Whatever happened to....

The dreaded question...whatever happened to [fill in name of someone not on yor FB list]? I was asked this morning..whatever happened to your old Uni roommates? What could I say...uhm, they are fine. M is inhouse counsel in a large corporation, SN also in house counsel..somewhere, and SR is finding her second calling with her own little business making cookies (dang they look yummy). Do I not keep in touch, I was asked. Weeeell, considering that in the last 5 years I have lived in 5 different countries on 4 different continents, obtained a PhD, a husband and popped 2 kids from my loins, keeping in touch has been a tad challenging. That was my excuse. Not a good one though as it was quite obvious that I managed to keep in touch with some friends, so why not others? And you know what..I have no idea why we have not remained close. Considering we were living together in extremely close quarters. We were poor law students, and lazy ones at that, so 4 girls squeezed into a grungy 3 bedroom flat that was a 5 minute walk to the law faculty..downhill. We had no central heat, and a miniscule water tank that meant showering was an exercise of faith. We were always cold but being across a small alley from KwikSave (read LiquorSave), a discount supermarket meant we were able to find ways to keep warm. 3 of us were smokers, so M was only ever able to maintain her shampoo fresh hair from the bathroom halfway down the hallway to her bedroom door. After that she too smelled like the Marlboro man. It wasnt exactly an extended slumber party as living in such close quarters inevitibly raised issues, but I think we had fun in our two year together. No idea what the others thought, but I had fun with them. Over the years many memories were made and some stand out more than others. Doing the monthly shopping with M, and carrying the many many bags from KwikSave back home. It was a short stroll but with the many many bags my arms felt like they were going to fall off. Doing the monthly laundry with M at the nearby coin operated laundry, and having a cuppa at the local cheap cafe while waiting for the dryer. Playing drinking games with SR, SN and our guests (we were the party house obviously so we always had guests) and getting supremely hammered..regularly. Giving up on the games as they got in the way of the drinking. Walking into a club we regularly haunted and hearing the DJ shout out a welcome..our tequila shot antics were popular. Just hanging out in the kitchen eating, smoking over a cuppa, gossipping, complaining about classes/exams and whatever else 4 girls living together do (no, this being real life and not a porn movie, no naked pillowfights). Then we graduated, and moved away. I went on to Warwick for my Masters, SN did her bar in London, SR went home to KL and M did her Bar in KL. Over the years we met up seperately. For lunch, tea, that sort of thing. But I am pretty sure we have never been in one room, all 4 of us, the roommates, since we left that flat. Funny how that goes. Sad in a way...as those were extremely memorable years of my life.

Holy Guacamole..

I used to think that babysitters in Toronto were expensive...till I arranged to hire one here. Agency rates..AU$ 155 for 4 hours. This is going to be one expensive alone time..

I pissed off a tourist this morning. At least I am pretty sure I did. Sasha, Dylan and I were at our usual spot near the pool when I noticed someone walking along the boardwalk to about where we were. An older Chinese man just taking a stroll. Thought nothing of it until he started taking pictures of the scenery from the boardwalk. Ahhhh, a tourist I thought. I continued playing with Sash in the sand until I noticed him pointing his camera more towards our area. And he started taking pictures. I waited and watched while he continued taking pictures of Sasha. Thats when I knew I had to do something. I walked to where he was and told him that I am not comfortable with him taking pictres if my children and told him that he had to stop and point the camera elsewhere. He said something to me in Chinese, no idea what, but I was well prepared to start shouting bloody murder if he didnt stop taking pictures with us in the frame. I think he realised this and left. He probably thinks Australian mothers are rude. But hey...nowadays you can never be too careful. If I ask parents permission before taking snaps of their kids, I expect the same courtesy.

Playdate

Sasha has made a new friend. She met him close to the pool on the South side of the beach where she was collecting water for her sand castles.






So while they were occupied I had a good chat with his mummy. T, her new friend is of Japanese/Brazilian parentage. His parents met in Sydney but tried living in both Sao Paolo and Tokyo. They decided a couple of years back to choose neutral ground and settle in Sydney. I told her about our attempt to choose somewhere neutral, the US, before deciding that neutral also meant rootless. We compared notes about surviving without a support system, without real friends. We agreed to meet tomorrow to let the kids play together again. Sash is such a social animal that these couple of weeks without friends must be difficult for her. I know it is for me.

