Busy with what

So I'm not going to care about that 42 drafts for the time being. I shall post what I need to post right now. 

So what have I been busy with? Apart from the daily never-ending household chores and being an unpaid chauffeur, and sitting through with lil' one. There are times where I can leave her alone as I can't help her with those revision, I scan stuffs.

Scan stuffs

It was easy to pack che-che's primary stuffs in 2014, as we packed almost everything for lil' one. However for lil' one's case, everything just ends here. Thank goodness! There were some really good materials either from tuition or from friends, or I typed out for them which will be a waste to discard them away leaving no trace. So I decided to scan them into the computer. If she needs them for reference next time, at least we can look for it in the hard disk. I'm trying hard to declutter the house.  辛苦的 decluttering. I had been doing this for the past few months but it was only 2 months ago that I can fully concentrate on this as prior to that, I had to type in notes for her which were on the top of the priority list of To-Dos. What notes? I think I have this somewhere in my draft folder so I shall not re-type the whole lot.  

I wish I had an auto-feed scanner where I can leave it in the tray and it starts scanning while I busy with other things.Can kill two birds in one stone. 

I scan them early into the mornings too, until 2+am. My sleeping time is really haywire now. 

New things to do

1) Plan holiday itinery x2. PSLE Marking Days and the year-end trip

HKG in October : Though we've been there many times. Wondering if there's a need for me to plan or should we just anyhow walk here and walk there? 
Year-end trip : apart from the air ticket, nothing is done so far. The man is leaving everything to che-che. Which is ridiculous coz it'll be too late to book hotels or in some case, Anne Frank Haus needs advance booking. I mean, leave it to them then nothing is done properly. Then again, leave everything to me is chiong all the sights. Will he follow the itinery? Should I get Youth Eurail pass for them to save on the rail fares? All these need early planning. You mean they don't know?    

2) Need to burn the JVC videos to get some space for our year-end holiday. 
You're right. I'm one super old-fashioned person who still carries a video camera around for our holidays. 
Asked dad to pass me his recorder so that I can do it at home but he refused to lend me, as if I will spoil his stuff or refuse to return to him. Then I also worry if he'll do what he did last year. He recorded from the playback on TV. ?!?!?! Clarity is not there but as usual he always return my stuffs late. Rather he likes to procrastinate and then suddenly say he only have 2 days to finish everything. I usually give it to him with a month or two grace period and tell him much earlier I need the camera back. And guess what? He procrastinate so my earlier date became the few days before trip. And I still gotta chase chase chase. In the end, last year instructions on how to get the videos out in segments. I put individual holidays into one individual project. And he jumbled up the CDs, in one CD I can have Spain holiday and suddenly I have something else inside. When I got back the CDs last year, I had to accept it coz there simply wasn't anymore time left and he didn't want to lend me his recorder. I can do it while I'm doing housework and I know when the videos will end coz' I know the contents. 
I have a recorder at home which nobody wants to help me install. Ask hubbby, he shrugs his shoulder and walks away. Ask my father, he forever busy busy. Also I wasn't sure if the remote control works anymore. Or whether this recorder even works with this new TV!! We have our first recorder back in Punggol but it doesn't work with new TVs so I have no idea why I still keep that DVD recorder. Even this current one, I'm hoping that a miracle will happen and it works so that I can reformat 2-3 CDs which I didn't get the chance to do so last time. You must be asking me why did I even bring this over now. Coz' I was hoping for the time to do it but apparently not so coz I have my hands filled with so many stuffs. 

Digital 
Ideally I wanted everything in the house to be stored into one hard disk. Like my 亲家, he has no CDs in his house.  He tells me in every room is like a karaoke room, the kids wants to watch what channel, they key in they get it. The only setback is that you need one gigantic memory CPU, like FBI/CIA keeping datas. Told hubby about this, and he tells me to find out more myself - like I'm one smart IT person like that?! In the end, my idea of hiding whatever wiring before renovation went down the drain coz' nobody to help me and I was on solo, I needed to pace myself what is more important to do - then it was che-che's PSLE. 
Before moving, I did burn some DVDs into digital format and got rid of the DVDs but after that I found I didn't have enough time to finish up the rests so moved them into this house. 3 years later, I still haven't found the time to do so. If i can remember how to do it also. 

So technically I should digitalized these videos right? Then again, nobody to help me. The only way I thought I can do so is to use Pinnacle Studios or Adobe Premiere but it may take up more space per disk than ordinary burn via DVD recorder. Never mind, put into CD first to confirm I have the video recordings out before I delete the cam-corder to get some space. When I'm free (like when?) then maybe burn into hard disk? Double work? I think so...... but currrently now as I'm typing this, I'm also scanning at the same time and copying some holiday files over to computer. But the files all jumbled up, they can't sort it according to the "time taken". ARGH!!!! It will take me some longer time to edit them by myself. If only I can have that DVD recorder - nobody sells it now. It's almost as good as being an antique item just like DVD portable players with screen. Who uses that anyway? I used to own one, bringing them with me on holidays to keep the young girls entertained. Now, with one handy dandy handphone everything is all inside.     

