Reflections...

Happy Birthday To Me...

2006-12-12T04:55:00.000+09:00

oh gosh!! look at the time!! I've gotta be up again in less than 3hours & I'm still doing stuff on the internet!! ~ARGH~ This invite design is taking more than too much time already!!!

Tash is coming over Wednesday to have a look at the product... but I still havent' finished it. And she's expecting the finished product, mate!!

Why am I doing an allnighter? Only cos Claire's going to be spending Tuesday, tomorrow... oh, today... sorry... with me... and she's going to stay the night. So, I can't be doing my work then can I?

Anyway, I'd better go sleep now... oh yeah, I still have to pack Kris' lunch & his drinks... ~yawnz~

Jobs, Anyone?

2006-11-20T16:55:00.000+08:00

Back from Sgp & 2 job offers in one day. I know, I should be really grateful, but they're both either at weird places or at weird hours of the day.

One job required me to work at 7am, that means I've gotta get out of the house at 5am to catch 2 trains & a bus & then walk to the office.

The other job required me to be at the northern part of Perth whereas I live in the southern part. Do u know how long it'll take me to just drive there, let alone take public transport?!

Yeah, I had to reject the 2 offers even though I really wouldn't mind getting either of it. These temp jobs are only for anything between 1 - 12weeks contracts. Which suits me for the time being as I really dunno when Kris wants to go for the Tassie trip.

Of course, i would really prefer a full-time perm job, but I can't be choosy now.

Too Little Time, Too Tired Too

2006-11-13T12:07:00.000+08:00

Got back from Sgp yesterday afternoon. Took a cab back home cos couldn't contact Bak Nor. He told us to call him on the mobile when we landed, but he didn't bring the phone with him.

Also cos he thought we were told to call him the night before to confirm the time of the flight. So cute, miscommunication all the way.

Anyway, Kris is not working today cos we had to go get our weekly groceries. Luckily for us, his bro & dad managed to consume whichever perishables we had so that there's no wastage nor rots!! hehe...

My Goldy is still alive... thanks to both Koen for looking after it before he flew into Sgp & Tash, after the in-laws left. That reminds me we have to get Tash something for looking after this place. We really didn't have enough time for our own shopping, let alone for other people. I mean, we really wanted to, but even if we have the time, we just didn't have the strength to walk down Orchard Road.

We managed to get some bargains though.

At Hari Raya, I saw my sister's bag & realised that it was exactly the kind of bag I'd been looking for the past 1yr in Perth!! So, the mission started for the search of the bag. The one day we had time to shop (cos I didn't have shoes for my wedding dresses), we managed to go OG at People's Park & it wasn't there. Even went to Harbourtown, saw some really nice bags, but not that one. Of course, I made a mental note to come back to Harbourtown on my own one of these days to go get those bags!! hehehe...

Alas, on the night before our flight, we found it for 50% off at Orchard Emerald. They were changing management AGAIN and had a huge sale... YIPPIIEEZZZ!!! Not only did I find the bag, Kris allowed me to buy 2 of the same bags!! hehehehe... One white & one vanilla!!! YEAH!!!

But earlier that day, I also got a small silver pouch from Tangs. Then, I realised I haven't been clubbing, so that bag is really quite redundant for an old hag like me... but then again, who cares? hehehe...

When Kris was finally too tired to move any further, we went back & upon his insistence, went to West Mall & got that backpack for work. Yeah, people I've been looking forward to a nice backpack I can carry to work. Big enough to stash my book & brolly & perhaps that sandwich. I love carrying it on my bag, especially during the cold wintry months when rain is inevitable!!

So, yeah... in one day, Kris bought for me 4 bags, a pair of silver sandals & a pair of bronzed soft court shoes!! hehehe... plus, I had a nice mee rebus at Wisma Atria's international foodcourt. And I didn't even splash a drop of gravy or drink this time on my new, pristine white top!! hehehe...

What Animals!!

2006-11-03T01:18:00.000+08:00

ok... just got back from the zoo & night safari with the hubby & inlaws. It was fun, very tiring, but fun... I think they enjoyed the night safari immensely. Luckily it stopped raining just in time. I think i liked the Bat's Colony in the swampy marshland the most. Cos some Jap girls in front of us were suddenly screaming their heads off when they realised they were going to walk right straight into a big bat that was on the low branches hanging over the footpath!! AHRAHHARHARHR... I truly enjoyed that!! hehehehe...

And Koen tried to scare me... Gosh!!! These 19yo boys don't learn!! We, 33 yo ladies, don't get scared with giant black upside-down hanging FRUIT BATS!!! hehehehe... And I think I said that out loud too!! harharhahr...

Oh, talking about scaring people. While at the Elephant Show at the zoo, a stupid chinese teacher bringing a whole platoon of primary school kids actually snapped at one of the students!!! Seriously demented that lady!!! How can she be allowed to be a teacher I dunno!!!

The kids were having fun with the free-roaming tiny monkeys at the elephant enclosures and obviously some girls got shocked & screamed in fright at the sight of something small & furry clamouring towards them as they turned around... And this idiotic teacher (who I think was scared of the monkeys herself), screamed at the kids & told them not to "play a foo ah" (yes, there was no l at the end of the word "fool") or the *quote*"monkeys will attack you & bite you and if blood all come out, I won't say anything to your parents ah!!!"*unquote*.

Firstly, what kind of schools would employ such teachers who scare kids with stupid remarks & threats?!
Secondly, the teacher can't even speak properly... seriously, refer to my first question!!
Thirdly, those monkeys don't even have teeth to cut through tough fruits, let alone bite into the kids. They don't have fingernails to attack the smallest of babies!! Why would a fruit-eating tiny monkey that the zoo have allowed to roam freely & thus be considered safe amongst people, be considered to attack & bite kids?! Gosh!!! These teachers should be taught about animals first or simply just sacked!!! What ignorant people!!! Again, refer to my first question!!

I tell you, if I hear any of my kids' teachers remarking in such a manner, I'd sack her myself!!

Anyway, I'd better go to bed... I need to shower first... hubby already in dreamland. And tmrw's the photoshoot...

I think i won't be posting for a while... Sunday's the celebration. Monday's Sentosa trip. Tuesday - Thursday are Msia trip days. Friday, clearing marriage registration thingy & sending off my inlaws to the airport. Saturday, packing up & Sunday, flight back to Perth.

ok... have fun... ~yawnz~

Chicken Run

2006-10-31T10:09:00.000+08:00

Sat & Sun, not too bad... didn't go to too many places, but at least managed to go to the main ones, like Pak Long's, Obek Samad, Cik Lydia's for open house... hehehe... oh, and of course, my sister's. That was good... she prepared lunch & I managed to have a sneak peek at her new apartment. Very nice & chic... but a bit too dear for my pocket.

I would have chosen to go with a really simple design, not that hers wasn't... Hers was simple & good, but I don't like all the wall-fixed panels. I'd rather have something that I can move around. And instead of new furniture, furnishings & crockery, cutlery, etc, I'd go for the hand-me downs until I'm ok financially. Don't think I wanna have all that debts on my accounts... Scary thing!!

Then again, it's not my place... =) It was gorgeous & they loved it... and that's all that matters.

Yesterday, we managed to meet the mak andam & chose the dresses & accessories. I really don't want the bridal dress, but Kris insisted on it... ~sigh~ Well, then again it's either that or the froufrou princess tulle dress... YUCKS!!!

Shopped around a bit for my shoes, but we agreed to wear the ones mom got, even though some are just too tight. Luckily all the shoes kinda matched for the photo-session on Sat & for the event on Sunday.

ok... I've got somewhere to go, before my inlaws arrive tmrw night. Have heaps to do.

'Twas The Night Before

2006-10-26T18:00:00.000+08:00

ok... tmrw I'm going to Sgp. Still haven't finished packing!! I managed to pack Kris' luggage & the wedding dresses & stuff, but not all of my own clothes.

Bak Nor will be coming tmrw morning to pass the rocky roads Jess made for Uncle Azmi & Mom... and I'm already wondering where I can stash those in the already-bursting luggage!! But it'll be alright.

I think Kris is more worried on how the house will look like in the hands of Pa & Koen!! harharhar... but I don't have time to worry about that. At least we've passed a set of keys to Tash to house-sit while we're away & when Pa & Koen finally join us in Sgp.

Ok... I've got tea to organise & I don't think I'll be able to sleep early tonite... ~sigh~

More Cleanup!!

2006-10-04T15:39:00.000+08:00

Another update after a long time... but still an update what!!

Last Sunday, we went to King's Park for the Wildflower Show... hmmm... wasn't much of a show... but still it was a nice day to be out in the parks, enjoying the beautiful Spring sun & fresh air among the greenery & blooms.

Then, Monday, Chui came over to pass the DVD of the wedding... it was just a short one, not the entire wedding... It's good enough, I think... But she felt bad she didn't take everything cos her battery needed re-charging... Hey, she's not a professional camerawoman, ok? hmph!!

And yesterday I went for a job interview... I dunno if the already had something, but they didn't seem interested to have a nice & comfy talk with me. The lady was rushing me off... and the other interviewer was in another room on a conference call... And there was another girl who came for an interview, but she was in jeans & t-shirt!! Am I in the wrong place? Oh well....

It poured in the city yesterday & my dearest hubby had told me it wasn't gonna rain since the morning rain had cleared up... that's cos in the midst of having people in & out of the house for the past 2mths, I seem to have misplaced my 3 pocket brollies... and he wanted me to get in the car so he can get on to work.

Anyway, the rain gave me an opportunity to get some shopping done. Finally found a nice white top & some other tops... and bought myself another pair of jeans!! hehehe... I needed another pair anyway.

And since West Coast Eagles won the AFL, there was a celebration victory parade at Forrest Place... and I knew I had to get to the train station before the rampage starts... I mean, it was already all placed & set at 7.30am!!! I just didn't wanna be there when people get all screamy & streamers get thrown around...

I mean, I LOVE the Eagles... and really wanted to meet them & all, but I just didn't wanna be in that situation at that moment. Plus, my inlaws were waiting for me at home so that they can go on down south...

And they should be past Rockingham right now... Last night was such shit weather, I wonder where they parked & slept at!! They've got a campervan & all, but they don't have heating, if u know what I mean.

oklah... have to go do stuff... before Kris gets back from work... The house is in a mess after those 2 boys left for the south!!! ~sigh~ and I wanna get the house good & clean again before they get back...

An Almost Trip

2006-09-15T02:20:00.000+08:00

So, I managed to get to bed at 4am that night after the wedding!! Luckily!! I was kinda expecting no sleep at all!!

Anyway, my family came at 8am as expected... and did start to push me around!! And everyone wanted breaky, wanted this, wanted that!! Can't they just bloody help themselves to it?!

And what's with the standing behind Liza, breathing on her neck waiting for lunch?! F**K!! At least have the bloody decency to help set the table or let the older folks have their food first before rushing in like a hungry apek lah!!! Stupid F**K!! And what's with the sitting down, pulling long faces & not helping out with the dishes - the freakin' crockery u've used to have lunch!! LUNCH!!! Something that the bride had to cook & serve to u!!! LAZY-ARSE F**K!!!

Oh yeah... we didn't get to Margaret River, only cos it was gloomy & rainy & down south was forecast with thunderstorms... So, we brought them to Carousel for shopping instead. At least everyone dispersed off!! Mom & Bak went off with Kris to get some coffee while Liza the Bridezilla headed off to get some groceries - cos we didn't do any on the eve of our wedding... YEP!! IT WAS OUR WEDDING, for heaven's sake!!!!

And then, for dinner, I had to prepare them again!!! I had to prepare the mudderf**king dinner... while people just sit around waiting again!!! ARGH!!! Nvm... it's over...

So, on Tuesday we finally got on to Waroona, Bunbury & on to Preston Beach... That was not too bad... Everyone was moody... I was very very moody... but luckily I had time to sleep that night at the beach house!! Not before I had to cook dinner & serve everyone & clean up after everyone again... Luckily mom was helping me... ~sigh~ Don't wanna say anything, but I didn't expect to be a slave when it was our holiday too... Already we drove them around, ordered food for them (& mom paid for everything too!!)... still had to be served!!! tsk tsk tsk... Seriously no shame watsoever to be served by your elders!! ~sigh~

Then, the next day was off to Mandurah, Freo & onwards to Canning Vale. Kris had had enough!! So, we waited while my family packed their luggage for us to take back to the house.

Yesterday (their final day here), the whole bunch came to our place & have a last packing before we loaded them up to the Tarago. While we brought them to Northbridge to get their nougat (WHAT ELSE?! So freakin' typical!!), my father-in-law & brother drove the van to the airport & unloaded the luggage there & went off when we got there. Of cos, he was not so happy cos we hadn't brought his lunch again, but that was understandable. A hungry man is an angry man!!

So, now that my family's back in Sgp - with my uncle vowing to come back with his wife & kids for a longer & more fulfilling stay, I can now rest... Or can I?! We'll see.... ~yawnz~ G'nite world...

Liza Bridezilla!!

2006-09-11T12:56:00.000+08:00

THE HOUSE IS IN A FREAKIN' MESS!!! And where is everyone when u needed help?! ~sigh~ Well, yeah... I told them to go home... Cos... just cos...

Sis wasn't doing much, people were commenting... it was kinda an eyesore when she's out in the carpark hurrying her hubby up, while everyone was cleaning up the place!!

Mom was rushing around like a headless chook, and she really needed rest!! Poor her, i didn't even have time to dye her hair... The white hair were showing on the crown!! I dare not look!! But she was ok with it... I'm sure the one in Sgp, she'll be all black-haired again. hehe...

Just as how people have helped cleaned up the place, yes literally CLEANED it up, they were nice enough to also help earlier with the decorations.

The bloody security guards only came like 45mins late!! And then, he brought the wrong key!! Cos the actual guard was attending to something else & didn't bother telling anyone else about it!! And to think that we'll have to pay them for their services!! The venue bond better come back full price or I'll make a formal complaint!! I'm not gonna be Liza Miss (or Mrs, rather) Nice Person anymore!! Enough of that!!!

I have to thank Aunty Jan & her 2 girls with setting up all the tables & food & decorations, etc... And Masita for her butterfly gifts all the way from Sgp - they were a hit with the guests, girlfriend!! Have to send her a note later!! Oh u dunno wat I'm talking about? Well, the butterflies, along with other stuff were a part of a personal guest favour. And there were so many colours to choose from... I bet Tash & Jess picked theirs out first!! hehe...

Anyhoos... I had to do my own hair & part of the makeup within the 15mins before the door was to be opened!! Seeing that the bloody guards only pushed our timing by 1hr, starting 15mins late was quite a good feat!!

While mom was poking all the fake hair & all those squiggly things on my hair, I was screaming & screaming for them to close the freakin' door... cos I didn't want all the waiting guests to peek thru!! I was literally NOT dressed!!! SERIOUSLY!!! And Kris was in the other room with my uncle (who went missing for 30mins!!) trying to get his sarong proper!!

Anyway, everything went on well... the Imam/Qadhi/Celebrant was a tad too long & did mention some things I felt was a bit out of place, and I had received comments from guests about watever he said, but they still said it was nothing they had ever heard & did learn something from the sermon.

On the whole people wasn't expecting for it to go so smoothly... but it did... and I thank Allah for making everything possible. People always say there's a lot of challenges leading up to the wedding, but I never ever thought the challenges were heartbreakingly, backbreakingly, miserably taxing on both Kris & I.

So, let me tell u... It IS possible to get a wedding going really nicely at a really low budget, but wherever possible, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO IT YOURSELF!! ALWAYS ENLIST A FEW RELLIES, FRIENDS, WHOEVER CAN HELP YOU BEFORE, DURING & AFTERWARDS!!!

I've got Claire to do some of the desserts & some of the other foods... and becos she so nicely agreed & not charging me, she did all that at my place... and you can't imagine how much gunk there are in my kitchen & lounge right now!! So, I stress again, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO IT YOURSELF!!! Nor get someone to do it in your own kitchen!!

You may not believe it, but I had only 1hr sleep the night of the eve of my wedding... and only 30mins sleep on the eve of my wedding!!! And now that everyone's gone back at it's way past midnight, do u know I still can't sleep!! While everyone's home & snuggled up in their beds... the Bridezilla have to clean up after everyone!! And it ain't a joke!!!

And to think my parents, sis & uncle will be here at 8am to get Kris & I to drive them to Margaret River!! And everyone had nicely HELPED dump stuff everywhere!!! ARGH!!!!

ok ok... calm yourself!! You have a long night ahead!! Nobody better push me around when they get up!! Or they'll get a nasty bite!!

Anything Else?!

2006-09-09T00:40:00.000+08:00

These past few days have been a madhouse with my parents around!! But at least Kris & I managed to get the drinks sorted out, and managed to get his suit picked up!! Oh, we were told to come by on Thursday night to collect them, OMG there were so many people getting fitted!!! It's like a wedding frenzy is about to take place all of a sudden in Perth!!! Then again, it IS spring!!

We managed to get the sisters' gifts sorted, the jewellery for the mothers... mom didn't want any... so, we told her not to insist on paying for staying at our place... After all, she did chip in with the groceries & she bought everything else that Bak (and her) wants to nibble on.

I finally did all the printing for the programmes/ceremony booklets, etc etc... The ink seems to be stretching it out for us... and I'm truly grateful... Oh, and truly grateful for Les to be lending his printer out to us for the past month & again for another month to be used for the wedding's printing. We've already got an extra pair of cartridges, but I think we'll need to get another set soon. Well, after all, he DID give it to us with a new ink placed in there.

Thursday we got Claire home to start out with all the cakes & stuff. We've also sent my parents back to Aunty Ros' place - well, cos my in-laws are staying with us now. Yeah, they came like at 2am on Friday morning.

Anyway, we had a lot of running around right after that!! We picked Claire up to get all the cake & grocery bits for her cooking... And when we got back home late, Kris' dad was pissed off cos we got them lunch at 4pm!! PFFFTT!!! We only had a tonne of things to do, dad!! At least we got them dinner... And we had to pick my parents for a meeting-dinner. And at least my parents were helping out in the kitchen!!

Oh, and in all the frenzy of plans changing (Claire needed to pick up her keys from her new job & so we detoured to Vic Park - and it only took us an extra 1.5hrs), we couldn't make it in time to get the keys from the council!! I had to call the after-hours council hotline to get the security guy to remember to open up our venue on time!! F**K!!! Nothing's going right!!

And then now, it's already midnight... and I can't sleep cos there's so much to do & Claire is pulling an all-nighter for these next 3 nights!!! And we still have to go pick my sis & hubby up from the airport!! Kris & I are like living in the airport!! We've been there 3x in less than 1mth!!

And there's so much to do after we drop my sis, etc at Canning Vale to unpack!! ~sigh~ better go rest for 15mins before I go on with my work... oh God GIVE ME STRENGTH!!

What Else?!

2006-09-04T14:33:00.000+08:00

Soooo... everything's almost all done... The guest favour... check! Called the Council for the keys... check! Confirmed all with florist... check! Ordered the petite four... check! Confirmed catering... check! Confirmed all the party hire stuff... check! Confirmed guest list... check!!!

OMI-freakin'-GOD!!! So much to do.... and still heaps to get done from here on!!! I'm freakin' out!!!! Breathe... Breathe... heeee heeee hoooooo... heeeee heeee hoooooo..... heeeee heeee hooooo..... I'm still in a mess!!!

I still have to print out all the guest names & their table numbers & do all the programmes, the letter to my mother-in-law!!! ARGH!!!!! I better get offline!!

Mom & Dad's Here

2006-08-29T22:20:00.000+08:00

Ok, so I haven't posted much... but u should know I'm dead beat from running around for the wedding. And had been trying to get the house ready for 2 sets of parents who will be staying here consecutively.

My parents are already here... went to pick them up at 7am just this past Sunday... Well, they told us to... but they landed earlier & there were not many passengers, so they were already sitting & waiting for us about 15mins before we reached the airport.

We brought them home & then went to the Bentley Chinese shop to get supplies. And then, got Chui a cake for her belated birthday... hehe... It was a nice day. She didn't expect it. Well, I thought that since she hadn't had a bday celebration with her own family & since mine was here, might as well share family... hehe...

So, I've been busy, with my parents being at home & Kris at work. What am I doing online u ask? Hmmm... nothing... just felt like posting something on.

Plus, we just got back from Uncle Bakar's place, where my parents formally asked him to be my witness at the wedding. I've already asked beforehand, but it's only nicer... BTW it's a good way of doing a social call for my parents & Kris & me too (we haven't been there in ages!!).

Oh, also earlier today we went & collected my guest favours from Walker's Candy in Morley. Thought of going to Aunty Jan's, but she was working full day today & I think there was no one home. She asked us to come another day. Dunno when we'll go... oh, I think she said she'll be coming tmrw. Oh well... whichever it is...

Oh, did I tell u about my makeup trial?! It sucked!! We're not going to use her! I looked like I was melting or oily or something... eeeeeee... But my eyebrows were ok... For fifty bloody-freakin' bucks, it better be!! Oh, I'll be going back there again the week before I go back to Sgp!! harharhar... Matt's really good!!

ok, I'm off to bed... HEAPS TO DO THIS NEXT 2 WEEKS!!! ARGGHHHHH!!!!

Ohaiyo

2006-06-14T12:54:00.000+08:00

ok... I'm a bit bored... now chatting with the ex... and he's bugging me abit... about my pc & stuff... so, have a go at this... and have fun!!

Your Japanese Name Is...

Tamiko Rokujochigusa

What's" your Japanese Name?

Not Too Late, I Hope

2006-06-12T16:13:00.000+08:00

So, it seems I haven't posted anything for a little bit over a week, heck nearly 2 weeks!! Nothing much have been occuring here...

For now, I'm thinking why can't I think of anything to type... but the fact that I'm eating my fave Coles Cheese Puffs just means I can't type & just can't think of anything esle except to finish the entire pack!!

~incessantly long pause~

ok... so, there's no more cheesepuffs left... not even a fleck of cheese dust! So, what should I start with?

The Friday before last (02.06.06)
Kris took the day off from work cos he needed a rest, plus we also needed to go have a look at that venue down the road. Kris was really happy with the place & things provided. The kitchen was big enough for us to put all the replenishing stock & all extra food preparation, plus there was a huge fridge for the ice-cream & other desserts.

We're just praying for a nice spring day so that we can get to do a small cocktail theme with outdoor photo sessions for the formal pictures. But if not, indoors would be fine too.. it's a really cosy small place, so that gives us the excuse for not inviting too many. Come to think of it, I should have taken some pix of the place so that I can tell my helpers what to expect. Anyway, I think I'll do that nearing the date cos I still need to see what else needs to be done at that place & to see if there's still that orange sofa. That could be pretty useful.

But we would still need to book more tables cos there's simply not enough. I still have to work out all the seating arrangements & programmes & watnots. Especially when all my helpers will be only assembled there on that day & will have to be briefed on the spot! Still too much things to do & I'm stressing beyond belief!!

The Sunday before last (04.06.06)
Firdaus & his 2 flying college mates, Reza & Nazrul, came for lunch. And as if I couldn't be smarter about my instincts, Les & Greg decided to drop by just as we were about to chow down. Imagine the chaos with 1 cook & 6 boys in the house, not knowing whether to sit or stand or play it cool...

Anyway, the 2 men didn't wanna have anything to eat, except for Les who didn't say no to my upside down banana cake. He even commented I've used bananas that are too ripe. ~sigh~ wat to do? He knows the recipe more than I do ~hint: sarcasm~

Finally had lunch & the 2 guys left after the boys, Kris & I finished our lunch. Reza ate quite a bit, which was really good to see... And the boys told me about their food in the college cafeteria. The muslims meals were all packed food that they'd commissioned someone outside the college to do! How pathetic!! Shame on u, Singapore Flying College!!! To think u guys are known to be one of the best!!

