UK v. HK …. 0-1
Thats it for now….. Yes, its a short and sweet post.
seriously have zero time to scratch my arse (a favourite pastime while sipping a Cosmo & watching gay tennis) let alone write or drink my morning vodka.
I’m not going to lie….its shit here.
For those of you living it up in HK (lucky gits) ….. stay and refuse to move, even if you, or the Ball sack & chain gets a HUGE crappy promotion.
I will post a proper. and no doubt, fucking brilliant update next week.
* Apologies to all for my delayed response on emails and comments. I WILL write back to some of you (the ones I like obv). I’m just finding the lack of staff, annoying intrusion of family, high taxes, Chavs and, of course, the unbelievably shit weather, a little distracting.
Especially now I’ve only the one helper and no driver.
Where is my frigging knife &…erm… potty training…again…
Ok… soo….My BELOVED KITCHEN KNIFE… given as a wedding gift (and part of a 6 group) … has randomly disappeared in the last week. Disappeared. How does a knife just get up and leave an apartment? Its a KNIFE for fucks sake?!
I mean, where does it go? Is it also having Sundays off and forgot to come home until “2 for 1” hour was over? Is it sitting on a beach somewhere in Repulse Bay, waiting for its owner/mates? Is it meeting up with other knives on its day off and talking about how bad I am as a knife owner? I don’t care. The point is…how does it disappear? Its become a conundrum… *FYI…Photo below of a Rubix cube (being an 80’s child n’ all) seemed my only way of showing a conundrum…
Now…. I know what you’re thinking....”this crazy bitch has faaaar too much time on her hands to wonder where the frigg this knife has disappeared to…” but seriously… WHERE IS IT?!?!?
How do you lose a sharp (and I mean, “Plastic Surgeon” sharp) knife in an apartment….with three kids…under the age of 3 years old (yes…. don’t remind me)?
I’m worried that (a) its been used to cut something (usually celotape, post, Park n Shop deliveries) and forgotten about in our apartment…now lurking for an inevitable eye/leg/police report when “Mummy was drunk” injury with my kids…or (b) its off in Kowloon or Wan Chai…working the tables… earning some cash… never to return again….unless its on Asiaexpat with tales of abuse. How does a kitchen knife, that lives in a block of knives, disappear? Seriously….its annoying the shit out of me. Stay at home Mum or working Mum… this is really irritating me.
Plus…lets be honest. I know, that knife was taken out on a day off, or maybe while out with the kids (Chinese kids are harsh in the playground….c’mon) but just ADMIT you took it. I kinda get why people who go mad while interrogating some criminal suspect loses it (when they know someone is lying….)… you just want them to admit the truth. i.e.. “I took the knife out with my friends to demonstrate my karate/kung fu skills while working with my English/Iranian (obviously terrorist) family and accidentally killed someone, so I tossed it in Wan Chai, and its never to be seen again”. I would accept that.
But did I get an explanation? Nope. My Helpers response (No.2) “ Knife? There was another knife? In that block? Really Madam… Are you sure your drunken eyes don’t deceive you?”
My response… “Yes, that bright pink knife with the Mickey Mouse motif (from Japan Homes...love that place), does not match all the black ones. Did you take it out? Please just tell me so I can stop the stupid search.” Helpers response (No.2, not favourite number.1… “No…maybe you lost it when you were drinking Maaam…”
In the last week, what have I been doing? Aside from scratching my arse, irritating the Help/Kids/Husband/neighbours… Ive been looking for a knife. A knife. We know its gone for good (no one but me seems to be searching for it,which is always a sign it’s buried in the backyard under the rose-bush (if you live in Sai Kung), where our neighbours dog continues to sniff)…. but I just need to know where it is.
That is what my life has become. I think I need to go back to work….
Yeh… right.
On a separate note, something has occurred in the last 2 weeks…Scratchy (Twin B…Bigger twin.Boy) has regressed with the potty training situation. Has anyone else experienced this?
I am going out of my mind with the smell of shit. I actually walk away from situations rather than lecture/talk/discuss in-depth as now, it just sounds stupid. I don’t think my Son gets it.
For a start, I think he only speaks Filipino. Seriously. All my kids do. Well, that, Farsi and bits of English. Thank the Lord for help. If I was home..I’d be losing the Mummy plot and probably (if I’m honest) screaming, about it after months of books/talks/potty training etc). I mean, I have sat there…with a stupid arse book about a dog doing a shit in a toilet. I also learned (myself yes, embarrassing) where shit goes. I mean…. really….I need to being cooing and aching over this shit (literally)? Fuck off!!!!
I think, since I discovered having help (the twins were 8 months so I was used to doing everything alone…plus I had to look after The Captain too). I know, because I’m sooo spoilt…I can’t even stomach the smell of vomit, bad runny shit and anything that looks like an angry bully of a Chinese kid in a playground (seriously… I HATE horrible kids. The piss me off).
Our Helpers here are like family. We are so blessed. Anyhow…. after a few in-depth conversations with my three-year olds (last resort), I assumed, everyone understood that crapping in our Pampers pull-ups was a huge “no-no”.
Apparently, my Son didn’t get the memo…and then chose to smirk whenever there was a “mishap“. Something that gets under my skin and makes me want to scream/punch a Smurf/shout at The Captain later. A smirk at the age of 3? What the fuck is going to happen at 15? Bring it on son, bring it on.
You have no idea who your parents used to be. I alone was a fucking nightmare, the Captain? There are stories going back to the 80’s which I can’t even print. Our kids have NO IDEA who they are messing with. The fools.
My Son has suddenly started shitting and pissing…well…everywhere. I don’t even think he realises its about to happen until…well… you know “touching cloth” happens. He then walks around like a Sumo wrestler waiting to take a dump. We discovered him peeing the other day by our swimming pool (not private) but in a hedge none the less. Apparently “Daddy said it was ok“. The Captain denies all knowledge. I pretended he wasn’t mine.
Anyhow…his sister… the smaller one…4lbs 9 oz … The one I always worried about. I still ALWAYS worry about because of her coughs and hospital visits for asthma related issues (2 visits in the past year, sleeping next to her cot, 4 or 5 days minimum, she can’t catch her breath)…. she’s fine with the whole potty situation. I thought she would be the one to keep an eye on.
