Sewage works

We have moved and now we cannot set up our kitchen.  Sigh!

The Public Works Department have decided that they need to change the sewers beneath our new home.  Since last week (when we moved), I've had all these sewage engineers arounds the house coming in to open the man hole and do strange things.  They have dragged hoses in from the drain, dumped the end of the hose into the man hole, put a CCTV camera into the man hole, checked the condition of the man hold and heaven knows what else they are going to do.

I have just had 10 men in my kitchen checking out the man hole - covered it with tarpauline and canvas sheets, moved my boxes (still unpacked) and tell me: Madam, don't worry - there will be gas smell.

I have spent the time holed up in the office room with the internet and air-conditioning on.  The dogs are very happy that I am home and they get to spend time in the air-conditioned room sleeping away.

I have no idea how long more this madness will last, but it had better end soon - I am getting cabin fever from being at home!

Moving House

We moved on 10 October 2009.  It has been a hectic 2 weeks since we signed the lease on the place.  We started packing and throwing stuff out.  The recycling people didn't come to collect what was due to them, so all that stuff ended being chucked out.

Our new home is a single storey intermediate terraced house in Seletar Hills Estate.  It is totally unrenovated other that the improvements put in some um-um years ago by the owners.  There are three bedrooms, a large living room (formerly the driveway), a large dining room (formerly the living/dining room), a large kitchen at the back (formerly the back yard or garden), a bathroom and ONE TOILET (!!) - yes, we are going to manage on ONE TOILET!!

The ceilings in the dining room and centre bedroom are lovely high ones that let in light and circulate the air.  However, the light does really shine in and create a glare in the afternoon - we are thinking of how we can cut the glare without cutting off the ventilation.

The front bedroom has a new air-conditioner so it is going to be our office.  So far, two desks have gone in there together with a bookcase and a sofa - we still have to set up the room.  I managed to hang some curtains in there to cut the glare and provide some privacy from the prying eyes of the kaypoh neighbours.

Sister takes the centre room with the high ceiling because she said that she does not want to sleep with air-conditioning.  The light in there is really dim (hopeless bulb and lampshade) so I am getting a handyman friend to come change the light and the bulb.  The ceiling is so high that we cannot get to the bulb without a tall latter.  I'm not hot about heights, so we will wait for Stanley to come to the rescue.

Our bedroom is at the back with very little natural light because the owners have extended the kitchen by 10 feet into the backyard.  There is a back wall and door that cut off a lot of light and natural ventilation.  There is an aircondioner in there so we've been sleeping with that.  The doggies are happy  - they enjoy the airconditioned cool air and get to jump into bed with us without being shoved off when we complain that they are heating up the bed!!

There are sewage upgrading works going on in the estate, so we can't set up the kitchen till they do that.  In the meantime, our meals are taken in the corner coffee shop till we can figure out what to do. 

We are still muddling around, but I am sure my future postings will have more on the surroundings.  Check in some time!