ilovewine | ExpatWoman.com
 

ilovewine

ilovewine
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Latest post on 14 June 2014 - 07:19
Beedazzled, I also have loads of stuff. Some very expensive from Mamas&Papas. I would rather give it to someone in need than waste my time with Dubizzle etc. You are welcome to mail me at nicnax01 at gmail dot com
ilovewine
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Latest post on 09 June 2014 - 11:40
OP you should really ask your HR department. your flight allowance cannot be linked to when your contract was signed. if you buy your own plane ticket and present the invoice, the company should pay (within reason of course). unless you signed for a specific amount stipulated in your contract? which i doubt because i have never seen an amount specified for annual flight allowance. i guess we are lucky but our flight allowances are adjusted with the airline increases. you do have a right to ask ... not for "more" but for them to be in line with 2014 prices instead of what you paid for a flight to the UK (or wherever you're from) in 2010. all they can say is no. then you know where you stand. if you dont ask, you'll never know. good luck!
ilovewine
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Latest post on 05 June 2014 - 13:25
my ring is not from them and they've always be kind enough to do it ... and for free! the guys in there are just super helpful.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 05 June 2014 - 12:43
hi dewelyn, i am looking for a 13" x 9" (33cms X 22cms) tin.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 05 June 2014 - 12:39
cara has never charged me :D
ilovewine
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Latest post on 05 June 2014 - 10:58
thanks daza, will check there.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 05 June 2014 - 10:44
thanks kimball65
ilovewine
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Latest post on 05 June 2014 - 10:13
i always take mine to cara's in gold & diamond park on szr. you can browse their shop while they do it, or have coffee at the little coffee shop around the corner. i've been into their workshop with my ring at times too. all you have to do is ask! hth
ilovewine
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Latest post on 27 May 2014 - 11:57
thanks ladies, i will. one of them already full for 2015 :( this school malarkey is difficult.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 27 May 2014 - 11:08
... except for the IB thing - that I get. Why are they KG1 instead of FS1 - i thought KG was American? Are both schools from KG1 to Year 13 (or only one)? confused! thanks so much
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 May 2014 - 13:14
SEY83, could you please help me, it's all so confusing. My daughter was born on 29 December 2010 and was accepted to Gems royal Dubai to start FS1. Will she still go to school this year? I appreciate your help thank you Bump :) getting too stressed now i know, it's stressful, isnt it? why cant they just be consistent. if it's not broken, then dont fix it! my son was born 5 jan 2012 and was due to start fs 1 in 2015. now, it seems that he will only start in 2016. missing the deadline by 5 days ... so he'll be 4.8 when he starts FS1. but then i read the posts below which says that "FS2 children will start at age 4 years and 8 months" ... so my son will be the same age in FS1 as FS2 children? sigh
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 May 2014 - 10:55
Anon, under new rules your son will start in FS1 in 2016 - the year he turns four Ilovewine, likewise your son will have to wait for another year and start in 2016 - he must turn 4 by Dec 31 to be able to enter FS1 thank you. i will contact the schools where DS is registered and ask what their plans are.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 May 2014 - 10:41
not sure whether this is relevant or not but my DD's school has released the following notification: KHDA age regulations Added on 15 May 2014 Letters from the KHDA have recently been sent to all Dubai schools regarding new regulations about age limits of children at school. Please be aware that these new regulations will have no impact on Horizon as we are a British Curriculum School. All classes and children will remain as they are. If you have any concerns please contact school. Kind regards Horizon School Wait, so this isn't for British schools? LOL and the plot thickens ...
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 May 2014 - 10:31
i'm also very confused by this. DS was born on jan 5th, 2012, and we had planned to send him to FS1 in 2015. (he will be 3.8 in sept 2015). so i'm reading the below that he should start in 2016 when he is 4.8? what happens to our registration fees/waitlist fees/places for 2015? <em>edited by ilovewine on 19/05/2014</em>
ilovewine
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Latest post on 15 May 2014 - 22:23
Just seen your post on the bump forum. Mail me at nicnax01 at gmail dot com. I am very happy with the results of my rhinoplasty. Love Dr Saab!
ilovewine
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Latest post on 28 April 2014 - 15:53
love, love, love dr sant. i had awful luck with 3 pregnancies (recurrent m/c) and she helped us through it. we now have a gorgeous little boy. good luck x
ilovewine
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Latest post on 28 April 2014 - 15:39
we're in a 3 bedroom JVC townhouse. winter months our DEWA bills are never more than Dhs.680 - we have a corner unit = large garden = water every day. during summer our DEWA bills can run up to Dhs.2,000 - we water the garden twice daily then (sometimes more) and also leave an a/c unit on 24/7 for our dog. DH likes to sleep with the a/c on and DS's bedroom is the warmest room in the house, so we run that a/c often too. HTH <em>edited by ilovewine on 28/04/2014</em>
ilovewine
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Latest post on 27 April 2014 - 14:10
Virgin in Dubai Mall have a good stock of the full range, including ones I hadn't seen before. Did seem odd to be buying coffee there tho even more random ... ACE Hardware on SZR sells them!