Anyway, right after the PSLE I'll still be kept busy. Photobooks, tidy house, clear stuffs, mend the wall cracks and re-paint the PES, clean the grouts in the whole house. I scrub the grouts every half a year but I haven't been able to do so this year. I really wish hubby can help especially for those jobs around the house, I really can't manage on my own.

3) Late birthday celebration?
Had this thought of giving lil' one (and maybe che-che - though her idea of a celebration would be one without her family) one celebration before she graduates. I find it's so silly that now we have the use of the function room, we hardly use it. Although I've proven over the years that I can get something impressive out within a week (meaning late nights and slogging through)..... hmm...... forget it. Save my own life.   
             

42 drafts

So I've got 42 drafts in here. Wow! That's alot! What the heck have I been complaining about? I'll go through them another day, for all you know 我的气都消了，不需要 post the blog entry. Heehee! 

Last 3

Yippee! Last 3 lessons then no more trips to Parkway Parade on a crowded weekend. I’ve also made the withdrawal from the centre today. Lil’ one wanted to continue with their Science Sec 1, she’s attached to the centre as she’s joined them since 2014 year end. 有点感情。But I think it’s time to say goodbye for now, I can’t stand the thoughts of getting stuck in there again. 

But last 3 lessons also means that the dreaded PSLE shit is looming so close.

I'm so tired, I've decided to leave things as they are. Whether she gets to the school of her choice ultimately all lies in her performance. I'm so sick and tired of nagging and scolding her. She deal with it on her own. 谁叫她不听我的劝告 Yup! I've met with ups and downs while journeying the shitty P#$% with both girls. Each have their strengths and weaknesses. I've got the grouchy post drafted somewhere here but never got the chance to complete it. I'm so glad that I've only got 2 two girls to go through this shit. My grandchildren? Better tell them to leave the country..... it'll never get better but my grandkids will be even more stressed.   

Small bitchiness - entry drafted on 11th Apr 2018 #lateposting#

I can't believe that children as young as 11 or 12 now are not as polite and demure as before. Perhaps this is all thanks to the parents who brought up the new strawberry generation? Giving the kids the chance of empowerment without guiding them properly? Worst! The parents are 'of the same kind'. No please and thank yous. Oh my! I certainly didn't raise my kids to be strawberries or the 没家教的孩子.  

Lil' one (since last year) told me she didn't like her new classmates. They change class every 2 years. So in Primary 5 she was stuck in this class where she says she didn't like most of them. A few of them are still nice to her. I don't expect my daughter to be Miss Congeniality where everybody loves her but she says when she tries to be nice to people; people are mean to her. 

And there is this particular group of 3 girls whose 八字 and hers clash. She tried to be nice to them but when they talk to her, they kinda speak to her in harsh tone. And mind you, one of them, C, is a prefect. Bad example! 

2017 came and went. 2018 came and she wasn't that enthusiastic with school starting knowing that she'd be stuck with them since she didn't have a pleasant year with them. Apart from the few friends she has, she didn't like to idea of being stuck in a classroom with people who didn't treat her nice. Most times she comes back confused as to why she has to treat people nice but others can treat her badly. (WELL... THAT'S BECAUSE MY GIRLS HAVE GOOD UPBRINGING!!) It's almost like I tell her to share things with her friends but her friends refused to share things with her, and I'll tell her to 算了吧, since they are brought up this way. Many times wanted to tell her to be selfish towards her friends coz 以牙还牙 but nope that's the wrong thing to teach. I'd rather be the bitch than she be one. 

The gang of 3, as what she puts it, only one of them still seem more friendlier than the other 2. When she was sick, the friendlier one asked about her. However, this also raised my thoughts with the "what if" - what if she was only trying to act nice so that she can be the one to 打小报告 to the other 2 and gossip. (HA! As what che-che told me "all girls school..... the girls can be super bitchy.") I advised her to "not to talk bad about other people esp her 2 good friends infront of her.

But still, I don't have good impression on the other 2. They have that "mighty empress" look. Hmm.... makes me wonder if their parents have that same “stuck up” look. I want to slap them!

