HELLO & GOODBYE MY DEAR FRIEND....

I have known Val for 30 years. We were both sweet 18 when we first became colleague and were wide eyed innocent and giggling girlish.

Val took me on my first scooter ride around the city in her bike. It was really scary for me but to Val, it was fun.

I was always the timid one while Val is loud and outspoken and I have always admire her courage.

Time moves on, we went our separate ways.

She has found her Prince Charming and together they have 2 lovely children but life was not easy for her.

Recession wreak their family apart and ill health befell  her.

She was diagnosis with a weak heart condition which require her to go for a heart transplant but brave Val refuse to let her live be compromised further because if she goes through the surgery, she will only have a 50 percent survival rate and she would not let her children lost their mother.

Val shouldered on with a weak heart and a job retrenchment without the support of her spouse.

I thought luck was on her side when her application for migration to America was approved.

We bid each other goodbye and I wish her luck but lady luck has never been on Val side.

This time she was diagnosed with breast cancer and coupled with a weak heart, I pray hard for her to fight on and being a survival, I know she would.

She came back to Malaysia after her surgery to settle some of her personal issues and I was happy she accepted my offer to let me take care of her.

Once again like yesteryear, we were like the bubbly girls 30 years ago, sharing our life story and reminiscing our time together when we were young and carefree.

On the morning of 17th February 2012, Val went back to America.

My heart aches when we bid farewell again for the second time and my thoughts is of sadness to see a good friend suffers so much pain. +National Breast Cancer Foundation

Goodbye my dear friend and take good care of yourself. @valerieaylim@hotmail.com

A LEAP..ING BIRTHDAY PARTY

Sugar, spice and everything nice...sounds so right for cakes & little girls..

My daughter decided to celebrate her belated birthday with her classmate during this first term school holiday in the house.

KarMun with her cousin...the party organiser

Sunday was chosen as the auspicious day and Baskin & Robbins ice cream cake is a must on the birthday list, not to mentioned the new HP laptop that was given to her on 29th February.

She has also gone through the food menu with me which is of course her all time favorite, KFC, chicken nuggets, french fries, garlic bread and lots and lots of carbonated drinks.

Sounds like an unhealthy menu but honestly, what is a kids party without all these food?

Her friends started streaming in at about 2.00pm and by 3.00pm, almost everybody has arrived.

I was somehow intimated  by them although there are only 10 of them. Could be due to the fact that we are a one child policy family.

But then again, I have my reason to prove myself right because when the party started, the innocent looking ones has turn into the guiltiest bandits of the wild west and the gentle of all gentlest becomes the wildest stallion I have ever seen.

Playing a game of pin the tail on the donkey...

Disorder and chaos is true definition for kids party, so true!

The magnitude of havoc of that day was unimaginative. I was into deep freeze looking at the human tornado whirling around me.

And mummy and daddy are expected to act like angels of the day. We are like the most loving parents on earth that commit murder with a smiles on our face.

Of course, we have almost everything under control by roping in one of the meanest cousin's to hold the rein for the day.

The moment has arrived....

The long awaited 7.00pm closing time has finally arrived with one silly boy having a cut on his arm trying to look pretty sitting on the basin not knowing that he is heavier than the poor little thing.

With the last of the kids bidding goodbye, it is time for cleaning up all the grimes and traces of food deposited on the surface on this side of earth by dirty little hands and feet.

Tomorrow the plumber will be having a good time fixing the basin and filling up his pocket.

All's well said and done, it is also a birthday celebrated with fun and merriment and I am sure the next leap year will not be the same.

Happy leaper leap birthday Kar Mun...