Jamie said "don't you think you should get these out of the vodka now?". My reply was " I was going to do it in the morning". I should have listened to myself and done it in the morning!
Since he had brought it up I thought "I should just go ahead and do it". So... I took the glass into the bathroom and filled the sink up with hot water. I made sure the stopper was in and locked, and poured the glass of vodka and jewelry into the sink. The water was off at this point, and I was going to start rinsing the pieces off in the water. At the exact moment I put both of my hands in there the stopper popped up and everything started going down the drain!!
I must have let out a scream or something, I don't really remember. But the next thing I knew Jamie was in the bathroom asking me what was going on. He must have seen my fingers down the drain and the horror on my face cause the first thing he said after that was "what were you thinking?". We took out of the sink what I was able to save and the whole time I was getting a lecture on why you don't put your jewelry in the sink. It was at that moment I noticed my wedding band was gone and I started to cry. He asked what I was missing so I began the task of telling him. My wedding band, and 2 studs - one from the 1.5ct set and one from the .5ct set. I could care less about the earrings, but the wedding band I was devastated over. Not only was it my original, but the only way it could be replaced would be to have one custom made, as they don't make my set anymore and the place we bought it was now closed! It would never be the same!
Of course, I start to cry harder as it sets in and this makes Jamie feel bad! He stopped the lecture (as if I didn't feel bad enough without it) and started looking for tools to get into the drain. Some of you may think that this really shouldn't be an issue. It's a pretty simple task, assuming you have a safety catch that everything goes into if it happens to go down the drain. But, you have to realize we are in Singapore and nothing over here is as easy as it seems.
First, you can't see our pipes by looking under the sink. The sink is encased in a marble cabinet that is closed on all sides. There are four screws in the front panel, so we thought it would be pretty easy to get it off and see what was behind it. After we got the screws off we started to wonder why it wasn't falling off. Well, the reason - it was sealed on with grout!! Who does that? We started looking around and found a small hole where the cabinet meets the counter that you could see in, if you stuck your head in there. Jamie had to stick his arm in there and blindly figure out how to take the pipes apart, with one hand. There was no way to turn the water off (that we could find anyway), so we didn't really know what was going to happen once he got them apart.
Eventually, he got the pipes off and luckily it did have a safety catch. We were able to recover all of the pieces of my missing jewelry, including the wedding band. I was so excited I started to cry again.
Morel of the story, I will never take my jewelry into the bathroom again... unless I am wearing it!!
As of now everything is in order. The girls flights have been booked and confirmed. Quarantine space booked and confirmed, and we're down to our last vet appointment before they go (which will be on Tuesday). We had a very relaxing weekend and by Monday night I thought it would be smooth sailing until we left.
I must have forgotten that usually when I run into a streak were everything is going well something bad usually happens to knock me back down. A few weeks ago Jamie's mom was telling me that she discovered a new way to clean our diamond jewelry. She heard somewhere that if you soak them in straight vodka it would do the trick. She tried it and it worked, so I thought I would try it out too.
Monday morning I filled up a small glass with absolute vodka and and began to soak most of my diamonds in it. I had my wedding set of course, three sets of diamond stud earrings (1.5 ct total, 1 ct total, and .5 ct total) as well as my 3 stone necklace. That night before bed Jamie said "don't you think you should get these out of the vodka now?". My reply was " I was going to do it in the morning". I should have listened to myself and done it in the morning!
Since he had brought it up I thought "I should just go ahead and do it". So... I took the glass into the bathroom and filled the sink up with hot water. I made sure the stopper was in and locked, and poured the glass of vodka and jewelry into the sink. The water was off at this point, and I was going to start rinsing the pieces off in the water. At the exact moment I put both of my hands in there the stopper popped up and everything started going down the drain!!
I must have let out a scream or something, I don't really remember. But the next thing I knew Jamie was in the bathroom asking me what was going on. He must have seen my fingers down the drain and the horror on my face cause the first thing he said after that was "what were you thinking?". We took out of the sink what I was able to save and the whole time I was getting a lecture on why you don't put your jewelry in the sink. It was at that moment I noticed my wedding band was gone and I started to cry. He asked what I was missing so I began the task of telling him. My wedding band, and 2 studs - one from the 1.5ct set and one from the .5ct set. I could care less about the earrings, but the wedding band I was devastated over. Not only was it my original, but the only way it could be replaced would be to have one custom made, as they don't make my set anymore and the place we bought it was now closed! It would never be the same!
Of course, I start to cry harder as it sets in and this makes Jamie feel bad! He stopped the lecture (as if I didn't feel bad enough without it) and started looking for tools to get into the drain. Some of you may think that this really shouldn't be an issue. It's a pretty simple task, assuming you have a safety catch that everything goes into if it happens to go down the drain. But, you have to realize we are in Singapore and nothing over here is as easy as it seems.
First, you can't see our pipes by looking under the sink. The sink is encased in a marble cabinet that is closed on all sides. There are four screws in the front panel, so we thought it would be pretty easy to get it off and see what was behind it. After we got the screws off we started to wonder why it wasn't falling off. Well, the reason - it was sealed on with grout!! Who does that? We started looking around and found a small hole where the cabinet meets the counter that you could see in, if you stuck your head in there. Jamie had to stick his arm in there and blindly figure out how to take the pipes apart, with one hand. There was no way to turn the water off (that we could find anyway), so we didn't really know what was going to happen once he got them apart.
Eventually, he got the pipes off and luckily it did have a safety catch. We were able to recover all of the pieces of my missing jewelry, including the wedding band. I was so excited I started to cry again.
