Time is Getting Away from Me

Wow - I've gone awhile without a post, but I have to admit time has gotten away from me this week. It seems I have been on the go all this week and I just looked up and it's Thursday already! Let's start from Richard getting home.

He got back late Sunday night from St. Petersburg. Russia. To the left is a picture of the Church of the Spilled Blood. It's a beautiful piece of architecture. He told me up until recently (within the past years) it had been used as a warehouse to store potatoes and onions. They have since worked to restore it to what it once was. He had some pictures of the interior too, and they are amazing! The tops of this church are what our friends who live there see out of their window every morning. What a view! He also brought back more nesting dolls! Sophia got a Snow White version and a Dora the Explorer one. I got one that is both wood burned and painted. It's a bit more crude than the two he's brought but also beautiful. My biggest surprise was Amber jewellery. I have always loved jewellery, but since we have been here I've started wearing a lot more and more often. I've really bugged for original amber, but it can get a bit pricey here. When we were in Spain, it was higher still. On that note - I figured - forget it, I'm not getting any. He's brought back a beautiful necklace and earrings. I just love these pieces. He still knows how to surprise me! Did I mention how much he loves St. Petersburg? I really think this is one of his favorite work places to go and go early to see the sights! One of these days, I'll get to go too.......I hope!

So Sunday was spent hanging around the house with Daddy! It is sooo great to have him home. We got up made pancakes and lounged around for most of the day. On to Monday (Onam - no school for Sophia)- I got ready for my TKD class, but it was cancelled due to lack of people and no keys for the loo and changing rooms. I then went into the city and met some friends for lunch. After lunch it was off to the Lufthansa office to check about upgrading some legs of our flight to San Diego in April for my sister's wedding. Luckily, this time, the office visit was quite painless and I got the information easily!

Tuesday -(still no school for Sophia - Raska Bandhan) I had a meeting with some ladies from OWC about the up coming ball. I think it will go well and we've got some things delegated to very capable ladies. Then I had a Marathon lunch with Danie and another friend Joanne. This is where I was taunted with a horrible looking picture of a spider! That's right - Me the arachnophobe - seeing this and then having the darn photo blown up and shown to me again so I can see the glowing eyes. Not good! You can read all about this spider on Danie's blog - www.EarthtoDanie.blogspot.com listed on the right hand column. I'm glad it was in her house and not mine! I then went home to Sophia and we had Mac and Cheese since Daddy had a business dinner.

Wednesday, took Sophia to school and picked up Julie for a coffee with a new ISE. We had all of the CAT ladies there and it was nice for her to see so many different levels of people here. Some new, some here starting their 3rd year. I think she got a good overview. When the poor woman asked what we do all day, I had to respond, "you're lookin' at it!" Half joking, Half not. It got a lot of good giggles and we did have fun. I then met friends for lunch and headed home.

Last night we had some horrible lightening/thunder. Somehow in the midst of it all - Sophia stayed asleep and out step up/step down power converter died along with a US power strip! This translates to no TV/DVD player in the living room. I will have to go out and see what I can find for a power converter here. We have a 1000KW one for the computer, but would like to have something bigger for the TV - the search is on!!! Wish me luck!

Itsy Bitsy Spider Day

The Itsy Bitsy Spider went up the waterspout! Thursday was Itsy Bitsy Spider day and Sophia got the be a spider for her class. Luckily, our neighbor had a spider costume from last year and she needed pink pants to dress her boy as a pig. We did a swap and Sophia had a great time! If you asked her if she was the Itsy Bitsy Spider, she quickly responded - "NO! I'm SPIDERMAN! -SHHHHHH (shooting her web)! She was quite proud and I had trouble getting her to relinquish the costume.

Friday I got her up and ready to go, got to school and then remembered - It's Varalakshmi Puja, no school. In fact - there's no school until Wednesday because of Onam and some other pujas that need to happen. As someone had told us, you may not get all of the holidays off you are familiar with, but it will more than be made up in other days!

We went home and got busy entertaining her with other things since she was really upset she didn't have school. Then I left for a going away luncheon for one of my friends. When we asked her what she was going to miss most - she wasn't sure, but Luncheons were at the top of her list!

I've had lots of great feedback about the Welcome Back Luncheon, so that is a big relief! I know someone said, It went well and I responded with, "well, they haven't fired me yet!" The also heard quickly from another lady responding - "and we're not about to!" I hope this is a good omen for the ball to come.

