Recap of the past two weeks

OK.. The first post here will be to catch everyone up as to what has been happening up to this point.

Sunday, August 6, 2006: We leave Houston for Singapore. Flight was delayed and they had our seats scattered all about the plane. It took the lady at the gate counter about 1-1/2 hours but she got our seats all together. Mental note to self: Asian people are strange none of them wanted to move so we could sit together. We missed our connecting flight from Tokyo to Singapore. We were told in Houston that we would be on the Nippon flight that would arrive in S'pore at 1:20AM (Tuesday - you loose a day traveling to S'pore). So I got this message to my mom and dad who were going to meet us at the airport just to say hi! Anyway, when we got to Tokyo they put us on a JAL flight that arrived in S'pore at 12 midnight. When we got there the driver that was supposed to have our temp. apartment key and Rob's cell phone was nowhere to be found. I couldn't reach my parents so we hung around the airport so we could see them. We got a taxi van to the apartment. There wasn't anyone at the gate to let us in. It's now 2:15AM. Luckily we knew the apartment number of Neil & Zoe (Rob's co-worker and his wife) so we rang them. They let us in the gate. We camped out with them for the evening. It was 4AM before we went to bed.

Tuesday, August 8th, 2006: We get up to take Avery to her new student/parent orientation at her school. That all went well. We were really tired but felt especially bad for Avery because she had to take a placement test for math. She did fine on the test. Afterwards they served lunch in the library and we had the chance to meet some other kids and their parents.

Wednesday, August 9th, 2006: Is National Day (kinda like our Independence Day). It's a holiday in Singapore. The stores are open - they are always open in S'pore. We did some shopping. Our temp. apartment has 3 towels, 2 glasses, no washcloths, no dish towels, no cooking utensils. That evening we went to my parents for a B-B-Q. They invited some of their friends and co-workers of my dads. It was a great evening except Avery got sick and spent the evening upstairs in my parents apartment. Mom fixed brisket, chicken, corn and potato salad. We had beer, wine and margaritas...just like home.

Thursdy, August 10th, 2006: We go apartment hunting. We needed to get all of that taken care of while Rob was still in S'pore. Normally it is a long drawn out process. You have to have an Employment Pass before you can rent an apartment, get utilities, open a bank account, ect. Noble made arrangements for Jurong Shipyard to sponsor us for our apartments so we didn't have to wait on the EP. We looked at several places and decided on a unit at Maplewoods Condos. We got the paperwork started. It was very stressful as Noble did not have the funds in place so we had to turn all the paperwork in first then they released the funds. It took until the first part of the following week to get it all taken care of.

Friday, August 11th, 2006: My first day at work. Didn't do too much as my boxes of office stuff and my PC hadn't been delivered to the office yet. It did arrive after lunch but I didn't have anyway to plug it in. So I mainly visited with my two co-workers, Larry and Chris, the Project Manager and Project Administrator. After work that day Rob and Avery came by and picked me up in a cab and we went and checked out Avery's new gym. For dinner we went to Newton Circus. All hawker stands, and overpriced. The food was good though. I had Chili Crab, Avery had Shrimp Fried Rice and Rob had Broiled Prawns and then he had Grilled Stingray.

Saturday, August 12th, 2006: That morning was New Student Orientation for Avery. She got her schedule and was able to locate all her classes and meet her teachers. Afterwards we took Avery to gym then Rob and I went and looked at furniture to lease. We picked out most of what we wanted and thought we would go to Ikea and look as well. We had dinner that night with Neil and Zoe at Clarke Quay. There is a Mexican food place there called the Blue Iguana or something like that.

Sunday, August 13th, 2006: We got up that morning and went to Ikea with Avery. We picked out a bed for the guest room. Avery decided she wanted her bed from home so we will ship it with the rest of our stuff. That evening we went out to eat for my mom's birthday at a really nice restaurant. It's hidden back in the trees along with several other restaurants. You would never have known they were there. The place we ate at was Mexican food (you'll begin to see a pattern here). There was also a wine & tapas place, an Italian restaurant, and some others. I definately want to go back there.