Morel of the story, I will never take my jewelry into the bathroom again... unless I am wearing it!!
Monday, September 14, 2009
New travel plans
So, today was suppose to be the day that we put the girls on a plane for Australia. As most of you know, that didn't really pan out.
Until last Friday I thought things were once again moving along. We organized all of the new stuff that needed to be done and just when I thought things were going well I called the quarantine in Perth to set up the new date and I was informed that within the last week they had become completely booked until the 19th of October! I gave the very sweet and understanding lady my sob story and she squeezed them into a spot for Oct 8th instead. This was not ideal but would have been okay until we phoned the import people in Australia and they informed us that they would only extend the blood work up to 45 days (instead of the original 30). This meant we HAD to get them out of Singapore by the 5th of Oct, or they would have to go through having the bloods done...again! It took 4 trys to get blood from Punkin last time!
So once again the quarantine was called. Jamie gave them our story once again and managed to get us in on the 1st. (Sigh of relief!) Now that everything is somewhat settled we are basically in limbo waiting on paperwork to be approved and/or arrive.
As of now the girls are scheduled to leave on Oct 1st at 2:20 in the afternoon. The movers will be here to pack up starting that morning and will be finished the afternoon of the 2nd. Jamie and I will fly out on the 5th, so we can tie up any loose ends if needed before we head out. I hate that we won't be travelling with the girls, but since the quarantine rules are a little more strict, and I wouldn't be able to check on them at the airport anyway there really is no need for me to go. I can tell you it will be a long day after they're off, as I won't stop worrying until I know they've landed safely!
My last day of work is Thursday and after that I'll start getting things ready around here. Hopefully there will be no more delays and we'll be in Perth in a few weeks!
Until last Friday I thought things were once again moving along. We organized all of the new stuff that needed to be done and just when I thought things were going well I called the quarantine in Perth to set up the new date and I was informed that within the last week they had become completely booked until the 19th of October! I gave the very sweet and understanding lady my sob story and she squeezed them into a spot for Oct 8th instead. This was not ideal but would have been okay until we phoned the import people in Australia and they informed us that they would only extend the blood work up to 45 days (instead of the original 30). This meant we HAD to get them out of Singapore by the 5th of Oct, or they would have to go through having the bloods done...again! It took 4 trys to get blood from Punkin last time!
So once again the quarantine was called. Jamie gave them our story once again and managed to get us in on the 1st. (Sigh of relief!) Now that everything is somewhat settled we are basically in limbo waiting on paperwork to be approved and/or arrive.
As of now the girls are scheduled to leave on Oct 1st at 2:20 in the afternoon. The movers will be here to pack up starting that morning and will be finished the afternoon of the 2nd. Jamie and I will fly out on the 5th, so we can tie up any loose ends if needed before we head out. I hate that we won't be travelling with the girls, but since the quarantine rules are a little more strict, and I wouldn't be able to check on them at the airport anyway there really is no need for me to go. I can tell you it will be a long day after they're off, as I won't stop worrying until I know they've landed safely!
My last day of work is Thursday and after that I'll start getting things ready around here. Hopefully there will be no more delays and we'll be in Perth in a few weeks!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Update
After speaking with a few more people in Australia yesterday we've got a plan.
I can fly the girls thru Malaysia and still do a 30 day quarantine if...
They have a rabies vaccination done within six months of export
They have a rabies antibody test done within six months of export and the results show they have sufficient antibodies
I apply for an extension for the original blood work to be good for 45 days instead of 30, and it gets approved
I apply for another certificate explaining why they have to fly that way and it is approved to be an acceptable reason
We have a lot of things in the air right now, but at least there's a chance. I had to leave work yesterday to take the girls back to the vet for their vaccination and blood test. The problem with the blood test is that Singapore does not perform the test here, so they wanted to send it to the UK where it would have taken 4 weeks. Instead, I contacted the lab in Australia and they have agreed to do the test there. There it is suppose to take only 2-3 weeks.
If one thing gets delayed or does not get approved, we basically have to start over. I believe we have good reason to get the approvals we need from Australia, but if the testing takes longer than planned the extension to 45 days will not matter. We will then have to redo the original test anyway and those test will take an additional 2 weeks to get the results.
At this point we are just happy to have "an option". We will keep everyone updated on the progress, and hopefully the continuation of our move!
I can fly the girls thru Malaysia and still do a 30 day quarantine if...
They have a rabies vaccination done within six months of export
They have a rabies antibody test done within six months of export and the results show they have sufficient antibodies
I apply for an extension for the original blood work to be good for 45 days instead of 30, and it gets approved
I apply for another certificate explaining why they have to fly that way and it is approved to be an acceptable reason
We have a lot of things in the air right now, but at least there's a chance. I had to leave work yesterday to take the girls back to the vet for their vaccination and blood test. The problem with the blood test is that Singapore does not perform the test here, so they wanted to send it to the UK where it would have taken 4 weeks. Instead, I contacted the lab in Australia and they have agreed to do the test there. There it is suppose to take only 2-3 weeks.
If one thing gets delayed or does not get approved, we basically have to start over. I believe we have good reason to get the approvals we need from Australia, but if the testing takes longer than planned the extension to 45 days will not matter. We will then have to redo the original test anyway and those test will take an additional 2 weeks to get the results.
At this point we are just happy to have "an option". We will keep everyone updated on the progress, and hopefully the continuation of our move!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Here we go again....
As if I didn't have enough going on already, we hit a major snag in the McMillan move to Perth.
Here's a little background....
In order for the dogs to have approval to go to Perth there are steps you must take, in a specific order and time line. One of the things I had to take care of was getting some blood tests and vaccinations.
