Updates....4 May 2008

This had been a very very busy week.

Started Monday with yoga and cross-training in the gym in the morning. Then went home, shower, had my lunch, and then out again to do my weekly grocery shopping. Got home, instructed maid on the night's dinner, and then took kids to their mandarin class. Managed to have a foot reflex whilst waiting for kids to finish their mandarin class.

Tuesday... I went to school for a parenting workshop in the early morning. Then to my scrapbooking group till about noon. Brought one of the scrappers to a scrapping shop for supplies. Bought some papers myself (err...have to say that scrapbooking is not a cheap pastime!!!! Spent about USD 65 there. Aduh!) Rushed to my long overdue facial appointment. Face was like a pimple plantation. Yes...this NomadicMom is still soooo youthful that she still sprouts pimples... ;-P By the time I got home, it was 4 ish. Kids were already home. As usual, had to scream at them to have their homework done etc...

Wednesday... Had to go to the driving range to practise my shots. H made bookings for us to play on Thursday with two of his colleagues....and he told them that I was a PRO! Aiyo....give me pressure only. So, in the AM, went to hit 100 balls...and thereafter, I met with some ladies for bowling and lunch. Did some shopping (had to buy a few things at the optical shop and the pharmacy) and then for my mani/pedi. Only went to do the mani/pedi because had to wait for H to pick him up (as you know...only 1 driver and 1 car)... The rain in the evening was soooooo bad that I was literally stuck at the same spot for at least 30 minutes before we managed to inch forward. Got home just in time to watch my 8.30 pm show on Wah Lai Toi. H and I actually ate our dinner in front of the TV in my room. :-)

Thursday... We picked up one of H's colleague at 10.30 am... and headed to the golf course. Again, jam on the highway. At first, thought it was because of the mass exodus of people getting out of the city during the holiday...but turned out there was an accident. Had a light lunch before we teed off at 1 pm. My first two holes was BAD....and it didn't help with H ngam-ngam-cham-cham about my swing and my putting. The middle bits was quite alright. Hit quite a few good shots. The last few holes...I played badly. Waa...d@mn tiring man. Never played 18 holes before. Always just 9 so far. The last hole, I couldn't really see my ball. It was like so dark already. When we finished the final 18 hole, it was almost 6 PM. Cialatt man.. we played for almost 5 hours!!! No lah.. Not that because we were bad but because the course was pretty full...holiday and all. Oh...one thing about this golf course is that ALL the caddies are females. And somehow, I think it must be a prerequisite that they have LONG hair. So it's quite weird to see these female caddies with their long hair (not tied up, mind you!!) flowing down their backs, and heavily mascara-ed eyes! According to H, these girls are give a small sum every month for their beauty works!!! No wonder the guys like to play at this course!! ;-P

Friday... was hoping to veg out at home but had to be a GOOD mommy. T and his brother were gonna go ice-skating, and their mom S asked if I would like to bring my boys... so, I did lor... Took boys ice-skating and then followed by a movie. What did we watched?

FORBIDDEN KINGDOM starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Alright only, if you asked me...but the kids enjoyed this show tremendously. S2 laughed soooo hard that I am sure the whole theatre heard him. (Actually, about a few weeks back, we mistook another show for this one. We went to watch the THREE KINGDOMS starring Andy Lau and Sammo Hung. Alamak! It was in mandarin. Luckily, I could understand... H and S2 was totally BLURR!!! )

Saturday ...YIPPEE!! I finally could stay at home and VEG out!!! Woke up late, and slept in the afternoon too!!! Watched a new series that H bought. Ahhhhh...sheer bliss...

Sunday... We went for tennis in the morning, came home. Showered and then rushed out to the mall to catch the IRON MAN in the cinema. Came home...veg out some more...and then left kids with the maid. H had to meet one of his partners for work. I tagged along. Not for the meeting...but because I wanted to buy a couple of things at the mall, plus the World Bowling Ranking Championship was going on and I wanted to go kepoh. Saw Shalin Zulkifli bowled in the quarter-finals. She lost to her Latvian competitor. Waaa...really so close. She won the first game, lost the second game. The third was the deciding one....it was right up to the 10th frame! In the end, she was defeated. 183 to 189. So close!!! The other Malaysian lady, Wendy Chai got into the semi-finals. As for men's, Zulkifli (no relation to Shalin. I kepoh and asked their manager...I was standing next to him, and kepoh-ed lah...) got through too. The semi-finals and finals will be tomorrow.

Better Golf Clubs?

