On 18 Aug 11, I received a call from my elder brother, informing me that he, my mum and my brother-in-law were at outside my uncle, Ah Gu's house but no one opened the door. They were there because of Ah Gu's colleague called my mum telling her that he has not reported work for a few days already and asking if she knows his whereabouts.
Opps! Bad feelings filled me... Ah Gu, aged 57, was a bachelor and staying alone in the house. What could have happened to him? He couldn't have gone overseas as he did not have a passport... My mum communicated to him by phone once every other week and nothing unusual about him...
My brother then called again to broke the news that he tried opening the main door and foul smell was detected. They then called police. I rushed down from work to his house in AMK as I felt that I should be there to comfort and take care of my mum, who was closed to her this brother, fearing that she could not accept the bad news.
True enough, Ah Gu was found dead, beside his bed. He died from a heart attack about 4-5 days ago! We had met for dinner to celebrate my mum's birthday only on 7 Aug 11 and he was gone forever...
Ah Gu lead a very frugal life and was very thrifty in all ways. He has some savings but he didn't really have a chance to spend it... Sigh... So, sometimes, I feel that we should pamper ourselves a bit just in case we left the world suddenly...
One more thing to note, in remembrance of him... We will miss his radish cake roll that he sometimes made for us, which our whole family loved to eat...Good bye, Ah Gu!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Life Without Maid
My maid, S, has been with us for 2 years and taking care of my mentally retarded 2nd sis-in-law. She recently went back to her country Semerang, Indonesia for 2 weeks for a break before continuing another 10 months with us.
Sigh.... call it unfortunate and bad timing... my sis-in-law became "bed-ridden" and complaint of pain in the leg and hip where the clinic doctors, hospital doctors and Chinese Sinseh, etc., could not pinpoint what was wrong with her. During the maid's absence and no one to take care, we had to send her to a nursing home which cost $80 per day for 18 days! Otherwise, if she was in her "normal" state, she would be at a care centre which cost cheaper...
Now, without our maid, our lifestyle changes drastically... somehow...:-
Sigh.... call it unfortunate and bad timing... my sis-in-law became "bed-ridden" and complaint of pain in the leg and hip where the clinic doctors, hospital doctors and Chinese Sinseh, etc., could not pinpoint what was wrong with her. During the maid's absence and no one to take care, we had to send her to a nursing home which cost $80 per day for 18 days! Otherwise, if she was in her "normal" state, she would be at a care centre which cost cheaper...
Now, without our maid, our lifestyle changes drastically... somehow...:-
- No one prepares milk / breakfast in the morning for us and we have to do it ourselves - dread... extra thing to do and need to rush in the morning...;
- No one washes, hang and fold our clothes and we have to do it at night when we return from work - no choice, else, they accumulate if we don't wash... ;
- No one irons our clothes - we still hang our crumpled clothes and awaiting S to come back - ironing clothes is a boring task ...;
- No one cleans the home daily - we just sweep and mop the house once a week - floor not that dirty actually...;
- No one cooks dinner and we got to pack our dinner or eat out everyday - extra cost incurred but get to choose different kind of food other than home cooked food...;
- No one fetch Zozo from student care and she got to go back home herself - she's a bit reluctant to be home alone and I need to go back early to pick her up from after school care....
- ...
- 2 less people in the house!!!
- Zozo has to learn to be independent and not always rely on maid to get things done for her...
- Me and my hubby wash / hang and dry our clothes together at night and I find it enjoyable...
- House chores can be done once a while and it is no big deal actually - our home is quite clean...
- As long as maid is around, we always had home dinner by default. Now, we just eat out and enjoy dinner outside / pack dinner till S returns...
- As no one cooks, we need not go buy food and groceries on Sundays at NTUC...
- As no one cooks dinner, my other sis-in-laws did not to come to our house on the 2 Sundays for gathering... Phew... PEACE!!!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Happy Birthday and Happy 14th ROM Anniversary
It's my 37th birthday and also my 14th ROM anniversary with my hubby...
As usual... nothing special... Just go for a dinner together with hubby and Zozo...
For most of the "special" occasions, be it my or his or Zozo's birthday, anniversaries, etc, we don't go for big bash type but a simple dinner together. And it was most of the times, not very pre-planned because me and my hubby are very "lazy" or "ignorant" of where to eat... lol... So end up, either we go back to the restaurant that we frequent (the Shore Restaurant somewhere in Changi) or a place that we randomly choose and of "not so nice food"...