I made the boys Self-saucing chocolate pudding for dessert & we soon dashed off to drive Nazrul back to meet with the instructor before he goes off for the weekend. Then, we went driving, only to receive a call by one of their mates saying that they need the car to go somewhere! WHAT?! At least tell these guys that u'll need the car beforehand!! WAT CRAPPY shitheads!! But we went on to King's Park anyhow! tee hee...

Monday before last (05.06.06)
Supposed to make Aunty Jan & family Cerry Ripe Chocolate Cheesecake, but the entire process requires about 5hrs preparation, cooking & refrigerating!! i was so tired the night before schmoozing with Kris after the boys sent me home, and doing all the dirty dishes, that I don't have the strength to even get out of bed!!

So, we agreed to get them some gourmet ice-cream. I got them my favourite Connoisseur Chocolate Obsession & Viennetta. When we got there, Simone, Aunty Jan & Jess had already started lunch. That was so weird!! Cos they specifically told us to come AFTER 12... cos she was from Preston Beach... Anyway, I was happy to see them again. And we left just before they prepared their dinner. We had sandwich at home. And more cleanup!!

This weekend
No driving session again this week. How am I going to get my license?! hehehe... It was actually my fault... I was making that 5hr cheesecake mentioned above!! hehee... then, it was time for me to organise some dinner. Kris had been doing up his Delica as well as the backyard. It looks not too bad, actually. The Delica, that is.

I'm just hoping that the backyard would end up like how I imagined it would be when i designed the place. But right now, it's a bit harrowing to see cos everything I've learnt about getting a retaining wall erected is not done by Kris. He's doing it the way he knows how to, from experience! ~sigh~ I'm just standing by supporting him, wiping his sweat away & making his coffee & cake for his afternoon teas. But I'll have a more thorough look when the wall's done & we're about to do the paved courtyard. Just praying to god that the courtyard doesn't slope downwards or is a safety hazard to children. Cos we really plan to sell this palce away & am hoping that the easy gardening is a prominent feature besides the main house itself.

So, I've gotta go prepare dinner AGAIN now... maybe will post more stuff later... but just don't bet on it. ~wink~

Bored!

2006-05-31T13:31:00.000+08:00

So, I saw this on someone's site... i dunno who it was... i was just surfing... anyway, have a go... it's just a simple question that u have to answer anyway...

Your Pick Up Line Is

Were you in Boy Scouts? Because you sure have tied my heart in a knot.

What Pick Up Line Should You Use?

I'm going to find some more to do... and I'll definitely put it up later...

Bursting at the Seams with Creativity

2006-05-30T18:57:00.000+08:00

So, Kris has been very creative this week...

He picked up his tools once again & headed into the master bedroom & put the architraves to the double-sized wardrobe that he had put up when my parents first came to visit in 2004. Yupz... it's only taken him more than 2 years... But it's ok... cos at least he's completed it all in less than half a day. Now, I'm just waiting for him to pick those same tools again & complete the one in my office-cum-room. The pieces of wood are still hanging around in here & blocking my single-size wardrobe doors.

I guess he's just waiting for the right day when he can spend some time doing something indoors again... like a rainy day or something so that he couldn't do anything on his cars in the carport and workshed or continue on with building that retaining wall in the backyard.

Hmmmm.... yeah... that could be it....

But... he did take the time to move furniture around in the house. Hmmm.... I wonder....

Luckily today I made him move the dining set & storage back to their original places!! It had not been easy walking around the furniture just cos Kris feels that it looked nicer that the tables & chairs block the passage from the hallway, bedrooms & lounge into the kitchen. I'd stubbed my toes a few times... and lo and behold today he complained the house was in darkness... Well, of course it will be since the windows are covered by the storage!! ~sigh~ Oh well, no use lamenting, the furniture's home now. hehe...

Kris has taken the day off this Friday, so we would be going to see the venue we're planning to book for the wedding. And I'll have to remember to bring the measuring tape cos the papers the council gave me didn't include the plans of the venue & the measurements. Will need all that for the decorations & seating plans as well... I foresee going to that place a few times before the event just to have a look at it. And I also foresee that I may have to draw up the estimated "blueprints" & elevations myself so that my helpers can understand the charts when they're there to put everything into place in less than 2hrs. Anyway, that's for another post.

I'm just starting on my "Save The Date" stationery. Looks like I had to start being creative too...

oh, my back is aching!! Had been searching & downloading photoshop materials... ow ow owwwieee....

Productive Day Eh?

2006-05-25T17:47:00.000+08:00

Today had been a bit productive for me... hehehe... even though I was skiving most of the day. But it was productive nonetheless.

As the procrastinator I was, I planned to clean my aquarium on Sunday, when Kris brought me to the Bird & Fish Place just behind our place to get my aquatic plants. Upon arriving home, I just plonked the 2 pots into the tank & promised my goldy that I would clean it that night. But I made some spiced muffins & soon it was time for dinner & I had to get that organised... and then I was too tired to do anything else.

But last night, I saw goldy looking extremely pale & was floundering at the bottom of the tank amidst all that green mould growing around the pebbles. YUCK!!

So, I got up this morning, curbing the urge to watch the X-Men II I've recorded on Sunday & started on the tank. Two hours after & a prettier aquarium all scrubbed & sorted, I was still worried cos goldy was still floundering... maybe he was just sulking... Luckily, after 5hrs, goldy is swimming happily in & out of the hydrilla & long grass blades (i forgot what it's called)... and Kris just asked me to put in a conch shell in there. I thought he was just decorating the table we've got the aquarium on & had left it there for more than 2yrs!! harharhahrar... but he was just wondering why I didn't put it in there. Well, at least I could now that goldy is big enough, remembering that time when Ezzy had her conch shell in her tank & one of the fishies curiously got trapped in it & she had to fish it out with her bare hands. hehehe... Well, the tank looks crowded now, but it's nice... It's like having a new furniture in your lounge. You'll get used to it, goldy.

Also, after the cleanup, I decided I wasn't going online, but was gonna call & book the venue for the wedding. Megan, the assistant facilities booking officer at the council office, was really nice & even emailed me all the necessary documents & invited me to have a look at the building next week.

This building has got a hall for 86 people (in a wedding situation), a meeting room, a domestic kitchen with basic utensils plus a fridge, a large courtyard with wide verandahs, 26 parking bays + 2 accessible bays, a huge park & a playground nearby. And all these is for $29/hr!! They've got their own tables & chairs so we can save on that, and it's less than 5mins drive from our place!! In fact, we're only 3 streets up from the venue.

Kris likes the sound of it, and hopes that we can get that place. And he wants to have a look at the place so that we can measure up the tables & watnots so that we can get proper layout planned out as well as get the decorations & table covers done accordingly... yippiez...

And today, Kris doesn't want me to cook... we're just gonna have some leftovers from last nite & I'm gonna pack him a couple of sandwiches for lunch tmrw... double yippiez... and while I wait for him to finish showering so that we can go shopping, I'm just posting this up.

oh one last thing, Firdaus is here in Perth!! hehehe... Gonna catch up with him soon cos he needs shopping too... he didn't bring his luggage to Perth, can u believe it?! Neither can I... but yeah, he didn't bring anything!! hehehe...

Tick The List

2006-05-22T14:04:00.000+08:00

Eating a banana & typing at the same time is not really easy... Hey!! I know wat u're thinking... ~wags finger~ naughty naughty...

So, we've registered for our notice of intended marriage at the Rivervale Mosque yesterday after dzuhur. We were like 10mins late & the imam was already in the van about to leave, but I think his gut feelings told him that it was us in the car passing his van & he instinctively greeted us.

Now that that's done, we have to wait for a whole month for the whole process where they'll check our marital status in our previous countries of residence & whatever else they need to do.

Then, cos the imam has got Sunday morning classes at the mosque, we'll have to change our morning ceremony & brunch reception to a lunch ceremony & reception instead. I'll have to check out the prayer timing as well so that everything falls in smoothly & i'll have to get a small prayers room too, not forgetting the mats & telekongs.

This week, I'll have to check out venues & book the place as soon as possible & confirm it with the imam so that we can also book his time on the date.

Then, on Saturday, we're going for our appointment to get Kris' 2nd suit.

Then, next week, I'll be fiercely going all out to get a job... while also trying to get quotes for all the crockery, cutlery, watever else supplies.

So yeah, I'm panicking a bit cos Kris seemed to be very relaxed about it... It's 3mths... long time to go!! ~sigh~ Nothing's gonna get done if no one's doing it, u know!! MEN!!! Always expecting everything to be done as if by magic!! MEN!!!

Life's Blessings

2006-05-19T12:42:00.000+08:00

Had a good D&M (deep & meaningful talk) last nite with Kris... We managed to get our insecurities into the open & paved the way for each of us to handle our demons our own way with the other supporting thruout.

ok... what's the plans with the wedding? I know!! It's only 3months to go!! I nearly got a panic attack planning it! Cos Kris would prefer for me to get a job first. But I can't concentrate on the interviews if I have all these planning at the back of my mind & knowing that these are the more important things to do first. Yeah, thru the D&M last nite, we managed to decide to get to the Celebrant this Sunday, fill in the Notice of Intended Marriage, book our date & time with him to perform the ceremony & then, next week, I'll have to do a lot of phonecalls & book venues. Then, and only then, I can get thru an interview hopefully well. And insya Allah, can get a job...

A Perm job would be good, but looking at my schedule till the end of the year, I would guess a temp job would be better.... cos I'll have to take small pockets of short & long leaves till the end of December. So, I reckon that's what I'm gonna do, sign up for Temp jobs till after the wedding & when I come back from sending my parents off for Haj. Then, I'll have to start family planning cos I can't get preggerz before my Permanent confirmation. Or I'll NEVER get a job like that. It's very hard to get mgt that wants to take a heavily expecting woman in her mid-30s or a woman with kids. So yeah, a lot of planning!!

And once I get that perm confirmation, I'll have to slog really hard to save up.. cos we want to get a new place before the baby comes (home reno is bad for the baby in or outside the belly!!) & also cos raising children needs heaps of money... and not forgetting my loan to my parents... hmmm... I won't forget. Luckily Kris doesn't want me to contribute to much of the bills until my loan is cleared with my folks. Major bills like electricity, mortgage, water, gas, etc... those he'll pay... I just have to pay for my personal things myself when I get a job. Like what? Like my own clothes, prepaid phone, etc... personal things... I'm lucky to have Kris love me... and I'm luckier to love Kris.

Today, I tried burning a cd for Nor... cos she thought the little muslim kids' CD would be good for AR. Yeah, when I was in Sgp, I heard it in Masita's car. Ok, she's my long-lost-but-found high school friend. Her hubby had 1 copy ready & I was glad to receive it from them when I visited their place on my 2nd last day of my visit to Sgp. Thanks, Mas & Bada... the cd is really inspiring & easy enough for Kris to understand. Alhamdulillah.

What's the CD about? Well, it's done by Yusuf Islam and a bunch of South African muslim kids. That's the thing I was told by Dahli in the car, anyway... hehe... but it's really good & it's called "I Look, I See". Maybe someone out there have more info for me about this CD & wanna let me know their version? I welcome your input...

ok... back to Oprah...

Hunger Pangs

2006-05-12T15:56:00.000+08:00

Years ago, Jaire introduced me to this Japanese Pizza & I was totally hooked... cos it has all the ingredients I adore!! The seafood, the onions, the veges, the bonita flakes, the scrumptious Jap egg mayo... lipsmacking yummmzzz.... And one day, just like that, Takashimaya decided to change its foodplace & brought in all these new things... I mean, it's great & all... but it left out my favourite Japanese Pizza vendor!! ~argh~

Anyway, I looked everywhere (perhaps not hard enough) & not knowing wat the actual Jap name was, I was left disappointed... if u know the feeling of being dangled by a meat hook by the back of your neck, that's the way I felt...

Soooo... guess what? I mean, I wouldn't be telling u this story if I hadn't had something up my sleeves, right?! Welllll..... I actually found the recipe & the name of the pizza!!! harharhahrar... Those of u who knows what I'm talking about would go... CHEY!! I knew that!!! But, I don't!! OK?!

Yeah, it's called OKONOMIYAKI!!! hehehe... ~giggles like a love-stricken schoolgirl being asked out on a date by the guy she's had eyes for 4 years~ So yeah, I'll be preparing that on monday (I need to go do my grocery shopping first) for myself!! Well, ok... I'll let Kris try it... but I dun think he'll like it... heh heh... I want it for myself!!

So, yeah... I'm truly excited!! It's that feeling of excitement on what to wear for that first date... ~sigh~ it's like meeting up with your true love again!! ~sigh~ and hope this meeting will be a good one... ~sigh~

Give Me Strength

2006-05-11T00:28:00.000+08:00

I gave Kris an ultimatum of my own last nite!! I couldn't take it anymore!!

Anyway, today I sat down with him & discussed why I'll start calling the celebrant & booking venue & other supplies without his permission. And he thinks it's good for me to do so... cos he realised (miraculously over the span of the last few hours after my ultimatum) that if I get a job 2weeks into the wedding date, then there won't be anyone who'd take our catering, booking, etc...

So, I'll have a field day tomorrow trying to book an appointment with the celebrant & seeing if Imam Jalil can accommodate the date & time we want the ceremony to be held on. Also, will have to convince Kris to go see some venues & finally book it as soon as the celebrant said the date is fine!

Everything is basically not downhill, but a chaotic chook run from there onwards!! God bless me.

Stinker!

2006-05-10T00:23:00.000+08:00

Just got off the phone with Ling... had a bit of a whinge with her about Kris and his stubborn ideas!!

I mean, it's a worry not to have a job & having to go thru the wedding & all, but it's a bigger worry to start planning for the wedding only when I get the job!! There's so many reasons why I'm fretting & on the edge about the entire thing!

1. Three months to the wedding - nothing is booked yet!!
2. Spring wedding means many venues would have been booked for various spring activities (and the abundance of spring weddings).
3. Have too much things to do before the wedding & it's not easy to get everything together!
4. Once I get a job, it's not going to be easy for me to run around as well as do research...
5. blah blah blah blah....

Someone needs to tell Kris to wake up and smell the panic!!

Drive Me Insane

2006-05-07T20:13:00.000+08:00

Yeah... so, the car is mine... but I haven't driven it yet... Should I really be the one to wash it? Anyway, yeah... I washed it & cleaned it today!! ~sigh~

And Kris allowed me to drive it around an abandoned factory yard... and serves us right for doing that during maghrib... 3 of our tyres had huge long nails in them!! One of them even had 3!! So, the Corona will be sitting in the driveway for the week... cos Kris doesn't have extra plugs! And he doesn't have the right size spare tyres either! ~sigh~

Anyway, we've got 2 other vans... So, that'll have to do... but yesterday Kris brought the Delica's side steps & bars to be sandblasted & painted... That'll take us another week to get back & on the car... So, for the time being, I'll have to lug myself into the seats!!! And it's so high I'll prolly need a chair!!!

Prezzies... And It's Not Even My Birthday!!

2006-04-26T13:39:00.000+08:00

Today is a bit of a surprise... it's like u're getting all these prezzies & it's not even your birthday!!

First thing in the morning, the postie came & gave me the parcel mom & bak sent over a week ago... and all these whitening moisturisers that I was telling mom about sprang out of the box stuffed with newspapers!! hehee... The way the Oz Quarantine repacked the parcel is atrocious!! I collect stamps & they actually taped over all the new stamps that my dad specifically included for this parcel!! ~sigh~ oh well...

Last nite mom mentioned the guy from the invite & favour shop had already called to enquire after the designs... and I haven't even started on it... Today, while scouring my entire graphic collection & after all the internet surfing for inspirational designs - of cos, I make the designs myself, I just use the designs on the internet for a start to get me inspired!! - I finally decided that I'm letting the design for the invite remain as it is & the guest favour boxes will have the same designs from the invite... it's so much easier for everyone... especially me.... cos while I was surfing, I realised the graphic collection had included more & nicer orchid graphics... and I'm more interested in them.... Means I can do more web background designs!! I was in Orchid Heaven!!

I've already had like 7 designs going along when my very creative Indon ex-housemate came online!! Haven't seen him online for the longest time ever, and today he decided to get online just before he goes for lunch!! harharhar... well, there's another 10mins before he comes back to the office for another short chat. Yeah, he's the one I bought my Mitsubishi Colt from... which Kris had done up nicely & now sold off... cos he needed to get me that Toyota Corona...

Oh, speaking of cars... here's a pix of his new car...

New Car In The Driveway

2006-04-24T14:27:00.000+08:00

Kris sold off his Landrover Discovery.

Yeah... last Friday, he took the day off to get his cracked windscreen changed for free (it was in his warranty). Oh, why cracked? Well, it was already cracked slightly when he first bought it 16months ago. But we helped his friend, Les, from the country Meckering to tow his car back to Perth to get a new engine fitted... and that cracked the windscreen from top to bottom!!

Anyway, right after we picked up the car, we went to this caryard called DVG on Albany Hwy in Maddington. Never had we experienced such bad attitude from car salespeople before!! SHEESH!!

And the car was old & extremely used & stuff were missing from the body and they were selling it for $14,999. The dashboard was all broken & chattering throughout the test drive!! Kris actually had to press on it while he was driving!!! And there was something terribly wrong with the transmission & when u revved it up, it lurched & jerked!! Anyway, they had such a terrible deal & they didn't even want our money... Sooooo.... it's ok... cos we actually found a better place!!

Cannington Auto Wholesale on Albany Hwy in Cannington has one of the best services around!! And their cars are even better!! We got an imported 7-seater 1994 Mitsubishi Delica & we're the first in australia to use it!! It was only used for 52,000km & the interior still smelt like a new car... while the other car at DVG already had like 196,000km!! And we bought our 'new' car with all accessories attached plus some for $10K after trading in the Landrover!! We paid for it & drove home with it... leaving our beloved Discovery behind... it was quite emotional cos I loved that car!!

C'est la vie... everyone had to move on... Kris & I just hope that the next person who gets hold of Discovery will take really good care of it as we had done for the past 16 months... ~sniff sniff~

Idiots!!

2006-04-18T11:45:00.000+08:00

So, the bitch of a travel agency didn't live up to its promises... yet again... and mom went to the Small Claims Tribunal... and seeked the full amount for both the flytix. Luckily we're not asking extra compensation for grievances caused!! And of course, after this case goes... it'll be on the newsletter for CASE and sent out to all CASE members & I guess I'll personally get my mom to send them out to all her friends... That'll teach them!! Who knows how many Filipino maids who hang around that shopping mall every weekend had been conned by Mandarin World Holidays Pte Ltd?!! Sheesh!!

So, I'm just waiting for mom's call... for the good news...

Easter Sleepover

2006-04-16T18:10:00.000+08:00

Yaaaawwwwnnnnzzzz... I just got up.... The long weekend is still here & I just got back from my overnight stay at Ezra's...

On Saturday morning, Kris & I went grocery shopping around 9+am & there were barely any parking spaces left!! And at some shops, there were still heaps of chockies left unsold!! Anywayz, we were out of there in a jiffy with $130 of purchases (grocery prices had skyrocketed with petrol prices!!!).

While packing all the stuff away, the girls called to say they're still at Ezra's & preparing for the night. I made Kris' lunch & cleaned up whatever... And waited for my ride.

We reached Cicerello's at Freo around 2pm for lunch & had a perfect seat (even though not in the sun) overlooking the ampitheatre where some Easter buskers were performing. Quite enjoyable... Roann's order was forgotten & 3 girls went hungry for quite a bit while Ezra & I tucked into our Seafood Trays... Next time, I'm gonna have the Seafood Chowder!! All that oil made me a tad sick that arvo!!

We then drove to E-shed market & spent some time checking out the art & of course, we bought some dried fruits & chockies, munchies & chocolate coated marshmallows & fruits, etc etc... I was actually looking forward to having a night-fishing outing... but we ditched that idea... ~sigh~ maybe another time...

On the way back to Ezra's we drove up to Wireless Hill behind Garden City & caught a breathtaking view of Perth & the Swan River. There were quite a number of people having a barbie there, but we're just happy taking silly pictures at the lookouts.

Back at Ezra's, we had a great time with the mini Korean barbie, some of Roann's dad's chicken corn & egg soup, chicken parmesan spag, etc etc etc... Once again, we made too much food. But at least Ezra's mom, brother & aunty were there & Roann's siblings Rhovy & Michael came... & Michael's gf Lotta was there too...

We had some nice boutique ice-cream after watching a Singapore horror movie, The Maid & then went on to watch 'Sepet' - a Malaysian romance between a local Muslim Malay girl & a typical Chinese boy.

After playing cards & loser having to answer truth (without the dare) questions, the girls fell asleep one after the other, only to realise we only napped for less than 2hrs...

We sat around the lounge chatting with Ezra's brother, while her mom got up & did gardening... Finished up the leftover meats & pasta... and I had some ice-creams... yummmzzzz... Kris came around 9.45am to pick me up... of course, I didn't shower... hehehe... he just asked me to get out of my jammy pants into my jeans & we left after I washed up a bit & brushed my teeth (I HAVE to brush my teeth!!)...

Kris brought me to this caryard & showed the 4wd 7-seater he wanted to get, and it wasn't too bad... A bit scratched - the previous owner must have had lotsa little kids!! A bit worn out... but otherwise perfect for us.

Then, I got home, unpacked & fell asleep... hehehe... And I just got up, washed up & here I am... Ok... now have to go pray & prepare dinner...

CHEATER!! LIAR!!

2006-04-05T16:58:00.000+08:00

Of all my life & experience with travel agents & flying, never had I ever thought I would encounter a nightmare such as this! So, read on... so that u won't ever be tricked, swindled, cheated by this company!!

Name of Company: Mandarin World Holidays Pte Ltd
Location: Lucky Plaza, Singapore

What happened?

1. no muslim food on departure from sgp for my dad

2. no muslim food on departure from perth for me

3. upon departing from perth, less than 1/3rd of the plane was booked (when May informed my parents that there were only 9 seats left on that flight & suggested for them to get the tickets from her instead of me getting them from Perth!! And horrified, my mom paid S$1,320 for my ticket when I could have gotten them from Perth at S$700+)

4. May intentionally gave my parents an excursion ticket (meaning that dates can only be changed without charge due to death of a next-of-kin) when we had asked for an open ticket departing from Sgp for me & she confirmed with me over the phone conversation to Perth as well as to my parents who were seated in front of her that she would give us an open ticket.

5. May even informed me that if I'm not going back on 20th March, I would have to call her 48 hours before to change to a later date. (She later said that the ticket we bought from her wasn't an open ticket - which my parents later retorted with, "Then why tell us to call you 48hours before to change the date of her departure?!" YEAH!! Good one, mom!!)

6. I called 72hrs before 20th March to extend my flight, and May scolded me for calling her too late, that I should have called 7 days in advance instead. And grudgingly told me she'll put me on the waiting list but no guarantees. She called me back the next day & forced me to stick to 20th March, by citing that there's no more seats. I stuck to my decision, after all I'm the customer!!

7. 40 hours before my flight, she passed the buck to another colleague, namely Rafiq, to handle & after much heated debate, he confirmed the seat for me.

8. on the day of departure, i went to the airport & was told I had to pay for a 1-way ticket cos it wasn't paid yet. After revealing my situation, Qantas suggested we discuss with the agency & even would back us up in any lawsuits.

9. when confronted, May tried to blame Rafiq (the colleague) for the miscommunication. And mind u, this case is not about miscommunication, it's about INTENT!! And all the evidences proved INTENTION, as u'll see.

10. later, May said it was my fault that I purposely didn't heed her advise to go back on 20th March since all flights were full - HELLO... it was supposed to be an open ticket & I AM THE CUSTOMER!!

11. we told her that qantas confirmed with us that should the tix had been an open one, i would have been able to take any seats on any flights as long as there's one seat available... and get this, the flight wasn't full at all!! There were heaps of seats available... And I even had a free seat next to me!! And I was able to change seats at the last minute.