Dang dang dang dang..... 7th Feb. Lil' one came home really frustrated. Said that no one is co-operative over their Social Study project work. And that she had asked them for upteenth time in class when they were going to discuss the work, they either kept pushing back or cite they are lazy etc.. She did start some work informing the prefect, C, if she can go ahead and do something first as she was a little free. So, truth is, my girl did her part and she was waiting for them for suggestions or discussions to add on or delete work. The prefect raised her voice at her in class, in return she raised her already loud shrill voice at her. Their argument caught their teacher's attention. Then the girl started crying. What the F#%^! She cried so the classmates came over and thought she was bullied by my small-size girl, she didn't explain why she was crying... so the immature classmates thought it was my girl's fault. If a mature girl will listen to both sides and then know the whole story instead of listening to one. Of course that girl, C, dare not say anything. Did she dare to tell them in actual fact it was my girl who did some work on her part? Did she dare to tell them she was the one who kept procrastinating and didn't want to do her part? Did she dare to tell that her cry was a fake cry for sympathies? She's an asshole. Worst is when another kapo-chi prefect who only heard her one side of the story. Oh! That girl C, said my girl started work without them. Huh? Isn't it good she started some work? Better than the 3 of you who didn't do any work at all? So that kapo-chi prefect, TT, came and scold lil' one for no reason. Another 没家教. Honestly, this girl..... I know her mother. Got some kind of personality also..  No wonder 生出来的孩子像妈妈. Character is shit! These people need to meet someone more nasty than them and get bashed up.           
So when will they get their karma? I know it's bad for me to say this to want to curse and swear at these girls but I just can't stand them.  

When she was absent from class, she sent a message to the class chatgroup if there was any homework. And these particular 3 would be so bitchy. They would asked tons of stupid messages asking her why ask ? Obviously she wasn't around right mini bitches. Tons of shit useless messages and they are not helping her. 

For her science workbook, I hate to think but wonder if lil' one was being sabotaged. Everyone has their book except her? She explained to her FT, also her Science teacher, and she was alright with her. Coz i believer she knows that my girl is not the type to evade homework, told her to get another workbook and do the necessary first and can do the rests later.   Week later, her friend found her book in her (friend) locker. She was surprised that it's there and they are not even seated together to have their books mixed up on their table. Teacher was surprised that it was in another person's locker. So I began to wonder if the mini bitches did something. Afterall they are bitches, they have done unkind things to her before. So I still want to curse at them.
And when I saw their parents then I knew. They act like they're entitled karens. Big bitches  will have mini bitches lor! Makes me wonder why the parents are like that. Most the parents in lil' one's class have their eldest in P6, which means they are the 1980s kids , all younger than me. Brought up in a different era? I don't really like majority of the younger PVs. Proud like anything. One mummy, not the friendly kind. They way she looks at people is like 狗眼看人低. During LJ, she can be standing in one corner talking and talking instead of helping. I wonder if the LJ is also for her? For her to sightsee? Or for her to catch up with the other PVs? So irritating!

My first steam egg

I can’t believe this. I know I’m not a good cook but have managed to cook some decent dishes to feed my girls. (Well they survived didn’t they?) I’ve steamed fish, white pomfret ; cod being the lil’ one’s favourite but I’ve never steamed egg before! 

Hubby steamed eggs so many times at home for the girls and I shudder to think my eggs turning out disastrous. 

I took the challenge today and hey! I’ve got two thumbs up from the girls who said my steam egg is like from Sakae Sushi. Well...my dear girls that’s coz I added dashi; daddy added chicken stock. The top didn't look nice and so asked the Chef Mama and she told me my fire is too big. Will do better the next time. 

Study shows : Lack of sleep can make you fat

extracted from : https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/lack-of-sleep-can-make-you-fat-study

Lack of sleep can make you fat: Study

A new study's findings add to mounting scientific evidence on how disrupted sleep influences the usual rhythms of the body clock, raising the risk of a range of health problems from heart disease to diabetes.

A new study's findings add to mounting scientific evidence on how disrupted sleep influences the usual rhythms of the body clock, raising the risk of a range of health problems from heart disease to diabetes.

New findings show disrupted sleep alters metabolism, boosts body's ability to store fat

Lack of sleep has long been linked to obesity, but a new study suggests late-night snacking may not be the primary culprit. The latest findings provide the most compelling evidence to date that disrupted sleep alters the metabolism and boosts the body's ability to store fat.

The findings add to mounting scientific evidence on how disrupted sleep influences the usual rhythms of the body clock, raising the risk of a wide range of health problems from heart disease to diabetes.

Dr Jonathan Cedernaes, a circadian researcher at Uppsala University in Sweden and the paper's first author, said the findings pointed to "the irreplaceable function" that sleep has. "Sleep is not just to conserve energy, it has so many functions," he said.

Time and again, research has linked shift work and lack of sleep to the risk of obesity and diabetes, but the reasons behind this association are complex and have been difficult to elucidate. Insufficient sleep appears to disrupt hormones that control appetite and feelings of fullness.

Those who sleep less have more time to eat, may be too tired to exercise and have less self-control when it comes to resisting the temptation of unhealthy snacks.

A previous study by Dr Cedernaes and colleagues showed that even a short period of sleep deprivation led people to eat more and opt for higher-calorie food.

To complicate matters further, obesity increases the risk of sleep apnoea, a breathing problem that itself disturbs sleep quality.

The latest study provides new evidence of sleep deprivation having a direct influence on basic metabolism and the body's balance between fat and muscle mass.

In the study, published in the journal Science Advances, 15 healthy volunteers each attended a testing session on two occasions, once after a normal night's sleep and once after staying up all night. During the visit, they gave samples of fat and muscle tissue and blood.

