I’m so excited!

And I just can’t help it!

Ooo.. I can’t even work now.

“Ayah, nanti kalau pergi sana, kena bawak marriage cert tak?”

“Eh mesti ..”

Pause.

“Tapi, kalau tak bawak pun takpelah .. kita kawin lagi..”

Hmm.

“Hello?”

“Anom? Can I speak to your mother?”

Pause.

“Hello?”

“Kak Biah.. nak cakap sket. Tapi macam malu gitu…”

“Apa dia? Cakap ajer..”

“Ni ha .. minggu ni, Siti nyer 6^th anniversary…”

“Ahh.. minggu ni?”

“Ah ah.. Jadikan .. jadi, Siti ingat kan nak pegi LUAR Singapura…”

“Ahh.. ok..”

“Dengan Yazid ajer…”

“Oo.. jadi kau nak Kak Biah jaga budak2 tu?”

“Ah ah…”

“Ohh… Kak Biah ingat kau nak suruh aku masak…”

“Masak? Kak Biah ingat Siti nak buat party?”

“He he .. Ah bolehlah .. takda masalah … bila tu?

“Siti ingat nak bertolak Fri night, balik nanti mungkin balik Sunday gitu.. “

“Bolehlah… Kak Biah tak kisah…”

“Betul ke Kak Biah?”

“Betul .. Tidur sini hari Jummat kan? Sampai bila..?”

“Mungkin Fri ajer Kak Biah, sebab mungkin hari Sabtu malam, Kak Nana nanti nak amek dorang. Petang Sabtu Kak Nana pegi belajar, mungkin lepas marghrib nanti dia amek dorang..”

“Eh tak payahlah .. biar dorang tidur sini sampai hari minggu..”

“Ha? Tak susahkan Kak Biah ke?”

“Taklah.. seronok… takpelah, kau tak payah amek dorang, biarkan dorang pat sini ajer. Minggu ni kan?”

“Ah ah . ok, tapi nanti Siti confirm dengan Kak Biah, sebab rasanya, Kak Nana nak dorang jugak..”

“Ah oklah … sembarang lah, Kak Biah tak kisah..”

“He he.. macih, Kak Biah..”

A few minutes later …

“Ha! Takkan sampai hari minggu? Aku nak dorang lah..”

“Tapi kan kau nanti pi belajar hari Saturday…”

“Eh! Ah ah eh … abih, kau tak pegi belajar ke?”

“Ah ah lah, aku kena ponteng…”

Jeng-jeng-jeng … many things are not confirmed as of now. But one thing for sure – the Ihsan Boys are in demand.

Last night, Hubs and boys were out, for the boys’ quranic recitation session. I was at home, with Ibu Ros. We started talking. About something.

Then Ibu Ros asked: Are you scared?

Me: Yes, I’m scared.

Pause. We looked at each other.

Me: I’m terrified.

Right at that moment, the door bell rang.

Hubs and boys were home.

This is one incident that I really ought to mention and hope that anyone remotely affiliated with the convenience store (in any way – employee, shareholder etc) 7-11 would take note of.

Last Saturday, after a day at the zoo, we drove out to Bugis. Along the way, I had a sudden crazing for a Slurpee. You know this fizzy chill-brain drink that is much synonymzed with the aforementioned convenience store.

So, we stopped by a petrol station with a 7-11 outlet. I couldn’t recall which petrol kiosk was that, nor do I recall, unfortunately, where we were. Somewhere between Mandai Road and Bugis, I suppose.

Anyways, I walked in, and headed straight to the Giant – no, not the Giant Hypermart - aerated assorted drinks machine dispenser. Usually, or at least 99% of the times that I patronize 7-11 all over the island, the Slurpee machines will be located nearby the Giant drink dispenser.

I looked high and low but disappointingly, could not locate any Slurpee machine. Ok, never mind, I’d go and ask the cashier.

Now, the cashier – a very pleasant-looking young Chinese girl. I came up to her and asked: Excuse me, may I know where is the Slurpee machine?

She blinked 3 times and her mouth made some open-close movements. Then she tried very hard - really hard - to repeat after me.

“S..Slup..ee? Sull ..? Pee?”

I realized then that this adoring looking cashier is an export talent.

Needless to say, she didn’t know what I was talking about.

Ok, I really do not have anything against these foreign workers. Really. Nothing against them. For all I knew, that tiny 7-11 outlet located in some rural area in tiny Singapore probably do not stock any Slurpee machine.

Fair enough. But then again, could not the management of one of the more well-known convenience stores in Singapore at least brief the staff on their signature products – Slurpee, Giant, Mr Softee.. ?

This poor girl does not even know Slurpee. I could not help but wonder if she would know if the escaped famed man were to ever step into her store one of these days.

One day, we went some place. We were inside ZazaWish. Hubs was driving. Ibu Ros and I were seated at the center seat, while the boys were strapped to their booster way at the back.

It was a long journey. We became bored and decided to watch a DVD. There were some DVDs at the passenger seat. We checked, and we didn’t like any that were there.

