Auburn and Blue

Typhoon

23
Jul

WARNING: This post does not contain pretty pictures. They are only for viewers with a tolerance for messes. They also explain my temporary absence from blogging and perhaps permanent insanity issues I am developing.

Right now we are under Typhoon warning in Hong Kong – signal 9 is issued – 10 is full-on Hurricane. We moved here  one week ago….. looking forward to the great weather that awaited us, after our 2 expat postings right before this one which reached sub-zero temperatures for long periods…….(does the word Russia explain some of the excitement to move to an island and see palm trees out the window?? )….mmmmm……

This is all I can see out my window at the moment. A very stormy sea.

I did not grow up with Typhoons and have neither lived anywhere before where they are part of daily life….so, the gusty winds and neighbors’ facia boards flying over our patio earlier on was quite a show-stopper this afternoon. Wow, nobody can focus on anything else while all that is going on outside. Especially since we have no curtains up yet and live…well…. just about ON the water!  Typhoon Vicente is doing his rounds as we speak and I am keeping one eye on the HK Observatory website while sitting here.

I was wondering whether I should inform the Hong Kong Observatory that they missed the fact that a Typhoon went right THROUGH my house last week. I am not joking. I have never in my life seen a house of mine ever been as big a mess as it has been this past week and still is ! Again….. 5 huge moves and this has never happened – especially not after day 7 already??

This has been the messiest move INTO a country in more than one way !That, after I considered moving OUT of Korea the perfect move – thinking that I have now mastered the skill of dealing with the moving madness. MAIN reason being points 6-8 below although the other points contributed greatly.

“Patience is a virtue”….

“Rome was not build in one day..”

“Keep Calm and Carry on…”

“This will all be over soon…”

“Moves are messy, just go with the flow…”

Yes – whatever little slogan you can come up with, I can assure you that at one point or the other, it has gone through my mind !

Also – the ones that said: “This is insane…moving sucks…..this is the LAST time…. and WHY do we do this??!”

Facebook status updates and short tweets don’t quite give me enough words to explain why I say this, so I decided to jot it down on my blog ! I could probably do 10 blog posts about “How to re-organize your house after disaster struck”, but I am so busy organizing that I have no time to write it down and tell you… I am so sorry for those of you who follow this blog for great organizing tips…. I am failing you right now….but bare with me ! It will get better.

A few downsides to this move so far :

* Before arrival in Hong Kong – gas pipe leak found in the house and handover of the house had to be pushed out with several days. Relief as they did a final handover few days later to my husband who remained in the country, and all were approved to be safe again.

For me and the kids though…

1. A 14 hr flight that was 2 hrs delayed flying in from SA to Hong Kong. Tired and weary before the real work started.

2. Arriving at the  hotel…the room was not ready for several hours. Second time this happened – crappy service, thank you Crowne Plaza Causeway Bay, Hong Kong !

3. Arrived at the house next morning – nanny room and laundry flooded. Too flooded to move anything into those areas. Lots of boxes piled in garage. It appeared to be the aircon but had to be monitored day and night. Nice start on moving day!

4. Landlord came urgently and never left again for 7 days …. investigating and fixing the aircon problem….with a team roaming the house opening several spots – walls, vents and ceilings to locate the leak.

5. As a result of this issue, aircons had to be turned off since day 1 .  We and the packers were dripping in sweat offloading and unpacking. I felt dehydrated, jetlagged and heat exhaustion…not to mention the annoyance I felt for the moving supervisor !

6. Asian Tigers  – I love them, as they have done an amazing job in other countries –  but this time they sent a wise guy with a totally wrong strategy for offloading  and I still suffer the consequences. They offloaded 845 boxes, with no unpacking in-between….. so when it acme to unpacking and assembling, they had no place to turn anywhere….and had to move every room’s boxes out again before they could open them. What a waste of time and energy !!

And I kept wanting to say – I TOLD you so !! I can write books about this actually ! We were not the best of friends by day 3. I suggest, he questions, I explain, he doubts, I get annoyed, he thinks, he does it his way first, I get more annoyed, he ignores me, I demand, he agrees…..and we have wasted another  hour.

7. Day 1 and 2 – purely offloading container. No unpacking staff ?! So, we unpacked ourselves. Day 3 – they sent a “scaled down” team – before they even officially started unpacking?!.  Big mistake – bigger team get called in for the next day.