She’s now, going off, with an encyclopaedia (in Mandarin, written backwards) and screams she’s done a “big poo” so we can go get her for the joyful cleanup. Our daughter now thinks that she needs to announce every dump, to everyone.
And because she has a huge bunch of Shirley Temple curls…everyone wants to help. I’ve seen people run across public toilets to assist wiping my daughters arse. Very disconcerting. We explained to our little girl that this is not acceptable (no matter how adorable) in public, but she still insists on telling everyone when she takes a dump. She told the Taxi driver recently after sunday brunch at The Hyatt that she’d done “a big poo”. He smiled and said he would take us to “Kowloon”. I don’t even know how that translated to “Kowloon”, although..it is considered the “dark side”. She continues to ask for stickers/chocolate/Vodka (so proud) whenever she’s done…
Her twin brother, 5lbs 12oz, first born, massive lips/ears. I thought would be the quicker one due to size and my zero knowledge of kids. As it turns out…size doesn’t mean anything to, well, anyone. In the last few months I’ve changed their cots to beds, taken diapers off altogether at nap times, treated them a little bit older ie. “Do you want Vodka or Whisky with your pre-dinner aperitifs?” My daughter has blossomed and my Son has regressed. My daughter insists on patting her twin brother on the head and telling him “Its time for poo before stories”. I wanted to die from pride and regret, all at the same time.
Now I get my parents…slightly. You can’t balance different people that easily. If one twin is sooo bright, how can you not help but encourage them? However, the other, is different (not slower, DIFFERENT) and they are watching, as I still do, even now as a grown woman, with 3 brothers (and I was never the favourite). I don’t want them to think I love one more than the other, ever. But at the age of 3, I know they already do think this. Do we all have a favourite? You are lying through your teeth if you say you don’t. If you don’t, please share your wisdom.
Anyhow…lets go back to the potty situation….
After having a looooong chat with the kids about taking the bars off their hotbeds, going to the potty, bla fucking shoot me bla, they agreed to behave and stay in bed for their lunchtime naps. Until I got them out, around 3/4pm ish (or whenever “Happy Hour” at the clubhouse was over).
This is what happened in my Sons bedroom.
He literally opened every drawer he could reach and took everything out of his cupboards, shelves, bed. under his bed, under the floorboards (I’m sure, if we bothered to check)… you name it.
He was naked when we found him. NAKED. And, smirking. The cheeky sod…*Photo below… of my Son (AKA “Satan’s”) room.
What was my reaction after seeing his room?? I backed out, stifled my giggles (took a photo obviously)…and walked away.
If I was living back home in London, alone, without help…would my reaction have been the same? Doubtful. I think I would have gone fucking nuts because of the mess (he literally emptied every drawer). But…this was pretty funny…. I didn’t have to tidy up. Thank fuck for Help.
Bad transport in Hong Kong?
Bad transport in Hong Kong?
First of all, please observe the photo above, that was taken while stuck in a traffic jam. You have to zoom in to see the kids slumped over in their seats, not a single one awake.
I actually turned to the Captain, who was once again on his mobile phone, and said “Check those kids out! They’ve been drugged!” Every single child on the coach was out cold. Their heads either resting on the seat in front, on someone else, or on their own laps/backpacks (the yoga generation). The Captain, who was busy on a “business/social call” turned to look and started laughing his head off. Every child was asleep. These kids were knocked out cold with gas/over-exertion/boredom, asleep. It’s a good thing the driver was still awake (just about).
Speaking of public transport…. I HATE the taxis in Hong Kong. Actually, I pretty much hate Taxis anywhere in the world but I really really hate Taxis in Hong Kong. Why do I hate Taxis generally? Well, some drivers think they have some God-given right to drive like they’re part of a Formula One team, despite being totally shit and having numerous near collisions.
The Captain was recently in a Taxi that span out of control on a wet road, while driving to the Southside of HK. Now for those of you who know those roads, they are windy and mostly single lane along the Island road. Imagine losing control and by sheer luck, another car wasn’t coming in the opposite direction. He was lucky not to have been killed. He then admitted he thought the Taxi driver had been drinking. What the fuck gave it away? The stench of booze under his breath? Or the fact he could barely speak when he picked you up and almost swerved into a lamppost?
Now last year, I took a Taxi to the airport with my 1.4 year old twins, while pregnant and our Helper, heading back to my beloved London. Our Taxi driver fell fast asleep behind the wheel while it was raining. FAST ASLEEP!!! I started shouting at him to wake up and stop the car as he was veering off the road. Seriously…. I hate Taxi’s here. The guy then acted as if nothing had happened and wouldn’t stop the car. I almost head butted the twat when we got out of the Taxi at HK International Airport. I never feel safe with these idiots.
Just recently, two young chefs from Heston Blumenthal’s famous Fat Duck restaurant (UK), were killed when their taxi collided with a bus in Hong Kong.
I’m fuzzy on the background, but the poor guys got killed because of the dumb idiots who transfer hundreds of people daily by public transport. The accident was caused by a Bus Driver who “fell asleep” for 10 seconds or something, and rammed into another bus and the Taxi with the two young Chefs, crushing them.
If you see some of the Taxi drivers who pull up, eyes half-shut (and no, not for obvious reasons), head lolling from side to side, GET OUT THE TAXI! Don’t be fucking stupid. The annoying thing is that I’m so scared to let the kids get into any Taxis that I have to drive them everywhere myself, everyday. Can you imagine? The Captain won’t even discuss a Driver…. selfish git. I mean…. ok, that’s my only job here really (childcare) but it really does interfere with my week day drinking as I need to be able to get behind the wheel of a car and drive the kids to school the next day.
So, I’ve told my Helpers that if they suspect any Taxi driver is under the influence of drugs/booze/glue/simply sleepy…. when they have my kids with them (I mean, fuck ’em if they’re going on their own and they’re dumb enough to sit in the Taxi) they need to stop the car and get out immediately. My one Helper then told me that one of the few times she took my kids to school (one morning when I was abroad), the driver fell asleep behind the wheel while driving along the windy Tai Tam roads. Did she get out the Taxi? No. She said she proceeded to talk to him in order to keep him awake. IDIOT!!!
