Sent out Christmas cards early as was in the process of writing this with the intention of printing it out a dozen times and enclosing with the cards. Had even bought new ink cartridges, although in the end ran out of time before flight. No matter, paperlessly was a better option so just wrote the Stayatworkfatherofthree URL at the bottom of card.
Now, about this photo. Last year I found a cheaper hostel near the Marina Sands and met a retired Australian couple who were sailing around the world and had stopped in Singapore to meet some other sailing friends going the opposite way. We had a drink and they told me how they raised their kids on the boat part of the time and gave me their business card. It shows a nice portrait of them with the boat and sunset in the background. On the other side it lists their occupations. Wife, copyrighter and editor. Husband, boat mechanic and sail repair. (There the seed was planted. I had a fire in my belly to move my family to a boat).
This November, I am staying in a different property belonging to the same hostel group and you can read about my stay (and many other reviews by Stayatworkfatherofthree) at the following link:
December and January, we packed up and moved 100kg of check in luggage from Thailand to Australia. All within a record 40 days. February and March were busy settling into school and learning to mow lawns.
In April we all flew back to Thailand to check on things. Stopped off in Bali on the way back and hired a Hawaiian sized surfboard and boys loved it. I forgot to pack shorts so walked around a shopping mall with a towel wrapped around my waist until I found a pair and hotel had a good baby sitter so Stayathomemotheroffour and Stayatworkfatherofthree, had a couples massage one afternoon.
In June some more of my Hong Kong teacher friends moved back to Australia and returned a mahjong table I had given them when I moved to Thailand in 2009. So I bought some chairs and it became our dining table. Boys kept up the good work at school.
In July and August, was back and forth to Thailand and Vietnam doing factory audits. Started working in school tuck shop as P&C needed volunteers badly. Tuck shop ladies are a hoot. My Bangkok office moved location to a building on the next block and we changed the name and added some long serving staff to the list of shareholders.
In September, I completed Sailing 1 and Sailing 2 over a single weekend and certificate from Ministry of Sport so that is a double hoot. Day after Alpha’s birthday, I dusted off my old Sherlock Holmes pipes from 2001-2002 and two pouches of delightful Borkum Riff Cavendish Vanila tobacco I bought in Malaysia in 2010 when I was flying solo on a death verification case in Kota Kinabalu for an American insurance company. So September 22 is basically the day I gave up cigarettes. Bought new tyres, hub caps and window tinting and pimped up the Corolla. Toyota, the car that doesn’t stop.
In October, Thai monarch passed away as we expected would happen within at least 18 months and I visited Bangkok during the 30 day mourning period and place was very closed down and somber. Killed most small businesses as no one allowed to smile, dance or celebrate. Loud music banned and song selection restricted to rural folk music and propaganda. Packed up all the kids books from our bkk apartment along with some furnishings we don’t need in oz and drove it all up to my Mother-in-law’s house. Including our balcony rock garden comprised of 200 white pebbles and 8 inspirational coloured glass pebbles my Aunty has sent me for Xmas over the years with little white words engraved like “peace”, “love”, “hope”, “joy”….etc. All the things we forget when in the middle of a crisis.
Now in November again, and the Corolla has had a full tin of cutting compound applied by our wonderful next door neighbor and myself, hand polished with wax and is now sick pimped up for Xmas. We have already enrolled the boys into Island State School, where if Julian Assange had joined us when he was also living there, might not be in so much trouble. Now there is a case for home schooling gone wrong if ever there was.
In fact the Singapore conference I am at, continually bring up Wilileaks and Assange, along with naughty banks like ANZ. Australia is the second biggest target of hacking after the USA and more than number three, the U.K. No surprises as to who is the country responsible for the most hacking.
For December 2016, we will focus on our family plan. Step 1, live on island. Step 2, live on the seas. Step 3, live in outer space.
Have a great and safe holidays.
stayatworkfatherofthree 