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Oasis in A Desert...

This polluted and traffic-locked city never fails to amaze me!


Perhaps that is why I have not gone GILA (insane) :-D


I mean in the middle of all the noise, rubbish, chaos in the city, you will find a haven that takes you away from all the mess. Really like an oasis in the middle of a desert.


I went to a restaurant in town together with two friends . You can hardly SEE the little entrance to this restaurant, called Huize Trivelli. But once you enter the simple entryway....lo and behold, it's a different place altogether. It's a "heritage" restaurant...thus the antique-qy decor.

View out of the Window

(that's not rain...it's part of the water feature)

There's also an outdoor sitting area...but we sat inside the air-conditioned space, Of course!

Real Antiques?

Outdoor Lighting Needed!

Everytime I look out to my garden and pool, I think to myself "looks good...but would be better with some lighting to enhance certain features of the garden". But there is a problem with adding additional lighting; as there is no electrical power supply out there. It would be great if I could get my hands on some solar-powered light fixtures. This way, I could have the look I want without worrying about electrical cabling nor safety issues.

Colon Cleansing?

It has been a few years since I first heard of the term colon cleansing, and it does bring a thought of horror. The colon cleansing that I know of involved inserting a tube through the anal cavity, and pumping the colon with a huge amount of water to flush out stubborn waste that have been clinging onto the colon walls. It is a means of detoxifying the body. Thank goodness that there are alternative ways of colon cleansing these days. Did you know that an effective colon cleanse can be achieved by way of herbal supplements? This is certainly a better option for me than sticking tubes up my you-know-what!!

New York Movers

I wonder if there is anyone out there who loves moving from one place to another...be it within the same city or beyond. I for one, don't. The main headache for me is sorting out all the wants and want-nots, and then packing certain personal items myself. Some would say that I asked for it. The stress, I mean. I could easily leave ALL the packing to the professional movers. But somehow, I just can't keep my hands off. Take my advice. Don't be like me. Let the professional movers do all the hard work for you. And if you are in New York, I just know the right New York movers that can help you heaps.

Really Scary!!

This is a real incident that involved H's colleague.....an American guy. He went out partying with another friend...and this friend left first. And then he somehow got drugged to the max. He was soooooooo zonked out that H had to get the hotel fellas to open his room door, and shook him up. He doesn't even know how he got back to the hotel.

This Americano was supposed to meet up with a client of Saturday night, together with H. He didn't turn up. Later, H got a call from Americano's driver who was rather worried about his boss. Apparently, the driver had been over in the hotel since the night before and have not heard from his boss. Repeated calls to Americano's handphone was not possible, and to the room was unanswered. H then went to the hotel, and got the front desk to open the door. Americano was found sprawled on his bed.... shook him up, and he was still groggy and dazed. He couldn't even walk properly! Then found out that his wallet, wedding ring and passport were all stolen. He wasn't sure whether he got back to the hotel himself or the "thief" brought him back? It's all a blurr.

I was saying that he was lucky that he woke up with his kidneys still inside him! I mean, you've heard about people getting drugged, and then wake-up in a bathtub of ice, with their kidneys sliced out of their body!

Of course, H also got an earful from me lah... These men...all go out partying at god knows where!!! And his remark was "I am a good boy!". Yeah, right!! As if I believe.... And somemore you know what H's boss told H? "You are good at coming up with stories. You better come up with one for him to tell his wife". See lah.... Even the boss tell H to come up with a story for Americano. Well, his wife flew in on Sunday from Singapore...and apparently, he is in BIG TROUBLE. Sure lah....

Family Fun in Orlando!

Orlando is just the RIGHT place for a family vacation!

Why?

Orlando's theme parks such as Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens etc etc have all the unique and exciting adventures for kids of all ages...including the big kid in you too! Orlando is not all about theme parks. There's extreme fun such as hand-glidng and sky-diving. If that is too much to stomach, how about a round of golf or a relaxing spa treatment? Orlando has so much to offer that you want to bring grandma and grandpa too! And for maximum family fun, we should all bunk-in together in a 3-bedroom Orlando vacation home, rather than get separated in different wings of a hotel..... Sounds great, huh? I just can't wait for a family fun-filled vacation in Orlando!

Christmas Round the Corner...

Christmas is just round the corner...and that means that most of us will be frantically scouring the malls for the perfect gift for our loved ones. I know that it is the thought that counts, but some brain work still needs to be done. Don't you think? I find that buying gifts for men in my life to be the most challenging. It is just so darn difficult! Perhaps I will get a personalized engraved pen this year. What do you reckon? A good idea?

S1 in Bali liow...

As I am posting this... S1 must be having a whole lot of fun on the beach of Sanur!!

Well...the day had finally arrived for the Year 6 Trip to Bali (wrote a little bit about this some time back). The kids had to meet at 7 am at the airport this morning... so we targetted that we leave our house at about 5.45 am. Had three alarm clocks set to wake us up... hahahaha.. yeah. Abit kiasu there.... :-) But when my first alarm rang at 5.15 am, I was already quite wide awake (slept at 9 pm last night, you see...). Both S1 and S2 were already awake, and bouncing off the walls!!! Told S2 to go back to bed as the school bus would only be here at about 6.45 am. But he insisted on staying up.