The blood tests must be drawn with in 30 days of export.
The vaccinations must be given between 1 year and no less than 14 days prior to export.
There were 5 blood tests, and 3 vaccinations that had to be done for each dog. The total cost was $1128.00.
These things were performed on the 21st of Aug with the thought that they would fly out on the 14th of September. That still gave me an extra 4 days (because they can not fly out on the weekend) in case anything happened, like the flights being full (yes, it happens for dogs too!)
I have had SEVERAL conversations with Qantas Airlines regarding the girls flying with them to Perth. During the conversation I had with them last week I was told that everything was okay but I could not make the reservation until 14 days before the flight, no earlier.
So, it's now this week. I have the import permits to get them into Perth. I have the export permit to get them out of Singapore. All of the lab work has come back clear. With everything seemingly lining up, I sent the information out yesterday to make the flight booking.
I was informed at 4 pm yesterday afternoon that they will not take Budder, as she is a restricted breed because she is a short nose dog.
THEY COULDN'T HAVE TOLD ME THIS A MONTH AGO????
Just when things were getting done, this comes up! Every conversation I have had with them I have told them what type of dogs I have. They have never told me it was a problem. I have called every airline that flies from Singapore to Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne and no one will take her. Jamie has called every pet moving company in Singapore and beyond and no one will help us. I've gotten her over to Singapore and now I can't freaking get her out, you've got to be kidding me!
At the end of today I FINALLY got some reassuring news. Malaysian airlines has told me that they will take her if I follow some extra conditions, which I am happy to do. The problem comes with the fact that they do not fly direct to Perth. They will have to go thru Malaysia which is not the same category county as Singapore according to Australian customs standards.
As a category 2 country there is a 30 day quarantine period for them when they arrive in Perth.
Malaysia is a category 4, which means a 180 day quarantine. Not good! I have been informed by the Perth quarantine that in some cases a special certificate may be issued but it's not a guarantee.
At this point we are waiting. Waiting to make sure that Malaysia Airlines does not change their minds before our reservations are confimed, and waiting to see if we can get the special approval to fly them thru Malaysia. If one of these two things do not occur, our move to Perth may be no more.
Hopefully this will get sorted out, but I don't have too much confidence right now. Singapore is determined to make me stay here, even when I am desperately ready to leave!!
Here's a little background....
In order for the dogs to have approval to go to Perth there are steps you must take, in a specific order and time line. One of the things I had to take care of was getting some blood tests and vaccinations.
The blood tests must be drawn with in 30 days of export.
The vaccinations must be given between 1 year and no less than 14 days prior to export.
There were 5 blood tests, and 3 vaccinations that had to be done for each dog. The total cost was $1128.00.
These things were performed on the 21st of Aug with the thought that they would fly out on the 14th of September. That still gave me an extra 4 days (because they can not fly out on the weekend) in case anything happened, like the flights being full (yes, it happens for dogs too!)
I have had SEVERAL conversations with Qantas Airlines regarding the girls flying with them to Perth. During the conversation I had with them last week I was told that everything was okay but I could not make the reservation until 14 days before the flight, no earlier.
So, it's now this week. I have the import permits to get them into Perth. I have the export permit to get them out of Singapore. All of the lab work has come back clear. With everything seemingly lining up, I sent the information out yesterday to make the flight booking.
I was informed at 4 pm yesterday afternoon that they will not take Budder, as she is a restricted breed because she is a short nose dog.
THEY COULDN'T HAVE TOLD ME THIS A MONTH AGO????
Just when things were getting done, this comes up! Every conversation I have had with them I have told them what type of dogs I have. They have never told me it was a problem. I have called every airline that flies from Singapore to Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne and no one will take her. Jamie has called every pet moving company in Singapore and beyond and no one will help us. I've gotten her over to Singapore and now I can't freaking get her out, you've got to be kidding me!
At the end of today I FINALLY got some reassuring news. Malaysian airlines has told me that they will take her if I follow some extra conditions, which I am happy to do. The problem comes with the fact that they do not fly direct to Perth. They will have to go thru Malaysia which is not the same category county as Singapore according to Australian customs standards.
As a category 2 country there is a 30 day quarantine period for them when they arrive in Perth.
Malaysia is a category 4, which means a 180 day quarantine. Not good! I have been informed by the Perth quarantine that in some cases a special certificate may be issued but it's not a guarantee.
At this point we are waiting. Waiting to make sure that Malaysia Airlines does not change their minds before our reservations are confimed, and waiting to see if we can get the special approval to fly them thru Malaysia. If one of these two things do not occur, our move to Perth may be no more.
Hopefully this will get sorted out, but I don't have too much confidence right now. Singapore is determined to make me stay here, even when I am desperately ready to leave!!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Summary of our trip back home
It's our first weekend back in Singapore, and I am back with my girls! Our entire trip was great! The weather was perfect, and the weddings were beautiful! We had such a good time catching up with family and friends, my only regret is that we didn't have more time in each place (oh, and not remembering the camera in Houston until our last day! Oops!).
We started off our trip in Houston, Texas. Jamie had some work to do while he was there, but we still made time to shop, eat (of course!), and meet up with friends. If was great to see everyone, and hear about how everyone is doing.
Myself and Pru & Jamie and I with Mama Ruth (Jamie's grandmother)
From Houston, we flew to Florida to hang out with family. My sister, Crystal, also got married on Aug 8th. The wedding turned out beautiful, as did she! Here are a few photos from the wedding and the rest of our week in good ole Pensacola.
