Well, husband was off to Montenegro for a week (from 11th to 16th March ( I can just hear some of you saying "Huh? Where?"). It is on the Adriatic Sea right next to Bosnia, Croatia, and Yugoslavia. Apparently it is the latest place for European holidaying. Well, it took 24 hours for him to fly there (including 10 hours waiting at Frankfurt airport for a connecting flight), meetings on 13th and 14th, and then 24 hours to fly back - with the same waiting time in Frankfurt. Talk about TIRING!
Anyway, while he was there, I decided to head back to KL... no point hanging around SG without him - no fun at all! So, I had a peaceful week in KL - stayed with my parents for three days and stuffed myself silly with my Mum's great cooking - met some friends, vegged out, and generally ate too much! Phew, talk about "piling it on"... and NO exercise to counteract all that food either.....
Husband arrived back in SG on 17th, went to work on 18th morning, and drove up to KL on 18th afternoon. Spent Saturday wandering around 1-Utama with him, then he went to the F1 on Sunday. Drove back to SG on Monday afternoon... sigh... back again.
Since then, we have been spending some time looking around for little things to put into our apartment to brighten it up. We bought loads and loads of picture frames for husband to print out his photographs, frame them, and put them up on the walls (our landlord having left a million hooks/nails in every room for us to hang up things!) We also got cushions, a colourful carpet for the sitting room and a rug for the dining room, and another one for the study. A really fantastically priced 3+1+1 sofa set in maroon leather, and some colourful little knick-knacks. The place looks nice and welcoming now... all the better to welcome our friends WHEN you all turn up (just try not to turn up all at the same time!). Yesterday (26th March) we got everything pretty much into place and can now relax and enjoy the apartment.
Husband is still terribly, terribly busy, while I am still tai-tai'ing around (well, sort of!). I do have a part time maid who comes in once a week to vacuum, mop, do the bathrooms, and iron the clothes. If anyone here in SG wants a part time maid I would definitely recommend her. She helped us out the last time we were in SG, and she is helping us out again, and she is truly a lovely lady - very honest, very hardworking, and a genuinely nice person. I make sure the bills get paid, run the errands (bank, post office, grocery, etc), go for my hot yoga (ouch, stretch to the max!!), go for 1 hour walk/jog on those days that I don't do yoga, hop into town and go for a wander now and then, meet up with husband now and then for lunch, read books, do sudoku (yes, I am addicted now), and generally find enough to do to pass my time reasonably. Definitely cannot complain!
So, folks, that's the latest. We hope to see you all sometime this year in good ol' Sinjapoh - we should be here at least till end of this year.. no guarantees yet for next year.
Till next time... take care, and have a great life.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Apartment living in Sinjapoh
Yippeeeeee, we are finally OUT of the service apartment we have been living in for the last two months. Now, don't get me wrong... it was a nice little apartment, but the operative word there is LITTLE!!!! Definitely better than a hotel room, yes, but 2 months in an area that is only a little larger than the sitting/dining room area back in our apartment in KL, is NOT my idea of fun.
Of course, to add to that, the bed was a right 'killer'. Killed my back, killed our sleep. It was kinda like sleeping on a trampoline. If either one of us turned over in bed, the other one would be bounced and jounced up and down several times. So, as said earlier, sleep was definitely killed.
Well, we are now in a nice apartment near Holland Village (just 10 minutes walk from the Holland V shops and restaurants), in our VERY OWN BED. And, Yes, it is our OWN bed as we bought it specifically for ourselves - our very first water bed, and it is SO comfy! The apartment is about 2000 sq feet, 3 bedrooms, all with en-suite, though the 3rd bedroom en-suite is also the visitor bathroom, as it has 2 doors access - one from the bedroom, and one from the hallway. A very nice big living area; a decent sized dining room; a smallish, but decent, kitchen; laundry area; a maids room the size of a postage stamp; a bathroom for the maid (which is about the same size as the bedroom!); a balcony outside the dining area; and a balcony outside the sitting room which the landlord converted into a small study with loads of built ins. He supplied the basic furniture requirements (except, of course, for our bed which we wanted to get for ourselves)... so we have 3+2 black leather sofa, small dining table with 4 chairs, bunk bed in one bedroom, queen size bed in the other bedroom, washing machine, dryer (does anyone actually use a dryer?), microwave, oven, fridge, phone.