S1 will be sharing rooms with 2 of his pals...T and R. Though they get along great, 5 days and 4 nights might make them get on their nerves at the end of the trip! I won't hear from my big baby till I pick him up from the airport on Friday! Nope! Phones are not allowed to be brought along the trip. The teachers felt that the phones would affect the kids. No contact allowed unless it is a REAL EMERGENCY! They have a whole of of activities packed into their trip.... tree-top rope walking, white-water rafting, fun at WaterBom Park, cultural show etc... and yes, the creature comforts in the 5*hotel RIGHT ON the sun-drenched sandy beaches of Sanur! I also want to go...heheheh...BUT NO Parents allowed!!!

Initially, I was to send S1 off at the airport. But H said that he would do it. So...off they went at about 5.50 am. S2 and I had a chat on my bed while waiting for the school bus. Asked him why he didn't sleep-in. And he answered that he wanted to say bye to his brother. Despite their arguments and their fights, he loves his kor-kor very much, and would still miss his kor-kor lah.

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OOOOPPPPSSSS!!!!

*Ring* *Ring*

My phone rang and awoken me at about 8.30 AM.... I picked it up. It was H...

H - Err... I ran into some trouble...

Me - What trouble? (still sort of half asleep)

H - Err.. I came out to buy eggs for the boys' breakfast, and the car went into the drain.

Instantly, I sprang up from the bed!!

Well... we had given the driver the day off... and H drove the car out to the supermarket to get some eggs. As there was a road closure, he took a detour. The road was really really narrow, and somehow the right wheels of the car went into the drain! Had to call the Car Leasing company to sort it out. Tried calling our driver...but that fella turned his phone off!! Geram or not?? Poor H had to wait out in the sun for the car leasing guy, whom eventually turned up about 45 minutes later. He then walked home lor...

When the boys heard the news... one of the boys remarked "daddy tried to avoid a cat?"... I couldn't help laughing and told H that perhaps that he should tell people that he was a hero as he tried to avoid a cute little cat on the road, and that was why the car ended up in the drain! Hahahhaha...

Anyway, we have got a temporary replacement car for our use now.. So no big hiccup...other than leaving daddy with a RED face! heheheheh...

I wonder if the Car Leasing Company is going to BEG both of us NOT to drive anymore!!! Kekekek... Why? With me hitting a motorcyclist last November, and now with the car in the drain!!!

Looking Oh So Refined!

My H would usually put on a set of cufflinks when he dons on a suit for formal functions and meetings with important clients. I have to say that he does look sophisticated and refined when all dressed-up....as opposed to his comfy holey T-shirts worn when at home! He did have a set of beautifully-crafted cufflinks until our driver threw them away by mistake! Well, you see...H took them off in the car, and left them in the 'drinks holder' together with some used-tissues. The driver, thinking that they were 'rubbish', took out the 'drinks holder' and tipped the contents into the garbage bin!!

I don't like her...

Yes. I don't like the BIG Boobs woman!
(See my previous post about this booby woman)

No...not because I am jealous of her big boobs lah.

Well....I told myself that I should be open-minded and not have any preconceived opinions about her...despite of her "inappropriate dressing" at school, and things that I've heard from a friend about her.

H and I went earlier to have our own pre-dinner drinks at the very posh hotel (yeah lah.. these ppl arranged for the Xmas Dinner here...what to do??), and as I walked towards the Ladies, I saw her in the Lounge waiting for us parents. She was dressed 'normally'...in a simple black dress. NO pushed-up NOR exposed Boobies. I thought "okay...she's decent"... We joined her and another set of parents for drinks... and then more parents came. Then she started talking.....

First, she started saying things about how she would have to leave at 9.30 pm as she would need to go to a 'Governor's Dinner' on behalf of her husband who is away... and then she went on about "cheap hotels in Perth at only AUD 290 per night"... and then onto how her daughter is great pals with the franchiser of J.Co Donuts (Yes. The owners of J.Co Donuts sends their daughter to the same school...). I still kept an open mind. Yes I did.

Then we went out to the gardens for our BBQ dinner. I had the 'privilege' to be seated next to her. First thing she asked me was where I was from... and when I said "Malaysia", you could see that her face changed to like "oh.. that's not a fancy place" kind of look. Then asked me if THIS was my FIRST posting. And then she went on to tell me that she has got a house in BALI blah blah blah. And I tried to be courteous and just listened. I donno what she said, and I replied with a simple "perhaps it's the lifestyle" and she just went on with "I've got a 4 million dollar house in Australia, why would I want to make this place my permanent home? And where my house is in Australia, everybody has maids and I don't need the maid/driver lifestyle here"... She told me all this in the first 2 minutes of our conversation! I think that's quite inappropriate in our first meeting, don't you think? I don't know what she blardy wants to achieve by telling me all this. The only thing that she has achieved, is my dislike for her, and being a subject of discussion over coffee with my girlfriends (who are also parents in the class. They didn't attend the dinner last night). And this rude, boastful woman.... in a quick second, ignored me and turned to speak to the other woman on her right. WHAT A BIT@H!!!! The rest of the night..I didn't bother to talk to her, nor she with me.

I wanted to tell her, "if you has a blardy 4 million dollar house in Australia with maids and what-nots, and hate the life here, why the H@ll are you still doing here???" ..

Needless to say, I already called and told one of my girlfriends this morning... and am gonna email one of moms (email because she has moved back to the US) who also thinks that she is a BiT@h with a capital B!!!!

Flat Panel Television...