This morning I helped with auditions for a kid's theatre club - MADRAS Kids. We had about 36 kids to audition. I thought it would take all morning, but surprisingly, they did much better this year and it went quickly. After the auditions, I sang a song for them from Yeston's Phantom. They were impressed and had even invited the parents in to hear me. I had lots of questions asked afterwards including, how do you breathe? How do you sing that high? How long have you been singing? How old are you? And lots of questions of that sort. It was fun and they seemed to enjoy it. I had to also tell them when they asked that I had never really had a lead in any show. They were pretty floored, but I don't think they realize all the politics involved! They will eventually learn.

Tonight Richard comes home and I can't wait to see him. Sophia will probably be up very early as she and I have been counting nighttime sleeps until he comes home. Tonight is her last sleep and she's planning on jumping into the bed and saying hello. I'm sure morning will come way too early for him!

Our Tattoo Princess

Well - the insanity is over for me for a couple of days. I am the current president of the Overseas Women's Club here and we just had our first "big" event of the year. I tried to keep telling myself - I will be panicked beforehand and everything will go just fine. It did and now I can breathe. Only for a little while, we have the annual ball coming up in Oct. and this is the biggest fundraiser of the year - Let the meetings begin.

As for the past weekend - Rich left on Friday night for Russia and got there just fine. He has called a couple of times and it seems they are getting to do quite a bit of site seeing as well as work at the plant. It's always nice to visit a city when there are people you know living there. You really get the ins and outs this way. They had gone to one of the palaces that is out on an island. I'll have to apologize, I don't know the name of it, but I do know that it is basically their version of Martha's Vineyard. Tonight they are going to a blues club. Who would've thought that you could find one in St. Petersburg!

Yesterday we went to a birthday party for one of Sophia's friend Freddie. She had a great time playing with all of the other kids (it was in conjunction with the OWC playgroup) and also collection goodies from the pinata and singing happy birthday. What was really nice is that instead of bringing gifts. His mother asked we all bring some fruit. They then took this to The Cheshire Home which is right across the street. This is a home for developmentally and physically handicapped people (all ages) and fruit is quite a treat! It made us feel good to be doing something for others.

As you can see here - there was a lady doing "tattoos" with body paint. Our usually rambunctious daughter stood amazingly still while the lady painted not 1, not 2 but 4 designs on Sophia. She first had the one with the hearts down her arm. Then the flowers on the other. She went back and asked for more. The lady for lack of another place to put a picture painted earrings on her! Not only was there paint involved, but also Glitter. I spoke with the lady doing the work and found out she does this for all sorts of parties and is available if we were interested. Since Sophia had so much fun. I booked her for Sophia's birthday party. The lady told me she will need to bring 16 pots of pink paint just for Sophia! I guess she's got her figured out. After we got home - Sophia wasn't going to let me wash it off before bed, because Daddy didn't get to see it. I had already taken some pictures, but she wouldn't budge until I promised the lady would be at her birthday party and would paint more pictures then. I'm sure she's already planning in her mind how much pink she will get the lady to put on her!

Daddy's comment was - let's be glad she hasn't yet decided to make them permanent!

Long Time - No Post

I guess it's been too long since my last post - at least in my mind anyway. I really should try to post everyday even if there isn't much to say. I don't want anyone to think something bad has happened to us.

First and foremost we finally have our curtains up. They look fantastic! It's also so nice to have some form of privacy!

Curtains in the living room

Curtains in Sophia's Room

Blinds in our room

This has basically been the big excitement around the house.

Wednesday was Independence day here. We didn't do much of anything except go up to Sparky's for lunch and then picked up some DVD's for Richard to take to friends in Russia. When we asked which movies they wanted - he said ANYTHING!

Then yesterday as I was coming from TKD and trying to decide how to clean up and change as quickly as possible for a lunch date with the American Consulate Community Liaison Officer, my phone rings. It's the A/C servicemen. They are going to come today no later than 11:30am to clean the a/c's. I figure fine - my maid will be there. Shock of all shocks, they show up at 11:15. (Amazing, I know). They start to work on the A/C units first in our room. after they move to work on the other units, I take a really quick shower. As I'm finishing getting ready, the doorbell rings. Josephine comes up to inform me it's the guy from the curtain place to collect on the bill. My reply was, "well of course it is." I told her he could wait for 5 minutes while I finished getting ready. I come down, pay him and we're off to the luncheon.

