...we are still very, very busy with the post-moving activities (which comprises unpacking, cleaning, unpacking, sorting out, disposal of stuff, setting up of furniture etc etc etc)
But here are things which I want to talk about which may or may not turn into lengthy blog posts of their own. ('May not' is a more likely outcome.)
1. LED there be light!
24 watts LED light as the lights in L-boxes are really an overkill. We were afraid that our bookworm kids will go blind if they read in such a dimly-lit environment so we went all out with the lighting. Our contractor told us that 12 watts or so is enough but nooooo, we had to go craaaaazy with the lights. 10 24-watt + 3 18-watt lights in the living room. 4 24-watt lights in the tiny study area. So now our house is extra extra bright if we turn all the lights on at the same time.
The bedrooms use Fanco fans with 4-light light kits. 2 lights are enough actually. 3 will be okay. 4 lights? Once again, only happens in our household. (We most probably contribute to the enhanced light pollution in Woodlands. Oops.)
2. Taobao
We taobao-ed Ihsan's bed and the dining table + dining chairs. A lot of small stuff too. All thanks to ezbuy.sg. Big items like beds and dining tables are really a case of hit and miss. It was almost a hit for the bed and quite a miss for the dining table. Things are really cheap on Taobao, though. But, I'm not buying anymore big items from Taobao. TheHusband, however, still believes in Taobao. We shall see.
(I should write reviews of all the Taobao stuff I bought. But, should. Should is the operative word here.)
3. ?
Eh. What else ah? I thought I had quite a bit to say earlier. Will add on to this list when I have more time and know what was it that I've forgotten. :p
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Sunday, November 27, 2016
And we moved!
We did it! We moved! We really moved and started staying at our new place.
That meant we did a lot of packing. A LOT! And we have also been doing A LOT of unpacking. A LOT!
The new place is at a very, very convenient location for non-car-owners like us.
But of course, I miss our old quiet environment. Even though we (kind of) move just across the road, it really feels like we have moved from a kampong to a city. When people talk about the bright lights of the city, they are not kidding. The sound and noise pollution here is quite apparent.
We haven't got our blinds and curtains yet. Hopefully, once those things are up, we will be able to block off as much of the noise and light when we need to.
The end, for now. Still much to do around the flat!
Friday, November 18, 2016
November Updates
Very quick one because I am so tired. But if I don't do this, the next update will most probably be next March or something.
1. We moved!
Well. At least our barang2 moved. We moved to my parents' house because our new flat is not quite ready yet. This is our second night at Mak and Abah's. Hopefully tomorrow night, we can spend it at the new place.
2. I will miss the neighbours and the sounds of nature. Sigh. Those are the 2 things I will really really miss.
But the thought of renovating the house using our savings is very painful. For this new place, reno funds came from proceeds from the sale of the house.
3. The Girls made me feel proud.
They were both awarded prizes in the recent PGD. H got Best in Conduct while F won three prize - First in Class, First in English Language and First in Mathematics. You just can't help but wonder what happened to her Malay because the school gives prizes to the top 3 students in each subject. So, that's an area to improve on.
This is something I wrote recently in response to my friend's fb post - that each child has a different Best. Some children do well academically with seemingly little effort but for some children, academic achievements may require a lot of hard work. Then there are kids who put in a lot of hard work and their results are okay. Not outstanding, but okay.
I have 2 school-going kids with 2 different Bests. My very enlightened principal, Mr M. S., - the best I've had thus far - once reminded parents on the day of the PSLE results that whatever the results are, you still love your kids. Because you love them unconditionally - a love without any conditions.
Sometimes we forget, don't we.
Whatever results my children bring home, I will not get too angry. Because (a), the results are a reflection of their hard work; and (b), they should have ideally done their Best.
And their best is not always 100%.
So, girls (and Ihsan too if you happen to read this), work hard. Never rest on your laurels because the tortoise can easily overtake the hare. Hard work is painful and often not that enjoyable. But the result is sweet.
Whatever it is, I love all 3 of you very much.