These days, there is such a wide selection of flat panel television brands and models in the market. Though this is great for consumers, selecting the right TV at the right price from the myriad of choices, may pose a challenge. This is where an online internet research on the various products and prices will come in handy. For example, you are interested in purchasing a mitsubishi HDTV but you don't know which model or size. Just get onto www.krillion.com; look at the different models and specifications. Ponder. Compare prices. And when you are ready to make the purchase, Krillion Localization Engine can provide the location of the nearest store for you to pop by, to see for yourself before you make the final purchase.

I Lose Hands Down la!

THIS is NOT Me!!!
Don't misunderstand!!!!

But how to fight with this kind of cleavage????

You see... I was at a Farewell Brunch this morning (yes...another friend leaving to return to Malaysia...) and the button on my top kept popping out, and my gal pals said that I want to get ready to "fight" with the Class Mom (Class representative) tonight at the Class Xmas Dinner!

Well... the Class Mom of S2's class has really really distinct ASSETS, and she is definitely NOT afraid to flaunt them at School. Yup! You heard me right. She would be wearing tops which would enhance her ASSETS and draw attention to them. No joke..hers are like the picture above, and she would wear tops this LOW in school. Otherwise, how would we know leh?? Also, she would also wear skirts that are really really short to show-off her shapely legs. I agree with "if you got it, flaunt it"...BUT in school??????? Somehow, that doesn't seem to be appropriate lor...

Back to the issue of ASSETS..... I LOSE HANDS DOWN LAH!!!! Am nooooo where near!!!!!

But as some say...."anything more than a handful is a WASTE!" kekekekekekeek (Am I just saying that because I am jealous???) kekekekek

Oops....Forgot Liow...

So taii-thau-har (big prawn head??) ....totally forgot about our 11th Wedding Anniversary! Hee hee... I only remembered yesterday and then texted H with a "I am soooooo upset! Where is my bouquet of flowers? Where is my romantic dinner for two? How could you forget our anniversary?"
And then of course he immediately called me back lah... and said "you also forgot lah....otherwise you would have given me h@ll last night!"...kekeke...he was right! I would have given him h@ll earlier if I had remembered! :-)
Anyway, told him that we'll go to Ritz Carlton this Sunday for the Jazz Brunch with the boys instead lah.
Did you know that 11th Wedding Anniversary is known as the "Steel Anniversary"? So not nice leh... At least next year, will be "Silk" which sounds so much nicer than "Steel"! The following year would be "Lace"....followed by "Ivory" and "Crystal"...

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What happened to my Golf Kakis???

Supposed to go to the Golf course tomorrow for another round of game. 8.00 AM Tee-Off booked for a full flight of four....and then what happened?

• Kaki No. 1 decided to fly off to Singapore...because afraid of ??? possible violence against her family, whilst hubby away?????!?!?! Donno... some long story...but think fear is UNFOUNDED lah. When I told H..he said "Kiasu Singaporeans". (Sorry to Singaporeans out there...but it is kinda true lor...) When I told another of my Golf Kaki No.3 (a local), she was major confused as why Golf Kaki No. 1 had to leave so abrubtly! So...two kids also ponteng sekolah (skipped school).
• Kaki No. 2 decided not to play because her hand still aching from the last round, which was about two weeks back.
• And then it was just me and Golf Kaki No. 3. Then she said she is coughing like NO tomorrow and getting worse, so also want to cancel...

So...That's the story of how all my golf kakis jilted me!!!! *Bleah...*

An Equipped Cave!

Do you have a CAVE in your house? One that your caveman of a hubby can retreat to when he comes home from a hard day's work? Well, I do. It is quite well-equipped for the modern day caveman. Other than the necessary air-conditioning and sofa, there's a TV, DVD player and complete stereo system. The only thing that is missing is a stereo cabinet! Yup! You heard me right. My caveman made-do with using filled-up removal boxes. Guessed it is time to shop for one.

Contemporary-Styled Home

The other day, we were invited to H's colleague's home for after-dinner drinks. From the exterior, the house looks quite drab...but once through the front doors,...WOW! It was one of the nicest, and most tastefully furnished homes that I've seen. The open-concept living/dining area is about thrice the size of my living room! The furniture and lighting were a contemporary style, and the focal point in the huge room, was of course her 42 inch LCD TV which suited the decor to a T! H was naturally gawking at the TV, while I was admiring her tropical terrace by the swimming pool. That night, H kept asking...do you want to move???

Please don't steal....

.......Okay STEAL is maybe tooooo strong a word. BUT.....BUT......don't you just hate it when the kids help themselves to your pencils, pens, ruler, eraser, scissors, glue stick, highlighter etc etc etc?? I have made sure that both boys have their own stash of stationery in their bedroom, and also downstairs near the dining table (where they do their homework)... BUT...BUT......They still always NICK by stuff! I just can't seem to get them to STOP! I just bought myself 2 mechanical pencils and they are GONE! Plus the 3 old ones that's in the holder...GONE TOO!

*SIGH*...Very Kik-Simm

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Mandarin...

中文

Met a lady from Beijing some time back, and never did managed to speak to her long, as my Mandarin sucks! Then the other day, after last Tuesday's farewell lunch , I offered to drop her home as she lives about 2 streets away from me. So "terpaksa" converse to her in the car. Although her hubby is caucasian, her English is still not very good. Our conversation was in a mixture of English and Mandarin. Don't know why, but whenever I speak mandarin, my Thai seems to spring out smoothly replacing certain Mandarin words. For example, I like to use "IF" in alot of my sentences, and in Mandarin, it is "lu kuo", right? But I kept on saying "tha", which is Thai. "Tha" comes out so effortlessly that I do not even realise that I've used my words incorrectly. Another example is "ALWAYS". I do not know what is the Mandarin word for this. Again, I used Thai in its place, which is "sem-mer".