I told her and Number 2 Helper, from now on, if there is ever an issue, to tell the Driver one of the kids is going to be sick or needs to shit and get the fuck out of the car immediately. They’ll want you out anyway if they think someones going to puke or shit on the back seat. I mean, you “spoke” to the Driver to keep him awake, with my toddlers in the car?! Fucking idiot.
Anyhow…. a few chats have recently revealed, The Captain, doesn’t think my “drunken state”, is the right way to talk about HK Life. So…..I am writing this sober… Does any housewife/girlfriend LOVE HK?
I’ll tell you why I suspect not all of you do (and those who do…lucky fucking you. I bet you’re single & out sleeping around. Bitches). I get told pretty much every time I go out with friends/new people/women, that you hate it here. It’s always a drunken conversation, but these are not imagined chit chats. You can’t even put your finger on it. You just don’t like it. How ungrateful are we?
So here’s the coup….
We arrive in HK. 2 months ago. 1 year ago. 5 years ago. You make friends. You hate them. You want new ones. We get domestic help. We feel…. redundant.
We like AND hate it at the same time. WHY? Well…. we are free to go out BUT…..This is our ONE job. The men go to work, we oversee the house. We are barely doing that. We feel redundant. It makes us feel like shit. Good times? I think it IS a shit hole for marriages. Mine is fine but I hear all sorts of horror stories since we arrived here. The “grave-yard for marriages”. I thought of Nancy Kissel A LOT when we first moved here. How SHIT can your life become that you bludgeon your husband to death? Ok, a shit conversation one night maybe, where he admits to anal sex with a dude in Taiwan… but really…. you kill him?!
I’m telling you… it must have been pretty shit. There’s never just the one side to any story. I’m not saying (ever) that she was entitled to do what she did. I can’t even comprehend sleeping in the same room as a dead body for two days, forget the Father of my three kids….that’s…well, its got be mental illness on some level…eventually… with a good lawyer. The point is, this place….it’s not good for marriage. It really isn’t. Men, change. They don’t think they do, but they do. They think they have become GOD (funny how that’s spelt “DOG” the other way around?).
I have spoken to many a housewife who is fed up, bored, and… we have decided one thing…..all of us, moan. We are not enjoying any bit of this experience. We are… ungrateful, moany, miserable, credit card spending, pedicured weekly, alcoholics.? Are we??!
I will tell you what the HK wife is like.
Ungrateful, unappreciative, angry the whole time our husbands work (convinced they are cheating in Wan chai or at some Happy Ending Massage salon you can get back home too). ALWAYS cheating apparently. Some people I speak to actually smirk when I assume my husband is faithful. They’re like “You dumb bitch, he’s been around the block since he moved here”.
Yes, they have ACTUALLY SAID THIS! For the record, The Captain has not done a thing. He’s ugly and bald. Unless he was a millionaire no one would wanna touch his penis (not that that would make any difference when you pay for it). Ok…. I’m kidding. Do I sound like the kind of woman who’d end up with an ugly guy? He’s not ugly. In fact, he’s annoyingly attractive (“a catch” some would say) and women flirt openly with him in front of me because he’s so fucking brilliant, and, they think they can (which I don’t like).
Actually… this just reminded me of a story. The Captain and I, about 8 weeks before our wedding, went Cake tasting in a lovely little shop in Putney, SW London.
The girl who “looked after us” was ALL over The Captain from the minute we arrived in the front door. ALL OVER HIM…. in front of me. Tight jeans, tight arse, tight top. The Captain pretended not to notice. I did, because women always notice. We would notice because we have, at one time or another, done the same thing.
Anyway, she was too obvious. I mean, embarrassingly so, and actually KISSED him goodbye (on the cheek) when we left. Me, she shoved out the door with a clenched fist whispering “whore” under her breath in her Irish Gypsy accent. I, may, I hasten to add, had just been “face-raped”earlier (its the only way to describe it) in Harvey Nichols by an over zealous make-up artist who was trying to impress me with Ghetto/Drag Queen wedding make-up (she didn’t understand the “natural look” I was going for). I did my own in the end anyway as I’m pretty good at that shit. The point is we turned up, me looking like Bozo The Clown and, the Captain may as well have been Tom Cruise (a straight version obviously). This woman, the cheeky bitch with chutzpah, flirted openly with my man right in front of me. What would I do now…? Probably ask her if she wanted a date just to get a reaction…. cheeky fucking bitch. My wedding cake tasting… not my “18th birthday, oh we might never stay together”, cake.
This is how confident I must be…. that even with Bozo the Clown make-up on…. I didn’t think for one second, my soon-to-be-husband, was remotely keen. I did think, what a cow!!! At my wedding cake tasting! What a fucking cow actually. But… nope…. don’t care.
Women are mean. Men don’t even understand how vindictive, harsh and mean women can be. That’s why we sometime’s go a little “nuts”.…. we know… when someones trying it on, and your Man is all “Oh, Babe, get a grip. You’re so crazy.”
You’re like…. “Hell no…!” We on the other hand know, “She’s a woman… we are worse than men. Oh he’s married? Who give’s a shit?” Women are worse. Bigger cheats. Bigger players and we look more innocent. It’s the biggest myth in the book. Women are bigger players than men…fact.
Going back to the point of the whole cheating thing…. we begrudge our once best friend of their ideal role here. They are working, trying to be great at what they do. I, just feel, well… like a 1980’s housewife. Drunk, coked up, leaving the kids with a nanny…. and suddenly, not even caring any more. Thats when you know, its bad. Thats when you feel guilty. And we do…. I’ve had soo many conversations about this since I moved here with women at home, who HATE who they have become.
We are not the women we set out to be. We are, quite frankly… selfish. I feel so horrible, moaning the whole time the Captain goes out to work. I feed us, cook for us, I’m a “Homemaker”. I still hate that I don’t do it right. IF, it was the other way around, I’d be like “Bitch, where the fucks my dinner?! I work 12-16 hour days…. the least you can do, is fucking feed me, iron my shirts and suck my cock on demand. Not that tough really….”