1. We moved!
Well. At least our barang2 moved. We moved to my parents' house because our new flat is not quite ready yet. This is our second night at Mak and Abah's. Hopefully tomorrow night, we can spend it at the new place.
2. I will miss the neighbours and the sounds of nature. Sigh. Those are the 2 things I will really really miss.
But the thought of renovating the house using our savings is very painful. For this new place, reno funds came from proceeds from the sale of the house.
3. The Girls made me feel proud.
They were both awarded prizes in the recent PGD. H got Best in Conduct while F won three prize - First in Class, First in English Language and First in Mathematics. You just can't help but wonder what happened to her Malay because the school gives prizes to the top 3 students in each subject. So, that's an area to improve on.
This is something I wrote recently in response to my friend's fb post - that each child has a different Best. Some children do well academically with seemingly little effort but for some children, academic achievements may require a lot of hard work. Then there are kids who put in a lot of hard work and their results are okay. Not outstanding, but okay.
I have 2 school-going kids with 2 different Bests. My very enlightened principal, Mr M. S., - the best I've had thus far - once reminded parents on the day of the PSLE results that whatever the results are, you still love your kids. Because you love them unconditionally - a love without any conditions.
Sometimes we forget, don't we.
Whatever results my children bring home, I will not get too angry. Because (a), the results are a reflection of their hard work; and (b), they should have ideally done their Best.
And their best is not always 100%.
So, girls (and Ihsan too if you happen to read this), work hard. Never rest on your laurels because the tortoise can easily overtake the hare. Hard work is painful and often not that enjoyable. But the result is sweet.
Whatever it is, I love all 3 of you very much.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
The Period
And this is about my period.
Immediately after implanon, my period was spotty for about 4 months.
Then, there was none. The absence of period was much welcome.
As someone who's trying to be a better Muslim, I could perform a lot of extra ibadah. And the absence of any interruptions meant that it was easy to be consistent in all these extras.
Then a year or so later, my period came back. When it came back, it came back with a vengeance. 20-day long periods (only 15 are counted), spotting here and there. Then a very brief dry spell before it starts again. Argh!
Sometimes the heart yearns to read the Quran but it is not quite possible to do so.
It is a bit of a challenge to have that istiqomah in your ibadah when the interruptions are so frequent. But as with all challenges in life, Allah knows best. As a woman and a wife and a mother, Allah has made it easy for us to enter jannah.
Immediately after implanon, my period was spotty for about 4 months.
Then, there was none. The absence of period was much welcome.
As someone who's trying to be a better Muslim, I could perform a lot of extra ibadah. And the absence of any interruptions meant that it was easy to be consistent in all these extras.
Then a year or so later, my period came back. When it came back, it came back with a vengeance. 20-day long periods (only 15 are counted), spotting here and there. Then a very brief dry spell before it starts again. Argh!
Sometimes the heart yearns to read the Quran but it is not quite possible to do so.
It is a bit of a challenge to have that istiqomah in your ibadah when the interruptions are so frequent. But as with all challenges in life, Allah knows best. As a woman and a wife and a mother, Allah has made it easy for us to enter jannah.
Monday, October 03, 2016
Packing Time
In slightly less than 7 weeks, we should be making our way to our new place. (If I happen to die within the next 7 weeks, this sentence will take on a whole new meaning.)
Our boxes will come sometime next week, courtesy of the sister-in-law. (I owe her $30 for 30 boxes. Very good deal!)
We have some boxes here and I am supposed to start packing.
But.
I wish it is as simple as dumping things into boxes. But noooooooo. That's not the case. I have so many things that I don't need. Maternity clothes - I'm waiting patiently for the younger sister to get pregnant. Then off that whole box goes. My clothes - I keep on wearing the same 4 or 5 tops. But my wardrobe is full! I need to get rid of stuff. Lots of stuff. Thank God for the Internet. It's now a lot easier to give things away. And we havent even started on Bedroom 3 which has long become a Big Storeroom. Oh gawd!
What a headache!