12. after the 2nd confrontation by my parents, May said that they'll try to contact Qantas to see if they can get the charge for the void ticket back. And this was just a ploy to get my parents off their back while they think of another trick!! My parents would be going back to their shop over & over again daily till they get what they had been promised. And if they still won't do it, we'll tell them what Qantas had informed us - that since it's not Qantas fault, but that of Mandarin World, Qantas will not assist Mandarin World with the payout. The onus is on Mandarin World. If Mandarin World doesn't deliver, the case will be a lawsuit.

So, people... pass the word around... DO NOT GO TO MANDARIN WORLD HOLIDAYS PTE LTD AT LUCKY PLAZA!!

Coming to an End

2006-03-31T13:15:00.000+08:00

and feeling a bit sad... a bit happy... a bit excited...

Sad... and happy all in one
I've had a wonderful time with a few of my closest friends... and would like to thank everyone of them for the fabulous chats, the coffee sessions, the gossips, the treats, the shopping, the company... love all the company, u guys....

Some of the people I had a fabo time with - Nor (how many times did we go out together? hehe... Great fun, girlfriend!!)... Dahlia & her 4 lovely kids... Masita (she's picking me up tomorrow for lunch at her place & meeting her 2 young'uns)... Rahayu, Teck Wah, Dot, Sheena, Michelle, Fayanne, Josephine (even though short - she was working - we had a great chat)... Curlz (thank you in advance for the wedding cake)

I will miss you guys... cos the next time I come back, it'll be in Nov... and it's already such a long time away!!

Happy... and excited all in one
Flights to Broome, WA, had been cancelled due to the tropical cyclone Glenda... so, I hope my flight is not cancelled... and hope that the flight will be smooth... and I'm hoping I can get a good seat this sunday. QF doesn't have an early check-in... tsk! So, will have to try to get to the airport really early!! And since I sit all the way to the back (another tsk), I'll have to get in early!! Can't wait for LAST CALL blinking furiously & my name called out over the huge Singapore Changi Airport PA system again... yeah yeah... my name's always called out everytime!! ~guilty but not remorseful~ hehehe...

Definitely YAY!!
I've missed my bubby.... and I'm definitely overjoyed to be back home!! And my one last treatment session today before I start packing to go back home to Kangaroo-land...

ok... I'd better go get ready for my session... i changed it to 3pm instead of the usual 11am... and now it's raining... I'll be doing my last-minute shopping afterwards... and I'll have to ask for directions on how to get to Concourse so that I can get my pretty butterflies (they're cheapest there!!). So, anyone up for Concourse? I'll see u there... five-ish six?

Out of Action

2006-03-28T08:45:00.000+08:00

Look at the date!! Mom's wireless internet connection sucks!!! BIG TIME!!! Only managed to get online after more than 2 weeks!! ~ARGH~

Anyhoos... I've got 6 more days to my flight back home to Perth & I can't wait!! I'll miss my mom & dad & my sis... cos i love them... but I don't miss Singapore. I'll be checking in early this Friday to make sure I've got my seats on board the plane!! hehe...

I've been eating heaps the past week & especially on Sunday & yesterday!! I feel like a blimp!! Gonna upload some pix I took of the past few days & will need to get new batteries for the Kodak digicam that mom gave me (cos she's got the latest Canon)... of cos her new one's so much better, but.... I always say... it's better than nothing...

Tumbling & Rumbling

2006-03-10T08:33:00.000+08:00

Tummy is still not feeling too well! Yesterday, didn't go for the treatment cos of tummy problems... went to Dahlia's place, had to use her WC... paiseh... But managed to play with all her sons... they're sooo cute!! And they know their responsibilities during & after food, etc... it's sooo cute!! Her youngest is 4mths old & is really cheery!! Snapped some pix for memories... but I'm scared that I may not get a good pix cos I realised I had the camera on standby the whole time... so, we'll have to see if the battery hadn't died down yet!

Then, went to meet up with Rahayu & TW at Holland Village. They still look the same... but was really glad to see them!! And they want me to go TP with them one fine day.

Now, my tummy is growling...~argh~ but i wanna go for the treatment. I hope I don't have to rush to the toilet halfway thru the session! So, I reckon, before I go, I'd better concentrate on going to the toilet first! harharar...

Tonite, I'll be in Tampines after the treatment... wanna go get glasses done!! And meeting Nor. Dun wanna take the MRT, but I dunno how to get there by bus... hmmmm.... Ok... tummy aching!!

Tmrw mom wants to go to JB to meet up with family... so, I'll have to postpone another treatment session... ~yawnz~ I'm still sleepy!

Oh yeah, spoke to Kris last nite... really really miss my baby!! Hopefully Dahlia's pix we took of the babies would be ok... cos I wanna show Kris... can't wait to have a few tumbling tots of our own!! hehehe...

ok... toilet now... laterz...

What Changed?!

2006-03-02T11:57:00.000+08:00

HEAPS!!!

Here I am in Sgp... been here for nearly 4 days... and already gone out shopping... it was all good... And i've found heaps of changes... like Marina Square & that new trendy shopping place at Bugis & many many more... And in 30mins, I'm going out to meet my aunt at Orchard Rd MRT station & more shopping!! YIPPIEZZZ!!!

Anyway, I'm just letting yous know I'm here...

Dad's Here

2006-02-21T23:42:00.000+08:00

On Sunday arvo, Mom called to say Bak will be here & she even got me a flytix so that I can come back with him.

Did a last-minute clean up of the room he's meant to be in. Most of the clothes hanging in the wardrobes, which are office clothes, were taken out & placed in Kris' wardbrobe!! And Kris' dad's bunkbed had been taken off to accommodate one single person... cos Kris didn't want Bak to bump his head on the underside of the upper bunk, something that Kris oftentime does when he's there...

My boxes after boxes under the beds and those on top of the upper bunk & by its side, had to be temporarily placed at Kris' room as well... The poor chap!!

Anyway, I've been doing a lot of catching up with Bak & am pretty happy with the entire situation.

I made roti john for his lunch & even made Char Kway Teow for dinner... and Mom called as soon as we were done eating & affirmed that Bak is supposed to be having lots of veges & soups & little bit of rice (my dad is cardiac patient).

When Kris needed to rest, everyone went into their own rooms & I sat here staring into the pc, chatting with Peter when he got online... it brought back memories... of love, of affections, of friendship, of possibilities & of hope. It was kinda heartwarming to know that he would still think of me after all this while... and even thought about us & kids... Oh well, all those are wishful thinking, but it was nice to know I'm needed from time to time...

I'm stoning right now... and I dunno if I'm making typos... but I can't be stuffed. I need to change & get back into bed... nitez... tmrw...

Oh, just to inform some of u, I'll be in Sgp on 27th Feb onwards... Catcha laterzzzzz

Love Is In The Air

2006-02-14T08:16:00.000+08:00

by John Paul Young

Love is in the air
Everywhere I look around
Love is in the air
Every sight and every sound

And I don't know if I'm being foolish
Don't know if I'm being wise
But it's something that I must believe in
And it's there when I look in your eyes

Love is in the air
In the whisper of the trees
Love is in the air
In the thunder of the sea

And I don't know if I'm just dreaming
Don't know if I feel sane
But it's something that I must believe in
And it's there when you call out my name

(Chorus)
Love is in the air
Love is in the air
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh

Love is in the air
In the rising of the sun
Love is in the air
When the day is nearly done

And I don't know if you're an illusion
Don't know if I see it true
But you're something that I must believe in
And you're there when I reach out for you

Love is in the air
Every sight and every sound
And I don't know if I'm being foolish
Don't know if I'm being wise

But it's something that I must believe in
And it's there when I look in your eyes

ok... I just HAD to be corny!!! ~snigger snigger~

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY...

I Love Donuts

2006-02-13T17:21:00.000+08:00

You Are a Sprinkled Donut

Flamboyant and flashy, you're easily distracted by shiny things.

You're definitely a snazzy number, and you usually catch everyone's eye in the room.

And you've got the goods to back it up your colorful image.

(Though too much of you gives people a stomach ache!)

What Donut Are You?

I would have thought that I was a double chocolate chocolate donut with sugar sprinkling... but ~shrugz~

Mommy, I Feel Sick

2006-02-12T21:32:00.000+08:00

I think I have the flu!!

At first, I thought that it was just the badminton that's giving me all these aches... but later in the day amidst the sweltering heat, I was feeling cold & soon realised that it wasn't just muscle aches; my joints were creaking & even breathing was a workout!!

I had to clean the toilet & sweep the bathroom floor, but I think Kris was complaining I hadn't swept the back of the toilet clean enough cos he can still see hair behind the cistern!! BAH HUMBUG!! Can't he see I'm suffering here?! Oh mommy!!

And I still had to cook, even though I'm the sick one... suddenly I feel like a teochew porridge!! Plain watery rice porridge with some preserved vege & nuts & eggs... ooohhh yeah... I'll add some of those to my groceries list for next week!! I want some of them teochew porridge!!! ~mind starts wandering to Da Wan Choke in Sgp~ yummmmzzzz....

Oh, I had to cook, not only cos I'm the girl who doesn't work & yet is being fed by the fiancee, and also not cos Kris bought me a car for Valentine's Day, but mainly cos he spent the entire day today ripping off the backseat of that car, cutting & sawing & filing off the metal bits & cardboard so that he can fit in his red Sony Xplode stereos at the back. You see, the car stereos suck... and only the front passenger seat stereo works...

Anyhow, he also pulled off the ugly 3rd brakelights cos the previous owners taped it with ordinary yucky sticky tape!! And Kris re-wired everything proper & bought proper tape & it's now all nice & proper...

And seeing that he's fitted the backseat into the car, I foresee he'll be ripping off the front panels soon... not that it's not working, but he needs to enhance the car a bit more... he needs to put in new lights cos the speedo is only lit on the lower kmph & not beyond 110. And u can't see the lightstrip when it's on Drive gear.

Then there's the driverside stereo that he's bugged about - he'll wanna change & upgrade that one too... And oh, we've already bought a $169 Panasonic CD-player/radio - it was originally $279, but it was Manager's Pick that week, so the price was slashed tremendously. The price had been returned to $279 the last time we say it!!! Anyway, I wanted a 12CD changer, but he doesn't... so... ~shrugz~ well, he's paying for it and I can't afford $699!!!

See, my car has a double slot for radio/CD/Cassette player... but we only bought the single slot one... I dunno wat else I may put on there, but I'll need to get a mobile holder & a car-kit soon. But mine is a flip-phone, so maybe the holder is out of the question... But I'll figure out what I want installed in that extra slot!!

And I think this weekend he'll definitely take me to Kmart to get the gecko seat cover that he liked... He said NO GIRLY ones... and I joked we're gonna get the Hello Kitty ones we saw sold next to the gecko ones!! harharhahr... He likes the real sheepskin ones, but just for one seat, it'll cost him $69, whereas the gecko ones is about $39 a pair... and hopefully they also have the backseat covers as well... So, there's still a lot of things to buy & do on the car, but we'll get there... It's nothing major, so we won't be seeing it worked on anymore after maybe these 2 weeks? I'm hopeful!! Cos I wanna drive it!!

Oh, did I mention he'd also washed the car yesterday and waxed the exterior & polished the interior today? It's sparkling!! And u know, when u hear the vacuum cleaner going, means he's done with the car... and it's good for me to drive!! So, u see, I just HAD to cook tonite... ~sigh~

ok... this room is spinning... I need to sleep it off!!

Aching Bones

2006-02-11T19:06:00.000+08:00

... are not what I needed when I have to do groceries, clean the house, cook, yada yada yada... but yeah, I went for badminton over at Altone Park yesterday & now bones are a-creaking... ~ouch~ even my fingers are aching... and I'm carefully typing so as not to have to make unnecessary movements like deleting & retyping again!!

Yeah so yesterday I had to clean the house, do the laundry, cook dinner for Kris & get myself ready all in 2hrs cos I'd waited till the last minute to do it all... Kris came home, had his dinner, I showered, top up petrol & we were off to the courts 1.5hrs late!! hehe...

And when we were there, we didn't see anyone outside & Kris being Kris, cannot stop & wait... he had to keep driving. So, we ended up driving twice around the carpark passing the entrance & then finally out of the park itself to try & find another place while I kept sighing & saying THIS IS THE ONE!!! And true enough, as we were driving past the park, I saw Elaine thru the glass windows of the courts!! But this still doesn't convince Kris... so, we turned left onto Roann's house... and it was at this instance Ezra msgd me. Kris made a quick turn & dashed to the courts & true enough Ezra was sitting at the entrance.

I played for an hour & was happy to be sweating profusely... cos that's wat I like in a game - the sweat!! Then, the girls decided to get macca's!! I was thinking... this is sooo unhealthy!! U exercise, then u pig out!!! JEEEZZZ!!! But I had a McFlurry Crunchy!! hehehe... and fries... and coke... hehehe... I just couldn't pass the chance of having macca's... especially when Kris would never allow fast-food!!

So, we were at Roann's for the pig-out & after much deliberation, I showered & we went kara-ok-ing. It was $150/5hr session at Utopia... There was a group of Indian girls who didn't book a room & was given the room we booked the day before. So, the management gave us the big room that was $250/5hr session... but we only had to pay the normal fees!! YEAH!! And there were bigger seats, more mics, a huge screen & everything!! It was cool!! And we sang till the cows came home & never wanted to leave the moon ever again... just in case they meet us LELER girls!! harharhar...

Anyway, everyone was basically dead by the end of the session, Ash went her separate ways, Roann sent Merrion home & Ling drove Elaine, Ezra & me to Roann's... Ezzy was already asleep... we dropped her off at her place & she wasn't even able to walk properly to the front door!! hehehe...

Back at Roann's we changed into our jammies & watched DVDs, but Elaine & Ling were already dead when Roann & I started out the 2 short ghost vids... so, the 2 of us decided to hit the sack too... This is sooo funny... cos we're not supposed to be at Roann's at all!! She had been working 15hrs the night before & then, without even 8hr rest, she went back to work another 11hr shift... And she's even working now, as I'm typing this!!

Well, I'm tired... and I have to make Kris' dinner... I don't feel like eating... but I still have to cook... I'm gonna make Chicken wrap - Kris' fave.

Splish Splotches!!

2006-02-06T16:21:00.000+08:00

It was so hot & sunny the entire day!! The weather forecast was for thunderstorm... and I waited all this while to see if the storm is coming... until I realised that maybe it was one of those failed forecasts that the news are always spewing on us... I went on to do my laundry... Today, I have 3 loads to do...

The first full load was the coloureds... that's already out in the laundry basket ready to be hung... And I've managed to put in the 2nd (half) load which is for 30 degrees gentle wash... and that cycle is just about to stop now... before the final 3rd & 'tough' load was to go in... You know, the denims, socks & towels... But while I was out there, halfway thru hanging the 1st load on the line, my face got pelted by huge splotches!! Yeah, the sky's decided that they do wanna have that thunderstorm after all!!!

So, here I am... inside... huffing & puffing!! Before I go back to putting my first batch on the mobile laundry that I would have to push into the lounge for the night! ~argh~ Ok... I'm going now... I'd better do it or I wouldn't be able to walk to the caryard to get his dad's van back home... It's gonna be about 1hr walk down the road!! he doesn't wanna do it alone... and it's only nice (& right) of me to go with cos he's already bought it for me... $3.2K of it all... and it's a gift!!

ok... I'm off to hang the laundry... I hear the washer stopping for the 2nd load!! ~sigh~

Friday Night Parrrtttyyy!!!

2006-02-05T13:46:00.000+08:00

Did I tell u I had a blast at the Slumber Party held at Roann's place? Yeah!!! A blast!! Ok... Lemme tell u about the initial plans first... and this is how plans are just that... plans!!! It sometimes work out the way we intended... but most times, they don't!!

So, this started out as Chinese New Year Cookup Dinner at Ling's on the Sunday of CNY. We were supposed to bring 3 oranges and a red packet filled with a gold coin - either $1 or $2 gold coin... as long as it's gold. And why 3 oranges? Well... it's cos there's 3 people at her place. Mom, Ting (her brother) & Ling. But it's soooo different from the way we had been brought up with in Sgp... we usually bring 2 oranges for each household or each person we're visiting!! Hmmm... ok... So, I got all those things ready... even bought extra packs of hongbaos to make the happiness lantern for Ling's fam.

Ok... so, I've got all my ingredients ready & was about to get it all done, when Ling called me up & said no one's coming... Ezra's working till 11pm, Elaine's going visiting with fam & Roann got busted from mom & dad for going out till wee morning since they've been back for the week. So, I suggested for Friday when everyone's not working. Uhhuh... no one works on Friday!!!

Anyway, on Wednesday, got a msg that it'll be held at Roann's instead... and that Roann will be picking me up after work at Burswood so that Kris doesn't have to drive all the way to Beechboro to send me & then later on at nite when he has to come pick me up again. But Roann suggested for me to stay for the nite... and Kris said I could... so, that's how it became a slumber thingy... and then, we suggested to have more people over & have drinks... and that's how it became a party!!

But, Roann finished work too early on Friday & I haven't started cooking. I just finished cleaning the house when she told me. So, I had Kris send me instead cos I dun want Roann to take all that trouble knowing she had to pick Rovy (her youngest sis) from school & still have to rush home to get all the food organised when everyone started treakling in late arvo.

So, I thought I could get an orange butter cake, over 20pieces of sardine pastry puffs & 2 banana bread (1 was for Kris) ready by 5pm? Well... think again!! The 2 banana breads were just about ready in the oven while I got the puffs ready when Kris got home at 5.30pm!! And to top it off, I had to make extra puffs for Karl & Trina - Kris was gona head on to their place to see if he should apply for a new job over at where Karl just started out.

Ok... all done & driving down Tonkin Hwy at 7.50pm!! And I thought... omg omg omg... I'll be so late... and everyone'll be done with dinner when I get there!! Guess what!!! NOT!!! They were still frying the last bits of garlic chicken & the sushis were not even rolled yet!! So, while all those were done, Ezzy got burnt by exploding oil from frying the chooks!! So, I managed to grab her down to the local deli to get some 100% orange juice for the vodka orange & some slurpy jams for the waffles/pancakes/icecreams... And when we got back, almost everything was laid out on the dining table!! hehehe...

Oooh... but first... those who were there... Ezzy brought Ashlee (this really gorgeous cool chick), Roann's siblings were there, except Van & bf Peter... her brother, Michael's gf Lottah was there, Elaine, Ling (who came in jammies right away!!)

So, laid on the table, we had:

A very yummy Salad
Pork Sinigang (which I sadly can't take)
Philippines Salted Egg & Tomato Salad
Fried Fish
Salmon Sushi & Chicken Sushi
Plain Rice
Chicken Curry with Taters & Carrots
Garlic Fried Chicken
Sardines Pastry Puffs

hmmm... i think that was all... of cos, for desserts we had:

Orange Butter Cake
Mango Sorbet (Ash brought this from that famous home-made shop)
Almond Jelly & Longan in syrup
An array of alcoholic bevies... I had my first cowboy!! Yummmzzz... butterscotch!!

oh, and we of cos had Korean horror & Chinese ever-so-innocent almost-porn & all... drove all the way to the other side of suburbia about 30mins away to get some good shows!! Ok ok... Ling screamed into everyone's ears while we watched Korean horror Dollmakers & was almost half-dead half-asleep of the Chinese Torture Chambers... she wasn't that interested cos she's already seen that... she picked the wrong DVD...

Yeah... we didn't sleep the entire nite... so, we were all going nuts... talked & talked... did the palmistry thingy on each other, did the 'what do u think of this & this'... did almost everything to keep ourselves awake!!

Kris got back home like 2am that morning... had so much to talk about with Karl... So, instead of picking me up at 9am, he was still having breakkie then!! hehehe... He finally came by at 10am, had coffee & we went off after saying thanks & goodbyes to everyone there...

Wanted to check out the cars that Kris had seen last Wednesday... but we drove past this one yard & tested one car & now I'm the proud owner of a 1991 4-cylinder 16-valve 1.8litre Toyota Corona the colour of the road's asphalt!! Yeah... and then, of cos, we went grocery shopping... and after dinner, I so wanted to catch a movie on TV... but fell asleep instead!! yeah!! very very tired!!!

System Check: 2

2006-01-27T23:30:00.000+08:00

Ok... First thing's first!! I've done a bit of research on what I should do to get rid of this backdoor adware that refuses to give up & at the same time injecting trojans on my data!!

So, the next logical step is to find out how to do this yeah? Well... I've got some reading materials... only like 4 copies of materials of about 30 pages each!! ~argh~ Nearly had a heart attack when I printed them off!! As I started reading (I'm on page 4 now, thank goodness!!), I realised that I've gotta use some of the materials simultaneously cos the explanations of what at R0 R1, O2, O15, etc etc... are found on the tutorial of HiJackThis - an extremely powerful system tool only to be used by a professional who knows what they're doing! Ok... so, I'm not a professional & I definitely do not have any clue of what I'm doing - but I have no choice, yeah? I've gotta do this!! I mean, if I lose my stuff, I'll lose it... just like if I were to reformat my hard drive!! That's why I'm gonna have a backup... those files that I need saved, like my resumes & stuff - things that I don't wish to lose at this down time of my life when I totally need a job really badly!!

Tomorrow is Saturday & I've got housewifely duties to perform like doing the groceries shopping with Kris. Why with Kris? Cos he's the ATM while I'm not working!! He has to pay for EVERYTHING!! And also cos I don't have a car!! Kris sold off my Mitsubishi Colt, if u remember from my previous post!! And the Audi sedan that he's got, he just realised how massive the problem is and he's thinking of getting it sold to one of the wreckers down the road!! ~sigh~ What a waste of time & money!! Oh well! ~shrugz~

Oh, and early tomorrow morning, he's going to that used car dealer to see if he can get a better price for the 1984 BMW that's got like over 300K km on it!! ~sigh~ another one of his futile projects, I see!! Whatever rocks his boat, I say!

And Sunday is Chinese New Year... and since I'm not coming online on the weekend, I'm wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year!! Oh, have I posted it there earlier? Well, never mind... not everybody reads the older posts anyway... =)

I'm going over to Ling's house for a small cookup dinner celebration with the LELER girls. The wat girls? LELER!! Liza, Ezra, Ling, Elaine & Roann!! harharhar... It got to be such a hassle & costly to mention everyone's names on sms that I'd made up the anagram!! harharhar... So, yeah... I'm supposed to make my famous sardine's pastry puffs (recipe of filling courtesy of Kinz's Mama), an Orange Butter Cake & bring 3 oranges each with a red packet containing 1 gold coin for good luck. I'll prolly make her mom a banana bread as well cos she's got high blood pressure & Ling's ever so protective of what she eats.

So, ok... I'm going to a little bit more reading of that virus thingy!! By the time I completed all those materials, it'll be a week from today!!! ~sigh~ Then again, I may just post the log on the technical board & let the big boss see what i need to clean up. ok ok... I'm off.. need to read... need to read...

System Check: 1

2006-01-27T14:02:00.000+08:00

Something's wrong with my computer eversince that bloody virus attacked it!! So, it'll take me some time to put it back to normal... For the time being... have a Happy Chinese New Year to everyone!!

Not Staying Long

2006-01-25T13:53:00.000+08:00

I'm not gonna stay online long... Just came online to say Happy Australia Day to all aussies around the world!!

Oh... and last Saturday out with the girls for the dimsum & Elaine's birthday bbq was a blast!! We were really so full even before we get to her place!! And when we left, we were rolling on our sides literally!! But we managed to get some icecreams when we got to Roann's place!! I met her mom, Aunty Cora!! Very spunky lady!!! And finally gotta meet Van that day!! TWICE!! First was at Carousel... then she got home just before we left for Elaine's & then, again, when we got back from Elaine's & she was just coming home to drop Peter off & then, change & go out again with her gfs for a nite of dancing!!!