It’s not a satisfying role here. I can’t put my finger on it. We (the women) just don’t “do” anything here. We are redundant. You have too much friggin Help!!! The guys find it amusing “Oh… my Helper cooked dinner yesterday…”.... we stand there, wondering…. why didn’t I do that? (if you can’t cook, then that’s fine)? We are finding it too easy, and yet, very painful/shameful at the same time. I am using every ounce in my body to accept that for the next few months, I don’t care. I don’t care what anyone thinks. I never did.
The Captain recently told me. “You are accomplished. You are smart. You are funny. You are sexy.” So why??? Why?! Do I not, in this environment, feel so great? Because I have TWO women also helping me in the house. These women have in effect, chopped my tits off. I say “Help” but I use this term very loosely. I think I may actually be sabotaging one of my staff indirectly.
I don’t NEED help. None of us women here do. If you are not working, why the fuck can’t you collect your own kids from school?! I do. its painful.
What are you doing? Charity stuff?? Ok… some people here are actually using their time wisely and properly (I know them… one is a very dear, straight, non-lesbian friend)… but the rest of us… we’re not doing shit. We are recovering from hangovers, doing drugs, sleeping late, and basically feeling like over-grown university students, with C-Section scars from The Hotel Matilda. Shame on us. This does not make you feel good. It makes you feel like a fucking idiot here.
Everyone here is either, walking, trekking, dieting, botoxing, raising funds for Cambodia/Vietnam/Tehran, going on 38 hours treks in the wilderness, kayaking, Dragon boating, starting up a new business…… SOMETHING. When you DONT do this… you look retarded. Especially on the Southside where all the Yummy French Mums are starting up businesses involving …. well… anything you didn’t think of….usually involving pastry or pate (I’m not generalizing or anything).
Who are these women, these “Helpers” with limitless energy when it comes to our kids? I hate that our children connect with them and at the same time, I’m so grateful. I’m tired!
My kids are all under three years old. Do you even know how exhausting that is!? Not physical… I mean, mentally. I am the Mum who sits there and says “ Sit up straight. Don’t talk with your mouth full. Don’t hit your friend. Don’t answer back…” G-d the list is endless and very, very boring. You think I want to do this? Day in, day out? My shrink told me, I “manage a department“. “A department!” Genius. No one listens to me, it’s all hormonal women with issues who want to kill me, they don’t listen when it comes to feeding the kids, child safety, food shopping, attitude etc. Sooo….. this evening…. I sat down with Helper No.2 and talked our shit out. I’m too fed up of it.
We sat in the kitchen and I asked her, straight out, Do you have a problem with me? or us? “No Ma’am”. My response? “Ok then, why are you doing such a mediocre job at the moment? You don’t, food shop, clean well, cooking is ok, you have 2 sometimes 3 hours off during the days for nothing. So… why with all of this, do you insist on walking around with a miserable face that make me sooo uncomfortable in my own house, that I want to sent you out, just to be away from that face? If you want to leave, fuck off now. Otherwise, the minute you wake up, treat this like your office and stop walking around like I owe you.” We’ve got on great ever since.
I hated working for assholes (and boy, did I work for some real racist bitches in London) BUT, I earned good money, I paid my way… I lived how I wanted to live. Facial, yep! Hot stone massage? Hell yes!! New Christian Louboutins…. yep! Three or four (or five) kilos of coke for a quiet weekend at home… ok, why not, I’ve got some cupboards that need organising? It’s your money!! * Also, the photo above was taken of a lamb before he was dressed and ready for photos. The problem? I got drunk and forgot to photograph him (Norbert, The Lamb), before and after cooking. He was friggin delicious though… all breadcrumbed with nuts and herbs and cooked to perfection… just a shame, I forgot to take a photo after….I was drinking while cooking. I’ll do it next time as I cook lamb loads.
I’d be fab for a cooking show!? Before, and ….. AFTER, she gets drunk…
Anyway… I went to Toys R’ Crazy Us today and bought everything they had on sale. Including this kitchen that took nearly 15 hours to put together (the instructions said 15 minutes). I decided while making the damn thing to open a bottle of Rose. It are it more fun, for me.
Thats it for this week folks. I’m running out of shit to say to be honest.
On a separate note, guess how much this packet of Walkers crisps is in HK?
Go on the British ex-pat lot…. guess….
HKD $9-10 depending on where you shop! ….that’s like 75 UK pence for a packet of fucking crisps?! Plus…. I’m not a chocolate person. I’m more cheese, ham, crisps, champagne…. This shit costs money in Hong Kong.
What a fucking liberty…
Being a Mum sucks arse
Getting ill and trying to still be a full-time mum….
As most of us Mums know, getting ill when you have a household to run, is not an option. In fact, its impossible. Unless you are actually dead, or in a coma, you still have to get up and do your crummy, painful, groundhog day, monotonous, shitty, underpaid, “is this really my life?”, how did I age so quickly(?), job. WE GET NO BREAKS!!! We’re Mums. It comes with our thankless, shitfull (my new swear word of the month) kiss-my-arse, no one gives a crap, job.
Can you lay in bed, drinking hot lemon tea (with a shot of Whisky) and recover in peace while watching crap “E Hollywood” TV? Nope. All you can hear are your children running riot outside your bedroom door while your TWO Domestic Helpers and husband (who is gutted you’re ill for selfish reasons) chase after them screaming at the top of their lungs. What can I do, aside from step out of my bedroom, looking like the Devil himself, with tissue stuffed up my nose, eyes streaming, and a look that says “FUCK OFF”. I hide under the duvet and hope everything just goes quiet…. even 30 minutes…. 30 for fuck sake!!!?Q!
Yeh, a great way to sleep off a bad cold. I would rather be given some sort of “pain-killer” to help me doze off but as my Doctor has decided to become bloody conservative lately (maybe I pushed it asking for Morphine), I now have to buy Panadol Extra like every one else and live with the noise/toys every where/moaning husband/miserable Helpers/hairy legs that haven’t been shaved due to a runny nose. What a shame… it sucks arse.