Went to the driving range with a girlfriend this morning.... Saw that she could hit quite well. Looked at her set of clubs. It was of the same brand as mine, but of a different model. Thought to myself...."is she really good or could it be that her clubs are better?". Well, you see...when I bought my clubs, I chose the CHEAPEST set that was available, which means that it is also the most basic set. Now, I'm thinking if I should have bought something better. Maybe I'll change to a set of Callaway irons in a couple of months. As for the driver, wonder if I could use H's Big Bertha.

Valentine's Day Bleah!

Valentine's Day started early...i.e. yesterday. I decided that we should eat out a day earlier rather than the day proper.
Why?
Easier to get seats...cheaper???
So I left boys at home with the maid, and went downtown to pick H from work. He was still stuck in a meeting so I went to Starbucks for a cup of coffee and waited for about 45 minutes. H was finally done and we went to a place called The Nine Muses. Had the foie gras as starter followed by seared scallops. The foie gras dish was so-so. I didn't like the too vinegary sauce. Scallops also so-so only. Dinner was quick. Think we were out of the place within an hour....just as the music guy started to play the piano. H was tired and wanted to go home and sleep!!! Go to this kind of dining place must enjoy right? Not like kuan-suei-loke-kiok (boiling water scald leg??) like that... So anyway..that was our dinner.

Then today... after boys left for school, we went to the golf course for a romantic round of golf. NOT!!! We ended arguing!! Started off with H's commenting about my golf. Then went on about other things. I mean you can take it abit...but go on and on SURE will upset me what. Plus the weather was not helping. Rained quite heavily in between. We abandoned play completely after the 6th hole. Rain did stop and H asked if I wanted to play the 9th. Already so maang already. Sure donwan to play lah. Supposed to be fun but turned out REAL BLEAH!!

Yes. I'm still quite upset... BLEAH

Ladies Day....

Hubbies off to work.

Kids off to school.

And us ladies off to the golf course.

Well, it's Ladies Day at the PI Golf Course today....and next week, kids will be FULL-TIME with us (last day of school is this Friday, 14th Dec)....so my girlfriends and I had to seize the opportunity. I guessed the other expat wives/moms are also thinking the same thing. The course was rather packed. Flights in front and back of us.

But BOO-HOO-HOO... I played like crap today!!! Really really bad. Worse than the first time. Worse than when I first started at the driving range. WHY??? HOW COME??

My girlfriends said that I expected too much, and gave myself too much pressure. I donno... but how to go for a GOLF & DIVING HOLIDAY with H??? Was thinking of going to Krabi after the PD trip. Now, with my golf like donno-what, how? How? How? So... gonna go to the driving range to sort out whatever that needs to be sorted out this Friday. *sigh* :-(

We had lunch at the clubhouse today rather than going to the nearby mall. Was just too lazy to get up from the chair after our usual iced-lemon teas... Felt really really lazy and needed some pampering after the $h!tty game. Called my usual spa but they were fully-booked. So thought that I'll try another. Went to the Harnn & Tharn Spa near to my house. The decor is more modern minimalist as compared to the traditional woody look of my usual spa. I forgot to take picture BEFORE my treatment. So this pix is after...hence the yucky dirty used towel on the bed.

What did I do? Had a scrub, massage and a facial. The scrub and massage was quite good. But the facial was LOUSY lah. All-in-all, my 2 1/2 treatment costs about RM 200/-. Had a 25% discount for the scrub and massage with my credit card. A bit geram that the LOUSY facial had NO discount!

But I still think my usual spa is better. Cheaper summore. Also, I notice that these fancy spas (including The Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel) does not massage the boobies, as compared to the local traditional spas. The local ones also massage the stomach more thoroughly... I know some of you are gonna go "Eeeeewww...massage boobies!!".. Heeeheeee

Anyways, my skin was "pakk-shoot-shott, watt-loot-loot" (white white, smooth smooth) after the spa session. But then also no use...no one to appreciate as H is en-route to Europe :=(

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...*

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...

Our First Time!

"Tai Yat Chee".......

Very "sum chaer" people will think "tai yat chee do yiar"???" BUT of course being the sweet innocent girl that I am, I do not mean that. What I meant was OUR first time at the GOLF COURSE! YAY!!!!

It was Ladies' Day on Wednesday (yesterday), so two girlfriends (W and L) and I went to the Golf Course for the very first time. We have had about 8 lessons with the Golf-Pro already, and I felt that we MUST go out to the course liow. What for wait and wait , and continue hitting at the carpet at the driving range? Go out and do the real thing lah! So....off we went....dragging our Golf-Pro with us. Of course must pay him lah... But overall, including green fees, buggy, caddy and Golf-Pro fees...we paid about USD 55/- each. Okay lah..