After sleep deprivation, people's fat tissue showed changes in gene activity that are linked to cells increasing their tendency to absorb lipids and also to proliferate.

By contrast, in muscle, the scientists saw reduced levels of structural proteins, which are the building blocks the body requires to maintain and build muscle mass.

Previous epidemiological studies also found that shift workers and those who sleep less have lower muscle mass. This may be in part down to lifestyle factors, but the latest study shows that there are also fundamental biological mechanisms at play.

"Sleep loss by itself is reducing proteins that are the key components of muscle," said Dr Cedernaes, although he added that it is possible that diet and exercise could counteract these changes.

The study also found an increase in inflammation in the body after sleep deprivation, which is a known risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.

However, the authors said it would be important to investigate further to see whether the short-term changes they identified were sustained in people working shift patterns or experiencing sleep deprivation over longer time periods.

The link between sleep deprivation and illness is of growing concern due to the increase in shift work and changes in sleep patterns across the world.

Last year, a review of 28 existing studies found that permanent night-shift workers were 29 per cent more likely to develop obesity or become overweight than rotating shift workers.

The number of people regularly working nights in the United Kingdom has risen by 260,000 in the past five years, according to the Trades Union Congress, which estimated last year that Britain's late-night workforce had reached 3.2 million - equivalent to one in eight workers.

THE GUARDIAN

On This Day - 27th Aug #Reminders from FB#

August 27, 2011 ·
Mei-mei so excited n wants us to see her work @ school Open House. Brought along her wings with her for ?!?!

August 27, 2011 · 

Playing "who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?"

Cabin Crew

I left in 2002. It wasn’t an easy job but it was a job I loved. 

This job didn’t just teach me to serve, this job taught me safety and first aid. Above all things it taught me life lessons that I couldn’t get in any office job, what more the lessons comes internationally 😜. If I had a chance, I would do it all over again. 

As a mom now, I understand where the stewardess’s mom is coming from. She’d worry over the safety of her precious daughter. My mom was always there for me. She waited with me for the cab downstairs and waited for me downstairs patiently even at odd timings for goodness knows how long when I arrived back home and cook something for me while I unpack. I used to think she watched over me like a hawk but now I’m a condor over my girls. She would always lit up joss sticks and pray for my safety, usually asking for my flight time so she knew which joss sticks (long or short) to burn. And believe it or not, I’ve been kept safe those years. I had a few narrow escapes , things happening in those countries a day or 2 after I touched down in SIN. That’s 母爱. Thanks mummy Irene Ma! 

Everytime I arrived back home, she wasn’t looking forward to the cream puff from Narita (anyway that shop is no longer there) or 🍎 strudel from Perth (and the list goes on), all she wanted to see was her daughter safe and sound. Food and snacks are just bonus for her. 

So before you think about making life difficult and fusing too much over our SQ service and praising other airlines (which honestly I had no idea how those airlines got those awards coz ..I didn’t have friendly and helpful staffs around. Worst! I would have died in the plane if I had pressed the attendant call bell. As what we would usually say “Christmas lights in the cabin”. Trust me I’ve seen their Christmas lights illuminated for a long time, probably until CNY then they’ll answer you. SQ crew is still faster) think - all those airlines copied our ideas for seats and service. Best thing the crew are not even present in the cabin as often as SQ crew, I wonder how pax voted them to have the friendly cabin crew award. SQ crew stay in the galley, confirm you’ll get awards every year.

Treat and respect crew as they are someone else’s children just like you are your parents’ child. They chose this job for whatever reasons, so don’t fuss over little things and then behave so well on other airlines. 

   

If pilot say cannot land means we cannot land, don’t throw your tantrum at the cabin crew over your connecting flight. I’m sorry if you had to miss your million dollars $$$ meeting coz we might be meeting God if pilot tries to land. 

If run out of your meal choice, be kind. They have no control over the rests of the pax preferences. It’s a crew nightmare if they had to deal with one pax who insist on eating that damn chicken. Go vegan better still! It’s good to detox once in a while. Eating simple on board is the best. Anyway I always have no appetite on board so I don’t understand how some can eat a huge cow and keep eating. As long as I have my bottle of water and the 3 important things from aircraft I need - pillows, blanket and earpiece and I’ll be happy. 

Almost everyone is a frequent flyer, you would know when they have the drink or meal service. Please go to the toilet before that and not when the crew pushes out the cart then you start walking to the toilet. Everyone seems to have bladder problem onboard SQ but not on other airlines. I’m not joking! Maybe it’s the air freshener [haha! How we ex-crew rmbr the aircraft smell] causing bladder problem? 