Drug dealers are also selling aspirin/baby laxatives for coke. I’m totally destroyed as there is nothing to alleviate my pain. Being ill in a house with three small children (under the age of 2.5), a husband who resembles a cavalier teenager and two unintelligible domestic Helpers who need constant management/English language courses, getting ill is not an option.
The minute I step out of my bedroom, the chaos stops in a millisecond. Why? because I decided a loooong time ago, to rule MY household by fear. YES, fear. I’ve read my latest parenting book on my beloved Kindle and it was the only one that worked for me. The title …. “Is Beating the kids wrong/really that illegal?”
Basically it said… “DONT TAKE ANY SHIT FROM THOSE LIL’ CUTE MO’FOS!” My kids get one warning and then that’s it. “Time out”, toys taken away for the day, and basically nothing they want to do for a certain amount of time, equivalent to their age.
I don’t scream… All I say is “What a shame? What a bummer!” (American Book obviously, because us British would be saying “What the FUCK is wrong with you kid? Get to your fucking room now and piss off while I drink my can of Stella and decide what your punishment is”)). But they get it. They HATE hearing those words “What a shame” (the Captain & and I actually say it to each other now which is a bit sad but fuck it) and plus it keeps me cool (ish).
Yes they react with statements like “Nooo Mummy…no “What a shame!!” but it’s too late. One strike and your out. There I am, clucking around like Queen Bee on friggin Prisoner Cell Block H (if you don;t remember that Aussie prison show…you’re too young to be reading this) showing them how crap life can be… . It’s either that, or me going fucking mad and screaming at them to go to their rooms for “time out”…. long enough for me to open a bottle of cheap white wine (used later in the evening for a domestic fight with the Captain).
Bringing up kids is hard work people. I am basically talking and explaining things, non-stop, allll fucking day long. Do you know how mentally exhausting that is??? Talking all day to someone who doesn’t even pay you a bonus for your good work?! I HATE talking. I hate the phone for fucks sake and now I have to talk allll day long?!! To people who barely reach my hips and don’t give a shit what I’m saying. Yes, I love them to bits. BUT, they’re driving me mad. Gone are the days of lunch-hours and frivolous bar crawls.
Everything now is about teaching my kids. ie. “Dont lick the floor!!
“Why Mummy?” “Because you’ll injest crap from outside which will make you ill and will inevitably involve me having to drive you to the hospital.. which doesn’t work as ive had an afternoon drink… actually a bottle of wine” . Selfish friggin kids.
“Dont bite you sister?” “
Why? Because I said so…. you irritating fucking monkey (yes, Mummy loves you)”.
“Dont tear your books? Why? because they cost money you annoying little person who I gave life to!”
‘Dont shit on the floor.” “Why? because I’ll rip your head off if you do!! Plus,your nanny will have to clean it up while giving me that knowing, irritating look that says…”You’re his mother…you clean it up“. Yeh…right. Next I’ll be making dinner.
In Hong Kong…Not only am I now feeling and looking like complete shit, but my weight loss regime which was pretty much sorted (drinking booze, zero food and working out, the Rachel Zoe way) has gone down the shitter.
Why? Well, after being on holiday with The Captain and kids in Bali a few weeks ago…. my body (and mind) decided “Fuck it!! Enjoy yourself! Where’s my drinks bitches!!??” So … we ate loads, drank every chance we got (yes even at breakfast to fade out any noise, I screamed across a busy restaurant for a Vodka with my OJ) and those last 5 (ok 10) baby pounds crept back with a vengeance.
Not only do I have to re-start my whole workout and diet thing, but I also have to find the actual will to do it. I can’t be arsed. The only reason I’m still thinking about it is because my old clothes feel too tight and my maternity clothes are absolutely massive. Plus now I feel unwell, all i want to do is lay in bed, eat chocolate (I was never into chocolate!!??) and dream of cosmopolitans. I LOVE COSMOPOLITANS. Yes, more than wine or Vodka.
More than my kids? Somedays… So, I have discovered that to be a good writer…. you need to be honest. How does one be honest? DRINK!! I can’t see any way around it. Yes, it’s very Welsh of me but really…. to write, and be honest about what I find amusing, I have to be slightly inebriated. It’s the truth. The Captain will be horrified and not happy about this “discovery”. BUT, one must do what one must for their craft.
On a separate note, I have been having fun/fights with Helper Numero 2 in my household. The woman is driving me fucking mad. Rude? Yep. She has a look on her face sometimes that says “You drunk bitch, you should be ashamed”…sometimes… I dunno… Im too drunk sometimes. The point is… she’s really fucking annoying me. She lies about everything. She smirks. She shouts at the kids (a big No No). She irritates the shit out of me when I open a 1990 bottle of vintage vino from…. I dunno where. She laughs and jokes when the Captain is home and then scowls when its me (that alone is asking for a slap)… the list is endless. SO…. I have decided to be a complete and utter BITCH in response. It keeps our house in order and if you really knew me… you know this wouldn’t be my natural way. BUT… I live in HK so things change. Who gives a shit! anyway? I don’t know anyone well enough here to care how I react…. unless it’s the police.
Blogging, kids, parenting…
Lately I have found it super hard to try to blog and keep up a happy family charade. The Captain pleads for my time but also encourages me to blog as he loves reading everything. That said, he doesn’t want me up writing late into the night, nor does he want me doing it at weekends, or any other time that interferes with us. This basically means, its impossible. I LIKE to work late at night. NO ONE bothers me and it gives me that time to be alone without the kids asking for everything and the Captain telling me to “relax”. I have always been a night owl when it comes to creativity. My days as an artist will show that… ok, I’m not an artist… just a little creative and can colour by numbers.
