Weekend update

We have finished our first full work/school week and I can say that we are all happy for the weekend. Dannette seems to be getting involved at school quickly and has joined the basketball team. We all got a good laugh when she came home and told us that she didn't need to try out for the team as it's an American sport......thus as she is American it's assumed she can play (clearly they have never met me or any other equally unathletic American or they would never presume athletic prowess again!) Most excitedly, their basketball coach informed them that he is trying to arrange them to play in a tournament in Bangkok!!!!

 I continue to get used to my new role at work. I am still receiving training so although I am not doing a whole lot yet I am learning quite a bit.  This week, a colleague from Australia will be in to do some training with me so that should be enjoyable. I also collected my official Employment Pass and John and the girls Dependent Passes this week.  This now allows us to start setting up utility accounts etc once we have permanent housing. More importantly, it allowed us to get local handphones (cell phones to us Americans) for John and Dannette this weekend.  My local Blackberry is being arranged by work and I expect to receive it shortly.

Today we took Halie to her 9 month doctors appointment.  She is healthy and received only one shot.  She continues to be a little peanut having grown only 2 ounces since her 6 month appt.  The pediatrician was fantastic and very thorough.  The medical office that we take the girls to specializes in expatriate families so they are well versed on the various vaccination schedules by country.

Tomorrow we are planning a trip for the day to the Singapore Zoo.  We are all looking forward to this as it is supposed to be one of the best in the world.  Their claim to fame is the free range orangutans and theirs wide open approach to zoo life.  They use natural boundaries like large drop offs, waterfalls and landscaping to keep the animals contained in their area but refrain from the use of fences and cages.  Disney actually replicates this style of animal containment in Animal Kingdom if any of you have experienced that. I am sure we will have lots of pictures for you all to enjoy from that.

In other news.......busing is no longer such a big obstacle as the bus company was able to arrange pick up in the morning leaving us only the afternoon to worry about.  This also has been solved as we are very proud to say that on Friday Dannette successfully negotiated the whole way home from her school to our temporary apartment ALL BY HERSELF!  This is no small feat to perfect in the course of four days as it requires a walk from the school to a city bus stop and then taking two MRT (subway lines) to eventually end up where we are staying.  Here is a pic of her that I took when I escorted her home from school on Thursday.

In housing news, we lost the unit on the 33 floor that we were waiting on. In the end the landlord would not provide the document my company insists on that proves the owner has the legal ownership to rent the place out without the deposit and the company would not provide the deposit without it.  After two weeks of no one budging the deal fell apart. This left us out house hunting again Thursday afternoon.  Fingers crossed, we found another unit with the identical floor plan on the 32nd floor. Thing appear to already be moving better as by the end of the day Friday the company was already in possession of the document that never appeared on the other unit.  We still have no idea when this means we will be able to move in but any progress is good at this point!

Well good night to all, enjoy your Saturday!