Revisiting Cameron Highlands after 14 years!

I suppose just the mention of this place, many people would start to rekindle all their memories they had in this place. Everyone has some story to tell with no connections whatsoever to the hill, but it just happened right there. Me too. And now, I'm going to tell my story here.

The last I was there was in the year 1994, and it holds many special memories for me especially for
1. the Board of Librarians trip in Form 6, it was like staying in Tanjung Rambutan! Happy and stress-free.

2. falling in love with my now hubby, we jungle trek in a group of 19 for 2 days/1 night from Gopeng to the hilltop, spending a night in the dark jungles in an Orang Asli stilts home. Yeah, that was how it happened.


I was among the 6 "babes" in the group, and the only one without a torchlight. He promised me I would be alright before, but wasn't even aware I fell and cut a bruise on my knee. Feeling terribly guilty, he stayed at my front all the time and helped me to get through the various streams and unbelievable slopes.

By 7pm as the sun was setting, we still hadn't find the Orang Asli area, and darkness was beginning to creep in. Bloody leaches were all over our shoes too, and I would jumped up and down like a madwoman yelling his name to pull them off my shoes. One of the girls in the group even told us her panties were soaked in blood when she went to shower, the next day after we arrived our destination. Ewww... gross! Imagine the leach go inside and start to build its home sweet home there!

As it became pitch darkness, though dark and damn tired and damn hungry, I felt safe and peace with his hand firmly holding mine. I suppose he too was "electrocuted" by me. Too dark mah, so I became his light of his life loh.. :D (Your bulu roma stand up mei?)

Yes, that was the beginning of our love story, everything else is history.

See the 2 grandpas? It's such a cute combination of trip members. I like it. We were sharing one miserable piece of waffle. Theoretically, we were teaching the young ones to SHARE, the fact is, we are too kiamsiap. That waffle, though yummy, costs a bomb!

Well, apart from that, it might also teach the young to fight for their lives for opportunities! Good, huh? But must also tell them not to be too greedy and selfish, have to save the best for their loved ones.

Divine concentrated pure strawberry juice. It was pure enjoyment taking a sip of that drink on the rooftop with that scenery and fresh air.


Red rose which would make my knees weak...

This one for you, U. Lee (Your story of 19 chapters kept me up till 3am last nite, dammit!) and others who has some fond memories of Smokehouse Hotel. No, we didn't spend the night there, can't afford that. But it's such a grandeur of am English tudor styled colonial architecture, I would have loved to go and spend at least one night there in my lifetime.

We made a U-turn and headed for home after about half a day there, with the journey lasted only about 1 hour with the new access road from Simpang Pulai. It wasn't as winding as the old route and I didn't throw up or felt nauseous, which is certainly good. It was unfortunate we can't see the Lata Tinggi waterfalls though, as that is in the path of the old route.

Will be back to take the children to see the tea plantations.

Flowers for you.

Brought these roses home from Camerons, now sitting beautifully in my dining table, brightening the house and the day. Though flowers of whatever kinds are truly beautiful in their own ways, roses still remain my favorite one, especially the dark red colored.


Such pretty intricate weavings of petals, I could gaze in it for a long time.

One must have thought my hubby proposed to me even without any rings or half on knee, he would at least had a bouquet of red roses, popping out the big question...

No such luck. He never did. He just invited his parents and my parents to a dinner on my birthday and we talked about the wedding preparations, that was all! How truly un-romantic, un-memorable, un-unforgettable, un-sweet.... He would say "Still complaining about that meh?"
I say "Of course!! I would remember that for the rest of my life, and talking about it too!"

Of course, that is only used when I wanted something badly and he is giving me all sorts of objections...

And I normally have my way! *grins*

What's your favorite flower? What's the color? What does the stars say about my personality for a red rose lover like me, do you know?

Start of school holidays.

Hooray! Probably my kids wouldn't have any hints that I am actually the one who's the happiest when the school holidays are here! It feels sooooo good to turn the alarm clock on my handphone to OFF.

To start the hols, we went back kampung to visit the grandparents and took them to 1 day tours around. Sat to Gua Tempurung and Sun to Camerons. It was surely enjoyable. Came back today taking half day off. My poor baby, when she was jostled from her sleep, she blurrily saw the familiar surroundings again and started crying... poor girl, must be traumatized that the holidays are over.

Well, good times sure whizzed by when you are having fun, don't they?

