A great night at Anza

We had a busy day yesterday, visitors, studying, lots of kids. Late in the afternoon my friend convinced us to come out for a BBQ at ANZA.

You know sometimes how all you want to do is have a quiet night with a wine and be in bed by 8pm........It was one of those days; especially as I had finally completed a big science essay...at last!

It is just as well my friend won't take no for an answer!

It was a great night and we met lots of interesting, fun new people.

We couldn't get a sitter so we took the kids and luckily other people had brought theirs as well so there was lots of kids having fun.

It is the end of the summer holidays here in Jakarta and most of the new batch of expats have arrived. We got a chance to meet a few new families; it felt strange being an "old timer" in Jakarta after 18 months. LOL

After a few wines and lots of chit chat I hear a OMG your JenJen!!!!!!!! I was recognized from this blog.

I felt very special lol!

iPod Nano

I have mentioned before that we are not quick to embrace new technology....

I have about 7 hours of lectures a week to listen to as well as many hours of research at my desk.

My bottom is protesting......and spreading........ So GJ surprised me with an iPod.

Georgia is pea green with envy.

There is just one problem...oh my goodness there is no instructions...well there is, you have to go on line to get them and go from page to page following links. With the annoying little question all the time of "did this help/answer your question" LOL

Once I work out how to load it, I might be able to work out how to listen to it. Then I might be able to get off my arse!


MMMMM I wonder if GJ can build a desk on my treadmill???????

I have a new addiction...(one that I find time for and not feel guilty about LOL)

Monday Nights on the Australian Network channel I HAVE to watch Outrageous Fortunes.

I think I saw one episode in Australia before we left (I don't think it presently being shown on Australian networks).

This is show about a New Zealand working-class crime family where some family members are trying to go straight and some are still very criminal.

The family members are so trashy and I love them!

Failing to correctly mother a boy child

I have forgotten a vital piece of information in regards to Ben's education.

I forgot to lay down the law of putting the seat down when he is finished.

I hope it is not too late to retrain him in correct bathroom etiquette!

Guilt........

I feel bad about not updating my blog...but in my mind how can I blog when I have essays and assignments due? Blog guilt......

I can't relax and enjoy a massage any more...not when TanTan is stuck in Sydney doing all the caring for my mum. Sister guilt......

(don't worry, I can still have a creme bath and blow-dry...I just take all my books LOL)

Lets not even start on the whole mother guilt thing...whether you work or don't work you still feel guilt!

Shopping..see #1 who has time???????

I hope I can balance it all out asap!

Indonesian Independence Day, 17th August 2008

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian mayor has ordered security officers in parts of the capital to go door-to-door on Independence Day to make sure people are flying the national flag.

Budiman Simarmata, acting mayor of South Jakarta, on Thursday cited a 1958 government regulation that it is the administration's right to urge residents to raise the flag, although there are no penalties for failing to do so.

"Residents should hoist the red and white flag three days before and three days after the Independence Day," he said in a phone interview.

Indonesia celebrates its break from the Dutch on Aug. 17, 1945, for several weeks each year, decking the streets in the national colors and holding concerts, fairs and parades.

Around 300 officers will be sent out in Simarmata's municipality of roughly 1.8 million people to persuade residents to show their patriotism, he said.

"We have to give the highest appreciation for our independence fought so hardly by our heroes," he said in a telephone interview. "I urge residents to report to the officers if there is anybody who did not raise the flag."

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

We won't be getting a knock on our door lol.

We love decorating for Independence day.

The streets are looking so vibrant this week. All the roads and buildings are covered in flags as well as all the colourful banners for the upcoming election. The city is alive with colour.

A crazy thing

I have done a very crazy thing.....in regards to my workload.
We have signed up for Bahasa Indonesian lessons twice a week, a total of three hours per week.
This in in addition to working and studying full time....my brain is fizzing!

I have a huge vocabulary of Indonesian words but do not know all the joining words
EG want, it, is, in, all, now, the, all etc.
I can ask simple questions etc and make myself understood, but is not speaking properly, just stringing words together.
I want to be fluent.

School Sports Day

We had our school sports day this week to coincide with the Olympics.
The kids all had a fantastic time and I was on official photographer detail for the day.
I would love to show all the photos but can't due to privacy issues.
The heat was horrendous, I didn't realise how much I need some time in AC each day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The kids didn't seem to notice at all, but I was drained by the end of the day and feel like I have a hang over today...

Oobleck, a Non-Newtonian fluid

This is one of the experiments I have been learning about in my science unit.
Oobleck, named from a Dr Suess book.
A non-Newtonian fluid is a fascinating substance that, depending on the force applied, will act like a solid or a liquid.
You can roll it in your hands and create a solid ball, but as soon as you stop moving it will turn back to a liquid and ooze through your fingers.

You make this by adding 1 part of water to two parts of cornflour with some food dye.

This makes a huge amount of mess, but it is a lot of fun.

This last few weeks of starting an university degree has been a huge shock to my system. The amount of work and reading is HUGE. I don't know what I thought it would be like but I know i didn't think it would consume so much of my time.

