mum2girls | ExpatWoman.com
 

mum2girls

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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 13:50
I just tried to do it with a Lufthansa ticket, we could not change the name or the routing, however we could have changed the date of travel for a small fee. Some tickets are partly refundable though, we were able to get a part refund on the ticket , so maybe check if the the ticket can be refunded. <em>edited by mum2girls on 27/07/2011</em>
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 17 July 2011 - 21:23
SM, thanks for the recommendation. I have done a few with sedation and pain relief only, I never managed to be knocked out totally with sedation and it was always a horrible experience. The last two I had were with anesthetic, and anesthesia is the way to go for me.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 16 July 2011 - 13:44
Thank you very much ShellFC. Great to know your DH made a full recovery.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 07 July 2011 - 12:26
I second Emma, she is great and it's a great concept which she offers. Initial 2 hours consult and you can have her come back and help you place photos, furniture etc. She is wonderful
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 21:29
I would have loved to have seen it, might find something online. She has had a few hellish days for sure. He seems to be such a sleezball, yuck! Her dress looks fabulous. She looks nothing like she did a few years ago, she has had so much cosmetic and dental surgery.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 21:24
Sorry to hear you have this worry. My experience is 5 years ago, I would suggest getting a 2nd opinion if the diagnosis does turn out to be cancer, they do sometimes get things wrong. Take care.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 12:00
Enjoy !
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 02 July 2011 - 11:58
We had all the locks in our house changed by Golden Key Est. phone number 050 6512422 / 050 7751708. They come pretty quickly and did a neat job. I don't know if they were expensive or not though, they were recommended by my DH's company and I didn't bother getting a quote elsewhere.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 30 June 2011 - 12:15
This might help you from the UK government web site re minimum wage, so it sounds like Live-in domestic helps are not covered by minimum wage rules. Someone I know is paying a small salary by UK standards and she told me it was legal, but I wasn't sure, which is why I wanted to double check it before I said that. "Living in your employer’s household If you are a member of your employer’s family, live in their home and help run a family business or help with household chores, you are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage if you share in the family’s tasks and activities. If you are not a member of your employer’s family but you live in their home and share in the household’s work and leisure activities, for example if you are an au pair, you are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 30 June 2011 - 12:06
Frenchy, my close friend pays her a net salary of $1100 per month for 6 days (which is the salary she was paying in their expat country). Accommodation, food, flight home every year and a bonus are taken into account when the minimum salary payment is calculated. She lives in Surrey and her homehelp found a network of friends very quickly. It is working out fantastic for both the family and the helper. Not sure what the others pay ! <em>edited by mum2girls on 30/06/2011</em>
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 30 June 2011 - 11:35
Hi Frenchy, several of my friends have brought their helpers to the UK with them. The fact she has been with you for 2.5yrs is really strong in your favour for getting her a visa. Its quite a bit of paperwork and the visa processing costs somewhere between Stg300 - STG500, but it was easy, they said.. A LOT less expensive than hiring through an agency in the UK. The minimum wage requirement is also offset by providing accommodation, food. My friend said she was not paying much more that what she was already paying. You do have the hassle of dealing with tax and social welfare payments, but there are companies which will do that for you. I don't know about the North of England, but quite a few of my friends live in the South, outside London, and all have live in help. One of my friends helpers did do a 'runner' after 3 months, she hated Scotland and decided she wanted to live in London. But all the rest have had positive experiences. Good Luck with your move.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 June 2011 - 20:58
Well I don't know about Pottery Barn Kids, but I recently bought some furniture in Pottery Barn and I was surprised that it was only slightly more expensive than the US price. What I bought cost me USD880 here and the USonline price was USD800, I was expecting there to be a much larger mark-up in the UAE <em>edited by mum2girls on 28/06/2011</em>
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 June 2011 - 20:55
ah bummer, I either missed the best of it or met the same assistant as N.Kaye!!! I asked the sales assistant what was on sale in the bath section and she pointed me to a table with towels on it, seemed none of the rest was on sale. Anyway, I never have much luck with sales, so guess this is not surprising.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 June 2011 - 17:09
N.Kaye, Yes it was really annoying, I went to Mirdiff specifically for their sale, with two bickering kids in tow. I do love their stuff and have bought lots there, but today I didn't drop a dime. I went a bit crazy in Crate & Barrell though. Wuffles, this is worse than any 'part' sale I have seen, really it was a few odds and ends that they would normally have on a 'specials' table.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 June 2011 - 16:28
oh sorry, I just realised the 160DHS was at Pottery Barn, that is outrageous.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 June 2011 - 16:26
I am so very sorry for the devastation of losing your little boy, I hope you fall pregnant this time without any difficulty, you deserve it. I don't know any Dr.'s here in Dubai to recommend, but I am sure you will get lots of responses.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 June 2011 - 16:19
A pretty small range of products on sale, :( Crate & Barrell on the other hand seemed to have a pretty good sale, a good cross section of sale items from furniture to small kitchen stuff, it felt like a sale.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 June 2011 - 16:16
I was at PotteryBarn kids today and they have Sophie the Giraffe, didn't check the price though !