Our boxes will come sometime next week, courtesy of the sister-in-law. (I owe her $30 for 30 boxes. Very good deal!)
We have some boxes here and I am supposed to start packing.
But.
I wish it is as simple as dumping things into boxes. But noooooooo. That's not the case. I have so many things that I don't need. Maternity clothes - I'm waiting patiently for the younger sister to get pregnant. Then off that whole box goes. My clothes - I keep on wearing the same 4 or 5 tops. But my wardrobe is full! I need to get rid of stuff. Lots of stuff. Thank God for the Internet. It's now a lot easier to give things away. And we havent even started on Bedroom 3 which has long become a Big Storeroom. Oh gawd!
What a headache!
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Tales of An Addict
It is now 3.30am.
At 11.30pm, we went to Alazhar where I had naan and, despite TheHusband's raised eyebrow, teh tarik.
By 1.30am, I felt sleepy. Good good, maybe the teh was had too late in the night for it to take its effect.
I lay down. I closed my eyes. Suddenly, my mind became so awake. At the back of my eyelids, various movies were playing. A dolphin morphed into a frog and started jumping from cliff to cliff. The sun melted away and became a pool of molten hot lava.
I'm not getting any sleep at this rate.
I opened my eyes, closed them, tossed, turned.
Nope. No sleep.
Will this put me off tea? Of course not.
3.36am. Still no sleep.
TheHusband, whom I adore, is sleeping like a baby. The Baby has only woken up once. Both girls, whom I smother with kisses when they are asleep, are deep in dreamland. And I am up, in this caffeine-induced state, wondering if it's a good idea to start preparing breakfast now.
3.40am. Maybe I'll just soften the butter first. And maybe, I should avoid caffeine after 2pm like I told myself many moons ago.
At 11.30pm, we went to Alazhar where I had naan and, despite TheHusband's raised eyebrow, teh tarik.
By 1.30am, I felt sleepy. Good good, maybe the teh was had too late in the night for it to take its effect.
I lay down. I closed my eyes. Suddenly, my mind became so awake. At the back of my eyelids, various movies were playing. A dolphin morphed into a frog and started jumping from cliff to cliff. The sun melted away and became a pool of molten hot lava.
I'm not getting any sleep at this rate.
I opened my eyes, closed them, tossed, turned.
Nope. No sleep.
Will this put me off tea? Of course not.
3.36am. Still no sleep.
TheHusband, whom I adore, is sleeping like a baby. The Baby has only woken up once. Both girls, whom I smother with kisses when they are asleep, are deep in dreamland. And I am up, in this caffeine-induced state, wondering if it's a good idea to start preparing breakfast now.
3.40am. Maybe I'll just soften the butter first. And maybe, I should avoid caffeine after 2pm like I told myself many moons ago.
Tuesday, September 06, 2016
An Update About the Littlest Kid
Ihsan
He turned 2 in early August. Masya Allah. Sometimes I take Allah's mercy and kindness for granted because this little bundle of unlimited joy almost didn't happen. One after another medical emergency he overcame and, masya Allah, here he is.
Of course, here's a report card of his general progress. Area for improvement is clearly his eating habits. It's still woefully miserable. Last week he seems to be eating lots of pasta. So I gave him pasta with varied creamy sauce each day. But that was short lived. However, he often comes down with something after a good eating episode. Yesterday he developed a symptom-less fever which broke this morning, only to leave some kind of mild diarrhoea behind. That diarrhoea is not unwelcome; it'll help to flush out all the leftover virus in his body.
In terms of speech, there's no worries at all. With his 2 sisters talking (and quarreling) non-stop, he knows how to form short sentences and express himself although it many come out jumbled at times. Just now, he was trying to tell his youngest uncle (whom he calls Babum although youngest uncle is known as Pak Ucu to everyone else; dunno where Babum comes from) to eat together with him. It's supposed to be: Pakusu, mari makan sama-sama dengan Ihsan. It was a jumbled up sentence that came out: Babum! Makan! Cican! Camacama!