Crystal and Jonathan's first dance & My brothers Richard and Daniel, Uncle Larry and Jamie
Myself with Daniel and Richard & Jamie and I
Pensacola Beach & Jamie and his parents
After a week of fun with the folks, we flew up to Connecticut for wedding of our friends Mike and Nicole. I know Jamie had a great time catching up with friends from college, and it was great to be there to share their special day! We had a great time!!
Nicole, Mike and Daughter Myra day before the wedding, and during it
Jamie, Michele (Matt's wife) and Matt & the boys (Matt, Mike and Jamie)
Our little group (the Studney's, the new Burkhart's, and the McMillan's)
While we're sad to be away again we've got a lot going on here in the next few weeks. For those of you that haven't heard, Jamie and I will be moving to Perth, Australia next month. We are really excited, and can't wait to have all the moving stuff behind us. The dogs will have to go into quarantine again, but this time when they come out they'll have a house with a yard to come home to! We'll be changing the name of the blog soon to fit our new location.
We started off our trip in Houston, Texas. Jamie had some work to do while he was there, but we still made time to shop, eat (of course!), and meet up with friends. If was great to see everyone, and hear about how everyone is doing.
Myself and Pru & Jamie and I with Mama Ruth (Jamie's grandmother)
From Houston, we flew to Florida to hang out with family. My sister, Crystal, also got married on Aug 8th. The wedding turned out beautiful, as did she! Here are a few photos from the wedding and the rest of our week in good ole Pensacola.
Crystal and Jonathan's first dance & My brothers Richard and Daniel, Uncle Larry and Jamie
Myself with Daniel and Richard & Jamie and I
Pensacola Beach & Jamie and his parents
After a week of fun with the folks, we flew up to Connecticut for wedding of our friends Mike and Nicole. I know Jamie had a great time catching up with friends from college, and it was great to be there to share their special day! We had a great time!!
Nicole, Mike and Daughter Myra day before the wedding, and during it
Jamie, Michele (Matt's wife) and Matt & the boys (Matt, Mike and Jamie)
Our little group (the Studney's, the new Burkhart's, and the McMillan's)
While we're sad to be away again we've got a lot going on here in the next few weeks. For those of you that haven't heard, Jamie and I will be moving to Perth, Australia next month. We are really excited, and can't wait to have all the moving stuff behind us. The dogs will have to go into quarantine again, but this time when they come out they'll have a house with a yard to come home to! We'll be changing the name of the blog soon to fit our new location.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Home Sweet Home
As you have probably guessed from seeing this new post we made it to Houston. The flight was miserable, as I was still sick, but for the most part the trip over went pretty well. My only real disappointment came in Tokyo. We had thought about leaving the airport (since we had an 8 hour layover) to see some sites, but since I was still sick we decided it would be best to stay in. We did however invest in a "day room" which I must say is the best invention ever!! A hotel-like room inside the airport, who would have guessed that would be a good idea??
Surprisingly, I was able to make it through all of the airports with Punkin's blood in tow. After picking up our car we took it downtown to be sent off for testing. We were informed the next day that her levels were completely normal!! Whoo Hoo!! I can't tell you what a relief that was, and how bad the rest of the trip would have been knowing that there was a problem and I was here without her. Luckily, that was not the case. One more prayer answered to add to our "for Punkin" list.
We've been able to catch up with lots of friends so far, but we've still got more people to see in Houston. Not too mention, the food has been AMAZING!! Oh, how I missed the food. On Friday we leave for Pensacola, where the family time begins!
Surprisingly, I was able to make it through all of the airports with Punkin's blood in tow. After picking up our car we took it downtown to be sent off for testing. We were informed the next day that her levels were completely normal!! Whoo Hoo!! I can't tell you what a relief that was, and how bad the rest of the trip would have been knowing that there was a problem and I was here without her. Luckily, that was not the case. One more prayer answered to add to our "for Punkin" list.
We've been able to catch up with lots of friends so far, but we've still got more people to see in Houston. Not too mention, the food has been AMAZING!! Oh, how I missed the food. On Friday we leave for Pensacola, where the family time begins!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Almost time!!
We found out last weekend that Jamie needed to leave for the states early. Instead of leaving Thursday night he moved his flight up to Tuesday. I had a choice of moving mine up as well, or keeping it on Thursday. Some of you may know that I REALLY hate flying, and I didn't want to make the trip alone, so in the end I changed my ticket as well.
NOW I AM SICK!! I woke up Saturday morning around 4 am and felt like I was going to DIE!! It's now Sunday evening, and I am not feeling any better. The lowest my temp has come down to is 99.1, and now I am afraid they won't let me fly if I am not better by Tuesday.
The feeling of death comes and goes, but for the most part I feel just awful! I've taken every medicine I can get my hands on and nothing seems to really be doing the trick. Advil gets my temp down, but does nothing for my chest and head. Tylenol cold and sinus works on the chest, but not my temp and head. DayQuil does nothing! NyQuil works well but I would like to be somewhat alert throughout the day.
I just have to hope they are not doing temp checks at the airports anymore, or I may be spending my holiday in quarantine!
Wish I was more excited about saying we only have 2 more days to go, but right now I really need a few extra days!
NOW I AM SICK!! I woke up Saturday morning around 4 am and felt like I was going to DIE!! It's now Sunday evening, and I am not feeling any better. The lowest my temp has come down to is 99.1, and now I am afraid they won't let me fly if I am not better by Tuesday.
The feeling of death comes and goes, but for the most part I feel just awful! I've taken every medicine I can get my hands on and nothing seems to really be doing the trick. Advil gets my temp down, but does nothing for my chest and head. Tylenol cold and sinus works on the chest, but not my temp and head. DayQuil does nothing! NyQuil works well but I would like to be somewhat alert throughout the day.
