Huge Appetite

Joel is a growing boy. I can remember when I was that age, I used to eat quite a bit too.


But.


Even Ethaniel eats like a growing boy and he has another 5 more years to catch up to Joel.


Sigh.


The thing about the place we are staying, its so convenient to access food. The bread man comes on a motorcycle every evening and stops in front of our house (I made a big mistake by telling him to do so every evening).


Shops are 5 mins walk away.


The freezer and fridge are stocked with food.

Both of this boys ate up 4 butter bread and 3 chocolate bread after a full dinner last night!!!


Joel has started swimming at a local club. He swims 40 laps, does 60 push-ups and 40 sit ups. And he eats like a horse each time he returns from his swim.


Did I hear someone say that there is an economic crisis happening? How do you feed 2 growing boys with a single income? Looks like I have to start looking for a part-time job and that money will be just about sufficient to support their monthly food intake.


There is a bottom-less pit somewhere hiding in their belly.

Ethaniel was skype-ing with his good friend Josh who is currently residing in Bangkok, Thailand.


It was really funny listening to this little boy talking non-stop for 30 mins. He doesn't seem to run out of questions!! Hmm.... I wonder who he inherited this trait from... *feeling guilt*


Josh, when are you visiting us?


Do you know that I have a nerf gun?


You can buy it at Toy R Us, you know?


Uncle, when are you visiting us?


I am taking a photo of you now.


yada yada yada


yada yada yada

I can just imagine myself in the future.... Sitting on my comfortable rocking chair, sipping lemonade, my feet up on a fluffy pillow and talking on the phone with Ethaniel.


How are you Mum?


Do you know that the weather here is cold.


I have met new friends and they are Billy, Silly and Dilly.


It sure will be nice to have you, my Princess here with me.


I love you so much, Mummy.


yada yada yada


yada yada yada



We will be chatting away till the midnight, just talking about nothing. My son, the chatter box, chattering away with his little ole Mummy.

Sleepover, Ice Skating & Fun

My nephew and niece came over to stay during their school holidays. This is their first time sleeping over at our place. Previously we stayed at their home, twice, so they got used to us. That was when we returned from Bangkok for holidays. So, this was a good thing because none of them made any fuss. Even the little girl.


Incidentally we were invited by a friend who was celebrating her son's 6 years old birthday, who decided to have it at Sunway Pyramid, Ice Skating. We have been to the ice skating in Bangkok various times but not the one at Sunway Pyramid.


Eventhough it's advertised to be the biggest in Malaysia, its still half the size of the one in Bangkok. Still enjoyable, I must say.

Timmy was extremely brave eventhough its his first time ice skating

I can't believe this! She is so gung-ho that she will just hold on to the side and walk around the rink without help

Joel's new friend

Everyone freezing... Ethaniel didn't want to play... There was once that he fell badly while skating in Bangkok. So, paranoia rules!

The children enjoyed themselves immensely. I promise to come back on another day when its not this crowded. A weekday will be nicer.

1st Month Anniversary

Today is the 1st month Anniversary of returning to Malaysia and having left Thailand.


So fast the time passed.


We are doing OK, I think.


Just a little recollection....


25 Feb - Returned to Malaysia and stayed at my bro-in-law's place


1 March - Stayed at my Mum's place


5 March - Moved into our new rented home


7 March - The Movers came and unpacked Part 1


11 March - The Movers came to unpack Part 2


Since then, settling in....

My Paternal Grandmother

My paternal Grandmother passed away on 25 March 2009, at 10am.


She died peacefully in her sleep. At a ripe old age of 92 years old. She leaves behind many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.


I can remember vividly when I was young, she letting me eat the fruits which she offered to her gods. She was a staunch Buddhist. The apples were usually soft and no longer crunchy. But I still enjoyed it nevertheless.


Good bye, Grandma.


May you rest in peace.

Horn! Horn!

I officially received my first horn while trying to park this morning.


I was trying to reverse my car into a carpark. I probably took 15 seconds to do it. Immediately was horned by the car waiting and then a cold stare by the passenger.


I have experienced extreme patience for the last 3 years in Thailand. Nobody horns anyone for parking there. People might even stop to help you direct your parking. But not horn. The downside of that is... everyone takes their time on the road :-) People stop their car in the middle of the road, walk out and try to pay for parking ticket! I experienced it personally. I was too shocked to horn.


We have a private joke in Thailand whenever we hear someone horn on the road. We will usually comment, "That's a Malaysian lah"



Can't get the best of both worlds.

Toilets

Public toilets in Malaysia are known for being horrible, dirty and smelly. Arrgghhh!!!


I went to a restaurant during the weekend. The food was good, the place was cool looking but the toilet was horribly dirty! What was worst, Ethaniel had to do a poo-poo there. Eeewww! I had no choice but to help him. Motherhood. We should be paid more! No, no. Let me rephrase. We should be paid!!!


When I was came out from the toilet I couldn't resist approaching the Owner to give him a piece of my mind. Mostly what I thought about his filthy toilet.


