The moon and starts are aligned for.....

..... maid problems?

Do you believe in astrology?
That the alignment of the planets, moon and stars will have an effect on certain happenings on earth?
I won't exactly call myself a believer, but then don't you agree that sometimes the occurence of similar events at the same time just makes it more than a coincidence?

RE - maid problems. I actually received an email from a girlfriend back in Malaysia two days ago... asking if I have jalan to find her a maid here. The thing is I've not heard from her for quite a bit... and out of the blue, I hear from her. Her maid had just left and she is having problems finding one... even after going through the regular channels. I even joked that I would start a maid agency complete with training facilities after I'm done with my current start-up. Will train the maid to speak either English or Bahasa Malaysia, how to cook Western and Chinese meals, how to use washing machine, blender, vacuum cleaner etc etc.
Yeah. Right!

One maid in my house also driving me GILA liow. If I have an agency full of maids, I think I will go INSANE to the extent that I become the most feared!

And then I just read about mamapumpkin's maid problem .... I cannot believe that she actually paid RM 2100/month for her part-time Filipino maid that works half-a-day for a five-day work week! Certainly more than what I earned when I graduated from college, and mind you...I am a UK-trained engineer with a Master's degree from one of the top engineering faculties in the world! The best is yet to come.......
This maid of hers cabut to another employer!
Because a driver is provided to ferry her to and from work!!!!
How very spoilt!
Furthermore, mamapumpkin gave her a load of goodies...thinking that she will work harder blah blah blah...

Doesn't work in the world of maids. Regardless how well you treat them, they will not 'behave' how you think they would. They will not be the loyal employee that you think they would be...

I remember my friend/landlady back in Bangkok. She told me about her maid of more than ten years, whom she treated well (annual bonuses of USD 10 K ) etc... when she left, stole soooooo many things from her. And not only that, the maid had been telling everyone that her employer (my friend) ill-treated her etc etc. What the&^**&$*#, right???

And then my aunt - she had a nanny who looked after her son right from birth ....and worked for over ten years too. Also stole jewellery and money, and MORE - took my aunt's passport!
You say lah! Why like that?

That's why I never ever say that my maid is 'good'. Even if they appear to be 'good', inside you donno what they are plotting. And I certainly do not treat my maids like 'friends'. Don't get me wrong..... I don't ill-treat them. I just don't sit down and chat and ask her about her family blah blah blah. Don't be overly nice. I do not get attached to them nor totally rely on them like some of friends do. I will not 'die' even if my maids run away or whatever.
Yes. I admit I will moan and groan, because of the inconvenience.
But I won't be totally helpless.

Errr... do you think that is why I have frequent maid problems?
They hate working for the WWW - Wicked Witch of the West!!!!

AWOL Maid!

Some people have good luck when it comes to maids. Their maids are almost perfect - they clean well, smart, can cook well, takes care of the kids etc etc.
Me?
Always not very good luck with maids.
My current maid?
Not exactly the best cleaner, do not exactly cook well, nor follow instructions well....
And what's more?
She has gone AWOL.

I wanted to give her the 'sign' with Sis No.2's name to give to my driver tomorrow morning. When I knocked on her room door, there was no answer. I entered her room... Lights on, radio and fan all ON. She was no where in sight. I texted her ....and guessed what she said??
Said she panicked and went home immediately the moment she received a call informing her that her child is ill. She didn't think of coming to inform me! She swore that she was telling the truth..using the usual 'swear to god' baloney. What kind of mother says things like that about their child ah?

H immediately told me to tell her NO need to come back tomorrow!!

Aiya... But knowing me...so forgiving one. My bark is worse than my bite. That's why people take advantage of me......like my kids too! Anyway, back to the maid...H then said if I really don't want to get rid of her, then Give her ONE final warning. If she does it ONE more time, she'll have to go.

I supposed I should just fry her sotong, but then looking for a new maid, training her.....is time consuming and Damn sien, especially I am so busy with the business start-up.
What to do?
The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know!!!

Bleahhhhhhhhh....

Sis No.2 Visiting....

Finally. A guest!

I won't count mom nor dad cause when they come visit, it is because we ask them to.... to babysit the boys when H and I go away.

