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Living overseas

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Original poster

"Forrin parts" dwellers - anyone around for a chat?

109 replies

Thumbwitch · 18/08/2011 04:41

We've had these chat threads before for people who live overseas and post at odd hours but they tend to peter out so I thought I'd have another go!

I am in Australia, 1.5h north of Sydney, been here almost exactly 2 years (tomorrow) and have an Aussie DH and a DS who is 3.8.

And currently I have a cold and am Not Happy. :(

OP posts:
Bubbaluv · 25/08/2011 01:38

10.30 am on Thursday here.

Clearly no appreciation for his art insalation then Cheerful? It loses all meaning when moved from its context.

ComradeJing · 25/08/2011 01:53

Morning all, It's 8:50 here but DD gets up at 6:30 so feels like mid morning already.

Nothing DD is almost 8 months. It's alright without mum friends but having spent two weeks with a really close friend who lives in HK I've realised I'm missing something.

Barbie I'd be dead in 51 degrees.

barbie1 · 25/08/2011 05:30

It's cooling down! Finally....managed to get a babysitter last night and went out, the place was chose was absolutely freezing so we were all glad to get outside. Thats a first in quite a few months Smile

Comrade, I hope you do sort something out, it is so very hard without people to talk to. Lucky for us here in Dubai everything (except the weather) is very child friendly. Saying that I'm sick of soft play areas and gaze longingly out to our beautiful garden and wish for the days when we can all go outside and play.

Knowing my luck just as the sensible weather makes a return we will be on the move back to the uk and I will have to endure a British winter. Yikes!

Original poster
Thumbwitch · 25/08/2011 09:59

I noticed that when I visited HK, barbie - dripping humid heat outside, freezing air con in the shops. It was a real shock to the system going in and out of the shopping malls - unsurprisingly I got quite a bad cold!

OP posts:
barbie1 · 25/08/2011 10:24

Thumb witch I woke up with a cold this morning Sad the chemist won't let me take anything for it either...my throat is killing me!

ComradeJing · 25/08/2011 14:17

Thumb, I posted on the car seat thread btw. Isofix is coming to Aus at some point!

Original poster
Thumbwitch · 26/08/2011 01:34

I saw that, thanks Jing! Can't come soon enough after reading that Volvo lady's report, IMO.

How is everyone today? It's very spring like here in NSW - sunny, warmish, not too windy - it's a lovely day. Must get out there and take advantage of it...

OP posts:
BonzaBlue · 26/08/2011 05:49

I would get outside and enjoy it - but I am sooooo tired today ... I could go to bed and sleep through if I didn't get insomnia as soon as I go to bed LOL ... it is lovely though, here in NSW ... listening to all the birds chatting to each other.

What are everyones' plans for the weekend ... should get out into the garden to weed ... but ... could be persuaded to do something much more fun !

Original poster
Thumbwitch · 26/08/2011 07:29

we haven't any plans this weekend - DH is off to Melbourne for a training week next week so I guess he'll not want to do anything too strenuous (he hasn't much stamina, bless him Hmm)

Probably just go to the park, enjoy the weather (if it sticks around) do a bit of gardening, that kind of thing.

OP posts:
ComradeJing · 27/08/2011 01:01

DD has just slept from 11 - 7am. Amazing.

no real plans for the weekend here. Going to watch the Bledisloe cup today at a child friendly pub this evening and cooking DH's birthday dinner tomorrow. Trying ribs in the slow cooker.

Original poster
Thumbwitch · 27/08/2011 01:13

Ah ComradeJing - did you go in and check she was still breathing? I know I did, the first night DS slept that long in his cot! Trouble was he is a silent sleeper so I had to get very close to hear him breathe and nearly woke him up!

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madwomanintheattic · 27/08/2011 02:23

evenin' all. frak, when did you namechange? i've lsot track of everyone.

i'm t'other side of the rockies from jacksmania. Grin dh had to scrape the frost off the windscreen twice last week... but it's beautiful still. just a little tease of Things To Come.

school starts again here on monday - woohoo! i'm beyond excited, it's very sad. we moved in the hols, so all the dcs are starting new schools - fortunately i'm beyond the baby/ pg stage - but it does mean i have to start looking for a new job, as i've been lounging around all summer long Hmm

kickassangel · 27/08/2011 03:12

cheerful i'm at muskegon, so really close to you

tis dd's bday this weekend & we're having a weekend of hell culture - i mean fun at 'Michigan's Adventure' theme & water park.

I hate all rides, I get sick & have whiplash, so will be standing around holding the bags/money etc.

but dd & dh will have a big load of laughs, so I will put up with it

school here is not allowed to start til after labor day, but i have 2 days of training before then. 3 months of me & dd is a bit too much. but then, she's starting at the school i teach at, so i'll still see quite a lot of her!