(Note: He calls himself Cican. Cican Bin Ooman.)
He can count from 1 to 10 in Malay. But this is purely by rote. He has not understood the concept of numbers yet.
He is somewhat obsessed with Elmo. Thanks to aunties and uncles who bribe him with videos of Elmo whenever they want him to go to them.
He still does not look too steady on his feet. Sometimes he stumbles and falls. His running is hilarious too. He can go up and down steps while holding on to the railing for support. However, sometimes he is a bit delusional of his capabilities and wants to forgo the railings. He cannot jump and hop yet although he's always pretending to jump.
Oh, and, while the 1+ year old toddler was an anarchist, this one is a bit OCD (not in a clinical way). In the past, all he wanted to do was to pull all books off the shelves. All books. It was a nightmare and room doors had to be closed because of his love for unbearable mess. But now, when he takes books from the shelves, it's only because he wants to 'read' those books. When cupboard doors are open, he wants the doors to be closed again. Likewise for fridge doors. Or floor rugs which are folded in the corner. Or prayer mats not laid out properly. It's much nicer not always having to clean up after a huge mess.
But sometimes, things do get messy. He has 3 toy boxes (the size of shoe boxes) and 1 lego box. If he wants one toy that he knows is inside one of those boxes, he will open and tip over the entire box. Getting him to put away that glorious pile of toys in the middle of the living room takes about one hour of convincing, cajoling, threatening and more threatening. The actual clean up takes no more than 5 but it is not right to always do the tidying up for him, right?
He's copying lots of good stuff and so I am constantly reminding myself and the older girls to always display our best. A few days ago, I was carrying him in one hand and manoeuvring the stroller with the other. (another story this love-hate relationship with his stroller). I almost bumped into a lady (who was thankfully unaware) and I said "Oops!" Ihsan immediately said, "Sowwie Aunty!"
Of course, Aunty couldn't hear it but I was impressed, both with his assessment of the situation and his tone of apology. And I pointed this out to the girls who were with me, "Did you hear the way adik said 'sorry'? That's the way it should be said. Blah blah blah..." Then the girls fussed over him. And he explained (in that breathless, laborious way that kids take to pull words out of their mouths), "Sebab. Mak. Ajar. Cican. Sowwie. Aunty." (Because - mak - teach - Ihsan - (to say) - Sorry - Aunty.)
Precious.
Medical issues: 3 appointments lined up in the next 2 months at KK for 3 different things. All will be well, insya Allah.
(The 2 older girls will get their airtime in the next post. Now, I have an appointment with a mountain of laundry.)
He turned 2 in early August. Masya Allah. Sometimes I take Allah's mercy and kindness for granted because this little bundle of unlimited joy almost didn't happen. One after another medical emergency he overcame and, masya Allah, here he is.
Of course, here's a report card of his general progress. Area for improvement is clearly his eating habits. It's still woefully miserable. Last week he seems to be eating lots of pasta. So I gave him pasta with varied creamy sauce each day. But that was short lived. However, he often comes down with something after a good eating episode. Yesterday he developed a symptom-less fever which broke this morning, only to leave some kind of mild diarrhoea behind. That diarrhoea is not unwelcome; it'll help to flush out all the leftover virus in his body.
In terms of speech, there's no worries at all. With his 2 sisters talking (and quarreling) non-stop, he knows how to form short sentences and express himself although it many come out jumbled at times. Just now, he was trying to tell his youngest uncle (whom he calls Babum although youngest uncle is known as Pak Ucu to everyone else; dunno where Babum comes from) to eat together with him. It's supposed to be: Pakusu, mari makan sama-sama dengan Ihsan. It was a jumbled up sentence that came out: Babum! Makan! Cican! Camacama!
(Note: He calls himself Cican. Cican Bin Ooman.)
He can count from 1 to 10 in Malay. But this is purely by rote. He has not understood the concept of numbers yet.
He is somewhat obsessed with Elmo. Thanks to aunties and uncles who bribe him with videos of Elmo whenever they want him to go to them.
