The Joy of Being an Aunt

Little Baby JA

I don't come from a big family. Just 4 siblings inclusive of myself.


The siblings are quite scattered.... Australia, Singapore, Malaysia & Bangkok (me).


Its difficult to have a proper "sibling reunion" when everyone is not in the same country, having work & family commitments and schedule arrangements.


Every time my sister from Australia returns to Malaysia for a holiday, we try to get together. The last one was just about a month ago. I guess I just had to find excuse to go back to Malaysia ;-). The get-together this time was a little different. We have a latest addition to the family ... a baby. My elder brother's first child. I must admit that she is absolutely adorable! Unlike her Daddy... she is contented, humble, unassuming, low profile, cute and lovable.


It was great to hold my little niece, JA.


For one, I can cuddle, play, tease and laugh with her and yet when she was hungry, dirty and grumpy, I just passed it back to her parents.


The joy of being an Aunt.

Recovery of The Expensive Camera - Part 2

A few weeks ago I shared about loosing and then recovering an expensive camera. To read that story, go here.


Well, this is what happened at the other end ....


Alan (who returned our camera) came back from work that evening. He has a parking lot located just in front of the main block corridor. So, each time he goes to his car and to the lift, he needs to pass this bench, THE bench which hubby left his camera bag.


He saw the camera bag.


He passed the camera bag.


He saw the camera bag, again for the 2nd time because he had to go back to his car.


He passed the camera bag, again for the 2nd time....


He saw the camera bag, again for the 3rd time because he had to go back to his car to retrieve something.


He passed the camera bag.


Now he is curious.


He stopped and picked up the camera bag to inspect it. After some investigative work and yet unable to determine the owners.... He returned to his condominium.


He went into the lift and met Daniel, my neighbor.


He asked Daniel if he owned the camera. Voila!! That's how it all connect back to us... I called Daniel earlier to look for the camera for me.


Is it a coincidence?


I bet you, it isn't.


More like an answer to our prayers.

Hanging Out At The Mamak Stall

Malaysia is well known for its "Mamak Stall" culture.


Going back to Malaysia, I was dying to hang out for some "teh tarik" and "nasi lemak".


I was introduced to a "nasi lemak panas" along Jalan 222, near Hino building by my good friend, CH. The road is dark and deserted but upon approaching the stalls, it was crowded! On a Thursday night at 11pm, there was hardly any seats.


Going there again for the 2nd time on a Friday at about 11pm too. It was overwhelmingly busy and tables were set up on the sides of the street. Wow!

CH trying to pose some position for Ethaniel's camera shots

Everyone amused... JL, YY & YP

The delicious "nasi lemak"

Is this delicious or what? Nasi lemak and Milo ice

Sunway Lagoon with Sister & Family

Without a trip to Sunway Lagoon, the Waterpark & Themepark in Subang Jaya - a Malaysian trip will not be complete. So on 16 July 2008, Wednesday, we had to go.


The thing about going to places like this, you need to go with fun people. Those crazy ones who is willing to do anything for a scare... Obviously I have found it in my nephew and my sons. Actually I am pretty proud of Joel. He seems to be game for all the scary rides. I was like that too when I was young. It looks like Ethaniel is also similar.... This trip he was able to go on most of the rides in the wet park.

Sitting on the Cowboy Boot

KL and Joel

My sis, KW (my nephew) and Ethaniel

Ethaniel went on the slide, far right. 5-6 times! After the 3rd time, I was tired. So, KW (older nephew) took him



Magic carpet - Ethaniel's favorite slide! It was fun...




Fun water slides




Ending the Sunway Lagoon outing with an ice-cream... He and his sweet tooth


Everyone tired and ready to go home... Fun but tiring day!

The fun thing about the whole outing was the fun company. Everyone went on the slides and no one was allowed to be "Chicken" eventhough my sister admitted at one point during the initial part of the outing that she felt that.


We laughed, played and felt we were kids again that day.... My, the joy of childhood.

Get-Together With Old Friends from BFC

Just before I left for Bangkok, 2.4 years ago, I was working with a football centre in Subang Jaya, Malaysia.


Everytime I return to Malaysia, that is if its not a short hurry trip, I will surely have a get together with them. In the last 2.4 years, we have had 3 get-togethers, including the last one on 13 July 2008, Sunday.

We had delicious Malaysian food and heaps of laughter, fun and updates on the latest happenings.

A big "Thank You" to AS for organising the get-together and of course allowing us to use her home.

