Holiday mode

The young lady has another week to go before starting her summer break. We had the school’s fair last Friday and I was overwhelmed by the amount of energy required to manage such events. I think I need a day at the spa to unwind myself and loosen those knotted muscles.

 

After trying to pack our stuffs in one medium luggage and a cabin size bag, it did not appear that I would be able to squeeze everything. My other option was to use our large suitcase but it is just too hard to handle. I like to travel conveniently i.e. manageable bags and take the train to the airport.

 

Somehow my prayers were heard and two days ago while I was on a hunt for a jersey (last minute order by a dear friend), I saw her favourite shop had further reduction. There it was a medium trolley light weight suitcase which was easy for her to handle. I did not purchase the item immediately but continued my quest of getting that jersey.

After 45 minutes of going into few shops, searching for the jersey and at the same time checking out other luggage, I found myself going back to the same place. Even the security guard said, ‘weren’t you here earlier?”

And voila, the young lady is the proud owner of this monkey bag:

Image from company's online website

She obviously loves it and knowing that she has those school trips next year, I think it is a good investment. Besides, as I did not get any bag this summer sale, I think I had valid reason to buy this one. Knowing The Partner, he'll approve any expenses related to her. *grins* (alasan cukup baik, kan????)

Summer madness

We’ve had quite a hectic diary over the last two weeks. In case you haven’t heard, our Queen celebrated her 60^th year on the throne. We were all geared up for the event, started at the school with a tea party where everyone came in blue, red and white. Then they had the flotilla on river Thames and somehow heavens decided to open their doors on that day. It didn’t dampen people’s spirit and we just waited for the royal barge to pass-by to get a glimpse of the Family. The young lady spotted a 6 feet ledge and suggested we climbed on it for a good view. It was truly worth it and at least we were able to sit while waiting for the flotilla unlike others who were closer to the river but swallowed by the sea of people, unable to see anything.  

Not forgetting the royal concert in front of the Palace which was totally awesome! Unfortunately yours truly fell ill after getting herself drenched on the day before as it was pouring heavily. So we watched the show at the comfort of our sofa. Some friends went to The Mall where they had a number of large screens to watch the concert.

We also had guests during the term break and our neighbours must have wondered why it felt like we were partying all the time. We got hooked on Just Dance and after a few days of stretching those muscles, pain finally kicked in. Anyway, it was good to have friends around, especially during ‘makan’ session.

On top of that, I have been busy writing away on new articles. Hopefully I will be able to finish them by end of this week tho it is a wishful thinking as I cant seem to get away from those horrible sales. Things have gone dirt cheap that I practically had to force myself from not spending. Imagine designer shoes going for 1/3 of its actual price. Yikes! Then recently I saw my fav Italian designer’s bags on sale and I almost succumbed to temptation. Thankfully I haven’t gone insane and the Partner should reward me for my good behaviour. I hope I wont cry in my sleep for not getting (any of) these:

Pictures googled.

Updated: Since I did not spend a penny on bags, I decided to get Scanpan stuffs and fancy duvet covers. *grins*

A precious moment

She was busy chatting about the gift from the Queen when I suddenly handed her a plastic bag, inside contained a card and a gift. Her eyes narrowed, oblivious of this event as she did not see this coming. Her birthday is still a few weeks ahead.  She took them out, trying to figure out what’s inside the box.

She opened the card and read it aloud. While halfway reading it, she couldn’t contain her emotions and broke down. I hugged and comforted her to stop sobbing, in between wiping her tears with a tissue which I managed to grab from a box nearby. When she regained her composure, she unwrapped the present. Upon seeing what was inside, she cried again and I could hear her whispers of love.

The card said, “Thank you for being a wonderful daughter who tries her best in everything she does.”

The box had a type of Snow White’s fruit, in white.   

A belated congratulatory and early birthday gift. We love you baby.

Sun and sea

Weather has been brilliant for the past few days and people are pretty much enjoying themselves by taking a stroll or hanging out at the parks. I have been making extra journey compare to my usual morning routine. There was one day when I walked for more than an hour, back and forth, feeling ray of sunshine and soft breeze touching my skin. Heaven indeed.