Monday, August 14th, 2006: Avery's first day of school. I rode with her to school in a cab. The ride to the office afterwards took forever, the traffic was bad. Work was fine. I had my computer so I was actually able to get some stuff done. Rob rode in a cab and picked Avery up from school. She had a good day at school and made some new friends. After work we went and looked a one of my dad's friends apartment in the same complex as where we were looking. His rent was a lot cheaper so we wanted to make sure we weren't being ripped off. His was slightly smaller. I'm sure if we were able to work our own deal we could have gotten it slightly cheaper but we had to use this guy Noble had contacted to use. I bet someone is getting some $$ for it.

Tuesday, August 15th, 2006: Rob rode with Avery to school and I went straight to the office. At the office I spent some time getting drawings off of the server back in Houston since it was so slow to work on them over the network. Avery rode in the cab home by herself from school. After work we went shopping for items we need for the new apartment. As bad as the temp. apartment was, at least it had sheets, plates, pots, pans, etc. I hated to spend a lot of money on stuff because Rob is going to ship household items over once he gets back.
Wednesday, August 16th, 2006: Avery rode to school by herself in a cab! We are making progress. It's just much safer here than back home. The cab driver told us that kids as young as 7 or 8 ride by themselves. After work, more shopping for the new apartment. We had this stuff set up to be delivered the next day as we got the key today.
Thursday, August 17th, 2006: Avery and I went to school and work. Rob had a busy day ahead. He had to go to the new apartment at 9AM to make arrangements for the temp. furniture to be delivered. He had to go back to the temp. apartment and bring all of our stuff down from the 4th floor by stair (no elevator). Each of our suitcases weighed about 70 lbs., plus all the stuff we had bought already. He called a guy with a van to move it all over to the new apartment. Then the TV was delivered, then that evening the stuff we bought the night before was delivered. First night in the new place! Much nicer than the temp. apartment.

Friday, August 18th, 2006: Avery and I get up extra early. Rob set the alarm clock 1 hour early by mistake. So, she and I walk down to the McDonald's on the corner for breakfast. We each go to school and work. We had deliveries scheduled from Ikea today. For dinner we went out to eat Mexican food with Larry and his family, Chris and his family, Ron Davis and his daughter Hannah, my mom, Neil, Zoe and their kids. The food was good and the margaritas were even better.

Saturday, August 19th, 2006: Avery and I walk down to the shopping center/mall. We get some clothes hangers and lots of other things. Our fingers are about to fall off as we walk back. That's one thing that is different about shopping in S'pore. You can't just pull up in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart, load up your basket, pile it all in your car/truck, drive home, park in your drive way and bring it all in. You learn not to buy more than you can easily carry (I just haven't figured out how much that is yet) because getting it home always involves a taxi and stairs. Anyway we quickly learn we didn't buy enough hangers. I still have one suit case overflowing with clothes that need to be hung up. Later that evening I have to start packing for my trip to our rig the Jack Bates. That night we had dinner with my mom and dad a little hawker stand down the road and they got to see our apartment.

Sunday, August 20th, 2006: 6AM came way too soon. I had to get up and be downstairs at 7AM to catch a taxi for the airport. I had to say bye to Rob as he was leaving Monday to head back to Houston. I gave Avery a kiss and told her bye and headed downstairs. I also think I lost my new sunglasses!!! I caught a plane to Perth where I spent the night. Talked to Rob and Avery that night on the phone. Rob was getting ready to head home.

Monday, August 21st, 2006: 3AM came even earlier than 6AM the day before. I had to check out of the hotel by 4AM to get a cab to the airport to catch a 6:30 flight to Barrow Island where I caught the helicopter to the rig.
Well, the rest of the week this is where I have been. It's now Thursday evening. I get off the rig tomorrow and fly back to Singapore on Saturday. I am anxious to get back. I really hope I find my sunglasses!!! I've figured out how to use the phone on the rig and have been able to talk to Rob and Avery a few times. Well, I think I've got y'all caught up to now. I'll keep this thing updated so check back when you can and let us know what's going on with you. (Danann, this was your idea so you better be readin' :-p )