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 March 2014 - 14:33
yes please don't kill us, we are an endangered species! ;) ILW I reckon you should move to Wellington.:) I lived in Arrowtown, NZ for a year and it was population 4000 or something, and I made so many friends, despite not having gone to school with everyone and married my cousin or whatever, ;), it will never be like living in an expat city though, even as a kiwi, I'd dread moving anywhere in NZ (or UK, or US) that I didn't know anyone, because it isn't like over here where everyone is away from family and looking to make new friends, attending coffee mornings etc. Queenstown might be an option, it has a more transient, international population, whilst still being small town. i wish he could make it as easy as wellington or christchurch or even hamilton! but no, gotta be difficult and find some sleepy town in the middle of nowhere. i dont even know what's there to do for him! i can see the omaka aviation museum but that's about it. i suppose he wont be looking at a place if there wasnt something in his line of work ... this is where the trust part comes in LOL thanks kiwispiers
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 March 2014 - 14:26
Hi, Not a kiwi but did spend 4 months living in Picton, just down the road from Blenheim, and we loved it, yes very small town, which has good and bad to it like every small town in the world I should imagine, but we found people were very friendly, In the short time we stayed there we were welcomed into the community and people really did seem to go out of their way to make us feel welcome. Blenheim was nice, like they said right in the middle of all the vineyards, lovely scenery. Yes nightlife is a bit scarce but with a little one I guess you wont be out that much of an evening. I would say definitely make sure you have work before you go because it is a small community, but if it was our choice, well my husband would have us packed and on our way before we could blink. The kiwis can be a funny breed (cant we all) and they just tend to say it like it is but if you are open to them I believe they are open to you. Good luck with your decision! you are right, of course. we do not do nightlife in dubai either! i have so much to think about and consider before i speak to my dh about this. i dont want to knock it before i've tried it (or at least have more information on it) but i cant seem to find anything. i can see myself being a wine-tester :D but that's about it for now. thanks so much for your response.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 March 2014 - 11:46
thank you arohadxb
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 March 2014 - 11:19
I like your style ilovewine. And if you love wine you may well love Blenheim. There are some amazing vineyards there. Platters of beautiful food and a glass of grape overlooking the vines, lush. LOL "mummy's juice" as my son refers to it :D i'll keep looking and will keep you posted. i need to get my son registered for FS1 in 2015 - this is really all i needed right now!!! thanks so much ladies x
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 March 2014 - 11:09
Yes, the small town thing, not an easy adjustment. It can go both ways, you can feel claustrophobic or you can enjoy the feeling of community that a small town can offer. Or a bit of both depending on your mood! From what friends have said, it can be pretty hard to break in to social circles although that seems to be true of many places and having a little one will help. Good schools in Blenheim too. Your husband in aviation would be a help socially, from the people I know who work in aviation they tend to be quite welcoming to those in the industry. Would a pre move visit be feasible to would you need to just take the plunge? i will definitely not just take the plunge! dh will have to splurge on a 3 week vacation.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 March 2014 - 11:05
as far as i know there is no work lined up at the moment. we were in NZ a couple of years ago (vacation) and we both fell in love with the place - both north and south islands. we started looking at north island after that but it fizzled out when i fell pregnant, so it was all put on hold. dh started looking at NZ again recently and found, and for some reason got stuck on, blenheim. the reviews refer to people in blenheim as hill-billys (saying they could be on the jeremy kyle show?), someone said "we drove through the town and thought "someone is going to get raped"", samoans cause trouble ... here's a link to this particular thread i'm referring to. there's another one but i cant get into it this morning arrgh http://www.gpforums.co.nz/threads/426322-Blenheim-WORST-town-in-NZ!!/page4 like i said, it's an old thread and no matter what i type into a google search, i cannot find an updated thread. another thread said because it's a small town, people have been friends forever - having gone through school etc together, families merging and their kids are doing the same hence the reason for outsiders finding it difficult to make friends. people tend to stick together in small towns.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 March 2014 - 10:22
I'm from Nelson which is an hour or so away from Blenheim and obviously the nicer of the two towns ;) but Blenheim is great, exactly what Aroha says. It depends what you are after though. Blenheim is pretty quiet, especially in winter. If nightlife and great shopping is your thing then Blenheim is not for you but if you like beautiful scenery, wineries, boating and outdoor life in general then Blenheim would be an excellent place to live. It's a three hour hop on the ferry or a short flight to Wellington which is very vibrant and has all things Blenheim doesn't if you ever need a fix. i can do without the bling, really. it's the small town thing that scares me. i've always lived in cities so not sure what to expect. husband is really keen and just sprung it on me last night!
