Life in General

Hi all,

We've been enjoying our days by the pool lately. Emma has made friends with 2 English sisters, Issie (short for Isabella) and Millie (short for Amelia). Issie is 10 and Millie is 8. We had our first sleep over with them last night. We took them all out to dinner at Bidi Bondi, a sports bar up the path from our apartment building. Then they all came back to our place for the sleep over.

Emma has picked up quite a few English phrases:
*Ready, steady, go....instead of ready, set, go..
*just a pinch...while I was scratching her back one night, she told me "go up just a pinch, no 2 more pinches"
*I'll have some "chips" with my hamburger, and last night she told me she now likes fish and chips better then hamburgers
*I'll have some salad on my sandwich, meaning she wants lettuce..

We will be very sad to see them go. They leave tonight for England. They own an apartment here and spend 5 weeks during the summer out in Dubai. So if we are still in the same building next year we should see them toward the end of July.

The weather has been very hot and humid but it doesn't seem that bad when you are sitting in the pool, especially the baby pool that is completely shaded. They even cool the water in the pool so it is always refreshing when you get in. Rich can stand to sit in the lounge chair and soak up the rays but it is way to hot for my fair skin, if I am outside I am in the pool.

Emma and I go tomorrow morning for her school orientation. We'll get to meet her teacher and meet the other students and parents. Then her official first day will be Monday. We have her uniform all ready. Khaki shorts or skort with either a white or navy polo shirt. On assembly day she has to wear the skort with an actual button down shirt. We had to go to a specific store to buy her uniform, she can't wear just any white polo or shorts. Emma thought they were all ugly but as I told her everyone will be wearing the same thing, so even if you think it's ugly it won't matter. They also have to have 2 hats, one to bring to and from school and one to keep at school. It is mandatory for all students to wear hats when outside.

We now have the Wii hooked up! The girls and Rich have already been rocking out to guitar hero. Hope everyone is doing well and will chat more later!

L,
Jennifer