Saturday May 10, 2008

So one weekend has past and we're starting another one. I've been slacking on my writing but when I think about it somedays I get so caught up doing other things that I forget. So my apologies. This week I don't think that I have left the block at all. I've been unpacking and trying to figure out where everything should go. Our house is probably the largest we have ever lived in but somehow we have managed to fill the place up with our things. You never really know how much stuff you actually have until you move. I was able to use all of the cabinet space in both of my kitchens and in the process discovered some pots and pans left behind by the previous tenant. Score for me because it was all brand new, still in the packaging and actually useful. I already owned a wok but the one left behind is huge! And she also left some T-Fal pots which are on the pricey side. I can only imagine she was a shopaholic and the pots were stored in an upper cabinet that even I had to use a step stool to reach so she must have forgotten they were there. There was another item that at first I thought was this massive wicker basket but it turns out that it was a food cover for when you eat outside. I thought that was cool and am proud to add it to collection of household products.

The biggest challenge has been hanging all of my pictures. Everyone knows that I am a photoholic and I cherish every single picture that I own including all of our whimsical caricatures that we get done when we visit some place different. Problem is all of our walls are either concrete or tile and supposedly we are not supposed to "bore" holes in the walls. Let's not forget Jim's extensive collection of sports dolls- 127 of them total that's not even counting the ones that are a foot tall and can not be hung or even his 4 foot long tributes to Michael Jordan and Walter Payton, his autographed ESPN magazine of LeBron James, and his 3 Stooges golf poster. All things that he cherishes and he even has a stash of collectibles in a box that in the 7 years I've known him I still don't know what it contains, I'm guessing something to do with Tiger Woods. Already his hobby has taken over 2 rooms in our house, our office and a bonus room at the top of the stairs. I really don't mind it all, I actually think it's pretty cool but when you have to hang everything using 3M adhesive hooks ( 127, remember ) it's not surprising some days I am resentful. So I am doing it all in stages, I've already finished basketball, total of 58, next is baseball 21, football there's 44 and lastly 4 Tiger Woods bobble head dolls. Fortunatly he has not added to his collection in the last 2 years. My other photos I've said to hell with not boring holes and used concrete nail hangers. That also is tricky because I'm not one for measuring like Jim is so I just eyeball it and pound away!! So far I've been fortunate because nothing seems off balanced or too crooked and if it does I just hang another picture next to it to even it out. So far it is starting to look like home. The guy at the hardware store is making a killing off of us!!

Jim has also been successful in getting a car loan and we are expecting delivery of our Jeep Cherokee on Monday. It's an older model but still looks brand new, however it does have leather seats and who would want leather in this type of heat! He got a good deal on it because the guy is moving to Australia and needed to sell it fast. Supposedly Jeep does not import cars anymore to Malaysia so this one was one of the last ones to come in. Surprising since Mercedes makes Jeep and there are Mercedes everywhere. I also got my hand-made patio set delivered this week and it looks wonderful! I bought some plants to go outside on the patio and it's like another living room outside with the ceiling fans and everything. It's very nice to sit outside and have dinner and a glass of wine, but I'm always on the look out for bats! So far haven't spotted one yet and that's fine with me. I did catch Oso chasing a gecko the other day but the lizard was too quick for him.

Speaking of wine, I mentioned last time that we were invited to a wine tasting last Friday. I must say Jim did remarkably well and has found that he can actually stomach a night of wine and actually enjoy it. The tasting was held at the distributor's warehouse where they also have a lounge built inside, it's very Ikea-ish but stylish just the same. At first it was awkward because we just walked right in and there was no one there to greet us so we waltzed up to the bar where they had choices of 6 different wines for the evening all made by the same vitner. Eventually someone decided to stop and talk to us and I don't remember his name but he is a former ambassador to Austria. He was pleasant enough and of course he and Jim started talking about golf and I turned my attention to the caterers. They served mostly appetizers like fried shrimp, quail eggs fried with bread, quail eggs topped with caviar, raw veggies with feta cheese dip and wontons. All of it was good but I don't think I like caviar...too fishy. Later on someone brought out roasted lamb from some room tucked into a corner and honestly I'm not a big fan of lamb because sometimes it tastes too gamey, but this was awesome! The other people present were an eclectic bunch, some were from Australia like the maker of the wine and his son, some from Britain, America, China and India and after speaking with a few of them Jim and I realized that we were in the company of millionaires. I can't remember every person I've ever met in my lifetime but I can honestly say that this was a first. This whole adventure has led to a lot of firsts.

Last Saturday and Sunday we didn't do too much other than hang out at George's and got to know the staff better. I have told them my real name but not directly. I said before that here you can purchase your own bottle of liquor and keep it at the bar so we got a bottle of Capn Morgan ( our favorite ) and originally they wrote "Jim and Wife" on the label so when I went in on Sunday I changed it to Tiffany so now they all know my name is not Steph which actually is my sister's name who by the way has made her way to L.A. and is enjoying her new job there. I talk to her more now than when I lived at home so I am making progress on strengthing my family ties. My brother Justin is graduating this weekend from Alabama A&M, congrats to him, wish I was there! and my brother in Dallas, Christopher and his wife Stacy have welcomed a new addition to their family: Matisse Victoria Edwards. Not sure if Matisse is spelled with one s or two but she is named after our grandmother and Stacy's grandmother both of which were named Mattie and we're all glad she arrived without complications and is healthy. No one knew the sex of the baby not even Chris and Stacy, they wanted a surprise and for sure everyone thought it would be a boy, I was even calling the baby Cason Joel just to get used to it but she surprised us all so Mattie it is. My life isn't just all about new adventures and life celebrations because also this month my brother Nicholas who is stationed in Germany with the Army will be deployed to Iraq for the second time in his career, this time for 15 months. He will leave behind his wife and their 4 kids in Germany. He says not to worry and that he will be fine because since he is a staff sergeant now he will command his own troops but that does nothing to ease my anxiety of him being over there in the first place. So I pray for his safe return and am thankful for all of the other blessings that my family has received. Before I forget...Happy Birthday Joanne! Happy Birthday Jayson! Happy 2nd anniversary to me and Jim and lastly Happy Mother's Day to all of our "mommas"!