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 21 June 2011 - 16:26
I would be totally ticked off too ! It should be a lovely sentimental momento, not something goofy ! I am sure if you are upset about it, other parents are also ! Probably all thinking EXACTLY as you are. In our school, we pay for it, so not all parents associations pay for it.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 21 June 2011 - 12:54
Swiss Embassy is about 3 weeks. By chance, I found that it is better to go there later, 1 hour before they close,(think they close at 12 and I ended up there around 11.30am) it was empty, rather than the queues that build up before they open. As M&S says, you are supposed to apply to the Schengen country in which you will be spending the most part of your trip and you do have to provide flights and accommodation proof, but it does not have to be the first point of entry. Good Luck
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 17 June 2011 - 23:10
We are Rory fans too, he is absolutely flying, hope he doesn't blow it like he did last time.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 17 June 2011 - 22:35
Doesn't seem to be showing on any channel, DH has searched and searched to no avail ! He is mighty P'd off.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 17 June 2011 - 20:17
At my inlaws house, if you don't eat 25kilos of meat in one sitting, you are asked if you are on a diet ! I have finally realised that filippinos saying ' ohhh, you look sexy, ma'am' means you are thin. The first time it was said to me, years ago, I thought the helper was hitting on me.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 16 June 2011 - 18:10
I bought one to try it out for our summer travelling. It's perfect for my 8yo, but I would not put my 3yo in it, so I won't buy a 2nd one yet. My 8yo said it's really comfortable and she now prefers it to her usual booster seat, so we are using it permanently. It comes really nicely packaged and is very well made, inflated very easily (but more than the 3 puffs they say it takes, but that could just be me !), have not deflated it yet but I would say it is easy. The recommended age is 3years to 12 years, but I would say it is suitable from age 5 to 10, the seat looks a little on the small side for a 12yo and not quite what would be needed for a little one. My 8yo is about 22kgs. Apparently it has been approved in the US they are just waiting for their licence to launch it, sorry don't know about Canada. It has passed all the EU safety tests.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 15 June 2011 - 13:12
I had a bad haircut at JetSet Grosvenor house too, I had to go back to have it 'fixed' also. However, I am always really happy with my colour from Patrick, it's the best highlights I have had in years. I heard they were trying to bring in stylists from the UK, I hope that happens, as I want a one-stop shop for my trip to the hairdresser.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 13 June 2011 - 21:21
Jumeriah Islands looks really nice, it's lovely and green and the gardens are gorgeous. One thing to be aware of is the proximity to the building work, some clusters are very close and apparently there can be a lot of construction noise, even through the night.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 09 June 2011 - 09:38
I am so sorry to read what you are going through, I also had a preemie who had difficulty feeding and after the trauma of NICU, it was just a huge additional stressor that almost sent me over the edge, however my dd feeding issues were nothing compared to what you are going through. I know you have researched it to the end, it must be so frustrating to not be able to find any answers. I guess she has been tested for everything, lactose intolerance, allergies etc ? Huge hugs to you, hoping you get to the bottom of it soon.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 09 June 2011 - 08:17
I wish my gardener was kind to me and had not destroyed every last blade of grass in the garden ! Sorry, this is not about bad gardeners, but it's my hot topic at the moment. Actually, I have been giving him and the pool guy water from the cooler and both have asked for tap water only.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 June 2011 - 18:34
Scot, no that is not the overwhelming message at all, just read the posts from others, the overwhelming message is the place has a LOT of safety issues, and some very basic ones too. Pomegranate, I hear what you are saying, good point ! I guess they go there though because it is convenient and the parking at the back is also probably a big plus. That being said, you would want a LONG lunch break though, it has got to be the slowest service I have ever come across.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 June 2011 - 17:46
One thing which crossed my mind this minute, the service in the cafe there is absolute cr$p, the food is below average and the staff are pretty useless, but NOT one of the posters here has mentioned that ! Our reason for going there is to entertain our kids in a safe environment, we spend money on entrance costs and we spend money in their cr$appy restaurant. RebeccaS and the rest of us are their target market, they are making the classic mistake of not listening to their customer. They may just about end up with a cafe with a few adults without kids, spending a little bit of money on low quality food, and a kids play area sitting idly there gathering dust. If it was my company, I know where I would be focusing my efforts and whose concerns I would be addressing.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 01 June 2011 - 17:25