Sis No. 2 is arriving early tomorrow morning.... at 9.05 am. Unfortunately, I will not be picking her up from the airport. Just sending the driver... He will be holding a sign with her name on it. I have an interview to conduct tomorrow.....

So what have we in store?

Already made an appointment for manicure/pedicure at 1.00 PM and facial at 3.00 PM at my regular places. Initially, wanted to bring her to a Korean spa...but their facial is more for 'relaxation' rather than really for 'cleaning'. Can't save it for another day because she is only staying for two nights.

When mom was here, took her to the Korean spa for a facial... she was pretty impressed with the price. About RM 45 for 1.5 hour facial which included full body massage. So basically, two ladies attend to you. One to massage your face, and the other the body. Yes. Very shiok .... especially when it is soooooooo cheap. The other thing that my friends raved about is the Korean scrub. Apparently, you are really really scrubbed clean. ALL crevices included. My friend said that she had a cultural shock the first time she went.... because you are really really totally stripped naked. Ahem. Ahem. Err... I still have yet to try this one out....

Later...

Really Really ONE Boring Summer

I think this must be the most boring Summer the boys have ever experienced!
All they have been doing is watch TV and play games.
They sleep like at midnight and wake up at 11 am till almost noon!
AIYO!

H tries to get S2 to play some tennis or table tennis. But my S1 is perpertually glued to the screen. I try to get him to do some Math problems .... which of course is not welcomed. :-P
Both of them are too big for the zoo, or the small aquarium or Kidzania.... So how to entertain them? Plus I have been busy with the new business start-up items.

Hopefully, our trip to Bali next week will be an exciting one for the kids... and I was telling H that we shouldn't bring ANY work with us... We just REST REST REST.

Where's my engagement ring?

Actually, I do have an engagement ring.
But... as the years went on, pounds were added on.
And I can no longer wear my engagement ring.
A little sad because I am no longer the sweet and slim chick that I was.
No longer can slip my finger through that sparkling ring....
Who am I kidding?
I was never a sweet slim chick! Hahahaha
I tried ENLARGING the ring, but it is maximised to the max already.
I wonder if H will get me new custom engagement rings... Is there such a thing as buying the wife replacement engagement rings? Or is it a NO NO?

BIG Business

H has an ex-colleague that made it BIG on his own after leaving the corporate world. Shhhh... apparently, it's more of the wife's efforts than his. Anyway, they started a small restaurant business which eventually turned into a multi-million dollar frozen ready-cooked meal business. They were contemplating of exporting their sauces only, and have the meals locally cooked and frozen. I wonder how are they going to do that? Send it out in stainless steel drums? Let me go check the stainless steel drums at drumsofsteel.com.... if that's the way to do it....

Two Weeks Already!

It's been two weeks... and my carpets are still not back yet.
What am I talking about?
I sent three of my carpets out to be cleaned more than two weeks ago, and until today it is still not delivered to my home. Do you think I used the right company to do the job? Perhaps I should have shopped around and contacted carpet cleaning raleigh as well.
But guessed that's too late.
Just hope that my carpets are properly cleaned....and returned.
Better late than never.

One Step Closer....

We are a few steps closer. We have just received our business licenses, which in turn allowed us to open a corporate banking account. And with this done, we have to transfer funds to fulfil the mandatory start-up capital requirements.

What next?
Sign official lease for our shop, get the keys and start the renovations. And then there's the permanent business licence to apply... so on and so forth.
So many things to do.......

Scary yet exciting... Will update again soon!

Cool and Hip!

I think I am at this age in my life that I feel like I need to prove something....
To show that I am still young. Still capable of achieving things. Still hip. :-)
I am even thinking of getting some hip hop clothing! Crazy it may seem to you, but I think the thought of turning FOUR-ZERO has such an effect on one. Suddenly, this year I am doing so many things in my life. A real turning point. Evem something as simple as walking. In the last five years, we never ever walk on the streets. We get chauffered everywhere ... But in the last ten days, we walked here there, everywhere! Then there's me trying to complete my TESOL course. My move. My business. Hopefully, all these activities will keep me young! Or at least make me feel younger???

Low Fat Diet??? NOT!

