Last Day of School

I have not been updating my blog since Genting Trip, was rather busy in the school holiday. So, I am trying recall all the happenings since after the trip.

Aron started to have fever on the first night after we returned from Genting. His fever lasted for 3 days, followed by blocked nose, runny nose and cough. As it was the last week of school before the 1 month holiday, we tried to let Aron goes to school right after he recovered from the fever, but still with slight runny nose and cough. During that few days of school, the teachers, as usual checked on every student at the school entrance for signs of HFMD. Aron passed the check and attended the classes.

On the last day of school. As usual, the students have to stop and queue in front of the teacher on duty at the entrance. While Aron, still having slight cough and runny nose, passed the check and went in to the hall for assembly, Asher, surprisingly, failed the check. The teacher told me that she found 3 white spots on Asher's tongue. When I stared hard enough into Asher's mouth, the spots could bearly be seen, not to say that they looked like ulcers. Well, the teacher was trying to be extra careful (too hyper extra careful), so I didn't want to make a scene, and I brought Asher home. Over that few days, Asher proved to be healthy.

What kind of check is the school conducting - really make me wonder. The one having flu virus was not detected, while the one who was healthy was asked to go home. What a joke!

My Longest Time Lover

This draft was created since April. It was a difficult article, as a lot of my feelings and emotions for the relationship could not be expressed in precise words. There is so much memories coming back that it could be written as lengthy as a book, but at the same time, it could not be fully expressed out. Whatever it is, as long as my lover knows what I am trying to say, that's good enough. Hubby, I am not writing about you yet, please don't get upset. There will be your turn someday... be patient.

I used to be a very quiet girl without much confidence when I was young. I came from a typical Chinese speaking family. When I was transferred from a Chinese to an English school at pri 3, half the time I couldn't understand what my Indian Form Teacher was talking. For survival, I struggle to get a companion to get a sense of security in school. I chose a friend to stick to and followed her wherever she went, even followed her to the Monkey Bar area at a corner of the school. This was the place where I started my first "relationship", which lasted until today.

I got to know this girl who loves swinging all over the place on the Monkey Bar and I gave her the name "Ali Ba Ba". We were in the same class during Pri 4, but weren't very close yet. Our "yuan fen" started only when we went to the same secondary school and ended up in the same class. Again she became the target that I sticked to and followed. I even joined the same ECA as her. Through out the secondary school days, she had many close friends, but I just refused to explore building closer relationships with other people. We gossips every nite on the phone, we had arguments once every few nites. I always felt that she was too nice to all the "nasty people". Still, I sticked by her, cos she is the only person I could confide. We quarreled over big and small issues, scrutinise into every single bit of each other's word and actions. I felt stressful, but still I didn't ever think of giving up this friend. We went through so much ups and downs, thick and thin, we cried and laugh together. We shared everything we had, including the clothes, even though we were of different size. She was fleshy and busty while I was flat and bony, we could still exchange our waredrobe.

We went to different schools for our A level, she went to JC and I went to Pre-U Institute. If only I could get into JC, I would have chosen the same JC as her. But the separation didn't stop us from staying closed. We stayed over night at each other's home very often and we talked through the night till 4am. When I was at her place, we shared the queen size bed. When she was at my place, she had my bed while I slept on the floor. Through the years, we continued to have many arguments and discussions. Our friendship had gone so strong that I thought : IF WE ARE OF DIFFERENT GENDER, WE WOULD HAVE MARRIED EACH OTHER LONG AGO & HAVE OUR CHILDREN BY NOW.

When we went on to pursue our Degree course, she went to NTU, I went to SIM. During this time, I felt threatened. Not only did I feel the gap between our intellectual level getting bigger, she was also getting very close to a male classmate. I kind of got jealous and I always questioned her if she was in a relationship with this young man. I couldn't accept what she concluded as just 'very close friend'. If this guy continued to be this close to you, he would frightened off all the other potential guys. If this guy was just a close friend, I would feel that I would be "demoted" to no. 2. Anyhow, some misunderstanding happened that their friendship went bust. My "status" was back to the "safe zone" again.

In my 2 relationships, both guys had the similar feeling that I was placing too much focus and importance on this woman, they felt threatened too. My husband, during our initial courtship, suspect that we were lesbian. He even asked me, between this woman and him, who would I choose. My answer really broke his heart at that moment, well surprisingly he still marry me (maybe he had been convinced that I am straight). But at that moment, how could I give up someone who had been in my life for 20 years for someone that I just started building a relationship for a year. I think my husband had understood this point and never asked the same question again.

In all my important moments (except the time that I gave birth), be it good or bad, she had been with me. I remembered clearly on the day when my sister went missing from home, she was the one who went with me to make a police report. She was the only one who was with me and held on to me tightly when the police broke the news of my sis's suicide. She was supposed to stay at home to study for her exam for the following day, and yet she put down her study to be with me, stayed by me and gave me the courage to break this shocking news to my mum. Even my then boyfriend told me he couldn't come for the wake as his mum (super superstitious) did not want him to so.

Its been 25 years, this relationship still goes on... We may not be spending as much time together now, and we may be living a different life, but our hearts still connect. We had promised each other when we turned 60, we would buy each other a diamond ring. We also promised each other we would spend a white Christmas together.

Alice, my friend, my sister, my lover, I am so blessed to have you in my life. You have inspired me so much that you make me take on a positive attitude towards life and I know I will continue to be a happy woman throughout. Thank you and I love you.

Genting Trip 15 - 17 May

This is the first time I brought the family for holiday without my Hubby around. Kind of felt that I am a super woman. Hee... This was so last minute plan that I actually booked the trip 3 days before.