I barely have time to answer emails or text messages (“Wassap” on the iPhone BTW is fucking genius!). When am I supposed to sleep, eat, shower, have sex (yeh right), write, relax?! Its a non-stop job this parenting malarkey. Plus, I’ve constantly got admin stuff to do every day. Even with 2 domestic helpers living in my apartment full-time to “help”, I’m busy. They also do my head in after a while as I never get to be on my own. Ever. Its bad enough that the kids walk into my bathroom when I’m sat on the loo doing a shit, but when our Helpers just walk into my bedroom while I’m mid clothes change with a tit sticking out, it gets a little fucking irritating. I now lock my bedroom door so no one bursts in. Now the kids can reach the door handles, every door is meant to be opened and shut at least 3 or 4 times. I’m dreading the day when a little hand gets caught.
I bought some of those spongy door things to stop the door shutting all the way and explained to our Helpers that every time the kids wake from their nap-time (soon stopping…shit), they need to put the door guard back on. But of course that would be waaaaaay too difficult. They forget to do anything that involves safety. I have added those plastic corner protectors onto tables in our apartment and plug sockets have been covered. What do my Helpers do? They go to vacuum and will forget to put the obvious white plug protector back into the socket. The kids are then sat there trying to shove a fork (they can get into the kitchen as the Helpers always forget to shut the damn door) and they shove anything into the electric sockets. I have had maaaaany discussions about child safety with these girls and despite saying “yes Maaam”, off they trot, flip-flops flapping behind them. What happens later that day, one of them accidentally burns our AC remote control by placing it onto of a very hot cable box. Dumb or what? I feel like I’m having to not only watch my two toddlers and newborn baby, but also my two Domestic Helpers.
As for potty training, this is going nowhere at the moment. I have read them books, demonstrated how to do it, drawn pictures, got toys to take a dump in the singing potty, but nope. They have no interest. Aside from one of the kids farting on the loo with a bit of follow through (sorry but its true), there has not been one poo in the potty. Now, my twins group here in Hong Kong are great at sharing information and have come back with some interesting potty training stories, but I’ve got to be honest. I’m fucking exhausted. Now, I have to sit indoors for a week solid with 2 pottys and a pair of two-year olds being held hostage until they hand over their crap? It’s going to be hell. Plus, everyone says, cover the furniture, accidents will happen. HEH?!? Not on my expensive suede couch it will!! Now we had a great nanny back home who worked for us 2 days a week. Yes, I only had help 2 days a week until the twins were 8 months and I moved to Hong Kong. Now I’m a spoiled bitch and think I need a third Domestic Helper (dunno what for but I’ll think of something). Anyhow, our Nanny at home had potty trained her 6 kids within a couple of days by the time they were 1.5 years. She said nappies were too expensive. How the fuck did she do this is beyond me but she did. She would have my twins out of their nappies in about a day but as she’s not here and I’m stuck with Dumb & Dumber (my Helpers), I’m going to have to tackle this on my own. I think my plan will start next week when I’m doing a Detox (yes, me, detox. Ha bloody ha). I’ll just let them run around naked in the apartment and hope they shit in the potty. Hey, I’m not cleaning it up so why do I care?!
My Daughter has also started ripping her nappy off during the lunchtime nap and when its full of shit, she tosses it out of her cot. We found her in bed yesterday afternoon saying, “Oh my goodness!” after she had smeared shit into her pillow, favourite Minnie Mouse toy and her shitty nappy was on the floor. What did I do? What any self-respecting Mother in Hong Kong would do. I called my Helpers to come and clear the shit up while I popped out for a Pedicure.
I’m also finding that the older the twins get, the more stuff I have to do to knacker them out. I spent the whole of yesterday running up and down a huge playroom in Tai Tam at the American Club (I’m not a member but I can get in with a friend who is). My kids ran and ran and ran… and I was the one needing an afternoon sleep by the time we headed home. Even then, they didn’t sleep long enough. Grrrrr! I, on the other hand was out cold, fully dressed (including shoes) on my bed.
Why am I bending over arsewards to keep my 2-year-old kids occupied? Is it just in case they fall behind socially?! I mean…. they’re TWO!? They barely acknowledge the other kids in their playgroup. Hey I don’t blame them… most of them are French or simply annoying (or both), but what a load of crap. They are attending an International Nursery and learning Mandarin. My son, I hasten to add, STILL can’t say the word “Please” properly in English… fuck Mandarin. Plus he’s got massive buck teeth (no, not like a horse) and this seems to hinder his speech.
Anyhow, now, I’m turning up at school shows, watching HORRIFIC performances from 2 year olds (cute as they may be) and taking bloody photos too. I try to ignore all the other Mums that look like Geeks but for some reason, everyone at School likes to have chit-chat. I hate small talk!! I end up telling people shit I never meant to say, ie. “Congrats on the pregnancy!”, other Mums response, “What pregnancy?!”, my response “Shit. I have to go. I forgot to put hemorrhoid cream on my arse this morning. Bye”. Anyway, back to school shows, may I just add that I will physically beat any child or parent that ever dares to speak when my pair of monkies get up on stage to sing “The Sun’ll come out tomorrow...” or whatever crap they’ve been taught. I’ve also been a Mystery reader at the kid’s school last week, which involved me turning up and reading to my twins class. They had no idea I was going so were really happy to see me. Bless ’em. I on the other hand, was shitting myself before I turned up! I mean, reading to a large group of two-year olds I didn’t know (save for my pair) was a bit daunting, especially as I was sober (no booze for the last 2.5 weeks people) and unable to give anyone a swift backhand if they interrupted me during story time. As it turns out, I’m a bloody fab reader and have been asked back. I guess it’s because I can do the Queens accent really well when reading ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’ (no reason why but I like doing her accent… it makes my kids laugh).
Going back to the kids being kept entertained, we have just booked tickets to go and see Mickey Mouse on ice (or something like that) in October. The kids better still be into him then, or we’re stuck with 4 tickets to nowhere. And me, well, I just can’t be bothered. I hate shows, plays, musicals etc. The Captain took me to see so many when we first started dating, I had to keep my hip flask tucked in my bra to ease the pain, while swallowing painkillers every 2 minutes. Musicals are NOT for me. Never have been. I DO COMEDY & ONLY COMEDY. LIVE STAND-UP HILARIOUS COMEDY.
The point of this very brief blog? I’m a Mother, I’m not fucking Mother Teresa (G-d Bless her).
ps. Being sober is highly overrated but I’m still going to try it for another week. My skin looks friggin amazing though. Anyhow, as I’ve got sod all to moan about I’ve added a couple of random photos below.