I was doing so well in recent weeks... eating quite healthily and staying off from fattening foods. But then... the other day, my friend stayed for dinner and she wanted to 'contribute' to the meal. What did she contribute?
Two TUBS of rich creamy imported ice-creams! Couldn't resist and ate two scoops. And the next day, I finished off the remaining tub. Yikes!!!!
Looks like it is time to pop those fat burners!
Otherwise, how to be trim and fit?

Did something that I said I wouldn't do...

What?

What?

What did I do?

Steal? Rob? Kill? Have an affair????

Errr..... NONE of the above...

It's something simple..... like....

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.

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Buying a TV for my maid's room.

I know. I know. No big deal... but I was always against of the maid having the TV in HER room. I mean all along, my maids do have access to a TV, either in the kitchen or in the service area, but my stance was always NEVER in the room. So why the change?

Well, as you know... we now live in an apartment. Naturally, space is a constraint. There's not much space in the kitchen areas.... And surely we don't want her to be watching my cable TV in the hall, right? I supposed you would ask "why must have TV? Don't have cannot meh?". Well, it is quite isolated up here... not like when we lived in Singapore whereby the maids can just pop their heads out of the balcony and talk to the maid next door. Am sure she will be bored till gila - and we don't want her to be gila... that's for sure! Plus the contrast of us living in a house and here is so great in terms of the social aspect. When we lived in a house, she had my driver, gardener (some days), my security guards, not to mention the number of strangers that loiter outside my front gate for conversation. Now? Even my driver is not exactly nearby for her to have a chat. No outlet to b*tC# about the ma'am of hers. Hahahahah...

Thus the need to have a TV.... to de-STRESS. :-)

Want to know what TV we got her?

Well, obviously we wanted to get the cheapest and most basic one... H went to those hypermarkets to look around. And some unheard brands were selling for USD 80. Then we decided to get a USD 110 LG CTV. But when we want to the shop, they were having some mid-year clearance sale.... we ended getting her a USD 130 Panansonic LCD TV. So now, my maid has a canggih TV in her room... Not only that, when we came back... we took one of the boys' old DVD player to give it to her... Hope she will not be watching TV until apa pun donno how to do. Or cannot get up in the morning to work!!!

Whilst I was typing this post, I can almost hear Laundryamah screaming into my ear about me spoiling my maid.... YIKES

Updates.... 20 July 2011

I know that I have not been updating as often as I should. But really been so busy. Or if not that, then so tired. So obviously blogging would be the last thing on my mind.

Almost 3 Weeks into the SUMMER break now, and boys have been literally stuck at home.... cause H and I have been so busy. Had some friends over (errr... actually only 2 sets of friends as EVERYONE is out there enjoying their Summer Holidays except us) last week. We didn't even go out for any movies... not that there's anything to watch because of the stoooooopid boycott. So other than playing games and watching TV until their eyes pop-out, I made the boys do some Math problems on some days. And just the last two days, S1 has been helping out with the layout drawings for my shoplot. He helped to sketch the 3D-drawings on Google Sketchup. Have to say that he is pretty good at it. :-)

We managed to find a shoplot for our business... hopefully it is the RIGHT choice and RIGHT location. Paid the downpayment on Monday.... and have to pay the rest of the rent when we officially sign the lease in about 2.5 week's time. And just had news from our lawyers that business registration is completed, and we can now open a business account...and to deposit the paid-up capital blah blah blah. And I have the contractor going to have a look at the shoplot to give me a quotation. The sketch that was done by S1 will prove to be invaluable, as it will give the contractor an idea on what we want. Hopefully, the costs can be kept down...

On a different note... I itchy-fart told my girlfriends that I will join them for the 10 KM run in Bangkok in November. So gung-ho. Say can have fun, shop, spa, wann-sann and run. How lah? Can I chicken-out? Or must I perservere on and train for it? I've got about 4 months to train for it. A bit scared lah. This morning, I went to play tennis out in the open, and not too long (errr think about 15 minutes or less :-P), I was damn tired and thirsty liow. How to run 10 KM in 2 hours ah? But I must. I must....

A Boring Summer?