We also did not ask for a TV, as husband wanted to get another one for ourselves, smaller than the one we currently have in KL - so we have a Sharp Aquos 32" LCD TV now. We had to go and get lots of small things (plates, sheets, dustbins, etc) but, luckily, Ikea in SG is VERY cheap for most things (a lot cheaper than in KL anyway), and Carrefour, and Giant are cheap for most other stuff (kettle, vacuum cleaner, towels, etc). Anyway, all the small stuff has been acquired, EXCEPT for cooking utensils, as husband wants to get them himself as he is the cook, not me! We have cable TV, broadband, phone - what more could we ask for :-)
We had our first visitor yesterday - a really good SINGAPOREAN friend of ours - thanks for the beautiful plants Ah Peng, I hope that I can keep them alive, and we really enjoyed having you here. Remember, anytime you need a break from home, we have two spare rooms for you to come and spend the weekend with us. And I must say tha the plants are cheering up the sitting room considerably.
We are now waiting for the rest of our friends to turn up and visit - as long as we are in good ol' Sinjapoh, you are all more than welcome to visit, and, as you would have noticed in the earlier paragraphs, we do have facilities for our friends! So, come on folks...make the trek... and we will welcome you with open arms.
Where work is concerned, husband is so flat out busy - he is at work from 7.30am to 7.00pm most days, and is constantly on the move. No breaks in between, barely enough time for lunch. Next week he is off to Europe (Montenegro - next to Bosnia and Croatia I think), for meetings et al, and it is going to take him 48 hours there and 48 hours back, for 2 days worth of meetings. I'll head back to KL during that time... no point hanging around SG without my beloved.
That's it for today folks, and till the next time, hope you all have are having a great year so far.
Of course, to add to that, the bed was a right 'killer'. Killed my back, killed our sleep. It was kinda like sleeping on a trampoline. If either one of us turned over in bed, the other one would be bounced and jounced up and down several times. So, as said earlier, sleep was definitely killed.
Well, we are now in a nice apartment near Holland Village (just 10 minutes walk from the Holland V shops and restaurants), in our VERY OWN BED. And, Yes, it is our OWN bed as we bought it specifically for ourselves - our very first water bed, and it is SO comfy! The apartment is about 2000 sq feet, 3 bedrooms, all with en-suite, though the 3rd bedroom en-suite is also the visitor bathroom, as it has 2 doors access - one from the bedroom, and one from the hallway. A very nice big living area; a decent sized dining room; a smallish, but decent, kitchen; laundry area; a maids room the size of a postage stamp; a bathroom for the maid (which is about the same size as the bedroom!); a balcony outside the dining area; and a balcony outside the sitting room which the landlord converted into a small study with loads of built ins. He supplied the basic furniture requirements (except, of course, for our bed which we wanted to get for ourselves)... so we have 3+2 black leather sofa, small dining table with 4 chairs, bunk bed in one bedroom, queen size bed in the other bedroom, washing machine, dryer (does anyone actually use a dryer?), microwave, oven, fridge, phone.
We also did not ask for a TV, as husband wanted to get another one for ourselves, smaller than the one we currently have in KL - so we have a Sharp Aquos 32" LCD TV now. We had to go and get lots of small things (plates, sheets, dustbins, etc) but, luckily, Ikea in SG is VERY cheap for most things (a lot cheaper than in KL anyway), and Carrefour, and Giant are cheap for most other stuff (kettle, vacuum cleaner, towels, etc). Anyway, all the small stuff has been acquired, EXCEPT for cooking utensils, as husband wants to get them himself as he is the cook, not me! We have cable TV, broadband, phone - what more could we ask for :-)
We had our first visitor yesterday - a really good SINGAPOREAN friend of ours - thanks for the beautiful plants Ah Peng, I hope that I can keep them alive, and we really enjoyed having you here. Remember, anytime you need a break from home, we have two spare rooms for you to come and spend the weekend with us. And I must say tha the plants are cheering up the sitting room considerably.
We are now waiting for the rest of our friends to turn up and visit - as long as we are in good ol' Sinjapoh, you are all more than welcome to visit, and, as you would have noticed in the earlier paragraphs, we do have facilities for our friends! So, come on folks...make the trek... and we will welcome you with open arms.
Where work is concerned, husband is so flat out busy - he is at work from 7.30am to 7.00pm most days, and is constantly on the move. No breaks in between, barely enough time for lunch. Next week he is off to Europe (Montenegro - next to Bosnia and Croatia I think), for meetings et al, and it is going to take him 48 hours there and 48 hours back, for 2 days worth of meetings. I'll head back to KL during that time... no point hanging around SG without my beloved.