That is pretty dreadful, you would at least have expected them to be a bit conciliatory and accept that there are concerns about the place and some serious failings. They are very shortsighted if they don't take that on board, rather than getting defensive and dismissing their customers concerns. You can do all the fancy marketing you want, but nothing can replace a word of mouth recommendation and they seem to seriously underestimate that. Those of us discussing this on Expatwoman might only be a small percentage of their 'customer base', however we are likely typical and very representative of their customer base, so I doubt we are the only ones who have concerns about Mini Monsters Safety issues. I would not be surprised if your complaint and this thread will come back to bit them, when they have their first major incident, because it will happen at some point, that is for sure. Are there any public health and safety associations here where the concerns could be investigated on a more unbiased basis I wonder ! [i'>JEFF BEZOS - If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends. [/i'>
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 30 May 2011 - 13:02
Thanks ladies, I also just noticed all my contacts have been wiped. Absolute nuisance to say the least. Off to change my password now, thanks/ Dunight, thanks for the tip on composing the password, I would never have thought of that.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 30 May 2011 - 11:37
Sandypants.com have Balance Bikes, shop online, home delivery, great service, you can call either of the two ladies for advice or any questions you have. I can really recommend them.... http://www.sandypants.com/shop/toys/ride-ons/
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 30 May 2011 - 07:33
Lets be fair, it does not have to be men without children there who pose a potential risk ! The layout of the place is just not safe full stop. The toilets upstairs are out of the way, anyone could sneak in unnoticed and hide in there if that was their objective. The gate to the main door is on a manual latch and is regularly left open and can be opened easily by the kids, a little kid could easily get out and straight on to that busy road. The back door to the parking is always open and as someone pointed out, directly next to that door is the kids painting station. Kids running back and forth between the play areas, through the cafe area where staff are carrying hot plates and hot drinks to tables. The amount of adults and children in there some days has got to be unsafe, I was there last weekend, there were 4 birthday parties and the other visitors and the staff, it was teeming it felt unsafely overcrowded, it's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt in there. The toddler area as someone mentioned is just not suitable for under 3's, it's a 2 or 3 level structure, which means that parents and maids are all over the structure with the kids, coming down slides, climbing everywhere, along with the older kids who are bouncing everywhere which is understandable because I think the two play areas are linked together on the top floor. It's a great concept and my kids enjoy it there, but they really need to have a thorough review of their health and safety. But I wonder if they will, they are seriously pulling in the punters, so they it is unlikely they will make any further investments.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 29 May 2011 - 12:43
That is a big rip-off, surely they can't do that! Double check with Emaar if that is indeed correct. We are in Meadows and just applied for the security pass for our helper, she told me it is free.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 May 2011 - 15:33
My child got rejected for a school which was NOT even one of our preferred schools, and I still felt really awful about it. It bothered me for days !! And we only applied there because my husband's company had a debenture and encouraged us to because we were on waitlist everywhere else. We did finally get into our school of 1st choice, but it was a nailbiting wait for acceptance. Try and think of it in a positive light, if there is already that kind of pressure at Grade 1, can you just imagine the pressure on both you and him as he moves up through the school years, I would certainly hate it.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 May 2011 - 11:40
thanks Amalzd. and Mushypeas,thanks too. <em>edited by mum2girls on 26/05/2011</em>
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 May 2011 - 11:37
I think someone posted this before, and if I remember correctly, it turned out it's one of those scam emails. Yep, it's on Snopes.com as false, US location, but exact same text. http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/carseat.asp
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 May 2011 - 11:30
We drove up there one night a few weeks ago, to have a drink and were turned away at the gate, open only for non-residents, we had called in advance and told we could have a drink at the bar as we had dinner reserved at the other One and Only. We explained this to the guard, who eventually explained the local Sheik/Royal family were there and it was exclusively for them and residents. Maybe that is their hangout at the moment and they have it reserved exclusively, guess when they move on it will be open to non-residents again.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 May 2011 - 10:46
Wow, they have lost weight, BUT look at their body tone !!! WOW, I would kill for arms and shoulders like that.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 23 May 2011 - 11:28