8. No handyman available untill day 4. which meant  no wardrobes/ furniture into / unto which we could unpack. This one did get nipped in the bud though – handyman rocked up on day 3 mid afternoon……and then could only build the wardrobe the next afternoon anyway – since it took that long for the movers to clear the way and enough space to do so !

He also insisted that I have an exact plan of how each item would be placed in the room BEFORE he would open any of the items??!!  Several calls to their office were required to start solving this problem and the wise ass manager slowly started to comply. A pity that it took him 4 days to start seeing my point?!

9. Our car, our nanny and our dog could not arrive in the first 7 days. Now, we have the dog and that was a highlight…

Still awaiting the car and the nanny….which will come first?? We’ll see….

10. Day 5 and the landlord still here morning, noon and night. Found the aircon leak, replacing and repainting tomorrow. But – New problems arose – flooding in the bathrooms. So, this is also the first time I had to do unpacking “under covers”

11. The landlord and team saw me in my worst possible ….and I did not even care. What I did care about, was when the movers scratched the wooden floor (which was immaculate upon handover!!! ) and scraped off 2 corners of the staircase with a rug they moved in – right the moment the landlord was standing on the step watching it all happen! Not my fault, but I still felt horrible – especially he did not say a word about the movers trampling all over the house making marks on walls and all the rest. Eish?!

12. Differences of Opinions amongst family members on how to conquer the chaos. Let’s leave it at that. Huge stresses.

13. Day 6 and all beds were assembled but due to the loads unpacked on them in one day – no place to sleep still. We play musical chairs and each person eventually found a spot to sleep. Finally on Sunday, after moving for 6 days, we each sleep in (a)  our own bed again.

14. The moving team were still scheduled for today but due to the chaotic state of the house, we have to first make some space to move in here before any more boxes can be unpacked.

15. One more downside is that we simply have TOO MUCH for this house – too much furniture, too much stuff, too many clothes….. we have only ever gone bigger – this is the first time ever we had to downscale – and even our huge efforts before the move was not nearly enough to cram us in now. Need I even go on??!! I am sure you get the picture and it is getting boring – even for me.

Now we are back to Monday and in the middle of a storm. The temporary helper had to go home because of the Typhoon warning and the Palm trees outside that looked so idyllic yesterday ……

 

….today only blew away my hopes and dreams for the extra pair of hands I had for today.

 

BUT…..little things kept me going – like the bunches of “fake flower arrangements” I found all over the house, after my daughter found a box of artificial flowers and said that she will make the place pretty – just like mommy always does !!

Good news is – the leaks are being fixed, we can go in the laundry room and start washing !!! 5 people with piled up washing for 2 weeks after a holiday, is no joke.

Good news is – the nanny’s visa got approved and she will be here in a week

Good news is – the landlord is super nice and was pleasant company, dedicated to solve the problem and sacrificed a whole week to be here in person fulltime untill the issues were resolved. Even brought a cheesecake in today as a treat for the kids.

Good news is – I am working my magic and get little areas done. And even the dog is settling in very nicely.

It doesn’t help that our furniture is completely wrong for this house…but that is a post for another day !

Right now – we are in the eye of the storm and I am thankful that we have a home, which I already love living in. Safely sheltered inside with our precious kids…each having a bed and sound asleep.

Soon we will look back and ask – Typhoon?? Which typhoon??….

If you live somewhere  with Typhoons – do tell !! Would love to hear from seasoned storm watchers …or first-timers, like me !

If you have had a chaotic move – tell, tell, tell !!! I will feel better !

If your move has only ever gone smooth – please don’t tell. Not now. It will not make me feel better !

If you live in Hong Kong – tell me what you like here – I can start dreaming about the days when this will all be over !

As I walked down the stairs taking my messy pictures – I also noted these photos and things stacked temporarily in the window sill….and it reminded me of good times in the past….and better times to come..

Chill… laugh…dream…..

Chin up !!! We are going to love this place.

Have a great Monday everybody.

 

Ilze

New Beginnings

1
Jul

Today while browsing through the shops in the little town of Parys, I saw this…

To me, first thing that came to mind was New Year’s Eve….. that’s just how my head works around disco balls !

Anyway – it also happened to be the 1st of July. The beginning of the second half of the year.

And I was wondering – is it too late to make some “new beginnings” – to have some Mid-Year-“New”-Year’s Resolutions?!

Many good intentions verbalised in January, never saw the light, and discussions around the dinnertable today gave me some inspiration to once again, try and make good on some of them. Starting today.

