I'm a mess. I'm a mess. A messy, messy mess. If you have children in your life and they watch as much Nick Jr. television as my kids do, you might recognize these lyrics from the Laurie Berkner Band. I sing it to my kids all the time after they've had a round with the watercolor paints, or when cleaning play dough from under their fingernails, or when mopping up what was chocolate ice cream that melted quicker than they could shovel in. But lately I'm the mess. I'm a messy, messy mess.
When we left for Hong Kong on Monday I told everyone to check my blog, check Facebook, check your email because I would be updating. Then I got here. Then some kind of cold virus overtook my body. Then the jet lag set in. Then there was the time adjustment. Then there was the literal heartsickness of missing my children, who I have never been away from overnight much less a a whole week. Then there is the panic of losing my comfortably familiar life in North Carolina. The realization that family and friends are so far away. And the reality of Hong Kong as opposed to the picture I've had in my head. That's a lot for one person in just a few short days. So that explains just why I'm a messy, messy mess.
The good thing is, I'm better today than I was yesterday and hopefully, I'll be even better yet by tomorrow. And with the weekend here and not much on our plates as far as commitments and appointments, I'm hoping we'll really be able to explore this Asian island for the next two days. So, if you're looking for info, updates, observations and photos, just hang on. It's coming.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
House Hunters International
In less than two weeks, I'll be boarding a plane for Hong Kong. Every time I think of it I get this nervous, butterfly feeling in my stomach and this weird tightness in my chest that I'm certain is what a panic attack feels like. I also feel a little elated. After all, this is travel, this is adventure, this is discovery. It's also the first time my husband and I have ever been away from the kids for an extended period of time.
Over the past few years, friends have described their kid-less weekend get-aways and I have been positively green with envy. Just color me chartreuse! But here's my chance, to sneak away, just me and Gene and pretend like it's 5+ years ago. Except it's not five years ago. We've got some kids. They are constantly on our minds. And the fact that we've never been away from them for an extended period of time will make me (if not him) quite anxious. And did I mention that this isn't "fun in the sun, let's sleep in and stay up late, drink way to much wine and spend way too much on dinner, take a ferry tour and shop for souvenirs" type trip? No, this is technically a business trip. The business of establishing a household in Hong Kong.
Last summer Gene went on a little real estate tour while he was in Hong Kong. He was able to check out different types of housing and different locations. Some locations were ruled out immediately -- too far from work, too far from schools. We were also able to rule out some types of housing. Townhouses, for example, are out. Gene described to me weird lay-outs, multiple floors. Your kitchen may be on the 2nd floor, but your dining area is on the 3rd floor. Nothing like carrying spaghetti and meatballs up and down the stairs at meal time. So, based on his initial trip, we were able to come up with a list of potential apartment buildings to look at on our joint trip. Our target area -- Repulse Bay!
Repulse Bay. Sounds absolutely repulsive, doesn't it? But from what I've seen on the internet and heard from my husband, it's anything but. Repulse Bay is located in the southern part of Hong Kong. From what I've researched, once upon a time, pirates infested those waters around China but were "repulsed" by the British fleet. Thus the name, Repulse Bay.
During many of those late night "drink some wine, sit on the screeched porch, talk about your hopes and dreams" Gene has confided in me that he wants to experience life in a big city. On many of those night, when we are planted in front of the TV watching HGTV's House Hunters show, I've admitted that I would love to live on a tropical island. Repulse Bay seems to fit the bill for both of us. Minutes from the bright lights of a lively, bustling city, but footsteps away from the sandy beach. A perfect compromise.
So, now it comes down to the wish list. What to hope for in our three year home? When we bought 5245, our wish list went something like this: crawl space, walk-up attic, 4 bedrooms, dual staircases, screened porch, fireplace and trees, trees, trees! This time around, it's a little different. This is technically temporary housing, so why not mix it up a bit, go to hell with the joke, go out of our norm! I'd love a huge wall of glass windows with a view of the South China Sea, an obscenely modern kitchen loaded with U.S. standard appliances (dishwasher, microwave, etc.). But what would I love, love, love to have? Answer: A funky, cool, totally modern master bathroom. Maybe a freestanding tub in front a a huge window so I can "bathe" in the night lights of Hong Kong, counter top wash bowls, lots of granite and glass tile. You know, something you'd see in Architectural Digest.