In fact these glorious days have made me pined for a holiday by the beach. The last time we had one was a year ago where the young lady spent her days with the Partner at the pool or making sandcastles while I indulged myself into much-deserved spa treatment. I am really hoping that we can squeeze a sun-sea holiday this summer either in M’sia or Turkey. As always, I will be fussing about my tan and while the Partner gets burnt easily, he wont be a shade darker. In fact after his skin peels off, they become smoother and it is bloody annoying that he doesn’t have to spend a penny for it. Geesh!! Thankfully he finds my tone-changing appealing and doesn’t seem to understand why I keep complaining whenever I see myself reacting positively to Mr Sun.

For the time being I can only daydream of lounging myself under a huge umbrella while listening to the laughter of my two precious angles building an awesome castle nearby. Hmm, if I know them better, they will probably annoy each other on what needs to be done for the masterpiece. I must remind myself to plug my ears and listen to my favourite tunes.      

The Grey Trilogy

I wanted to put F*fty Sh*des as this title but it might attract many attention via google search. *grins* I couldn’t believe that I managed to complete the three books in a week. Heck, I read the remaining two books in the past 3 days!

Steamy scenes aside, they are actually quite good. In fact, after the first novel, I sometimes skipped some of the sexy stuffs as I was more interested in this Christian character. The way his layers were being unravelled made it such an intriguing story. A fine-looking man with everything at his fingertips yet has huge baggage on his shoulders. His coping mechanism might be unorthodox to many but one must understand what he had gone through to accept the way he is.

 

The only thing that made me puzzled was the amount of ‘mind-blowing’ session. I seriously doubt anyone can perform that frequent no matter how much rage are their hormones. To be doing it at constant basis consumes so much time and energy. Then again, if it helps to bring back the spark and flames among married old coupes, I suppose those scenes are beneficial.

 

On another note, my articles have been given a thumbs-up. Many thanks to Prof Fox for taking her precious time to review my blabbering thoughts. It seems I have another role added to my CV. *smiles*

The new man in town

Generally I buy books because of the following reasons:

1.     They are on sale/offer i.e. 50%, 3 for 2 etc. WHSmith gives superb discount but not many people are aware of their vouchers (I used to be one of those). The books can be random and most of the time, I got lucky i.e. good storyline/content. However, there are books which fall under ‘why on earth did I choose this’ and ended up on the shelf, unfinished.

2.     The TV/movie adaptation is awesome or received great reviews e.g. Games of Thrones, TVD, Twilight, Percy Jackson etc.

3.     Under #1 category and they happen to be great, I will definitely get the whole series (Blue Bloods).

I am unsure how I got into the Potter fever but all I could remember that I was pregnant when I read the first book and fell in love instantly.

Anyway, this entry is triggered by my recent steal which fell under #1, however I think the fact that it was mentioned on Ellen show that made me intrigued. Not knowing what it was i.e. reading the reviews or synopsis, I simply picked up the book upon seeing the huge discount that went with it.

It was only when I came home that I went online to find out about it. Imagine my surprise when the book was classified as “adult”, specifically tailored for mommies. Darn it! What have I got myself into? *rolling eyes*

Oh what the heck. I got the book, hence might as well read it. I am only on chapter three and already falling hard for Christian Grey; “attractive and deeply intimidating”.

He’s looking down at me, his gaze hooded, his eyes darkening.

Step aside Damon Salvatore for there is a new man in town.

Ps: Apparently they are going to make a series out of this book and potentially Ian will be playing the leading part. *grins*

Muffins and scones

I think I am going through a ‘phase'. I was feeling utterly miserable for the past few days that I decided to do something different. So when the young lady came home yesterday, there was a surprise for her.

A tray of home baked scones for tea. She was grinning from ear to ear.

It did the trick and took away the blues, and Mr Sun finally showed up today. Beautiful day indeed.  

And I promised her that we’ll make muffins this weekend.