So, I was wondering – do you ever start something new in the MIDDLE of something else, in the MIDDLE Of the year…

Do you start a new habit immediately once the decision is taken, or do you schedule it for “after the holiday”… starting a diet on “Monday”…… starting to study at 10 am and not 9.43 am.

Are there 2 types of people in this world? One that could start – no matter where or what – they take it from there…. and the Other – having to always be at a MARKED day/ point/ hour before they can take on a new initiative.

I am the latter… had to be July 1st to take a decision to try again – or else it would need to wait for January 1st – which is too far off in this case.

So, which one are you?

One could either say – half the year is gone and I have not achieved….. or half the year is still ahead… there is some time..

HAPPY-SECOND-HALF-OF-THE-YEAR everybody !!

Ilze

Ready..or not…Go !

25
Jun

Lots of things  happen when you announce ” WE ARE MOVING”.

Lots of emotional realities to deal with – a mix of positives and negatives.

Relationships inevitably change and needless to say, lots of farewells, goodbyes and well wishes are the final steps in this journey one starts from the day you hear that you need to uproot, to the day you finally step foot on the plane to leave your “host country” to head on to your new life somewhere else.

Last week they packed up our house.

That explains also the long silence in me posting. It is definitely by no lack of things on my mind to share. Moving to a new country does somehow tend to consume your life for a while, no matter how well you planned it out.

I prepared for the move well in advance and is very pleased that it all went so smoothly and stress-free with packing up.

Being my usual self, I printed these labels for the packers on the morning of the move….

They scheduled packing for SIX DAYS ! – so I  had the opportunity  to prioritize which rooms go first. They could not do it all in one day.

So, I made these labels and they served a great purpose. They indicated which parts were ready to go, which ones needed more attention or was still being occupied by us as a family and what will not be packed after all. Very practical. Very simple.

However, when I stepped back, I knew in my heart that it also had some deeper meaning to me.

When moving, there are parts of you that are ready to move on. Ready for a new adventure, ready to make a change, excited to see new places, meet new people.

And then there are parts of you that need more pampering still… even the day you have to pack up, some emotions are not fully dealt with…simply NOT READY YET…. the part of distancing yourself with the familiar things around you, the breaking out of the social circles you became so deeply involved in, the realities of not being around your dear friends on a daily basis -even though promises of “we will come visit you” is heard on almost every occasion! Parts of your inner self, takes longer to adjust to the realities you face when moving away – and mostly those parts are involving people…but also to some extent places… not being able to walk into your favorite store, or smell the bakery you loved, or enjoy the hustle and bustle of a favorite spot or the happiness I felt when I visited my favorite place – the fabric market.

It gave me great pleasure during the move, to rip off the NOT YET labels and replace them with READY TO PACK ones, as I finished off rooms to be packed. And so it will be with me as well. I know that some parts of me will become “READY” somewhere in this process as they get replaced with new places to go and new people I meet. And some emotions have to be packed up, even if you are not ready….. time has come when those movers knock on the door  and then you have to go – Ready or Not !

But the STAY IN THE HOUSE labels remain the special ones. Some things will not physically go with me… it will remain in Seoul…just like the firewood and things that belonged to the house …- my friends, my memories, the sunlight  that came into my big windows, the neighborhood I loved, the ambience in the house I loved….

It is sad not to be able to take everything with me on this journey going forward. But it does not mean that I will not carry it forever in my heart and in fond memory of a place and people that I learnt to love dearly.

I will miss Seoul, my S (e) oul  sisters and the life I lived here.

Hundreds of boxes were filled during the packing… as was my heart over the past four years. I leave with my heart full and not empty….and even though it is always sad to leave….

It is better to leave than to have never came…..

Ilze

Sanmotoonge

16
May

Right now in Korea, the weather is just glorious and we are making the most of it in our last month of living here.

On Sunday I took my girls back to Sanmotoonge Gallery & Cafe. It is the most idyllic and romantic coffee shop that my friend pointed out to me one day on one of our excursions around Seoul. Me and her went during the Cherry Blossom Season and no better way to start this post other than showing you the beautiful pink array of blossoms that feasted the eye during the month of April. Yes – scroll back up so you can look again at the pink pictures !!

Sanmotoonge is the filming place of the MBC Drama –  Coffee Prince. It is the house of Han-sung Choi (played by Sun-kyun Lee). Parts of the set has been kept intact, so if you are a die hard fan of this Korean drama, you have even more reason to pay a visit to this picturesque place.