He still does not look too steady on his feet. Sometimes he stumbles and falls. His running is hilarious too. He can go up and down steps while holding on to the railing for support. However, sometimes he is a bit delusional of his capabilities and wants to forgo the railings. He cannot jump and hop yet although he's always pretending to jump.
Oh, and, while the 1+ year old toddler was an anarchist, this one is a bit OCD (not in a clinical way). In the past, all he wanted to do was to pull all books off the shelves. All books. It was a nightmare and room doors had to be closed because of his love for unbearable mess. But now, when he takes books from the shelves, it's only because he wants to 'read' those books. When cupboard doors are open, he wants the doors to be closed again. Likewise for fridge doors. Or floor rugs which are folded in the corner. Or prayer mats not laid out properly. It's much nicer not always having to clean up after a huge mess.
But sometimes, things do get messy. He has 3 toy boxes (the size of shoe boxes) and 1 lego box. If he wants one toy that he knows is inside one of those boxes, he will open and tip over the entire box. Getting him to put away that glorious pile of toys in the middle of the living room takes about one hour of convincing, cajoling, threatening and more threatening. The actual clean up takes no more than 5 but it is not right to always do the tidying up for him, right?
He's copying lots of good stuff and so I am constantly reminding myself and the older girls to always display our best. A few days ago, I was carrying him in one hand and manoeuvring the stroller with the other. (another story this love-hate relationship with his stroller). I almost bumped into a lady (who was thankfully unaware) and I said "Oops!" Ihsan immediately said, "Sowwie Aunty!"
Of course, Aunty couldn't hear it but I was impressed, both with his assessment of the situation and his tone of apology. And I pointed this out to the girls who were with me, "Did you hear the way adik said 'sorry'? That's the way it should be said. Blah blah blah..." Then the girls fussed over him. And he explained (in that breathless, laborious way that kids take to pull words out of their mouths), "Sebab. Mak. Ajar. Cican. Sowwie. Aunty." (Because - mak - teach - Ihsan - (to say) - Sorry - Aunty.)
Precious.
Medical issues: 3 appointments lined up in the next 2 months at KK for 3 different things. All will be well, insya Allah.
(The 2 older girls will get their airtime in the next post. Now, I have an appointment with a mountain of laundry.)
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
A Little Move
This post is still not about the kids. Wait for that.
Boy is sleeping now and I have a bit of time.
Forgot to mention something in the previous post: our move is confirmed! We are definitely moving sometime in November to our new place, a stone's throw away from the girls' school. Just 2-3 minutes away from the MRT station. 30 seconds away from a bus stop that has many bus services. So near varied amenities. No Pokestop nearby though.
Sadly, will be saying goodbye to birds chirping, cricket songs, squirrel sightings, rambutans an arm's length away.
The peaceful morning is something I enjoy whenever Ihsan takes a nap in the morning. I will no longer hear this on a regular basis and my heart feels heavy to say goodbye to this magnificent beauty.
This is just outside my living room window. Beyond the trees, is a hill. A camera cannot capture what the eye and the mind see. It is beautiful. And this is the reason why I need a big push (or rather, pull) to leave this place. Will miss you lots, Nature.
Boy is sleeping now and I have a bit of time.
Forgot to mention something in the previous post: our move is confirmed! We are definitely moving sometime in November to our new place, a stone's throw away from the girls' school. Just 2-3 minutes away from the MRT station. 30 seconds away from a bus stop that has many bus services. So near varied amenities. No Pokestop nearby though.
Sadly, will be saying goodbye to birds chirping, cricket songs, squirrel sightings, rambutans an arm's length away.
The peaceful morning is something I enjoy whenever Ihsan takes a nap in the morning. I will no longer hear this on a regular basis and my heart feels heavy to say goodbye to this magnificent beauty.
This is just outside my living room window. Beyond the trees, is a hill. A camera cannot capture what the eye and the mind see. It is beautiful. And this is the reason why I need a big push (or rather, pull) to leave this place. Will miss you lots, Nature.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
August 2016: General Life Story
Many moons have waxed and waned but this blog continues to be put on the shelf waiting for life to be breathed into it.