The chatterbox story

A few days ago the young lady and I were looking at our old videos, snippets caught by my mobile phone or camera. I remember people use to point out on her heavy accent but truthfully, I hardly notice it. I suppose when that person is always around you, you don’t pick up on these things. Yet when we were watching these videos, we couldn’t help ourselves from laughing as she sounded like a typical British kid. She even remarked, “I sounded like Emma.”  Emma is our neighbour’s kid who is five years old, an adorable girl with blue eyes, brown hair and rosy cheeks.

I remember the day when she started her nursery/childcare centre, she barely spoke a word during the first few months. The carers said that it was normal for kids like her to be behaving like that as English was not their mother tongue. She understood their instructions and what was expected from her but she was just quiet, even when she played with her friends!

Then one fine day, out of nowhere she started to speak. Her vocabulary multiplied overnight and she talked so much that I nicknamed her ‘chatterbox’. She even had a mole on her lips soon after which I used to my advantage when she couldn’t keep her mouth shut, “if you don’t stop talking, moles will start popping.”

That’d keep her silent for probably ten minutes.

Those videos took me back to memory lane, a journey of a timid girl who has blossomed to a fine young lady. Occasionally she lets herself be a baby and let me treat her like one so that I don’t miss her much. We’ll let the cookie monster who lives under the duvet to come out and play or the fairy to take away our clothes from the washing machine and use her magic wand to make them clean. Somehow I feel she is helping me to find my inner child who was lost at a young age. Being with her makes me feel young at heart.  

Making a difference

One article down, another to go. I was told that I could contribute a piece monthly but I rather prepare a few and give them a choice on which they feel fit to publish. If they like them all, it’ll be much easier i.e. there goes a few months of work done. *smile*

Anyway, the owner of the flat upstairs decided to renovate his flat and thus, the drilling and hammering have been bugging me to the extent that I have lost focus. Instead of starting on that new paper, I might as well channel my thoughts to this blog.

Of late, the topic for coffee is around the recent event back home which I do not want to dwell much into. I think many have covered it from different angle and it is up to individuals to analyse. Personally, I feel one can turn those strong energy into something more useful such as doing good deed at your kids’ school, charity run or walk, volunteering at hospitals or orphanage, etc. There are many ways on how we can make a difference and it is always the littlest thing that goes unnoticed.

How many of us sit together for family dinner?

How often do we read to our kids before they go to bed?

When was the last time we spoke to those who are close to our heart?

With my daily routine, I tend to see the same old faces; the old guy in his suit and walking stick, that elderly lady in her bright red jacket doing her errands, the frail woman who does her walk by leaning on her wheelchair and pushes it slowly. All have something in common; their faces light up whenever I greet or smile at them.

I think I am making a difference in their life.

New direction

I was planning to get on with my new task today, thinking I could actually sit down and come up with something worthy. However, after an episode of Bones (DVD reruns) and a glass of apple juice, no progress has been made. Not a good sign, especially since I have committed myself to do so on regular basis.

Writing casually e.g. blogging has never been issue as one can rant on any topic and you don’t care who your audience will be (if you have any). It somehow becomes tricky when you have to cover certain areas and the piece is meant to target specific market.

Our trip to Istanbul wasn’t all about leisure as we thought it’d be. On our last night there, we were invited to a dinner by a close friend and it ended up with a party of 15 people or so; including spouses and kids. One thing led to another and yours truly was roped into writing for charitable course.

I didn’t know whether I’d be qualified to contribute anything as the lady who sits on the board has great credentials (as well as the rest of the committee). Yet she felt strongly that my opinion will be good for the group due to my colourful experience. After giving it much consideration, I thought I might as well give it a try.

I am still clueless on what exactly I shall write but at least it gives me exposure to the world of journalism. I just hope I can come up with something. Maybe I need to go to a coffee shop and let my creative juice pumping.

So good luck to me!