Photo above taken near the Big Buddha, Lantau Island, where a group of fine, very toned young men from the Shaolin Kung Fu school did some dancing with poles (not male strippers) & knives (not Thai strippers). Photo below is clearly the Big fat Buddha having a bad hair and earlobe day.
Marriage in Hong Kong for ex-pats. Can it really work?
Having just about managed to find my feet in Hong Kong, I have begun to wonder about all the expat wives/partners who moved here. Did they find it easy or difficult? Were they angry, pissed off, stressed with the move …. especially if you had to move your entire life and children too, while your partner was probably over here already (possibly months before), and you packed up your entire home, alone.
Since our arrival, I have been incredibly honest about the difficulties I faced in moving abroad and leaving our great life in the UK. At the moment, my only plus with Hong Kong, is still just the warm weather. For the Captain, who loves it here, its more the Tax relief, lifestyle, great weather, Trecking in the mountain and outdoor stuff.
I have heard and read various horror stories (Nancy Kissel being just one), where lots of expat marriages seem to be doomed from the moment they touched Hong Kong soil. Loads of people I know are in Marriage Counselling too. Why?
Well it’s not unheard of, or uncommon (from what I’ve read on geoexpat and asiaexpat), how the Men have places to go and “party” in Wan Chai, but besides that, there is Macau and all types of escort services everywhere. But it’s not just the men from what I’ve heard. The girls are out there having their fun, too. I just read on asiaexpat, and I quote “One of the boys banged his client’s wife after the client went home early from a night out drinking. And they did it several more times afterwards, with the wife initiating it each time!” I mean, FUCK?! What is wrong with these people?
Everyone seems to be looking for a cheeky shag. According to Asiaexpat there are loads of men exchanging tales of sex behind their unknowing wives backs (the predictable, ungrateful, mother-of-their-kids, wankers) and those wedding vows simply mean nothing here in Asia. Clearly.
I also want to quote another bloke on asiaexpat who states; “The fact we are westerners gives us status, as usually poor western guys never make it here, so the ones who are here are the ones educated and with money, at least that is the asian vision of us. On top of that, traditional asian mentality places little importance in physical beauty, and anything different is attractive, so both western guys and asian girls are attracted to each other even if the guy is a potato. Before I came to Asia I was in a rock solid totally committed never cheated 5+ years relationship with promise rings, almost the whole nine yards. This lasted 7 months after my arrival. Any major city in Asia is heaven for expats and no mistake.”
So…. what he’s saying is, your Man is going to head out there and shag someone else as the temptation is sooo high and apparently, even if he is limp, missing a ballsack and looks like Rodney Trotter, this dick will still get laid by someone, with or without their beer goggles on. In my eyes, to inflate their already bulging egos, and if “The Missus” (or “Her in-doors”) isn’t putting out, someone else might as well do it. Especially if they’re out drinking in vile, Faliraki Style, Wyndham street , Soho or LKF on any night of the week.
Yes, there is a culture in Hong Kong for expats to play around but I never realised it was too easy for guys to do this. In fact it really pisses me off! I have a Moral compass and I have never faltered from who I am, and what values I do believe in. Shagging, snogging, petting, lap dancing on my Man, are all BIG no no’s.
According to my research, all this shagging around is not done openly, but in a under-hand kind of way (from what I’ve read, some blokes have a shared sex pad just for their conquests in Soho or wherever).
This other bloke on asiaexpat also said; “I don’t know any guy that I am close with that is an expat that does not fool around. Of course, there are different levels of playing. There are ones that strictly visit the pros for a wham-bam-thank-you-maam, there are ones that like to pick up other expats at the clubs, there are ones that like the locals, married or not, and there are ones that have actual girlfriends that may or may not know they are married.”
Why the fuck would you put up with this bullshit?? What?! So because we moved to a different country, our Men have all gone mad and started humping anything that moves, because they’re sooo fucking arrogant, they think they can. And the ones who go to the “Pros/Strippers/lap clubs”… well they are the worst type of scum, as in their minds, it’s not even cheating if you’re paying a hooker. Really?? Would you do that sort of shit IN FRONT of your wife you DICK!?
I can say this now, with my hand on my heart, if I ever EVER found out that The Captain had been cheating on me during “business trips, late nights at the office, clients dinners, having a drink with the boys, or even before I showed up in Hong Kong”. I will end his entire world, by leaving. Its simple. Oh… and as an added Fuck You, I’d have a revenge shag with someone he knows, just to show him how much it can hurt.
It seems a woman needs a reason to cheat, a man, well he just needs a place.
I have to sign off now and go check my Hubby is sweetly tucked up in bed. He’s definitely not the type of Man listed above. I wouldn’t have married him if he was (plus I have him tagged just under his butt cheek so I know where he is at all times).
One thing I will say, having read up on this for the last few hours (and there are hundreds of threads about this on asiaexpat). Hong Kong is certainly somewhere to test your marriage and push it to the limit. I will hold my wine filled cup to that, BUT, pull your shit together and remember who you were before you arrived on this Island of Madness. This doesn’t feel like the real world for me yet (yes, I’m still homesick and will be heading back to London sometime over the summer ….. cant fkin wait), but it’s not bloody Vegas either. For every dumb asshole who thinks he can sleep around behind his Partners back, there’s also a woman who knows about it, and she will be doing the same right back atcha! Your wife, girlfriend, partner, will always know when something is up.
ps. I think I want to go home before my Husband catches this unknown “must-have-sexitis” illness.
pps. Captain, if you’re reading this, I have 3 big brothers, a shovel and have learnt my way around the woods of Hong Kong quite well 😉
* Photo of Repulse Bay Beach … my local.
Plastic Surgery, Tummy Tucks, Sex while pregnant
Last week I met a group of gals to discuss the pro’s and cons of Tummy tucks (as well as other surgery from boob jobs to Botox), for Mum’s of Multiples (or in my case…. TWINS!)
One Mum has just had a full tummy tuck with a scar that stretches from one side of her tummy to the other, and resembles, in my opinion, a smile (ironic too considering that’s what I’d be doing after such a fab piece of plastic surgery).