That's it for today folks, and till the next time, hope you all have are having a great year so far.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Back to KL for the weekend
Well, employment pass and dependents pass are now physically in hand. The apartment tenancy agreement has been signed and deposit paid. Mobile phones have been acquired for both of us (if you want to know the number, call our Malaysian mobile phones, and I've recorded greetings which will give you our Singapore numbers). Next step, wait patiently till month-end so we can move in and get ourselves organised!
In the meantime... husband very busy at work. He is heading off to Perth on Sunday, for a course, back only on Wednesday... so I will be heading off to KL on Friday, as it is my Mum's birthday, and will be back in Sinjapoh either Tuesday or Wednesday. Must make the most of my few days in KL - family to spend time with, bills to be paid, pedicure and manicure to be done, friends to be met... phew... it IS all good fun.
I'll be driving to KL this time - as it is easier to chuck things into the boot of the car to bring back to SG, rather than having to pack things into a suitcase and then have to haul it around with you - onto and off taxis, up into the plane, try and push it into the overhead compartment, etc....Nah... car is easier! We've hired a Merc - nice, comfy, solid car. We are waiting for the car hirer to get back one of their other cars (Honda Accord 2.3) to try that and then decide whether we want that or we keep the Merc. In the meantime, we have the Merc. Yeah, I know, I can just hear most people saying, "But you don't NEED a car in Singapore..." but, what can I say? Have you ever tried getting a cab on Friday evenings after work? None to be had for love nor money. Have you ever tottered out of the supermarket with 10 heavy plastic bags full of stuff, all awkwardly shaped, and had to wait for a cab? OK, I know, in reality, I am just a spoilt Malaysian... too used to having a car at my disposal. Well, I have to say that is true - and I enjoy being a spoilt Malaysian too..... :-)
Before I sign off, I want to wish my Mum a VERY HAPPY 69th birthday, and may the coming years be blessed with good health and much love.
In the meantime... husband very busy at work. He is heading off to Perth on Sunday, for a course, back only on Wednesday... so I will be heading off to KL on Friday, as it is my Mum's birthday, and will be back in Sinjapoh either Tuesday or Wednesday. Must make the most of my few days in KL - family to spend time with, bills to be paid, pedicure and manicure to be done, friends to be met... phew... it IS all good fun.
I'll be driving to KL this time - as it is easier to chuck things into the boot of the car to bring back to SG, rather than having to pack things into a suitcase and then have to haul it around with you - onto and off taxis, up into the plane, try and push it into the overhead compartment, etc....Nah... car is easier! We've hired a Merc - nice, comfy, solid car. We are waiting for the car hirer to get back one of their other cars (Honda Accord 2.3) to try that and then decide whether we want that or we keep the Merc. In the meantime, we have the Merc. Yeah, I know, I can just hear most people saying, "But you don't NEED a car in Singapore..." but, what can I say? Have you ever tried getting a cab on Friday evenings after work? None to be had for love nor money. Have you ever tottered out of the supermarket with 10 heavy plastic bags full of stuff, all awkwardly shaped, and had to wait for a cab? OK, I know, in reality, I am just a spoilt Malaysian... too used to having a car at my disposal. Well, I have to say that is true - and I enjoy being a spoilt Malaysian too..... :-)
Before I sign off, I want to wish my Mum a VERY HAPPY 69th birthday, and may the coming years be blessed with good health and much love.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
We have been "approved" for living in SG...
... in other words, husband's employment pass has been approved and, with it, my dependants pass. I tell you, it feels strange being a "dependant" as every time I have gone to SG in the past it has always been on my own recognisance and I get my own employment pass. Ah well, I guess it is all part of being a tai-tai.
Anyway, now that we are "approved" we can do all the stuff necessary for living in SG - like signing the tenancy agreement, getting PHONE lines, getting an ISP, etc, etc, etc. I am SO looking forward to moving out of the serviced apartment to a 'proper' apartment, with more space to live and breathe. Not that the serviced apartment is not nice - it IS nice - but it is just too small, and there is a lack of privacy when you know that the various people in the housekeeping section can walk into your apartment at any time whether you are there or not.
Well folks, from March onwards, anyone coming to SG and needing a place to 'tumpang' for a few days - give us a call, and we will definitely make the space for you.
