The scourges of Spring

After expounding on all my loves of Spring . . .

Life is wonderful . . . Blah, blah, blah

I walk out to this!

This is ONE of the scourges of Spring!

POLLEN!!!

Here in Texas - it is insidious!

It coats everything with this chartreuse, mustard colour. It covers your newly planted herbs, your car, your hair, EVERYTHING!!!

This is my threshold 

Though WIttyGirl's toe prints are cute, the pollen is gross and tracks into my house!!!

It doesn't help to leave your shoes outside (Singapore style) because . . . 

Look how gross!!!

Would you want to put your clean feet into these???? (Incidentally, these are TechSavvySon's shoes and NOT mine - Just thought you should know!)

So this POLLEN . .  . will get in my house and body!

My eyes feel heavy and I want to scratch them out!!!!

AHHHHH!!!!

RAIN is the only cure for this malady!  However, I don't want it to rain because I just saw the sun after what seems like years!

This DOES NOT OCCUR in Singapore - probably because of the daily torrential downpour! There are plenty of flowers in Singapore - so I know there is pollen - maybe all the bugs take care of it!


The second scourge of Spring is its fickle habit of reverting back to winter temperatures. This is, of course, after you have bought your cute new outfit or packed away your winter clothes or assumed that had to be the last freeze and just planted your veggies!

I saw my breath as I walked the kids to the bus stop!!!! My nose turned red and my chin felt numb!!! And NO, it was not the pollen - It was the just above freezing temperature.

Don't get me wrong - I'm still loving Spring.

Just pollen & temperatures threw my perspective back in to balance.

Every season has its pluses and minuses!

For the love of Target!

Target

The store American Expat women long for. . .

I know that non-Americans and men in general, do not understand the lure of Target!
Target is a few steps above Walmart, but has nicer things, in nicer displays, with a slightly better quality product at only a slightly higher price, but still cheaper than a department store. 

It lures you in . . . with that Red bullseye dot that announces, "What you seek can be found inside!"

Come in. . .

To top it off - they now put a Starbuck's right inside the Target stores to keep you there 

looking. . .

browsing. . .

Before you know it you have spent half the morning in the the store and still haven't been through the whole store!

This is fine if you are an expat visiting the USA on holiday because really, is there anything else you want to do? Plus, you have what seems like all the time in the world to read all the Shampoo bottles and determine which one will best defend against the inevitable frizz that occurs in Singapore or summertime in Houston.

As a repatriate, you have lost this "free time"!  You are supposed to get in and get out, but . . .

OH . . .LOOK . . .

They have put out Easter towels . . . I wonder - Have they put out new spring dishes ? ? ?

Let's go see . . .

Yea! Look at all the lovely bright, fresh colours . . .

OH. . . LOOK. . .

Easter Candy & chocolate . . .

And that is how it happens!

You just spent the whole morning in Target when you had a TON of other stuff you should be doing!

Europe and Asia do not have TARGET stores!

Or anything close!

Now - Australia has Target stores.

But lo,and behold! (I crack myself up)

These are NOT the same.  You have to go to an American Target Store to have the true shopping experience!

Singapore will NEVER have a Target because somehow they would turn the $7.99 cute Mossimo blouse made in Indonesia (right next door) into a $70.00 outrage that they then, would reduce to a promotion for $50.00!!!!!

They just wouldn't get the "beauty" that is Target!

Sadly, over the Christmas holiday season - Target let its consumers down by exposing them to hackers!!!!
Hopefully, by now, all is well with both consumer and company.  Lots of expat consumers are coming for the summer holiday and they NEED to able to shop with assurance and safety!!!

I've blogged about Target today because I'm headed there shortly.  

TSS- TechSavvySon informed me this morning, as he was headed to the bus
stop, that he has a Science project due tomorrow that involves creating a model of a body organ!
This is why Target was created!  This is also why expat mothers of teenage boys long for Target!