This morning at the shops I found the coolest thing ever...a swimsuit for Dylan that is 100+SPF. Had no idea that it could go up that high. We were on the strip early this morning to meet with an artist we are thinking of commissioning to paint some of our favourite scenes of Coogee. Years ago, we had seen a painting of his in a gallery in Randwick and seriously contemplated buying it. It was unfortunately quite pricey then so we decided against it. We have been kicking ourselves ever since. We found the gallery again, and asked them about the painting. It was of course sold ages ago but they put us in contact with the artist directly (extremely nice of them). We are asking him to paint two small canvases (he is still pricey but what the hell...you cant take it with you right) which will go in Sasha's and Dylan's rooms. As we like to say, this is where it all started. Well, it actually started in Switzerland, but thats another story altogether...

Why I have to watch Sasha like a hawk...

I love my kids. I really do. Sometimes though, just sometimes, I resent my lack of freedom. I yearn for those carefree days when all I had to think about was me, myself and I. I had only just gotten used to the fact that I needed to inform someone, namely my husband, when I wanted to take a trip abroad...or even to the shops for that matter...., when wham bam I got pregnant. Just as I was comfortable with the logistics of leading my life with a dot, I found I was carrying Dylan. I may have mentioned this before, but having 2 kids doesn't double your workload, it increases it exponentially. And this trip back here to Sydney has again highlighted my new responsibilities. Like our trip to Milan. But in a different way. Before kids, during those days back when, I would wake up in the morning and take a walk along the Eastern Coastal Walk, or just read a book on the beach, or have a coffee at one of the many cafes here on the strip. Now, I have to tailor my days around them. Sure, I can take a book down to the beach. But that would mean I wouldn't be able to watch Sasha from afar as she tries to outrun the waves. Or build sandcastles with her. I enjoy these activities with her, but sometimes I just wish I could have some me time and read that damn book. I could drag the stroller with Sash and Dylan along to a cafe. But why bother as she would get antsy and bored within 3 seconds, or/and Dylan would start crying. I could go on the Eastern Coastal Walk with them, but the trail isn't exactly stroller friendly on some parts and it would be just painful to lug Dylan in the carrier for that distance. I am thinking of hiring a babysitter for a few hours so I grab a coffee, read a couple of pages on the beach and do part of the walk. I know I need to do it so I can regain some sense of my self.

The days here are flying by fast. We have fallen into a routine that is working out quite well. When D heads out to the CBD, I take Sasha either to the playground or the beach. Usually the beach first while the sun isn't too bad. Then the playground. Then home for lunch. Then the indoor heated pool while Dylan is napping (I just put him the car seat and he sits napping by the poolside). We used to do the playround after lunch, but I find the sun way too hot for them (me). She is usually tuckered out by then so we just chill and wait for Daddy to get home for dinner. Doing this day in day out has enabled me to notice a few things. First, the OZs have their sun protection down to an art. Their range of swimsuits, hats (especially hats) and sunscreen are unbeatable. I will definitely get Sasha's and Dylan's summer suits and hats here. Second, Coogee is becoming gentrified as there are more kids and strollers than before. Seriously...stroller traffic jams every day. Third, things are more expensive here. Even taking into account the exchange rate. Fruits, groceries, kids stuff, more expensive. But I suppose that's the price of living in paradise.

How to keep a 2.5 year old entertained

Coogee again

We have finally settled into some sort of rhythm here in Coogee. While we were at the hotel in The Rocks, Sasha and Dylan would wake up about 3am, we therefore also had to start the day at 3am. Breakfast was only served at 6.30 am so for the first night/morning, Doug found a restaurant that opened late and bought a pizza to tide us over before breakfast. We were able to persuade Sasha to wait for breakfast on the second day. Here in Coogee the kiddies are waking up around 5am, but as we are in a serviced apartment, Sash is able to have her star toast just about anytime she desires. Yes, I brought along her Star cookie cutter. Doug then goes for his run along the Eastern coastal walk while I feed Dylan and get breakfast ready. After breakfast, we all walk towards the boardwalk where Doug catches his bus to the CBD while Sash, Dylan and I head down to the sand and get started on the sand castles.

Initially I was worried about the logistics of taking the kids close to the water and protecting them from the elements while down there. I remember Coogee being the backpacker hangout it was when we were living here and didnt notice things like ramps etc for strollers. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that the beach is easily accessible even by stroller. I just have to push the kids to where we want to plant ourselves, take out the sand toys, lay the beach towel and away we go. Sash is covered in sunscreen while Dylan is left covered in the stroller (God I love my Phil and Teds).











After an hour on the beach, we head back to the apartment to avoid the noon sun, have a bath and Sash has her lunch. We rest for a couple of hours and then we hit the playground which is on the south side of the beach. More slapping on of the sunscreen (I remember now what I do NOT miss about Sydney).