Smells, That's too funny, I saw him at the checkout at C4 MOE this morning too. I wondered if it was the same guy you were talking about on this thread, so I guess it is him !!. He seemed really normal chatting with his lady friend, I couldn't make out if he had a British or American accent, it was I think what they call mid-atlantic, he was very well spoken. PS I thought he looked quite attractive too, and he has an enviable head of hair, which was very clean as Smells. sayz <em>edited by mum2girls on 23/05/2011</em>
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 16 May 2011 - 16:12
Update : I spoke with her again and I understand now, she wants her salary at end of June and her July salary paid in advance, so when she leaves at end of June she has two months salary in her pocket. Thanks for the replies ladies. Actually, the timing of her trip home during the summer is our choice. We will be gone for 6 weeks this summer, so I asked her to take her vacation while we are away. KB 75, your post got me thinking, maybe I might have misunderstood when she asked if I was paying an extra month, she might have meant was I paying her the full month instead of pro-rata. I will clarify with her just to be sure. Thanks again ladies. edited by mum2girls on 16/05/2011 edited by mum2girls on 16/05/2011 edited by mum2girls on 16/05/2011 <em>edited by mum2girls on 16/05/2011</em>
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 16 May 2011 - 08:07
Hi E2B, I had to wait 3 months for my help to join us, I am a stay at home Mom so it was not a problem being without help from a logistics point of view. The agencies charge an arm and a leg if you want full time help on a short term basis, so I opted for agency help on a temporary basis to help out. Sounds like you don't have the option to have your new one lined up before your current one leaves, is there any chance you could do a kind of nanny share with a friend's nanny? people in the UK do it all the time. Here you might have to drop the kids to your friends house so that you don't break any laws. The agencies I checked out were Howdra and a few other who were recommended on this site. But I think they were looking for something in the region of AED7k per month for full time live-in.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 16 May 2011 - 07:46
Can anyone set me straight here. My home help is going home for 1 month holiday, I will pay flights and 1 month salary, should I be paying her an additional salary i.e. a '13th salary'? We did not agree that in our contract, I did say she would get a bonus when she worked for us for 1 year which will be in November, although I did not say how much. I was a bit surprised yesterday when she mentioned getting 2 months salary when she goes on 1 month holiday, but I don't know if that is the norm. Thanks for any advice.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 14 May 2011 - 12:33
I just cannot believe that people can be treated like that, it beggars belief ! With 2 little ones, after they have eaten, we find we end up eating solo and in relay's, kids want to go here and there and while one of us has to go with them, the other is left sitting alone. The last time we went to brunch we took our home help and we paid for the brunch for her, she ate absolutely nothing, the tiniest plate of food ! I walked around with her and the kids, suggesting she might like to try this and that, but she just turned her nose up at everything. But DH and I had a wonderful relaxing lunch, it almost felt like a little holiday as we never get to do a lunch alone. In our helpers case, it was the most expensive side plate of food ever, but so be it, it was worth it for us to have an uninterrupted chat over lunch and enjoy our food. I don't think there is anything wrong with it at all, and I don't think it is any reflection or indication of the parents involvement or not in their childs life.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 08 May 2011 - 17:30
I am suffering from it also. I have the tiny veins around my nose and cheeks, I have heard laser is the the best treatment for it, I will check out the V-Beam. Do you know if it is covered by health insurance ?
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 04 May 2011 - 19:15
My husband's company have just also implemented a rule that they can't fly Emirates (because of the cost), they have to take Virgin or BA for flights to London, such a bummer as accumulating Emirates Miles was great !
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 03 May 2011 - 20:31
Agree with poster about Bay of Bengal, Every time I have flown over the Bay of Bengal there has been really bad turbulence. I was always under the impression turbulence was not dangerous too, but don't they think the AirFrance Rio to Paris flight crashed as a result of turbulence, so now my mantra of turbulence is not dangerous is no use anymore. I hate flying, I am terrified of it and even a toilet door slamming on a plane, has been known to make me almost faint from fright!! Ugh, 10 weeks to go before the next one...
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 03 May 2011 - 14:30
This is the company we used, http://www.poolfence.eu.com/page1.aspx, they were great, came quickly to give a quote and then installed all within a matter of days. It is a mesh fence and the gate is a self-closing one which also has a lock on it.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 02 May 2011 - 09:58
Have to agree, the bust of the dress (both dresses in fact) did look slightly as though it did not fit properly, probably because she has lost so much weight recently, the boobies are usually the first to be hit by any weightloss. Anyway, that being said, she was a stunning bride, natural and glowing, totally classy. I would prefer her style anyday to most of the celebrity weddings featured in the likes of Hello, with boobs stuffed up to the chin, fake mahogany tan, fake nail, fake eyelashes and the rest.