Well, she offered to teach me Mandarin. My mandarin must be soooo atrocious that she felt compelled to educate this LEMON! But she nicely put it that I have potential. What was the word she used "piow choon". In my heart, I was thinking.."NO need to teach me lah. Teach my sons, can ar??". Although boys have been going for their mandarin classes at a center twice a week for 1 1/2 hours each time, don't think it is enough. Plus, they absolutely do NOT speak it at home nor at the school. So how like that?? S1 is progressing very sssssloooooowly but S2 is like not progressing at all. *SIGH* Some more, NOT cheap sending them to these classes. But I am adamant that these classes must NOT STOP. This S2's mandarin is really really bad. I screamed at him the other day over his lack of interest in mandarin. Made him cry.... So, how do I encourage more interest in the language?

Penang Bistro

Had a craving for Penang Prawn Mee.... So what do I do? After picking up the boys from T's house, I headed to a restaurant called PENANG BISTRO, that's located about 15 minute's drive (no traffic today...since Sunday! :-P ) from our home. Where is H? Gone golfing with his buddies - that idi@t!

While waiting for our order, boys made Spaceships from the paper placemats....

Our Drinks... The Teh Ping is like 4 times more expensive than in our normal coffee shop. This glass costs about USD 2/-

The expensive Roti Tissue ...@ USD 2/-. Much smaller than the ones you get at Paandi's!!!

My Prawn Mee... Asked for yellow noodle only, they go and bring me beehoon only. Vomit blood or not? But I was sooo "gian ciak" that I didn't bother to ask them to change.

Rare Coins!

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Old Liow...

.... as V used to say.."cheh is part of the over-the-hill gang"..... *sigh* So have to stock up on vitamins and supplements from the pharmacy...plus "Age Defying" Skin cream. :-(
Have to get V to buy Evening Primrose Oil from Down Under...definitely cheaper over there. What's the price in Malaysia? Over here, am paying about RM 1 per 1000mg capsule. Think the "Blood and Skin Cleanser" supplement is doing my horrible problematic feet some justice. It's still not totally healed, but it is more presentable than before. Maybe my STAR TREK allergy treatment is also helping.

Lazy Saturday....

Both boys have just gone over to T's house for afternoon play and sleepover. I have to say that I was really glad to drop them off. Aiyooo...they were driving me nuts in the car! We went to Ah Yat Abalone Restaurant for brunch. Errr...NO. Not to eat sharksfin and abalone...but dim sum only. As today is a Saturday, they open at 11.30 am and we were there at 10.30 am. So where do we kill 1 hour? Can't exactly sit outside for 1 hour, right? So, we went to a new huge mall. Bleah...what a disappointment. Inside sell all sorts of cheapo pasar malam stuff. Even S1 commented "this place looks so nice outside, but inside not so nice!" ....walked few rounds and we left to go back to Ah Yat. Had Char Leong, Fried Loh Pak Kou, Siew Mai, Siew Loong Pau, Wong Suey Kok, Woo Kok, Steam Pai-Kuat, Porridge with Chicken and Pei-tan and Fried Beef Hor-Fun. Boys had Tann tart too. Alamak...after we finished, and paid, we saw a dish of lovely roast pork (siew yoke) being served to the next table. Aiya...too late to order lah. Soooo full already. Today's foods is more of the run-of-the-mill. Next time must only go on Sundays, where there are more specialties that are displayed and cooked out front...just like in Oriental Restaurant in Jaya. As usual, after a full meal - don't want to do anything else liow. But we did drop by to stock-up on our Prison Break, Desperate Housewives, The Unit and House.... :-D
Hee heee... the rest of the day will be spent growing worms in front of the telly...

Liposuction Surgery for Me???

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Whinigitis!

This term was coined by LaundryAmah some years back. Or was it LaundryApah?? Anyway, it is a non-curable disease which causes severe Whining. It is thus a chronic condition whereby sufferers whine and whine non-stop! The condition may reduce in severity as sufferer grows-up, but as-mentioned, it is incurable.

Well, as it seems...the intensity of S2's whinigitis have not diminished with time......

Again, this morning over breakfast, he started with his "NOT FAIR. Kor-kor get 5 days of fun..blah blah blah"...same as what he said last night lah. I also lazy to type it out here. I got so fed-up and just snapped back at him "Aiya...It is a school trip. I didn't plan it. The school plan it. If you want to complain, or want an explanation, then go to the primary school office and ask to speak to your principal. Ask him why it is so unfair that Year 6 kids get to go to Bali for 5 days/4 nights. Blah blah blah.." I was quite sien already, then he just answered with a simple "OKAY".

Alamak! Why didn't I think about that yesterday??

And this H also very bad lah... He came home and purposely say "How come it is so unfair that your kor-kor gets to go to a 5 day/4 night Bali Trip, and he can have all the fun and no school work?". This of course started the whole ritual of "Yeah. Sooooo NOT FAIR. Blah blah blah".