I'm going back to watching the animes that Roann loaned me the last time... She gave me a whole stack of 'em!! So far, I've watched 3 DVDs of the Fruits Basket anime!! And I heard that there's only these 4 DVDs... and there's none left!! And if I wanna catch up with the story, I'll have to continue reading the manga instead!! ~argh~ I'm gonna drag Kris to JB Hi-Fi to get this set that Roann loaned me cos I like it!! And of course, I wanna go get some others as well!! And I've told Kris I wanna get some dance DVDs to use as exercise!! I didn't get any the last time we went... but I did get like 7 chickflicks!! harharhar...

oh ok ok... i need to go... animes are calling me... I'm sooo addicted, i tell u!!!

Crashed & Crushed

2006-01-20T23:37:00.000+08:00

A few days ago, my MSN Messenger prompted me to get a newer upgraded version, I clicked on it like I'd done a few times before & it bloody crashed my MSN Messenger!! I wasn't able to get onto it! And upon further scrutiny, I realised it downloaded the same version over again!! And this time, I got all these Error & Troubleshoot messages that nothing could rectify...

After restoring my system & still nothing worked for me, I did the next unthinkable stupid thing!! I uninstalled my MSN messenger - all of it... everything about it that ever existed on my system & then went onto Download.com & got the normal MSN Messenger v7.5... and not realising that this file comes with it an attached sponsor-backing!! And that's how I got this Yupsearch toolbar & virus that latched onto my data & files!! It even comes with it, a high-threat Trojan!!

Managed to get MSN Messenger running to my amazement, but everything else was crashing down around me!!! ~argh~ And now that I've realised what the hell this virus is, I've gotta do so much!! But I don't have time!!

Tomorrow, Ling, Ezra, Roann & I are going for an all-u-can-eat dimsum lunch!! The restaurant is gonna go bankrupt, i tell u!!! harharhahrar... and then, right after that, we're going to Elaine's bday bbq at her place!! I was supposed to go get her a gift yesterday, but decided to give her the butterfly jewellery stand that I wanted to get for myself instead! Kris liked it, so it means that I'll prolly be able to get a couple for myself... if I can find anymore of its kind at Granny Mae's or Wild! But yeah... I'll give Elaine that cos she seldoms get these stuff for herself - she's not very girly girl...

I need to go sleep soon cos I need to get up really early to go do groceries early with Kris. The girls just messaged me that they'll come pick me up at home instead of at the front steps of Carousel!! That'll give me some time to put the shopping away first, make Kris some lunch & even change my outfit!! hehehe...

So, about this computer thingy, maybe I'll have a look at it on Monday or whenever!! I'm really not in a good mood to be online... but we'll see....

Quizzical

2006-01-11T22:00:00.000+08:00

Did this quiz while waiting for.... hmmm... dunno what I was waiting for!! hehehe...

What does your handwriting say about YOU?

You plan ahead, and are interested in beauty, design, outward appearance, and symmetry.
You are a person who thinks before acting, intelligent and thorough.
You are diplomatic, objective, and live in the present.
You are a talkative person!
You enjoy life in your own way and do not depend on the opinions of others.

To One & All

2006-01-10T16:33:00.000+08:00

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha to all friends, families & muslims around the world... There's no public holiday here in Australia... well, yeah... Sometimes, I just felt that if there's holidays for Christmas & Good Friday for the Christian believers.... there should also be holidays for the people of other racial, ethnic & religious backgrounds. Afterall, the government is adamant about schools not teaching or talking about any particular religions... So, why be so unfair and have only Christmas & Easter?

Oh well... it's always Do What I Say, Not What I Do, with this government anyway!! That's why so many don't respect it!!

My Cars

2005-12-28T22:33:00.000+08:00

Ok... Kris got home just now & sold off my Mitsubishi Colt 1984 at the nearby autotraders. He got $520 for it, which is good cos it's hard to sell these cars. The shop bought over cos he said the car was clean & tidy & the engine was running very smooth & the air-con works. The price we got is not bad considering we bought it from my housemate 2years ago for $600 in good running condition & he threw in a colour TV too!! Kris did the car up nicely, put in aircon & tinted the windows for hot summer months & added other essential accessories & cleaned up all the wiring & cabling under the hood!!

And it was only cos on Christmas Eve, he bought over a white automatic Audi sedan. Needs a lot of work, but he'll do it up. He has already been on it for the past few days & I foresee a lot of his time spent in the shed this summer (like with the Colt) until it's ready to go thru the pits & finally get it registeredunder my name.

It's a really nice car & it still has all the original Audi accessories & parts, but Kris will have to change a lot of things cos the guy he bought it off had killed alot of the parts until it quit running!! harharhar... And Kris doesn't mind playing around with cars... so, that's always good...

But Kris knows that I want the new Suzuki Swift!! Or a convertible 4-door Citroen that looks like the VW beetle... or a mini. hehehe... I'll have to wait till I get a good job or until it's after the wedding, whichever comes first!!

How's Ya Chrissy

2005-12-28T12:30:00.000+08:00

So yeah, 'tis the 4th day of Christmas... so what?!

Here I am, at home, just out of bed at noon, online, and feeling like Christmas never came to Perth. Well, that's cos I don't really care for Chrissy!!

Two days before xmas, I met up with Kiff, a family friend who is an air-host with SQ, at Sheraton & went shopping with him. He had heaps of fun getting lotsa clothes... they're really nice clothes!! Lucky for him, they're like 25-75% off!! He had seen them in Melbourne & put off buying them... he's so lucky he came at the right time!! Anyway, showed him parts of the city he head never ventured into & he liked it!! Lotsa walking, but it was all well worth it!! He's determined to come back to the same spot for meals cos that Jap shop was cheap, clean & the food was delish!! So he was memorising the street names!! harharhar.... Even brought him into King's St Cafe & he was marvelling at the rows of cakes & the slice sizes!! harharhahrar... I'm sure he'll be there next time he rocks in to Perth!!

Ok... so, Kris & I finally finished our shopping & I had them all wrapped up really nicely... Everyone gets a box of chockies & as part of the decoration, I included some roc candy which was white with blue snowflakes & blue with snowman & they were strawberries & cream & butterscotch! I was glad they all loved their gifts!! And Aunty Jan didn't wanna unwrap the gifts cos she loved how it looked!! Oh, and this time, Tash got me a couple of silver photoframes which I'm gonna use for my wedding photo mantelpiece!!

This year, we only got Les & Greg (from countryside Meckering) chockies & they got really nice stuff for us!! ~sigh~ hehehe... It was Kris' fault!! He didn't wanna wait for me to go to the autoshop with him to pick out some other gifts for them!! And I didn't get to see them year cos I was spending time with my pals at Ling's place for dinner & came back after 1am & by then Kris had already drove the 2 guys back to Greg's mom's place!! hehehe... At least, they'll be coming to our place again on 7th Jan 06 cos now they're in Geraldton to go fishing & do some sightseeing, and they'll be passing by Perth before driving back home.

Anyway, I'm going to go do my stuff... and I'll prolly be on my way to Sheraton to pick up stuff at the frontdesk tonite...

It's Only Money

2005-12-20T15:34:00.000+08:00

Kris managed to finish grouting the laundry wall on Saturday only to finish at midnight!! He didn't wanna leave it for another day cos he knew we were not gonna be at home much on Sunday & Monday...

Yupz... we were over at my aunt's place on those 2 days... Kris was all ready to help Aunty Jan & Bak Nor to put up all those shelves in their garage. Tasha was moving back home & all her stuff was overflowing in every direction, especially that garage!! So yeah, it's finally done!! Even though he had to finish it up on Monday night, while in the next rooms, a little bit more than a dozen women & girls were ogling at overpriced hand-made wired costume jewellery!!

So yeah, didn't buy anything, but I think my aunt bought me a couple of earrings that I was eyeing... Those ones were the cheap ones!! hehehe... But I didn't get them... cos when I turned around, they were gone... but seriously, I think my aunt got them for me... I'll let yaz know if I got them for chrissy, eh? heheheh...

Oh, and on Sunday, while Kris was hard at work doing those shelves, Jess & I went shopping at Galleria... really wanted to get some chrissy decorations for our wedding... but maybe cos it's like way late in the month already, almost all the decors that I wanted were gone!! ~sniff sniff~ Then again, it could be a sign that I shouldn't be spending all those unnecessary things!! I mean, afterall, we do have a rather tight budget!!

Well, although a little bit disappointed, at least I managed to spend some time with Jess & got a bit more updates on each other's life!! And I even told her what Kris got me for my bday that me throw a fit at him that night!! hhehehe... Well, maybe I'll post that one tomorrow or whenever I feel like it... Right now, I really have to get that casserole done... it takes 2hrs in the oven... and already, look at the time!! It'll be dinner soon!!!

Hard At It

2005-12-05T17:18:00.000+08:00

Oh gosh!! It's Monday... can u believe it?! I really didn't want it to be Monday again!! cos I'm not even halfway into my Selection Criteria Statement that's due by this Wednesday!! There's heaps to write about but I think for this one, I'm going to be particularly brief. We'll see how that goes... I'll definitely post the result to that job-application. So, everyone pray for me pls... so that I can finish this statement & get the application on time... and then, pray for me to get the job... thanks... =)

So, yeah... why haven't I finished it yet? Well, I'm not blaming anyone... but it's not easy trying to do something as urgent & important as that and at the same time keeping the house clean & making sure all meals are organised, prepared & then, the dishes done, yada yada yada... U know the drill... plus, Kris had been working overtime everyday since we've been from Sgp 2 mths ago!! It's his busy season... so, I can't whinge... plus, he has to finish the tiling... and I'm glad to say that everything's done... ~yay~ So, now while we wait for the liquid nails to dry out, I'll still be sending out resumes & cleaning, washing & whathaveyous... he'll rest... And when the weekend comes again, Kris'll be grouting that laundry wall & working on his dad's Tarago so that he can drive it to work with no hiccups while he has his Landrover's windshield replaced & then work on my Colt so that he can sell it off before the rego goes off in Feb06!! ~sigh~ And then, the 2006 projects & wedding preparations will be underway!! So, u see... if he's resting while I'm working, I hv no rights to whinge!! yupzz!!

And my leather sandals that I had been using around the house for the past 2 years but was a really nice going-out sandals 5 years before that & only worn yesterday to my aunt's place, had officially reached its use-by date... yupz... while putting out the laundry earlier, the toe-strap snapped... ~sob sob~ I love that sandal... so, I reckon another pair of nice leather sandals will make its way to my wishlist...

Did I say past 2 years?! GOSH!! Two years have passed by soooo quickly!! And we didn't even have time to celebrate our anniversary!! So, we're going out on my birthday to celebrate our anniversary... and we're going out on christmas to celebrate my birthday!! harharhar... But we'll be having Christmas dinner after at Aunty Jan's place... So, not too bad!! hehehe...

By the way, what's up with me & CODES?! (refer to previous posts) I just noticed them!!! harharhar... I've gone nuts!!!

Codes

2005-12-01T12:38:00.000+08:00

Code: Fone Frenzy Part Deux
Ok... I finally managed to get one of the incessant calls today!! The phone rang at 11.50am... and then, get this... it rang again at 12.02nn!!! And it's no longer a fucking stupid call from India trying to get you to spill your personal info to them for the sake of selling some nonsensical product!! NO! It's not... That's good, u may be saying... but... it's a fucking stupid call from Philippines trying to get you to spill your personal info to them for the sake of selling some nonsensical product... And this time, Joanne was trying to sell me a package by Orange & 3 - they're both Mobile Phone service providers!! It's annoying!!!

She can't bloody introduce herself properly, can't bloody pronounce Kris full name properly... and she called Kris a MISS, for the love of god!!!! And she wanted me to tell her my name!! Hell no!!!

Code: Parlez Vous Francais
Here's something kewl!! Yesterday, I found my blogsite completely in FRENCH!!! Yeah, seriously!!! And the funniest thing was that not all the words were translated correctly!! hehehe... I dunno why my site was translated... try looking for yours... type your main url without the dot com & all that crap... and see if you get any translated sites... I mean, it looks exactly like my site & everything... but then again, it doesn't really convey what I intended... It's so cute!!!

Code: Graphics
Should I change my blogspot background & html design? Sometimes I feel like doing so cos I may be getting tired of seeing the same design... but I like this design!! Plus, I'm too lazy to change anything... I've already made quite a few backgrounds, but having to change everything else... that's what I'm not into right now...

hmmm... I'm hungry!!

Upside Downside

2005-11-29T15:33:00.000+08:00

Code: Laundry
Over the weekends, Kris finally bought his tile-cutters - not the industrial straight-line cutters, but the handheld manual ones. He really liked it cos he's almost done with the entire wall last Sunday!! Yeah, he's completed all the finnicky bits like making holes in the tiles for the taps & sockets & other fixtures... So, he's left with the simple straight-cuts for the benchtop & the sides of the furniture... Then, he can finally grout the tiles to make it more permanent & waterproof & then, we can fix all the fixtures proper & paint the walls... Yeah, then after that, we'd prolly paint the kitchen walls too!! Cos I don't think we can afford to do the entire kitchen up!! ~sigh~

I mean, I would really like to get rid of the current cabinets & all that & get a new one & fit the new double sink & cooker hub that we've got for over a yr now!! And new cabinets, mean that all the stove & oven & hub can all get aligned properly, we'll get proper pantry & more storage for the utensils and also, I'll prolly be able to get a slightly bigger kitchen... not much, but just a smidgeon!! But we can't afford that right now... We'll see when the capital investment money is returned, if we're gonna do it!!

Personally, I'd seriously like to have the kitchen done!! If not for catching a higher price when we sell the place, but at least to make the house look more complete & well-thought for. And even if we never get any opportunity to sell this place, and means that we'll have to raise our kids here, at least it IS complete for all of us... But right now, I'm just very satisfied at how the laundry area is coming into shape & very proud of Kris for listening to my designs, ideas & whingeing!! hehehe...

Code: Fone Frenzy
Continuing with my last post about my annoyance with callers who don't leave msgs on my answering machine when they do get them... Well, I have come to the conclusion that these are irritating telemarketers & survey companies which are currently plagueing every household in Australia with their incessant calls at just about anytime of the day!!!

Let's not count all the other days... Seriously, just today alone, I've got calls around 9am, 12nn, 2.30pm, 4.30pm & 6pm... getting me kicked out of my dialup for 5 times in less than 12hours!! They have costed me money!!! Perhaps I could pick up that call & ask for their company's details & sue them for harrassment!!

I dunno how, but some of these callers actually managed to penetrate my online re-dial service & break thru to get my answering machine!! And yet, they didn't leave any message!! What's the point?! Didn't they learn that when u do get the machine, make sure to leave a msg so that if we're really interested in getting that call, we'll wait for them to call back at the annointed time!!They may even get a sale - even though they know that they won't even buy these products/services themselves!!

But I do hope if any of you telemarketers/surveyors read this, pls pls pls I beseech you... Forget about what the mgt told u!! Take note of that person's name & number & jot down a time for them!! And then, leave the bloody msg already with your name, company & purpose of call!! Of course, make sure u call back or they'll curse u forever!!

Code: Mobile Madness
Oooohhh... I was up late last nite & chatting to Jaire... and sharing juicy bits of our lives... Oh Nor, I've sent him your regards... and he misses you too... Well, at first he said... "Which Nor? cos I know alot of Nors"... So, I had to show your pix thru my messenger!! hehe... and he said... "OOoohhhh that Nor... hehee..." Also told him to go check out your Friendster profile... which he said he might do... Or, you can also just do a friend request from him lah... ok?

Anyway, about late last nite, Lin came online & started chatting cos she couldn't sleep!! And she asked me if I was the one who sent her a freaky msg... Something like Read On... Read Some More... or something like that... anyhoos, told her it wasn't me... but it kinda freaked her out...

Told her that Peter is in Bangkok and last week, while he was in a drugged & drunken stupor, he had lost his mobile phone!! And a few days ago, I've been receiving text msgs from his mobile & this person who picked up the phone has been pissing me off cos he continuously texted me right into the night & into the morning!! And then, the next day too... And today, I received another one!! I'm trying to think of what I can do to stop him, seeing that Peter bought a prepaid, therefore he didn't bother to inform the police about it cos he's sure not to see the phone again... and this jerk is prolly just having fun trying to finish the credits!! So stupid!! He cld have used all those credits making legitimate necessary calls to whomever he wished, and he msgd me instead!!! ~sigh~ Stupid is as stupid does!!

So, I'm thinking right? Should I report this to the police (as if they'd care or do anything about it) or should I just post the no. on the internet & get everyone in the entire world to keep texting this jerk until he's pissed off?! Hmmmm....

Bloody Thick!!

2005-11-24T14:48:00.000+08:00

Typed & typed & typed... And then, someone calls me... and I got bloody disconnected while I was publishing my post!! WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?! It's time to get broadband!!! ~argh~

And this time, the message was fabulous too!!! ~sigh~ It's alright... I'll try to retype again later tonight... perhaps...

And this particular caller had been trying to reach me the entire day already!! At 9am, I was in the freakin' toilet!! And later at 12.30nn, called again!! And then, now!! Bloody hell!! I've got freakin' answer machine!!! Leave me a bloody message, for goodness' sake!!! Stupid fark!!!

Ok... I'm publishing my post now... Don't bloody call me!!! ~crossing fingers, toes & eyes~

Life Drama

2005-11-18T13:32:00.000+08:00

Dark Chocky + Orange Juice = Jaffa Party
No, I'm not drunk or out of my mind... but I was hungry only just & instead of taking out the leftovers in the fridge, I decided to have a go at the remaining half-pack of family-sized Cadbury Old Gold Dark Chocolate that I've used as cooking chocolate for my cakes. I said remaining cos I know there'll be none left by the end of this post!! muahahaha...

Oh, coming back to my point... I was munching a mouthful of it & made my trip back to the ol' fridge & down some orange juice... and my oh my... it was beautiful!! The best-tasting jaffa chocky I've ever tasted!!! And started wondering "Is this how they make jaffa chockies in the first place?" Good God!! It felt like a party in my mouth & I was invited!!! YEAH!!

Freaked Out
Kris wants to sell the mitsubishi colt as soon as he gets it up & running again... So, the other day, he charged the battery & that charger got short-circuited & killed the battery at the same time. The hood was blackened underneath & there was a plastic smell all around the house.

So, that's what we did last night at late-nite shopping... After dinner, we left the house at 8pm to get a new battery for the mitsubishi colt & a new charger. Hopefully this time, nothing drastic will happen... cos it really freaked me out! I was home & I didn't smell anything burning, didn't see any smoke coming out of the car... nothing... and to think the car could have blown up from any sparks created from that short-circuit, and blown up the house & what (and who) ever was in the house too!!

All the same, luckily (or unluckily, cos it could have been an indicator of danger too) the charger has an in-built adaptor that transformed the 240V to 14V, and that prolly was too low to continue burning. Then again, I felt safe just for a moment knowing that we've got a safetyswitch installed in the meterbox. At least if there's any possible danger, the safetyswitch would have been activated & it would stop the charger from causing any further damage.

Then again, what do I know... I'm just glad I'm safe! Alhamdulillah!

Where did all the time go?
Kris has already got 8 tiles up in the laundry room... just cos he ran out of liquid nails on Saturday!! Went to the hardware store on the way back from the auto-parts store! Kris had to get a tile cutter machine too & we decided that he's gonna have a look at the one his mate, Oli, had bought recently & see if he can borrow off him or it'll be much better to just get one since we'll be doing quite a bit of tiling... It'll be good to have when we're doing up the next house too... Right now, I'm just hoping to see the laundry wall done up before the end of the year... Cos new year means new resolutions, means new projects!!

Paranoia

2005-11-16T18:54:00.000+08:00

Received a parcel from Mom & Bak today... and realised the wooden basket that they've bought hadn't been passed by the quarantine dept. So, now I either have to pay $42.50 to get it sent back to them or just get them to destroy it. Either way, it's hard-earned money wasted!! It's weird how u've told people NOT to send anything that u think may contain any untreated wood, and they send them anyhow knowing that quarantine will search the package, but hopes they'll let it pass anyway... ~sigh~

However, what was in that parcel was really gorgeous!! Mom bought me some artificial orchids, sent some photographs of my sis' wedding & a bamboo ladle!! harharhar... Thanks Mom!!

Tomorrow, I'm going out to the city with Chui cos we only met up like 2 months ago for some great but cheap Japanese. And I've got a lot of shopping to do. I mean, I don't get to go out much, cos of the obvious (I'm not working - ie. no money to spend with; Kris hates shopping) & we both strategically chose tomorrow cos the temperature won't be too high for me to walk to the train station.

See, I have to walk 30mins to the station & my skin reacts badly to hot summer air - I actually break out in sunrashes!! Anyway, yesterday had it up to 34ºC & the backyard was boiling when I put the laundry out to dry! And today's max was 26ºC I think, but I went outdoors only to accept the parcel from the postman... and tomorrow's forecast would be 23ºC, which is perfect for me!! Hehehe...

This neighbourhood is also not a great place to be running around on your own. When I moved in 2years ago, I was so paranoid about the area, I wouldn't even answer the door or have the blinds opened!! I would also only put the laundry out in the evenings when Kris was home (but now, it's alright cos we've fenced off the backyard). When I had to start work, I spent almost 2 whole months walking to the station & that kinda made me feel comfy in my own skin walking around the neighbourhood. But yesterday, a liquor store in our area got robbed in broad daylight!! And that's making me a bit jumpy!! Cos even though I'll be walking through residentials, a lot of folks living there give me the creeps!! Kris asked me to walk on the main road where there's more people due to the traffic, but it's the same there... & plus, it'll put 10mins more to my walking time, that's if I don't stop by the shops!!

So, we'll see how it goes... Kris is bugging me to put some food on the table!! You know what, I'm getting sick of being the only one who can cook in this house!! At least I won't be cooking tomorrow!!

Disappointed & Shaken

2005-11-14T18:32:00.000+08:00

Ok... last Saturday, Kris didn't go to work just so that we could get groceries done in the morning as we're supposed to go to the silaturrahim gathering at one of my aunt's house nearby, with Aunty Jan & BakNor. I was actually looking forward to it as Aunty Zainab & Uncle Ozzy are great cooks!! Supposed to have a Hari Raya BBQ lunch... but Tash was very sick & Aunty Jan decided to skip the lunch. And we didn't go to. So, Kris wasted 4.5hrs of weekend salary & I didn't get to have any asian & traditional hari raya spread!! ~sigh~ but it's ok...

We had told Rubie we were gonna make it to their Open House afterwards, so I still have some chance in getting some traditional raya spread... but errrr... there's no lodeh & lontong, nor any of those typical raya food... was quite disappointed... but Kak Tina & Kak Tini were both there & they've invited us to their place the next day for Open House... but Kris didn't wanna go, so I was completely disappointed on Sunday!!

Plus, Les & Greg drove all the way from Meckering to celebrate Greg's 33rd birthday & invited us to Nero's. I wouldn't go to Nero's again... I had seafood marinara spag & my oh my they were swimming in grease!! So, we promised Les & Greg we'll take them to the cafe at Mount Lawley for lunch another day, seeing that they both love spags & this particularly cafe has ambience, and the food is affordable, less greasy, fresh & comes in a HUGE serving!! Plus they've got cafe-style desserts & authentic coffees!! Sorry, I can't remember the name of this place, but we know where it is & how to get there... Then again, talking about Mount Lawley, they have a lot of fabulous cafes & restaurants there!!

Anyway, after lunch, I dragged Kris to take the 2 guys to Wanneroo Markets just to check out where they get their really cheap groceries from everytime they make it to Perth. I had to do that cos Kris doesn't like to spend time scouring around in unfamiliar territories, especially markets that have lotsa intricate goodies that I'll end up buying & cluttering the house with. Anyhoos, Les did something that I never expected him to do!! He pinched 2 leaves & almost got caught!! I mean, the owner actually ran after us even when we were in the carpark, but Les managed to convince the owner he had done nothing wrong, even after he was searched. Later on, Kris told me that I had somewhat played a part in getting Les to do that in the first place. It was my curiosity that had set Les to 'show off' by doing what he did!! I was shaken by that yesterday after the guys left... and I'm still quite shaken up right now, to tell you honestly!