If the crew seems stuck up and not talking to you during take-off and landing, don’t complain. They’re just running through in their mind safety drills should any emergency arises. They’re the only ones to get you out safely. And this has to be refreshed every year. Re-test when they fail and too bad taken off the next flight until ready to flap their wings. There are cabin crews who have been flying longer than the time I got my driving licence. When I got my driving licence, I didn’t have to go back for refresher course yearly. My driving licence more atas looking than the SEP card (crew licence to fly), yet again don't underestimate that ugly looking piece of SEP card. In order to get that piece of paper (which I think my goodie bags tags are also better looking) think about the drills they had to go thru yearly - the huge waves they had to swim when they probably hadn’t stepped into a calm pool for the longest time; the fire melting their makeup as they fight the fire; seeing the unfaithful dummy who has many lovers kissing and massaging him. 

Don’t look grumpy infront of crew when you couldn’t sleep coz of a baby crying coz they should be the ones to be grumpy - they had a hard time pleasing both sides. They’re even more tired than you coz while you were sleeping, they were awake. You can sleep for 8-10hrs but they can only sleep for 2-3hrs as they fly thru the same time zone as you. 

Oh! Lastly please don’t comment “this stewardess/steward is late for flight” coz there are days when they are called up at really last minute to cover someone else without time for mental preparation and they gotta report to aircraft straightaway. I got this before, almost wanted to do a Miss Singapore wave to them for the recognition I get .... and halfway through the flight I was still trying to recall what’s that CS or LSS in first class name and the rests of the crew. Seems rude but had to stare at their chest first before talking to them (looking at name tag)

From The Straits Times on 25th August 2018
Before 10am: SIA air stewardess up bright and early to ensure a pleasant flight
https://www.straitstimes.com/videos/up-bright-and-early-to-ensure-a-pleasant-flight?xtor=CS1-10

On This Day - 25th Aug #Reminders from FB#

August 25, 2011 at 7:46 PM · 

Two girls were crossing our small carpark, while I was struggling with bags of stuffs behind them. Che-Che started with the habit of raising her hand up to cross, mei-mei followed her n she said "hello" to someone at the same time. We dunno who that guy was,who was taken aback by a polite girl, I burst out laughing at her from behind. Did she thot that Athena raised her hand to say hello?

_____________________________________

August 25, 2010 at 9:50 AM ·

Brought the girls to watch YOG - Rhythmic Gym Preliminaries at Bishan 

________________________________________________

 August 25, 2012 at 12:41 PM · 

@ PTM : Chinese complains lil' one talks too much in class. Intonation considered not too bad for someone who don't speak the language at home, still can be improved

Comments in 2018 : Thankfully she has mellowed a little as she grows older

_____________________________________________________

 August 25, 2013 at 8:37 AM · 

Can u believe it?! My 11 - ehh... still 10yr old is watching Dora and answering questions/ doing prompts to Dora. 😳

_______________________________________________

August 25, 2017 · 

Recital in school

弁当 bentō - entry drafted on 17th May #lateposting#

The girls are getting sick and tired of their canteen food, they've been asking me to pack food for them. It started off with che-che asking me to make toasted bread with cheese and (in the beginning) luncheon meat.Then it was just cheese. Once I probably got from the wrong side of the bed or maybe coz' I didn't sleep so was zombie-fied that I decided to fry an egg and put it between the toast and cheese. She only likes this cheese which can only be found in I12 MarketPlace.

She once made me prepare hard boiled eggs. I didn't put her food in the cutesy food container but put in aluminium foil containers (Twice! which I can't remember what I bought it for so used it so that she can junk it away after that). With the toasted breads, it was much easier that I wrapped them up in aluminium foil. I had so many practices that I perfect the art of wrapping them so neatly.

Lil' one started asking for it too. Except for hers can still be a little childish. So, prepared soba with rilakkumma fishcakes etc.. She loves it. 

Think like this is the last few months i can bento for her. I'm still eyeing on making that Tsum Tsum rice balls.  

My cheena is getting more and more powderful

Although I nag at my kids that in order to do well in their chinese paper, they need to read, listen and speak mandarin. The only one who is more receptive to this is lil' one. That's why her chinese is more tok-kong than che-che's. 

Since I had to be also hands on with her, I realised my cheena is also better. And I do enjoy watching chinese movies and reading a chinese text don't scare me as much as before. 

Even as I make some encouragement cards for her, some are in chinese. 

Here are some of my favourite phrases I found online :

努力造就实力，态度决定高度

Efforts to create strength, attitude determines altitude

努力就能成功，坚持确保胜利

所有的胜利，与征服自己的胜利比起来，都是微不足道

To HKG we will go

on PSLE marking days (15th to 18th). But before that a trip to the temple I must make. Haha! Pray that the teachers mark her correct for everything.

First thing first had to ensure that the man is not travelling on business. Don't care I chope the dates first. 

HKG wasn't the destination I had wanted to go initially. I'm sure she would want to go Tokyo again, our last trip was in Dec 2014 and I miss Tokyo. 

Certain reasons pulled me back ;

1) But so expensive lor ........ even Scoot's price is ridiculous. I was elated when I saw that some airlines offers cheap tickets to Tokyo, but there's 6hrs layover. There's a reason why the tickets are so cheap. I wouldn't want to spend 12 hrs travelling to Tokyo while with this same time I can fly to Europe. Hmm...... next year... depending on where che-che goes after her O's. Maybe we have a chance for a mummy and daughter trip? 

