On on!

Well, here it is, my 50th run wine goblet!
I'm going to bring it to every hash to have my after-run drink in from now on!



The text says:
Brunei Hen House Harriers
Boel Watson
50 runs
15-09-09
On on

I'm Mrs Watson

The kids in school all have one specialist session a week doing PMP (=Physical Motor Program (?)). It's held by the PE teacher, but - she doesn't have any assistants to do these lessons. So she has asked around amongst the parents if anyone had some time to spare, to help out. She really needs all the help she can get as the very young kids needs to be supervised to do all the movements and exercises properly.
I've volunteered for 2 hours a week, 2 periods with the two Year 2 classes on Thursdays. Yesterday was my first time.

At one stage I told a little boy off slightly, and he looked at me with a big question mark all over his face saying "And who are you??!"
Well, from now on, I'm Mrs Watson - teacher's assistant!

Yesterday our room was double booked so for one session we had to take the kids out to play on the outside equipment. I'd never noticed before, but as soon as the kids came out to play, two maintenance guys came and sat down on chairs between the playground and the jungle. Just sat there, and read the newspaper.
I asked the teacher who they were and she said they were on "monkey-duty"... Apparently the monkeys come down to the cantine and rummage through the garbage bins, and sometimes also wander around the school grounds. So - there are "monkey-guards", to keep and eye and make sure they don't come near the children!
Ha ha - what would be the equivalent back home? "Squirrel-guards"? Ha ha!

Nose-ear-nose-ear...

There is a lot of activity here on the blog at the moment because there is really a lot going on right now in our life in Brunei.
The kids are thriving in school and it's a joy to see. Both of them happily gets up in the morning and looks forward to their day. They come home full of smiles and lets us know all they have been doing. Both of them seem really happy with the extra activities we have signed them up for, and with everything else that is happening for them.

On Linnea's 2nd swimming lesson yesterday, they practised their "breathing to the side". It was only four of them this time, and they floated around for a bit on this mat, alternating putting their face down in the water and blowing bubbles (nose) with laying their head on the side to breathe (ear). They were so cute!



They also tried a dive for the first time yesterday. I might have started them from sitting position, but then again... I'm no swim coach, what do I know? Here is Linnea's first attempt, a bit of a tummy splash, but with time and practise she will soon get this too!

Pass the parcel

Another couple of parties this week. On Wednesday Linnea went to her little friend Adam's 4th birthday party. They had two pools in the garden, so the kids were well entertained - they also had a bit of a treasure hunt and the usual pass-the-parcel etc:




Today it's another party, for one of Lucas' friends - and then we are having another long weekend, four days off now, for Hari Raya (=end of Ramadan). Lovely!

But Mummy!

I picked up Linnea from Kindy today, and whilst gathering all her belongings and emptying her tray, I asked her to go and get her lunchbox and water bottle.
She was already holding her hairband in one hand and a drawing in the other, so she looked at me, rolling her eyes, going:
- But Mummy! I only have TWO hands!!!

I wonder where she has picked that up from..?

First football training

Today it was Lucas' turn to have his first ASA (apart from swimming) - football.
He did try football 1 1/2 years ago, at an external club, not in school; but wasn't so keen on it then because there was so many big kids and he got a bit scared. Now he's not only older and bigger, today was only for kids the same age, or just a year older than him - and he was really keen!
Mostly he was proud of his brand new football shoes..!

It's Lucas in the white shirt, green hat and red shorts & socks.





And after her swimming lesson, here is Lucas' biggest supporter:



He thought it was great fun playing football today, but - it wasn't long enough!! Ha ha, keen was the word!

System overload - more ballerinas

I just have to put up this little clip too, from the first ballet lesson yesterday. It's of the little ballerinas doing bunny jumps across the room. First you'll see two of Linnea's friends, and then it's her turn.
She is trying really hard... but I though she got a bit system overload, too much information... It's not much bunny hopping going on - she rather looks like something out of Monty Python's funny walks...
So, so cute!

First ballet class

Linnea had her first ballet lesson today after school. Considering she was awfully disappointed she wasn't allowed to do Hip-Hop (it's only for kids in Reception and up), I wasn't quite sure how this girly-girly tutu-heaven, pink galore activity was going to go down with her...

All the mums were in place today to help the little ones change, and then off we went to the school's dance studio. At least they were all really looking the part, they were so, so cute!

 

They learned so many things already today: "happy feet"(=pointy toes), "close the door" (=feet together), stretch the fingers, hands on hips, rise up on your toes, straighten your necks like a giraffe etc... It seemed liked a little bit too much information for Linnea, who had never tried this before, and couldn't really coordinate it all at once. But she did her very best, listening to all the instructions:

I thought it was a shame though, that discipline seemed to be so important already with these 3-4 year olds - Linnea got hushed on (!) when she laughed and was happy, and again when she excitedly said "-This is so much fun!!" - bless her...

