The adage “when it rains it pours” holds so true. Yesterday was indeed bad all the way to way past mid night!! It felt like a big patch of dark cloud was hanging on us, with looming danger inside the patch of dark cloud, waiting to unleash onto us bit by bit. At about 8pm yesterday, while almost finishing her dinner, all of a sudden my baby girl complained of ear pain. We thought that it was just a lame excuse from her so that she could avoid finishing the remaining rice and veggie. But she cried (which is not usual) and kept saying that her right ear was painful. This went on for almost an hour. I immediately google searched ’symptoms and causes of ear infection in children’. One of the causes is recent flu and upper respiratory throat infection, so bingo! As she is still recovering from a flu and cough, this could be one of the reasons. My hubs sped home and brought his precious to the hospital. Though the MO diagnosed inflamed ear, I do not feel confident with his answer. I have never really trusted the expertise of some of the MOs in that small hospital. I doubt some are qualified doctors. But since it was quite late at night, we brought her to the nearest hospital. She was given an ear drop and Nurofen for the pain. I only gave her the ear drop but skipped the Nurofen since she had stopped complaining about the pain. If the pain still persist today, we will bring Cass to our usual paed today.
The bad day still had not ended. I could not sleep the whole night as a stupid dog was barking incessantly the whole night!! The barks were from one of the houses next to our condo. Actually this has been going on for a week already but the bugger owner did not bother to shut his dog’s mouth up. I am certain I am not the only victim in our condo who has been having interrupted sleep for the past one week. I know my mil could not sleep well too because of the dog’s incessant barks. I am sure other residents were affected too. And just as I was about to fall into a deep sleep, all of a sudden on a very warm and humid night, it became very, very blustery (but no thunderstorm). A long gust of strong wind came. I could hear the howling of the strong wind beating on our windows and the windows were vibrating ferociously. The blinds in our room kept swaying and beating on our windows. This went on for about half an hour. I got up to check the situation and then could not go back to sleep until this morning. A dog howling followed by strong winds howling in the middle of the night. Sounds like a familiar scene from a horror flick? I feel so zonked out now. Just feel like picking up my phone and make a call to complain about this dog right now!
First I received an email from my local supplier breaking the most dreaded news to me - that 10 lots of her kids clothes stock are not in the consignment. Either the overseas supplier had left them out or they were stolen. The consignment of stock has been delayed for 3 weeks now due to some picketing at the Customs Dept. Now, I am told that some of the stock are lost! When it rains, it sure pours man!! I am badly affected as I had ordered quite a bit of stock from my supplier. She is now checking her order list and will let me know how seriously I am affected. I’ll bet I will hear such comments as“WHAT, you made me wait so long and now you tell me no stock?? I want a refund?!!!” from some of my difficult customers who have been chasing me daily. What can I say? I have to face the music. It is never easy to be in a business that deals with people. God help me handle these customers professionally.
This morning, I had woken up 15 minutes earlier to ensure that Alycia and Sherilyn wake up earlier. Last night, they had asked me to wake them up earlier this morning so that they could go through their Mandarin subject notes. Today is their Mandarin subject test. Alycia has a phobia of Han Yu Pin Yin and wants to go through her notes this morning. Sherilyn asked me to wake her up earlier so that she could tie a neat bun as her hair is getting long and touching the collar of her shirt. They had gone to the lobby at 6:25am to wait for the transporter but after fifteen minutes, my maid is still not back yet. Twenty minutes on still not back yet. Then Berlyn’s mother called me and asked what happened to the transporter. Bids me I want to know too. The transporter was half an hour late today! Apparently, she had misplaced her mobile phone and was hunting for it, DUH! My poor Alycia will surely have to face the wrath of the teacher in charged of the school prefects. I just have a feeling that Alycia ain’t going to pass her probation as a prefect as she arrived in school late for 2-3 times already ever since she was selected to be a prefect on probation. It is totally of no fault of hers. What can I say? If it’s not hers to hold, then let it be. I do not want the both of us to feel stressed up. Just hope that for the rest of today, everything else will fall into place just like how I want it to be. And I pray that Alycia and Sherilyn will fare well in their Mandarin papers today.
It was yet another simple Mother’s Day celebration for us this year. We could not go to anywhere that’s too far or would take up too much time as both Alycia and Sherilyn will be sitting for their mid-term exam tomorrow. I am not too worried for Alycia but for Sherilyn, I have tried my utmost best to coach her and am hoping for the best for her. There were lots of ‘vomit-blood’ and ‘blood vessels eruption’ moments with Sherilyn, sigh… I hope that on her exam day, she will remember all that I have revised with her for the past few days.