I just have to hope they are not doing temp checks at the airports anymore, or I may be spending my holiday in quarantine!
Wish I was more excited about saying we only have 2 more days to go, but right now I really need a few extra days!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Cute video of the girls
The last time the girls were at the sitters she taped a few new videos. I had forgotten all about them until it was brought up at work the other day. This one was my favorite! They look so cute! I've been trying to get a photo of this for years, but usually when they see the camera they run away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIjP7Vse07A
Only 17 days to go!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIjP7Vse07A
Only 17 days to go!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
I learn something new every day!
Last night, Jamie and I headed over to our fave BBQ place, "Jerry's", for dinner with some friends. Afterwards we decided to head over to a rooftop bar that was nearby. While hanging out we started talking about other bars in the area and that's when the conversation took an interesting turn.
All around Singapore I've seen signs that say "KTV". This is usually associated with a bar that is at or near a hotel (at least this has been my observation). There is even one up the road from our place and Jamie and I have both mentioned once or twice that we should try it out since it is so close. I really just assumed they were themed bars but never really thought twice about them.
Boy was I wrong!! I was correct in thinking that is was some sort of themed bar. As it turns out, "KTV" usually means it's a karaoke bar, but that's not all. It's also a bar where you can pay ladies to be your "friend for the evening". When you get there, you order a bottle of whatever you plan on drinking for the night. Soon after a line of women parade in and you pick the one you like the best. My understanding is that groping is allowed, but it stops there unless you get her to leave with you. At the end of the night (or however long you make it) you get a bill and tip the lady. You can also negotiate a rate for these women to go home with you, or head over to a room at the hotel. Not at all the type of "sports" I was thinking about!
Lucky for me, someone told us about this before I found out the hard way! It was just a matter of time before we got board one night and decided to head up the road for a drink or two. What a story that would have been! Only in Asia would I have to second guess the type of bar I am going into! At least in the states they are clearly marked!
All around Singapore I've seen signs that say "KTV". This is usually associated with a bar that is at or near a hotel (at least this has been my observation). There is even one up the road from our place and Jamie and I have both mentioned once or twice that we should try it out since it is so close. I really just assumed they were themed bars but never really thought twice about them.
Boy was I wrong!! I was correct in thinking that is was some sort of themed bar. As it turns out, "KTV" usually means it's a karaoke bar, but that's not all. It's also a bar where you can pay ladies to be your "friend for the evening". When you get there, you order a bottle of whatever you plan on drinking for the night. Soon after a line of women parade in and you pick the one you like the best. My understanding is that groping is allowed, but it stops there unless you get her to leave with you. At the end of the night (or however long you make it) you get a bill and tip the lady. You can also negotiate a rate for these women to go home with you, or head over to a room at the hotel. Not at all the type of "sports" I was thinking about!
Lucky for me, someone told us about this before I found out the hard way! It was just a matter of time before we got board one night and decided to head up the road for a drink or two. What a story that would have been! Only in Asia would I have to second guess the type of bar I am going into! At least in the states they are clearly marked!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Aggravation!!
23 days and counting until our trip home!
In the mean time, everything is getting on my nerves! From Punkin's vet to taxi drivers, everything is driving me mad! Here is just a small sample of what I've put up with the past few weeks.
After months of phone calls and arguments, it has been determined that the vet here cannot find a way to do the blood test for Punkin as accurate as we need it. Because of this, I've had to get in touch with her surgeon in Houston and arrange to have it tested there when we come home. The only way for it to get there in time for the result to be accurate, is for me to carry it on the plane and drop it off myself. I have a feeling that this is not going to go over well. It can't be as easy as I think it will be, can it? Since they close at noon on Saturday and we were not supposed to arrive until 4 pm we had to rearrange our flights to get in Friday afternoon. Otherwise the sample would be a waste. Hopefully everything goes smoothly and I don't have any problems. I'm not holding my breath!
As far as the taxi drivers go, I haven't been taken back to the police (yet), but evidently I have forgotten how to speak English. I don't know what they are listening to when I get in the cab, but it's not me! The other day on my way to work, I told him " I'm going to 45 Rochester Park, off of North Buena Vista". He asked me to repeat it, so I did, a little slower. He then began to drive. He waited 15 minutes to say "Um, I'm not really sure where I'm going, you said North Chester Drive, right?". Not only is that wrong, but I never even said the word drive....It's amazing he was even going in the right direction! It wouldn't be wrong to assume that the drivers and I are not getting along too well these days!
To make me feel better, I've starting planning another trip for the fall. The only other trip we had planned for the rest of this year was another home trip for Christmas. After very little deliberation, I decided that we needed something to break up the time in between, so we are going to Phuket, Thailand in October. With the recommendation of some friends, we've booked this great little resort that's right on the beach. They had nothing but great things to say about it, so hopefully it be be a good trip.
Other than that things are going well. As I mentioned before, our home trip is going to be a busy 3 weeks, but hopefully some fun ones! We've got a full week planned in Houston to take care of some things, a wedding (my little sisters!!) in Pensacola along with family time the following week, and some good friends are getting married in Connecticut the week after that. We may need another vacation when we return as well!
We're really looking forward to seeing everyone!
In the mean time, everything is getting on my nerves! From Punkin's vet to taxi drivers, everything is driving me mad! Here is just a small sample of what I've put up with the past few weeks.