That night before, I made a date with my dad who just came home from work happily when he knew that we would be home last weekend. You just can't miss the joy in his voice over the phone. It was about 11.30pm when we finally made it for supper at Lou Wong for Nga Choy Kei, poor fella, I can imagine how sleepy and tired he was, considering he normally sleeps at 8pm! But he was still beaming happily like a child when we were having supper. And for that, I always feel happy to be spending time just doing simple things like this with him.

He was sure overjoyed too when he knew we were going to Camerons. And to Camerons it was. Though when he knew we went to Gua Tempurung, he was visibly upset that we didn't wait for him. Anyway, he didn't complain for he can join us up to strawberry land.

While we were there, I received a call from my aunt, who told me an uncle of mine (my dad's cousin brother, with the same surname) has passed away. I was so sorry and sad to hear that piece of news. We had earlier visited him in the hospital sometime after CNY, and I had the feeling it would probably be the last time I ever see him again.

Yeah, so it seemed to be the case. His family travelled over to accompany him back to his home in Melbourne and what we heard was he was in and out of hospital since. Well, he had lived a good life, I suppose, being 80+, died peacefully with his family at his side. I wasn't considered to be really close to him, but somehow, I have a high respect for him all my life, remembering all those memories when we would go to his big home during CNY.

While we were in Melbourne for holiday in 2003, he was among those friendly relatives who insisted to treat us a meal and gave us a warm welcome.

I feel so sad. When my mom called my brother to tell him about this news, he asked what they are doing to pay "pak-kum", and how he can chipped in too. At that point of time, I wondered, what's exactly the point of doing anything when the person is dead? I surely hope he would take more trouble to come home more often to visit our parents too before this happens to anyone of them. All those "reasons" of can't be home... I really am speechless. Anyway, I'm not washing dirty linens in public here, it's not good of me. But I need a place to vent it out of my system, really.

Having said that, I am trying my best too to let my husband and children spend time with his parents, however distasteful and not-up-to-standard-and-not-up-to-expectations a daughter in law I am. That was why I suggested to my hubby to take some time off to balik kampung, and instead of staying at our own room in a different house, I agreed to stay put with my inlaw's house this time. I suppose my intentions had gone un-noticed and un-appreciated, but seeing them happy and my hubby's satisfied, never mind la. Just fast fast gulp away all the "unpleasant" things or rant it out to my good friends' ears, which they are happy to hear all about it also.. haha..

And that's why it's so important to have close girl friends, who share the same problems I am facing and after ranting and bitching, supported by them, I feel much lighter and happier already.

Now, just let me enjoy the rest of the school holidays...

9th Anniversary

9 years ago on this day...

This sole album holds all the pictures and memories of that fateful day.

Under-aged boy caught getting married??? Or play play only??

All smiles for that day. I can still remember I hardly eaten anything at all for the whole day. It was madness rushing from morning till night, getting married was really stressful!

And my wonderful and pretty (handsome too!) friends who came for me. That day was a very auspicious day, hence many weddings were held throughout the nation. Even I had 2 other close girlfriends were wedded on the same day. As such, not many turned up for the dinner.


One varsity good friend had 3 wedding invitations simultaneously, and one of them was a close relative. So, what he did was, he went to one for the night before, came all the way to Ipoh from KL on the morning of today (9 years ago), and rushed back home to KL for the relative's wedding dinner! Honestly, I was really touched.


And of course, my close friends from HK, KL, Singapore, all came back to celebrate with us.

They went for karaoke session after the dinner, while my newly wed hubby and I dropped by for awhile, paid for the bill, and went back to, you know la...

Then, we went back to KL the next day, and off to US/Canada for our honeymoon with 2 other friends.

Now, what did we do today ah?

We were, as usual, sent the kids to school, went to work, went to my son's school to collect his report book and still at the office now! :(

Guess this is what they say, wedding is just a ceremony, real marriage is the days after the wedding.

Turning thirty something.

I had a great birthday party this year! It was the first time having it in those posh place where the staff came in packs to sing happy birthday song to you.


They asked me to stand up, I was very lazy to, and teased back if they wanted me to stand on the table. They said no problem if I liked to do that, and after some moments of hesitation, I said "ok, let's do it then!" and raised my right knee up like real, and some of them really thought I was serious. Haha.. caught them there, it was truly fun.

"Present this card on your next visit, and we'll give you a FREE onion loaf", how about that?