After brunch at our favourite Casa Del Cocco cafe, we went home to have the not-to-be-missed candle-blowing, singing and cake cutting session. Hubs bought a very nice yam cake with agar-agar. The icing and agar-agar were in my favourite color - lilac. The size was just right - not too big and just right for everyone to have a second serving.
The angels showing off their handmade Mother’s Day cards and craft….
After the cake-cutting session, some dilly dallying and a nap, I only had about 3 hours of revision to do with Alycia and Sherilyn. Praying hard that I will not get a hard-attack moment when Sherilyn brings home her test papers. Well, I do not mind having a heart-attack moment seeing a 100% score for her papers though. I have over 3 more weeks to worry as the test papers and class position will normally only be out after the mid-term break.
I hope you’ve had a very happy Mother’s Day celebration with your loved ones and I wish everyone a very fruitful week ahead.
When I received a pink envelope with my name written on it 3 days ago, I wonder who had sent me a card. It was sent to our old address. I thought it was probably a card from those jewelry shops or from my insurance agent. When the envelope was ripped off, I was pleasantly surprised to see a handmade Mother’s Day card with hand-written words. It was from one of my blog readers, turned customer and cyber-friend. I would never had expected to receive a Mother’s Day card from my blog readers. e-Cards I have received plenty but a card sent by snail mail, that’s a rarity in this day and age!
On the first page of the card was a neatly hand-sewn cross-stitch letter of S, which is the initial of my name Shireen. The rectangular piece of cloth has neatly sewn sequins on the 4 borders.
On the inside of the card was a hand-written note to me. The card was post-dated to 13 May 2012, which is the actual day of Mother’s Day. I cannot tell you how touched I was to have received this hand-made card. Thanks very much ST!
To all mothers out there, here’s wishing you a very happy mother’s day. I wish you’ll have a very joyous time celebrating this special day on Sunday! Let you hair loose, forget about the laundry and dusty floor. Pamper yourself from head to toe or simply have a special meal with the loved ones of your life.
** Happy Mother’s Day to my own mummy and thanks for being a loving and caring mother as well as granny to the girls
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7 Comments Posted by admin at 5:02 am Category: Me
A customer made my day today! Just a moment ago, she PMed me in FB telling me that she had received her parcel and was very very pleased with the clothes. She told me that I had brightened her day and commented that the ladies clothes and kids clothes were “super duper nice” Such heartwarming words to read! She is my customer turned cyber friend.
2 days ago, I received a Mother’s Day card from my blog reader turned customer turned cyber friend. I was indeed caught by surprise to have received the beautifully crafted hand-made card by snail mail some more! I shall post pix of the card tomorrow.
I hope your Friday is just as pleasant as mine. Happy weekend everyone and Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers out there. Enjoy your very special Sunday. For us, it will be a revision week-end. Stressful for me and for the kids. I am sacrificing my Mother’s Day outing to guide Alycia and Sherilyn in their mid-term exam revision. To be able to see good marks on their test papers will be the best Mother’s Day gift for me!
This was what I had to be forced to do when little Miss Forgetful and Scattered-Brain repeatedly forgot to bring her books back home for revision. The Mandarin tutor had asked her to bring her Science textbook along with all her Mandarin exercise books back for revision. Despite umpteen nagging verbal reminders and also written reminders, she still had the cheek to forget! I took the trouble to write the reminder on a piece of A4 size paper and put it into her school bag. But she protested, bawled and attempted to remove the note but I stuck to my gun. A few days later when she had still forgotten to bring her books back, I stuck a fresh note on the EXTERIOR of her school bag, which she removed and stuck it to her pencil box. OK, I allowed, though very hesitant. I gave in as I wanted to save her from some possible embarrassment from being poked fun at by her friends. But this girl did not make full use of the very last chance that her mummy gave her and in the 2nd week, still no sight of the books that she was supposed to bring home for revision! So this is what I did and voila, it worked!
Sometimes, a little embarrassment to a child is all it needs in order for things to get done and for behaviour to improve. It is through embarrassment that one will forever remember not to make the same mistake. Once bitten twice shy, and I hope I do not have to use the same tactic again on her. No prize for guessing who Miss Forgetful and Scattered-Brain is eh?
Whilst I was busy doing revision with Alycia and Sherilyn on Sunday, my mil kept herself busy in the kitchen the whole day. She cooked a pot of red bean-lotus seeds-pandan leaves tong sui, baked 2 trays of green tea red bean buns and also baked a tray of Spanish Magdalenas! She also whipped up some fabulous dishes for dinner that night. The next day, she baked some wholemeal buns and a loaf of wholemeal bread so that the kids can bring fresh bread to school. All these she made with TLC. After all, one of the best ways to lift a person’s mood is through good food, agree? We’re blessed And not to mention all these good food lift a person’s weight too, definitely!!