For this time, my sweet hubby searched online and found a buffet dinner at Plaza Brasserie at Parkroyal Hotel.
The ambiance of the restaurant was great. The food spread was alright and the most important thing that we must have for buffet is raw oysters. Me and my hubby love raw oysters Overall, we like this restaurant and enjoyed the food!
As usual... nothing special... Just go for a dinner together with hubby and Zozo...
For most of the "special" occasions, be it my or his or Zozo's birthday, anniversaries, etc, we don't go for big bash type but a simple dinner together. And it was most of the times, not very pre-planned because me and my hubby are very "lazy" or "ignorant" of where to eat... lol... So end up, either we go back to the restaurant that we frequent (the Shore Restaurant somewhere in Changi) or a place that we randomly choose and of "not so nice food"...
For this time, my sweet hubby searched online and found a buffet dinner at Plaza Brasserie at Parkroyal Hotel.
The ambiance of the restaurant was great. The food spread was alright and the most important thing that we must have for buffet is raw oysters. Me and my hubby love raw oysters Overall, we like this restaurant and enjoyed the food!
Happy Birthday to ME and Happy Anniversary to my HUBBY!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Downgrade From Master Bedroom to Normal Bedroom
It's time to move out of my Master Bedroom to get ready for my hoarder 3rd sis-in-law to move in... :(
Somehow, got the kind of feeling of imbalance and angry and no choice inside me...
13 years ago, I agreed to move in to stay together with my in-laws because my hubby is the only son and I "understand" that he has to take care of his old age parents and that mentally retarded 2nd sister. So, I have no choice but to agree because I love my husband. That time, I always envious newly weds having the experience of choosing, buying and decorating their nice cozy house that called their own... Although I was then added as a co-owner in the house deed to help pay for the mortgage loan, owning 25% of the house, most of the things in the house was already fixed and I have no say in decorating / commenting / changing them. What I have is a Master Bedroom which we have renovated up. This is the only place that I truly said, is my own, in the house.
So, I have been staying in this kind of lifestyle for years until both my in-laws passed away. FINALLY! From 25%, it became 33.3% till now 50% share of the house... I got more say in the house!
BUT, because of my hubby's idea to let her sis move in so that she can fetch more rental income and at the same time, our domestic helper can help to take care of her, I again have to "understand" my hubby's position. That means, my agreement on this matter will require major changes to my lifestyle. Not only my Master Bedroom have to be given up for them, due to the countless useless sewing materials and things from my 3rd sis-in-law, I have to let her occupy another bedroom for her sewing purpose!
See! I have to convert study room to become my bedroom, gave up my Master Bedroom and my MBR toilet and another room for them, including sharing everything in the house with someone again.
What choice do I have? I think I am a very "understanding" women and also I "bo pian", need to agree to what my hubby say, because I love him.
Somehow, got the kind of feeling of imbalance and angry and no choice inside me...
13 years ago, I agreed to move in to stay together with my in-laws because my hubby is the only son and I "understand" that he has to take care of his old age parents and that mentally retarded 2nd sister. So, I have no choice but to agree because I love my husband. That time, I always envious newly weds having the experience of choosing, buying and decorating their nice cozy house that called their own... Although I was then added as a co-owner in the house deed to help pay for the mortgage loan, owning 25% of the house, most of the things in the house was already fixed and I have no say in decorating / commenting / changing them. What I have is a Master Bedroom which we have renovated up. This is the only place that I truly said, is my own, in the house.
So, I have been staying in this kind of lifestyle for years until both my in-laws passed away. FINALLY! From 25%, it became 33.3% till now 50% share of the house... I got more say in the house!
BUT, because of my hubby's idea to let her sis move in so that she can fetch more rental income and at the same time, our domestic helper can help to take care of her, I again have to "understand" my hubby's position. That means, my agreement on this matter will require major changes to my lifestyle. Not only my Master Bedroom have to be given up for them, due to the countless useless sewing materials and things from my 3rd sis-in-law, I have to let her occupy another bedroom for her sewing purpose! See! I have to convert study room to become my bedroom, gave up my Master Bedroom and my MBR toilet and another room for them, including sharing everything in the house with someone again.
What choice do I have? I think I am a very "understanding" women and also I "bo pian", need to agree to what my hubby say, because I love him.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Life is Vulnerable....
Recently, got to know that my polytechnic friend, A, was diagnosed with cancer.
She was supposed to get back to me and my husband on some traded endowment fund insurance policy but didn't hear from her for sometime. We called her and after some probing from us when she told us that she was sick and on MC, she then revealed that she got cancer.