Cake was courtesy of my friend, not them. It was a very yummy mango mousse cake. Deliciously sinful!

My hubby was truly generous that night, spending close to RM300 for that birthday dinner for me. That is part of the birthday gift too, he has absolutely no idea what to get for me. I guess after all these years, it's not so important anymore. More importantly, it's spending time with the loved ones, I am sure mostly everyone would agree with me, hoh?

I took my mom to a boutique for her to choose something for herself, as my birthday gift to her. Somehow, I figured it's more important for me to celebrate my birthday with her, knowingly how painfully she had delivered me to this world thirty something years ago.

Actually, I admit I was being partially selfish too, I must say. I wanna train my children to do the same to me when they grow up too. I'm not very sincere, huh?

The other day, I told my eldest son the reason I'm giving a birthday gift to"Y-po" is she was the one to give birth to me and without her, there wouldn't be me, and without me, there would not be any him either, would he? He said "Then, should we be thanking Y-po's mother too? And also Y-po's mother's mother ....?

For an instant, I do not know whether he was trying to be funny or smart, but it took me rather by surprised. It amazes me how his brain cells can be simulated so fast. My reply to him "Never mind about Y-po's mother, she's not alive anymore, we just concentrate on those who's living, ok?" To that, he took it without any other comments.

So, that also means when it's papa's birthday, we need to make sure we celebrate it with his mom too, to enforce that idea to our children.


Thanks for those who sent me birthday wishes, always touches my heart and made my day. Especially to that someone who never failed to give me a tinkle every year ever since we have known each other, no matter how.

And yes, I am now officially thirty err........

And he says I'm over-protective!

You know, we as parents now are not as "relaxed" as how our parents where. Most of us send our young school going children by ourselves, waking up early to get their breakfast ready, gently telling them that it's time to get up from bed, getting them ready, so on and so forth.

My hubby had the idea to let them go to school by themselves by bas sekolah, the exact same methodology of how we went to school when we were young.

But I have strong objections to that, insisted and *beating my chest with my palm* declared I WILL SACRIFICE MY SLEEPING TIME to send him to and fro from school. And that's how and when my eyebags started to visit me.

He said I'm just a paranoid mom, making unnecessarily sacrifices like that.

And the other day, I saw this big car driving up to the school while I was walking to the gate with my son. When it stopped, all 3 doors opened at the same time. The maid was at the front, taking the bag down. Mommy came down with the son on one side, the granny coming out from the other. All 3 of them walked the precious little darling to the gate, maid only handing him his bag at the entrance. And I saw the car was driven by obviously an employed driver.

And I thought to myself "sei mm sei ah?".... And my hubby said I'm over-killing my motherly role?

Anyway, I didn't know that some parents, other than waiting early ahead for the bell to ring to take their child home, even went to the extent to wait at the canteen door at about 10am, obviously for the recess time. Wow! Can you imagine that? Delivering their snack/ breakfast for recess in the mid morning as well??

For me, I just pack some bread/ buns/ cake/ sausages/ fried noodle/ cookies/ ... aiyah, just give him RM1 and let him buy something to eat from the canteen la. I feel myself so intimidated by these super duper moms.

These children are darn lucky. During our time, we woke up by ourselves, get ready, opened the door and waited even before the dawn breaks for the bas sekolah, sometimes if we were early, we could go over to the house few doors away selling soup noodle to have a quick breakfast, if not, just buy some "fu-pei" (fried beancurd skin with fish meat fillings) and eat in the bus. My mom and dad would still be happily snoozing even while we started our lessons. But of course, they worked hard to bring us up too.

But if we talk about our time, our parents would be telling to us how lucky we were also. During THEIR time, they need to cycle or walk miles away to their school, and when they come home from school, they need to help out their parents not only with household chores but their work as well, working until 1 or 2 am in the morning..

I used to detest when my mom told me how she suffered and what a good life I was having. I told myself before that when I become a mom myself, I wouldn't do the same thing and nag like her. See see... what am I doing here?

Our Mother's Day 2008

There was this time long before it was Mother's Day where my eldest son over dinner told me he's going to make me a card for the day. I was already touched, so easy to be contented, hoh? Then, his papa said to him to make one for grandma too. Without any hesitation, he replied "Make it yourself la, she's your mother, not MY mother!" Haha.. that made me and papa's brother to burst into laughter.

Anyway, on this special day of days, we took our maid to have her very own "last breakfast" (for her to choose what she likes to eat, but instead, she prefers to eat what we eat!)