In the meantime, to all our Chinese friends out there:
KONG HEE FATT CHOY, GONG XI FA CAI
and all the best for the Year of the DOG
Anyway, now that we are "approved" we can do all the stuff necessary for living in SG - like signing the tenancy agreement, getting PHONE lines, getting an ISP, etc, etc, etc. I am SO looking forward to moving out of the serviced apartment to a 'proper' apartment, with more space to live and breathe. Not that the serviced apartment is not nice - it IS nice - but it is just too small, and there is a lack of privacy when you know that the various people in the housekeeping section can walk into your apartment at any time whether you are there or not.
Well folks, from March onwards, anyone coming to SG and needing a place to 'tumpang' for a few days - give us a call, and we will definitely make the space for you.
In the meantime, to all our Chinese friends out there:
KONG HEE FATT CHOY, GONG XI FA CAI
and all the best for the Year of the DOG
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Life in Singapore starts again....
Well, we've been in SG 8 days now, and still feel like we are in a bit of a limbo. Husband started work on the day we arrived(!) - no rest for the weary :-) and has been getting busier every day since then.
We are staying at a 1-bedroom serviced apartment at The Concourse, on Beach Road. Very pleasant, definitely better than a hotel room - with a small and well equipped kitchen, a small sitting and dining room, a guest bathroom, a bedroom with en-suite. Well, as I said, better than a hotel room, but still a bit claustrophobic! VERY little wardrobe space, so it is a good thing we brought the bare minimum with us. Lovely little restaurant downstairs, outside the building, which serves decent nyonya type food, run by a nice Malaysian lady from Muar who is a good cook. Her assistant in the evening is also a Malaysian (ex-Malaysian, now Singapore citizen) who is equally friendly and pleasant. The prices are really good too - most meals cost between S$4 and S$5, while beer is S$4 per mug!
Husband's office at Millenia Tower is walking distance from here - just 15 minutes comfortable walk. He is also happy as there is a little Killiney kopitiam near his office which does a delicious bacon and egg breakfast for the princely sum of S$2.50!
Spent a few days last week looking at lots of apartments, and finally settled on one that is walking distance to Holland Village - the landlord/owner, who is currently living there, just came across so well and so relaxed, and the whole apartment has a lovely welcoming and cosy feeling to it. Unfortunately, cannot move in till 1st March, as the owner is only moving out end Jan, and then after CNY he needs to get the place cleaned up, and given that it IS CNY, he may not be able to get the contractors in that fast.... ah well, at least we know where we will be going.
Will be back in KL next week, just me, for a few days, to settle a few things, pay a few bills, see my family, meet some friends, and then I'll be back to SG again.
Hope you have all had a great New Year, and that CNY will be equally great. And may nothing but the best things happen in the year ahead and may 2006 be a truly blessed year for all my family and friends and friends of friends.
We are staying at a 1-bedroom serviced apartment at The Concourse, on Beach Road. Very pleasant, definitely better than a hotel room - with a small and well equipped kitchen, a small sitting and dining room, a guest bathroom, a bedroom with en-suite. Well, as I said, better than a hotel room, but still a bit claustrophobic! VERY little wardrobe space, so it is a good thing we brought the bare minimum with us. Lovely little restaurant downstairs, outside the building, which serves decent nyonya type food, run by a nice Malaysian lady from Muar who is a good cook. Her assistant in the evening is also a Malaysian (ex-Malaysian, now Singapore citizen) who is equally friendly and pleasant. The prices are really good too - most meals cost between S$4 and S$5, while beer is S$4 per mug!
Husband's office at Millenia Tower is walking distance from here - just 15 minutes comfortable walk. He is also happy as there is a little Killiney kopitiam near his office which does a delicious bacon and egg breakfast for the princely sum of S$2.50!
Spent a few days last week looking at lots of apartments, and finally settled on one that is walking distance to Holland Village - the landlord/owner, who is currently living there, just came across so well and so relaxed, and the whole apartment has a lovely welcoming and cosy feeling to it. Unfortunately, cannot move in till 1st March, as the owner is only moving out end Jan, and then after CNY he needs to get the place cleaned up, and given that it IS CNY, he may not be able to get the contractors in that fast.... ah well, at least we know where we will be going.
Will be back in KL next week, just me, for a few days, to settle a few things, pay a few bills, see my family, meet some friends, and then I'll be back to SG again.
Hope you have all had a great New Year, and that CNY will be equally great. And may nothing but the best things happen in the year ahead and may 2006 be a truly blessed year for all my family and friends and friends of friends.
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