After months of phone calls and arguments, it has been determined that the vet here cannot find a way to do the blood test for Punkin as accurate as we need it. Because of this, I've had to get in touch with her surgeon in Houston and arrange to have it tested there when we come home. The only way for it to get there in time for the result to be accurate, is for me to carry it on the plane and drop it off myself. I have a feeling that this is not going to go over well. It can't be as easy as I think it will be, can it? Since they close at noon on Saturday and we were not supposed to arrive until 4 pm we had to rearrange our flights to get in Friday afternoon. Otherwise the sample would be a waste. Hopefully everything goes smoothly and I don't have any problems. I'm not holding my breath!
As far as the taxi drivers go, I haven't been taken back to the police (yet), but evidently I have forgotten how to speak English. I don't know what they are listening to when I get in the cab, but it's not me! The other day on my way to work, I told him " I'm going to 45 Rochester Park, off of North Buena Vista". He asked me to repeat it, so I did, a little slower. He then began to drive. He waited 15 minutes to say "Um, I'm not really sure where I'm going, you said North Chester Drive, right?". Not only is that wrong, but I never even said the word drive....It's amazing he was even going in the right direction! It wouldn't be wrong to assume that the drivers and I are not getting along too well these days!
To make me feel better, I've starting planning another trip for the fall. The only other trip we had planned for the rest of this year was another home trip for Christmas. After very little deliberation, I decided that we needed something to break up the time in between, so we are going to Phuket, Thailand in October. With the recommendation of some friends, we've booked this great little resort that's right on the beach. They had nothing but great things to say about it, so hopefully it be be a good trip.
Other than that things are going well. As I mentioned before, our home trip is going to be a busy 3 weeks, but hopefully some fun ones! We've got a full week planned in Houston to take care of some things, a wedding (my little sisters!!) in Pensacola along with family time the following week, and some good friends are getting married in Connecticut the week after that. We may need another vacation when we return as well!
We're really looking forward to seeing everyone!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Miller Lite
For the person who asked about the Miller Lite, you can find it in most grocery stores around Singapore. Most likely the Cold Storage or Tanglin Mall shopping center.
For the people who keep googling "Singapore Working Girls" and keep getting sent to my blog I thought I would help you out...you should start by looking for a place called Orchard Towers!
For the people who keep googling "Singapore Working Girls" and keep getting sent to my blog I thought I would help you out...you should start by looking for a place called Orchard Towers!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Birthday Weekend
You know it's going to be a good day when you wake up to this!!
I got a Beautiful necklace and matching bracelet in the little blue boxes as well as a new pair of sunglasses in the little gold one! Jamie really out did himself again! I don't know where he gets the ideas, but I hope he keeps them coming!
Even though we didn't really do anything it was a great birthday! I've been working so much lately that it was nice to have a day to relax and hang out.
On another note the Chili's has finally opened! We went for lunch the Sat before my birthday and it was spectacular! I wasn't really a fan back home, but it was the BEST chicken sandwich I've had since we moved! Well, that's not entirely correct....TGI Friday's in JB was awesome!!! But this was by far the best in Singapore thus far!
I can see many more visits in our future:)
I got a Beautiful necklace and matching bracelet in the little blue boxes as well as a new pair of sunglasses in the little gold one! Jamie really out did himself again! I don't know where he gets the ideas, but I hope he keeps them coming!
Even though we didn't really do anything it was a great birthday! I've been working so much lately that it was nice to have a day to relax and hang out.
On another note the Chili's has finally opened! We went for lunch the Sat before my birthday and it was spectacular! I wasn't really a fan back home, but it was the BEST chicken sandwich I've had since we moved! Well, that's not entirely correct....TGI Friday's in JB was awesome!!! But this was by far the best in Singapore thus far!
I can see many more visits in our future:)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Champagne Brunch
As you can tell from reading our past posts, at this point we've done just about all the "Singapore tourists stops". About 2 weeks ago we were able to cross another one off the list.
A favorite past time for expats in Singapore is the free flow champagne brunch on Sundays. We've heard about them for months but because they are SO expensive we hadn't been able to talk ourselves into going. That all changed when some friends talked us into going to one at the Grand Hyatt hotel. According to them, it's the best one in town so we decided to try it.
From 11:30 to 3:00 you have all the food, wine, champagne, mojitos and bloody mary's you can drink. Most people stick to the champagne (since that's really what you're paying for) and boy did we go through our fair share! I would love to know just how many bottles the 7 of us put down, but they made that impossible to keep track of since they were refilling our glasses after every sip.
We didn't think there was any way we would make up the $300 SGD that we spent to get in. But, taking into account the way we felt the next day I would venture to say we did a pretty good job!
After the brunch was over we headed out to a house party. We attempted to take a few photos of our fun day out, but these were the only one's that really made any sense!
(Jamie and I toward the end of brunch)
(Shari, Chris, myself and Jamie at the house party)
(Cute dog that was at the party as well. He was so good, even with a bunch of drunk people around!)
On another note we finally tried the famous hawker center near our place this past weekend. I was able to get my favorite noodles (mee goreng) and they were so good! Not to mention I got a huge box and it was only $4.00 SGD (about US$2.75)! It was so big I couldn't even finish it!
The countdown has begun for our trip home. We are less than 2 months away and going stir crazy thinking about how close it is. I'm sure you will hear about it in every post from now until then!
Only 56 days to go and counting!
A favorite past time for expats in Singapore is the free flow champagne brunch on Sundays. We've heard about them for months but because they are SO expensive we hadn't been able to talk ourselves into going. That all changed when some friends talked us into going to one at the Grand Hyatt hotel. According to them, it's the best one in town so we decided to try it.
