Helen Plus Three

Has Life left it's mark .  Interestingly another way to look at where one is now  'if you had not been there, you might not be where you are now'.  So is it a better place to be now ? For me the 'there' refers to a horrible plac, now.  it is better. ... but I cannot say good yet.  

Been off blogging for a while, miss it, lots on my mind and with much less time than I used to have. It's the first day of  Chinese New Year holidays. We checked out the new Sentosa Boardwalk along with a hug crowd heading towards Sentosa.  I'll leave that for my next post. The weather has gone berserk, for a supposed post-monsoon period we have been having continuous rains. Last weekend it just rained and rained non-stop for 3 days practically.  It's a consequence of the extra cold weather above the equator that's keeping our monsoon weather going. It's been so cold, I'm starting to imagine it could snow here on the almost equator where we are.  Still I should not be complaining hearing  about worse weather news in other parts of the world like Australia and China. The kids were caught up in this recent flu epidemic, one by one. And me, I'm just wondering what's keeping me standing, 'touch wood'.. it hasn't got me yet. Arn turned 10 r...

moody blues  amid green trees coloured lights  and glitter for  a wet not white  Christmas.... Street decorations, festive lights, giant Christmas trees are out and the festive mood is slowly encroaching on me. I've been trying to put it off but not for long. Advent is here. Not been able to do much with the kids for lack of leave, that's depressed me more I think.  My company starts off leave with a miserable 10 days a year. Well I remind myself, give and take. 5 days of leave translates to 2% a year of not working. So the long-timers here essentially work 2% to 4% less every year compared to those 'new' like me. If you are in a job that constantly practises ROI,  how should one interpret that.. It's the mood, how does one get into it, when you're still slaving away at work, without much leave days. It's depressing. Whether you like it or not, pull up your socks, time to make out that shopping list, gift list, dig out the tree and ornaments...

Sunday 24 Oct..... Why is it sometimes it feels like particular days are designated as argument day. Out of the blue, tempers flare, patience goes on vacation and (temperature rises) heated words get exchanged by all parties. We all just get ignited simultaneously. Perhaps it is the air! This happens between 17 year old, 13 year old and me the adult. Hmmm, I see the problem now.,  it's got to do with teenage hormones,  they outweigh and outrank the natural order. In other words, I'm outnumbered. Whatever the case, there is NO EXCUSE for blatant insolence. Ommmmm

A sms conversation with a pal of mine - do we stress, why we stress, what if we don't stress the kids... it's all about education and the system that perpetuates it. Why do we do it, we just want the best like everyone else for them..we can't help it. What's best - a good job, a good salary. how about good memories of childhood .. they need time to make those I remind myself. It's a constant battle to push or let go. I want them to have childhood memories worth having.  I can't prevent all the bad ones but I can help with time to make happy ones.

I finally have a weekend, a Saturday that's not scheduled for any particular demand on my time. It's time to go get shoes, somebody's feet grew and somebody's feet is feeling vane. Time to catch up on assignment and read. Let's go to a Novena service first I think, then get on with other matters. Shine on me, sunshine Rain on me, rain Fall softly, dewdrop And cool my brow again. Storm, blow me from here With your fiercest wind Let me float across the sky Til I can rest again.             - Maya Angelou

Motherhood is the full rosebush, sweet fragrance, gorgeous blooms and thorns  - Helen

I made my first dental appointment a few weeks ago for the first time in 15 or 20 years . Why? Because  I'm sadistic.. no, because I thought and thought and thought (gum disease keeps appearing on the tv screens)  that it was about time to give that dreaded profession another chance at my mouth. Many, many moons ago when I was still in school, I was taken to visit Dental Health (or something like that then) and they looked at my rabbit teeth and said there' s nothing to be done but consider pulling out and doing dentures. So naturally that was the end of that. Never gave it another thought for the next decade or two. Save for taking Alx and Alr to the dentist which I see as my parental duty and because it matters ( no matter how bloody costly it is to do) I, me and myself have never sought to go to a dentist for any other reason except pain some 15 or so years ago - to do a minor filling. 2 days ago, was the second appointment.. It's called root planing, it's a...