Anyway, our tee off time was at 8.00 AM (Our hubbies were like "huh? 8 AM too late. Should tee off at about 6 AM or something". Aiya... we where will wake at 4.30 AM for golf one??? Seow meh?).... and at the counter, the lady asked "Do you need a buggy?". I didn't answer and paused abit, L immediately piped in and said "Of course need a buggy! Why you must think so long?" ...hahaha... so, we took the buggy...and only paid for the 9-hole. I was contemplating of the 18 hole, cause only another USD 6 for the additional 9-holes. But my friend stopped me lah..

First hole, we already like Seow Char-boh.. laughing and all. And there was a flight in front of us. Our Golf-Pro was quick to quiet us, and educate us Sua-Koo ladies the first etiquette of golf...ie. KEEP QUIET when there are people teeing-off. hahahah...

Me very GUNG-HO was the first to tee-off Surprisingly, it didn't look bad! In fact, it looked quite impressive! Then L started to say "Si lah. Si lah. Pressure me. Give me stress only." hahaha...She was so nervous that when it was her turn, she missed the ball, cangkul the grass and the golf club flew to the back. Luckily we were standing quite far away. The guffaws were unevitable!!! kekekeke... But after that, she did calm down, and did hit decently.

Overall, I think we did fairly well for the first outing on the golf course. I lost a few balls into the river though. The male caddy (whom I have to say was quite good. Telling me which direction, helping me locate the balls, advising on the way I should hit..... we were saying that these days, most courses have replaced with female caddies who only POSE rather than help with the game. But guys don't care lah...but we ladies of course want good caddies rather than Heow-Pohs what!!) chose my clubs for me, and wanted to be safe. Gave me a 7-iron so that ball will just land before the river. But you know STRONG POWDERFUL SUPERWOMAN like me, hit so hard and the ball went into the river.

My girlfriends? At hole-6, there was mention of stopping...and After hole-7, they were negotiating one take hole-8 and the other hole-9. In the end, they didn't finish the last hole, which was a Par 5. Me? Did quite well at the last hole, if I must say!! Can't wait to go AGAIN!!!!

Pink Ladies?

No lah. Am not trying to be like Michelle Pheiffer in Grease.

Bought a pair of Mizuno PINK golf shoes that was on sale few weeks back. Am not really into pink, but thought the pink golf shoes look kinda cute, and matches my pink gloves. I bought my gloves first...actually wanted to have a black or grey pair. But the choices for ladies were limited, so was somewhat "forced" to purchase a pink pair. But after using it for a couple of months, pink is quite becoming.

Anyway, wore PROPER golf shoes for the first time on Friday, and hit a 130 yard. I was pretty PLEASED! And you know what my instructor said? He said it's because I am wearing proper shoes now and NOT SHOPPING SHOES! Heheeh.. Previously, I kept on wearing my Timberland walking shoes lah..which he took a look and poo-pooed it. Aiya.. I have to wait for SALE ma.....

Anyway, this is the view from Bay No. 50 at the Driving Range...

Taking Up Golf. Seriously!

Okay! You heard about my first golf lesson. Well, I've gone for my second lesson on Friday. And what's more? H has been very supportive, and bought me this golf set yesterday (Sunday). It was on sale.... he asked me to choose.... Not many choices for ladies' clubs. But there was Titleist, Mizuno and Wilson. I have to say the Mizuno ones looked and felt the best. But it was also TRIPLE the price of the Wilson ones. Me...a beginner...and kiamsiap type, of course chose teh Wilson lah...

Later, we both went to the driving range. I have to say that I abit tension in the beginning. Cause takut H ngam-ngam-cham-cham about my swings. I warned him NOT to correct my swings and leave it to my golf pro. He did behaved well lah.. But then, I had to say that my swings are not too bad :-)

Hit about 60 balls vs. H's 40 balls. Halfway through, I was not hitting well and H said "come and rest and have a drink lah. Why are you like a machine gun?" hahahah... Have to say that after the rest, I was more composed and hit much better... had a few very clean shots. I was kinda pleased with myself!!! :-)

Can't wait for my next lesson!

First Golf Lesson

This morning was my first ever golf lesson....

Happily took out my Reebok trainers (which has been in storage for 3 or 4 years???), wore it and discovered that the shoe somehow had shrunk away from the rubber base. See the photo? It's about 6 mm difference! The front of the shoe base was also peeling off. What to do?? Still had to wear it what. Have no other trainers. Can't exactly wear my open-toed sequined sandals to the driving range, right?

Somehow ah..I seem to be able to hit better when taught by a stranger. I remember when H used to teach me....aiyo...sure end up bergaduh one. The golf pro says I not flexible wor... so, have to twist twist the waist with the guide of a basketball as homework!! Next lesson is next Friday...and he says we can practise on the green! Can't wait!