On the Thursday morning, the boys woke up as early as 5.30am. They knew they were going to take the "Five Star" bus to a hotel. So they were very excited, and got themselves out of the bed without much help. They insisted on taking their own luggage bags, so I prepared 2 small trolley bags for them. As Aron saw the taxi waiting near our void deck, he walked straight to the taxi, forgetting about his bag. Really cannot count on the boys to carry anything, huh.

We were told the "double deck" coaches were fully booked, so we had to take the normal "single deck" coach. However, on that morning, when we registered at the counter, we had a pleasant surprise - we were being upgraded to "double deck" coach, though we would still be sitting on the lower deck. There were just enough seats for our family on the lower deck - for the 2 boys, the parents-in-law and myself. So we had much privacy for ourselves to enjoy the luxurious ride - movies, games, automated reclining and massage chair.

It was a pleasant journey all the way, except for the last 1 hour twirling up the mountain. The boys even had a short nap. During the last 1 hour, we kept feeding the boys with gummies and "Shan Cha" and diverted their attention out of the window, to make sure they don't get nausea. Well they shouldn't be given too much fluid at this time as it would make them felt more uncomfortable.

By the time we reached Genting, it was about 12.30pm. It was considered a fast and smooth journey. However, we could only check-in the hotel at 2pm, so we left our luggage at the bell counter and went for lunch. The boys were so excited about the rides in the theme park, they could hardly eat.

Well, I was smart enough to buy the unlimited tickets for the boys (which cost RM24 each) and myself (which cost RM26, only for the indoor rides), as they took numerous rides, but chose only the slow and friendly ones.

By the time we got into the room, it was already 3+pm. I managed to get the Superior Deluxe Room which was big enough for 5 of us to sleep quite comfortably. The boys were still full of energy, jumping from 1 bed to another, and looking out at the scenery of the mountain covered with cloud.

For the rest of the 2 days, it was just taking those same rides repeatedly. Shopping up there wasn't exciting, but to reward myself for this arrangement, I bought a couple pieces of clothes. Poor mum and dad-in-law, they had nothing much to do, except to watch the boys. By the time we put the boys to bed, MIL was too tired to go to the casino. It was worse for FIL, cos he was coughing quite badly in the nite, till he had to sit up and meditate to sleep. This was the first time I got to know that FIL actually know how to meditate - impressive!

Coming back wasn't as lucky, we were put into the "single deck" coach, with the seats on the last 2 rows. Asher, MIL & FIL were seated on the last row, which you can imagine the bumpiness they had to bare. Their seats couldn't be reclined as much as it could due to the junks being put behind their seats. With the slow moving traffic near KL area, the journey was dragged even longer. By the time we got home, it was closed to 11pm.

Well, the boys were so happy about the trip, I felt proud of myself for making this arrangement. Sorry, MIL and FIL, that you didn't get to enjoy much. Its more like you were going there for work. I hope I could plan something better for the next trip, where both of you could enjoy more. Thank you so much for your hard work...

Mother's Day

Few days before the mother's day, I started to get panicked. I had not been thinking about what to do with the mothers. Not that I must do something, but somehow I thought they would expect something from me, even though they might say they don't want anything. But the mothers are really lack of NOTHING. They have everything they wanted.

I finally decided to send MIL for a spa treat. She had not tried it before, so I guessed it would be a new experience for her. I checked on the internet and found that the Aramsa Spa at Bishan Park II quite interesting. So I went down to recee the place. Hmmm, nice setup and atmosphere, I must try that one of these days. When MIL knew that I was trying to make some arrangement for her, she would say she doesn't want anything and told me not to waste $$$. After the spa, asked her if it was good, she would just say, for so much $$ spent, sure it got to be good. Why can't these people expressed out in a more passionate, appreciative and direct way.... Well, that's the traditional Chinese way of behaviour - everything is unspoken. Never mind, inside me, I know they enjoyed it.

My mum was the more headache one. She is too boney to enjoy the massage, she is only 37kg now. You can see the structure of her bones tracing out from every inch of her skin.

While I was still scratching my head about what to do for her, Alice, her god-daughter, my savior, came in at the right time. A lunch was arranged at a very last minute with some other mothers. At least, I got my mum out of the house, had lunch and went for shopping. I hardly go shopping with her nowadays, as she could hardly walk. She needs to find seats to rest her legs every couple of steps she made. So with this shopping trip, whatever she wanted to buy, I gladly paid for it, and conveniently said its the Mother's Day Treat.

As for myself, expectedly, I got my son's handicraft work which the teacher made them do in school. Though, nothing surprised me, but I still felt good receiving the little gift of arts from them.

What I got from my hubby was him flying off to Taipei on the Mother's Day itself. He would be away for 2 weeks. The whole family sent him off at the airport. Even though he traveled very often, but when the moment he walked into the departure hall, I still missed him. I could also sense his loneliness as he walked away.

In order to keep myself busy these 2 weeks, I booked a Genting trip for my boys and parents-in-law for the coming weekend. Hopefully, time will pass faster this way and I could see my hubby back home soon.

What Luck Have We Got

I was down with fever and sore throat 2 nights ago, when my husband just flew off for work.

Since beginning of this year, my entire family had been taking turns to fall sick. The virus had enjoyed so much being with my family that it hopped from 1 person to another. Aron started with fever on the Chinese New Year's Eve, followed by flu and cough. He passed the virus to Asher and myself soon after. Aron recovered after 5 weeks. By the time Asher was about to recover, Aron started an other round of runny nose. I lost count of the rounds the virus had made by now.

Today, me and Kenny are both down with cough.

Both my boys used to be very reluctant of going to clinic. Nowadays, they all enjoying going to clinic, can't wait to enter the doctor's room and have their favourite medicine identified. Think the doctor must be very happy to see our family always visiting him.

Wonder what kind of luck is my family having this year...