 

Here is the whole little group:

I'm not quite sure she will want to go back next week. We will see. She seemed to have fun, but you never quite know with her. I hope so. She was so incredibly gorgeous..!

The little butterflies

Here is a little clip from today. They are being little butterflies, floating around, waving their wings... Aren't they cute!



It is Linnea who is laughing and giggling (and getting hushed...) by the way.

Hashing at the beach

Yesterday, Anna, Tina and I set a hash at one of the beaches up close to us. It's called Pantai Meragang, but everybody calls it Crocodile Beach - even though, as far as I've heard, noone has ever seen a crocodile there.

We laid the trail in through the jungle quite a bit, it was pretty thorny and jungly, mostly actually virgin trails; and ended up out on the beach so the hashers got a lovely run back to the tent, along the beach in the sunset. It was a really nice run actually!

 

We saw a kingfisher:

As I said, they got a nice walk/run back along the beach - isn't it beautiful?

Pantai Meragang and the South China Sea, at sunset:

Everybody arrived back at the tent, safe and sound.

As hares (=the ones who lay the run of the night), we got awarded a down-down. Here we are getting ready, one...

... two...

... three!!!

It was also my 50th run last night! That's the first time you receive a special award, and then you get awards at every 50th hash you do. (Some of our hashers have done over 1100 runs!!! The Brunei ladies hash is the oldest one in the world!)

For your first one, you get a Selangor wine goblet/glass, with the Brunei Hen House Harrier logo, your name and the date inscribed. Really nice! This is me getting my glass, a closer picture will follow.

(Thank you to Tina for all the photos!)

First swimming lessons

Today was the day for the kids' first After-School-Activities, ASAs. We decided already at the end of last term, that we would send them to the swimming club this term, since it's the term that is most regular.
So, today both of them had their first swimming lessons, with the Dolphins Club - the swimming club at school.

Linnea will do half an hour twice a week. She is in a group with four of her little class mates, and she seemed to take to the listening-to-instructions so-so this first time... It was a lot of fun playing with her friends, obviously... It'll come!
Here they are doing bunny jumps:

 

And here they are "driving motorbikes", with their heads under the water. It's Linnea out in the middle of the pool:

Watch her go!

And here is Lucas, and his group. They are having an hours lesson, but only once a week.

 

Practising kicking:

And after swimming, it was well needed, and deserved snack time!

Nathan's new set-up

Nathan has gone into the final phase of his training for the Around-the-Lake-Race (in NZ) in November. He has worked out a training schedule and put all this training times into our calendars, and keeps to them strictly.
But what do you do if it's already dark, or if it's raining too much outside?

You do this:

He has got a perfect set-up! With some new, very silent rollers - at home, in the AC in front of the TV!

Such a shame

I read in the newspaper over the weekend that the Istana (the Royal Palace) will be closed for Hari Raya this year, due to the risks of H1N1. Such a shame, but fully understandable of course.

I really, really enjoyed my visit there last year; and was so looking forward to going up there again. Ah well, next year!
If you wish, you can visit last year's amazing slide show here.

Not a single one!

It's been a hectic weekend this weekend, and I sit here now and realize that I haven't taken a single photo all weekend!! Not a single one! Crazy, and very unlike me. What's going on?

We went to the Yacht Club on Friday afternoon for a 6-year birthday party. "Whirlwindy" as always but good fun, especially for the kiddies. In the evening we attended an adult birthday party which for some of us didn't end until 5 o'clock in the morning... Guess who.
Saturday I went to a surprise baby shower in the afternoon, with an endless arrival of goodies, sweet and savoury dishes, mmm; and in the evening I went to a girlfriend's birthday celebration, with more goodies and wine.

Yesterday the kids and I went to this month's Kids Hash at Subok. Good fun as always, and I was mighty impressed because the run was rather a long and hilly one, even for the youngest - and both Lucas and Linnea did the whole thing by themselves! Without complaining once!
It really grabs them, this 'follow-the-paper' thing. They love it!

Now I have to go find my camera, can't believe it's been packed away all weekend...

Hot, hot, hot!

This past week has been very hot and sticky here in Brunei, with next to no rain at all. I've been exercising every morning after school drop off, and I've had huge issues with being overheated afterward!

Even though, I finish off my training with a bit of a cooling down period every time, and even though I've only taken cold showers every time - not only have my face continued to be as red as a stop light for several hours after workout, but I've also continued to sweat profusely (too much information?) until way after lunch time! More than once have I felt the need to jump through the shower for a bit of a mid-day cool off, and I've really been bothered about this.
I can't remember it being like this last year when I came back?