Ps: In case I do get stuck, I will go around and get you to help me out. *wink*

of being romantic

Recently I had an interesting conversation with the young lady. We were discussing on The Partner’s ‘lack of romance’ by her standard given that she grew up with fairy tales and happily-ever-after stories.

Me:  He can be romantic sometimes you know. There was a time when he went to get the nicest desserts even when the place was out of the way. Oh, and remember there was a year when I forgot my own birthday because I was sick and he came home with a delicious cake?

Mini B: I suppose you are right. He does make big breakfast day on weekends while you are still in bed. Besides, we don’t want him to change too much. You fell in love with him just the way he was.

Hmmm, she does have a point. :)

The holiday

Our long awaited family holiday was finally materialised by this impromptu trip to Istanbul. The last twelve months had been quite a roller-coaster, physically and emotionally, and the three of us looked forward to this break. We had been dreaming for this for quite some time but never had the chance to make it happen.

Upon our arrival, the Partner took us to a place where he used to hang out during his early career life. I was bold enough to try their lamb stomach soup which was surprisingly ok for my taste bud, not that I knew much difference as I was under the weather and any soup would have made the cut. While I was nursing myself, the young lady was busy updating the Partner of her recent obsession until I reminded her that it was way past midnight and she had plenty of time to train her Papa to be well-versed in her ‘toy world’.

As the following day was Sunday, we decided to avoid tourist activities and headed to his alma mater, a beautiful university located on top of the hill facing the Bosphorus. The young lady said it was a cat haven as there were too many on campus and not only were they adorable, they were friendly as well. One even tried to jump on her chest to get a hug. From there we walked downhill to the jetty and bought a local pretzel to feed the seagulls. The young lady got so excited that she lost her favourite glove which was swept into the sea. Her sadness was cured by the divine cuisine which we had for lunch; different meat dishes and chicken liver rice. The pilav was simply delicious that I requested for another portion. We then spent the evening taking ferry rides crossing the continents.

Inside Aya Sophia

From Monday onwards we did the usual stuffs; Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Aya Sophia, Basilica Cistern and Archaeology Museum. Other hidden gems included Koc Museum and MiniaTurk which were great for kids. MiniaTurk covers historical sites and artefacts in the country and there are many places which I’d like to see. I told the Partner that every year we must visit different parts of Turkey. The young lady had an awesome time at the playground which had kids’ version of castle complete with slides. At Koc Museum, we had tea in a ship docked next to the jetty. Me being afraid of heights, skipped the climb to board an old plane. Not only it was high, the plane was tilted! Oh, they also had a car which resembled the one used by Weasley family in Harry Potter movie.
Medusa head

One of the things the Partner and I enjoyed the most was the Bosphorus tour. The trip took 1 ½ hours, cruising along the straits with lovely (and pricey) houses on sight. We alighted from the ship at a small town and from there we took the mini bus to head back to the city. The vehicle is just slightly bigger than a regular van and most local folks rely on this mean of transportation. The young lady’s favourite time of the day was when we watched people fishing by the bridges while enjoying the sunset. One guy was lucky enough to have caught two fishes in a throw.

Inside Blue Mosque

We usually started our days with heavy brunch which consisted of sucuk (Turkish sausage) with omelette or fried eggs, borek and few other pastries, olive, tomatoes, cheese and honey. That kept us going until 3-4pm or when our legs couldn’t walk much longer and we’d head for lunch. Its cuisine seemed to know how to please our tummy and the young lady was probably eating more than me! One should try off-the-boat fish sandwich which can be found on the Asian side of Istanbul. Simple yet mouth-watering.

Suffice to say that we had an awesome time in Istanbul. Gorgeous weather, delicious food, warm and friendly people. Despite its crazy traffic, hilly and narrow roads which at times were even worse than taking a roller coaster, the city touched our hearts in many ways in its true form and nature.

off to Byzantium

School hols has started and we will be heading to the historic city of Byzantium, our first trip together as a family. Weather forecast seems to be good and hopefully we get to explore many places in a week.

