This was the highly anticipated week of Mama and the kiddos being alone in the Lion City.  Daddy backtracked home via London to participate in some face to face interviews. As nerve wracking at it seemed from the outset, it’s been fine. The children have been angelic (well, sort of), and after having done this drill for a whole year prior, the only thing that is different is the scenery (and the fact that Mama is not worrying who will come start the generator should we lose power). I have been missing Nemo though. He kept me company back in Lee when Daddy was on the road and these nights alone in bed have been a little unsettling.

                            

Daddy made sure to incorporate some play into his week and caught a Sox game with some buddies.

 

The weekend leading up to Michael’s departure was full of the mundane. We spent a good chunk of Saturday at a (a new to us) mall quite close to the kids’ schools. Maggie Lou was invited to a bowling birthday party – her first time big ball bowling. She had a blast hanging with the fourth graders and thoroughly enjoyed her root beer float.

Mama is getting a little tired of taking pictures of our food, but we want to preserve, in photograph, some of Singapore’s signature dishes. Here are some of the things we have been scoffing down. Apologies for the poor pictures – I leave the food styling and photography to other family members (Thom, Minta, Hannah. . . ).

 

Curry Puff: curried chicken and potato in pastry. An “anytime snack” and a popular breakfast choice.

 Jack and Mama had fun discovering yet another indoor playspace. This one was the best yet, and not just because there is a bistro attached. Cool-de-Sac is a great spot where parents can sip lattes and eat decent food (that’s where mama had the mussels laksa) while the kiddos run wild. It offers great equipment to climb, run, play on, as well as has an art center, lego center, dress up center with stage and disco ball, and a zip line! Jack dressed like Spiderman and liked the slides the best. We’ll be  coming back here with Maggie Lou and Daddy.

               

 

This week in “things you probably won’t see in Lee:”

The first three are our “haunts” in the basement…

Mama was ignorant to squat toilets. For those who are like me and need a tutorial please note:  in other cultures folks squat to go potty! Most public bathrooms in Singapore offer at least one squat toilet. We (the Aldous collective)have all “tried” – some have had more success than others, and Jack sometimes has to be talked out of squatting (it’s a bit time consuming and sometimes laundry producing being an amateur, and all). It’s been great to be reminded that most basic things can be done differently!