Full time uni+ part time work+ no nanny= not enough hours in the day.

All the lecturers have assured me that if you make it through the first five weeks you will make it through the four years!
I hope so!

Wordless Wednesday- Sambolo

Chocolate martinis

I tried something new the other weekend, a chocolate martini.

It tasted just like cough syrup with some sprinkles on it.

I won't be having another.

More of the wonderful Sambolo beach

We have had another wonderful few days on the west coast of Java at Sambolo beach resort. Sambolo is about 11km north of Carita beach.

This is the kids swimming around the corals and rocks at the beach. The water was lovely and clear, unfortunately with all the fires burning in Asia at the moment you could not see the horizon let alone the magnificent Anak Krakatoa volcano.
This rock formation was exposed at low tide and GJ found a little hole that formed a blow hole. The kids thought that it was AMAZING!!!!!
When the wave went out it was about knee deep down to the sandy sea bed.
When the wave came in, WHOOSKA!

I have mentioned that we have a strong family sun protection policy ( remember the stupid man and his rickets comment LOL) and everybody has to be out of the sun between 11am and 2.30pm. We keep thinking up new craft activities to keep 6 kids amused. This time we added play dough and jelly making to our usual painting, drawing, clay and dvd's. It was a big success and was devoured in 90 seconds flat.

We did our usual trip to the local fish market and this time took the all kids. All were entertained except poor Georgia who was very underwhelmed by the sights and smells.
Once everyone got over the shock of a car driven by two blondes with 6 blonde kids in the back they were all keen to advise us on the best fish and seafood for our BBQ. It was all divine......Red snapper, prawns, octopus, baby lobsters.
The only downside was I was unable to wind down the window to tip the road boy, while changing gears and listening to dancing frog at a million decibels (not by choice, mind you!) and glide out smoothly before being hit by a speeding truck....yes I did car bunny hops to dancing frogs in a black kijang...and missed all trucks and pedestrians.

I love these shots...as it is summer holidays (local schools as well as expats) the beach was deserted. We had our usual bungalow and were gob smacked when a bus arrived and set up outside the only inhabited section of the bay...right outside our bungalow. All was fine until until the motor boat arrived to cash in on all the new potential clients. This is a motor-sports free beach and my feisty friend was quick to remind them of this. Once the boat was gone the kids were able to safely get back into the water and make new friends.

More stories to follow....if I get the internet back on......

Alive and kicking (and screaming) in Jakarta

We haven't fallen off the side of the earth, I just have no internet at home and my laptop's battery has died so I can't even go searching for some wireless!

Since the start of June we have had major problems with connectivity.....last week the internet provider actually told me to sign up with a competitor while I wait for them to fix their problem.
WTF......

With FastNet there are no boundaries to the amount of data you wish to upload and download. FastNet subscribers have continuous internet connection with no interruptions 24-hours a day, 7 days a week and 4 weeks a month beginning from the minute your connection is activated, without having to dial-up each time you wish to connect.

Bollocks!!!!!!!!!!

I am nearly at the stage of needing to medicate myself to stop myself from screaming like a banshee and having a major tantrum........mmmm I think I am developing a pattern .

The idiots at the First Media tell me everyday to refresh my modem and restart the computer....hello this doesn't work....there is a problem......Of course I am still paying for the privilege of speaking to the customer service team twice a day and not having internet access...

My next scheduled rant will be about my 20 month old laptop and its completely dead battery...that is unavailable to purchase in Indonesia as it is too old...................annother WTF moment.

Bandung has turned us......

My friend and I pride ourselves on not being your typical expat wives.

We both work, shop, care for our kids and don't do the whole "gym-lunch-shop" thing day in and day out. Not that there is any thing wrong with that...LOL

My friend in particular hates to shop......I must admit I do like wandering around a mall now and again as well as a market or two, but do not have nearly enough time to do so.

I have managed to turn her.......this week we did retail therapy to get over my Australia stress.
Luckily it is sale time.......Pondok Indah mall got a work out.

The turning point was Bandung.

Bandung is a city about 2 hours from Jakarta and is famous for its factory outlets.

We did two separate days of shopping in one week...we even encouraged each other to purchase...wait for it....handbags.

I have mentioned before that I missed out on the handbag gene at birth. One purse and one handbag will last me a couple of years, same goes for my friend.

I felt just like Mary Tyler Moore tossing her hat in Minneapolis when I was surrounded by all these branded factory outlets LOL (NB I am definitely not old enough to have lived through watching the MTM show.....but I do remember my mum watching the re-runs when I was a VERY small child). We had so much fun rushing to one outlet to the next.

The kids got some great stuff and I think I have finished my sisters Christmas shopping. I only bought one thing for my self and nothing for poor old GJ.....next time.

Oh yes.... this is how far we have turned...we are already planning a next time. Even the 3 hour journey home through horrific Friday night traffic didn't turn us off.

We are going to catch the train up with the kids and make a weekend of it. Pool and cinema for the kids...shopping for the parents.