Good things this week

I've had a marvelous time this last week. Lainie and Mark came through Macau on their way home after 9 weeks in China with Aleisha and Torey. Bridget and Benjamin were so excited about having their friends to stay 3 nights - they all slept together in the one bedroom with heaps of room to spare. Bridget and Benjamin in their own beds, Aleisha on the third bed in their room (the one I normally sleep on when Ben's away) and Torey on the floor using the cushion from the couch from the lounge room. They had a ball. They were so tired each night that there was never any problem getting them to sleep. They do play so well together: not one request for television or playstation! Most of the time they played the Macau version of Monopoly.

Ben was here on Thursday night so a nice dinner at home with Lainie and Mark and then the boys went out to view the female sights in Lisboa while Lainie and I caught up over a pot of tea.

Another lovely dinner on Friday night, thanks to the company. A recently won friend, Stanley, came over and although Lainie gave up at 1am and went to bed, Mark continued to talk into the wee hours of the morning. The three of us were in stitches. Stanley tried to leave once or twice but failed miserably until Mark realised the hour! These men did something that I am certainly not used to any more - they cleared the table for me before they retired at 4:30am, Stan to his home with his parents across the road and Mark to bed to join Lainie.

Walking around Coloane and letting the kids play on the grass toboggans and running on the beach, was the order of the afternoon on Saturday. We were awake at 7am thanks to the kids and were somewhat envious of Stan who'd slept in the quiet comfort of his home without kids until 3pm! Grrrrrrr. But, we at least had a day to enjoy.

We went out to diner without the kids as they were exhausted after lumping the toboggans up the stairs for 1 hours and then wushu after that. They were fed and sent to bed by Rhia whilst the adults went for Portuguese in the village. Xiao Xia came along and then we went to show the Bernamoffs the Venetian. Stan joined us for tea close to midnight to introduce us to his really cool mother. We all instantly liked her. The relationship that they have as mother and son is beautiful. They clearly adore each other. I must learn from Ramona, she's certainly done something right in Stan's upbringing. A definite role model.

Apart from that, work wise I've been asked by the editor to be a reviewer for the journal, Personnel Review. I've taken on reviewing for the Academy of Management conference in 2008. Stan's asked me to speak on expatriate issues at Ripples next seminar in December and Soo May's got me doing the service quality workshop next week at the Institute of Tourism Studies. Crown Relocations have asked me to be "Director, Macau Orientations", somewhat tongue in cheek. Things are looking up. The busier I become, the happier I am, as long as I've still got time for my PhD work. But that's coming under control now.

Great meeting with Ross, my supervisor. He's got a promotion and seems really chuffed. Apparently, he was the driving force behind the 2nd world ranking by the Economist for personal development in the Monash MBA. It's great news for him and wonderful news for all his students - good to be associated with the best organisational psychologists.

Oh, and Benjamin's put his hand up for a role in his year level's Christmas show. He has the lead role and is in bed now practising. He only received the script today and still has at least 4 weeks to go. He's clearly happy with the situation and is determined to do it well.