*Sigh*

Anyway, S2 WILL get to go on a school trip next term, albeit for only 2 days/1 night. I think if it was any longer, the teachers and chaperone will go crazy taking care of about 100 kids of 7/8 years of age! The school starts off with Sleepover in the school for Years 1 and 2, and then proceed with an overnight trip to a nearby resort for Year 3. Year 4 and Year 5 would both be a 3 days/2 night trip. And for Year 6 - a 5 days/4 night trip to Bali.

Will post more about S1's trip later... (by the way, the photos posted previously is the actual hotel that they would be staying.)

Excited S1, Angry S2

With S1's impending school trip to Bali in less than two weeks, naturally, the fella is REALLY EXCITED. In addition to frolicking in the hotel pool, lazing on the beaches, and enjoying the customary Balinese performances, he will be going high-rope walking and white-water rafting too! Mind you...these 10/11 year olds will NOT be roughing it out. They will be staying in a FIVE. Yes.... FIVE Star Hotel that's located RIGHT ON the beach.

Envious?

S2 DEFINITELY IS!

He had been droning out "NOT FAIR" repetitively....that it really got on my nerves. So much so that I just want to slap him. What else did he say? "NOT FAIR. Kor-Kor always have fun. Now he is going to have sooooooo much fun. Five days of fun fun fun, and NO work! NOT FAIR. Mom....when Kor-Kor comes back, you MUST give him lots and lots of Maths to do!! Blah blah blah.."

Plus, he has been EXTRA unreasonable and nasty to S1. What can I do other than scream at him????

Medical Supplies for the Home

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Very Packed Day Indeed!

Today...I left the house at 9.30 AM and only stepped back in at 6.30 PM. That's a total of NINE hours!! Just like going to work, huh?? My maid could have had a bash in my house, clean-up and still have time to spare! Hahaha...

Now...let me see...

First, I went to the driving range... Hit about 130 balls. My irons are okay now. Was quite pleased with my No. 7 and No. 8 clubs. But donno why, my woods No.1 and No. 3 was terrible lah. Used to be good with my woods...but today hor, my ball fly to the left and to the right, except going straight! *sigh* Need more practice!

Then had lunch at Duck King....errr.. NO lah.. we didn't eat all this. Got this picture from Google Images. We had a yummy "Mun Ifu Noodle with Dried Scallop and Enoki Mushroom", Fried Seafood Noodle in Oyster Sauce, Fried Loh Pak Kou, Seafood/Chicken Crystal Dumpling and Prawn Cheong Fun.

After lunch, it was off to the boys' school for a Briefing on S1's Trip to BALI!!! Yeap! S2 will be going on a 5 days/4 nights trip to Bali. NO parents are ALLOWED! More about this in the next post.

After the talk, collected the boys from the library and then we were headed for their mandarin class. Dropped them off, and then I was very hardworking. Proceeded to....Spent about an hour there... picked boys up from mandarin and headed back home...

Vehicle Insurance a MUST!

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When I first moved here, I received advice from many people "NOT to drive, and to just utilise the driver". However, not heeding their advice, I went behind the wheel. The first time, I drove to the supermarket nearby. It was uneventful. The following week, I attempted to drive H to the office. It was a long weekend, and the roads were pretty clear. Not far from my home, I proceeded to emerge cautiously from a junction when the light turned GREEN. However, a reckless motorcylist dashed through and emerged right in front of my car.

BANG!

The guy fell from his bike and was wedged just under the front of my car. It was a terrible terrible experience. We sent the guy to the hospital, waited and shuttled between the hospital and the Police Station. Luckily, everything was sorted smoothly. I was told that because I was a foreigner, I could have been locked-up or attacked by a mob at the scene of the accident.

On hindsight, when the accident happened, I should have contacted the car leasing company immediately, as they had a dedicated personnel that dealt with all the Automobile Insurance Policies. The personnel did handle all the insurance claims, including the medical claims from the accident victim.

I hope this accident will not make insurance companies categorize me a POOR DRIVER, as I believe it was the reckless motorcyclist's fault. But I supposed I can still find a company that will provide competitive Poor Driver Auto Insurance Rates if it comes to that!

Another Day.....

.........Another Farewell Lunch.

Farewells in the expat community is a frequent thing. You make friends and with the blink of an eye, they are ready to move on to a different posting. (Wrote about this some time back)

This farewell lunch is for two ladies...one is moving to Melbourne and the other to Surabaya. We had Japanese/Korean at a restaurant called Chung Hae. I

INITIALLY - Nice clean tidy table setting
Starter - Octopus Salad
Starter - Salmon Salad

Then I started EATING....and then was too greedy to stop and whip out my camera to take the rest of the photos. There were Mixed Sashimi of all sorts, Fried Prawns in Spicy Sauce, Grilled Creamy Giant Clams, Seafood Kimchi, Spicy Soup, Clear Tofu Soup, Grilled Sanma...

*LOUD BURP*
(see the messy plate??)

Difficult Question...

S1 came home yesterday (Tuesday, 13th) , and presented me with these four books from the School Book Sale.
Where did he get the money to buy these books? Which costs about USD 20 ? I didn't give him any money for the Book Sale.....as I was in school on Monday, and already purchased USD 70 worth of books from the Book Sale.

So ??????

He said that he found the money on the ground. Yes. USD 20 on the school grounds... and so he used the money to purchased the books.

Of course I queried... It sounded too good to be true, right? Went through the whole series of "Did you take the money from some one? I won't scold you. Please tell the truth. Blah blah blah".

He swore. Said he really really found it on the ground. Then he asked me what I would have done if I found money on the ground.