"How long ago was this project assigned?", I asked.
TSS replied, "I dunno. Couple weeks." 
I stated, "If you had let me know this weekend, I could have gotten your supplies sooner to give more time actually DO a GOOD job!"
TEENAGE BOY BRAIN SYNDROME

I could not have found all the supplies needed with such sort notice in Singapore because I'd have to call a taxi(hope it comes on time), go to several different places to pick up the different items, all at astronomical prices and hope to make it home, walking the half mile from the MRT before the afternoon torrential downpour that would render all the supplies useless, if I got caught in it!

THANK GOD FOR TARGET!

Please God, work on a cure for  TEENAGE BOY BRAIN SYNDROME so I don't pull all my hair out in exasperation!

Well - I'm off to Target. . .

I'll try not to spend ALL morning there, but . . . 

They just put out some Gardening stuff . . .

Hmm, I just might need to take a look. . .

I'm thirsty - - -

Oh - There's Starbuck's!!!

First Spring in Four Years

This is our first Spring in four years.

The official first day of Spring for 2014 was Saturday, March 22!

There are no seasons in the equatorial country of Singapore!

It does, sort of, turn from REALLY HOT & HUMID to tolerable hot & humid depending on the monsoon.  This does NOT compare to the actual Spring season.

We did visit Spring in New Zealand and again in China on holiday.

THIS, however, is NOT the same as experiencing Spring after enduring Winter.

I grew up in south Florida.  You don't really experience Spring there either.  They have Summer and the Cooler season.  Native Floridians think 69 degrees is freezing!  They actually break out their heavy coats!

Singapore has never recorded a temperature below 70 degrees Fahrenheit!

On Pioneer Woman's blog the other day she was running a contest based off of one's response to "What they love about Spring".

I kept nodding my head at several of the loves.

For now, my computer sits on a counter in my breakfast room.  I look out a huge window at a hickory tree.  Throughout the winter, I hung a suet feeder in the hopes of birds visiting.  They came - although it was usually a pair of "Flickers" (a type of woodpecker) - they usually ate the bugs that were feeding on the suet.  At the beginning of March, I hung two seed feeders in the hopes of more birds.  I was so excited to get so many that they have eaten through a whole bag of seed!
I now have to keep a bird book so I can identify all the different birds.  It gives me a huge thrill.

I have waxwings, tree warblers, chickadees, blue birds, cardinals , titmouses, and lots of wren and finch like birds.  They make me smile!

The hickory tree now has buds on it!

Over Spring Break, my daughter and I drove over to Louisiana to meet my husband (Engineer Extraordinaire) and son(TechSavvySon- TSS), at my in-laws house.  On the way over - NOTHING had turned green yet.  I pointed out the redbud trees to my daughter.  I explained they are one of the first signs of Spring.
She rolled her eyes! (Yes - she's part of this clan)
Then, she asked why they are called redbuds, if they are pink.  I smiled because I remember having this same question when I was her age.
I really don't know why they are called redbuds . . .

So we drive some more. . .

We come across some beautiful pear trees that are in full bloom.  They look like big white puffy clouds on a stalk.
"Aren't they beautiful?", I ask my daughter.
"What, the blue bloomers?" she replies.
I roll my eyes!!!
She says, "If you can call the pink trees, red, then I can call the white trees, blue!" - HA!

She has such a delightful sense of humour!

She earned the name WIttyGirl for this blog site until she comes up with a better name.

So this was the joke the rest of the way to my in-laws.

Five days later - we head back to Texas and "lo, and behold" (I like this term) - It is starting to turn green in some of the trees.  I love that Spring green colour!

So My favourite things of Spring are:

A variety of birds at the feeder

Red bud trees and tulip magnolias in bloom

Crisp, fresh mornings that turn into sunny skies!

Geraniums!  Love the geraniums.

