Ahh the life of an expat. Never a dull moment here in the sandbox and never an opportunity to sit and relax before Aric gets antsy, or there is a call from a friend asking us to come and join them in some holiday cheer! We mustn't complain...just think of how many people have no friends, like Mark Zuckerberg for example!
So whether it's a sun-downer invite from Louise and Richard, a pizza night with Peter and Lorraine, or a 30km bike ride with Angus and Fiona, we are game. This holiday season has truly been about close friends and family, especially since Aidan is away (and he is really missed). Hunter has been the proverbial son in Aidan's absence and he is fully enjoying the attention as well as hanging out with us.
We have been to the movies a few times with he and Mariana, his new girlfriend and possibly "the ONE" (at least this year) who hails from the Greek side of Cypress. She is a lovely girl and they seem to have fun and enjoy eachother's company. He spent New Years Eve with her and her family. Just like last year, we went to Angus and Fiona's house with ten or so other Cisco folks plus another 25 or so family members and friends of theirs. It was a very nice evening with good Lebanese food and plenty of Cosmopolitans on tap!
The holidays also brought activities such as golf and wakeboarding. We were out on the last day of 2010 and the first day of the new year, and were spoiled because nobody else occupied the bay for a change, so we had mirror like conditions for boarding. Sugar is still going strong and is a favorite toy of ours.
My brother has settled in at his new home and has a few days off from flying so most of his days are spent at IKEA while I have had the kids in the pool. They have adopted up a stray female desert dog (Saluki mix) and Slim is wearing himself out in his effort to impress Sasja, a real diva dog :)
Aidan is now alone again after Courtney left Australia last night. He was very down when I spoke to him but I cheered him up by telling him the good news: He has been accepted at Columbia College Chicago in the Industrial Design Major! He is still (as am I - weatherwise) holding out for Arizona State Univeristy, but at least we have an in somewhere. Tomorrow he starts a new job on Thursday Island, all the way north in Torres Strait, close to Papa New Guinea! He is going to bartend and wait tables to make up the money he spent while Courtney visited him. We were also treated to a surprise, Christmas Eve, when he told us he had (not formally) proposed to her, with prospects of a wedding in "3-4 years, once he is done with school and if she still wants him" - we've all been there at one point, with our first true love I think!! Let's see what the next 3-4 years bring :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thursday_Island,_Queensland
Back to work and school this week has been a challenge and none of us are ready for the rat race again, but nothing comes from doing nothing. At least I got one round of Par 3 in with Lorraine and we managed to sit next to Hugh Grant for lunch....it's amazing how many celebs we run into in this sandbox!
So whether it's a sun-downer invite from Louise and Richard, a pizza night with Peter and Lorraine, or a 30km bike ride with Angus and Fiona, we are game. This holiday season has truly been about close friends and family, especially since Aidan is away (and he is really missed). Hunter has been the proverbial son in Aidan's absence and he is fully enjoying the attention as well as hanging out with us.
We have been to the movies a few times with he and Mariana, his new girlfriend and possibly "the ONE" (at least this year) who hails from the Greek side of Cypress. She is a lovely girl and they seem to have fun and enjoy eachother's company. He spent New Years Eve with her and her family. Just like last year, we went to Angus and Fiona's house with ten or so other Cisco folks plus another 25 or so family members and friends of theirs. It was a very nice evening with good Lebanese food and plenty of Cosmopolitans on tap!
The holidays also brought activities such as golf and wakeboarding. We were out on the last day of 2010 and the first day of the new year, and were spoiled because nobody else occupied the bay for a change, so we had mirror like conditions for boarding. Sugar is still going strong and is a favorite toy of ours.
My brother has settled in at his new home and has a few days off from flying so most of his days are spent at IKEA while I have had the kids in the pool. They have adopted up a stray female desert dog (Saluki mix) and Slim is wearing himself out in his effort to impress Sasja, a real diva dog :)
Aidan is now alone again after Courtney left Australia last night. He was very down when I spoke to him but I cheered him up by telling him the good news: He has been accepted at Columbia College Chicago in the Industrial Design Major! He is still (as am I - weatherwise) holding out for Arizona State Univeristy, but at least we have an in somewhere. Tomorrow he starts a new job on Thursday Island, all the way north in Torres Strait, close to Papa New Guinea! He is going to bartend and wait tables to make up the money he spent while Courtney visited him. We were also treated to a surprise, Christmas Eve, when he told us he had (not formally) proposed to her, with prospects of a wedding in "3-4 years, once he is done with school and if she still wants him" - we've all been there at one point, with our first true love I think!! Let's see what the next 3-4 years bring :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thursday_Island,_Queensland
Back to work and school this week has been a challenge and none of us are ready for the rat race again, but nothing comes from doing nothing. At least I got one round of Par 3 in with Lorraine and we managed to sit next to Hugh Grant for lunch....it's amazing how many celebs we run into in this sandbox!
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