Month: August 2010

The Other Ann

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Before Annie came into his life, Erv already had an Ann.  She’s his beautiful ragdoll kitty cat.  I’ve met her a couple of times and she’s definitely more shy than playful.  He showed me this pic of her the other day and I couldn’t wait to write a post on cats.

I love cats.  Unlike dogs who seem to love you regardless, which is why I’m crazy about dogs in the first place but cats seem to be a lot more discerning and for some reason that intrigues me.

My family has been mostly a dog family but thanks to my animal loving sister, I grew up in somewhat of a menagerie.  We’ve had dogs, dogs and more dogs, we also shared our home with bunnies, turtles, fish, hamsters, birds but we only ever had one cat.  A little stray kitten that lived with us for over 10 years.  I miss him but what I loved most about him was that I could go away to school in Perth for months and when I came home, the discerning kitty of mine would curl up in my bed to sleep with me.  It was like I’ve never been away at all.  He was discerning, knew that I loved him and loved me right back 🙂

Unlike my sister who’s first ambition was to be a vet, my love for animals was a gradual one.  Here’s where I took after my Mummy and my sister after my Daddy.  I now have no problems with any animal … err … I stand corrected … except for the feathered kind … I’m still not hot about birds :p but I reckon it’s important for kids to have pets.  That relationship with a pet builds empathy and compassion that I don’t think a human one can ever teach you so effectively.

They are a lot of work for the Mummies who often end up being the one who keeps them clean but when I have my own kids, I do hope to have a family pet too 🙂  Hopefully, it’ll be a little kitten.

Chilli Padi

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I was at NTUC picking up some groceries and had to call home to my husband. Here’s the exchange:-

Me: Hey Honey, can you check if there’s chilli in the fridge.

My Husband: Ok.

Me: And it’s not the big ones but the tiny little ones that I’m talking about.

My Husband: (matter-of-factly) Chilli padi.

Me: *blink blink*

I just don’t give him enough credit :p

Pictures from Pasir Ris Park

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Thanks to Auntie Daph who actually has a camera, we actually get some decent shots of our day out 🙂  No offence to my iPhone, she takes decent pictures but even I have to admit that the lens isn’t quite the same as an actual camera lens.

While it looks like they are getting jiggy with it, they are in fact chasing bubbles.  I love how kids have so much fun with soapy water … heck, what’s there not to like about bubbles?  There’s something magical and ethereal about it … so much so even I can be entertained by a bottle of soapy water and a ring 🙂

My favourite bit about playdates is learning from a bunch of Mummies how to balance it all.

It really isn’t easy going to work and having to raise a family at the same time but these 3 women whom I have the privilege of sharing an office with, show me that it can be done.  Sure, there are tough days but the smiles they have on the good days make me hardly ever remember any of the bad days they may have had 🙂  Through them and the other Mummies I know, I’ve learnt how very much my own Mummy had to sacrifice so that my sister and I got everything we wanted.  It is amazing what happens to a women when she has a child and I’ve been very fortunate to call so many my friends.  This reminds me of a movie I saw on Thursday, Aftershock.  That deserves a whole post on its own.

Till then hope you’re having a lovely lovely Saturday 🙂

P/S: To be fair to the Dads I know, you guys are a pretty cool bunch too.

Saying Goodbye

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On Tuesday morning, Erv sent me a message on msn that Satoshi Kon had passed away.  He was only 47, leaving behind a legacy of anime that always managed to leave me rather mindf*@$ed … all in a good way, of course.  From Perfect Blue to Tokyo Godfathers to Paranoid Agent and even Paprika, I’d only be that lucky if I ever get to be part of a team that produces something in a similar vein.  It’s hard to think that there will be no works from him ever again.  It became harder when my friend, Hui Leng forwarded me the link to his last words.

Made me remember that I truly have nothing to complain about … I actually don’t like it that it takes the passing of a great artist to remind me so … …

Here’s to me remembering to stay grateful and to everyone having a WONDERFUL weekend with your love ones!!

Weekend of the 21st and 22nd August

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So yes, to all you single Mums out there, R.E.S.P.E.C.T.  Although I loved every minute of the weekend with my munchkins, I learnt how physically draining it could be.  I was as tired as the kids every night and though wanted to catch up with work after they fell asleep, I found myself sleeping with them :p  And it was those deep restful sleeps too from all the activities we had during the day.

Day 1 we went to the Zoo with my cousin, Gwen.  Poor baby Rachael was fighting a bug and had to stay home.

I really really enjoy the zoo and maybe one day, I’ll go back by myself to take my time and see the animals I want to see :p  Meanwhile, there’s a new show at the zoo but it’s performed by domestic pets, like cats, dogs and mice.  I’m not quite sure what to say about the show.