Birds at my feeder

Planting herbs and flowers (I hope I won't kill them)

STOP & LOOK for your loves of Spring today and be thankful for another season!

Demolition vs. Construction

So  we live in a new subdivision out here on the edge of Suburbia . . .

Lots of new construction . . .

I was dutifully sitting down to blog early last week, just after putting WittyGirl (my daughter) on the bus, when Mexican music came blaring through the window I had left open to take in the Spring fresh air!

Incidentally, WittyGirl is a tween in middle school so I cherish & treasure every day that she lets me walk her to the bus - I know this is short-lived and this time is precious!!!!

I digress . . . 

Back to the Mexican music . . .

There is an empty lot behind us that someone has finally decided to build on.  The framers like to play their music LOUD!

At first, I was annoyed as I could no longer hear my song birds and I could no longer concentrate on my all important blog!

The music is catchy and sort of, puts you in a rhythm of floating from one task to another.

I swept, did the dishes and laundry all to a swinging, dipping, twirling step.

I watched the framers to see if they also dipped & twirled . . .

NO - but they do have a rhythm to hammering which I attribute to the music.

It put me in a good mood!  I sort of felt transported to Epcot center.

I thought of Singapore and frowned!

I decided construction is SO MUCH better than demolition.

For those of you who have lived in Singapore, you know their love affair with REMODELING.  

REMODEL became a four letter word in my book while living in Singapore.

Most Singaporean homes are either condos or semi-detached terraced homes (they share a wall w/another unit).  Only the really wealthy live in a free-standing home on land. 

We lived in a condo.

There is no such thing as drywall in Singapore!  You have to have a special drill to drill into the concrete walls to hang pictures.  Incidentally, this greatly disturbs the Engineer extraordinaire as he can do anything (he has the tool, but it is in storage in Houston) and to have to PAY a guy to hang pictures was an act against nature!

I'm not sure if the lack of drywall is due to the humidity and lack of "real air-conditioning" or what, but I suspect, that is the case. Anyway, since there isn't any drywall, one is surrounded by concrete!  Your entire cube of a condo is ALL concrete! REALLY!!!
Therefore, to REMODEL requires the detestable jackhammer!

In the four years, I lived in that condo - every unit around us was REMODELED!!!!!

YES! - I MEAN EVERY UNIT . . .

ABOVE, BELOW, ON BOTH SIDES AND CADDY CORNER ON EVERYSIDE!!!!!!

Can you tell I was bothered by this ???!!!

Bothered, is NOT the word I want to use, but this is a G rated blog!

Bothered, doesn't come close to truly explaining the bone-jarring, teeth-gritting, ear-splitting, numbness that comes from jackhammering.  This is a very lengthy process that took weeks per unit.  The worst REMODELS were the ones directly above and below our unit!

AHHHH!

You had to escape!  They worked from 9 - 5!  I left the condo at 9 am - I had to be back by 3 to get the kiddos off the bus, but we would go down and sit by the pool until 5pm.

I totally blame the REMODELS on my discovery of the TWG Tea Salon and the hours spent there, but that is a post for another day!

ANYWAY . . .

Construction is better than demolition any day!

The framers are already done and this week the roofers are here.
They also play the Mexican music that makes you dip & twirl, so I will clean my house again twirling away . . . (Out of site, of course, of WittyGirl & TSS because that would embarrass them - OMG - MOOOMMMM!).

There isn't any dancing in demolition!

For those of you Expats in Singapore - All I can suggest is GET OUT of your condo!

I highly recommend any of the TWG Tea Salons - The one on the 2nd floor of ION Orchard is my favourite - They play classical music and

Everything is made better with a pot of tea!

Living on the edge of Suburbia

I have repatriated to a suburb near Houston, Texas.

This is a somewhat facetious statement as this "suburb" is more than 50 miles from Houston in another county.

I call it living on the edge of Suburbia!