2) Che-che the jealous sort will start questioning why she gets a chance to go Tokyo on marking days when in 2014 we only went Bangkok. So to avoid any sort of confrontation, the flight time must not exceed 4 hrs. Actually I did consider Perth but to save the hassle of planning itinery now when I should be utilising the time for something more important gearing towards PSLE. I should be planning the itinery for our Dec trip!! I think I shall settle for something which requires less planning since it's a place we've been to too many times. Plus there's Disneyland in HKG, although we prefer DisneySea, HKG Disneyland is still a better deal for her. She won't lose out as long as she gets to see her Stella Lou and Cookie - the new additions to the Duffy family.      

3) Earthquakes : I know this sounds ridiculous having travelled to Japan countless of times and this is usually at the back of my head but I've been watching (haha! I should be watching stocks not earthquakes counts) and noticed there has been many news of earthquakes in Japan this year. So I think I shall avoid. 

Sourcing 

I'm one with the cheap deals, even after checking Cathy Pacific which initially has much lower fares than SQ. After the addon (ridiculous extra legroom seats for $75.50 each) coz the flights were full, it didn't make any sense to be booked on CX. Scoot - even if we did the flight + eat just for two.. didn't make any sense. I might as well get on SQ and be well - fed. No request for CHDML coz' lil' one don't really like CHDML. Then again, I might ask her closer to departure date. I wouldn't want to hear one girl keep telling me "Mummy I'm so hungry.... so hungry..."

Booked

So air tickets, hotel and transfers to and fro settled, travel insurance all settled.  

Trip in 2014 

Tickets-booked

Off-to-bangkok

This trip would be a more relaxed one coz' I have no more kids to worry about exams. I'm letting her go, she'll be on her own next year. Freedom for me!

On This Day - 24th Aug #Reminders from FB#

August 24, 2015 at 4:54 PM · 

无聊 2 girls talking abt ice-cream at home.

AT : I can eat finish one big bowl

AR : I can eat finish two big bowls 

AT : I can eat finish one big tub

AR : I can....

Me : I will not bring you girls to the doctor 

Che-che burst out laughing " I like mummy's response." Lil' one dunno pretend not to hear or really didn't hear, still wanting to continue ...she cannot lose out lah! 

#êntertainment4Dday#

_________________________________________

August 24, 2015 at 1:01 PM · 

And we're back to square 1. Sigh..... Can swim but of course must fine-tune strokes. She learnt swimming when she was K2? Then she suddenly had that fear of water. In between breaks n from group to private n more sighing from me. Why my 2 kids always need me to scream at them? Yah..I screamed at che-che in public pool b4. 

# Lil'one (if u recall) lied to the coach she couldn't swim when she had to go for SwimSafer. # 

Now, when she wants to play in water. It's with the condition, she swims first. And I made her swim to me, walking further and further away each time. My fav statement to both girls. "I'll throw and kick you into the pool. I give you a choice, you either swim to survive or do nothing n drown."

---------------------------------------------------------

August 24, 2014 at 8:43 PM · 

Ehh..... Art #-?? I lost count

Comments in 2018 : She can only draw under close supervision. She cannot imagine something out and draw. Hmm...... can't do this; can't do that. Dunno what this girl is capable of  

----------------------------------------------------------

August 24, 2014 at 2:21 PM · 

I heard the "king king kiang kiang" and saw my lil one helping me to dry the dishes. And threw the cutlery messily in the drawer. Awww....

Comments in 2018 : She is usually the most helpful of the two. Now she volunteers when she feels like it. And she's doing a better job now. 

----------------------------------------------------

August 24, 2013 at 4:45 PM · 

Lil girl n me heading off to a .... party. U guessed it right! Minion!! And I made a hairbow for her to complement

Comments in 2018 : No more hairbow craze. I've lost interest in making hairbows now also since they are too old for this kiddish stuffs. I have a boxful of ribbons and stuffs, will have to clear it one day after PSLE. I did have the intention of selling handmade hairbows, maybe I shall see how. 

On This Day - 23rd Aug #Reminders from FB#

August 23, 2011 at 12:21 PM ·

15 mins drive home : lil' girl keep complaining to me "I'm vy hungry, can u pls drive faster!", recite her pledge 我们是新加坡公园.. Arguing with me when I correct her the 公园. Sing song, In between complaining hungry.. N when I turn into my carpark I realize no noise. Lil' girl "fainted" from hunger.

I get this kind of unforgettable argumentative rides with her.

Comments in 2018 : This is my lil' one. Her yakking away is so like her. Tell her to stop talking, she still must complete her sentence though I told her I knew what she was going to say. Sigh...... will she still be so talkative in years to come?