Me: Boss, your toilet very dirty lah


Owner: Today, so busy. Didn't have time to wash.


Me: *wide eyed in disbelief* Your toilet looks like not washed for a year lah. Not one day. So much of slime on the floor and walls.


Owner: No lah... Busy lah... *sheepish smile*


Me: *walk away feeling like throwing up*


Help me, we need to give toilet-washing lessons!!!

Thank You, God

I would like to Thank God for the following....

1. I have internet!!!!
2. I am not missing Thai food, badly.
   
3. The children managed to trap a huge rodent which was eating my bananas, Maggi Mee, rice, etc. Drowned the fella too...
4. The new car arrived 2 days ago!
5. Before the new car arrived, Angeline, a friend so generously lent us her car.
6. The boxes are 80% unpacked.
7. The children are enjoying church.
8. The new neighbor moved in today. At least the children can now practice talking Bahasa Malaysia with them or the neighbors get to practice their English with us... Hmm...
9. Hubby enjoying his work.
10. Managed to catch up with our ex-cell group members.
11. It takes 10 mins to get to church. Yippee!
12. No Bangkok traffic jam!
13. I will be getting part-time jobs!
14. Managed to get domestic help once-a-week.
15. The Syabas (Water Works) contractor was so prompt in repairing the water pipes. I called in the evening and they were here early morning the next day. That's a miracle!
    
16. Enjoyed a family get-together on Saturday.
17. I can understand everybody around me and does not have to struggle to comprehend Thai.
18. There are many more homeschoolers in Malaysia.
19. My nephew, Timmy & niece, Stef came over for sleepover. Had heaps of fun with the boys.
    
20. I can eat Malaysian food everyday!!!

So, Thank You, God for a good start and looking forward to more things to be thankful for.

Internet-Less

I have been internet-less since 5 March 09 when I got the keys to our new rented home.


This is the first time in the last 3 years which I have been internet-less for such a long time.


Eventhough I missed blogging but the tiredness of unpacking, sorting, clearing, cooking, cleaning, cycling in the park with Ethaniel, walking-while-Joel-and-Ethaniel cycle sessions, laundry, organising activities e.g. swimming, English, Science, Piano, Mandarin, art class, gymnastic, robotic.... out of breath.... classes has kept me busy. I am planning for April 2009 to start all those activities for the children.


By the end of everyday, I am pooped.


I am at the Mamak shop having roti canai and teh tarik... They have free wifi. So, I thought I send some update...


Honestly, the first few days, I must have experienced withdrawal symptoms due to lack of blogging ....

Malaysian Food

Actually I have been eating so much of Malaysian food since I returned but have not posted any photos on the blog.


You see.... I am sensitive to the feelings of my Malaysian / Singaporean friends who are currently still stuck in Thailand. I know how awful it is to see the pictures of char kueh teow, chee cheong fun, satay, curry laksa, hokkien mee... etc. and cannot taste it. Saliva drooling.


The prices of hawker food varies greatly depending on location. Kota Damansara is expensive. RM5 per bowl of curry laksa. Whilst in Klang its RM3.50 per bowl.


Maybe later, I promise to post some but at this time, too busy eating, running around.

My Boring Daily Stuffs

Photo taken at Koh Tao Island in Thailand

I am not sure what happened to me but I had sore throat and my body ached for the last few days.


I was really tired... but still I had to fetch hubby to work every morning at 7.30am *wiping sweat off forehead* and will usually reach home by 9.30am. Then to pick him up at about 4.45pm to be able to get there on time and trying to beat the traffic.


Sometimes the traffic is amazingly clear and other days it's really congested!


I need to stay healthy, have got heaps of things to do before our goods arrive from Bangkok this coming weekend. Yippee! Can't wait to settle into our own home, again.


Hey, you Bangkokian friends who is reading this blog.... I miss you....

At Work, Again!

After being retrenched for a total of 4 months, hubby started work today. That is a whole quarter of a year!


We are currently without transport, so, my Mum has been kind enough to offer her car. So, I sent Hubby to work at around 7.30am. The traffic is bad! It took us 45 mins to reach the office and since we had 30 mins to spare, we had breakfast at a nearby restaurant. Roti canai and teh tarik. A common breakfast for Malaysians.


Hubby is excited to be working again. I am sure. Its strange to be on vacation for such a long period of time. Too much of something is never a good thing.


I cannot imagine what its like to be retired. Who came up with such a lousy idea? Have you ever thought about it?


My personal opinion is, we should have a job and enjoying life all at the same time. Yes, we work and then we also should have time off to enjoy life with the people we love. Rather than having such an unbalanced life of too much work or too much free time. And then do this for the rest of our lives.


I cannot imagine myself being "retired" and not having anything meaningful to do. It's too scary a thought.


Does the bible talk about being retired and not doing anything? Hmm.... not that I know. So, if its not biblical, who came up with the idea?


Anyone knows?


As far as I know, an idle mind is a devil's workshop.