Coach V (Brazilian), Judy, David, daughter, Nicholas, Coach Lama (Brazilian), me & AS

The students and parents are close to me. Actually, they are a great bunch of people whom I had grown to enjoy and love. Jokes and laughters are common while we get together. I have known some of them since the day they enrolled into the centre... almost 4-5 years ago.


This last get-together coincided with one of the family migrating to Australia, David & family. All the best to you, David!

Brazil Football Centre parents

Our Condominium Is Sold!

Its a mixed feeling....


After putting up our condo for sale for almost 4 years now, someone has at last fallen in love with it enough to purchase it.


We moved into this condo, our 2nd property in the year 2000. The location was good, situated in the middle of Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Its very central. Easy access to Klang, Kuala Lumpr, Puchong, Bandar Utama and Damansara.


Since I returned to Malaysia, one week ago, I was concerned that the condo has been vacant since 1.5 months. The previous tenant left. So, I contacted a real estate agent. In fact, within 2 days, she brought someone to view and it was probably love at first sight. There was chemistry and in the next few days, the buyer confirmed the purchase.


There was joy and sadness at the same time.


In this home....


Ethaniel was born and grew up....


Joel slept all by himself .....


I stopped my full-time employment and became a homemaker ....


..... so many many more memories.....


It all happened pretty fast....


I contacted the agent sometime on 10 July, by 12 July, she had someone seeing the place and on the same day, he offered to buy it. In the next few days, he paid up the 2% deposit. The rest is history.

I am so grateful that in my last trip to Malaysia, I stayed at the condo for 2 weeks. I have not been back there since 2.4 years ago. Its nice to have said a last "Goodbye" ....

Where Is The Camera Bag???!!!!

Its always a nightmare when traveling and having misplaced a luggage. Of course, its not worst than loosing your passport. That would be the ultimate NIGHTMARE.


Anyway, today, we experienced the 2nd worst nightmare.... misplacing a bag. A very expensive, camera bag.


We realised this missing bag when we arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Aaarrrggghhhh!!!!! An hour after we left our accommodation. That's an awfully long time.


Panic! Panic! Panic!


Everyone tensed.


Joel and I started to pray. To ask God to help us find the camera... or to convict the person who found it to return it back to us. In fact, Joel started praying way before I asked him. Quietly sitting down and praying. After that Ethaniel and hubby prayed.


I also prayed that God will use this incident to show to the children that He is a prayer answering God. That nothing is too difficult for Him and that He is able to do the almost impossible stuffs. A miracle!


Tracing back our thoughts, we realised that we did leave it behind. We did not take it to the Airport!


Trying to see who would be able to assist us.... We made a few calls.... To Daniel - my neighbour, Siew Mei - the minimart owner, my sister-in-law and my brother-in-law.


Everyone was so kind as to assist by going to the location to look for the item. Unfortunately, it was no longer there. Sigh. Since the RM3,000 (THB30,000 / USD1,000) camera belonged to my hubby... He was obviously the saddest person to receive the news.


It was really difficult to see him sad, frustrated, upset and disappointed.... All I could do was to give him a hug and told him that on the bright side, he will get a new camera!!! It didn't really help to cheer him up, though....


About 30 mins before boarding, we received a call from Daniel, my neighbour and said that someone by the name of Alan found the bag! Incidentally they were in the same lift together. Alan asked Daniel if he loss the camera and Daniel explained that it wasn't him but his neighbour. That's when we asked my brother-in-law, Kerwin to contact Alan to regain possession of the camera.


I was jumping for joy!!!!


God is good!!!


Thank God for honest people like Alan!!! Thank you, Alan!


Thank God for good and helpful neighbours like Daniel!!!! Thank you, Daniel!


Thank you Kerwin for collecting it back!!!

Hubby with his beloved camera

Joel said this while we were waiting for our flight (after the incident but before we recovered the camera)....


...."Usually when trials happen, its when God wants to teach us something"


Hmm... bulls-eye, my son! Children often has Words of Wisdom to teach us adults.


I think all of us learned various lessons today. But the greatest of them is that my children see with their own eyes that God is an ever present help in times of trouble and that we can go to Him for help and He WILL help. That is a more powerful lesson that 300 bible study put together.

Arrived Home Safely

We touched down at about 9.20pm.


The flight was smooth and there was no turbulence, eventhough Joel commented that he would like to experience one... some time...


The Flight Attendants were friendly, as expected of Thai Airways.


The food was OK... I had rice with fish. The children and hubby had noodles with chicken.


The airport is not overcrowded.


Queue at the immigration was not too long.


I am back home now... Yes. Home sweet home...

