Sea Shipment has arrived...

Thank goodness - our sea container arrived. We had the best crew to unload - they were the hardest workers I've ever had move me. They were Singaporeans but spoke Malay to one another. Some of them didn't speak English very well, but we got by. They were all BAREFOOT. None of them wore shoes all day. You can see in one of the pictures - they are all shoe-less. They were fantastic. And no major damages. The U.S. guys packed us up good and tight - just a couple of scuffs. It's been like night and day to have our own things here. It was like Christmas for the children - to see all of their toys and books and everything familiar has made such a huge difference.

The children and I ventured out on the subway last Saturday - or the MRT as it's called here. We rode it downtown to my orthodontist appointment (to get a new retainer - lame-o) and then to Wendy's - the only one in Singapore. The kids were thrilled with the chicken nuggets and fries - they were very much the same. But I was highly disappointed there was no junior bacon cheeseburger. I think it must be because there are so many Muslims here so they don't serve pork products or they wouldn't come to the restaurant. You'll notice on the MRT photo the kids are wearing little things around their necks - those are the subway passes - many children wear them so they can get on and off the MRT quickly. It's very efficient. Everything here is efficient - I guess with 5 million people on an island 14 by 25 efficiency is imminent.

Seth is starting to notice all the stares and smiles we get when we go out and it getting a little self conscious. Really, where are all the white people? I feel like the only ones. I keep reminding him that it's because he has yellow hair and blue eyes and they don't see people like that very often. But he will snuggle up to me and say, "mommy, they are staring at me." And I'll say, "it's because you're so cute". They have done very well being in public overall. Seth especially enjoys going to the bathroom in the "squatter stalls" as I call them. The stalls with the traditional Asian hole in the floor. It works fine for boys, but Maren is not allowed to try them.

We get a lot of scavengers through our garbage outside. The other day we put out our old computer monitor (like 10 years old) and desktop tower. Within 5 minutes there were people looking at it. I just happened to see the guy across the street come and take the tower and run back into his house. I had to laugh. But what made me laugh even harder was the tower was put back by our garbage the next morning. I guess he too realized our tower is not worth much here.

There is also an old woman who has a hand cart and comes around looking for recyclable materials. She goes through the garbage and takes cardboard and paper, ties them to her cart, and moves along. Then there is the guy who comes down our street every day in a little truck and honks his horn. He is also looking for recyclable material, but has a bigger capacity to carry things away. But my favorite person is Richard who calls me every morning on the phone to see what groceries I need that day. He delivers them the same day around 4:30 and bills me at the end of the month. Very nice. And Anna comes every Friday to clean my house and help me get things done. (sigh - this is the life)!!! And I also have a gas man who changes out my gas tank when it gets empty. Life is good in Singapore.