The entire island of Singapore fits inside the Beltway 8.  Like a good researcher  - I googled this fact to make sure it was correct…. (bypassing Siri altogether - that is a post for another day)

Beltway 8 is 88 miles around.  If you could drive the coastline of Singapore it equals 86 miles.  If my subdivision was outside of Singapore - 50 miles puts us in the ocean, Indonesia or Malaysia… a whole other country!!!

While this fact doesn't seem to impress expats, Texans seem blown away by the concept of a country so small! 

You Know . . . 
"Everything is bigger in Texas" - I don't know who originally said this, so I can't give credit where it is due.

Another fact is Texas is NOT the largest state in the USA, despite what the natives will tell you.  Alaska is the largest state! Texas is second, but it isn't even close.  Texas is almost 1/3 the size of Alaska! 
So a native Texan claimed it didn't matter because you can't use or get to most of the land in Alaska as it is mountainous, covered in snow and pretty desolate!

Really . . .

Have you been to west Texas ? ? ?

It is VERY desolate, mountainous, hard to get to and either covered in snow or so parched by the sun the ground looks baked and cracked!!!

Anyway, I don't mind living here on the edge of Suburbia as I have lived in far worse situations . . . 

I call it the edge of Suburbia because our subdivision is the last, typical subdivision (where the developer tries to fit as many houses as possible in the space allotted) before you get to houses with acreage and animals, and then, farms and ranches.
If we had more time to find a place to live when we repatriated, I would have found a place over the edge (on the other side of Suburbia) - a place with some acreage.  That way, I could have had chickens (hens, NOT a rooster) and a larger garden.

The one thing that bothers me about Suburbia is that one must drive everywhere.  The nearest grocery store is 5 miles away!  I can't walk to a tea room, or the butcher or baker.  

I really miss walking everywhere.  I still walk, but it is just for exercise, not to get somewhere.

So with every negative, I try to look for a positive. 

I am thankful that:
I can drive myself and I don't ever have to pay for parking in Suburbia!
Parking spaces are huge and there is no need for reverse parking.
I don't have to worry if I'll have enough cab fare.
I don't have to check the bus schedule to make sure I'll make it in time.
AND - I am VERY thankful that I can go somewhere and appear fresh and clean and not look like a sweaty pig having waited for my taxi in the heat and humidity with my makeup sliding off my face and my hair frizzing by the second!!!

This is a taxi in Singapore  - - - Doesn't it look like it should be in Texas ???

I hope my fellow suburbanite repatriates get into their huge SUVs and count their blessings as they drive in their air-conditioned car to the nearest Target.

Enjoy your day!

Blogging

This is my first blog.

Ever!

So please forgive me as I learn the ins and outs of blogging.  I was so excited about my first post yesterday!  I told my dad and my BFF.  I was so disappointed when I didn't receive ANY comments.  I shared my disappointment with my son.  

His response was, "Mooommmm (Whiny inflection was used)- They can't comment because you didn't allow them to in the "such & such" section of the blah, blah, blah in SETUP."

Rolling of the eyes, duh?

Well … I meant to…

If I had actually KNOWN there was a "such & such" section of the blah, blah, blah in SETUP I would have done it!

You know how your parents have sayings that stick with you from childhood ?

For instance, my dad's are:

"Life's not fair"
and
"It builds character"

My children, I think, will remember their dad saying. "Go figure it out!"

After 43 years of life, I've learned a thing or two about myself... Maybe …

I actually learn best when I am shown rather than figuring it out.  
YES - this sometimes involves physically holding my hand and walking me through the steps! 

Oh - I think I just felt my husband ROLL HIS EYES . . .
Oh - I think I just heard my dad say, "It builds character to figure it out"

Okay - Now, I'm rolling my eyes . . .(We need to work on this habit in our family)

Fortunately for me - I am the mother of a technically savvy kid who came out of the womb knowing how to work any technical gadget and if, by some remote chance, he doesn't know how it works …
He can "Go figure it out!"