Will update when we come back. :)

A glimpse of spring

I apologise for somewhat neglecting this place as my life has been subject to constant change. Yet despite those dark clouds and gloomy weather, there is still a bit of sunshine that tries to brighten up my life and fill me with joy and hope.

When we arrived home after our brief holiday in Malaysia a few days ago, our eyes caught those huge envelopes on the floor. The tiredness and jetlag overwhelmed us that I decided to ignore those letters and head to our rooms to get some rest. It was only the next morning that I decided to check them out. I am happy to share that the young lady received offers from two top public schools and to add honey, her maths result were superb according to those letters. One of the schools attained 93% all As in GCSE whilst another has strong science results with 70% A* in Maths.

Her luck seemed to be on a roll when today we found out that she got an offer from a government school under a special route/course where selection is based on top 15-20 scorers. Despite being comprehensive i.e. equal proportion between smart, average and under-performing students, the school obtained 45% all As in GCSE. The route or course which she will be taking has strong support and funding which includes exchange program with schools abroad.

I remember how challenging it was for her to go through this gruelling experience. Countless exams as most good government schools have their own entrance tests whilst some private schools are kind enough to group themselves together so that kids sit for one exam which can be shared. Thankfully the interviews were fairly ok, fun to certain extent.

We are extremely thrilled as all the schools are her top choices. It was her who sailed the ship and I was only there to guide her. The way she disciplined herself was commendable and at times I had to remind her to chill and be a kid. By now I think she understands that her hard work is paid off and the rewards are simply sweet.

Congratulations my love! You totally deserve it. I am very proud of you and no matter where you go, I am sure that you will do well. I seek for your understanding should things don’t go as planned due to our unique circumstance but rest assured you and I both know that you’ll strive no matter what.

What doesn't kill you

Something to remind myself. Of late, I am beginning to realise that people have different reactions to the changes in my life. Perhaps it is a good sign, to filter those who deserve you most. So to the handful who are still dear to my heart, I hope our bonds remain strong.

Tomorrow the young lady has her final interview and I am sure she will try her best. In a week's time we will be heading home to our loved ones, a much needed break which the young lady and I look forward to.

of Harry Potter

Last night while doing some research, I found an interesting fact about a school which she applied for. One of the characters in Harry Potter went to that institution. She got so excited and claimed that it'd be her dream school.

And so today when I got home, there was the much anticipated letter which had her exam results. The young lady passed the entrance test and got invited for an interview.

It doesnt matter if she gets accepted or not. All I know is that by passing the exam (these are really hard papers), she has demonstrated that she has achieved a level above her peers.

Of course it'd be a bonus if she does well in the interview and get accepted, right? Then she can claim that she goes to the same school as the witch. *winks*

Well done my dear. We are proud of you.

Winter is here

Most of the time I am ok, taking each day as it is, trying to find a glimpse of ray through those grey cloudy skies or changing the tune of the raindrops to a soothing rhythm, so that winter doesn’t feel as cold as it should.

However there are days that I feel at total loss, not knowing what to do or whether I have enough strength to support those who need me. All I want is to hide myself under the duvet and let the dam break, allowing those suppressed emotions flow freely.

Sometimes it only takes a message from someone who appreciates your gesture to keep them in the loop, thinking you are brave and rational to plan things ahead, and that if they were in our shoes they would probably sink than swim, to break you.

It is hard when the person who held your hands and guided you when you were young is now relying on you to be their rock. The roles are now reversed and your mind has to be focussed to keep them going. You have to assess the situation from all angles and give suitable advice, hoping that it would be the best course of action.

Winter is here but the worst is yet to come. When it does, I pray I am ready…

The extended break

I have decided to extend this break until I feel things are more certain. At the moment, I am needed by my loved ones and to put aside my career is a small price to pay. I do not want to wake up one day feeling regretful for not taking this chance to be there for them. I am blessed for having friends who have been giving strong support during this troubled time, some have taken up my role by physically being there for my loved ones. I cant thank them enough and wish the Almighty to repay their kindness.

Most importantly, I am blessed for having a supportive partner and daughter to keep me going.