Sophia had fun playing with someonelse's toys and was so well behaved at the lunch. Then it was off to meet a new OWC member at the Park Sheraton. She was so well behaved. I have to say she certainly is growing up. She waited to be excused to the bathroom before she threw a temper tantrum. I guess this is somewhat of a start!

Richard leaves for Russia tonight and he will be gone for a week. I know he has a wonderful time there, but we sure miss him!

UNIFORMS!!!!!!

Guess what. On Monday I let the Uniform thing go. I didn't ask the administrator anything. On Tuesday, I approached the desk to ask, and he immediately replied, "The uniforms have come. I have put 2 size fours in my office for you." Knowing full well if I asked to get them right away, I would be told to wait and pick them up Saturday. We come to Wednesday, "Madam Thompson - please come, we have your uniforms." I thanked the administrator, gladly paid my Rs.500 for the two uniforms and was on my way. Thursday - Sophia was in a nice clean uniform - HURRAH!

What's been so upsetting about the whole ordeal is you shouldn't have to berate people in order to get anything accomplished. I actually had an Indian mother tell me that this is the only way you can get any action. Unfortunate, but true. It frustrates me that if you are nice to someone, staff, school administration, they take advantage of you. If you act like a raving lunatic, they do what they should. (By the way - this is an Indian run school and claims to be International only because they teach in English).

Today after my OWC executive meeting, I had to go to Immigration. If you recall, they had somehow mysteriously lost my letter, but had Rich's. Strange, but true. (After reading about my other trials, this should come as no shock to you!). I had a visa that expired on Sept. 8. If it didn't get renewed, I wouldn't be able to get back into the country if I left. Since we have booked our next trip to the Maldives (oh yeah!) at the end of Sept. this could cause troubles. Luckily - today was my day to go. The office where they actually process/stamp/sign your documents is very small and not well ventilated. When filled with people, it just gets worse. About 1 hour after waiting, I had my Visa extension in hand. I'm now good to go until June 8, 2008. Then we get to do this ALL OVER AGAIN. Part of the joys of expat life.

I've started back to my Tae Kwan Do classes yesterday and Rich would tell you it's none too soon! Apparently - it's obvious it's my stress relief. I got to start In Wah 1 - purple belt. No more Songahms. I only have a few more belts before I get to red when things start to slow down and take longer. From here I go to blue, then Brown then Red. After a year or so at Red, it's on to Red/Black and then Black recommended and so forth. Long process but one I'm willing to follow. Finding an ATA class here has been great!

Other than that, it's business as usual here. I hope everything is well with you too.

Administration Woes

Where to begin? Yesterday morning was not my morning, and at the rate we were going, the afternoon didn't look good either. Things were humming along fine until I went to Sophia's school to pick up her uniform and shoes.

Let me set the stage on the uniform saga. I went on June 8, as requested to get the shoes we had to order in April and her uniform. When I got there, there were no small sizes available. I told them I needed a 3 or 4 and they kept offering 5 or 6 madam? This is a behavior that really irritates me. If they don't have what you are asking for, they keep offering the next size up or something else they have that isn't even related. Frustrated I saw Sophia's teacher from last year who was handling uniform orders. I ordered 2 size 4 uniforms and asked who her teacher would be. I got giggles, head wobbling and, I can't say. As if it's some big secret. I told her I want to know who it is and who her classmates are so I can talk to her about what's going to happen. I get she'll find out on the 15th. I told her I hope it's the 14th because that's when school starts! She suggested I talk with the administrator.

I go to the office and state It's unbelievable to have 4 sections of playschool and 4 - 5 sections of nursery students and not have enough small size uniforms ordered to meet needs. When I ask who her teacher is - he asks 'Have you paid your fees and can I see your receipt?" As if I carry that around with me in case of emergencies. I told him I came in on May 10th as you had informed all parents this was the compulsory day to pay fees and I in fact sat in front of him and paid him directly. (Anger is now bubbling) When I asked who her teacher is, he went to get the principal. I then lay into her as to why I'm not happy and she says she cannot say who the teacher is as they have not yet finished putting students into class groups as enrollment is an on-going thing. Get this - School starts in 6 days and they don't have class lists or enough required uniforms. I get really indignant and tell them this is exactly why more ex-patriots do not attend this school and will pay USD 18,000 to send their pre schooler to the American school. She told me to call on Saturday and she would tell me her teacher then, would that make me happy? I said no, it wouldn't and I needed to leave before I really got angry. Oh yeah, and the shoes would be there the first Saturday after school started.