I've not seen adults show off to a girl just becos she was curious about something... or actually got himself all cut up even more everytime she squeals out of knowing how painful it was for him to get pricked by agaves, or screamed for him to stop pulling out a poisonous spider from inside a car by his bare hands & the more she screamed, the more he did it!! I mean, showing off are for jerks & little kids... and Les was neither!! ~sigh~

So, I dunno how I'm going to react the next time he's here... The guys are coming over in a couple of weeks... I guess I've got 2 whole weeks to calm my nerves & decide what to do by then.

Move Around

2005-11-08T13:12:00.000+08:00

Sunday, we had dinner at Aunty Jan's place for her birthday. Kaye's fam was there too... Couldn't recognise Tiki cos she's tall now!! And she looks sooo different!! Couldn't get over it!! Kept staring at her!! But I had to stop cos I need to eat... Anyway, the young'uns ate in the lounge watching Idols & wat-have-yous... and we adults sat at the dining table. Have a great time... food was good!! Finally had a traditional kueh tat (pineapple tarts) cos another relly brought her some when they came a-visiting on hari raya itself!!

I've moved furniture around yesterday cos I was kinda bored at home. Haven't been jobsearching lately, but was trying to keep the house clean... I've moved the vanity table Kris bought me from his master bedroom to the lounge. It looked much better there... So, I've got all my extra makeup stuff in a big rattan laundry basket somewhere in the lounge. heheh... Kris had packed up his PC & stored it in the shed & put the pine mirror on the PC table in his dad's room. After all, I've already occupied all 3 rooms with my clothes, shoes, accessories, etc... why not my mirror? Hehehe...

Yeah, amongst many other things that are now in the shed is the clothesrack... and I think Kris would like to have more stuff stored in there cos I'm not using all these stuff & I've got them everywhere... but he was just pretty pleased with my interior decorating (as he always is), but was apologetic that we don't have the suitable sofa for it. A Chesterfield set & my red ottomans would be extremely perfect right now to create the look we want... even though we're really inspired to get the proper stuff, but we really can't be impetuous & rush out to spend our savings on them... cos there are more important things we need to save for.

Ok... besides cleaning all those makeup stuff & finding a space to stuff them into, I also have to clean the fridge... luckily all the laundry is done, folded & kept!! My office is still like a pigsty!! See which one I'll do first... then again, I may just slack off again today...

Selamat Hari Raya

2005-11-04T20:28:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was what the Malays termed as Hari Raya Puasa, marking the first day of Syawal for muslims here in Perth... a day of celebration for a month of fasting in Ramadhan… I smsd my rellies & friends & found out that most of Asia are celebrating on the same day too. What's weird was that some parts of Perth will only be celebrating today... Mind you, Perth is really not that big & we have no time difference & for us to have 2 different days of celebration blew me away. But then again, who am I to say what should or should not be the correct date?

I received a text from Nor last nite & told her that I had fish burger for dinner & will be packing one for Kris to take to work the next day (being Hari Raya) & she laughed her head off saying it's the first time she had heard someone actually celebrating Hari Raya with fish burger!! Her reply was quite hysterical, but what was I supposed to cook? I mean, we don’t have much of a celebration here in Perth...

Firstly, no one actually comes to visit me, knowing I'm not married yet (most people visit the houses of married couples) so there's really no need to make cookies & cook especially for them.

Secondly, I've already made Chicken Korma the other day... Kris liked it... and I don't see any reason to make it again. Also, I don't have any lontong or lemang to make lodeh & serondeng... and I'm the only one who can eat sambal tumis in this house! So, fish burger is good enough for us!! Hehehe...

Finally, I did try to make some cookies, but it being my first time & that the oven was not a chef's oven, some of them got burnt due to heat not distributed equally in the darn oven... Kris ate it anyway... One of my aunt here in Perth said that he ate it cos there's nothing else to eat!! Harharhar... She's so funny!! YEAH RIGHT!! The ones that weren't burnt were actually quite good... but I’m not gonna make anymore cookies... at least not anytime soon. I may try again next year & will take into account the tips & advise given to me about baking cookies, if I find the need to.

And even tomorrow, Kris is working & we'll prolly not even make it to Karl's housewarming party. Kris said to use the lamp we bought for our own use. I dunno where to put it though. It doesn't really suit the decor of the house but I'll find a space for it.

To all Muslims around the world, Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir batin... Have a great Eid Mubarak.

Hello Halloween

2005-11-01T16:58:00.000+08:00

Ok... as much as I thought, the trick-or-treaters came last nite. I especially liked the first 2 girls who came in a realistic & complete witch costume & make-up and the other was a beautiful fluttery fairy!! I gave them extra chockies!! And when asked if they've got an adult with them, they were very shy & said, "Our dad..." Of cos I told them 'that's good'... And they fluttered off, I stuck my head out the door, and their dad was waiting at the driveway, he said thanks & off they went to the next house.

And while I was organising evening tea, another 2 boys came... and this time, Kris had the chance to serve them. They had their mom waiting at the driveway too... And Kris was excited cos the kids were excited seeing the big bowl of chockies... and of cos, them getting 3 pieces each... I can hear their "COOOOOLLL..." all the way from the kitchen!!

We didn't have that many that day... cos Halloween fell on a weekday this year & not many parents would allow their kids to drag them out of the house at night just to get a bag of treats. Furthermore, it's not really part & parcel of Oz custom, just like Thanksgivings Day.

Shop-A-Frenzy

2005-10-29T22:20:00.000+08:00

Shopping
Today we had a shopping frenzy, but had everything done by 4pm - a record time, really!!

Tiles
First up, we went to get tiles from the shop down Albany Hwy, near to our place. After much debate, Kris & I decided on white ripples for the laundry walls. If we get the chance & hv the moolah to do the kitchen cabinets, then we'll get the same white ripples for the backsplash of the kitchen as well... but for now, we're doing one thing at a time.

Groceries
Straight after, we went Bentley to get our 3-wk supply of halal meat. Liza, Suhaila, Kak Tini & her son were there, managed to have a bit of a chat, but the place was filled as the shop will be closed for 3 days for Eid celebrations. And since we'll be celebrating it on Thursday, 3 Nov, customers will hv to try & get their meat someplace else till the Monday after, or be smarter & get a little bit more meat for those extra 3 days.

Oh, & managed to pass Nazreeha's black scarf... even though it was one season too late. Well, I don't always go to their shop, plus the black wool that she wanted was sold out for the most part of winter & just came back out (at a 50% discount, thank goodness) only towards the end of it.

Then, of course, we went to get our groceries. Bought a whole bundle of chocky bits to make cakes & bickies for Hari Raya... I mean, I usually don't get visitors, but now that a lot of people know I'm no longer staying at a rental place with other students, I think my rellies & some friends may come a knocking on the door one day... & it'll be such a cracker if I have to serve them coffee & timtams!! harharhar...

And on that grocery list were also chockies for the trick-or-treators... They usually come on the weekends, but they may come tonite... and if they do, we're prepared, as ever, for them!! Can't wait to see what they'll wear this yr. Last yr we had a fairy, a blanky-over-the-head-with-two-holes ghost, a kid in devil's mask, some others & my most favourite, an invisible brother (but mom brought the goody bag - he had tummy ache & dad fetched him home - awww... i gave him some treats anyway).

Ikea
Last place of the day, we went to get a copy of their free 2006 mag... as it turns out, our neighbourhood is sooo not in their worthy list to getting a free copy sent out, even though we shop there ever so regularly!! And if we want them to send the bloody copy, we hv to pay for shipping & handling?! WHAT THE...?!

It was chokerz when we got there, it's like suddenly everyone decided to get there at the same time & didn't tell us about it... Anyhoos, we got the mag & we decided to get Aunty Jan's birthday gift as well... got her a nice red glass fruit bowl... It's a little different than the ones she has, hopefully she likes it... Yeah, it would look really nice in the lounge now that everything in there is black. She's changed the green lounge to 2 black leather ones... and other black decoration to make it a more modern feel to it... So, i guess the red glass thingy will suit nicely amongst the black backdrop... a dash of subtle colours...

And we also got Kris' colleague, Karl, a lamp which Kris initially didn't like. But seriously, there's not much of a choice in Ikea Australia... not like in Sgp!!

Kris also decided to get the same rails we got to make our built-in wardrobe for the rails above the fridge. He forgot how he fitted the over-sized rails in the 2 wardrobes, but as soon as we got home, he checked them out & was soon measuring everything for tomorrow's project!!

And I got 3 small boxes so that I could tidy up the office a bit. Becos there are no drawers in our house (except the built-in ones in the kitchen & the sideboard), everything's either in boxes or just laying around on the tables or stored in neat piles under the bed of desks or wherever we can find some space, seriously!! It's disgusting. We did try to look for a suitable pedestal drawer to put under my office desk, but they are either too tall or too short... and those at Ikea, they are all too skinny… it's like a play drawer instead!! I may wanna search for it at the furniture mart & hopefully they'll hv something for me.

Harvey Norman
Did I tell you that I've got my Cafe-Style Sandwich Press? Finally!! But it’s NOT at Harvey Norman... uhhuh... we've been running around going to almost every store we could find here & everywhere we went, the staff just apologised saying it's no more in stock, had ordered for it & the darn thing would make it to the stores in around 1-2 weeks. Not one of the many branches we went to, did the staff ask if we wanted to leave our name & contacts for them to get back to us once the stock gets in or if we ever wanted to put up an order or if they can call the other branches to see if they've got any left for us. NOPE!!! NOTHING!! NADA!!! No sense of retail etiquette at all!!!

Well, we had like 10mins before the retail scene shuts down on Sat & I suggested to go check it out at The Good Guys. Not only did they have it, they also sold it to me $3 lesser than Harvey Norman promoted it at!! $3 may not look like much, but the fact that they actually have that appliance in-store & are willing to give it to me at a lower price is a big thing. It's the prompt service & then, giving that extras, is what impresses customers... And of course, ordering in well before the last appliance is completely sold out!!!

Winter Again
Just as the sun peeped out of the blanket of clouds over the past few days, the forecast had been rain & winter again!! Perth's weather was becoming more like Melbourne's that no one would probably know the difference!!

Cakes & Bickies
I dunno when I'm gonna do the bickies... cos I'm feeling rather lazy for the past month or so. It's only 4 days more to Syawal here in Perth & I'm not feeling any urgency in making the cookies... Maybe I’ll do it on Monday...

Melted Plastic

2005-10-26T15:09:00.000+08:00

Here's one for NOR...
I know u like Mawi... this is a link that will bring u to him during his mengaji session... There's links to other celebrities like Siti Nurhaliza mengaji oso... I'm sure u can download it faster than I can & have a listen in no time... It's hard when u hv dialup (like me)... asyik tersekat-sekat jer...

http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=8Q812T55_us

Anyway, since the start of fasting month, I've realised my fascination with the kinds of food people have been having for the break of fast!! Everytime I see someone on line, I'll get them to detail all their food!!! Heheh... so, in not breaking that tradition, last nite, I made Cannelloni (spelling?!). I used smooth ricotta, eggs, garlic & chopped spinach & more cheese to stuff the tubes & filled the entire bowl with chopped & fresh tomatoes (instead of canned tomato puree) with basil... and topped the whole thing with mozzy cheese... hmmmm... yummzzz... Kris likes it... it's his first experience with it... and said it was rather filling... I like making filling, low-fat, one-step, not-many-crockery-used dinners... hehe... =)

I'm making sweet & sour fish tonite... with rice... Kris hates rice... but at least he loves sweet & sour fish... This dish is a lil bit leceh though... alot of frying!! ~shudders at the thought of cleaning up after~

And talking about cleaning up... I still hv to clean the bedrooms, vacuum the lounge & kitchen & mop the kitchen, wash some pairs of jeans & do the dishes!!! Yeah, I'm not fasting this week, so I've been having lunches... hehehe... Had hot & spicy noodle soup & a few scoops of connoisseur ice-cream earlier... and a word of advice, after that combo, u shld try to refrain from drinking store-bought orange juice... Tastes like u just drank melted plastic!!!! What an experience...

So, I'm going about with my housewifey duties now... laterz peoplez....

Nutterz

2005-10-25T10:19:00.000+08:00

First time I made Chicken Korma last nite... It didn't taste like the one Bak made every Syawal. And the way the cabbage stays crisp in it even in leftovers!!! Mine went limp as soon as put it in! But at least Kris likes it... I think this is the only 'curry' I don't hv to adjust or substitute any ingredients just so that Kris can consume without tearing or choking - and he likes it!! So, guess what I'll be cooking most often from now on?! hehehe....

And I'm glad for this time-off, at least I can finish up my winter scarves... they're driving me nuts!! I wanna crotchet now!!!

And looking for a job is driving me bonkers too!! I want a job, but I'm not ready for any interviews just yet. Enjoying my laid-back days just now...

Oh, and I've lost my designing mood this week... Hope to be back into it sometime soon... So, those who are waiting for theirs, sorry... I did say I'll do it when I've got the time & mood...

Soooo... what's up people?

How's Today Been?

2005-10-20T16:51:00.000+08:00

Today has just been one of those days... where u try to get a lot done... all at the same time... and u feel u've done nothing at all...

I had been trying to surf thru for graphics for some more sites, ideas for the designs of & recipes for the Perth reception, searching for new jobs, emailing people & posting materials online all at once... And of course, in between up and downloads, postings & emails, dialup can be a testing waiting game. And thus, zipping out to do other things just seems like a good idea.

Well, between all those, I had managed to clean the bedrooms, hung wet laundry out on the line in the backyard, folded clean ones & hung some in the wardrobes, did the dishes, fought with a monstrous fly that snuck in while I was out doing the laundry, watched some Oprah, made Pandan Cake... and I still think I haven't accomplished anything yet. Why do I feel that way?

Well, let's see... I still have to separate the kangaroo paws that we bought last Sunday, and put them into the ground... but I don't like doing it too early in the day cos of the hot sun - yes, people... one day it was all moody & rainy winter... and now, it's been summer without going thru spring first!! And I still have to water the roses, agapanthuses & agaves in the frontyard. The backyard's done while I was doing the laundry. That's when that fly snuck in, you see.

Oh, I've been looking at all the new patterns to crotchet my new winter scarfs for next winter, duffel bags & cushions... and I still have not yet finished the black one that Naz wanted. Man, it's been more than 3mths & winter's gone!! But it's ok, she knows I've been working... and I haven't seen her at her mom's or aunt's shops. Soooo... ~shrug~

And let's not say anything about all the other scarves that I'm supposed to have finished already. But... I'm really itching to start crotcheting... I'm not sick of knitting... but I'm sick of knitting winter scarfs when I know the latest fashion has been crotchet... but cos that's not important nor urgent, I know I'm stuck with trying to finish the knitting batch first... and to think that I've also put another knitting project on hold till I'm done with the crotchet bits... Can u imagine that?! Here I am with all these scarf-knitting... can't wait to get my hands on the crotchet bits... and yet hv already got another batch of knitting (not scarfs, thank goodness!!) waiting on my list!! AAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

And........... I WANT A JOB!!!

Yes, today has been one of those days...

New Stuff

2005-10-18T15:31:00.000+08:00

Kepada semua umat Islam sedunia, selamat menjalani ibadah puasa...

Some may already know that I'm currently looking for another job, and mind you, it's not easy... Been working for the past 6mths, and have already got stuck into the same routines... and finding it quite nice sitting at home playing games, doing up some friends' sites... and trying to do some others ~sorry, Fir... will try to complete yours soon~

So, while trying to get jobs online, I've also realised that I'll need to change my resume a bit, to add my latest experience... but I'm a tad too lazy right now...

And so, I've been searching for pix for some other graphic creations & site backgrounds... and also trying to get free ringtones & games for my new phone!! And it's sooo tough trying to get some!! They're all like free FIRST tones or something... and to have a listen first is like begging for mercy!! Alot of sites just go into 'purchase-mode'!!

Yeah, I totally hate flipphones, but my budget is really tight & I need a phone like... NOW!!! So, got myself a Nokia 6170... I know it's not that new to a lot of nations, but it is in Perth, ok? And it was nearly A$600, but I got it for A$399, which is within my meagre budget.

Anyhow, I'm happy with what I've got, but still hate the leceh-ness of the phone. And Johnny said 6170 is meant for guys, but this is the only phone that has a cover for the keypad that has large buttons... So, i guess, it's kinda perfect as I've got large fingers!!

So, I'm going off now, trying to be a good housewife & get on with my cleaning & washing... and oh, I promised Kris I'll start rowing again today... so, had better get a move on... maybe later tonite, I'll be able to change my CV & send my applications by tomorrow...

ok... hv fun everyone... and jangan puasa yok-yok eh? hehehe...

What Now?!

2005-09-26T22:36:00.000+08:00

Everytime I typed something in here & was ready to publish post, someone calls in & cuts my dialup... so, I can't retrieve my post!!! ~ARGH~

So, here's a summary:

My sister got married
I got engaged
I did my taxes
We got new frontloader washing machine
Laundry room is done (except for upper wall tiling - waterproofing)
Need to go shower & wash my hair cos I spilt cooking oil earlier today

That's it!!

Taxes Schmaxes!!

2005-08-06T10:14:00.000+08:00

Been cleaning out my paperwork, doing my filing yada yada yada... basically cleaning up part of my home office... and now, the table top is messy again!!! And all thanks to that time of the year where we have to sit down in front of the pc & do our taxes!! YUPZ!!! Me... doing my own taxes!!! Oh boy!!

Everyone says It's Easy, Liz... Yeah, right!!! That's for people who doesn't have private health insurance!! And if they do, they don't have the company I'm using!!! I don't even get any statements from them stating all those things they were supposed to as indicated by the tax co.!! So, as soon as I've blogged, I'm going offline & calling them to get all these info which I shld have received in the first place!!! And they say they're there to help us!! BULLCRAP!!!

And for you insurance agents out there, it's not that we don't want to be your friends, it's just that we think insurance companies are bloodsuckers who want our money & don't want to pay us our rightful dues!!! And they don't help us make our life easy too!! We have to chase them for every single thing!!

Well, I can't say for other companies... but mine

expects us to make the first payment without a payment advice!!
sends us a notice 3 months later stating we haven't paid, when we were told we would receive the payment advice in 2 days when we first called & we could pay when it arrives, & then tells us it's our responsibility to pay up even if the papers do not come to us... errrr.... pay how much? pay to whom?! DUH!!! and then, makes us go down to their office to settle a whole lumpsum of 3.5mths of insurance cover!!
promises the next payment advice will come before our payment due date, but tells us that it is our responsibility to pay anyway if it doesn't reach us by then!! errr... how would we know WHEN we have to pay up by if we don't have the advice?
sends out payment advices 2 days before payment due date (when it should be at least 10 working days!!) and this happens EVERYTIME!!
promises they will send out the payment advice 2 weeks in advance this time around (when they should have practiced it in the first place) & then, sends out our payment advice 2 days before due date anyway!! - I mean, we're not stupid you know!! We can see the postage date when the mails are sent!!! If once or twice, maybe it's the postal services, but if it's all the time, it's the insurance company's practices!!
Sends out a letter stating they're taking more money from us & giving us lesser coverage A WHOLE MONTH before it is implemented!!! And doesn't even give us the option to change to another cover!!

Glad to say, I've already stopped that cover from the fucked-up company!! When they want our money, they're sooooooo nice to us... and then, turns back & points a finger back at us to say it's our fault for not getting the payment advice in the first place!!!

ok... I've gotta go... need to get flytix back to sgp... hhmmmmpppphhhh.... ~stupid insurance company... idiots.....~

Busy Bee I Am

2005-07-31T11:45:00.000+08:00

Oitez, Jija... kita dah blog nieee... heh heh... sorilah, ngah bz lah... engkau tahu lah... adik aku nak kahwin bulan depan... abih tu, si Kris asyik betulkan ini-itu pat rumah!! Aku nak buat knitting aku pon terbantot!!! Oh well...

Yeah, as I was saying... (read as: meant to blog)

Been pretty bz at work... They've upgraded my job to allow me to answer more types of calls... Just came out of a shortened-to-2-day-instead-of-5-days course & have been trying to read up on the notes while at home, on the tube to & from work, as well as in-between calls!! Yeah, and reading in-between calls can be a huge task on its own as 3 staff had been on a full 5-day course to handle billing & payment calls... which I think I'll have to learn in less than a mth's time!! ~arggghhh~ I really hate that bit of the job as people actually curse & swear at you, even though it's their own fault they are not able to make payments!! ~sigh~ Oh well, it's part & parcel of my life now... having to talk to people who are of all walks of life... most days are good, especially with the old folks who are more patient to listen to what you have to say & understand that we're really helping them out.

Anyways, if you are wondering why I've not been emailing or blogging, that's the answer to your queries, peoplez...

Don't think for a moment I'm able to get a teeny bit of rest at home... While having to cook for a fiancee who can't even cook rice nor fry an egg, I also have to do the dishes & laundry, and the dusting & vacuuming... Why? Well, if I tell u that Kris had just made the 2 gates & side-fences to the house as well as weeding & fully gravelling the gardens, and fixing the side-steps for our Land Rover Discovery (cos I can't get into the 4wd with skirts on - so now, I'm only wearing pants to work), yada yada yada yada yada..... would you have understood how bz he had been to make our house look like a home & can be exempted to helping me with any of my chores? hmmmm... at least I don't have to be outdoors...

Well, I was in the garden helping him with the weeding, but there were too many beez... he was sympathetic with me jumping up & back from the darn things... and prolly glad to see me back indoors with a couple of hours of knitting for Tasha's birthday gift... and I'm still halfway...

And Kris is trying to finish his side-steps first before he jumps head-first into the task of weeding, bricking & paving the backyard into the designs I've given him... but once that is done, the house is rather complete... The backyard will have a bbq area with wooden seats on the raised part of our backyard (cos it's sloping) & a wooden table & other single seats/benches on the lower part of it... at one end of it, nearer the shed, we'll have steps so that people don't have to jump down to the lower bit... it's as high as jumping from a chair, that's how high the raised bit is.

In the meantime, we're looking for a good deal on a good front-loader washing machine. And with that, Kris would be completing our laundry area in putting the benchtop over the base cabinet which had been fitted in abt 3-4mths ago, and the machine... and finally, he'll get the walls water-proofed & tiled... And only, will our house be quite complete... I mean, if we've got the time & money, we'll rip out the current kitchen & do it up with proper pantry & larger benchtop space as well....

Anyhoos... more abt work... The company has allowed me to do 8am-2pm shifts instead of 11am-5pm... meaning that Kris can drive me to the train station in the morning, instead of me rushing 30mins from home & sweating by the time I reached the darn station everyday... and to think that when summer comes, I'll be a wet-slob when I walk thru the office doors!! YUCKZZZ!!! And becos I've started early, my team leader had asked me to do 8am-4pm... and I don't mind... it gave me a whole hour of shopping in the city before I take the train & have Kris waiting to take me home (instead of walking home) hehe... Then, recently, with the 3 staff on training, 14 people sick (the flu bug is strong!!), 11 on leave - and all these from just within the call-ctr part of the company!!! - they had asked me to stay up till 5pm, which I had accepted with open arms... I mean, I can only go shopping so much before I get bored shuffling from one shop to the next & seeing my flailing dollars float out of my wallet & hearing the tinkling of the coins onto the cash counter!! Plus, I can do with the extra $$$... I know Kris will be paying for the flytix home in Sep, but I shld pay for my share too... especially since he'll be paying for all the wedding & engagement bands too!!! Luckily we've got free lodging!!!