Then, we went to Carrefour, helped her to choose a handphone, and I told her she can walk around by herself and get whatever she wants to bring back kampung. After some period of time, I saw her with a basketload of Tiger Biskuat. My hubby and I were, like, speechless, eyes and mouth wide opened. I told hubby now we know where all those biscuit we bought went in these 2 years time.

We said to her, she's going to be charged for extra luggage, and it's advisable to leave these back where they belong. Disappointedly, she emptied the basket, and bought 2 packs plus another 2 packs of cheese sausages. Sigh... how truly sorry we felt for her.

Meanwhile, my children happily sketched and colored some cards for me at the Enfagrow promotion section and my eldest son, being the most "educated" one so far, wrote on the card "Mom, you are the best!" *grins*

At night, it was a simple dinner to celebrate Mother's Day, for both me and my mom and a farewell dinner for the maid. We went to some not-very-femes restaurant and it was fullhouse. Traffic was equally chaotic at that area, and thus, we switched to plan-B, anywhere nearby. My brother-in-law recommended that place, and we just followed, without any objections as it was way past dinner time.

On Sunday, we took the maid to LCCT to send her off, and poor thing, had to be fined RM65 for excess luggage. Sorry, man, I'm not going to pay that for her, we are not any blardy rich employers, wokay?

And that marks the beginning again for "maid-less" days ahead. Apparently, my hubby seems to be the ONLY one who's missing her a lot. Complain when he has to change our little girl to her swimsuit, complain when he doesn't have anyone to cut fruits for him to munch on, and he's only defending for himself saying he feels heartache only seeing us laboring on the household chores. Men!

As for my children, both my mom and I kept reminding them that there isn't any kakak to clear up their mess, to do this and that for them anymore. This little girl pointed to my mom or me saying, "You are kakak la.." Gosh!

That night, I made spaghetti for dinner and took it to the poolside for them to eat while halfway having fun in the pool. It's kinda feel-good, I should be doing that more often. The kids absolutely loved it and I didn't need to clean up so much after the meal.

Well, so far so good, I am not complaining yet. See when my backache returns, I would be venting it out on my hubby and we might just be getting one back again soon.

And as a small gesture of love, we bought our mom a brand new handphone and she was beaming with delight. Happy Mother's Day to all the cool moms out there too!

Mid height crisis

Aiks! Too tall for the kiddie rides, and alas.. too short for the thrill rides.

Poor young man! Have to sulk while the little brother and sister enjoy themselves over and over again. Even complained to me that he was boring and that he do not want to go there anymore. I could see a tears beginning to well up in his eyes already. Yeah, this little man is very easily teary-eyed.
So, what I can do for him is to take him for family rides together and buy a double scoop ice cream for him to indulge in.


Ice cream sure can do the trick most of the time!

To park or not to park? Better not

We went to a theme park on Sun.

My little baby just marginally failed the height level for entitlement to a free entrance pass.

What would you do then? Buy one ticket for her or make a "force entry" to the theme park without a care on that lousy height criteria? If can, please make your say on the polls I created on the sidebar, please? please? please?

For me, I would have relented to these businessmen's money making mechanisms. Just pay for her, accept she's grown up now and not a baby anymore. If not, might as well stay at home or just go to a park to entertain for free.

For my hubby, of course, he has an entirely different thought. He thinks it's a stupid criteria, and furthermore, she's just "marginally" there. So, can make a "force entry", don't even need to bargain. And he just pulled her hand and took her in while I stood there amazed, and quickly followed his footsteps just in case they demand money from me instead.

And that is how eventually, I was landed in a very annoying scene, which I knew it would happen anyway.

She had managed to get in to the different rides, no stopping from the person manning the rides entrances, but when we reached the bumper car section, that's where trouble brews.

I left her with her 2-ko to wait for their turn patiently while I went over to take a seat just nearby. Meanwhile, papa and the eldest son went bumping their cars in the adult section.

As the round came to an end, and the door was opened for new little players, I knew something was amiss when I can't see her going in to the enclosed area. I walked over to the front, and the young stuck up malay girl said she needs the band on her wrist to be allowed to enter.

I saw my little one, so tiny and pathetic, standing at the entrance, like being bullied, like a little puppy, lost and sobbing quietly at the side. Oh, my! How my heart ached that particular moment!

