East Coast Singapore - pastures new.....

I feel the need to blog. This work lark is all every well but my expressive side has taken a bit of a battering over the last two months at work. Well, four weeks if the MoM (yes, I know, it sounds like something out of Harry Potter) are watching, as that's how long I've had my EP and they are sticklers for doing it right. However, if I thought they were bad for paperwork then that's nothing in comparison to my latest foray into 'red tape' alley. Citibank have been tying me up in knots with the amount that they want so I can get a credit card. Generally, in the UK, you have to have at least fifty cards before the banks start getting a little dubious about offering you one with 1450% APR. Not with these guys. They seem to be actively dissuading me from even applying, let alone using one. Anyway, a week and-a-half later and many, many phone calls later (mostly from them telling me they are about to email me something), it would seem we are getting somewhere. Where, I'm not quite sure as the nervousness (Elly and I have had a brief, troubled relationship) and speed of chatter that came down the phone at me caught me off guard, but I believe my application may have been accepted. Possibly. I'm sure an email will turn up soon.

Anyway, to the matter in hand. Off to the East Coast we go. Most off you will be aware already that the family Chapman are upping sticks (again) to move into a new house and new neighbourhood. No more condo living for us. Now we will have two floors, all to ourselves. And, very importantly, a garden for the kids to go nuts in. And a lot more space in general. More space to cook, more space for Mary to live and more space so that we don't go crazy when it's raining and the kids can't go out. As you can tell, we're looking forward to it.
The house is a semi-d, has four bedrooms, a large living area and big kitchen. We've missed having a big kitchen as those of you who know us well will know that we used to spend an appreciable amount of time in our old one. Either cooking or eating. Or both. On the outside you can walk round three sides of the house or D and Z's case run, scoot and cycle..... fast! A bit of grass for water play (and mozzies) and two large BBQ terraces. One up and one down. And that's about it. Oh, and a playroom for the kids too. And an office space. And that's about it.

We're moving out and in next Thursday and in comparison to our previous moves, this one is feeling like a breeze at the moment. Admittedly we haven't got too much to shift as we haven't been here too long, but in comparison to the previous upheaval..... well! Finding and buying 'affordable' furniture has been the order of the day. As our current condo came 'furnished' we are having to find everything ourselves. Pretty good fun if not a little (see 'very' in the dictionary) expensive. T has managed to find some beautiful furniture from an expat looking to downsize and I spotted a furniture shop up in Jurong which,as we found out, does 0% finance. Happy days! So we're pretty much sorted although we could do with some outdoor kiddy playthings as no-one seems to get rid of that kind of stuff. There is a swing though. So, that's it, a week to go and we're outta here. Until then.....