Anyway - Eventually I got the timings (which we were told several different things) and her teacher sorted out. I go to get the shoes on the "compulsary" day. I take "Sir" (Richard) with me because I already know this is going to be bad. It's also the last Sat. we are in town before we went on home leave. We get there and you guessed it "NO SHOES" they will be in next Sat along with the uniforms we were promised for that day. Mayham ensues. The assistant principal comes in and Sir talks to her. After much discussion, mostly us being angry at the lack of communication and wasted time, she promises us she will set aside both pairs of shoes (size 6 & 7) and 2 size four uniforms. They will be here when we get back from home leave.

Now - keep in mind we are only able to purchase the uniforms on Saturdays between 9 and 12. And Sophia was sick the first Sat. we were back and I wasn't up to par the 2nd one. So now we are to yesterday and I go to get her shoes and uniform.

I go down to the uniform piles and ask the people there - I was to have 2 size 4 uniforms set aside for Sophia Thompson. They look at me and say - no small sizes. I start looking in the boxes for a size 4. They say - here 6. I said "no 4 and hold up four fingers" They say - Here 8. I say "NO FOUR "- and hold up 4 fingers again. Then I get, "here - 5". No I'm getting ticked off. I just say I'm going to the office and will discuss it there. And Add - "Now why would I take a 5 when I specifically asked for a size 4?" I go to the office and tell the girl there how there were to be 2 size 4 girls uniforms set aside for Sophia. She looks at me and says, "Why are you just coming now?" I stopped and didn't say anything. They said "madam?" I replied, "you need to give me a minute to count to 10 and calm myself down before I explode." I explain the whole home leave situation and illness thing to her along with the promise from the asst. principal. I then tell them - you have sold my uniforms. She takes me down to where the uniforms are.

As we are slowly, and I mean Slowly walking down to where they are, she is speaking in Tamil with some of the maids who are giggling and head bobbling (sizes hehehe). I stop and say, "Don't talk about me in Tamil in front of me." She stops, "madam?" I said I know enough to know when I'm being talked about and I don't appreciate it. We get down there and we again go through - here's a 5. This infuriates me. She said we have no small sizes as they have not yet come from Mumbai. Take the 5 or 6. I then blow up and call her dishonest and a bald faced liar. I know a shipment has come in because children my daughter's size are in them and they are not from last year's stock as one of the children I know of wasn't here when they were sold. You have sold my uniforms.

On to the shoe stand - they first have us appearing as if we have already gotten the shoe. Mistake 1. Then they get the 7's and wander around like the three stooges for the next 5 minutes. No size 6. Even though we ordered them in April and were told in April they would get them. They finally say - they don't make this shoe in a toddler size 6. (Information that would 've been good to have in, oh, I don't know, APRIL!) I grab the shoes and storm to the administrator's office. I don't wait for the girl as she creeps around at a snail's pace (because she know's I've caught her in a lie).

With the administrator I go back over the situation and the promises that were made. I then asked did you or did you not already receive 1 shipment of uniforms in small sizes already. He said yes we did. I told him his girl lied about this and said they have not yet received any. I also told him I'm sick of being told things and by the Asst. Principal none the less only to find out they are lies. No one communicates and also I don't appreciate being talked about in front of me in another language. I said, I may not speak Tamil, but I know enough to know when people are talking about me. He said not to go to anyone else. He would handle this personally and with in 7-10 days I'd have my uniforms. I'm thinking I'm going to go to the Asst. Principal anyway to discuss the lies I got from her.

I ask him how much for the shoes. He said I needed to go down and pay the shoe guy (Again information that should've been shared oh, at the shoe stand?). He says Rs.250. I said when I ordered them they said Rs.178. After some conferring - they say ok Rs.185 (Which is the price stamped, stamped I say, into the shoe.) I leave quite aggrivated knowing that when I get home Josephine has made our favorite coconut rice and cinnamon beef curry.