Well, if it was me, I definitely will *FAST* *FAST* put it in my pocket lah. 'Choong sai mann ah kwai meh??'.....but of course didn't answer my son like that lah.

I said ... "Mmmm...that is quite a difficult question. If I keep the money, the owner would have lost quite a lot of money, and definitely would be sad. But if I give the money to the office, the clerk may just take it. And also will not know who lost the money. You can't exactly announce "WHO LOST US 20? as everyone will be coming to claim it. So how? It's not like a tupperware or bag where there would be some kind of distinct identification. Mmmm...very difficult indeed".

S1 then said "See? You also said Difficult. So, I keep and use it to buy books lah".

HOW WOULD YOU HAVE ANSWERED YOUR KID???

p/s Actually arr... my two boys always find money or food vouchers on the school ground one. But normally not much lah.. like about US 50 cents...enough to buy a Capri-Sonne or Powerade sort of drinks. The vouchers I know they really find on the ground, as many RICH kids buy the USD 2.50 voucher booklet, use USD 2 and then feel the 50 cents in the booklet is too troublesome to keep and they just discard it.

What Pressie will I Get?

Next week, H and I will be celebrating our 11th Wedding Anniversary. What pressie will I get? Will I get a great big bouquet of flowers, diamond rings or some kitchen equipment like a food processor??? I actually told H that it doesn't matter what it is, as long as it is NICELY wrapped with beautiful wrapping paper and tied with ribbons and bows! I just lurve the thrill of opening presents. Don't you?

Hidden Luxury!

In this traffic-choked city of narrow streets and alleyways, you'll be amazed to find an abundance of architecturally beautiful luxury homes hidden behind some nondescript gate. Many a times, when visiting friends, the roads leading to their homes would be terribly uneven and narrow, not to mention unpleasant. Then once you enter those gates,....WOW! It's like you are in a different world! Tropical landscaped gardens with manicured lawns and stone sculptures. The main house would normally have an underground garage, and an adjoining maids' quarters. And, of course there would be a swimming pool with an equally stunning terrace where we ladies sit and have morning coffee. Would you like a luxury home like this?

TAG - My Proudest Moment

Sting sent me this very very difficult tag. Most have indicated that their proudest moment is when they had their baby. But I supposed that would be the case when there is only one bundle of joy. But I have had two babies, who are no longer babies. Can't say Proud to be mama to S1. Won't be fair to S2. And vice versa. Plus, also they have become such monsters these days...hahahahah...

Now..let me see, when was my proudest moment?

• Could it be when I tried to do the can-can at my uni dinner and fell flat on the floor?? This shouldn't be a proud moment, right?...More of an embarassing one!
• Or could it be when I went up to the stage at Royal Albert Hall to collect my M.Eng ?
• Or could it be when my ex-boss gave me a big cheque for my efforts at saving the company a few Million Ringgit?
• Or maybe I should just say ...proud mama of my two wonderful boys!

1. Ehon's proudest moment is when he swept 5 out of 6 trophies at a State First Aid Competition.
2. Everyday Healy proudest moment is when she gave birth to Elizabeth.
3. Sting is proud to be mummy to her baby
4. Nomadic Mom will make it easy by saying she is proud to be a mama to her two wonderful and lovely boys!

And to hear their proudest moments:
1) Laundryamah
2) Misha's Mum
3) Judy

Luxury on the Mexican Riviera

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Just this morning, S2 was asking me if I want to go on a holiday, and where would I want to go? He was babbling away with faraway places like Africa and Egypt....I asked him if he was gonna pay for my trip. And the answer was "Yes. But you'll have to wait till I am older and can work to earn money first. Also, you mustn't choose somewhere too expensive!". Well, okay...at least he has the thoughts to want to treat his good 'ole mom to a holiday. Where would I wanna go? Ooooooh... Would love to indulge in a luxurious resort where I could laze on a stretch of white sandy beach, and being served my Pina Colada by a gorgeous Beach Butler! Have a sensual spa massage with rich aromatic oils, followed by a gourmet meal prepared by world-class chefs. Where can I find this paradise? At any five luxury resorts of the Karisma Hotel on the Mexican Riviera. Karisma means "divine favor" in Greek, and the Karisma Hotel offers an all-inclusive luxury concept that would captivate all your heart desires in a resort. Check it out now for a wonderful holiday of a lifetime!

PaintBall Party

Took boys to a PaintBall birthday party today.

As S2 had been ill (fever and diarrhea) yesterday and didn't go to school yesterday, I told him NOT to go to the party as I didn't want him to be under the sun. As S2 couldn't go, he was disappointed, and thus verbally abused his older brother! Then H was like telling me to LET S2 go as well.

The paintball was not in a dedicated site, but in a playground that was retrofitted just for the party. The organizer brought their gear plus props like fake walls and such. The kids geared up with long pants, long shirt, mask and gun. The pants and shirt were sooooo huge. They used raffia string to hold up the pants.

S2 was sweating so much that his mask kept on sliding off, and thus kept on removing it. The policy is No mask. No play. So, S2 actually came out from the "Battlefield" 2 minutes from START. He was really sweating like a pig. Just as well that he didn't play...as he was the youngest. Most of the boys were 10 going to 11. Birthday boy was 11. One of the boys got shot on the neck, and it was bruised quite badly. S1's arm also bengkak abit.

Of course the boys had fun. Now..all the 10 year olds want to have a paintball party for their 11th birthday. But if so, will have to find a proper place...rather than make-do in a playground.