SUMMER HOLIDAYS
Boys have been complaining that this Summer is sooooooooo boring. No travels to ANYWHERE.
Are they spoilt or Are they spoilt?
School holidays must go somewhere one meh?

We've been so busy in the last couple of months. So many things to do.. the start-up, moving house, my TESOL course etc. How to plan to go away for a Summer Getaway like usual? Not possible lah. At first, I thought I will send the boys back to PJ with my mom... but then H said that the house (I should say apartment now) would be toooooooooooo quiet without the boys, and he says we would need the constant need of 'scolding them' to break the monotonous mood despite of our busy schedules. Hahhaha.. So boys had to stay put. They were not to happy I have to say.

Parents being parents... we tend to spoil them ... I know I said "School holidays must go somewhere one meh?", and yet I went to book a short 4 night getaway to Bali for early August. YES. Bali again... because we can't getaway for too long, and easy to book. Plus boys look forward to it all the same. H initially thought about Perth. But with Perth, we'll need more days.. plus the flying time... (or rather the connecting at Changi etc). Bali at this time is pretty expensive compared to other months... SUMMER holidays and all. But what to do.... we spoil our kids, right?

NEW HOME
Move and unpacking all done. Did I tell you that they (the movers) had to chop off 3 cm off my dining table legs? They tried and tried to bring it through the door, but they just couldn't. The carpenter was then called upon and off the legs went! But it's okay lah. My dining table was slightly higher than the norm to start with. So it sits pretty well now. Re-upholstered my 6 OLD dining chairs....FINALLY. After donno how many years of saying that I was going to. Thought they were quite reasonable.. Less than 100 ringgit each. Then I asked them to make 2 new chairs (so I have 8 chairs...) ...then my throat almost got cut. But I guessed still okay lah. 350 ringgit per chair. Okay, right?

Everybody is setting in our new home. And with the internet fixed... all is good!
Am happy that things (my furniture, junk etc etc) can fit in quite nicely. Well, I did sell quite a lot of stuff (maid's bed, maid's stove, 2 teak loungers, teak chairs and table, Ikea dining table, a sofa...). I do still need a cupboard though. YIKES! More buying? As if we don't have enough stuff?
When I signed the 'Completed Job' sheet.. saw that we have over 225 boxes (big and small, including sofas and beds). Took the removal company four whole days to pack and move the stuff over. How did we end up with so much stuff, I don't know.
I tell you... really scared of moving!

TESOL COURSE
As for my TESOL course, am working vvvvvverrrrrryyyy slowly. Completing only about a unit per week. To date, already completed 12 units. 8 more to go. Not bad lah hor? More than halfway through! My next unit is the tough one.. ALIEN symbols!
Okay. Not exactly Alien symbols .... but those funny (phonology? Or whatever they call it) symbols that you use for pronunciation. We never learn it, and neither does my children at the British school... So how come we only use it to teach Speakers of Other Languages? Why native speakers do not require them? Mmmmm....

START-UP
We are still looking for a location for our start-up. We have found one that we all liked but the owner might be a problem... telling our assistant that the price is not negotiable, then giving a higher price than what we were told, then the lot is let out already etc etc. We then contacted the agent, and then received an official proposal. So donno lah.. Off to see more shoplots tomorrow...

And once we finalise on the lease, we need to send the renovators in... Lots more to do!

Website is coming on nicely. Still need to purchase photographs, add and edit content, and some bits and pieces here and there.... Met with the website designer yesterday and I could see that he was a bit unhappy when I complained about the drop-down menu. I mean I DO want the drop-down menu, but when I click once on say "Our Services", I expect to see the main page of "Our Services", and I don't want to need to click TWICE. He kept saying drop-down menus are like that. I said if it's really either/or, I will rather have my main "Our Services" page shown than the drop-down menu. He was like "you want this menu, now you don't want this. Drop down menus are complicated to make blah blah blah ". I got a bit cheesed-off and then said "that's why I am engaging your services right? If I don't need all these fancy things like drop-down menus, I could design my own website like what you saw before" and proceeded to show the simple yet workable website that I made with Joomla. Lucky the 'manager' was more sik-chou and he said "yeah yeah".

Still so much to do... instead of one step at a time, think need to accelerate a bit liow....