Tonight, as luck would have it, a cup of ill-timed teh tarik ensures that this blog gets some much needed CPR.
--
Explanation: For the past 3 years or so, I've noticed something strange about me. Whenever I have a cup of teh tarik after 2pm, my body will react very strongly to the caffeine; I will not be able to sleep until about 3am. My mind will be whirring with thoughts and activities even though the rest of my body just wants to shut down for the night. And when I wake up, it doesn't feel like I've had much rest.
The solution is really simple - to avoid drinking teh tarik in the afternoon. But I am one incorrigible addict. I cannot resist the call of teh tarik when I'm at a new place. I absolutely must try the teh tarik, whatever the cost (ie, lost sleep).
--
On the general front, these are some activities that took place recently.
1. The younger sister got married! May Allah shower His blessings on both of them and unite them in goodness. Amin.
The nikah (solemnisation) was held at Masjid Tentera on a Thursday night. My father was rather emotional during the nikah (as was he during my sister and my nikah; can't tell whether he was emotional during all my brothers' nikah because he did not have to say anything during their nikah). Which father wouldn't? I think I will probably cry buckets at my children's nikah. Correction: I cry buckets at all my children's anything: first day of school at N1, K2 graduation etc etc etc..
The walimah (reception) was held on Saturday at Muslim Delight Venue (I'm sure that's the name, as kental as that may sound to some ears) which is at the shopping mall within Concorde Hotel. Not to be confused with the hotel itself. This place is at the shopping mall.
The original plan was to have the wedding at my sister's void deck. Her void deck is more spacious than the one at my parents' block. So booking was made. But, a few weeks after that, my father heard of this place. They have just opened and all the earlier slots are empty as most families would book the wedding venue and all sooooo much earlier. (See, procrastination is not so uncommon here and procrastination in this case brings great savings in time, money and energy!) To entice people to book the earlier slots, a very generous discount was given. Up til the end of the year. So if you are thinking of getting married, get it done by the end of this year. Haha.
After having had 6 void deck weddings, this one really makes us appreciate how little we have to do! Practically everything is settled by Muslim Delight itself. All we have to do is turn up, welcome guests, mingle with guests and enjoy ourselves. Masya Allah.
My one regret is I wish I had invited a few more close friends. But since this was the first time we've held a non-void deck wedding, I wasn't sure how safe it would be to invite more than the numbers we were allocated. Turns out, there was no worry at all. Service from Muslim Delight was waaaaay above excellent. They assured my parents that they would take care of the food and would ensure there'd be enough for guests even if we invite 100-200 more than the original figure. We just had to inform them beforehand. Wonderful. 10 million stars for them (out of 5).
2. Told the sister of the post-wedding funk when you miss your family terribly. You may have married the man you love dearly but at the same time, you will also miss your own family so, so, so badly. Especially if you move out of your home into your new home immediately after the wedding. And the sister has been feeling it. He he he. It'll take a few months to get used to the changes!
3. Back to the topic of teh tarik. We sent the brother and family off at the airport earlier. He was flying back to the UK where he is studying. (Digress a bit: I wish I could do that! Get a sponsor to sponsor my studies and take my family there. But as the brains have not been doing much work, it must be simple stuff like perhaps, a 3-year course on how to tie your shoelaces.) So after a couple of sad scenes and stoic faces suppressing tears, my parents wanted to stop by somewhere for supper. Of course, I had to try the teh tarik, right? It was 9.30pm. Very wrong timing. But this teh addict is, well, an addict. Poor self control, judgment et al. So, it is now 12.30am and I am not sleepy at all. Tired, yes. But not sleepy.
In another post, I'll write about the kids. So if you are expecting to read about them here, nope, not likely.