Perhaps, we didn't realized our insensivity when we asked about her illness and plans, etc... we sensed that she didn't want to talk about it.... She used to the the chatty type where she can continue to talk no end... but ...
It is already a sad thing to know that she got a terrible illness to live with and furthermore, she must have felt the pressure that she has to get married as soon and to conceive asap...
Sigh.... Life is so vulnerable...
Just not too long ago, the popular Taiwanese drama "Ai" was showing that "Jialing" was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The heart wrenching thing that brought me to tears was her loving husband was so sad to know it and had to keep it from her. I was thinking that if I had "cXXcXr" (touch wood!) and dying soon, what will happened? The feeling of waiting to die must be terrible but the worst thing is that I will be damned sad too because I know that my family, my loving husband and Zozo will be sad too....
Life is vulnerable... You won't know that if you are the "lucky" ones...
I hope that everyone in this world be healthy, free from all these nasty illness and free from sufferings... Have a happy life...
She was supposed to get back to me and my husband on some traded endowment fund insurance policy but didn't hear from her for sometime. We called her and after some probing from us when she told us that she was sick and on MC, she then revealed that she got cancer.
Perhaps, we didn't realized our insensivity when we asked about her illness and plans, etc... we sensed that she didn't want to talk about it.... She used to the the chatty type where she can continue to talk no end... but ...
It is already a sad thing to know that she got a terrible illness to live with and furthermore, she must have felt the pressure that she has to get married as soon and to conceive asap...
Sigh.... Life is so vulnerable...
Just not too long ago, the popular Taiwanese drama "Ai" was showing that "Jialing" was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The heart wrenching thing that brought me to tears was her loving husband was so sad to know it and had to keep it from her. I was thinking that if I had "cXXcXr" (touch wood!) and dying soon, what will happened? The feeling of waiting to die must be terrible but the worst thing is that I will be damned sad too because I know that my family, my loving husband and Zozo will be sad too....
Life is vulnerable... You won't know that if you are the "lucky" ones...
I hope that everyone in this world be healthy, free from all these nasty illness and free from sufferings... Have a happy life...
Friday, April 1, 2011
Baby Conversation - Soooo.... Cute
Can't resist to ignore this 2 little thing talking to each other....
Enjoy the movie...
Let the advertisement run for a while before their "talk" starts....
Enjoy the movie...
Let the advertisement run for a while before their "talk" starts....
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Life Without A Car
As I have sold my car in July 10, getting to work and traveling between the 4 sites, with a heavy laptop haversack, is dreading, time wasting and tiring. Mike fetched me to work in the morning whenever he can. After dropping Zozo to school at 7 am, he'll drop me at Jurong site around 7.45 am after beating the morning traffic congestion and he can reach his office in Tuas at 8 am... (I am so far the earliest person to reach my site office...) If he does not fetch me, I will have to leave home at 7.15 am to catch the public transport and reach site before 8.30 am...
Whenever I need to go to another site myself, I will think of my "Handsome" Chevrolet Optra (sad sad..) How I wished to own a car again so that I can just hop in and drive to any location I want... Frankly speaking, owning and driving a car makes me feel more "upper class", "suave" and independent. I felt that others might respect me more and "look me up more"???
Well, I don't think I can and want to buy a car now as the COE price is so high. Furthermore, one of my sites will be at Chinatown CBD area where high parking charges and ERP gantry will incur more cost when I station there full time. I dissuade myself to own a car with more reasons, such as the car will depreciate over years, more cost incur such as insurance and road tax, season parking, etc, etc...
There will be some inconveniences but I told myself that I can make do without one. I will get used to public transport and make use of these extra money that may be spent for the car, for some other meaningful ways for a much better lifestyle.
Whenever I need to go to another site myself, I will think of my "Handsome" Chevrolet Optra (sad sad..) How I wished to own a car again so that I can just hop in and drive to any location I want... Frankly speaking, owning and driving a car makes me feel more "upper class", "suave" and independent. I felt that others might respect me more and "look me up more"???
Well, I don't think I can and want to buy a car now as the COE price is so high. Furthermore, one of my sites will be at Chinatown CBD area where high parking charges and ERP gantry will incur more cost when I station there full time. I dissuade myself to own a car with more reasons, such as the car will depreciate over years, more cost incur such as insurance and road tax, season parking, etc, etc...
There will be some inconveniences but I told myself that I can make do without one. I will get used to public transport and make use of these extra money that may be spent for the car, for some other meaningful ways for a much better lifestyle.
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