Red bean tong sui boiled using my mil’s Le Creuset pot…
Comfort food for little tummies… green tea red bean buns and sumptuous Magdalenas…
The very last time I drove a car was in December 2006. I sold my car shortly after it was submerged in flood water. I was so glad that I could find a buyer for it despite it being submerged in flood water for over 24 hours during the great flood that swept our house in February 2006. Never mind that I made a loss with the sale of the car, at least it was not a total loss. After my car was sold, I never got a new car up until now as I left the corporate world in the same year. I stay in a neighborhood that is very self-contained, so I do not really need a car. Plus getting a car is a liability. Yes it can get very inconvenient without a car at times but I am perfectly fine with it as I have a ‘personal driver’ to chauffeur me everywhere
As my kids grow older and have more extra curricular activities, I now find that having a car is a necessity. But which car should I buy? I told my hubs that I do not need a car with a big and long butt nor do I need an MPV as he is already driving one. To me, a Proton or a Perodua car would suffice as I would only be driving the car within my neighborhood to bring my girls for their classes or to nearby places for shopping. Plus, I have lost touch with my driving skills after such a long hiatus and do not have the guts to maneuver a big vehicle. But my hubs thinks that I should get a ‘bigger car’ as it would be sturdier and safer since I will be driving the kids around with it.
Today I did a research for my car search. I was introduced to 2 websites by my friend, i.e. Carlist and Carsifu. There are so many types of cars that meet the different criteria of different buyers listed in both the websites. I was literally lost when I logged on to Carlist and Carsifu. I however find that Carlist is easier to narrow down my search for my dream car as this site has a search engine that allows me to key in the car model, year of car, budget and location. With 2 online car classifieds and tens of thousands of cars for me to choose from, I am still unable to choose one now! I think I will just pass the stress of shopping for a car to my hubs. After all, he is the payer, so let him decide.
Alycia and Sherilyn will be sitting for their mid-term examination in a week’s time. So this weekend is spent doing revision with them. Each time I leave my work area to go to the bathroom or have a drink, these 2 monkeys will take the opportunity to have a jolly good time! They will dart away to where their baby sister is at the laptop or to the living room where the TV is. Once, I caught rascal #2 watching TV with the volume completely turned off! They will also furtively do something else like drawing, coloring, reading story books, reading the newspapers or stare into space the moment I turn my back on them. I tell you, getting them to seriously complete their work needs a ton of effort and very, very close ’surveillance’, else they will stray. Sometimes in the midst of my busyness, I get fooled and it is only when my baby girl rats her che ches out and tattletales to me that I am aware that the 2 monkeys are doing everything else but their homework or revision.
Today I did Science revision with Alycia on magnetic objects, non-magnetic objects and conductor of electricity. I was explaining to Alycia that magnetic objects will be attracted to a magnet easily. Just a moment ago I went to the bathroom for a short while. The moment I stepped back to the dining table where Alycia and Sherilyn were seated to do revision, they were no where in sight. They were all at the kid’s desk with their baby sister, happily watching Barbie on You Tube and very oblivious that I was stare daggering at them! I hollered at them and they darted back to their respectively seats without batting an eyelid! I told Alycia that she and Sherilyn are like ‘magnetic objects’ that are easily attracted to magnet, which in the case is the laptop! And they burst out laughing.
Are your kids disciplined in doing their homework and revision for an exam? Or do they need you to be seated next to them throughout the revision? Oh by the way, I have a long cane at the revision table too!
…because my girls will be sitting for their mid-term exams. 1 more week to be exact. This year, I have to do revision with 2 girls simultaneously - Alycia who is in P3 and Sherilyn P1. This is uber stress and taxing on me! Each time I am attending to Alycia, Sherilyn will come tugging at my sleeves and rubbing her body on mine, like a cat! And not forgetting my littlest one - the most challenging one who is also trying with all her might to get my attention. So my neglected baby girl has to be babysat by the lappie, iPad and TV most of the time while I teach #1 and #2. I have even taught her to go to the loo by herself and wash herself up as my hands are just too tied up. Work from my online store is gradually piling up too and oh yes I now remember that I have not even checked the US advertiser’s site to see if the Sheriff has given me any assignments. I better run now. There may be a long list of online assignments waiting for me there! Better work on them before they expire and I have to watch my USD evaporate into thin air.
Have a great weekend everyone. Our Sunday will be home-bound. No outing. No park. No eating out even. Coz if we have our lunch outside, half our precious day will be wasted! Can’t wait for the school holidays to start so that I can catch up on my sleep and work out in the gym again.
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And not to mention all these good food lift a person’s weight too, definitely!!