Soooo, that's it for the time being... I'm unsure as to when I can blog again... hopefully this has updated u a bit more of my hectic life... but it's all good & I'm loving it!!

And now, I've gotta get lunch organised... Kris is outside cutting the top of the trees in the gardens & around the house... so that it'll allow some sunlight into the house... and after that, we're going to do some driving... we owe it to ourselves to have some relaxation time... and waffles....

So, till the next update, tooodleeezzzz..... my prreeeettiiieeeezzzz....

Not Too Bad

2005-06-26T21:59:00.000+08:00

Ok... it's now been 5 weeks of training & OTJ as well... I'm finally out on the hub of the call centre... and I'm sitting between Jon (a nice guy who was one of my work-buddy) & Nick (someone in the training room with me)... and we're right next to the Team Leader/Supervisor & Senior/Asst Team Leader... just in case we have lotsa queries... especially since we're so new...

Anyhow, it was supposed to be 6weeks of training, but the company decided we're to go out onto the floor to see if we still wanna work there... cos they've heard that a few of us are seriously thinking of leaving... So, they're testing us & giving us 3 weeks out there... before they bring us back into the training room for another week for another intensive part of the course.... And from then on, we'll get our 24hour on-call one week per month duty...

I'm crossing my fingers that I'll never get the late hour page... Not that I'll be out gallavanting in the wee hours & don't see the point in going to work when faults arise.... but the thought of having to get up in the middle of a deep sleep to get into work while the storm is brewing.... and having to wake Kris as well to drive me into town... He'll spit the dummy!!! ~sigh~ Oh well... he knows it only too well if I've gotta do it, I've gotta do it!!!

So, yeah... it seems that I'll stick around at this job... the prospects in 24months seem bleak at the moment, but I've been given the message from Divine Intervention to be patient & stick it out.... Don't ask me what happened... but they were signs everywhere I turned & looked that told me to "stick around & reap profits"... So, there!! Anyhoos, the job's not too bad... but the pay sucks!! Only AUD14.00 / hr after taxes!!!

For Nor, I'm glad u liked the bikkies & chockies... hey, u want a scarf as well? We'll chat on the email at work ok? And u can tell me the kinda texture & colour u want.... It may take a while for me to knit it, but u'll get it sooner than you get the other chockies... Anyway, just to let u know that the other chockies, it was wrapped really nicely too... And there was a non-chockie gift attached to it... Anyway, it's ok... I'll get u the Whistler's Sampler u were raving about before... They've come up with new Chocolate Coated Pretzels that are now the talk of the town!!! hehehehe.... ~slurp~

For Rau, I'll have to link u another day, cos I don't have the time right now... I'll have to change the dimensions of the boxes, you see... And I've gotta go... Kris wants to use the phone to call his parents in Belgium....

ok... I'll see youz soonzzz.... tatataaaaaazzzzz....

Three Weeks On...

2005-06-12T11:21:00.000+08:00

And I'm ready to get out of there!! If I can find another job right now, I'll walk out of that call centre with a feeling that can only be UTMOST FREEDOM!!! I don't mind the busy-ness & be on fault-call alerts one week out of a month... but I just can't stand the tight schedule of when we can actually take our 10mins break & what we can or cannot say in the office just in case we offend someone with our comments... and the icing on the cake, has to be the stringent way we have to answer & close our calls!! THIS IS SHIT... HOW MAY I HELP YOU?!...... THANK YOU FOR CALLING, IDIOT... GOODBYE. And you can't stray away from that AT ALL!!!! Can't say "HI"... Can't say "THANKS", must be THANK YOU... Can't say "BYE" or "BYE BYE", must be GOODBYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And they have all these set of words we have to use... and how to react to every call/requests!!! AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.......

So, while I look for another job, I'm stuck with this job... just in case the next job takes another 1 year to source!! I dunno how long before I can't take it any further & say my long & final BYEEEEEE to the call centre!!! Then, I won't have to work with all those set call standards & old & crappy mainframe systems & I can store all those information I'm supposed to memorise during training, in the bin.... YEAH... I can't wait!!!

I'll see how it goes tomorrow... if I truly can't take it any further, I'll call the agency & tell them I've got another job somewhere. If you've got asked for your Ideal Job, well this has to be my IDEAL NIGHTMARE of a job!!

Well, at least my week went very nicely when Firdaus & his family came down to Perth for a week's holiday... Caught up with them at the apartments they stayed in & went to King Street Cafe - my fave... and after, we went for a late dinner at Makan² in Vic Park. I hope they enjoyed themselves... The next day, I went to their place again to pass a few things for them to help me bring back to Sgp. They were very kind indeed... and after putting the stuff into the appropriate bags, the 4 kids (plus Fir, of course) decided to see the sunset at King's Park... but it rained & they only managed to see the orange-gold strip in the far distance from the DNA Tower... I hope they went back to King's Park on Saturday after checkout. Cos they can see a lot more scenery of Perth during the day... and they can cross the glass bridge for a treetop walk... But, it seriously is nothing compared to the TreeTop Walk they would have gone through while in Denmark (yes, it's an area in South WA near Margaret River), but it'll be a nice view nonetheless....

Fir & Family... I hope u guys had a great holiday here in Perth... Even though it rained the whole time... It just happens to be a seriously rainy season at the beginning of winter... Anyway, stay in touch, ok?

Ok... I'm going offline now... Pretty much to do... Currently doing the laundry in wet & soggy Perth... Yes, fyi... it is still raining & hailing & thundering & splish-sploshing... And I still have to go to work tomorrow... Oh work!!! Don't let me start on that again!!!

Only Day Two

2005-05-25T18:13:00.000+08:00

I'm glad to be back in the workforce!! Yesterday, I have to admit, was a bit forlorn cos it WAS the first day... and learning the stuff they were jamming down your throat could be a mouthful!! We did a lot of safety procedures & basic policies as well... But it was the easiest day yet!!!

Anyway, today was another forlorn day... with more information rammed into your brains... and we were even sent out to sit with our team members & listen in on their calls... Alot of things to do while you're chatting with the callers, but I reckon us newbies will be able to handle it as did the other newbies who had already started their floorwork after 7weeks of training....

I need to go cook now... I really don't feel like cooking nor eating... but Kris can't cook & he definitely needs to eat!! So, no choice!! Plus, I've already got the beef searing in the pan... Gotta go chop up the veges... Making spaghetti bolognese... and not the instant one, mind you!!

Cleaned Out

2005-05-19T17:39:00.000+08:00

Ok... so, like I slept late last nite... around 3am!! And I still managed to get up to meet Chui at Cannington station... I was like rushing till my shins ached (becos of bad sandals), but I was like 2mins away from my train station & she called saying that she's just got up!! Like... what the?! So, I slowed my pace & nearly came to a halt (well, actually I did come to a halt at the station's parking lot cos cars were leaving & entering)... until we totally decided we'll meet up in the city... And I like tried to run in those bad sandals... I managed to cross the street like with grace & pass thru the first railroad crossing while the bells were going, but I was like stuck in the 2nd crossing & had to stand there with mouth gaping, seeing my train leaving me behind!!!

Well, it was a good thing too that I had to take the next train that comes like 15mins after... cos when I reached the city, and was buying my S2-40 multirider card (means standard 2-zones 40 rides bus & train farecard), Chui called to say she'll be leaving her house just then... and I like have to go shopping first... but it was like cool... cos I can get some cash out from the ATM & check out the wool at Crazy Clark's...

Chui helped me pick out some outfits... not too bad... if ONLY they had my size... mostly, they had like one size smaller & one size larger... HELLO!!! I need to wear clothes toooo!!!!

So, all in all, managed to get 2 pairs of pants & 3 tops... I still need 2 tops & 1 skirt... oooh, and 1 tummytuck panty from lifeglo... hehehhee...

Multirider - $90
Wool & misc. - $8.50
Slimmist - $59.95
2 pants - $49.95 x 2 = $99.90
Black top - $19.95 (20% sale)
Aqua top - $19.95
Brown blouse - $24.95
TOTAL = $323.20

Man, I'm TOTALLY like B-R-O-K-E!!! Anyone else wants to sponsor me? I really need a skirt... cos I dunno if I really have to wear skirts to work everyday!!! So, I've gotta wear that on the first day of my training... Hopefully it's not a must!! ~crosses fingers~ >.<

Ok... my joints, my muscles and everything else are like throbbing in agony... I HAVE to go relax... I've already cleaned out my wallet, now I need to have a major clean-up at home... I totally like cannot embark on a new project (or aspect of my life) with a messy house!! Fengshui-wise, it's so gonna be a messy start... and I so want everything new to start well... So, yeah... I'm gonna relax now & do some knitting... I bought some new yarns, remember? And tomorrow, I can like start on my spring cleaning... My room soooo need a makeover!!! hehehe... Well, not really... just need to put all the mess into appropriate files & stuff...

toodlez... -.-

Counting Down

2005-05-18T12:07:00.000+08:00

Why have I not been online recently? Well, been pretty busy with interviews... and shopping... hehehehe.... And I'll be busy with more shopping now that I've got a job!!! hehehe... yeah!!! I've got a job!!!! It's only a PT Temp job... but it's a job nonetheless.... It's a good way of putting a foot into the organisation's door... and working yourself up the proverbial ladder...

So, I've got like 5 work tops & another pair of pants to buy, right? Well, maybe get a few pair of skirts as well... I was actually hoping to get a lil bit slimmer first... so that I don't have to shop for a few more clothes... but then again, I don't wanna take the fun out of shopping... I NEED to shop!! So, I'll just have to lose more weight each time so that I can do more shopping.... yeah... sounds like a plan....

Anyway, I've got exactly 6 days more before my job commences... Or my training, rather... I get paid for going to their 3mth long training & courses too... So, it's not too bad...

Rubie msgd me earlier & asked me to teach her to knit a simple scarf for herself. And she wants to start learning how to knit simple cushion covers too!! Hmmmm... how did she know I was gonna start on cushion covers too?! hehehe... Anyway, she wants to get the needles & yarns first before she comes to my place... Hopefully I'll have the time & energy to help her once I started working...

Anyway, I'm too hungry right now... gonna have some lunch first... And then, some rowing... now that it's such a cool autumn week... drizzling & dark as it usually is.... And after that, I'll finish up my baby pink scarf knitting.... Tomorrow, I'm going out with Chui to Carousel... so, I'll be getting more knitting materials & most of my work outfits tmrw... See if Kris can help with some cash.... hehehe....

laterz... -.-

Rowing Rowing Rowing...

2005-05-11T12:57:00.000+08:00

The rowing machine is great!! I do reps up to about 100-150 a day... it ached my bones a bit, but I'm glad to get into my exercising again after a whole yr of stagnating on the couch!! And for that matter, I picked up knitting so that I could still be productive while being unproductive... u know what I mean?

Well, I'm still knitting... and I've got more orders now... I'm learning to do more patterns with knitting that otherwise I would only know with crocheting. But unlike crochet, I also learn I've gotta get more stuff to do all those cabling & getting a quilt effect, etc....

Kris finally brought me to Spotlight to pick my knitting patterns book up... And I picked out a couple of yarns... One is a soft baby pink Paton's cashmere with tiny baubles... I may have to go back to get another ball cos I only got 3... and i really wanna do a long scarf with this one... but, I'll make it first & see if I do need to make it longer, especially now that the vintage look is in & short scarfs are fastened with beautiful vintage brooches - I may just do that!! Means that I've gotta go shopping for a vintage purple or pink brooch... Hmmm... Maybe Sportgirl might have one... I'll just wait for them to go down in price a bit... Oooh, and talking about brooches, I may just get some dark blue/turquoise yarns cos my dad gave me a really nice Swarowszki brooch & I wanna be able to finally wear it!!

And the other is my normal scandal yarns... My cousin, Ain, wanted a peach-coloured scarf & really she's much too old for me to do a simple cotton yarn with stripes... So, I'm gonna make her the same scarf that I had made for myself earlier this year.

And yesterday, while out shopping with Chui in the city, I got 4 balls of extremely dark orange yarn with shiny strips to make Rahayu's scarf. I'm currently doing it & is already used up the 2nd ball... I'll be finished in no time!! It's coming out great & Kris actually likes it!! If I have to go into the city again one day, I'll definitely visit Bazaar cos the wools are interesting & they're clearing stock, so I can get the last few bits for half the price... And the next batch they bring in, I hope they bring in other interesting yarns too!!

And I wanna get a few brown ones for Tash's birthday as well... If I can get a nice brown vintage brooch, that'll be awesome!!! ok... set!! I know wat I've gotta do... Just need to write it all down!!!

Also, I've gotta go to Lincraft & get a few yarns to make some cushioncovers... Ooooh... have to get them cushions too... But it's getting to be winter soon, means that I've gotta fork out extra to pay them at full-price!!! Oh well... ~shrugz~

Anyhoos, I need to go do some housewifey things... I've been knitting the whole morning... it's time to do some real work!! And rowing... it's raining... it's gonna rain the whole week... So, I'm gonna have the curtains drawn so that I can see the splashes & sploshes of raindrops on the ground outside... hehehe... I've put the machine in the lounge, behind the sofa, but in complete eyeview of the TV & the curtains... for rainy days such as these...

toodlezzz..... >.<

TAG, You're IT!

2005-05-06T15:24:00.000+08:00

I just found out that Nick just tagged me!!! ~ARGHH!!~ Yeah, with only like 25 other people... I thought you're supposed to tag only 3, NICK!!!

Anyway, here goes....

If I could be an architect... I'll build a dome house underwater as a hideaway for myself... and another house nearby completely made of gold complete with huge Byzantine dome skyrooves in every room (except the kitchen); an indoor pool tiled intricately with midnite blue marble pieces and gold nuggets, with a fountain in the middle and steps all around; big carpeted bedrooms with large walk-in wardrobes and magnificent ensuites that has spas and every luxuries of a bathroom; a man-made waterfall at the entry hall with a stream flowing under glass tiles into various rooms & out into ponds located outside the windows of every bathroom of the house; personal pools outside the bedrooms with a private patio; a gym overlooking a beach & any sunrises & sunsets; gardens with various themes built to detailed perfection, such as cacti & succulent garden, Elizabethan rose garden, herb garden, tropical rainforest fantasy garden, etc.; a royal library laden with walls of books of Kris' and my interests & perhaps of my kids when I do have them, and it opens up to private study rooms; a music room that can open up into a massive dance hall with chandeliers of crystals and Victorian walls to die for; a sitting & waiting area with a bubbly fountain in the centre; a Spanish-style kitchen; and a large dining room fit for a king.

If I could be a librarian... I'll turn one of the rooms into a scream-room where members & staff can go to unwind and scream as loudly and as long as they want. It can be frustrating when u can't get the research material u need after reading only a thousand books or so!!! And all that silence... what's up with that?!

If I could be married to any current famous political figure... I'll make sure he changes at least a couple of pressing matters. Firstly, to allow the police in Australia to arrest the public who are verbally & physically abusive to them, because currently, they are supposed to just accept the abuse poured out on them! Secondly, to make hospitals adhere to a strict & high standard in practices, services & relations, ethics and urgency of treatment, while reducing the exorbitantly huge fees charged and long waiting time imposed!!!... or it's the bathtub or the couch for him every nite!!

There, I've done it... So, now I'm supposed to tag people? Hmmmmm.....

I tag:

REEN of Coming of Age
RIDJ of A Podah A Day
FIR of Puisi Poem (you can put it on your other blogsite if you want)

So, here's what you do...

You choose either 3 or 5 things from the list and finish the sentence...
then tag 3 other bloggers,
but there are no tag-backs.

Here is the list:

If I could be a scientist
If I could be a farmer
If I could be a musician
If I could be a doctor
If I could be a painter
If I could be a gardener
If I could be a missionary
If I could be a chef
If I could be an architect
If I could be a linguist
If I could be a psychologist
If I could be a librarian
If I could be an athlete
If I could be a lawyer
If I could be an inn-keeper
If I could be a professor
If I could be a writer
If I could be a llama-rider
If I could be a bonnie pirate
If I could be an astronaut
If I could be a world famous blogger
If I could be a justice on any one court in the world
If I could be married to any current famous political figure

I'm SAFE, for now..... ~phiew~ >.<

Achy Backy

2005-05-06T12:33:00.000+08:00

After receiving rejections via emails & letters, it feels nice to get to finally see a face who says, "If you don't get this job, we'll try to fix you up with another"!! That's what this recruitment agency has done for all their applicants, and I soon realised their applicants were not at all anxious if they didn't get this 9mth gig. OH...

We did all sorta recruitment assessment test thingy yesterday. Was supposed to have a 3hr session, but it ended after 4hrs! It was all well worth it though... My typing speed is 63words per minute with 100% accuracy... And as I'm typing this, it's not even close to 5% accurate cos my system is updating on its virus & running a scan of everything. I can't see what I'm typing... the whole thing becomes jerky when the scan is being run.

Anyway, yesterday they made us do all the typing on a mega-old gigantically hard keyboard... I finally managed to get a hang of it by the time the actual speed test was!! I wonder if I can type faster with the newer soft keyboard ~shrugs~ Well, they told me that most companies want people with a speed of 60words and above. So, that's a good thing... >.<

Now I'm pretty stoned & everything is aching!! I dunno if it's due to the fact that I had to walk 30mins to the train station, and then walk to the shops with Chui to buy a blouse for the interview... It's a nice black one with vertical silver lines... and it's one that has a thousand hooks by the front to avoid any embarrassing peep-hole effect of the usual button-down front. But I digress....

After that quick shop, Chui made me walk about 3 blocks down & brought me to a very Jap cafe that serves very nice food at an extremely reasonable price. Almost all of my friends here have been raving about this shop too!! And I got myself the best Katsu Don that I've ever tasted in Perth (trust me, no Jap food tastes like what their names suggest in Perth, WA!!), so this one was really nice... and it was only $4.50 a set!! WHAT?! @.@ UHHUH!!!

After gobbling down our food, we had to walk back, and along the way, Chui dragged me into Holiday Inn so that I could change into my business attire for the interview. Three blocks back & another block down to get to the building. FWAAHH... the building is gorgeous!! I've missed skyrises & taking lifts and I was enjoying every minute of it!! And once in the room, I managed to get a seat facing out of the window... It's so good to be able to look down onto something again!!! REALLY!!!

Anyway, after the whole session, I had to walk back to the train station... and was dreading to hear that Kris had to work late. ~sob sob~ I don't wanna walk in heels for 30mins all the way home... but he was there at my stop... I was glad I took the express train too!! All the way from the city to the station before mine, zooming by like 8 stops!! The guy next to me obviously didn't read the signboard & he had his earphones on & didn't hear the 5 announcements made at the 3 city stations.

And... as soon as I got home, Kirstie, my mgr, called... she was on the way from Carousel with my products... YAY!!! How exciting!!! Went through the stock with her while her son ran around the house with the toy car he found on our mantel. And soon after she & Calen left, we went to KMart to get the rowing machine & some dinner... I had grilled fish & chips & italian salad & iced chocolate with whipped cream & ice-cream and Kris had a HUGE chicken schnitzel, chips & salad with his cappucino. Just into the salad, Aunty Jan called saying she & Bak Nor were coming over to get the products she ordered. We rushed home & got that done... And Kris fixed the machine... and by then, I was beat!!!

I really didn't wanna get out of bed today... but I am... I've got a splitting headache & my right eye is watering non-stop!! But at least I've got my new blouse washed for upcoming interviews. Soooo.... I'm really tired now.... gonna nap a bit... -.-

Good Things Come In Threes

2005-05-04T14:36:00.000+08:00

A recruitment agency gave me a call earlier & did some on-the-phone interview with me as part of their assessment. The job was for a 9-mth PT stint at a call-centre in town. I don't really see myself answering a switchboard after acquiring a degree, no... and it's definitely a job that requires no degrees whatsoever... but times are hard & while waiting for that perfect job befitting my experience & degree, I shall do this job as if my life depends on it. And u never know, I may find a suitable job in the company too...

I've had a lull period, I may say... and rather boring too... The search for a job is tiresome & long... and everything seems to move pretty slowly... But eversince the phonecall, everything seems to move a tad faster...

I'll have to get ready soon, for tonite we are having dinner with Aunty Jan & family and to collect the money for the products. And hopefully before I leave, I can get all my papers ready for tmrw's 3hr assessment at the agency in the city at 1pm... Kirstie comes with the products in the morning, I hope... and if she can, I may get a ride into town. After all, she stays in Karrinyup... and it'll be ok for her to pass thru the city & give me a lift. After the assessment at around 4pm, I'm catching up with Chui... and will wait for Kris to come & pick us up for shopping... I'm getting a rowing machine, remember? Oh, and I need to get on to Spotlight cos my Patons Knitting book has arrived.

I'm hungry... I'm off to get something to eat... Wish me luck for my job... >.<

I Want More

2005-05-03T14:05:00.000+08:00

I've added a few things to my wishlist... hehe... I'm feeling a tad materialistic today... Maybe becos Kris is buying me the exercise machines... Or maybe it's just that time of the year where all sales have crept up due to some special events like Mother's Day...

Talking about Mother's Day, I've already got something in mind for my mom this year... but I'm not sure if she'll like the operatic voices of the Il Divo... They've got a fabulous song that they've just released... it's a cover, but sung with a different edge.

And talking about songs, I'm looking for nice sappy wedding songs to be used next year... I'll have some Malay songs as well as English ones... there's no point playing only songs that the rest of the congregation won't understand.

We're going to the shops on Thursday nite... to get the rowing machine... Maybe I'll have a look for my mom's bday card & mother's day gift as well... Unlike last year, her bday is 4days after mother's day... And I'm hoping the post doesn't make it any later than it already is!! I shld have already posted it by yesterday if I wanted it to reach her on her bday!!

Now, I wanna see if I can get some other stuff as well... hehehehe....

Lazy Sluggy

2005-05-02T15:47:00.000+08:00

Did something unthinkable yesterday... I cleaned the house!! YUPZ!! Me, Liza... cleaned the house on a weekend!!! Someone should buy lotto... especially now that it's $26million jackpot or something like that... I dunno... I don't gamble.... How would I know how much the prize money is this time round?! hmmmm... -.-

And today, it's the perfect day to just laze around & lay in bed!! It's cold & rainy... Luckily I pruned the rose bushes yesterday... they always need a huge drink after pruning!! Also, I haven't been watering them for the past couple of weeks... heh heh... >.<

I'm feeling really sluggish today & it seems my old phone is the same!! The battery's been dying off pretty fast & the slide has been acting up again... Well, it started getting really bad after that Jaysen played with the auto-popout slide non-stop while I was back in TP!! That's right, I've had that phone for more than 5yrs!! Well, I've been using it for that long cos Nokia has yet to make one with similar roller-functions and a cover-slide!! Now, it has!! Have a look at this:

It has everything that I wanted:
1. Sleek
2. Stainless steel
3. Cleverly hidden camera
4. Slide - protecting the keypad, without the cumbersome technique of a flipphone.

I hope it'll be available once I'm in Sgp for my sister's wedding. And that the price has come down slightly. ~crosses fingers, toes & eyes~ I'll have to check it out first tho... cos it seems that the screen is the one sliding upward. I don't want my fingerprints all over my screen!!

If it's not up to par, I'll have the one I initially wanted:

It's not too bad, isn't it?

Ooohhh... I just have to let u guys know... Kris is buying me a rowing machine!! hehehe... YAY!!!! ~luv ya, bubby!!~ And we'll be looking for a treadmill too, not a flash one, just something that I can run on at home while watching the tube!! yaaaayyyyy..... I'm gonna start exercising again!!! No more slugz...

Partttyyyyyy

2005-04-30T20:19:00.000+08:00

Last nite Ezzy had the best birthday party ever!! Kris & I were there 2hrs later cos we were at Aunty Jan's before to collect the orders for the Nutrimetics skincare products. Anyway, heard from Ezzy that the party only ended about 4.30am!!! Jeeezzz.... was really hoping I could be there... but Kris was really tired & he had to work today, so we left after Ezzy cut her 2 birthday cakes!! I had the Profiteroles Mudcake Surprise & Kris had the Tiramisu cheesecake. Oh, and I had a bowl of almond jelly & lychee dessert too!! hehehe...