After nearly 6 weeks, she is fully recovered and unbelievably happy. And so she should be, considering her tummy was stretched beyond belief during her pregnancy. Both her Twins weighed well over 7.5 pounds!!! I mean…. fuck!!! She could barely walk into the hospital when she gave birth. She also had a 7 centimetre gap between her stomach muscles from where her body had been stretched so much. When I spoke to her, she’d just bought her first bikini in 5 years and was bouncing off the walls with happiness (hell, I’m surprised she didn’t turn up wearing a bikini… I would have with those results).
Now, my twins were almost full-term at 38 weeks, which is apparently pretty impressive in the world of Multiple births as the norm can be anything from 32 weeks onwards. Given my small size at the time, all and sundry expected me to go into very early labor. This did not happen and I got progressively larger by the minute. I was even putting on weight while I slept and at one point, I was convinced I must be sleep-walking into the fridge every night. I mean, by the time I gave birth by elective C-section (like I was gonna even attempt that “naturally”…. what am I fucking stupid?!!) I was MASSIVE. I had gained FIVE STONE in weight. FIVE STONE PEOPLE!??!
It’s no wonder the Captain didn’t want to have sex anymore … although I did try it on all the time like a teenage boy would. And I do mean, A LOT (no one tells you how horny pregnancy makes you, especially if you are carrying a boy, but apparently its their hormone in your body). Which actually explains why they all walk around looking for sex the whole time… hmmmm…. I mean… in hindsight, I was like one giant penis trying to get laid at every opportunity. It’s no wonder men wank constantly…
Anyhow, back to being a huge obese pregnant woman, I was soo big, I had to have TWO epidural due to the amount of fluid in my body. I couldn’t lie flat in bed either as I would faint from the pressure the kids put on my internal organs (even during hospital scans, I had to be almost upright towards the end, or I would faint). I mean, twins, or more…. its hardcore from day one. Even before they pop out, they’re giving you an insight into your new life. One would be awake all night inside my tummy while the other slept during the day.
I would wear those headphones you can get while pregnant, at night to listen to them sometimes and I swear my son was building something with all the banging inside my tummy. My daughter would start partying a little later…. hopefully something she wont continue to do as a teenager. She already looks like me but, acting like me will be a nightmare… I was expelled from one school in London alone for “not working enough & having parties at my house”. This was news to my Mum at the time when she met the Headmistress of my school “to discuss my options” …. I had to pretend the Head had dementia and had been gunning for me from day one (a complete lie of course but I couldn’t let my parents know that’s where all their booze was going from the “Drinks Cabinet”in their lounge, which BTW, had a lock on it!)
Anyhow, if I thought for one second I was going to attempt natural birth during my pregnancy …. I don’t think I would have been walking around as happy as I was (the Captain loved me preggars BTW as I was sober the whole time & couldn’t stand the smell of wine….) And despite looking like a small elephant (who had eaten two children), I thoroughly enjoyed the whole pregnancy thing.
That said, Itchy & Scratchy not only did a great job on stretching what used to be a washboard stomach you could literally bounce coins off (The Captain LOVED my tummy). They also screwed up my hips (I was a very small size 6/8 UK), I had carpal tunnel in both hands/wrists (constant sensation of tingling which was horrible when trying to drive/cook), and the fucking headaches/migraines were a killer, especially when you can’t take anything more than a pointless paracetamol tablet (useless on someone like me in any event as I need the hard stuff).
NOW….aside from all that, its my stomach which is pissing me off. I’m being kind to myself when I say it looks like an 80-year-old womans which I literally have to tuck into my knickers (or my new NBF’s, Spanx). The skin has been stretched sooo much that despite losing all my baby weight in under 4 months (I’ll be honest, I was strict with myself and determined to shift 5 stone as quickly as possible as the weight was killing my knees & I was fed up wearing The Captains jeans… fucking depressing), this didn’t really do my skin any favours. Slower weight loss equals better skin elasticity, apparently.
Also, despite hours in the gym (yaaaawn….unless there’s some sexy instructor to stare at) and now my obsession with Allegro Pilates in Stanley (I fucking love it and swear I gain weight the minute I stop), still this “envelope” of skin is sat there. Staring at me…. Day after day…. after day. Reminding me, never to show this bloody tummy off until, I too get a tummy tuck. I also forget its there from time to time, as I was so used to having such a lovely stomach that now if I raise my arms up in the super market and my T-shirt lifts… I automatically pull my top down as the skin above my C-section scar is loose. It looks horrible and I don’t want people seeing it. Am I being vain??! Yes of course, fucking of course!! I’m a bloody woman!!? I mean, who doesn’t want a nice body?
Now, I’m still going to give myself a bit longer as the twins have only just turned 14 months and I’m determined to at least try to tighten this skin. I’ve googled it all on the net and apparently, skin brushing and moisturising will help. However, my local Doctor, who I used to consider lovely (she’s had five kids though, the crazy cow) told me, it wont ever go but its the price we pay to be “blessed” with kids.
“BLESSED”?! How is it that these celebs are losing weight super quick and no loose skin?? Yes, I know, pretty much all have a surgeon to do a few nip/tucks, but where’s the scars etc? I’ve been watching that Kourtney Kardashian on E Hollywood and after just 3 months, she had lost the baby weight AND has a flat stomach. She’s also wearing a bikini (bitch) which I used to love poncing around in when my tummy didn’t jiggle like flippin jelly in a wrinkly old leather handbag.
Soo….. any of you out there who have had recent surgery in Hong Kong, drop me a line and tell me how it went? Who would you recommend etc? Also, if you have had any great Botox guys too (I currently have a constant frown which is more due to the kids/Captain driving me nuts), I wants numbers please!?!
Where can I buy minced lamb in Hong Kong?
Does anyone know where I can purchase minced lamb? They have minced pork, beef and chicken but NO lamb anywhere and the butchers at Taste Supermarket in Stanley dont seem to happy about mincing anything! Any suggestions? Would Ap Lei Chau’s Pacific Gourmet have it? Please let me know!!