From 11:30 to 3:00 you have all the food, wine, champagne, mojitos and bloody mary's you can drink. Most people stick to the champagne (since that's really what you're paying for) and boy did we go through our fair share! I would love to know just how many bottles the 7 of us put down, but they made that impossible to keep track of since they were refilling our glasses after every sip.
We didn't think there was any way we would make up the $300 SGD that we spent to get in. But, taking into account the way we felt the next day I would venture to say we did a pretty good job!
After the brunch was over we headed out to a house party. We attempted to take a few photos of our fun day out, but these were the only one's that really made any sense!
(Jamie and I toward the end of brunch)
(Shari, Chris, myself and Jamie at the house party)
(Cute dog that was at the party as well. He was so good, even with a bunch of drunk people around!)
On another note we finally tried the famous hawker center near our place this past weekend. I was able to get my favorite noodles (mee goreng) and they were so good! Not to mention I got a huge box and it was only $4.00 SGD (about US$2.75)! It was so big I couldn't even finish it!
The countdown has begun for our trip home. We are less than 2 months away and going stir crazy thinking about how close it is. I'm sure you will hear about it in every post from now until then!
Only 56 days to go and counting!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Punkin Turns 8
I can't believe the time has went by so fast! My sweetheart, Punkin, has made it through another year!
In general, I don't feel that I am a person who prays for much. I have such a wonderful life that I try to keep my prayers short and sweet. But.........
When it comes to Punkin, I must admit that my list has been long! In the past 8 years I've asked for more than my fair share of favors. This birthday is proof that those prayers have been completely answered!
In May of 2001 I decided to get a puppy. I hoped and prayed for a female, black and tan, beautiful little puppy that would love me to death. A puppy that in turn I could spoil rotten and would live up to the fabulous name "Punkin". On July 7th, 2001 Punkin came home.
In November of 2001 I decided to move to Clemson to be with Jamie during his final year at Clemson. We had a hard time finding a place that would allow me to have Punkin. So, I prayed that we would figure it out and I could somehow keep her. A few days later Jamie called to say that he had found us a house that would allow her to stay if we paid an extra deposit. Punkin and I moved to Clemson on Dec 31st, 2001.
On April 2nd, 2003 Punkin went missing after my mom and I arrived home from picking up my wedding dress in South Carolina. She must have gotten out while we were unloading the car. After we came in, I thought she was in the bedroom with my mom. I was wrong. An hour and a half later we realized that she was missing. We looked for hours! After I had cried so much that my eyes were swollen shut, my mom told me to go to bed while my brother continued looking. I went to bed around midnight and prayed that even though she was at a strange house she would find her way back. At 2 am she began scratching on the front door.
During the spring of 2004 (when she was 3) Punkin began getting these white, solid spots in her right eye. After a few months even more had developed. By the same time next year they had spread to the other eye as well. After trying all of the different drops and medications the vet told us that the only way to fix the problem was for her to have surgery to remove them. In having this surgery there was a possibility that she could go blind because of the location of the spots. I prayed that she would make it to 5 before it got bad enough that we had to have the surgery. It's been almost 5 years since then and she can still see.
On December 16th, 2005 I took Punkin on a walk in our new neighborhood. Not only was she walking extremely slow, but she fell while trying using the bathroom. She didn't even have enough energy to make it home, I had to carry her! We noticed a difference in her behavior a few days before, but thought she was just tired from the excitement of our recent move to Houston. After the falling incident we decided to take her to the vet. They did a chest x-ray and said that her problem was an enlarged heart. I called Jamie right away and prayed that this could not be it. She was only 4. That same day an EKG and a few blood test were also done. After these test were completed we were told that she was suffering from acute hemolytic anemia, not an enlarged heart. Her blood count was so low that she needed to go straight from there to the emergency clinic where she would probably have to stay overnight. There they would give her IV steroids and if it got bad enough a blood transfusion. We prayed all night that she would make it through the weekend (as the doctors were not so sure that she would).
Over the weekend she started to get better, but then got worse again. They let me bring her home on Monday morning only to take her to a specialist in downtown Houston. She was able to come home with us the next morning, but we had to have blood counts taken daily. If the numbers dropped during any of these counts we were told she would have to go back. During all this we were told that there was a 80% chance of a relapse within the first 2 weeks and if she made it past that there was a 50% chance in 6 months. We prayed for her to make it through Christmas. She did. After that I prayed that she wouldn't have a relapse at all, Jamie prayed that she would at least make it to 7. Since the week after Christmas her blood counts have been in normal range, and haven't dropped once.
In June of 2008 Punkin started acting funny again. She was sleeping all the time, couldn't make it all the way on her walks, and eating and drinking like we were starving her! She was 7 at this time and I remembered Jamie's prayer. I prayed it wasn't the anemia problem again. Testing concluded that she wasn't having a relapse, but they weren't sure what it was. After more test they thought it could possibly be cancer (among some other stuff). I prayed it wasn't.
After all of the testing was complete they discovered a liver shunt. It is so unusual for a dog of her age to have this problem (usually the symptoms start by the time they are a year or so) I don't think any of the vets even suspected it. Out of the 3 doctors in the Houston area that can perform this surgery, one of them refused to do it because of her age. We were told that the surgery may not be successful and that some dogs continue to have problems. Some dogs still end up dying within a year or two because of irreversible damage to the liver. We prayed that hers' was one that could be fixed and that she would make it through it.