Ling made Squashed Frogs & the birthday girl got drunk after 7 of them!! Well, she did down a couple of what looked like B52s that Van made. Rowanne, Van's sister, was learning to squash frogs of her own & serving them to their brothers, Mike & Misho. Man, there were so many red-faces there last nite!!!

Anyway, before the party, we had to go to Aunty Jan's to collect their orders for the May brochures... With the 40% discount on top of all the other discounts already given, they were rushing for heaps of stuff!!! And when I compiled the entire list, Kirstie, my manager, was delighted that the entire sales were like $800+++ and that's after all those discounts!! Imagine what it'll have cost on RRP!!

I'll be getting their money on Wednesday & will have to remind myself to get some $$ for my orders. Kirstie's giving me some products for free, I reckon cos the total price is way below what I had calculated. Either that, or she'd forgotten to add some products. We'll have to see this Thursday. I hope she can stay for awhile till I check the stocks...

Good Weekends II

2005-04-27T11:21:00.000+08:00

Long Weekend Project One: Laundry
We had a long weekend for the 90th ANZAC Day & we managed to get a lot done!! Kris didn't have to work on Sat again & we found some linen cabinets at Bunnings & got that done! So, linen has an overhead cabinet with Gloss White doors & we decided not to put any handles on there. The base cabinet has a lot to be done though. It's still just a base cos the hardware store didn't have another Gloss White door in the size we want, the Black Granite Marble benchtop was out of stock as well!! So, we had that ordered last nite cos the Order Counter was closed over the long weekend (& all weekends, for that matter!!) & was told that the manufacturer somehow had problems with supplying that particular benchtop!! Well, they used it on every catalogue they printed... of course it's going to be popular!! DUH!!!

Anyway, we had stuff in those cabinets & I've already started using it cos I had to do the washings on Monday... It was fun being able to open an overhead cabinet. You don't know how the simplest things could pleasure u the most!!

And becos the base cabinet has got no doors & benchtop, we have a gaping hole in that corner of the laundry room... which was not unlike the way it used to be before!! But, we could see possibilities... Yeah, and that's what sparked me wanting a frontloader washing machine really bad!!! Cos my design was to get the 1200mm long benchtop to cover all the way to the wash basin. And with our current free 10yo toploader, we can't fit it under the benchtop!! We HAVE to get that frontloader....

Oooohhh... plus frontloaders use about 2/3 lesser water than all other washing machines... We'll be saving water & $$$ in the long run!! We should help our environment, I say... and if in the process we save our pocket, why not?! Well, it's already on my wishlist... amongst others. ~gleefully clapping in excitement~

Long Weekend Project Two: Pickets
Putting up 3 posts to make a fence & a gate on the side of the shed & our house took only the entire Monday!! Why took such a long time, u may ask? Well, cos there's 3 different surfaces to attach the posts to. The first to be fixed was to the wall of our brick house & that was up in no time at all. It already had a paved base & the bricks, being fixed & sturdy would be the support for the swinging gate.

The second post would be fixed to the shed's metal walls. Drill bits had to be changed whenever we drilled the metal, the piece of hard metal strip frame supporting the shed from inside & for the jarrah wood! And becos there is no paved base of the size we need, we'll have to cement the base. But we can't do that till all the posts are in. So, we had a piece hanging up against that post.

The third post had to be longer cos it has to be buried at least 600mm deep into the ground. Getting the sand out of the ground & hammering it into the thick clay in the deeper end took forever. It was also more difficult becos we have to make sure that it doesn't run too much away from the correctly measured position or we'll have empty picket slots!!! Anyway, it was already dinner time when Kris finally finished that entire bag of cement to hold the last post in! Within 1hr, the cement set & we were able to remove all the other restrains.

If u come over to my place right now, it's a complete mess!! We have a car used for spares (we shld really throw it out!!) in the side verge, 3 wooden posts sticking out from the ground, a disastrous backyard & a half-made laundry room!! Well, all in good time...

Weekends Are Good

2005-04-17T22:04:00.000+08:00

Some people used to look forward to the weekends cos they get to go clubbing, pubbing, chill out with mates at a coffee place or laze around the house doing nothing. I never did look forward to the weekends for clubbing or pubbing... I mean, I clubbed & pubbed during the weekdays... and still had enough energy for work early the next day!!! And I always hung out with mates at any time of the week or whenever I feel like it. And lazing around the house was NEVER an option!! When I was at home in the weekends, there's either rellies coming over with their kids or mom's rented a couple of my young cousins for the hols again!!

Now, weekends are measured very differently. It's good if Kris doesn't have to work on those 2 days. Means he can sleep in & wake up later. Means we can go for an early grocery shopping. Means he can get his car fixed & running, or his mate's car fixed & get it off our property!! Means that more of our home projects can be accomplished... as u can see, we've got a long to do list of home projects.

We've got the jarrah pickets & posts for the 2 side gates... and they're just laying there in the backyard waiting...

And today, we've finally sent off Kak Tina's Honda Accord back to her all glistening, after Kris had to wait 3 weeks for her hubby to send the parts Kris required from Sgp. You see, Kak Tina brought her car to Perth over from Sgp & the parts are not found in Oz... Luckily, her hubby was here for a few days & got a free ride to Perth the following week with the correct parts. What?! FREE RIDES? Well, he's an engineer foreman with Sgp Airlines.

We got back in the late arvo, with heaps of projects in our minds. I finally finished my selection criteria & emailed it together with my CV to the company offering a position in their student services office. Insya Allah I can get this one. And then, I'll try to move up the ladder to a position befitting my experience & degree. The answer is to get your one foot in the door first!! Everything else comes with major hard work.

Kris managed to get something done on his car... and then, he went to the hardware store to get some globes for those lamps that needed replacing. And he came back all inspired about kitchen & laundry furnishings. Apparently, Bunnings have recently got the flatpak furniture in at half the price of IKEA, with more designs & colours & better measurements. So, while I was cooking our late dinner (again!!), he was picking out which doors to go with which frames and which bench tops fit nicely with which handles and he was measuring & calculating aloud how he could make everything fit into the laundry area. Luckily, we both agreed that he shall complete the pickets first and get another month's salary before we jumped into the laundry project. But at least, we can see everything falling into place...

Oh, we also managed to get Kak Tina to do our wedding catering... Alhamdulillah... and I'll have to ask her younger sis, Kak Tini, who is flying home from Sgp even as we speak, to do the coldcuts and other dishes. Now, have to figure out my menu for the brunch & to see if anyone can rent cutlery & crockery... then again, maybe they have everything!! Will ask the next time I meet up with them...

Right now, I'm pretty drowsy... after all that thinking & concentrating for my selection criteria. I need to get a job!!!! My brains need some challenges in life... as do I!!!

On the whole... this weekend's been good... lots of things done... and oh, for the first time in the history of my life in Perth, we managed to get EVERYTHING on our grocery list!!! Amazing, for a country that seems to always run out of something all the time!!!

ok... good nite one & all... I shall yaz when I wake up...

Bad Business

2005-04-12T16:26:00.000+08:00

Today, Kris went to work at 8am cos his boss finally granted him an hour off in the morning, after working late last nite. And the weekend where he had to work till midnite on Saturday & come back again on Sunday morning, the boss personally came in to serve them lunches & dinners... and even gave him a Monday off, which was wise, cos if he hadn't we won't have groceries for the entire week!! The retail industry down here is like in Sgp back when I was 5. I seriously can't remember when the last time was when the shops close on Sundays in Sgp!!

Anyway, Perth recently had a poll for Sunday trading as well as late nite shopping every weeknite, like in all other major cities. A lot of people were in for it, but we still lost the polls!! And we realised why it was!!! Sources have it that more than 50% of the population are people working in watever little retail industry we have & they ruled out Sunday trading! These stupid people!!! They dunno how much more money they can make just by opening one day more or a couple of hours longer!!! And they are cursing & swearing at Asian shop owners who opted for a Sunday trading licence & are happily serving the neighbourhood on Sundays & PHs, the days when other shops are closed & days when people actually do have unexpected rellies dropping by for food!!

All I can say is, if u're lazy & can't be bothered to open late or open on Sundays & PHs, then don't go swearing & cursing at Asians who are actually bothered to work harder & serve the community!!! Without them, where are the people going to get that last minute can of baby food, or basic medications like paracetamol for that pounding migraine?!

Colourful Life

2005-04-07T21:11:00.000+08:00

I'm tired... I'm exhausted... I'm fatigued... And I haven't even started doing anything yet!

My bones, my joints, the tiny of my back, my arms are all aching. I feel nauseous, my tummy doesn't feel right & I'm having headaches. And if any of you thinks I'm preggy, I'll smack yous! No... I'm not preggerz..... ~rolls eyes~

Maybe it's something I ate... after all, I was ("was" being the operative word here) trying to go on a diet, but to much difficulty... There's really too much temptations since there's heaps of chockies around the house, left over from Easter. Of course, Kris has already put his name on all of them, since he's the eat-all-I-want-and-can-never-get-fat one and because he's Belgian and thus loves all chockies, especially the Belgian kinds!!

HAPPY BIRDY DAY, REEN!!!
Yay!! It's Shahreen's birthday today!! Had a chat & a whinge with him earlier... was fun discussing the wedding preparations with someone who could understand my ideas. I'm going back to Sgp with Kris to attend my baby sister's wedding this September & would also be busy myself with shopping for my engagement & my big day and have invited Shahreen along so he could widen his network in the wedding industry. It's so exciting to go shopping with him once again!!

Oooohhh... reminiscing about the times we would shop for his shirts, sunnies, bags, shoes... and also my stuff. It's great to shop with someone who loves shopping as much or maybe even more than I do!! hehehe... Shopping with Reen is very much refreshing & normal, and sits on the other end of the scale as compared to shopping with macho gays and/or soft twinks. As a stylish heterosexual man, Reen offers the macho man's rationale to my tastes (which are thankfully considerably updated & satisfactorily sophisticated ~ahem~). And me being a closet girlie-girl who grew up a tomboy, I offer him my insights into what a woman thinks of his style (which is extremely spunky & fairly decent ~thank goodness~). You can't blame me, I learnt from the best in the industry while working for an upscale personal-shopper company. Then again, if you don't have what it takes, you'll never have the style no matter how much training & experience you get!! Right, Reen?! ~wink~

Btw, Reen, the colour scheme is similar to this LILAC. Nice? I think u won't be able to see it clearly on the site though... It's slightly lighter than this... very soft lilac... oh well, just to give u an idea...

Anyhoos... I was doing some site designs for a couple of friends the past few days & was looking for some inspirations in some really old mags, I was full of inspirations & I got sidetracked... I did a couple of designs for myself instead... and I wanted to change the background... then, ridj said this design is very nice.... So, I'll hang on to this a bit longer... hehehehe... ~pantat gatal lah~ maybe I'll change the designs when I reach a new phase of my life... like getting a job, getting engaged, getting married, getting a baby... ~wink~

It's A Start!

2005-03-31T15:30:00.000+08:00

This morning, Kris nicely asked me to try the diet concoction that my mom sent from Sgp. Since there's no harm trying it, I started it finally in the later part of the morning. Apparently, a lot of my rellies have used it & since favourable effects in a matter of two days! My mom herself have been using the products for half a year & loving it!! My aunt said my mom looks more vibrant now, even though she's dieting. Unlike other diet attempts making her look really tired. So, why not?!

Autumn's been here nearly a full month & yet, today's the first day it actually feels like autumn!! The sky's dark & the clouds are full. It's been pouring hard intermittently for a couple of days & it's been freezing!! Very soon, winter'll come.

I'm rushing back to the lounge to catch Miss Match starring Alicia Silverstone. That series was on primetime for a couple of weeks when it disappeared off-air! But now it's on in the arvo. So, I can only deduce that the ratings were not that great & so, the tv station decided to still let the target audience - housewives & young girls - who loves it have a ball!! Lucky me!!

Anyway, I hope I get that job quick!! A year of slacking is enough!! It's time for this workaholic to show Australia what she's got to offer!!! Come on, give me that job!!

Insects Be Gone

2005-03-30T12:18:00.000+08:00

Step 1: Clear literature
The pest-controller just left. Two Saturdays before, the sales guy came & spoke to Kris & got us an appointment for a free inspection & spray. Kris was fed-up with the other company that he'd been using for about 3 yrs & was willing to try another company. And seeing this company provided good literature & brought us through the entire process, he was already quite impressed. To be 100% sure of this company would involve me in the 2nd step of the 3-step trust process.

Step 2: Job Well Done
So, today I greeted Gordon at ten minutes prior to his appointment. He came 30 minutes early, but I was in the shower. He patiently waited at our driveway, thinking that I may have brought the kids out to school or done some groceries. Alas, when I came out & greeted him, we had a good chat... and he told me of the whole process. And then, he started... He even told me not to be alarmed for the next couple of days cos I'll be seeing insects either dead or squirming out of the ground!! And they're squirming out to die. The chemicals wiped out ants, spiders & crickets right away!!

Step 3: Goodbye Insects
The final step - and the insects should be packing up. At least for the next couple of months, it'll be a nice place to live in with no roaches from the neighbours' plots! Gordon reaffirmed that the roaches that visited us from time to time comes from the other side of the fence cos all the 5 neighbours sharing the fences with us have dogs & roaches live wherever there are dogs... cos they've got crumbs & food served in the open & bones buried everywhere!! To think that your pet dog has to share with the roaches... YUCK!!

It's A Dog's Life

2005-03-21T23:19:00.000+08:00

Well, the dogs next door barked the entire night & apparently the din finally got to Kris at dawn & he got up with a vengeance!! I think he's going to send in the official complaint to the councils. ~sigh~ We didn't want to do it, and we told the neighbours in our letter exactly that. But it's gotten worse cos they've reverted to their old ways.

They never allowed their dogs inside the house, neither did they ever take them out for daily walks anymore!! It's been more than a year that the dogs have been left in their weed-infested backyard. Oh, didn't I mention their backyard looks the same like their verge?! Well yeah... that & the fact that they leave their dogs there in the hot summer as well as the frosty winters!! The council gave us an official complaint form the last time a complaint was made against them & they were warned cos Kris felt sorry for them having to pay $2K each for their dogs. Maybe this time, we should even send a copy of it to the RSPCA & show our neighbours we mean business this time round.

We've tried being patient with them, reasoning with them, telling them nicely and finally even writing a letter (it's the first requirement to a formal complaint to be filed) & letting them know we'll drop the complaint if they're nice enough to solve the problem within 2 weeks. It's been 3months!! And it's getting out of hand. We have no choice!!

How bad is it for the dogs to continuously bark & howl the entire day? Don't their laryngs suffer? I mean, I get a sore throat just listening to them bark for 2 hours non-stop, let alone the entire day!!

The dogs must be really feeling trapped in that disgusting closed-off weedy backyard!! The more I think about it, the more I truly want RSPCA to come save them from this wretched Chinese couple!! Young & pretty, nice dress, nice makeup, cool car, HORRIBLE guts!!!

Maybe they should be sent to prison for animal neglect. Well they do it with people neglecting kids, why not animals?! Just like children, these animals can't fend for themselves cos they are locked in the backyard & they have no way of getting inside the house cos no one's home. And sometimes you can hear them dragging chains while they run along the fence in shivering winter!! $2K per dog seems too light a punishment for them!!

Help Wanted!

2005-03-20T22:22:00.000+08:00

Went to Acacia Hotel in Perth to meet Lut & Rubie in the morning. They wanted Kris to check if their car, which had been left in the staff parking lot for 2 weeks ago, can still run after a bit of a tune-up. Well, the car flattened the spare battery, so Kris had to use the Mitsubishi's while it's running!! No use..... the car's good for scrap.

While the boys were having fun in the sun, I spoke to Rubie about the weddings next year & she gave me some really cool ideas for an inexpensive reception. I would still have to locate a halal wedding caterer who does both great asian & inter-continental brunches and one who has all the proper buffet equipment, crockery & cutlery as well as the services usually expected of them. I've found one fantastic caterer in Perth, however they are not halal!! ~sigh~ How difficult is it to get a good caterer?!

Got back home & did some cleaning up. Cos just a couple of hours earlier, Kak Tina sent her Honda Civic for Kris to take a look at. Her mom, sister (Tini) & niece (Fareha) came in another 4WD. They couldn't stay for coffee & cakes, but had a couple of minutes to have a look-through our humble abode. They couldn't believe the house is ours & not rented and they were more amazed that Kris did almost all the renovations & additions to the house, especially the yards, the paving, and still find time to help people with their problematic cars.

We still have a long PROJECTS: TO DO list before we sell our home in search for a quieter, more nature-friendly, larger plot of land further from the city. However we realised it's like a continuous circle of poverty!! We have to wait to better the house before we can sell it at a better price, but we need money for that... on the other urgent hand, we need to sell the house quickly cos the price of houses are sky-rocketing... meaning that we'll probably NEVER be able to move out of this house to get that ideal place. I love this place, but Kris hates the neighbours!

I hate our immediate Chinese neighbours' lack of interests with their weed-infested verge. They seem to not care about the fact that the 1m-2m tall weeds can catch fire & pose a threat to their house & the neighbourhood. And they don't seem to care that the verge is strewn with broken bottles & cans & other junk that kids can hurl into their house or could even innocently fell & cut themselves while walking there. It IS afterall a public verge! It may be a public verge, but you bought the house, you take care of that verge that comes with it. And to think that snakes may live amongst those weeds & slide into their house one night. It's not uncommon especially when the next street opens out to wilderness!!

Also, we've sent them letters to tell them to discipline their dogs, but they simply refuse to listen. The whole day today, their 2 dogs were barking, howling & yapping non-stop!! I'm not imagining it & neither was Kris. We know they didn't stop at all cos Kris was working on his 4WD in the shed & I was tending the garden & airing the entire house, with all the doors wide open! This couple have no respect for other people whatsoever, no wonder they don't care for their own safety either (with the probability of snakes in the verge, or people throwing junk from their verge into their home)!! Either they are plain dumb, unhygienic or straightforwardly cannot be bothered. Whichever it is, it boils down to having NO RESPECT. Anyway, the dogs are still at it. And look at the time!!

Friends & Life

2005-03-18T18:39:00.000+08:00

Was typing a letter for my friend, Dahlia, in Sgp... and she called on my mobile. She's gone to see Mom to pick up the stuff that I've got her eons ago!! And Mom's been filling her in with all our wedding plans & how she's stressing over some stuff... blah blah blah... Well, it's good too, tho' cos Dahlia's already told Masita & asked if she would like to attend the wedding in Perth. And I think she'll be helping me compile a list of our friends so that I can send them the invite for the reception in Sgp.

Anyways, the phone conversation was really good & we've missed talking to each other. I really have to go visit her shop at Heeren when I come back for my sister's wedding in September. She manages a shop in the basement, opposite the entrance of Marche. Here's the website for Istanblue. Go visit the shop when u're at Heeren & say hi. You may even catch her with her gorgeous youngest son.

Spoke to Morhazlin & she sent me a pix of her when she was 7mths preggie. Now, she's got less than 1mth left & she's pretty excited!! I can't wait to have my own kids too, but my wedding is next year. So, will be very patient indeed.

I still haven't finished Dahlia's letter. I reckon I'll finish it tonite after dinner while I'm offline cos I'm expecting Aunty Jan to call about tomorrow's dinner. And then I'll try to complete my CV & Selection Criteria for the TAFE position, and send it in via email.

Anyways, Kris has just reached home... I'd better go start cooking dinner... Look at the time!!! ~argh~

Lotsa New Mates

2005-03-17T12:33:00.000+08:00

The water mains have been interrupted... I didn't really remember earlier today, luckily I brushed my teeth before they were shut for servicing & maintenance. And I had washed all the dishes last nite, even though I was exhausted from being out with Cik Halimah & her family and later on having barbie at Kak Tini's house till nearly midnite.

Kris likes the new friends he's made there cos I reckon the people were all about our age, and they all spoke good English. The bunch were very interesting as well & Kris was seen chatting & laughing with them... And they were really cool, even though they all just got to know us.

And I think they warmed up even more with Kris when he offered to help Kak Tina with her imported Honda Civic (from Sgp) and Lut Ali with his car that's been stuck at his office at the hotel that we may be doing our wedding reception at next year. So, I think this Sunday, we'll be going to see Lut Ali in Northbridge... And then, early next week, we may get Kak Tina's car over for a thorough check. But we may see Kak Tina & Tini both at the deli Saturday arvo cos we wana get meat before we go grocery-shopping.

Plain Fun

2005-03-15T22:49:00.000+08:00

Just got back from a long day of running around for legal paperwork & stuff... Late arvo Kris & I went into Gidgegannup into Ibrahim Orchard to pass some stuff to Cik Halimah & family & also to collect the cloth mom sent thru her. Kris likes it there... cos it's very quiet, the people are warm & nice, and the fact that there's so many fruits he can eat. Of course, they gave us a whole bunch of them to bring home. Business, they said, wasn't so good this season cos it didn't rain much.

So, I'm just checking out the train schedule into Perth tomorrow, cos I'll be taking the Sgp family there for shopping & also bringing them to Kak Tini's Bentley Halal Meat Shop.

Been reading Nor's blog & found some rather interesting quizzes... I took two.

With this cake quiz... I dunno which one to take... cos I love all of them... but it boils down to my fave, i reckon... Anyway, they don't have the one I truly like... Vanilla sponge cake with almond slithers or ground peanut sides & mixed-fruit topping. What does that say about me? But they don't have that option. So, here goes...

The Cakes Quiz

You are adventurous, love new ideas, are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons.
When tempers flare up, you're quick to defend.
A strong personality.
You have a unique sense of humour and direction.
You tend to be very loyal.
...

Take this quiz:
"What does your birth month reveal about you?"

December

Loyal and generous
Sexy
Patriotic
Active in games and interactions
Impatient and hasty
Ambitious
Influential in organisations
Fun to be with
Loves to socialise
Loves praises
Loves attention
Loves to be loved
Honest and trustworthy
Not pretending
Short tempered
Changing personality
Not egoistic
Take high pride in oneself
Hates restrictions
Loves to joke
Good sense of humour
Logical
...

Going to bed now... ~yawnz~

Unexpected Stupidity

2005-03-14T15:26:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, we went for a picnic at the nearby Gosnells City Council's Pioneer Park. Made sandwiches, chips & brought fruits & soda. It was gorgeous as the big ponds were filled to the brim unlike the last time, when they drained all the water away... The fountains were on & there were plenty of lotus blooms & ducks & geese were just lounging around in the shade of the trees next to the ponds, waiting to be fed...

We had a nice lunch, I took a couple of pictures (to finish my leftover film) and we were reading the Sunday papers when the sprinklers automatically turned on! It's so weird cos they usually have the sprinklers on at night!! There were so many picnickers who were shocked & had to hurriedly pack up. HOW STUPID is it to put sprinklers on at 2pm, when people take their kids to the park for a bit of R&R?!

Before the sprinklers on our side started raining on us, we packed & left... and at that very same time, the sun disappeared & the sky poured!! And the sprinklers were still on full blast!! I tell you, the councils are the biggest water-wasters of Australia & they've been trying to get us, the consumers, to reduce water-wastage... OH, PLEASE!!

Anyway, we went a-driving into Kalamunda, Gooseberry Hill & Pickering Brook. Saw a few houses on sale that were worthy of our purchase, but I think we may not be able to afford any of them. We also stumbled upon a really nice scenic but narrow & sharp drive down the hillsides, with steep slopes barely 20cm on either side. That means, if u open your door, u'll be looking 10m deep down the ravine!!