After a bit of play, we head back to the apartment, Sash has her dinner and we wait for Doug to get home so Mummy and Daddy can go out for dinner. Usually Sash and Dylan fall asleep in the stroller during our dinner. We head home and the day starts all over again.



Boy are the kids going to be in for a shock in January.

I am falling in love with Sydney all over again. The weather, the food, the beaches and not to forget the friendly OZs. We arrived last Monday morning, took an hour to get through immigration and customs, and checked into our hotel at the Rocks. We decided to spend a couple of days at the Rocks and only then head out to our main base at Coogee. It is also closer to where D will be working for the month. We dumped our luggage and took Sasha and Dylan for a coffee (milk for them) at a cafe near the Opera House.










We were dazed from the ridiculously long flight, and the time difference was already getting to us, but we had to hit the ground running so to speak as it was quite exciting to be back where it all started. As you know, Doug and I lived in Sydney for about a year while he was working here. We got married here.



And when I say here, I mean in that yellow apartment building to the far left of Sasha in the pic above. We are now living in another apartment on the same beach, taking Sasha and Dylan to our old haunts (like Sands on Coogee, the restaurant where we had our wedding dinner) and enjoying the beach as we used to do every day. How blessed are we to be able to retrace our footsteps with our kids in tow...

The flight out..what can I say..it was extremely long. Luckily for us we left San Francisco about 11pm Eastern Time so the kids were ready for bed. Sasha slept approximately half of the way and Dylan most of the way. The rest of the time Sasha was quite happy playing with her new, special magnetic Princess dress up kit and her colouring books. It was all in all not as bed as we expected it to be. Fingers crossed for the return flight...

Packin packin and more packin

We are off down under tomorrow afternoon. Have spent the last few days packing. Packing the portable crib (the apartment we are renting in Coogee charges $15 a day for a crib....we bought one here for $100 and will dump it before we head to KL as we left one at my parent's house when Sasha was a mere babe). Packing extra diapers and formula for Dylan (fingers crossed that they have Enfamil A+ down under..and that it is not produced in China). Packing summer clothing and books. Swimsuits. Toys we will buy there. Doug and I will take maybe 20 minutes to pack our stuff. I have been packing for the kids since Tuesday. Am I looking forward to this trip? I am looking to going back to our old stomping grounds. Taking Sash and Dylan to the zoo, the aquarium, the beach, the coastal walks. I am excited about seeing the family again, spending Christmas in KL/Phuket with them. I am NOT looking forward to the flight there and back. I am seriously dreading it. A necessary evil I suppose.

My father in law, brother in law and niece left on Sunday night. It was a tight fit but it really was fun having them over. We didn't do much as they have visited TO many times, so meals were had at home and we played cards and chatted after dinner. Sasha loved all the attention she was getting from her grandpa. She danced for him and he played with her new Dora doll.



FIL's primary reason for visiting was to meet Dylan, his 18th grandchild.



They look alike, non?

Teething problems

I realised just this morning why Dylan has been slightly grumpy. He is teething. His first tooth has just seen the light of day. At 2.5 months. This is proving to be more of a challenge as most teething gels are not meant for babies under 3 months. The back-up of mushy frozen bananas in a mesh feeder method is also not recommended for babies under 4 months. Sash only started teething at 6 months so we are at a loss. I hope he gets over this grumpiness by next week because the LAST thing I need is a teething baby on a flight to Sydney.

My brother in law and my niece is flying in tonight for a weekend visit. My Father in law arrives tomorrow. A bit of room juggling and I think we should have everyone comfortably off. I dropped Sasha off at her gym class and went to the local market to get Rotisserie chicken (to be reheated), a baguette (to also be reheated for a crispy crust), fresh corn (to be boiled for 3 minutes), and salad fixins (Doug can do that). Ooh, and a lemon sour cream pound cake that Sash chose for desert. I want to concentrate my efforts on catching up on family gossip, not cooking.

I have been watching American centric post-election programmes. I cried watching replays of the Martin Luther King I have a dream speech being compared to Obama's speech. Makes we wish I were African-American so I too could validly celebrate the beginning of a new era. Yes, the rest of the world rejoices in the change, but I think only African Americans are able to fully appreciate this momentous occasion in their history, their lives. While it was repeatedly said that racism had no play in the election, who are we kidding. It was "us" who had to win. "We" can do it. And they did. Good on them!

Gbye Halloween, Hellloooo Christmas!