4.Photo-taking. Taking pictures at the nikah made me aware of one thing: suck in the tummy! The nikah photos in which my tummy was not blocked by someone else were horrible. I look pregnant. Not fat, just that mummy tummy which I have not done anything about. (Chope ah. I no longer do that stupid thing of fishing for compliment which I did when I was a stupid teenager. I'm very at peace with myself now and am aware of my flaws and (maybe) how others view me. Point is, not fishing for compliments here.) I know that most people do not think I'm fat (except my own siblings. we address each other in very loving ways such as "oi gemok".) I don't need people to tell me i'm not fat. Pictures, however, don't lie. I need to suck in the tummy for photo taking sessions. So, for the walimah, I was slightly cleverer during photo taking sessions. I remembered to suck in the tummy.
5. This brings me to my next thought. All over social media, people have to be reminded not to post things which may cause jealousy/envy in others. Why? Why are people envious of what other people post on social media? We must realise that what other people post are most likely, the best aspects of their lives. For example, if i were to put up a picture, i will most likely post a picture in which I look good. Why on earth would I post a picture of myself in something which accentuates my mummy tummy? Or, I will post about a happy moment I'm having with the kids visiting USS or the zoo. Will I post a picture of myself wringing their little necks while doing Science revision? So we all no need to be jealous of what other people post on social media, okay? That's the best aspect of their lives. Every person has their own challenges which they may not share with others. Be happy for others or if you can't do that, just ignore it.
Vaguebooking, however, is something that really gets my goat. Other than that, whatever you want to do on FB or twitter or instagram is really up to you.
6. Alicia Keys needs no make up to look good. I hardly ever apply any make up but my reasons are very different from hers. Laziness. Some fashion doyenne said, "There's no ugly women. Only lazy women." I suppose, you also won't need makeup if you are very diligent in your skincare routine. But, actually, it doesn't really matter. Roald Dahl said it perfectly: "If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it.
A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."
So, it's time to let that inner beauty shine through your make-up free skin. Think good thoughts, always!
---
It's almost 1.15am. I must force myself to sleep. Or at least, lie down and wait patiently for sleep to come. Or for Ihsan to wake up for his night feed. Yes, he's 2 years and 3 weeks old and still not weaned off. Trying to but have not been effective.
Tonight, as luck would have it, a cup of ill-timed teh tarik ensures that this blog gets some much needed CPR.
--
Explanation: For the past 3 years or so, I've noticed something strange about me. Whenever I have a cup of teh tarik after 2pm, my body will react very strongly to the caffeine; I will not be able to sleep until about 3am. My mind will be whirring with thoughts and activities even though the rest of my body just wants to shut down for the night. And when I wake up, it doesn't feel like I've had much rest.
The solution is really simple - to avoid drinking teh tarik in the afternoon. But I am one incorrigible addict. I cannot resist the call of teh tarik when I'm at a new place. I absolutely must try the teh tarik, whatever the cost (ie, lost sleep).
--
1. The younger sister got married! May Allah shower His blessings on both of them and unite them in goodness. Amin.
The nikah (solemnisation) was held at Masjid Tentera on a Thursday night. My father was rather emotional during the nikah (as was he during my sister and my nikah; can't tell whether he was emotional during all my brothers' nikah because he did not have to say anything during their nikah). Which father wouldn't? I think I will probably cry buckets at my children's nikah. Correction: I cry buckets at all my children's anything: first day of school at N1, K2 graduation etc etc etc..
The walimah (reception) was held on Saturday at Muslim Delight Venue (I'm sure that's the name, as kental as that may sound to some ears) which is at the shopping mall within Concorde Hotel. Not to be confused with the hotel itself. This place is at the shopping mall.
The original plan was to have the wedding at my sister's void deck. Her void deck is more spacious than the one at my parents' block. So booking was made. But, a few weeks after that, my father heard of this place. They have just opened and all the earlier slots are empty as most families would book the wedding venue and all sooooo much earlier. (See, procrastination is not so uncommon here and procrastination in this case brings great savings in time, money and energy!) To entice people to book the earlier slots, a very generous discount was given. Up til the end of the year. So if you are thinking of getting married, get it done by the end of this year. Haha.
