weaving the rainbow

Tuesday, February 3, 2009 ;

10:11 AM

23rd Jan
Friday

Our boxes finally arrived! Ahhhhh!

The first few things that both boys asked us to unpack:

His knights and his beloved chess set. (ds1)

Their comfy and dearly-missed sleepwear. The pattern and graphics are just so much more pleasing than those I find here.

I had even forgotten that I packed all these in March last year. They are the zinc and Vit C lollies for the kids (prevent sore throats and coughs) and our adult Ricola sweets. A quick check showed that the expiry date is still sometime later in 2009, so we happily consumed them.

I cleared the play area for the movers to place the boxes. They were rather neat in stacking the boxes up. I stood at the doorway, ticking off the boxes as they came in. Cos I wanted to be sure all of my 71 boxes arrived in good shape!

When we packed in Utah, I had made personal copies of an inventory list that numbered each box. On the box itself, I wrote a brief description in English and Chinese. On my inventory list, I wrote down the size of the box, and the exact contents in detail. Even down to what colour sleepwear, what brand and type and whose. So when ds1 or ds2 asked for something specific, I knew exactly which box to open.

And when the movers came in to place the boxes, I told them where to place- like books in study, kitchenware in kitchen, and the rest in the play area. In the play area itself, I noted down the coordinates, row what, and position, bottom, middle or top. And Dh wrote the number of the boxes on the sides too, so we need not spend too much time looking for a single box.

Since I took charge of the inventory list, Dh rushed to the bank to withdraw all our money for the movers, cos they charged us more than 14000 yuan (S$3000) in taxes and storage fees at the warehouse at the Tianjin port. It caused some heartache when we handed over the money (we even had to borrow some, thanks Tony!), but fortunately it was quickly alleviated by the joy in seeing some of our long awaited stuff.

Dh unpacking some urgent boxes at once: included his coffee syphons, coffee bean roaster, and green coffee beans.

This pic, to show the contrast, when the movers had just brought the 1st box in. They are good at arranging boxes, managing to fit almost 65 boxes in this small area. The rest were in the study and kitchen.

ds2 was at home that Friday. On Thursday night, he was cutting some paper patterns when he accidentally brushed his eyes with the tip of the scissors. He was in pain and when I checked, his cornea appeared to have some scratches/ abrasion.

Most minor corneal abrasions will heal on its own, but it is very important that infections do not occur, so we decided to keep him at home. His eye kept tearing by itself too.

The abrasion healed by Sat and he stopped having the urge to rub his eyes by then. This pic shows him getting all excited when he heard the boxes are coming through the door. He rushed to put on his beanie, gloves and scarf all by himself. But he forgot his jacket and he wore the Ben 10 shoes that were too large! His brother being in school made him daring enough to go try on his brother's stuff.

Finally, when ds1 came home from school, not only did he have the surprise of seeing his old possessions, he also received a birthday present from our ayi. She gave him 2 sets of Bakugan pencils. She says it is the rage of the local kids now. ds1 doesn't know Bakugan, but isn't it funny how boys will like any figure that looks like he can fight?

Later on during the CNY, the ayi brought her son to our house, and gave him another present, a remote control car. She is spoiling them. I told her she shouldn't have bought them gifts!

What was ds2's reaction whenever ds1 received presents? He kept saying over and over again "My birthday is in March, mommy. March, ok?"

rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
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