Helen Plus Three

It's irritating to get pushed and nagged into signing for packages. You just want to relax after your hair styling or after a manicure or a massage instead you get stressed at the end of it. I'm not sure if it's done in the US and other places but here in Singapore this happens very often almost everywhere. Thank goodness they haven't started doing it at McDonalds. Unfortunately we're women.. we need more accessories, we need more beauty and skincare services and such to keep us going..... and take away the blues  or we could live like drabs! I understand it's business, there's savings for you... but there is a limit. If I have already committed something to the establishment, then leave me in peace to complete it at least and then start the sales push. Sometimes you just want to indulge ONCE...but you get weary knowing what's waiting at the end of the session. But now, before I can even get to the last round, you've got 3-4 more vis...

It's tough to make non-girlie looking cards for the guys.. I think I need to stock up on some suitable like stamps or I'll end up with the same few ... This was what I made for Dad using my Hero Arts owl and Sizzix Flip its.. The embossed words are from "Just Because Phrases Embossing Folder Borders from Darice ' '

Everyday, I can't help but fiddle with a leaf or two or three...  Watching nature is not supposed to be stressful but sometimes I find myself wishing they would grow faster !!! .. ..oh well... I'll learn to switch to nature's time soon. My jasmine plant  (either the Arabian or Indian variety) is finally blooming. After trimming and moving it to the morning sun area.. ..I'm doing the happy dance cos it means I'm doing something right.  If you read my previous post you'll know there's a lot of adjustment given wind, sun, facing, heat and space. Jasmine  Kind of small, I hope you can see the buds. ...Jasmine flower pix here.. Added two more sweet flowering plants to the collection..While they are termed 'wild' by some, I don't have wide open spaces so they are not going to be able to grow wild, I'll be happy if they grow and continue to flower in whatever space they are.  I may try a trough if they work out ... For now I...

Call it birthday blues.., I started to think about maturing. I don’t feel mature or old for my age. Of course you are only as old as you feel.  And anyway you are only old if you are 70 and above these days. (sorry dad don’t take offence if you read this). I have to act it because of the kids but inside I don’t always feel 'adult', except when the bones and joints remind me otherwise. Feels more like a cloak of responsibility not so much as my skin. I wear it more often than I would like to, it comes with duty and having kids. So what does that mean Dr Freud,...  perhaps I didn’t sufficiently experience my immaturity in the immature phase of life and therefore long for it. !!! I do have the urge to stick my tongue out at persons who seem lame and annoyingly ‘dumb’ , I have the urge to eat fries for lunch out of the blue or gobble down a pack of M&Ms and at times I dream about dropping the cares and worries and dropping out of the rat race to enjoy doing noth...

I finished reading Kate Morton's 'Secret Keeper' a while back and then I thought I should not have started reading it at the time I did. Certain types of writing require more restfulness than others to be able to enjoy all of the book. The story that unfolds is the type that one should read in the right frame of mind - when you are less harried by other pressing stuff of daily routines.  I find myself going over many parts of the book again at different times. The story was intriguing, so much so that I wanted to know how it ended instead of also enjoying( reflecting on)  the prose and the many sentiments of life as was depicted of the young and old. The story essentially spans almost 70 years from the war to recent 2011.  I wanted to share one of the parts that had me reflecting. A passage that gave me pause was about the sick, aging mother, and the daughter's(Laurel) thoughts about why her mother did not feel  surprise...."Her mother didn't ask why, an...

I can't help it, it's forced on me literally. These loud conversations are distractions when all I want to do is read my book When I take public transport whether it's the bus or the MRT somebody is always on their phone not too far (worse next to) from me,  and doling out their problems or lifestory or gossip and NOT in a SOFT TONE. If'it's packed you cannot move away. I think these people don't care who hears them. The worse one I remember was one I could not understand throughout my entire 1/2 hour journey. She spoke in really harsh Chinese dialect, I couldn't tell if she was angry or scolding someone or it was just the way of the language she used ! You can imagine my ears were ringing when I got off and continued to do so for some time. Another conversation I recall was a mother (I presume) complaining about going home to cook for a son who was fussy, doesn't want to eat and always complaining about whatever was put before him. In my mind I...