Then, one of my teacher friends gave me a scientific explanation:
Living here in tropical climate all the time, makes our blood thinner. So therefor when we get home to Scandinavia/UK etc in the summer time, we are still feeling cold when everybody else are warm. Starting off our holidays in jeans and fleeces f.e. With time, our bodies gets used to the temperature back there and thickens the blood again, so - when we get back here, we get overheated!
Apparently, it takes quite a while for the blood to thin back down, and that's why I've been feeling the way I have. Probably last year, when it was hotter back home and cooler here, the difference wasn't as big as this year - hence I can't remember this reaction from last year.

I have read though that red wine is supposed to act like a blood thinner - so I'll go with that! That's a 'diet' I can do!

Perth purchase

Since Nathan is flying short haul, he doesn't do any long trips away to any exciting destinations out here. Every now and then, he gets a Perth, which is the only overnight our short haul boys do. If you are lucky, you get it on a day when the stores are open, and you can get some shopping done.
Some wives send longer lists than others with their husbands, of things to get. I have never really understood that and am really curious to know what all these things are they so desperately need to get?

Maybe it's just that I'm not so fussy, if the tooth paste we normally use isn't there, I choose another one; or if there is no ham I buy salami this week etc. After having moved about here and there and everywhere I guess I have just learned to make do with what there is - otherwise you make your life really complicated.

But, this time in Perth - Nathan did actually bring back something, this:

Lucky he had some practise this summer mounting one in Denmark, so it didn't take too long to put it all together. Matt helped, and they were just about ready when Linnea came home from school.

And then we had the inauguration:

The kids have already had lots of fun on this with their friends. It's huge, 13 ft, and keeps them busy for hours! Will give them lots of exercise too! Great purchase!

Hash handle

I was back at the Hash on Tuesday, for the first time in over two months. It was really nice to be out in the jungle again, but gosh, it was a hard one! Up and down, and up and down... and up... and down... and up... and - you get the picture! Felt like it was never ending...

At the shout-up afterward, not only did I get the hashit (again...), this time for something that wasn't really my fault - but, I got my hash handle!
Our JM (=joint mistress, the one who leads the shout-ups) did a hash christening and we had to kneal to get awarded our names to be used at the Hash. A hash handle is a nick name really, could be something connected to something you have done or said, or to where you are from or... well, random sometimes.
My friend Tina who loves to pickle onions and other various things got called 'Pickled Lilli', another lady who comes from Bulgaria got called 'Beluga' (apparently the caviar comes from there?); my Swedish friend Anna got the name 'Ryvita' (I found that a really good name!) and me, well, I got the name:
'Call Girl'...

Apparently, it's because I'm so good at shouting out the calls we do in the jungle... Ok, all with good humour of course - but, what's wrong with 'Ikea'..? I would have liked that!

Next week Anna, Tina and I are laying the hash. It'll be my third one and we are hoping it'll be a good one. It's also going to be my 50th run (!), so it's time for my very first award! I'll tell you more about that after receiving it on Tuesday!

Blog celebrity

Recently I have been feeling like a real blog celebrity. At a bazaar last week, a lady approached me and asked if I was "the lady with the blog"? Ehm, yes - I have A blog..?
Well, she was newly arrived in Brunei, and had been reading my blog for a while - she had found it while googling for information about everyday life in Brunei before coming here, and got hooked!

Funny thing is - this wasn't the first time this has happened!
I got "found" by a German lady this spring, who was about to move here from Singapore, and we ended up emailing each other for quite a while. I helped her with some of her queries and gave her lots of information. We have since met a bit now that she is here, and it's rather amusing how much she knows about me - just by having read the blog.
Same thing with a Swedish (yay!) lady who is moving out here in October. She also found the blog, and have been emailing. I'm looking forward to meeting her too in real life!

And finally, a friend of mine have visitors at the moment from home - guess if she got a surprise when they asked her if she knew a lady called Boel?! They had googled Brunei as well before coming on holiday, found this and read all my posts! Ha ha!

(Plus, I do think most of my readers are actually people who live here..! Good way to keep up with what we are up to I guess!)

Our prima ballerina

The ASAs (After-School-Activities) start next week, and the kids have after much deliberation decided to get signed up for football (Lucas), swimming (both) and ballet (Linnea) for this term.
There was a bit of a choice, but we didn't really want to over-activate the kids, so we thought one activity each would be enough; apart from the swimming, that was already planned to happen this term for the kids.

Lucas will need some new football shoes, since it's been over 1 1/2 year since he last tried his luck on football - and we are working on the ballet outfit for Linnea, for now she is borrowing one of Hannah's. It's a little bit on the small side, but she is still very pretty!

Now we just hope she is going to like it!

Happy Birthday Malthe!

Yesterday was our friend Malthes 6th birthday. It got celebrated in grand style, with a Superhero pool-party, bouncy castle, lots of snacks and treats, 'kagemand' (= a Danish speciality), Superhero cupcakes and lots of play of course!

Birthdays gets more and more fun and important - and Lucas and Linnea are already planning what kind of cake they are going to have and what kind of parties it's going to be...