ComradeJing · 27/08/2011 04:08

You'd think so thumb and before I used to (when she used to sleep 8 hours - about 4 months ago) but now I just sleep through myself. I'm way, way too tired.

Original poster
Thumbwitch · 27/08/2011 04:13

That's good then Jing!

Kickass!!! Haven't seen you around for a while, sounds like you've been busy!

Hi Madwoman, I don't think that I'd clocked that you were in Canada as well [dim emoticon]

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Eralc · 27/08/2011 11:14

Hello - can I join in? Am in Sydney and have 2 DS's (6 months and 3)

I'm just getting over a viscious virus - haven't been so wiped out by one for ages - was a cold/tonsilitis/weird lump on roof of mouth/conjunctivitis combination thing - not fun! Am still feeling all pathetic - we went to the shopping mall this morning and had to give up after two shops because I felt dreadful.

Am loving the spring weather arriving here, although it's reminding me about just how hot it's going to get in a few months. If it would stay like it's been the last few days year round ,I would be very happy! It's also nice that the house is starting to reach a teperature inside where you no longer need 4 jumpers and 7 pairs of socks to remain warm!

Am dreaming of the day when DS2 sleeps for more than 3 hours at a time - have just switched him off breastfeeding to formula because I couldn't take it anymore :(

Original poster
Thumbwitch · 27/08/2011 11:21

Hi Eralc! sorry that you're having a bit of a tough time with DS2 and really sorry to hear about the vicious virus! Last year, DS, DH and I all had the Evil Virus From Hell for a week - it was horrific! Can't even say it's because we're non-native, DH is and his mum and brother caught it too (and they've always lived here)
Snap re. weather and house Grin

OP posts:
madwomanintheattic · 27/08/2011 19:53

yy kickass. v weird that we go back for a week and then get the labour day long weekend - not sure why they decided to plan it that way! must be an extra few days hol tagged on somewhere else in the year...

eralc, i made it to 10mos with ds1, largely because he was a bottle refuser (despite the best efforts of the hv etc). by the time i stopped i pretty much didn't care if he starved himself Blush as he fed every two hours on the dot, day and night and i was sooooo sleep deprived. dd1 self-weaned at 6mos (sensible girl) and i only managed to latch dd2 once, as she had a lot of oromotor/ swallow problems, but i do think we beat ourselves up too much about bf. you did fantastically to get to 6mos, so no more sad faces! being poorly can't have helped either, so rough when you have tinies. hope you feel better soon!

congrats on sleeping through jing

CheerfulYank · 27/08/2011 20:25

Kickass I'll be in Michigan for my cousin's wedding in May, we should meet up! Are there any other mumsnetters around us? Doesn't someone live in Chicago?

kickassangel · 28/08/2011 01:57

there was grockle, but she's back in the uk, then someone else was thinking of moving there.

may could be good - i teach, but could manage some time. whereabouts will you be? the campsites fill up months in advance over by the lake, and they all open on mem day weekend, or i could find a motel. i have never met a mner in rl!

ComradeJing · 28/08/2011 03:33

eriac come over here please.

I BF dd 6 months almost exclusively and then finished completely at 7 and a half. I'm actually really glad I've finished though I did love it whilst I did it. Looking back there was no way I would manage to fix her sleep whilst I still bf.

I have my first hangover in almost 17 months. Went to watch the rugby then ended up at a friends house last night. Very, very good fun.

It was cooler here last night. You could feel winter on the air.

CheerfulYank · 28/08/2011 05:32

Kickass have pm'd you. :)

It's getting chilly at night here, too. I can't wait for autumn. I just went school shopping (I work at a school and start again on the 6th) and bought lots of cardies, etc, so can't wait til it is cool enough to wear them!

kickassangel · 28/08/2011 07:03

Ok, will read it when I'm on the laptop again

Original poster
Thumbwitch · 29/08/2011 13:18

Y'know, our local open-air swimming pool opens at the beginning of September. I wanted to start DS at swimming lessons in it - but I can't do it just now cos it's too fecking cold! He's not that keen on it anyway (couple of scares) so I'm pretty sure he'd have a Major Refusal if I tried to get him in a cold pool.

I hope it warms up more soon - but it can stop at around 23-25deg C for as long as it likes! Grin

OP posts:
5moreminutes · 31/08/2011 00:18

Anyone about? I am in Germany, only an hour ahead but 4 month old having a growth spurt and can't sleep anyway due to very painful finegers which I hurt today and spat with dh playing on my mind too... older 2 children will be up at 6am no matter when I fall asleep of course...

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