So - The Technically Savvy Son is going to hold my hand and walk me through this blog since I'm his mom.  Rolling of the Eyes . . .

"Life is SO NOT fair"

I'm not a fan of Facebook or Twitter or other social media.
I'm not really sure why…

It just rubs me the wrong way. . .

I think, it is just the process of data entry is so time consuming.

I have a friend in Singapore with a teaching background.  She conducted several seminars and as an "ice breaker", she said they would often ask you to name your favourite "office supply".  Her favourite is "post-it notes".  Mine has to be the Yellow Legal size pad!

I am a list maker!

I make lists for everything!  It is how I organise my life!

I don't know if it is the girl in me or what, but I prefer cursive.  I like to doodle.  I make different fonts in my own handwriting.  I use different colours.  I love arrows.

It isn't the same on the computer.  AND YES - I have used the tools on the computer - I'm not THAT technically ignorant.

I have shared with the "Technically Savvy Son" that if he would like to make the BIG MONEY like Bill Gates and others …
He needs to come up with a computer that is just like the YELLOW LEGAL PAD - the YLP. Ha Ha!

Same size
Same weight
Copies exactly what I've written, the way I have written it - doodles, fonts, colours, etc.
Distributes, files, and sorts with one click of a button!

Doesn't that sound great?!

Well . . . Until the Technically Savvy Son creates the YLP - this blog site will have to wait until I "figure it out" to work out the quirks.

Have a great day!

P.S. - On proofreading this post, I realise my computer is spell checking to British spelling of English.  I'm sure this is an easy fix . . . one click away in the blah, blah, blah part of SETUP!
Rolling the eyes . . .
Don't have time to "Figure it out"…
Will wait for Tech Savvy Son to come home from school and hold my hand!

Inaugural Post

For my inaugural post - I thought I'd give y'all some background on why this blog is necessary.

Simple pleasures bring me great joy and I delight in the daily adventures of life.  I love to observe the reactions and interactions that people have of life in general.  As expats, I think we are more aware of these experiences and we pay attention to how we feel and others feel about these encounters of life. For this reason alone, there are thousands of expat blogs from all over the world!!!  

Now, I challenge you to find even 50 blogs on the personal repatriation experience!

Go ahead - - - Go look - - - I'll wait

Interesting, eh?

This is not my first repatriation.  Back in the late '90s the Engineer Extraordinaire (I'm going to have to come up with a shorter nickname that suits my husband) & I lived in Antwerp, Belgium.  So I have had European and Asian expat assignments.  The two repatriation experiences have been totally different.  I expected this, as the first repatriation we were young and it was B.C. - Before Children.  We returned from Europe vs. Asia and we returned to our same home from Belgium, where as now, we are starting over in a new place.  Also, the assignment in Singapore was for a much longer time.

On expat assignments - It is relatively easy to find other expats (depending where your assignment is -remote village in Mongolia, maybe not).  They don't have to be from your home country - - you still are both expats in this new (to you) country.  There are clubs or tennis teams to join. If you have kids - the international schools provide ample opportunities to meet other expats.  You have long coffees/teas to share your day to day experiences or commiserate the hardships with your fellow expats.

Living here on the edge of suburbia - expats or even "repatriates" are very few and far between.  Though your day to day experiences are very similar to your fellow suburbanite, friends and family --- something is missing….

However, that little nuance of what is missing - - -I always find in another "repatriate" or an expat living in America.  They will laugh along with me when I tell the story of how in the grocery store I hoarded 10 boxes of Eggo Cinnamon Waffles and later excused myself laughing out loud, out of the check-out line because I realised they will be there tomorrow.  Or, when for the 50th time, I reach with my left hand to switch gears in the car - or flip the windshield wipers on instead of the signal!

This blog is mainly for me to share my thoughts and experiences readjusting to life in American suburbia.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you look forward to my future chronicles of repatriation.