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 March 2014 - 10:20
@lolacat, i have done a search and only found old posts (2009) and they're not at all favourable! :( scared me senseless, so i thought i'd come on here. i will keep the name of the touring company though, perhaps we can plan another NZ vacation. thanks so much. @arohadxb, that sounds lovely. the latest wikipedia page says population 30,000 - i'm a city girl so that makes me nervous. i read people find it hard to make friends. i'm in legal and my husband in aviation ... not sure what we'll do out there. and we have a little one. lifestyle sounds/look great but, as i said to lolacat above, the online reviews are shocking.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 19 March 2014 - 10:09
sorry lolacat, i meant, any advice as to living in blenheim
ilovewine
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Latest post on 03 March 2014 - 14:16
mara12345, i have 3 BIG drawers full of clothes DS has grown out of. some hardly worn, and some (i'm ashamed to say) never worn! the sizes range from 12 months to 2 years. i wanted to donate it to rashid children's center (after i read about them on here the other day) but you are welcome to it if the sizes fall within the age range of the children you have. beatles19, same goes for you. i know you have a DD but some t-shirts and shorts are so unis3x and would be good enough as house clothes, as amyaus82 says. let me know x ETA: just seen your post re: children's ages! <em>edited by ilovewine on 03/03/2014</em>
ilovewine
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Latest post on 23 February 2014 - 15:58
thank you. i've never used booking.com or agoda ... always so cautious of these online sites (or perhaps just stuck in old school ways of using an agent / booking directly with the resort & airline). thanks again
ilovewine
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Latest post on 23 February 2014 - 12:13
quick question to the ladies who've been to lily beach: did you book your seaplane from here or are they so readily available that you could just hop on it when you arrive in male? sorry to hi-jack your thread katnip
ilovewine
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Latest post on 01 September 2013 - 13:49
i've now seen sharon and delma at salon ink, and they were both fabulous. wont go anywhere else ever again.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 01 September 2013 - 13:47
hi ladies, without speaking to a bank / finance guy - is there a uae mortgage calculator somewhere that we can use to get a ballpark figure of what our repayments would be on a villa? thanks!
ilovewine
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Latest post on 28 July 2013 - 12:19
great! thanks ladies ... will do it this weekend. thanks so much
ilovewine
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Latest post on 28 July 2013 - 12:09
how are you doing confusion? been thinking about you and looked up this thread. i had a VERY hard time to get to my first baby (who is 19months old now) and am now thinking about number 2. i'll be 41 in a couple of months. given my history, and my age, i'm so scared of taking this step. not sure i can cope again. i hope you are well x
ilovewine
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Latest post on 28 July 2013 - 11:37
thanks nashwa1. we have the axiss and the priori. do you get the cover back on the way it's supposed to be after the wash? LOL i ask because whenever i remove any kind of fabric cover for a wash it is a MISSION to get it fit properly again.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 23 July 2013 - 13:25
Matalan perhaps? nope :(
ilovewine
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Latest post on 23 July 2013 - 12:25
thanks egg. the debehams link is what i used when i phoned the dxb branches - they say they havent received any union jack bedding in months. doh! havent thought of marks & sparks - will ring them now. it's for a friend's daughter and i was sleeping on this, so not sure if online purchase will deliver on time now. i'm travelling next week :( i'll google the beach plaza mall and see what i come up with. thanks again x
ilovewine
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Latest post on 23 July 2013 - 12:17
neither have, just phoned them. thanks OliTomJam
ilovewine
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Latest post on 09 July 2013 - 09:45
thanks ladies, i really appreciate your input and it makes me want to do it even more. we both work full time but have a dog at home so the foster baby will have a friend during the day. we live in a villa with a garden so it's not couped up in an apartment. we have a toddler though so we'd have to be careful in finding the right fit. i assume DDT will help us with that? i'm going away in august, no point in approaching DDT now. i'll work on DH some more and then approach them upon my return. thanks again x
ilovewine
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Latest post on 09 July 2013 - 09:40
I'd like to add that I've never fed my son in a toilet or baby changing room and never felt pressured to. I've breastfed (with a cover) in public all over Dubai, in malls, in cafe's, etc. and never gotten anything but smiles from anyone, local or expat. I wouldn't go sit on the dhow docks in Deira and get my boobs out, but that is really just common sense. agreed. i always said i dont eat in a toilet, neither will my DS. shops are also very accommodating. i was in a shop once when DS cried for a feed and they let me use the changing room! i've never felt uncomfortable breasfeeding in public. it took some practising at home but you quickly get the hang of it and then it's plain sailing.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 08 July 2013 - 09:33
