Hindi ito ang daang tuwiran (This isn't a direct route)

Well, it's been real, it's been fun, but we never cease to be amazed at the real fun dynamics of relocation to Asia!

Our shipment was delayed due to typhoons, elections and the recent All Saints' Holidays.  All of which created a back log at the port of Manila. This meant the delivery that was supposed to happen last month, was delayed to last week. Tuesday we got a call from the moving company that the boat was in the harbor (woo hoo!) and we should expect delivery Friday. WOW - our STUFF - finally!!!! Then after waiting all day Friday at the house, with hired help on hand to unpack and assemble, we were informed it would actually be at the house the following day (Saturday).

We decided we would roll with it and go with Manila time - it'll be here when it gets here.  Silly us for taking the shipping company seriously. So we decided to sleep in, totally gave up on expectations, bought local Huggies...and got call at 7 am that the container was at our house with a crew of 12 guys, where were we?!?

Thus ensued a comedic, chaotic, stressful day of entertaining the neighbors with the 3 ring circus of moving into our house.

Everything is there, we think. Now we just need to unpack & wash everything and figure out which outlets are OK to plug into.

My Uncle Ralph was in the Philippines and made a trip to visit us in Manila tonight. It was so great to see a familiar, friendly, family face!!! We went to our favorite "British" pub for dinner, where Aiden was simultaneously screaming his head off, throwing pasta everywhere and shamelessly flirting with the non-stop parade of cute wait staff coming by our table to make sure he was OK, pat his curls, shake hands, high five, hug, tickle his chin and he asked each one "kiss? kiss?" sigh...don't know where he gets the flirty side from...I'm like "Aiden, kiss on the cheek, not on the lips!" We're working on "cheek hugs" as a compromise.

We're still in hotel, hopefully checking out tomorrow and shutting down internet. Our ISP is TBD, so I'll have my trusty iphone with shoddy internet service for the next week or so....

Hope all is well with you - we miss everyone very much!!!

H-A-S-A

Sophi & one of our friendly movers (she's almost as tall as he is)

First things first - found the Sierra Nevada, plugged frig into AVR

Uncle Ralph, Sophia (w/ felt circle from furniture on her head) & Aiden at hotel