The kids seem interested enough to watch mice run, cats jump and dogs skip.  If it’s ok by them, who am I to complain :p

Day 2 saw us heading out early to the East, Pasir Ris Park playground to be exact.  We met up with Auntie Daph and Jonah, Auntie Yus and her babies as well as Auntie Hui Leng with her brood.

I have to say it is truly quite a fun park, so much so, I really don’t mind the nearly 30minute drive to get there.  Especially now that I have this action camera app on my iPhone :p

I love it coz the kids are always on the move and it manages to capture the moments :p  Needless to say the kids did have fun but the most fun they seem to have had was actually digging in the sand and using their imagination.

Taught me that kids truly don’t need much to be entertained.  Imagination is the key … come to think of it, in my adult hood, it’s mostly imagination that keeps me going through the doldrums of daily life too :p

There we were running around a fire engine pretending to be fire fighters in the shade.  Couldn’t have asked for a prettier day to be outside but by lunchtime it was getting hot and we headed to T3 for lunch 🙂

I love it when kids get along 🙂  So after lunch, it was a pit stop to an indoor playground before heading home to baby Rachael.

She was starting to look and feel better … at least the running nose was not running anymore so we all headed out to United Square for dinner and a bout of shopping at Toys R Us 🙂  I think part of the reason I hang out with my munchkins so much is because they are a good excuse to do things I like to do too … like toy shopping :p

It’s been one week and what would I give for this Friday to actually be last Friday :p  Nonetheless, it is Friday so happy weekend everyone!!

New Found Respect …

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… for single Mums. I had an incredible weekend with my munchkins but I do take my hats off single Mums who do it in a daily basis.

That’s from Friday night, the start of our weekend together. Daddy and Mummy were in Bangkok so I had the whole weekend to hang out with them. Will update more on the fun we had over Saturday and Sunday. For now, I’m wish I was hanging out with them instead of having to deal with work :p

Friday Kicks

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The thing I love about corporate life is Dress Down Friday 🙂
I like how simple things in life make me smile and during a long meeting I look under the desk, my kicks look like they were having a conversation with Shimin’s 🙂 Happy weekend everyone!!

Hair For Hope

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It’s always tough when kids fall sick and when it’s something as serious as cancer, I’m usually left having an equally serious conversation with God about how He does things in this world.  After 35 years of conversations, I still don’t quite get Him yet but I do know He puts us in positions to spread His love as best as we can.  So I couldn’t have been prouder when my cousin told me that he’s doing his bit for children with cancer and volunteered to shave his head 🙂

It was the 25th of July when we trooped down to Vivocity to watch him and the rest of the team Arsenal go bald for a good cause.  And here’s how he looks now 🙂  Not to bad, I say.

For all those who don’t know my cousin, here’s him the morning before heading off for the event.

And a big round of applause to Team Arsenal of Singapore.  I don’t know anything about football but now I have a soft spot for Arsenal.

I know who I’m rooting for at this year’s Barclay’s Premiere League.  Meanwhile, the kids think it’s a hoot that my cousin’s head is fun to rub.

So here’s me starting the work week with positive thoughts and love.  *sprinkling it all around*

Friday the 13th

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It was the first Friday the 13th for the year and as usual, it passed without any incidents.  The only one that I can recall was when I was 11, which makes it 1986 and it was the school holidays and my sister fell something like over a metre into a rather dirty drain :p  Thankfully she was young and flexible so there wasn’t a scratch on her.  She was, however, quite smelly from the grime in the drain.  So I remember recovering from my shock, helping her out of the drain and spraying her with the hose in the garden :p

Other than a somewhat regular day at work, we caught up for Shannon’s birthday that was actually last week.  It seems like a while since we all last caught up with him.  I see his GF, Ade every week now since we do muay thai together but other than the occasional msn catch ups, the last I saw Shannon was maybe when Annie, Erv’s GF was in town … that’s like in June.  So there at Pepperoni’s we surprised him when he least expected it 🙂

Yes yes yes, I have to buy a new camera :p  This was still taken with my 3GS … and so much is left to be desired for the outcome but you get the picture.  I’m still wondering if I should hold out for the iPhone 4 or get my Canon IXUS 130 now … …

Anyway, I’m digressing, it was good pizza, great company and would have been great wine except with $30 corkage per bottle, the bottles were left unopened.

And with us, you don’t really need the wine to get the conversation going, we talked and talked and talked till it was closing time.  In fact, we were the last to leave.  I suspect the conversations would have kept going if they stayed open.  The next birthday is in September.  Hopefully, we won’t have to wait till then before we catch up again.

All in all, it was a good start to the weekend 🙂  With it being Sunday afternoon, I have to say it’s nice to have a weekend that isn’t filled with activities … back to packing my closet 🙂