Impractical?? Uh, I didn't think so! Our first few weeks we had to supplement bfeeding with formula because of a pre-term birth and THAT was impractical. Once we got off of formula it was bliss. Bfeeding is so handy (once you get a hang of it), easy to pack, quickly accessible, and far easier to "prepare" at night than warming a bottle at 3am! Keep in mind, a lot of breast-fed babies won't sleep through the night as quickly, but for me it doesn't bother me to get up and feed once or twice (in the beginning it's a lot more, regardless of breast fed or formula anyways). Anyways, I could go on- I'm a HUGE supporter of breast milk is best (not in the crazy hippy way :) just in the healthy, happy way!) Just to add- nobody will tell you that it isn't as "natural" as they say it is when you start. It's finicky, frustrating, and downright annoying to get a hang of. STICK WITH IT, once you pass the frustration stage it becomes so easy you'll wonder what the problem ever was. If you're struggling go see a Lactation Specialist. So many women give up far too early, there's often a point when the frustration becomes so much that women give in to it- that's when you just got to push through, [b'>seek support[/b'>, and keep trying. It'll be worth it! :) edited by andreasmullet on 06/07/2013 oops, editing again because Sanddy-Dogg is right: formula or breastfed- whatever's right for you will work. (I'm not at all saying mom's who formula feed are bad moms. Never would I think so! Didn't want it to come across that way!!) edited by andreasmullet on 06/07/2013 andreasmullet post sums me up to a T. you can do a search on my username and see my posts about breastfeeding - it was SO difficult and i just couldnt get the hang of it. i perservered and got so much help from lovely ladies on this forum - and got a lactation consultant to spend 3 days with me. DS is now 18months old and i've been back at work for over a year ... and i'm still breastfeeding! it's the most amazing thing ever and i wont change anything in the world for it. impractical? never. i echo what all the ladies have said on here. food on demand, at the right temperature, the correct quanity etc i'm very supportive of breastfeeding, but also recognize some mother's need/want for formula. it wouldnt be on the market if it was bad for our babies, right? you will make the right decision, just dont give up after the first couple of tries. best buys: - neonate bath (DS only moved into the big bath at 13 months) - changing table - fischer price bouncing chair - medela swing breast pump worst buys: - too many fancy baby clothes congratulations and good luck! <em>edited by ilovewine on 08/07/2013</em>
ilovewine
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Latest post on 04 July 2013 - 08:57
thanks everyone! we dont have the entertainer, but their weekend getaway deal that's on at the moment is OMR77 per night, incl b/fast ++ i checked last night, flydubai has flights for the 2 of us totalling AED1,400 - 1hr and you're there. DH has been away for a while, gets back next week then i'm off again for a bit, so i thought it'd be nice to go there (even just for a weekend) to reconnect.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 03 July 2013 - 19:27
Thank you Clairehdp, just the info i was looking for. How long is the drive there, can you remember? We do have a little one, so all of that sounds fab!
ilovewine
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Latest post on 03 July 2013 - 15:16
has anyone been? it looks amazing and we'd like to go. is it possible to drive there? tia
ilovewine
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Latest post on 24 June 2013 - 14:45
why have they stopped sales in the UAE, anyone know?
ilovewine
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Latest post on 16 June 2013 - 11:51
some poodles can be snappy, so be careful. my sister has a yorkie and she was amazing with my nieces. i know chihuahuas can be dreadful but we struck it SO lucky with ours. she has the best personality, doesnt yap all day and is very patient with our toddler.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 16 June 2013 - 11:42
i bought the yoyo on friday and already love it. thanks for the recommendation TDB :D we travel twice a year so it'll come in handy and i'm also going to use it as our main stroller now. will keep the little mothercare one for early morning walks because we do some 4x4'ing sometimes LOL edited by ilovewine on 16/06/2013 <em>edited by ilovewine on 16/06/2013</em>
ilovewine
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Latest post on 13 June 2013 - 15:09
fab cakes arlette! that clothes on the line cake is awesome LOL DS is also besotted with spiderman so i'll drop you a line on facebook. Thanks!! Responded to your email. Btw, did you say DS... your email said DD and I was thinking along the lines of pink Spiderman :) ha! i havent emailed you yet, so must be someone else. DS's birthday not for a good couple of months but i might just order one because he is so gorgeous and deserves it. will be touch x
ilovewine
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Latest post on 13 June 2013 - 12:40
fab cakes arlette! that clothes on the line cake is awesome LOL DS is also besotted with spiderman so i'll drop you a line on facebook.
ilovewine
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Latest post on 13 June 2013 - 12:03
the LAMAZE range is fantastic. http://www.lamazetoys.co.uk/ toys r us sells them, and you can even find them in spinneys now. HTH
 
 
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