I love the fact that is off the beaten path, because you truly feel like you have escaped the city once you have made your way through the narrow, crooked street that takes you up there.  The stroll up the hill is part of the excursion for many coming here.

There is a stunning view of the  Seoul Fortress Wall from here… and you can read a wonderful article about the Wall plus very good directions of how to get there on Marie W’s blog…found at this link. Many hikers make an excursion up and along the wall and make this either their starting or end point for refreshments after the hike.

 

The inside is warm and cozy and full of soul.

Oh, how I will miss places like this to escape to….

Their cakes were definitely better than any of the ones I have had in the main street cafe’s…another reason to go !

Kids are enouraged to hop around on the concrete horses and any corner they find, so it is a fun place not only for lovebirds, but also for little ones !

Oh – it is a bit tricky to find the place – but do let me know if you are in the ‘hood and want to go check it out !!

However – the cafe has its own website if you can get some Korean help for translating it ! You can find it here at the Sanmotoonge website

It is definitely worth a visit and I fell in love ! You will too.

Any places you discovered in your neighborhood you feel like sharing with me ?! DO tell !

 

 

Ilze

Support Structures

8
May

Things sometimes happen in life that make you stop or at the very least, make you slow down…..

During those times you think again about your health, your happiness and what life is really all about.

I pass this artwork on the roof of a local gallery near my house, on a daily basis.

It always makes me think. And this week, no exception. It made me think again while driving past…

Of the support structures I have in my life. The people who carry me in times when I am weak or not well.

Today I got a call from the doctor with good news about a result I was waiting on.

It is good when you can breathe again and pick up pace after being a little side-tracked for the past month.

I thank everybody who thinks of me, care for me, pray for me and carries me through your thoughts and actions in times when I need that extra support to cover my back.

I am lucky and blessed to have so many people in my life who care for and carry me.

A big hug to you all today – near and far !!

If you have a support structure, appreciate them and be there for them right back.

If you don’t have a network, start working today on creating one – open yourself up and let people into your life during happy, healthy times…

You never know when comes a day you feel down and out, or life throws you a curveball and then they will be there to pick you up, hold you tight, and carry you through !

It need not even be a big thing. Life is better when shared with special people surrounding you…supporting you !!

Life is good and worth living. Remind yourself every day.

 

Ilze

Paris Croissant

1
May

I promised to let you know some of my favourite places to eat. Remember here and here….

Well, here is one more.

There are tons of them around the city.

Why the one in the Kyobo Building?

I don’t know and well, it just feels so….. PARIS -eeeee?!

 

Oh no, now I know… the pastries were fresh and divine, the drinks were delicious and the atmosphere was great.

They recently opened up (a couple of months now) and it is situated inside the building on a side where there is nothing else (on the side of the main street where there is only offices)

…so it is very easy to miss if you visit the Kyobo bookstore and enter from the parking or from another door on the backside of the building.

It is not only baked goods and pastries, but you can order some warm breakfasts or even some pastas from the menu.

If your thing is however not so much pastries, there is a fresh deli / another healthy eatery right next to it, connected with a glass door, where you can find fresh fruit and freshly squeezed juices with a healthy sandwich.

So, you can share with your friends who are on a non-carb regime.

I have been there a couple of times and on this particular day my sister and her little one joined us and we lingered around the fresh aromas for hours.

The kids loved it too…and the two-toned Maccaroon was the highlight for some !

Others gobbled up the freshly baked bread….

They open very early (7 am), in comparison to most of the other bakeries for whom you sometimes have to wait till even 10 am before they put out the first batch from the oven for the day.

So it makes for a very convenient place for a early breakfast meet.

If you are a tourist in Seoul, well, then you can not afford to miss this spot, as there is an INCREDIBLE bookshop in this building – yes, Kyobo bookstore is a MUST see for every visitor.

The one in Gwanghwamun, very close to the Seoul Finance Centre.

It is an experience in itself to go browse around in the bookstore and Koreans often make it a family outing on a weekend night to take the family and simply go be around the books and experience the magic of a bookstore…even if it means they sit for hours on the floor  to read to their children. It is worth a visit !

If you have not heard this before… I have a bit of a stationery fettish..so no need to tell you why I go visit the place so often ! Just love it.

Have you been? Do you like it?

What is your favourite bakery in your town? Do tell.