_______________________________________

August 23, 2010 at 1:04 AM ·

Comment in 2018 : She was in P2. Yup! I did mention in my previous blog entry that life was so carefree then... 

" Why your life ... -entry drafted on 30th May #lateposting#

is so boring?"  This is what the man said to his dear daughter when he asked her what she was doing and would be doing later. Her reply was "studying" 

Did he not know that his daughters are not the only ones with no life and their life is boring? That the kids now will only be able to enjoy for only some time during school holidays and not the entire whole school holidays without being called back to school for classes / trainings etc..and in my girls' cases - Holiday Homeworks!!

Did he not know that the education path has become too scores-oriented? I used to wince my way through my primary school and didn't know what the heck was PSLE. Though I'm the youngest and mom would have gone through the two older siblings, her being illiterate in english, math and science didn't help either of us. Naturally we all got into our affiliated secondary schools. Moreover we were living in the east in Telok Kuaru, Upper East Coast, Riveria Drive, it made more sense to be close to home. I didn't do well in P6 and ended up in Normal Stream, still I turned out alright now but why did I put myself through all the stress and sleepless nights? Perhaps coz I want my kids to be better qualified than me and the only way there is to fight together with the rests. Unless the man decides to move the whole family to another country.. I'll gladly give up the fight. 

Our time and their (girls' time) is very different. We had the chance to let our hair down even on normal school days. School homeworks were unheard of. We weren't pressured to get into the school team so that we can DSA and fight with many students across Singapore trying their luck on this DSA route.  

Weekends
Since when the kids in Singapore have any life after they reach a certain point in school? In lower primary, we still had the time to jalan jalan on weekends. The moment lil' one hits lower primary, che-che was already in upper primary thus we didn't have much time to jalan jalan. 
Even if the kids don't have any tuition in the weekends, they will need the time to do their homeworks or tuition homeworks, or to study coz during school days they stay back till late on the average 2x a week. Even a meal time, sometimes small pockets of time is important, lil' one is buried into her book studying.  
(In girls' primary school. They start making P5 girls stay back for compulsory supplementary classes 3x week. And this year, lil' one told me the P4s have started their compulsory supplementary classes. Oh my! Soon, you'll hear a P1 kid needs to stay back in school. Well.... not in every school. In nephew's school, the P5s don't even need to stay back unless they're the "lucky selected ones")

Public Holidays
Public holidays now are precious time for them to quickly complete their school homeworks and studying. You think PHs, school will let them off? No! Even if it's CNY, because of the long holidays their schools will always give additional homeworks. Can you sense my frustrations? 
We had 2 PH in August, National Day (9th) and Hari Raya Haji (22nd). Guess what the girls were doing? Preparing for their Prelims while the kids played in the pool outside our house. Lunch time Most kids (esp those with parents fetching them to and fro school) will at some point of time eat their lunch in the car. Firstly, kids end school at 1.40 to 2.10pm. Whether they lived close to school or not, lunch time is rather late. For me, since home is on the average 15-18 mins away, eating in the car makes more sense. That way they get home to shower and do their homeworks. Whatever it is, I should say my girls are lucky that they get to eat their lunch at latest 2.20pm. Imagine if they were to take a bus home, which most kids does, lunch time would be at 3+pm. Who would have the appetite to eat? I wouldn't. I spent my money (was a latchkey child) buying bread or ice-cream at the mamashop. Though school was dismissed earlier as compared to now, still I can't eat my lunch at 2+ close to 3pm, what more now kids are expected to eat much later.    

Over-exhaustion

Heard that one of che-che's primary school friend fainted. Over-exhaustion. I'm sure at some point in time our kids would have burn out. Which explains why I am very strict over their sleeping time. I heard many school children are sleeping at 12am, 1am surviving on 4-5hrs sleep on a daily school day basis. It's no-no for me, they must sleep. Maybe that's why both girls also under-perform in school? Coz they don't spend much time revising their work. *wink*

So why are our kids going through all these (burn out, anxiety, stress, commit suicide) without the ministry doing something to protect our kids? Ai yah! Best is if we can get out of the stupid system.      

Make do with what I have (kitchen talk) - entry drafted on 3rd Jul #lateposting#

Having extra cabinets doesn't solve the problem. Well, that's my mentality now that I'm confined to small space.

A short conversation between mom and me came up as she saw me taking all the small kitchen appliances (airfryer, 1 pathetic corningware, steamer metal rack) out just to take out / put back the cutie slow cooker for her to boil pig's stomach soup for hubby. "So little space you have here." 

Me : Yah, no choice. Small space so need to have less but (perhaps) important items in the house.

Mom : You go and make another cabinet. Somewhere in your yard area, go and look for a space. Make a cabinet so you can put the items. 

Infact, she's not the first to suggest to me this. Brother suggested once too when he came to the house for a visit after we've moved in. Sure! I still have space in the yard. I still have empty cabinet spaces in the house, some small space in the kitchen cabinet. And I'm still so tempted to DECLUTTER the things at home.