On July 23rd Jamie and I met with Dr. Heidi Hottinger and dropped Punkin off for her surgery which was scheduled for the next day. That night we prayed she would make it through the surgery and that everything would be fine when she came out. The next day we were told that they were able to completely close off the shunt and that there was minimal damage to her liver. Even with that great news the first 24 hours are the most critical because the liver is now adjusting to the increase in blood flow and pressure. We found ourselves praying once again that she would make it home. The next morning we got a phone call from the clinic stating that Punkin was doing great, and had been "the life of the ICU".
Three weeks after her surgery, on Aug 13th, we left on a plane for Singapore. I prayed that both my girls would make it with no complications. They made it to Paris and when we left there I prayed again.
Here we are now, celebrating her 8th birthday 9 months after arriving in Singapore! She has surpassed all we have asked for and is still going strong. I am so thankful that she has made it this far. I want pray that she will live for ever, but I know that it would just be selfish. I've gotten everything that I've asked for at this point, and even a little more when it comes to her. I'm just thankful for every day I have left with her and hope she's just as happy here with us.
Happy Birthday to my beautiful, sweet, baby girl Punkin. We love you more than you know!!
(This is what she thinks of picture time!)
(But she loves the cake afterwards!)
Monday, May 11, 2009
What a trip!
The McMillan's have come and gone, but we were able to have lots of fun during the time in between! We explored Singapore, headed off to Indonesia in a ferry, then jetted off to Malaysia. It was so good to have a touch of home, even if we didn't leave the Asia Pacific.
Getting ready for our feast, and photo from the mangrove tour.
From there we took the ferry back and hopped on a plane to Kuching, Sarawak; Malaysia. This was by far the best part of the trip! The people were so friendly, and the food and shopping were amazing. I can't wait to go back! I'm already trying to figure out a reason for a weekend trip. Here we went rainforest kayaking and took a sunset cruise. There were so many other things we could have done, if only we had the time!
View from our rooms and photo of hotel from river
The rainforest kayaking was great! It was so peaceful and you couldn't beat the scenery. During the trip we made a stop at one of the villages along the river. The people here were so welcoming and didn't mind showing us how they live. If anything, I think they were excited to show us! Most of the people here are farmers and they sell the items to the city. They farm all types of fruit, black pepper, rice, curry leaves, and they make rubber! They showed us how they dry out the pepper and rice, and what the rubber looks like before it's cut. The little village looks deserted when you first enter, but there are still about 250 people that live there. At one point they had about 700, but most have moved into the city.
Photos of our kayaking adventure! The sign says "Welcome to the village Kampung Danu"
A sign that life does exist! This person is a pepper farmer,you can see it drying out on the deck.
Photo's from the water.
The sunset cruise was a great way to see some of the sites and learn a little bit of history about the city. There are several small villages along the river. The people here are so friendly. They would stand outside and wave to you as you went by! The town was also in the process of getting ready for a festival that's coming up soon. We were told that one of the things they do is a dragon boat race and that a group of kids from each village participates. We were able to see several of them practicing.
We started the trip off by showing them the sites of Singapore. We went to the usual places, China Town, the flyer, Orchard Rd, etc...and a few of our favorite hangout spots!
Hanging out at East Coast Park for some local specialities!
Hanging out at East Coast Park for some local specialities!
Having a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar (where it was created).
One of our favorite Mexican places Cha Cha Cha.
After showing them the sites of Singapore, our first stop off the island was to another island in Indonesia. We took the 55 minute ferry ride to the island of Bintan. We really didn't know what to expect (since all of the reviews I have heard from others were pretty mixed), but we decided to try it out for ourselves. We rented a private villa that was a stones throw away from the beach and had a private pool. It ended up being a great choice! The view was amazing, and it literally took us 30 seconds to get to the water. Since we were in a villa, we had to option of having someone come in and cook for us. We decided to have them cook the first night. The food was wonderful, and it was nice to sit back and relax while someone else did the cooking and cleaning! The rest of our trip was filled up by a mangrove tour , some shopping, and a little bit of lying around! Here are some photos of our trip to Bintan Island.
Our awesome villa, and view from the top balcony!
Getting ready for our feast, and photo from the mangrove tour.
From there we took the ferry back and hopped on a plane to Kuching, Sarawak; Malaysia. This was by far the best part of the trip! The people were so friendly, and the food and shopping were amazing. I can't wait to go back! I'm already trying to figure out a reason for a weekend trip. Here we went rainforest kayaking and took a sunset cruise. There were so many other things we could have done, if only we had the time!
View from our rooms and photo of hotel from river
The rainforest kayaking was great! It was so peaceful and you couldn't beat the scenery. During the trip we made a stop at one of the villages along the river. The people here were so welcoming and didn't mind showing us how they live. If anything, I think they were excited to show us! Most of the people here are farmers and they sell the items to the city. They farm all types of fruit, black pepper, rice, curry leaves, and they make rubber! They showed us how they dry out the pepper and rice, and what the rubber looks like before it's cut. The little village looks deserted when you first enter, but there are still about 250 people that live there. At one point they had about 700, but most have moved into the city.
Photos of our kayaking adventure! The sign says "Welcome to the village Kampung Danu"
A sign that life does exist! This person is a pepper farmer,you can see it drying out on the deck.
Photo's from the water.
The sunset cruise was a great way to see some of the sites and learn a little bit of history about the city. There are several small villages along the river. The people here are so friendly. They would stand outside and wave to you as you went by! The town was also in the process of getting ready for a festival that's coming up soon. We were told that one of the things they do is a dragon boat race and that a group of kids from each village participates. We were able to see several of them practicing.
A few sunset photos from our cruise.
Here's to the end of a wonderful trip! We had a blast and found a new favorite spot in the process. It was nice to finally have someone to share the experience with!
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