Off to bed to dream of the lovely croissant and coffee that will call me in my dreams to wake up to in the morning  !

Mmmmm.. I can still the fresh smell of Paris Croissant. Go try it !

 

Ilze

Deb ‘Spoons’ Perry

29
Apr

This week I wanted to do a big song and dance !

Got great news that our kids all got into school for our next destination !!

But I decided to let Deb do it on my behalf…..

Some people just have such a zest for life, don’t you think?

So happy things are working out…

Ilze

Keep the change – 6 ways how and 3 reasons why !

27
Apr

How about I write a post today about something this blog was actually intended for?

To help you organize and de-clutter your home?

I haven’t done it lately, especially since I have discovered how much I have to learn still.

But, ok – maybe I tell you something that I do know has worked for me.

If you live in a country where small change can pile up heaps on a daily basis….to the point that you can’t carry them all in your wallet…but you can also not throw it away since it all adds up to a substantial amount….. you gotta deal with it right?

Looks familiar to have these nasties all over the house on every countertop where somebody emptied a pocket or returned from the shop? Well, we do…

So what do you do?

Yes – keep it ! but DO NOT throw them in the nearest drawer… that just makes for a whole other clean-up exercise and they get lost !

Okay – so I haven’t told you anything you don’t know already.

Here’s a newsflash !

Piggy banks are not only for kids collecting pocket money in their bedrooms !

 

 

Yes, therein lies the trick !

Buy one and….

1) Place it somewhere central within easy reach – this one is on my kitchen countertop

2) Let it be pretty – so it is pleasing to the eye and not a clutter object in itself !

3) Go  one step further – let it be special  – mine is from a trip to London to my sister…so, it is a constant reminder of good times past, every time I drop a coin in.

4) Let it be the real thing – a coin bank. As soon as it has a “lid” like an old jam jar you think you will just use for the same purpose?? Not gonna work. As soon as you have to open the lid first… too much work !  Need to do it as easy as you would throw a tissue in the trash..meaning pick up and drop all in one go needing one hand only.

5) Do not put it inside a cupboard – again… won’t get used.

6) Give it a purpose – so the cleaning lady and the family will all have an incentive to also drop the loose coins in there.

What to do with all the coins in your little bank once it is full?

Well, here is an idea !

You can use it as…

1) A  reward system for the children – whoever did best on their week’s chores, gets to empty out the family bank end of the week and it goes to their own piggy bank.

2) The milk and bread money for one shopping trip on the day it gets full and needs to be emptied out.

3) An incentive for the cleaning lady/ house helper. I empty it out once full and sometimes give the money as an extra bonus for work that was well done. It encourages good relations in the house when people feel recognition.

And the version my husband somehow sneeked into the house – which, trust me … you don’t want in your house !

 

 

 

Well, no need to save up here for a rainy day anymore. Sun is out and it is a glorious day !!

But – keep that change.. you never know !!

HAVE A FUN FRIDAY everybody.

Tonight I am going to see Lady GaGa in concert in Seoul.

I have to go work on my meat dress now…

What are you up to this weekend?? Let me know.

Would love to hear.

 

Ilze

Lost and Found – a HOME

24
Apr

Except for us – it is FOUND and LOST.

Three times in three weeks.

 

 

 

 

I get that.

I do it all the time.

Last week I had to cancel a party that I was really looking forward to host.

But this mind-changing seems to be especially true for property owners in Hong Kong.

The result – no new home yet…..

So, today I feel a little flat.

Thinking you got somewhere and then you are back to nowhere is a little deflating to say the least.

But, I have not lost hope.

There is a home somewhere out there for us… remember this post about a HOUSE and a HOME ? ……

Just need to find it !

Hoping that a wonderful house will open up in the Stanley, Hong Kong Area (or surrounding)

And hoping somebody might read this who happen to know somebody who knows somebody who will be moving and has a house…..just waiting for some lovely souls to come fill it…with all their STUFF …. that’s us !!

Drop me a line and I will be on it before you know it !!

Will be in Hong Kong first week of May – happy to go check out any cool shack !

 

 

 

Ilze

Stormy Saturday

21
Apr

I hate stormy Saturdays when it rains, it’s cold, windy and purely miserable outside.

Like Today.

But I love starting a Saturday Morning with my husband having a Tea Latte.

Like Today.

Actually, I just love my husband. So the weather does not really matter that much.

Hope you have a super  (maybe even sunny)  Saturday where you are !

 

 

 

 

Ilze

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