We also went to a rose farm where they serve rose teas in their quaint cafe... but their roses are really expensive!! I'd rather stick to Waldecks!!

On our way back, we went to the Fish & Bird Place to get my 2 snails. I've recently finally cleaned out my manky fishtank, to the relief of my 2 beloved goldfishies... Also moved the driftwood around so that they could swim under & above it. I didn't realise they've grown like 3x their size in just one yr!! So, they're really happy... swimming all day & all nite... literally... What did they do before this, u ask? Well, they didn't go to cafes & have latte breaks, that's for sure! They used to just lay close together on the ground with each other at a corner of the tank. And they looked really sad... So, seeing that they're swimming & checking out all the plants & eating & all that, one would definitely be able to see joy in their eyes, per se!!

Oh yeah, bought the 2 golden snails... Calling the bigger one Vacuum & the smaller one Cleaner... cos they're both vacuum cleaners of the aquatic world. One night in there, and they've already transformed the place!! Most of the algae bits stuck to the plants & pebbles are now almost gone!! yay!!

This morning, a friend of my aunt's touched down in Perth from Sgp. And they've gone to stay at an orchard in Toodyay. That's like 2hrs drive from my place! I'm supposed to get some stuff from them & pass them some stuff meant for my aunt & my family in Sgp. So, we may have to do that tomorrow after my busy schedule of running around to do legal paperwork.

With my new PR status, I've got heaps of paperwork to get thru. That's why I've gotta start on that filing... but they've been out on the floor of the lounge & still has not been touched... Because Kris will be taking a day off work tomorrow to do all the necessary paperwork with me, I'd better get a move on later!! So, I'm off now... u guys take care...

Visionarily Philosophising

2005-03-11T14:31:00.000+08:00

Kris is resting. He's sick. Called work & told them he can't come in. And they're hoping he could get better so he could come in tomorrow.

I'm online again checking out emails & looking for a job. A similar job that I so wanted from the same company I applied for in January has come up. It's not a Communications Officer, but Corporate Communications Coordinator. And I have to write speeches. Well, there's always a start for everything. I'm gonna send my CV in to them soon.

While surfing, I took a Classic IQ test and my IQ score is 135. Here's their short analysis:

"Your Intellectual Type is Visionary Philosopher. This means you are highly intelligent and have a powerful mix of skills and insight that can be applied in a variety of different ways. Like Plato, your exceptional math and verbal skills make you very adept at explaining things to others - and at anticipating and predicting patterns."

I can't remember the score of my very first IQ test back when I was 10yo. I took another one just after PSLE. I remember asking my teachers why only a handful of us are taking the test while all my other classmates could enjoy their holiday. However, a couple of my band members were there sitting it with me. Apparently they're smarter than I am, cos they ended up in Raffles Institution & some good girl's school. I chose a neighbourhood school & I got in. Just a 15-min walk from home. Seemed like a smarter choice to me then... And I thank my lucky stars that I got into that school. Cos it made me who I am today... and all those friends I have now!!

Anyway, I'm gonna start doing the filing... finally!! Especially that now I've got my PR. I'll need to pack up all my paperwork & store them neatly till I know for sure I can throw some away.

Oh, last nite was the 40th day of Uncle Sabri's death, for those who know him. May Allah bless his soul & forgive his sins. May he rest in peace. Amin.

Desperately Desperate

2005-03-10T12:47:00.000+08:00

Which Desperate Housewife Are You?

Apparently, I'm the Susan of Desperate Housewives

"You always mean well, but somehow things don't always work out as you'd planned. It doesn't matter. You take your tumbles with good grace and always come up smiling. But try to remember you're the grown-up in your family."

On another note of desperation, I made a phonecall to my immigration case officer in adelaide to enquire about my process. Even though we're not supposed to ask about it, I just had to. I mean, a couple of times she had taken her own sweet time or even completely forgotten about my application, which had resulted in my having to get the papers again as the dates had been too stretched past the deadline! These papers cost me heaps!! And with waiting for the delivery of each paper, the deadlines of other papers were stretched too!! I don't want to keep going through that and in the end not have my residency!! So, I just had to call her...

I got my Permanent Residency!!!
YAY!!!!!! I just received the letter today and I can go to any DIMIA to get my unlimited travelling visa - that means, I'll be back in Sgp for my sister's wedding!!! YAY!!!!!

All I need now is a job!!
That'll top the cake!! Cos no job... means no money... means no flytix... means no travelling back to Sgp... ~sob sob~ I need a job.... plsssssss someone.... anyone..... Would do anything for a couple of return flytix to Sgp.

How Colourful!

2005-03-08T15:13:00.000+08:00

It's been quite some time since I can vividly remember my dreams... and on Sunday, it happened twice!! What luck!

Premonition goes wrong
I dunno if one can categorise this dream as a sub-conscious premonition or ... oh, i dunno wat the name is... but u know, the one where u are going to the toilet in your dream, only to realise you urgently need to rush to the loo in real-life... u know the one...

Yeah, so in my dream, right? I saw this lady (she kinda looks like me), walking into the bedroom & she came to me & tapped my back... and instinctively, I turned to look who it was. And I suddenly just screamed out the loudest "OWW!! MY NECK!" that it woke Kris up... So, he tried to wake me... and I jolted out of my sleep... only to realise that I had the worst neck-strain EVER!!!

Well, the lady in the dream is kinda creepy.... but it wasn't a scary dream at all... nah.

Anyway, I spent an entire hour in the wee hours of pre-dawn trying to get my head off the pillow... thru extremely excruciating pain, gulped a couple of Nurofen tablets, massaged the left side of my throbbing neck with Voltaren Emulgel. Fell asleep again soon after & had a 2nd dream!!

Cute Pink Thing
I was feeling somewhat happy to be able to go shopping on my own & having no deadlines or projects to worry, so I went scampering & bouncing down a street one late arvo and was captivated by a bubble-gummy pink Vespa with ivory seats... It's got small pink & white flowers placed rather in a lackadaisical & whimsical way around the wheel protectors (is that what it's called?) and the effect is pretty simple & cute.

It was parked outside this very commercially Japanese merchandise shop. Through the glass windows, you could see pink teddy-bears, stationery, t-shirts, etc... It looked very cute... and, I went in. Lotsa people came in... girls with their mothers, schoolgirls in their uniforms, girls with their boyfriends... u get the drift... "This must be a really new shop," I thought, cos so many people entering looked happily curious...

The shop had simple designs but really nice t-shirts, hats, bags & knapsacks, socks & plenty more.... all in pink... even pink sneakers... And the lightings were pink too... I was pretty much attracted to the brooches displayed on this high glass rack. Almost all of them were just cute & ornate cartoon heads of girls. It must have been the logo of the shop or the brand... cos it's on everything they sell... Well, while browsing, I was distracted by a couple of girls who looked like they were on the floor on the other side of the rack. I couldn't really see them, but one was groaning & moaning as if they were hard at it... u know wat I mean? I stood on my tippitoe, but I only saw the head of one of them & she was bobbing up & down..... and it wasn't her who was making those sounds.... I saw a few people coming to see wat's happening & from the reactions on their faces, they were surprised, but not shocked... hmmmm.... as I was wondering about this entire scenario, my eyes was fixated at the back of the neon words at the shopfront... LEZZO.... Could it have meant something?!

Anyway, I woke up laughing... and I told Kris about it... and he said I get the weirdest dreams!!! And I agree with him... It's so weird.... Don't you think? I mean, why would I be dreaming in PINK?!

I wear my glasses to bed... so that I may dream in technicolour

Chasing Off Bad Luck

2005-03-04T11:35:00.000+08:00

Late last nite, I received a call from one of my uncles & he told me to go mandi bunga to buang suei... Get a lot of flowers, he said... about $3-$5... I nearly sniggered when I heard that... cos it's ok to get a whole bunch of blooms or just the petals for that price in Sgp. But in Perth, it'll be a miracle if u can find a shop that sells for anything under $12 for a quickly-put-together-by-someone-colourblind-who-also-has-no-clue-about-beauty-at-all bouquet of really ugly mix of flowers!! I mean, why & who invented these ugly bouquets in the first place?

Anyway, I won't be able to get to the nearest Woolies or Coles cos it's a bit far to walk. And if I were to wait for Kris to bring me there, shops would have been closed. So, I really have no choice but to cut off all the rose blooms in my frontyard. Five of my 7 rose bushes are blooming luxuriously... with my fave Fragrant Purple really voluminous - it'll be a waste to cut them... But they'll blossom for me soon...

I need to get outside & cut them off, but I'm just waiting for the sun to get back in behind the clouds!! The start of autumn has seen thundery showers & low temperatures, but it's pretty sunny & hot out there right now!! Maybe I'll wait for after 4pm... Anyway, the secateurs are in the big dark shed... maybe I'll wait for Kris to get it for me... Then again, I may want to do it sooner.... ~sigh~

One more thing... my uncle also mentioned for me to put the petals & the water in a big pail... Hmmm.... we don't have a really big pail like the baldi we have in sgp to soak all the clothes... we have a bathtub, why would we have a big pail? Anyway, I was thinking of putting the whole concoction into the bathtub, sealing off under the door so that the water won't rush off into the hallway carpet, and having the flower bath out of the tub (since the water can't be re-used), in front of the vanity... Well, I'll have to lug out the linen drum & my radio, but that's no big deal...

Now... I've got a question for my uncle... should I just put the petals in only or the entire head of bloom? hmmmm...

Missions Accomplished

2005-03-02T19:01:00.000+08:00

Alot of things have been done during this week... and it's a tiring week indeed!!

Sunday, Kris finally got a confirmation from his parents that they can't make it for a Dec wedding. Firstly, it's winter in Belgium & his mom wants to look after the sick granny over the cold seasons, especially when they are the only kins she has. Secondly, it's gonna be xmas & they wanna spend the holiday with the granny. Thirdly, they haven't got enough money to be able to pay for all 3 of them to travel for their 2 months' stay in Perth. Fourthly, Kris' younger brother, Koen, wants to witness his wedding and he can only make it in July, after his final year in school. And of course, if Koen stays, Mom stays behind too... and Dad wouldn't wanna leave them for too long on their own. I mean, they do stay in a large forest all by themselves...

Monday, Kris & I were too scared to call my Mom to break the news about us having to postpone the wedding another 7 months...

Yesterday, there was a blackout & Mom called & called on my mobile phone. But my phone needs to be recharged, so I didn't answer it. I reckon mom must have called the house several times, but we have a fax/phone & a cordless phone and both are of no use in a blackout, since we need a power outlet. So, as soon as the power came back on & right after dinner, I called her & realised she was at her brother's place. I passed the phone to Kris so that he can tell Mom... He managed to tell her calmly. She wasn't happy about it, but since Kris told her, she knows she has no choice... I mean, she wouldn't wanna sound rude to Kris as to ask him to just get a representative to come all the way from Belgium just for the 2 days - ie. ceremony & reception. If I had been the one to break the news to her, I would have been screamed at & the matter would have been dropped on my feet like a hot tater!!

Today, she was not very happy as she made some personal revelations & realised it was somehow her fault as well. I'm just gonna let her cool down & let her get on with the preparation of my sis' wedding due this year. She'll come round when she's calmer... And we'll discuss about my plans for my wedding. Oh boy, do I have to discuss this with her... cos I've heard her plans & I'm not too happy with it. I'm letting her do the footwork, not run the whole show!!

Anyway, on a more scrumptious note, I was chatting with Nor & the entire time, we were discussing food & cravings!! hehehehe... It didn't help that I made a 20 item list about my favourite foods while she's watching the clock like a hawk & counting the tics as the office hours go by!! Not sure if she bought her mom the pandan waffle with her fave peanut butter spread. She'll let me in on her food escapades tomorrow, I reckon.

All that started out cos she had a craving for fish & chips at Fish&Co. And no one could go with her at a moment's notice... not like me... but I'm in a different continent... and we were reminiscing how we would drop all appointments just to catch up over a macca's yummy hot chicken & McFlurry at the Tampines Interchange or the one near her block & my office (she stays in an apartment right across from my office), or that char kway teow with hummmm at Habibi's!! So, we were drooling the entire day... And I decided to make a Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice... It turned out good... Kris likes it, except he hates ginger & he reckons I've put too much... I had to tell him that most of the ingredients in the actual recipe mainly consists of fresh ginger slices & fresh ground ginger... and garlic, etc etc etc... but he cleaned up the plate, plus the soup & the salad too. You wouldn't even need to wash them dishes, that's how clean it was!!

If you think I'm going offline & gonna watch TV with him now, you're right & wrong... I'm gonna watch Little Britain (our fave comedy show) on ABC & then, I'll have to clean up my vanity & the bedside tables in the room! He said it's so dirty, he's sick of looking at it... Anyway, I'll have to rearrange the stuff on it too cos he's got me a really flash jewellery box for my birthday & I wanna put all my jewellery in it & display it next to my mirror. So, some of the knick-knackerty boxes can be stowed away now that my pretties' got a new home!! :)

ok... I'm off... I'm supposed to be waiting for my aunt cos she wants to show me something with her new webcam, but she's not online still.... oh well... I'm going off anyway... have a goodnite all...

Don't Bother Me!!

2005-02-24T17:41:00.000+08:00

People can really dampen your enthusiasm!!

Mom's frustrated with my younger sis for the mess she's got herself into & because of that, she's fed up with me cos my future father-in-law may not be able to make it to our wedding in Dec as my mom's planned it to be. She thinks it's my scheme to postpone the wedding even further. Well, initially Kris & I planned it for April 2006, but she wanted it in Dec 2005. Not trying to be rude, we agreed. And now, she's mad at me cos Kris' dad can't make it that early!! We wanted April 2006, remember?!

Since we're already not doing the wedding in Belgium, I seriously think that she should be fair & wait for a suitable time for the parents to come for the wedding in Perth. After all, we've already agreed to do a reception in Singapore.

I'm irked by how we have to understand her position & do everything she wants... and she won't even consider the availability, capability & feelings of the in-laws!!

I feel like perhaps I shouldn't even do the one in Sgp, to be fair to the family in Belgium. I mean, we're not doing it there cos of the lack of budget, from doing it in Sgp. And if the Sgp party can't see how unfair they're being, then I see the need to uphold this fairness!! NO RECEPTIONS other than the one in Perth!!

I'm stuck with trying to be a good daughter-in-law by asking for a suitable time for my in-laws to come to Perth & being filial to my mom by doing watever she wants us to do. And then, there's the fiance who thinks that all these celebrations are a waste of money & time and would rather not help in the preparations!! And of course, there's the expensively rich tradition & custom to uphold.

I've been really patient with everyone & their comments... and I've been patient in undertaking all the searching for info & planning & getting inspired for ideas, etc etc... and I've been nice enough to undertake doing the wedding stationery myself, even forgoing the elaborate wedding dresses & hair and makeup artiste, by shopping for a simple prom dress & doing my own makeup & hair!!! I've even got my friends to source for vases (aka used bottles), photographer-friends, what-have-yous....

When is anyone gonna realise that I CAN do all these, if they just leave me alone?! Just try to understand me for once & offer to help... Stop with all the bitching & comments already... and all the whining... cos I'm sick of it!!!

SICK!!!

It's The Thought That Counts

2005-02-22T18:01:00.000+08:00

It's Kris' 32nd birthday today. We're going out tonight for dinner & a movie. Planned to bake him a birthday cake, but had been online chatting with my aunt & a few friends as well as surfing the net for wedding stuff, and not done anything for him. I gave him his pressie last week along with his Valentine's Day gift so that he can enjoy it the whole week. He had been pretty down with getting older & the Beatle's #1 hits cheered him up quite a bit.

There are so many problems in life & sometimes I don't understand why some people just wanna create more for themselves. Refusing people's help when u so need it, creating tension with others, taking up more stuff than u can handle & failing all else while trying to plan others... All in all, everything collapses with no proper planning & no blessings (where blessings are essential & mandatory, especially when dealing with the parents). Further to the collapse, more problems come out of it. Fire-fighting with life's problems is not a good advise I would give. The idea is to start with THOUGHT.

It's all about THOUGHT. You should have planned, thus requiring heaps of thinking, rationalising, negotiating, etc.

The proverb: It's the thought that counts... DAMN TRUE!! When you do something, you have to think for others. Especially when you have parents involved & you are the child. Parents are very sensitive in their old age and we should never disregard their feelings nor discard their involvement & importance.

No matter how right you think you are, there's always room for negotiation. Parents are not impractical zombies who'd want everything done their way. There is always a way of getting what you want while satisfying their needs. It boils down to how much you think of them.

Nothing's Done!!

2005-02-21T14:00:00.000+08:00

I updated the template abit & something wasn't right. But before I could change it, BLACKOUT!!............... ~argh~

Went to the lounge & did some knitting on the blue scarf... and my itchy fingers just had to start on the scandal scarf... After sitting without airconditioning in the house & boiling in the summer heat for more than 2hrs, I decided to clean the aquarium... cos it's starting to really look like pondscum!! Managed to clean the glass top & just then, the electricity came back on!! And I came straight back to the PC!! hehehe...

Ummmm... yeah, the fishes are swimming in the pondscum!!... hehe...

I cant get away from the pc cos I'm searching for a few traditional malay wedding dresses so that I can use some of the designs to make it a bit more modern to suit the groom's suit (ie. non-traditional). Was hoping to get something simple & cheap for the Perth wedding cos we'll have to save up for the Sgp celebration. There are so many things I need to do cos there'll be 2 celebrations in 2 separate continents!!

Anyway, the Perth wedding will be a small one & we'll have to look for a really inexpensive venue for the reception. We'll be printing our own invites & making the decorations for the bridal chamber, the reception hall & the car ourselves. Kris will be driving the Landrover Discovery himself to his own wedding... We'll be inviting our rellies in Perth and friends & colleagues. Very small, but cos we're trying to save, we'll have to run around & do everything ourselves... Lotsa details!!

The one in Sgp, mom is doing the footwork, trying to figure out how much different venues would cost. And I think she's already decided on the caterers & groomers... Well, it's not hard for her to get contacts cos she did bridal grooming when we were younger. Still, it's gonna be a simple celebration, but lotsa details nonetheless.

Anyway, the most important thing right now is for me to get a job... or there won't even be a wedding!! Gonna clean the house a bit now & then, I'll be right back into writing my resumes...

Life's Full of Choices

2005-02-18T13:23:00.000+08:00

I've been down with a slight flu for the past few days & I realised that I always find time to have a cuppa whenever I'm sick... It's rather soothing & stops the runny sniffles just long enough to enable me to inhale from my nose again.

I do enjoy a sip of Earl Grey & English Breakfast Teas, however, I don't understand why they have different names when each tastes remarkably like the other!! Perhaps enjoying it when I have got my sense of smell & taste back would do the trick? ~duh~ I shall make a mental note of it, or better still, I shall put it on my To Do List as a reminder.

Last nite was Late Night Shopping & Kris had to get something for my Mitsubishi Colt. He got me that in Dec 2003 hoping that I would get my driving license & has been working on it since then - tweaking, updating, changing and whatever else he deems should be done to that rust-bucket. Incredibly, it's no longer a rust-bucket now that he's done major works on it.

He's changed the engine so that I could have air-conditioning, especially for summer. He's changed the dashboard so that the AC & heater could work proper. He's got new seats & sheep-skin wool covers over them. He got a mirror for the left door & it took him about a year to finally find one at the carwrecks nearby - most Colts don't come with it. He fixed the locks, the window-winders, the doors!! He's even put in legal tinted windows. ~sheesh~ Maybe I should get my license soon, eh? Errrrr... u think? ~duh~

Well, while he was in MALZ, I went into Millers in Makro next door & got myself a pair of blue denim shorts just to wear around the house & a pair of beige denim capri, finally. I was actually looking for a blue cotton capri & a black one, but the only ones available are ugly box-cuts & the kinda cotton which would attract dust wherever u go! But I'm glad with my buys. May go to Crossroads another day.

Kris whisked me out of there & got us to Spotlight on the next street. We've only got 15mins to shop-closing. While looking for the yarns & needles, I fell in love with another type of yarn. It's called Scandal!! Thought it was $4.75/ball, but only paid a bargain $2.49 instead. It's pink, salmon & light yellow. I can't wait to get my hands on it, but I wanna finish the blue one & it's on the last bits!! WoO-hOo!!

Anyway, we both agreed that we can't shop in there for less than 1hr at least. So, we'll be coming back again!! And I so do want to try the new Tufty yarns - they are the ones that actually cost $4.75/ball... There are so many types of new yarns & new colours coming out, especially now that autumn is days away, and I'm spoilt for choice! I may do Ezzy's in those black yarn with little balls (it wouldn't look too girlish, Ezzy) instead of Patons black feathers & Ling's in pink Tufty instead of pink flutters. Oh, this is so exciting!!

That reminds me... I need to get #10 & #13 needles for those scarves with ginormous holes. I think I'm gonna give Tasha a very bohemian brown/red pair with the yarn that looks like tiny bottle-brushes. It's so soft though... Then again, since I'm making a bohemian-style one, perhaps I should get her a furry mohair yarn instead.... hmmmmm...

Ok, I'd better be getting back to my job search. Found a few, but they all look sucky!! Oh well, beggars can't be choosy!! And I need to write a couple of resumes for the 2 job offers that Kris found online for me!! After all the trouble he's gone through!! Wish me good luck, kiddos...

Sweet Valentines

2005-02-16T13:51:00.000+08:00

Can anyone remember all their past valentines? How about in chronological order? Hmmm... if someone really can, I dunno if he/she can do it without the help of a diary or a list. I was somewhat bitten by a memory bug yesterday...

I can't remember when I first found out the meaning of Valentine's Day... nor who the first guy I ever wanted to be my Valentine was.

But I do remember making Watermelon Balls with my classmates in college during my first 3-months course for the campus pot luck. The pain-in-the-arse principal wanted to celebrate it seeing that it's a very important day for young people, but she called it Friendship Day cos she doesn't want us teenagers to have the idea that she condones romance in school. The Watermelon was unsuccessful, just like the date with David from SJI. Our classmate, Samer, kept following us around, blatantly unaware of why we went off on our own, away from our usual group.

After graduating from college, my best mate gave me a dozen huge yellow chrysanthemums at the upper level of McDonald's near the Bukit Batok MRT station. He said that they have more petals, compared to roses, for me to pluck to decide if I love him!! And the fact that roses were more expensive too!! All the kids & aunties & uncles there looked at me & smiled... hehehe... It was a really cute gesture from a practical Sagittarian!! I'm a Sag too... so, I understand where he's coming from!!

My bf in polytechnic was the sweetest bloke. He knows how much I hated roses... not only becos of its smell, and of course a little bit due to the cliche factor, but mainly becos I hate the impracticality of having to spend 10x the usual cost to get a flower that will die in 3 days. He bought me an inflatable heart-shapped balloon that was on a rose-like stem. It's so romantic... I held onto it that day with pride, full of love. I still have it in a box with all the other things he's ever given me... Even though it's in Sgp, I can still visualise what's in it...

In 2003, I had a 3-hr exam on the nite of Valentine's Day. Simon, as promised, drove to uni to fetch me home, but he's got too much work to do, so he didn't stay. I really wanted a friend over that night. Not becos I didn't wanna be alone for V Day, but more becos I wanted to celebrate the end of an exam! And the bloody Peter, was expecting some girl over for a late dinner... Less than 2weeks after, we broke up after being together for 9 months. Apparently, I wasn't the girl he would consider being full-time with. Oh well, it was fabulous while it lasted, cos he was really a nice fella. It happens.

Last yr, I moved in with Kris, had a grand V Day... and 1week later, my parents flew in for his Sunday birthday celebration & my Monday convocation. This year, he gave me a nice cotton summer hat (cos I lost my blue one). His birthday is next week & perhaps I'll bake him a cake... since I've already bought the candles & the ingredients... Anything for my

Today, I'm more in with Kris than I was yesterday, last month or the year before. And I hope our love will grow as the days pass on by...