Another fun thing about housing in Hong Kong is that most of these apartment complexes come with amenities. From tropical-like outdoor pools, to any-weather indoor pools, work out rooms, BBQ and picnic areas, playgrounds and indoor playrooms. Some buildings even have their own restaurants! I've been thinking a lot about what I'd like to have on-site, what I can live without. It really is all about the kids. If they can't have grass to cartwheel in, dirt to dig up worms in, then the least we can do is get them a nice pool to splash in, a jungle gym to climb on.
It will be interesting to see just how much of the wish list we can fulfill. In the end it will be just like House Hunters. Will they choose Apartment #1 with the amazing city view and short walk to the beach, Apartment #2 with it's on-site restaurant and tanning salon, or Apartment #3 off the beaten path but with huge bedrooms?
Stay tuned and after our short commercial break, I'll fill you in on what we've chosen to be home sweet Asian home for the next three years. And yes, I'll post pictures too.
Over the past few years, friends have described their kid-less weekend get-aways and I have been positively green with envy. Just color me chartreuse! But here's my chance, to sneak away, just me and Gene and pretend like it's 5+ years ago. Except it's not five years ago. We've got some kids. They are constantly on our minds. And the fact that we've never been away from them for an extended period of time will make me (if not him) quite anxious. And did I mention that this isn't "fun in the sun, let's sleep in and stay up late, drink way to much wine and spend way too much on dinner, take a ferry tour and shop for souvenirs" type trip? No, this is technically a business trip. The business of establishing a household in Hong Kong.
Repulse Bay. Sounds absolutely repulsive, doesn't it? But from what I've seen on the internet and heard from my husband, it's anything but. Repulse Bay is located in the southern part of Hong Kong. From what I've researched, once upon a time, pirates infested those waters around China but were "repulsed" by the British fleet. Thus the name, Repulse Bay.
During many of those late night "drink some wine, sit on the screeched porch, talk about your hopes and dreams" Gene has confided in me that he wants to experience life in a big city. On many of those night, when we are planted in front of the TV watching HGTV's House Hunters show, I've admitted that I would love to live on a tropical island. Repulse Bay seems to fit the bill for both of us. Minutes from the bright lights of a lively, bustling city, but footsteps away from the sandy beach. A perfect compromise.
Another fun thing about housing in Hong Kong is that most of these apartment complexes come with amenities. From tropical-like outdoor pools, to any-weather indoor pools, work out rooms, BBQ and picnic areas, playgrounds and indoor playrooms. Some buildings even have their own restaurants! I've been thinking a lot about what I'd like to have on-site, what I can live without. It really is all about the kids. If they can't have grass to cartwheel in, dirt to dig up worms in, then the least we can do is get them a nice pool to splash in, a jungle gym to climb on.
It will be interesting to see just how much of the wish list we can fulfill. In the end it will be just like House Hunters. Will they choose Apartment #1 with the amazing city view and short walk to the beach, Apartment #2 with it's on-site restaurant and tanning salon, or Apartment #3 off the beaten path but with huge bedrooms?
Stay tuned and after our short commercial break, I'll fill you in on what we've chosen to be home sweet Asian home for the next three years. And yes, I'll post pictures too.
Monday, April 4, 2011
On Days Like This
Sometimes on a lovely spring day, like today, when I'm watching the kids play in the backyard
Running around like nuts
Practicing summersaults
Chillin' on the back steps
Seeing Reagan picking flowers
And showing me her bucketful of blossoms
Tripp blowing bubbles
While I watch the sun shine off the glitter toenail polish on my funky, webbed feet
And check out the massive, tall trees in the backyard
I am ever so aware that soon our lives are going to change. But change isn't always a bad thing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)