I bargained with the girl, but being the stuck-up girl she is, basking in the glory of it, and holding the key to children's happiness, she seems to be delighted that she has the power not to let her in and not to let her in, she maintained.

I really fumed, and I carried my baby out immediately, where her quiet sobs turned drastically into thunder and I felt so sorry and guilty for her. Went to buy her something on her own selection, and that consoled her for awhile.

But still, that image, that scenario, that disappointed and awfully pathetic look on her face, still haunts me until now.

During the journey home, I talked it over with my hubby. He maintained that everything can be discussed and bargained.

I said, if I would have to make a scene to have my way, then it would have spoilt my day, and that's not what we want in the first place, right? The purpose to go to such place is to have a funfilled family day, the children enjoy themselves, and that in return makes us parents happy.

He said "That's why, it's you who doesn't want to go through this process. It's you who wouldn't want to bargain your way. Everything can be discussed and talked over. Laws are made from people and wouldn't be so rigid".

So, that makes me an even unhappier mom that day. Like it's my fault that my girl was caught in such a scenario and I didn't make it right for her.

Yeah, I hated that stuck up girl manning that section. She could have just closed one eye and let her in, and made everyone happy. I wanted to shout at her "wait till you become a mom!". Then again, she's just doing her duty. That's her job to do. To give in is her pleasure, to be strict is her policy. How to blame her like that?

So, who to blame? Surely the dad, but see see the dad blames me back for being so soft and do not want to "show my thick-skinned ugly face" to the whole wide world to see. I could have done something for my child, and yet I didn't, for the sake of saving my own "face"...

And thus, it's my fault, and I am left to sulk for the rest of my life for it.

Arrggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(aiyah, better stay at home la, why go and torture myself with all these unhappiness?)

A summary of the past one week

Now, what had I been doing? Missed spending time in here, wonder if anyone misses me?

Last Sat, after half a day spent in attending my younger 2's preschool anniversary celebration where presentations by the little ones were held and games were played, followed by a dimsum lunch at TT in city center where RM2.88 per basket ruled, the day was about that and all. Went to night market with papa and the little girl to get some DVDs. Apparently, the authorities seem to be rather hardworking recently and all the stalls displaying the discs were all bared. Just 2 days ago, I was at a stall selecting a few, but before I could pay for it, I heard over the walkie-talkie crying "Mayday! Mayday! Ta-pao! Ta-pao!". Before I knew it, the man and woman across the table grabbed the whole pile of discs lying on a piece of cloth in a second and everything was gone without a trace.

Sunday was one of the best time we had, discovering the wonders of the National Science Center in the Damansara area. It was just unfortunate that I missed the camera again, then again, both papa and I have ideas in mind to return and visit that place again. It's just a great place for the family, only lacking is a place to fill our hungry stomachs. We had not even covered the outdoors where a playground and bird park was calling for us to visit. The children just didn't want to go home.

And it was back to the dreaded working week, only that we had 4 days to kill this week, how nice. One night something happened though.

The little girl, for the first time in her life, saw me crying one night. I wasn't really crying, just pretending to be "seriously crying". She saw my head buried in my pillow at first, and went about to tell her papa who was in the bathroom that I was ignoring her. Papa told her to say sorry to mommy, and she trotted over to my side and say in the nicest sweetest voice "sorry, mommy". Aww... that was really cute, I thought, so I looked up and I wondered what she would do if she saw me crying.

Before, she knew I was only playing with her and the cries weren't real, but this time, she fell for it and she started crying too! Boy! How poorly sad she sounded. I felt the warmth that moment, I could almost feel like whatever pain I could be feeling was halved. I wanted to cherish that moment, as it was without any hideous feelings she had felt so sad seeing me so sad. It was such a nice "motherhood" feeling at that time.

By then, papa had came out from the shower and went to her, trying to soothe her by a hug. She pushed him away, as if he's the one who was guilty of making me sad in the first place.. haha...

That night, she wanted to sleep by my side, in my arms. Ahh..... the simple joy in that. All the sweat and headache during the day just vanished into thin air.

Labor's Day was a good rest day, just simply having a late breakfast together, doing some groceries and marketing, taking a rest at home, chilling out in the warm pool after a hot day and at the end of the day, going to sleep early and catching back on precious lost sleep hours. It was refreshing.

And by today, the weeks' tasks were all done and looking forward to the weekend for the company's team building activity. Will see if there's anything to blog about that.

For now, let's have some ice-cream first.. yummy!