Hari Sukan

When I was young, I loved sports day. 

As far as I remember, sports day during primary was held at the tiny field in our school's frontyard with some telematch games only. The group I always belonged to, never won anything before, so it was very sad.

But when we reach secondary school, sports day was a different affair altogether.

We will walk from our school all the way to YMCA field each week for training session. Each house members have their own specified day for training. I belonged to the red house.

Walking all the way there was already an exercise by itself. I used to loathe the walk, coz it was hot and the distance was so far. But come to think of it, it was also fun in a way, as we would walk in a group and hell,  did we have fun. 

The 2 hours training in the field consisted of sprint run, up and down a slope, 400m run, long jump, high jump, javelin, discus and shot putt. Wahseh, do we still have these now? It sounds like we were in some military training! But again, looking back, it was really good exercise. If it were not for these weekly trainings, I wouldn't have been able to try my hand on these athletic games.

Near to the actual sports day, everyone in the house were encouraged to participate in the events, as we would score points for the house and all these would accumulate up to the total score. I usually was able to contribute about 3-4 points in 400m run, javelin, and high jump. I always loved javelin and high jump more as the rest seemed to have too many rules and I was more aware of not breaking the rules than to perform good in them.

The actual sports day would be held in a stadium and those not participating in the events would be called to join in the cheer for our respective houses. Every year, we just enjoyed ourselves yelling our lungs out with the chant "GO RED GO!".... Those were the good old days. I wonder how sports day is run these days in my old alma mater.

This year, we attended the kids' school's sports day for the first time. For the past few years, they were not selected into any events as participants so they had an option to attend. For some lame excuses, we always choose to let it slip. 

But this year, lo and behold, all 3 of them were involved in some ways or other.

Meimei was qualified to run in a relay. Her gym school team was also asked to perform before the events start as well. Hubs also itchy butts went to put his name down for the parent-child's events for both didi and meimei. Korkor was asked to help out as kuli, to move things around the field. And I was tasked to take pictures of them. 

The day was burning hot! I would have preferred staying home in bed anytime!

We were also forced to go into the field and do the silly 1Malaysia 1Sukan aerobics exercise. Yikes! It wasn't fun at all under the hot sun, ok!

Meimei in her event on the pic above. It was so far away because I was busy fanning myself under the shade far away from where the action was.

Didi and papa in their "terompah gergasi" match. it was also a relay so 2 pairs of parent and child were in 1 team. They didn't win because hubs claimed that the pair who partnered with them were slow! *roll eyes*

Around 11am when we confirmed that they didn't win anything from those 3 matches, we decided to head home and have our cold shower. It was sooo comfortable back home in the aircon room, man!

Day trip to Melaka

One fine Sunday, we made a day's trip to Melaka. The purpose was to check out some investments opportunities we saw at some exhibition fair.

The drive was smooth, traffic was clear as it wasn't any particular holiday season. 

We reached the Ayer Keroh exit pretty soon and went in to see many tourists attraction around that area. 

Saw something like a dinosaur park coming up, there were some zoo, museum, water theme parks, it seems really happening.

Reached this area which has several big buildings with vast space surrounding. Went in Planetarium to check if we can use the membership card from Petronas Science Center to go in for free.No, the girl behind the counter never heard of such ridiculous question before.

 No idea what the top building is.

 I think this one says something like a bowling center.

Very soon, after checking out the site of the investment that we were there for, we drove over to the city center. Traffic crawl await us.

 Part of my agenda of this trip were to
1. eat chicken rice balls (which was also korkor's agenda too)
2. cendol
3. nyonya food.

 We wanted to look for nyonya food at first, but soon we found out most of the nyonya restaurants were closed by that time. It was after 2pm. So when we bumped into this chicken rice balls shop, we were delighted and quickly went in to satisfy our hunger pangs.

This little boy who looked the same age as korkor were taking our orders and was very pro in his stuffs, can recommend dishes and explain certain things. I don't know what as I wasn't listening but that was what hubs told me after that.

 The shop exterior. It claims it is the best chicken rice balls in Melaka and came out in some food review in some newspaper too. But we all know those crap can't be trusted. And I have to say, the food really is so mediocre and too expensive! I would prefer Ipoh nga-choy-kei anytime!