S1 - All Geared UP

S2 - All Geared UP

Is it a Bird? Is it a Plane? It's Superman!

Handsome boys all in a Row...

Sitoooopid!

This is backdated...been rather lazy for the last few days...and have been "pow-ing" my HK TVB series with H.

Anyway, I was very "maang" (irritated) on Thursday when I went to Carrefour for my grocery shopping. Normally, I try NOT to go to Carrefour, as it's always a madhouse. I don't know why.. but I always feel very suffocated halfway through my shopping at Carrefour. WHY do I go there this time? Aiya..had a looooooooong list, and my regular supermarket's trolley is rather small whereas Carrefour's ones are huge. (Not because it's cheaper...not really cheaper lor. The chinese soya sauce in my regular supermarket is about RM 4.50 and Carrefour is selling it for RM 6 leh...) This week, Carrefour was having some specials like buy 2 get 1 free, or buy 3 get 1 free. At the check-out counter, the cashier was quite unsure of what she was doing, and asked her supervisor on how to key the items in. So, of course I wanted to check my bill lah.

Me - I want to check the bill before I pay.
Cashier - If got mistake, you have to go to information counter.
Me - No. I want to check it before I pay. And if there are mistakes, sort it out here at the counter.
Supervisor - Okay.

So...cashier proceeded to scan / punch in the rest of the items. The final total came out, and I said I wanted to CHECK the bill. And the reply was that I MUST pay before I can see the bill. I insisted that if there are mistakes, they sort it out at the counter and not send me to Timbuktoo. And of course, the confidently said YES. Thought that there'll be no mistake.

When the cashier first fumbled, I instinctively knew that they WILL be mistakes already. So...true enough. I was overcharged for 3 times. They charged 4 entries of softener whereby there should only be 3. Ditto to my Floor cleaner. My Raid mosquito repellent also over-charged by 1 no. The pricing on the softener also salah! Of course I made noise lah. And guessed what? The cashier asked me to go to the Information counter which was at the other end of Carrefoure. I went BALLISTIC!

Me - Didn't I say LET ME CHECK first??? Didn't I say there would be MISTAKES? Why should I walk to the Information to sort out your mistake?? Didn't I say, do it here? And you said YES???

*Boiling*

Of course, then the cashier had to walk to the information counter to sort out the errors. And when she came back, also short-changed me, and my bill also cut into funny ways..WAAAA... i was soooo mad. I just babbled "I WANT TO SEE YOUR MANAGER NOW!"

She came and I was just ranting away lah. How could I NOT be? Because of their sitooopid mistakes, I had to wait for about 25 minutes extra okay!!! Told the manager that they should either blardy TRAIN their staff or set up their computing system in a better manner lah. Otherwise, what for advertise advertise BUY 2 FREE 1 when they CHARGE all 3 and PRICES all wrong one!???

And then some more..on the way home, the traffic jam was MEGA MEGA bad...and then I saw it..... the dreaded construction of the busway. In many cosmopolitan cities, a dedicated bus lane is much welcomed as it would encourage more to take the bus, ease traffic etc. BUT BUT BUT...in this traffic-laden city where the majority of the roads are sooooo narrow, a dedicated busway is not the best solution. And what is even MORE SITOOOOOOOOPID is that the entire busway is only for buses from ONE company. YUP! You heard me right. One PRIVATE company. Where in the world, would there be such a thing so sitooooopid?? All other buses are supposed to squeeze into the other available lane with cars, trucks and taxies etc etc. YOU SAY GILA or not??? At least ppl "ciak ci-kua" in other countries also will see proper development,...but here...waaaa.."ciak dui" until kelam-kabut. This busway really SITOOOOOOPID!!

Get Paid for Blogging!

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When I first started blogging for money, I was rather skeptical.... wondering if it was all a scam. It just sounded too good to be true. But I was urged on by a good friend. As since signing up was FREE, I jumped onto the wagon like many mommy bloggers. Basically, just write a review of about 150 words and you get a minimum of USD 5.00. It was really quite easy! Not long after signing up, I wrote my first review post. And payment was made to my PayPal account within a week from my post approval. Yes. I did get paid for blogging!! I have been writing paid posts for about six months now; and although my blog does not have high Page Ranking, I still earn quite a decent income....enough to have H off my back for spending too much time on my laptop! I have to say that writing paid post not only earns me much-appreciated moolah, but it is rather fun to review products and write about them too. So what are you waiting for? Sign-up with SMORTY now!

Melbourne Cup Brunch...

Yup! Melbourne Cup is today...

As per my last sponsored post on Chinese are avid gamblers..., I did have a bet on one of the horses, called "Doura Valley". Not that I selected it but more of picked it. Aiya.. Efficient won lah... This Doura Valley not even mentioned at all!!! But I have to say that Efficient was very good. In the last few seconds, he accelerated and over-took the initial race leaders. Read it here, if interested. But the bet was only RM 8/- lah. But the winner (in our ladies' group) gets about RM 100/-. Had the Melbourne Cup Brunch at a friend's house this year. No need to dress up etc.

Unlike last year, whereby I went to the Champagne Charity Brunch at the Marriot. Had to get a hat and all. Last year, my horse got SECOND! Thrilled lah... This year, really "sai pun boh".

Avid Gamblers...

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Did you know that the Chinese are REAL avid gamblers?
Yes. They are. Or rather I should say. Yes. We are.