After having had 6 void deck weddings, this one really makes us appreciate how little we have to do! Practically everything is settled by Muslim Delight itself. All we have to do is turn up, welcome guests, mingle with guests and enjoy ourselves. Masya Allah.
My one regret is I wish I had invited a few more close friends. But since this was the first time we've held a non-void deck wedding, I wasn't sure how safe it would be to invite more than the numbers we were allocated. Turns out, there was no worry at all. Service from Muslim Delight was waaaaay above excellent. They assured my parents that they would take care of the food and would ensure there'd be enough for guests even if we invite 100-200 more than the original figure. We just had to inform them beforehand. Wonderful. 10 million stars for them (out of 5).
2. Told the sister of the post-wedding funk when you miss your family terribly. You may have married the man you love dearly but at the same time, you will also miss your own family so, so, so badly. Especially if you move out of your home into your new home immediately after the wedding. And the sister has been feeling it. He he he. It'll take a few months to get used to the changes!
3. Back to the topic of teh tarik. We sent the brother and family off at the airport earlier. He was flying back to the UK where he is studying. (Digress a bit: I wish I could do that! Get a sponsor to sponsor my studies and take my family there. But as the brains have not been doing much work, it must be simple stuff like perhaps, a 3-year course on how to tie your shoelaces.) So after a couple of sad scenes and stoic faces suppressing tears, my parents wanted to stop by somewhere for supper. Of course, I had to try the teh tarik, right? It was 9.30pm. Very wrong timing. But this teh addict is, well, an addict. Poor self control, judgment et al. So, it is now 12.30am and I am not sleepy at all. Tired, yes. But not sleepy.
In another post, I'll write about the kids. So if you are expecting to read about them here, nope, not likely.
4.Photo-taking. Taking pictures at the nikah made me aware of one thing: suck in the tummy! The nikah photos in which my tummy was not blocked by someone else were horrible. I look pregnant. Not fat, just that mummy tummy which I have not done anything about. (Chope ah. I no longer do that stupid thing of fishing for compliment which I did when I was a stupid teenager. I'm very at peace with myself now and am aware of my flaws and (maybe) how others view me. Point is, not fishing for compliments here.) I know that most people do not think I'm fat (except my own siblings. we address each other in very loving ways such as "oi gemok".) I don't need people to tell me i'm not fat. Pictures, however, don't lie. I need to suck in the tummy for photo taking sessions. So, for the walimah, I was slightly cleverer during photo taking sessions. I remembered to suck in the tummy.
5. This brings me to my next thought. All over social media, people have to be reminded not to post things which may cause jealousy/envy in others. Why? Why are people envious of what other people post on social media? We must realise that what other people post are most likely, the best aspects of their lives. For example, if i were to put up a picture, i will most likely post a picture in which I look good. Why on earth would I post a picture of myself in something which accentuates my mummy tummy? Or, I will post about a happy moment I'm having with the kids visiting USS or the zoo. Will I post a picture of myself wringing their little necks while doing Science revision? So we all no need to be jealous of what other people post on social media, okay? That's the best aspect of their lives. Every person has their own challenges which they may not share with others. Be happy for others or if you can't do that, just ignore it.
Vaguebooking, however, is something that really gets my goat. Other than that, whatever you want to do on FB or twitter or instagram is really up to you.
6. Alicia Keys needs no make up to look good. I hardly ever apply any make up but my reasons are very different from hers. Laziness. Some fashion doyenne said, "There's no ugly women. Only lazy women." I suppose, you also won't need makeup if you are very diligent in your skincare routine. But, actually, it doesn't really matter. Roald Dahl said it perfectly: "If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it.
A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."
So, it's time to let that inner beauty shine through your make-up free skin. Think good thoughts, always!
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It's almost 1.15am. I must force myself to sleep. Or at least, lie down and wait patiently for sleep to come. Or for Ihsan to wake up for his night feed. Yes, he's 2 years and 3 weeks old and still not weaned off. Trying to but have not been effective.
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