My reply to her after that was that if we're given more space in the house, we will buy more things to clutter the house and that's the last thing I'd like to deal with. I'd rather have little space so that I can keep everything to the minimum. Everything, my style (click here). My frying pan is used for cooking all sorts of meat and vegetables and fish (mom complains that it's so difficult to fry fish in it), as opposed to the coloured-coded chopping board set to cut up different food items. I feel that's where contamination will likely to occur first with raw food instead of the frying pan. The frying pan also doubles up as a steamer. I remember when we first moved in our current house, she asked me to get a wok (she asked me to get a wok even when I was living in Punggol). I had no storage space and I hate to see things outside on the stove. Anyway, I'm happy with the minimal items I have. 

Small appliances  

1) Slow cooker : - Initially I had wanted to get rid of that cutie small slow cooker once I got the Tefal rice cooker which has multi-functions like claypot, slow cooker, porridge and many more. I can brew chinese herbs in the rice cooker but then... if I'm only brewing for 2 person, the rice cooker will be too big for the use. So I kept it until the day I go 'tao-hong' and decide to throw away items.

2) Toaster : - I don't have a toaster at home. I'll use my agar-ra-tion to toast bread using the convection oven. So far, it hasn't disappoint me though I have days when I'm multi-tasking and it took me a little longer time to get the bread out of the oven resulting a charred toast. 

3) Microwave Oven : - I had no intention of getting one as we had no space on the kitchen top. We can also heat up food over the fire or toaster. BUT the man had to come back with one one day, putting it on top of the fridge. Really ridiculous for me to bring the organ stool to the kitchen to step on it coz I can't bloody reach it!! We hardly use it too!  

4) Blender/ Juicer / KitchenAid : - With better technology, there's a magic cooker - Thermomix. Well, it does sound too good to be true for a person who can't cook for nuts. I can cook wholesome meals from scratch. This machine can help you cut, grind, steam, knead, blend juices. Basically I can get rid of my palm-size blender; the bulky KitchenAid after I pay a hefty price tag on the Thermomix. Technically, yes I can save the space of the palm-size blender which takes up no significant space in that pathetic cabinet BUT the Thermomix needs to be outside where the current KitchenAid is as it's bulky. Hell no way am I throwing away the heirloom to my kids!! It's one item which I love coz' I love to bake. And then I start thinking about the disadvantages of having Thermomix in my family. The girls are super fussy over their food. Even if I buy rainbow coloured veggies and whatever nots, they'll scrap it away. The man? He doesn't eat my cooking. Ha! For the girls, I prefer to cook their food while they're in school. I'm not the 100% have the time to prepare food for them while they make their way home from school themselves and have their food piping hot ready in time the moment they step into the house. So Thermomix must act as a food warmer which I'm not sure whether it is capable. Time being, I shall be happy with the stuffs I have at home.          

My opinion is “the more space you have; the more you will buy. So I’d rather have little space so that I can really keep everything to the minimum.  Wah.....mom cannot do Marie Kondo for sure.

Note : I've cleared one side of the kitchen top (where the sink is). It used to be laden with a multi-level shelf to put vitamins and bread spread. I've since removed them and put them in the cabinet and the whole space is bigger and I'm so happy!  

On This Day - 19th Aug # Reminders from FB#

August 19, 2012 at 5:35 PM · 

Girls had an enjoyable time in Kids Amaze, konked out in car. Nice place, will be back for sure.

Comments in 2018 : I bought the kids pass for lil' one on this day. But we have not used it yet! 

________________________________________________

August 19, 2011 at 10:34 PM · 

This is how self-motivated lil' one is. It's vy late alr n we just got back home, still she had to grab a book to do while sitting on the throne. Wah...臭臭！

Tell her to stop doing work, she still continue.

(She's comical, didn't expect her to bring into the toilet. We heard her counting in the toilet n peeked in to see the funny sight. 

Think she's vy interested in this book that's y.)

Comments in 2018 : I hope she continues her good studying habits next time

____________________________________________

August 19, 2011 at 10:45 AM · 

As u all know lil' one likes to talk, n her speech/words is clear. One day she suddenly speaking in tongues n sobbing. We all rushed out to see her ....a fly crawled on her leg for quite some time and she was so scared n nobody around her at that time at that time. 

I know it's bad but we really laugh at her.

Comments : Actually she's more terrified of lizzies. Seen her face turn pale white before.

_________________________________________

August 19, 2011 at 9:56 AM · 

One day I was scolding the two girls n threatened I'd buy them a cane each. "purple cane for you (looking at Che-che) and pink one for you (looking at lil' one)." turned to look at Che-Che n continued scolding. I heard a soft voice "but I don't like pink colour. I also like purple colour." and that innocent pouty girl looked at me. 

Wah...how to get angry?!

Comments : She's rather naive.  

___________________________________

The babyface girl

My lil’ nottie girl student card issued 6yrs ago. Biting her lips instead of smiling 🤪

I hope she did smile nicely for her last taken pic in school for her secondary pass