Right after that, we checked out another investment site and moved on to a mall. Now what mall is that, my memory is definitely failing me.

I heard before that there is a shop selling some kickass cendol in there so we were hunting down for that shop. But that was after ANOTHER site seeing of ANOTHER investment, making it 3 for that day alone. I was getting very tired, so were the kids. It wasn't fun sitting down and listening to all those boring presentations. We just wanted to eat and shop, dammit!

It was a very exhaustive treasure hunt for that precious cendol and we were at the verge of quitting. It didn't help that the mall has BAD, very very bad, layout and no directory were to be seen around the huge place. We walked and walked and walked and the kids were confused why we were walking in circles and kept asking what we were hunting for. I guess they didn't know how important that cendol is.

 Eventually, we found it and happily ordered a bowl to quench my thirst. Since there were some promotions, we also bought another drink which came free of a strawberry smoothie. Didi was so delighted. He was the happiest boy that day.

Hubs asked if I wanted to have dinner before returning home and I thought why not. Though it was only a mere 3-4 hours after our lunch, I reckoned it would be way too late when we reached KL and the kids would need to be tucked in to bed soon as the next day was still a schoolday. Furthermore, I still hadn't have my nyonya cravings fulfilled.

We settled at this Ole Sayang which we had been to before years ago. This time was a bit disappointing coz the food didn't seem too appetizing. Or maybe we were still half full. No complaints though.

We hurriedly rushed back home while the kids slept throughout the journey. It was rather about 10+ when we were home but korkor said, no worries, they already have 2 hours sleep in the car so it will still be all good the next day. I was glad it did.

Melaka. I would like to go back there again one day, this time for a night stay. There are more to see and eat than what we had in that few hours.

Having his left arm on a cast.

Korkor had a fall last Saturday evening at a cool playground with modern designs.

The spanking new mall at Setia Alam boasts a huge field right beside it with few or no tall buildings blocking its view, giving the area a very nice, cool and windy hangout place, perfect for flying kites.

The playground amenities are all new and designed with toddlers and bigger children age group in mind so everyone has a fair share of enjoyment, including us.It even has a public restroom just right there, convenient for the children to make their dash to the loo as, we all know, kids hold their pee up until the very last second when they are having loads of fun.

Anyway, this post is about korkor, so back to him.

It was all good in the beginning, when it was almost, just right almost, time to gather everyone up for dinner somewhere else, he had a slip and fell from the climbing bars, I don't know how high as I didn't see him fall. I was attending to didi when I heard his cries of mommy... mommy....

I saw him lying down on the bench and thought how bad could his pain be, when the papa is just seated right next to him, acting as if nothing happened?

So I just slowly make my way to him and asked what was wrong. He cried like a baby (which really reminded me when he was just a baby!) and said he was really in soooo much pain. He said his arm was broken and need to go for an x-ray and be hospitalized. Wow! For a slight second, I was taken aback and kind of felt tickled with his exaggeration.

But a few moments later, I realized it might just be rather bad. Yeah, I was worried a bit, but of course, I told myself inside, nothing geh... everything will be ok. After all, how high can it be? And the floor is padded as well.

Anyway, fast forwarding a bit....

He saw a GP in a nearby clinic who couldn't diagnose the problem until an x-ray was done and it can only be done in a hospital or a medical center which either one is nowhere to be seen.

So, we let him rest for a night, went for outpatient treatment at a hospital the next morning and took the x-ray.

From the x-ray, the doc told us that his elbow bones has a hairline crack and that might possibly be the cause of the pain. He advised us to see an orthopaedic to advise on the next course of action, which he thinks most likely is to have his arm on a cast.

We went back to the specialist on the Monday afternoon, taking him off earlier from school.. Temporarily left-handed paralysed, he needs help when carrying his big luggage of a schoolbag to school every morning, when taking his shower and on the brighter note, he is relieved from piano practices and dishwashing duties! Didi feels ever so envious!

His only complaint would be the itch which is even made worse when he can't reach that itchy spot! Well, I can't perform magic even when he keeps crying me for help there.