Then we remembered there were also some DVDs kept at the side compartments at the back, where the boys were seated.

Ibu Ros turned around and asked Imin: Imin, can you please tell me what DVDs are inside the side compartment?

There were some noises (as Imin ransacked the compartment). Then, we heard.

Imin: Nemo, One Leg Kicking, Triangle, Triangle, Popeye.

Ibu Ros looked at me and I looked at her. Triangle? We certainly did not remember any DVD titled Triangle.

Me: What is Triangle, Imin?

I struggled from my slouch position to turn around to look at my son. He held up a square thing with an orange triangle in the centre. Two of those square things.

Imin: Triangle. New driver. See? Two.

Oh.

They go to great lengths to make us amused.

Remember once I told you a magician came and visited us?

What fun.

Anyways, in this picture, there’s my boss, my partner in crime

and my annual report(er). And of course, myself.

But now, which is which?

Behind us is the famed (not!) Pillar of Unity.

And see.. there's Patrick - a gift from Godma to the boys.

I took it to my cubicle without the boys' knowledge!

Boys were away last night, and coincidentally I had a dinner appointment with Cactus and Leafy.

It was great fun, that dinner @ Swenson Airport. Very rare for me to be going out AFTER work.  And stayed late into the night.

Except that, by any normal standard, 10pm was not THAT late. I tried to stay later, and I knew my lovely dinner companions would not mind any LATER hour, but strangely, past 9pm, I was feeling tired.. fatigue even.

Why? Hmm..

Age must be catching up. Hubs came and drove me home and I was back at Bedok by 10.30pm. Showered ya-da ya-da and was on my bed by 11.15pm. The house was unusually quiet .. and spick and span. Oh yes, boys were away.

Hubs woke me up this morning at 6am, way past my usual waking hour, which is between 5.20am and 5.30am. Even then, I pulled the blanket over my head and said: 6.30 please.

No rush, boys were away.

Strangely, I still feel tired. I took my time in getting ready. Boys are away, no rush.

No matter how late I tried to be, I was ready and out of the house by 7.30am.

And here I am, at the office, 8.25 am.

And still feeling tired. Hmm..

Age is really catching up.

Q What goes around the world but stays in a corner?

A A stamp.

Something happened over the past weekend that made me realize one thing – that blood is always (and forever) thicker than water.

A few years ago (ok, make that decades ago), I was having a conversation with a colleague. Back then, I was a designer. And back then, my job was my passion, so much so that I didn’t know I had a job, till I left the industry in 1998 to pursue my studies.

Anyways, back to 2008. Or back to few decades years ago, I was having this conversation with my colleague. Her name was Florence. I could still remember how she looked like – very short petite, very sweet and very pretty. I couldn’t remember what we were ranting about but I remembered something like this:-

(REWIND: A bit of a background – Florence was a married woman with no kids – AT THAT TIME – and I was a single-mingle-wingle.)

Florence: .. family is always more important to me than friends..

Me: .. really?

(REWIND: Back when I was a designer, I have to admit, I spent more time with my Mac, my offices, colleagues and friends than with my own family. It was normal for me to sleep in the office, in order to meet certain deadlines. I was THAT passionate. Of course, Hubs has to come into my life and changes everything – for the better.)

Florence: Yes. I remembered when I got married, it was my family who helped me out a lot…

Back then, I had to say, I kinda disagree with Florence, or that I couldn’t understand what she was trying to say. Back then, family was not a big deal to me. I was surrounded by like-minded people whom I called friends and whom I knew would gladly chase away any blue clouds that I may encounter on any given day. Little did I know that sometimes, friendships do turn sour and people do move away far from us. But family? family remains...

Fast forward to a few decades years now, I have to retract that statement – very gladly and willingly. Last weekend, as I stood at the threshold of my room, looking out at my sister setting things up, I wiped a tear or two. I shall not tell you what Ibu Ros did, but what she did on that day, well, only a true sister with so much sincere love in her heart would ever do that for me.

To my sister till blood fails to flow fast in my veins, I just want to say:

I LOVE YOU!.. PRICELESS...

Lizard-catcher from Oil Land shared this with me the other day.

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Most of America's populace thinks it improper to spank children. The other day I was talking to a fellow worker about methods used to discipline children. We talked about "time outs", grounding, holding back "rewards" until the child displayed desired behavior etc. One of the things we discussed was the act of spanking and my friend explained that no, he does not spank any of his children.

He explained that what he does is to take the misbehaving child out for a ride in the car and talk. He said that usually this works and that the child calms down fairly quickly and really doesn't take too much time.

By removing the child, in this case his son, from the immediate situation and providing a change of scenery, the child is allowed to focus on something different. Once the child has the opportunity to change perspective, things get better quickly and the child has better understanding of his place within the family and begins to understand the families’ concept of acceptable behavior.

He kindly shared a picture of the process which I share with you now.

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CAUTION Please do not attempt this method.