Halloween Decorating

We’ve had some fun the last two weeks showing our American roots. Halloween didn’t use to be celebrated in Singapore but is sure catching on. We are expecting a massive crowd in our neighborhood this year. Last year a family on our street gave out over 4000 pieces of candy and ran out before the kids stopped coming. This year the American trick-or-treating tradition was featured on the front page of the Sunday paper with a three page article and full color photos.  It’s going to be a madhouse.  We've all contributed money to hire police to properly close the roads and security guards to monitor the mayhem. People come from all over the island to enjoy the excitement and collect some free candy.

I knew about this so I bought candy for about 750 kids. Good, yummy things.  Somewhere between our move in January and when I checked the bags in September the bags burst their air tight seal letting the humidity in. We didn't realize the candy mix had Jolly Ranchers and they effectively melted all over EVERYTHING.  I tried in vain to wash the candy but we probably had more casulties lost to the water than I had hoped. The kids had a fun afternoon eating a massive bucket full of soggy candy. I figured it was a free for all for two hours and then it all went in the trash.  They loved their early Halloween even if it was soggy.

I then bought enough candy for 2000 kids to get the equivalent of 5 Jolly Ranchers each individually sealed to be air tight.  Looks like I’ll need to reduce my offering by a lot so we don’t run out in the first half hour.  On the up side (if you can call it that) Brian will be out of town on Halloween night and I can’t take the kids out and hand out candy at the same time. I’ll only have half the time to hand out if I take my kids out.  We won’t want to stay out too long I hear.  The roads are so jammed with people that you have to keep a hand on your kids so they don’t get swept away in a moving crowd.  I’m stressed already about keeping three kids together.

All around the streets by the American school there are decorations popping up thanks to all the American kids that are excited.  We pulled out our preschool pumpkin garland and hung it in the house. We taught our fun Aussie friends, the Pitmans, how to make paper plate skeletons while Brian made rice krispie treats for them to try for their first time (they are fans).  Then Kristi and I went to the market to buy more paper plates, other Halloween craft supplies and boxes of rice krispie cereal while the kids played at the house with Brian. Later that night I stumbled across something that jogged my memory about how to color and shape the rice krispie treats into pumpkins. They tried it that weekend and they looked delicious.  The Pitman house is definitely spooky these days.

I scoured the internet looking for waterproof décor for the yard.  We ended up buying some pumpkin sparkle garland for the fence and the kids made ghosts and a giant tarantula for the front gate out of white and black trash bags.  Jacob was beyond proud to help me tie the spider to the gate. At first I thought it looked funny but he's growing on me.  The kids of course love being all decorated and ready for Halloween and trick-or-treating.

God Bless the USA

There are days that I am reminded of how great it is to be an American. Sometimes in very profound ways as I think of our freedoms. Today because we were just told "No problem. Just come back in thirty minutes." at the check in desk at the airport ten minutes ago. We are off to see my brother and sister in laws family in Brisbane today and I forgot to apply for visas to enter the country. Blast! How did that slip my mind? I'm grateful that the USA is good buddies with our friends down under so the visa application is super quick. Otherwise this could have been a major disaster! Only down side is it would have been cheaper if I had done it. Now it's my $250 mistake. Half that cost is for the express service fee for my mess up. Oops. I'll take it over canceling the trip though. Just better not forget again because next time I may not be so lucky.

2nd Grade Spelling Sentences

Each week Ben gets fifteen words to study for his spelling test.  He writes sentences and alphabetizes them.  Here are the sentences he came up with this week. They have me cracking up and totally embarrassed.

 

1.       I wrapped the balloon around and poked it so it popped.

2.       I needed to fix the toilet so it would not overflow.

3.       My frend is little so he wanted to walk.

4.       I like isc cream so I licked it even more!

5.       my dad wanted a baby so he made one.

6.       my Mom seemed to walked to the school to ger hr bran sukt out.

 

I’m just shaking my head knowing he’s going to turn this in to his teacher.  How embarrassing.  This on top of him telling the entire cub scout den that his little brother keeps getting pinworms a lot and that it comes from our poop.

Mr. Lim

I’m pretty darn sure that everyone that does anything in this country is named Mr. Lim.  Mr. Lim services air con systems, sells school uniforms, teaches gymnastics classes, is a swim coach, drives a taxi, delivers dry cleaning and is an electrician.  Are there any other last names in this country?  Makes me laugh when you ask a friend for a referral and they say, “I use Mr. Lim.”

 

Just for kicks I searched our neighborhood yahoo group just to see what Mr. Lim can do.  Here is the list of the most recent posts:

Teaches gymnastics
Dry cleaning (delivered to your door)
Sells oriental rugs
Dentist
Handyman
Notary
Jewelry repair
Blackberry repair and spare parts sales
Pest control
Pharmacist
Beginner calligraphy classes
Owner of a fantastic air conditioned dog kennel

 

Now I’m off to call someone to service my air con. This time I only have a phone number. What do you want to bet his name is going to be Mr. Lim?

Driving Test

Here is one of my favorite road signs in Singapore from day one. Most days I don’t notice them anymore but every time they catch my eye on the expressway I have to smile all over again. Did it make you smile too? What exactly does it mean? Umbrellas this way?  Umbrella store to the left?  Didn’t take too many downpours to realize it is signage basically saying “Shelter from Rain”. It is telling the poor motorcycle riders where to go for shelter in the rain, either to wait it out when it’s really bad (there could be 50-100 men just waiting under cover of the bridge) or to suit up in their rain gear and keep going.

 

I’m studying for my driving test today.  Here is my favorite actual question to date:

When you approach a “zebra crossing”, (that means a marked crosswalk with stripes painted on the ground)

A)     Always stop before the stop line before proceeding.

B)      Slow down and be prepared to stop.

C)      Slow down and let the zebra cross the road safely.

 

I’m going with C. What do you think?  Will I pass the test?  I figure it’s always best to err on the side of caution when a zebra’s life is at stake. For heaven sakes who wrote that question? We live in the tropics sure, but not in a wildlife refuge!

 

Other questions that actually could flub me up would be things like “How many expressways are there in Singapore?” Does that actually need to be knowledge I internalize to be a safe driver here? And what is the legal limit for the blood alcohol and breathalyzer tests? I don’t care. I’ve never had a drink in my life. It doesn’t affect me.  Except for on test day when I do need to know.  So I will study up and make sure I know it all. Most things are totally reasonable and need to be learned so I’ll just take the zebra question and smile as I click the box for my answer – protect the zebra at all costs!

Hey! I Know Dat One!

General Conference weekend comes a week late for us here in Singapore but it's still just as good. We are currently watching session one of four. The big kids have been coloring and crafting on the living room floor. Jake has surprisingly wandered the house without complaint (usually he hangs right by me all day long, rarely even leaving the room I am in). He has been loving the Flip Flop Faces today and matching the colors to the beanbags. After nearly half an hour solo he meandered downstairs to join the other four of us. When the Tabernacle Choir sang "I Am A Child of God" he eventually stopped to listen and enjoy and let me know he knew "that one" and then sing along with the chorus. "Lead me, guide me, walk beside me. Help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do, to live with Him someday." What a charge to two average, everyday parents from a two year old of pure faith.

Stinky

The last two days Singapore has smelled like the stinky trash that sits on the back of the houseboat at Lake Powell in the heat for five days until you can dump at the marina. Yuck!