Ever been to some far-flung cities in Europe, where not one chinese can be seen on the streets? And enter the city's only casino...and whoaaaa... you see a whole lot of Chinese in there. Placing their bets on the roulette table and so on and so forth.

Or ever notice that whenever there is an accident on the highway, there are many onlookers creating a traffic havoc? What do you think they are doing?
Getting down the licence plate numbers of the cars that were involved in the accident of course!
Why?
To place a bet on these numbers at the 4D Lottery shop!

Basically, we Chinese can bet on anything. You name it, and I'm sure a bet can be made. I guessed Chinese are quite natural-born gamblers. I wonder if internet-savvy gamblers know that there is such a thing as an online casino. And they offer all the plays that a 'normal' casino offers such as keno, craps, baccarat, roulette, slots, black jack etc. They are hundreds of online casinos but which one is the best? Read reviews on these casinos on Pro360.com

Halloween Stuff...

Another backdated post. After the party, of course must bring down the Halloween decor. Forgot or rather no time to take any pictures during the party. Seems like a bit 'sayang' (wasted??) to bring down my decor just like that. So took some photos lah...Plus the many scary masks that the kids did NOT use.

Mailboxes Galore!

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In this modern age of emails, MSN and such, you may think that traditional mailboxes have become obsolete. But even though you do not correspond via snail mail with your friends, relatives and business associates; the tax-man, government departments and utility companies still corresponds with you via the traditional postal service. Thus, most homes would still require some kind of a mailbox in their front curbside.

What better way to receive those dreaded tax-letters and utility bills than in a stylish mailbox?










Don't you agree that any of these residential mailboxes would spruce up your front yard?

Or perhaps you are looking for commercial mailboxes? I know just the place where you can find 1500 high quality mailboxes and decor items!

Belated Halloween Party...

As Halloween falls on a weekday this year, we had to have our Halloween Party delayed to today. Okay..maybe not the traditional Halloween Party.. as we didn't do the 'trick or treating' stuff. Basically, it's just small gathering amongst friends. I did decorate the terrace with some ghouls, pumpkins and stuff. Bought the boys some scary costumes at a sale the other day. But they wore it for awhile, and then took it off. So when guests arrived, they were already dressed as usual.

See my S1???

Close-up of S1!!

(Soooo ugly, yeah??)

Even small group...8 adults and 8 kids, was enough to bring the house down. I cannot imagine how I managed to have 15 kids in my BU house last time! Anyway, there were more girls than boys and at one point in time, the boys were fighting with the girls (3 boys vs 5 girls). Bought some sparklies for them to play in the back-yard. Think they had fun...

Actually, their school have a 'Bonfire Nite' today....in celebration of Guy Fawkes Day. Ticket is at about USD 6/-. Think there's BBQ, Fireworks and Bonfire. But it was kinda drizzly the whole day today, and in the evening too. Don't know if they managed to light up the fire.

Another Charity Bazaar...

Yup! You heard me right. Another bazaar. There are lots and lots of bazaars at this time of the year... to capitalize on the proximity of Christmas gift-buying and giving, I guessed. When I told H about it, he actually scoffed and remarked "another one??". This time, it's the 'International Women's Charity Bazaar' held last Thursday, and thus foreign embassies have also participated. What merchandise is available? There are crystal vases, clothes, Christmas ornaments, children's toys and clothes, tablecloths and runners, cushion covers, costume jewelry, chocolates, cookies, ornaments and much much more. I didn't buy anything though...

I love my Bose!

Had a belated Halloween Party today... and after all the guests have left, I switched off all the lights, lighted-up my scented candles, poured myself a glass of Baileys on Ice, and turned on the music on my iPod. As I don't wanna use the earphones, I had it set onto my Bose docking station. The sound was good!.....I was sipping my Baileys and thinking..."aaahhh this is life!". As H is still shopping around for a home theatre system, he really should consider purchasing a Bose home theater. I'm sure the performance will no doubt be top-notch!

Orangey Mad!

Yesterday... after hitting some balls at the driving range, went to to the mall for lunch with a girlfriend. Supposed to just makan, but ended up spending some money on a small golf bag. Needed a small one to stow about 4 - 5 clubs when I go to the driving range, rather than bring my complete set. See my nice orangey golf bag?

ORANGEY Mini Golf Bag

Went home... took a shower, and changed to......

ORANGEY Top

And then I decided to make some mango sorbet. The mangoes were called "Gincu"? Have not heard of it before, but they were quite tiny, and very very sweet. And have very bright orange coloured flesh. Here is the ..

ORANGEY Mango Puree

Hair Loss

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Do you suffer from hair loss?
I recall that in the subsequent months after each childbirth, I experienced hair lost whenever I washed my hair, or comb my hair. It was very worrying, and I am not talking one or two strands. It was literally a handful! I just could not imagine my crowning glory thinning. There were all sorts of advice from others, as to how to prevent further hair loss or to speed up hair regrowth. These advice ranged from reducing salt intake to minimise hair loss, to massaging the scalp with brandy. Yup! You heard me right. Brandy. The ones that you drink to be merry, or to drown your sorrows.

These days, there are many products that are available in the market to aid hair growth. There are oral types such as provillus, to serums that are to be applied directly onto the scalp. But which product would be effective for which type of hair loss? Surely hair loss in each individual is due to different factors such as environmental, hormonal or even lifestyle, right? So, I guessed more research or reviews would need to be completed before the right product can be found.