8 July 2008, Tuesday (Malaysia Trip - Day 2)

We made a trip to visit my elder brother. You know, the one whom I blogged about a few months ago. His wife has just given birth to a baby girl.

Other than visiting his little baby girl, we had food in mind. Bah Kut Teh. Its a pork stew dish, very famous in Klang. Happens to be Ethaniel's favorite too. Actually, Joel and I love it too.... especially me.... So, I just have got to have it!!

All of us at the restaurant

We picked KL, my nephew from Subang Jaya and head towards Klang. We were not disappointed, the food was good. After brunch, the children spent the afternoon watching Kung Fu Panda DVD.

From left: Joel, Ethaniel, Mom, J.A. (my niece) and KL (my nephew)

My elder brother, the dotting Daddy

Bah Kut Teh, the pork stew dish... Oooohhh.... Yummy!!!

The new shopping centre, AEON Jaya Jusco was around the corner, so, we headed there to do some window shopping around 4pm.


Later, we had dinner with my parents at a function invited by a friend. Going into the 3rd dish, I saw the guy next to me lighted a cigarette and puffing away. I am a little paranoid about smoking. Cannot stand the smell. So, I tried to fan the smoke away... but it didn't really work. So, I tapped the guy's shoulder and gestured to him stop smoking. He looked away puzzled and spoke to his friend.


About 20 minutes after that, I could feel the air in that aircond hall thicken with smoke. Upon turning to the back portion of the large hall, I could see thick smoke everywhere. I have not seen that many smoker in one hall for a long long time. I almost suffocated! My life was shortened by a year after inhaling all those smoke, at the minimum, that night....


Now I understand why the guy next to me was puzzled. There was easily 100 smokers puffing away at the back of the hall and yet, this strange lady stopped him from smoking. Thinking about it just cracks me up!

Getting A Chance To Blog Again

My Malaysian trip has been so very busy.


Since the day I arrived, almost 2 weeks ago, I have not gotten a chance to access the internet via my laptop.


My sister has just gone back yesterday and today is a free day... no appointments with any friends. So, I am at Starbucks Cafe doing some email and blogging. I had to buy a cup of coffee for RM13.80 (THB138 / USD4). I didn't feel comfortable hanging out here without buying anything.

My Sister Has Returned Home

My sister has returned home to Australia since yesterday night.


We had a good time together... thought not a lot of alone time because of her commitments towards her in-laws.... I understood that. Some time is better than no time.


I am not sure when we will meet again... Me in Bangkok and she in Australia. Anyway...

Grandparents and the Grandchildren

My sister's family, my family, my parents and my grandmother

My cute little niece, J.A.

Cute little feet of J.A. I love this little feet. Reminds me of my children when they were young

Day Out With SH & Joanna

I met SH yesterday for a Bah Kut Teh eating session ;-)

I know Tang you are missing SH & Joanna, so I purposely loading some photos for you. Since this is not my computer, I am having some difficulty loading the photos. I am loading a few for you ...

We had food, shopping, fellowship and loads of fun day out!

See you back in Bangkok, SH!

I have not been able to get to an internet access for the last few days. So, I have not been able to blog much.


I have been really busy catching up with friends. Almost every night I have been back home after 12am.


The children have gone to their paternal Grandparent's home since Thursday 10 July.


Its tiring having such an active social life! But really enjoying the company of old friends....

Arrived Safely

The children and I have arrived safely in Malaysia since 7 July 08, Monday.

The flight was on time, food was good, flight attendants were pleasant and friendly. No, I am not paid to advertise for Thai Airways. The children enjoyed the flights anyway. They each had a can of Coca-cola. Small little things do bring a lot of joy... especially to children.

At Suvarnabhumi Airport.... having to leave Daddy behind...

In the Suvarnabhumi Airport, this lollipop attracted Ethaniel. He wanted to purchase this THB340.00 lollipop! Its huge!

After my Mom picked me up from the airport we went back to our old Condo which is currently void of tenant. We have not stayed there for almost 2.5 years. Sad to say, the condition is not like how it looked when we left it.

We spent hours cleaning and washing the place. Joel and Ethaniel did their share of helping.

Joel and Ethaniel mopping the floor and cleaning the toilet, respectively.

Mom was busy having her lunch... all the fruits I brought back from Thailand

After all the cleaning up and washing, we went over to my in-laws and thereafter to my Sister.

The day ended beautifully at a hawker centre full of my favorite food. We had Wan tan mee, char kueh teow, satay, clay pot rice, ABC, mee rebus, yin yong noodles... Burp! That was good.

More stories coming up when I get the chance...