Hopefully, the cast would be taken off sooner than 3 weeks as anticipated. I hope he learns something from this experience! I also realized when they are in pain, they would be crying for mommy first! As if mommy can work miracles!

Making our own bread.

My bread making adventure has taken a very long hiatus and gleefully, I'm back to it!

Seriously, I think it has something to do with the kitchen. A conducive workplace is very important for work and pleasure.

Admittedly, it has also something to do with the amount of bread that the kids and I are consuming each day. I have to buy a loaf of bread or a dozen of buns for all 4 of us for just 1 day alone to satisfy the need. When I overlook this task or had no time to get out to the groceries, I would be having split head thinking what to feed them for the day's recess.

It's so easy to give them some pocket money to buy food from the canteen, but I try not to. After all, it's outside food. In any case, commercialized bread is also outside food and my thoughts had been hogged for a long time from all those read ups on how many chemical and other damaging stuffs they put inside the bread.

Hence, I was looking into making homemade bread or buns for the longest time.

Finally the procrastination ended.

I made a loaf of white bread and the kids were so excited, although they keep harping on bringing back the old brands I used to buy. No, I will insist. They are just too used to the softened and sweetness of it. It would just be a matter of time before they like mine.

Today, I made a dough from the bread maker, roll them into buns and baked them in the oven.

It's not a success story, but yeah, the kids still eat them. Guess they reaaaally love bread too much!

Soon, I am going to try making pizza, cha siew pau, kaya pau and other loaves of bread that contains all of our favorite stuffs in, like raisins, banana, pumpkin....just to name a few. I will take pictures of them... when it becomes more enticing to look at!

Healthy stuff, and I'm loving it!

Secondary school for korkor

I do miss blogging. Time doesn't permit me the luxury these days but my heart's intention is to continue to do it.

Lately, I had been rather stress figuring out which school korkor will be going to next year. It's still unbelievable that the time is here. My own words when he started Std 1 still ring clear in my mind when I was asked which school I'm planning to enrol him into 6 years later. I replied to her "see how la, still so far away" while in my mind I was thinking "yo! need to plan jor meh?"

Last time when we went to school, I don't think my parents were even bothered. They put me in the school since kindergarten and it became my second home all the way up to Form 5, do we need to be concerned?

Well, apparently, things are not the same right now. Just couldn't use the same theory anymore.

I'm not sure how true it is, but there are rumors spreading round that the "not so good" schools, school bullies reigns, students are neglected, discipline is poor and peer bad influence is strong. *shivers*.

Honestly, I am feeling half guilty for not pushing him more since the beginning of school. Apparently, scores are really everything. Well, not everything but at least, it's the criteria for entering a good school. Without a good school, he's doomed!

How I wish we could afford private or international school for him. The better option right now is to hope he could get a place in one of those private chinese high schools. More stressful for him if he does, but I am sure it's better than any tom,dick and harry's national schools. But we are looking at thousands of students fighting for those prestigious limited places. Hope he can make it. *cross fingers and toes*

I'm the auto cleaner robot apps

My hubs just got a new phone couple of days ago. The Samsung S3 something.

He was so excited about it as he had been pondering to switch from his pathetic iPhone3 long time ago and waited for it long enough to be delivered.

When he finally lays his hands on it, as expected, he starts installing apps and fiddling around with it, getting used to a whole new phone which is slightly, but still (to me) about the same thing, different than iPhone.

Every night, when I take a look at it, I would feel my itchy hands and beh tahan to see the mess in the phone, I create folders and put the apps accordingly to the different folders making it look so neat and tidy.

It's a cycle, he downloading, installing, and I doing the housekeeping.

Until that day, I sound him off for being such a messy wreck on his new phone and hoe-sum-la, put the apps in the appropriate folders mah...

He said... "Oh! not to worry, this phone is so powerful, it can sort out the apps and automatically do housekeeping every night one..."

wtf!!!!

I doing all the work and don't even get a credit for it??

Apparently, he really didn't realize it had been ME doing all that for him. Though it's not a big deal, but that goes to show... that's how the job of a wife is!