You would think this ended my bad morning. Oh no such luck. While Rich and I were on our way into the city, I get a call from my consultant doing my curtains. There seemed to be some issue with the tailoring place and I needed to stop in and give some prepayment before they would deliver all of my curtains and blinds on Monday morning. I get there and they said, yes here are the curtains. I said "I don't want to take them with me. I was told there was an issue." He said yes, madam wants Rs.10,000 in advance payment. Keep in mind I have never received a proforma invoice for the stitching and had never been asked for a partial advance payment. He then says everything is finished but the Master Bedroom blinds. They would start these on Monday. This is they day they were all to be delivered. We decide to give then Rs.5,000 and tell them to deliver all of the curtains together at which time they will receive the balance of funds. Now they are supposed to come hang them Tuesday morning. We'll wait and see.

The saving grace of the day was going to dinner at a friends house. Lovely steaks, salads, coffee, liquor, desserts, converstation and time with the doggie. Need I say more? I was a great way to wind up what otherwise could've been a horrible day!

Stay posted for the continuing saga of ----THE UNIFORMS THAT NEVER WERE!

Rainy Days and Mondays

You know, it's like the Carpenter's song - Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down. Ok. it's Friday and I'm dating myself with the song reference, but the rain is getting to me. Don't get me wrong, we need the rain, it's just some blue sky would be nice.

Everyone in this house is healthy as of today. However, today when we got to school a little boy was sitting there and vomiting. His mother said it was because he gets car sick. He looked pretty lethargic and every other morning it's fine, so I think he may have what is going around. Boy won't it be fun to go through that again. Luckily, he's a year older than Sophia and not in her class!

Sophia is loving school and spending time with her friends. Her teacher this year is Divya. She's young and is very cheerful and energetic. Sophia seems to really like her. They are working on drawing straight lines and she practices this at home. Last night, she drew a smiley face all by herself. She was so proud and we were so excited!

The American School opens again Monday - so this means a lot of people are just getting back into town. It'll be nice to see some old friends and get back to Tae Kwan Do! I can tell I haven't been moving around as much and need the tension release it provides. I'll be at purple belt and I plan to get to brown this year. (Maybe red, but that's pretty ambitious!) I'll just have to see where time takes me.

Doing Better

Let's see - I believe I'm back to 100%. Ok, maybe not 100% but doing much better. Thank Goodness that I didn't have it hang on as long as poor Sophia. Now I'm just tired. I guess one of the joys of Tropical Living is tropical illnesses! The best thing I have found to do is refer to your maid or other staff that have lived here all their lives. They usually have the best advice for how to handle things.

Since we are coming into monsoon season (it's early this year if you ask me), we are having quite a bit of rain. Fortunately most of it has fallen during the night and we just wake up to a wet and very green garden. However, yesterday it rained all morning. This put a damper on the coffee I was hosting for someone looking to move to Chennai! First off, it took me 1 1/2hrs to go a distance that usually takes me 30-40min. Oh yeah. Rain does delay things that much! Most of the people here ride motorcycles. They are all trying to dodge the puddles along with all the cars, buses, trucks, and autorickshaws on the road. Let's not forget to mention all of the people walking around. It makes for very interesting travelling. Thank Goodness for iPods! This has been a savior in bogged down traffic.

Because I had to be in the city with the driver, I arranged for an Autorickshaw to take our maid to Sophia's school to pick her up. Sophia had a ball riding in it. She told me they bump, bump, bumped on the road, and Auntie held her tight so she wouldn't fall out. I think we may end up having to take her again.

The big fun now is trying to decide where to go for our next R & R trip. It has been up in the air since we don't know what we want to do. We've narrowed down to going up north to Agra and seeing the Taj Mahal and other palaces or going to the Maldives and relaxing on a beach in our own bungalow. I think the beach and relaxing with doing not much of anything is winning out!

End of the month here also brings salary time for me. This involves getting the salaries together for our maid, gardeners and pool guy. This also brings about - I have been here 1 year so do I get a raise. Hadn't thought about all of that, but to be fair, we get yearly raises therefore so should they. My maid was happy with the increase Rich and I decided on so, I guess we get her for 1 more year. (Thank Goodness!) I don't think she'd go too far though - she is very attached to Sophia and is already saying she wants to come back to the US with us. When we go - this could get interesting, but that is a post for a whole other day and time!