I had better days

I lost count on the number of times when I had to face or handle challenging situation. So whenever someone asks if I am ok, I prefer to answer, “I had better days.”

Who am I to complain of my circumstance when I know some have far difficult obstacles and my worries are peanuts compare to theirs? I can make the situation worse by whining or moaning and add more misery to this world which has enough depressing stories as it is. Instead of putting another shot of coffee, why not add sugar or mocha and make it less bitter?

For the time being, I am focussing on the things that I am grateful for.

I am thankful that we have a comfortable home in a safe environment.
I am thankful that the young lady still maintains her adorable personality even when I know she can easily step up and be like the rest of her peers who are chic and trendy.
I am thankful that despite of my countless worries which have led to visible wrinkles, I have been mistakenly taken as being in 20s.
I am thankful that my friends have been there for me through thick and thin, despite our crazy ways. I am thankful that I took (calculative) risks which took me to soul-searching journeys.
I am thankful for being given a second chance in love.

So I hope I will remain strong and positive for those who need me now. The list should keep me going and smiling...

*Ms B dedicates this post to her mum whom the young lady inherits her passion for writing.

Diary of a SAHM

It is always assumed that SAHMs have the luxury to do whatever they desire but after taking this position twice in my ‘career’ life, the theory is yet to be proven. While enjoying my leftover chicken rice and waiting for the laundry, I am trying to squeeze a post to my neglected blog.

Our day starts with preparing kids’ packed lunch which varies from making puffs from last night’s meals (so far, lamb stew has been rated excellent by the young lady as the meat is tender and goes well with pastry) to freshly made salad pasta (imagine nasi goreng but rice is substituted with Italian staple). Breakfast usually consists of something warm such as sausages, scrambled eggs or pancakes.

After we drop the kids to school, there is the morning coffee session with other SAHMs or ladies of leisure. I usually take this opportunity to read the daily newspaper and catch-up on the latest issue or gossip for that matter. This can last up to 2 hours depending on the topic of discussion, especially if it’s about politics or economy. Then we’re back to our homes and tend to domestic routine. In my case, I was busy with her school’s needs (the agony of transferring to secondary school, both state and public) which saw me doing lots of research, attending open days and narrowing them down to those that met our requirements. Lately I have been performing pro-bono work reviewing documents for the partner and my dining area has been turned into a mini office. Not forgetting the volunteering role at school and as it is Xmas time, we have loads of activities to do. We have the school fair and performances coming soon.

Later during the day it is time to pick our kids who look forward to a nice tea at home. So far I have been creative, making tuna melt, mini pizza or smoked salmon with bagel. There are days where I’ll get something from M&S bakery (their donuts are so fluffy!). When I am up to it, nasi goreng will be served.

As for dinner, thankfully she’s not fussy but she loves variety. Our oven is highly utilised with a selection of pasta, roast chicken or lamb, baked fish, etc. Stew is another popular dish, best served with garlic bread. Twice a week we’ll have rice on the menu and Sunday is always the day we’ll make traditional malay meal.

In between tea and dinner, it’s time to go through her homework. Well, I’ll watch my Ellen show while she comes to me if she gets stuck. If she’s done with her work, we usually have an extra tutoring session where we’ll discuss complex maths or comprehension.

Just before she goes to bed, we’ll have a chat on school’s stuff (e.g. anyone is giving her a hard time) or girlfriend talk. Somehow, that’s the time when I am mentally alert and able to absorb her stories. The rest of the day I get lost in her bubbly chat no matter how interesting the topic may be.

As for night time, it’s when I indulge myself in guilty pleasures watching sexy vampires or hot agents in action. I see myself getting attracted to Damon each day. He can be a real sweetie…

Somehow being a SAHM I have no reason to decline social obligations, hence coffee and lunch sessions are common. The day just goes by before I know it!

So there are times when I miss working and have the ability to delegate everything. Packed lunch to the hands of the school dinner ladies, homework and house chores to the nannies, reasonable excuses to decline invitation etc.

Right, I better get going as the laundry is calling.