March and April 2012

I know it's been a while since I've posted.  But here are the past few months in pictures. 

Ernie and I attended a couple of carpet auctions here in March.  The first one was an Exxon Mobil Expat sponsored one.  Of course, I couldn't get the ones that I wanted because certain people were there and took all the big ones immediately.  We decided about half way through we would go down to Chili's and eat dinner.  When we got back, there were only 15 left to auction.  Finally about the 5th one, I saw something that I liked.  I yelled out $600 as we were standing in the back.  To my surprise, no one else offered and I got it.  It's about 6 feet by 3 feet.  It's from India and it sits in front of our bed.  If you turn it around, you get lighter colors.  Carpet auctions are fun now. 

We went to another auction by the same guy that he held personally in the same place.  There were no more than 15 people there, so we had a chance to come home with a big carpet.  Well we came home with 2 large carpets, a medium size one and a large runner. We still want a large blue and red one and a very special Nain rug, but that will have to wait until the fall auction.  I'm no longer afraid to yell out a price though.  It's quite fun to go an auction.

Not a great picture, but it shows you how many we bought



Moving on through the month, Elliott and I went to Australia to see Melanie Leary Hughes and her family.  We did some shopping as they left my luggage in Singapore.  Went on a tour of the Great Ocean Road (It's a Sight to See ), The Melbourne Gaol and Healsville Sanctuary where we saw dingos, koalas and kangaroos. 

Small Town on Great Ocean Road

Bird Eating out of My Hand on side of the road

Koala in the tree on side of the road

Twelve Apostles on the Ocean Road

Great Example of Weathering and Erosion of limestone

Beautiful !!

Old Melbourne Gaol (Jail)

Gallows where they hung Ned Kelly and several others

Gaol Yard

A Dingo's Got My Baby !! at Healsville Sanctuary

Isn't he cute ?

Tasmanian Devil

Feeding the Kangaroos

Yum !!

Sleeping the Day Away

Great Vacation !!  On to April.  Ernie and I found a new restaurant not to far from here.  It's on top of a hill over looking the Turf Club (Race Horses).  Really great Salmon and Mac and Cheese.  We got to watch some people learning to ride horses near by. 

Singapore Turf Club

Kelsey Andrews came to visit from Germany.  We packed more in 7 days that I ever thought we could do.  We went to some new places also. 

Looking at Marina Bay Sands with Merlion in the foreground

Jennifer Reeves made me this after she found out that I missed
"The Cake Lady"  It was yummy !!

Having a real Singapore Sling at the Raffles Hotel Long Bar

Hiking on Mt. Fabar

Saw this building from Mt. Fabar.  Next Quest is to go to the top !!

For only 250 SGD Originally 700SGD and they threw in the stools !!

Finally got a kitchen island !!  I have been waiting since October.  IKEA stopped making them so I was about to have one made and this one came up for sale on our Woodlands Yahoo Site. I was so excited that I had a hard time pushing the send button to say that I wanted it.  My friend Kate was trying to call me about it at the same time that I was talking to the owner about it.  She was excited as I was.  I guess good things are always worth waiting for.

We celebrated Elliott's 17th birthday with a cherry cream cheese pie.  We only put on 7 candles so the cream cheese wouldn't melt. 

Happy 17th !!

Hopefully I won't take as long to post.  It's nearly summer and I'll be home June 15-August 7.  Lots of time to see all the friends that I miss and eat all the foods that I miss as well.  In a week and a half,  Kris Penniall and I will be heading to Tokyo, Japan to see another expat wife from the Clear Lake Area.  I'll try and take lots of pictures.

This week is loaded with school stuff.  Honor Roll luncheons, scrapbooking, studying for AP test, Senior/Junior Prom, Studying for SAT and all the usual stuff. 

See you soon !!

Trece