Yippeee! We are finally connected!

I have to say that we did feel a little 'DISCONNECTED' the last 12 days with no internet connection. Yup. You read correct TWELVE DAYS! Enough to sing the TWELVE days of Christmas countless times!!

Why took so long? Well,... I tried to save some money by going direct to the provider... so lots of phone calls to them and speaking to operators who repeats like a parrot. Turns out that this whole area is 'monopolised' by a "middleman" and I can't go direct. So...what to do, have to get them to come and install the cable TV and the internet. So, once I sign on the dotted line, they had to send me the invoice and we have to PAY before they arrange for installation. But once payment is made... service very fast lah. They came immediately the next day (ie yesterday) to fix the lines. So here we are... CONNECTED!!!

My 'LABEL" still reads 'House and Garden' and I no longer in a house and no longer have a garden. So how? Must change new label ah? No need lah hor?????

Mobile Batteries....

Nobody really talks about their mobile batteries.... yet it is the very heart of what makes a mobile work! I guess the only thing that gives the humble mobile battery a worthy mention (or not!!!) is when we blurt out "My battery is dead!". You would think... "Poor batteries. You give all you have ... and nobody notices you until you run out of juice!"
Oh well... that is the LIFE of a battery, I guess.
Speaking of batteries, I think H's Samsung Galaxy needs to have its batteries replaced soon. Know where I can get the cheapest and best samsung mobile batteries?

Why the weight gain?

I seriously do not understand how I could so quickly gain back the 2 kgs that I lost. I admit that I haven't been to the gym for about 3 weeks..... packing, moving and then unpacking takes the toll on one, you know! So with things (i.e. the move, the unpacking etc... not other stuff) more settled, I am determined to lose the weight gain. I have begun going to the gym to build up fitness and to tone those flabby arms. But to be able to see the results QUICK, I need to supplement with some Diet pills that work fast. Come On! Lose the weight, GIRL!!!

I'm Loving It!

Sounds like McDonald's advertisement.... but I'm pretty happy with our new pad. It is really totally different from living in a house. The convenience is really such a BIG plus. We can pop down to the gym anytime we want. Supermarket (very well-stocked with imported goods) is just next door... and there is a small food court, bakery, kuih stall, pau stall. Also a little cafe, hair salon, LaMien place, laundry etc. Not to mention another food court across the road. And Starbucks too! Thought that I would need a fair bit to Starbucks... then I saw the GREEN parasol-like thingy from my living room balcony. WEI?? Just opposite wor.... Green Tea Frappucino with Whipped Cream... YUM YUM.

And what's more... few big malls are 5-10 minutes walk.

Mom certainly is quite pleased that she doesn't have to worry about the traffice when she comes to babysit the boys.

I really like the idea of NOT having to rely on the driver to take me to the grocery store or the laundry or wherever.

The real test? When school reopens and the boys have to get to-and-from school! See if they will complain till the cows come home. Why? We are now slightly further from school than before...

Bus will come 15 minutes earlier...

We'll see....

NEW PAD!

We are now officially living in our new pad!
After 5 years in a landed property, we are now on the 11th floor of an apartment building right smack in the city. And we are all loving it. The convenience is great... supermarket next door, food courts and restaurants a stone's throw away and I can see Starbucks from my balcony. Errr... hope I will not be putting weight from the Green Tea Frappucinos with whipped cream!
Few complaints though... Okay. Not exactly complaints. Just need to get used to the idea of less space for hanging out my laundry in the sun... and the need to jump up to get my clothes!
Why?
Well, the wardrobe hangers are pretty high, and because we do not have any step stools, I literally had to jump up to get my clothes! And mind you, I'm not exactly a short gal.

I need to get a metal step stool that not only serves the purpose but look good as well....

New York Pad...

Did I tell you that my husband for a thing for New York City? He feels that he needs to go to NYC every single year. I'm sure that many people do too.... but we live on the other side of the globe and I certainly do not fancy flying 20 over hours all the way to NYC! Perhaps when we are old and grey, we might get a small place in upstate New York or Connecticut... close to NYC and perhaps more affordable. A plus point would be a small garden for my little grandchildren to run free... Better have the numbers of swing set installation new york companies handy!