WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE

The gaming bug has got the better of me.

No thanks to so many options on the Internet, I am now submerging myself deeper into the world of web not with a good cause.

I used to nag my daughter on her gaming habit.  Ha...guess who deserved to be nagged now.

I am not the only guilty one here.

Rich uncle and his wife has also been beaten by the bug.

He has make better use of his Ipad other than skyping now.

He has been diligently keeping up with his solitaire everyday, be it during dinner time or bedtime.

He would not leave the Ipad out of his sight and his wife has no way of laying a teeny-weeny finger on the gadget.

So Ipad 3 came into the picture.

Now husband and wife are happily gaming away.

It is a blessing in disguise as they are so caught-up with the game there is no time to quarrel.

Now that my daughter has weaned herself from playing Internet games not because of my effective nagging but she has other interest now and mommy is taking over the rein.

I was somehow relief when I saw an article in the newspaper reporting that actually certain Internet games can delay the onset on dementia in older people (but of course I am not in that category yet).

On that faithful day, I happily started playing my favorite game for unkempt hours until I could see stars dancing before me and I can feel my head weighing more than a ton of cement.

It may be true that playing intelligent game may be good for the brain, but they forgot to warn you that after playing for a long time, you will need a pair of new glasses and also extra stock of paracetamol in the medicine box.

I used to be very judgemental about kids spending long hours playing games on the Internet but I have to keep my critics to myself or it is equally like the pot calling the kettle black.

And my long absence from writing on this blog is also due to my game addiction but today I know I must not let the machine eat up my poor soul.

I practically have to tear myself away from the mean machine and I am glad that I am in full control of myself again....hopefully for as long as my craving does not accept defeat.

To all you gamers out there...good luck!

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...

29th February...A Nostalgic Day In My Life

Twelve years ago on this very same day, I was awaken at 7.00am in the morning because I was soaking wet in my pants. Thinking that I have wee in my pants, I got up from bed unbelievable and still in dreamland only to realize that my water bag has burst and the baby is coming any time which is unexpected as the due date given by the doctor is 15th March 2000!

Panicky and inexperience, my husband call the doctor and was told to calm down but we have to be in the hospital as soon as we can.

Trying to be as calmed as a cat, I took a quick bath and pack whatever is needed.

We arrived at the hospital at about 9.00am and I was immediately wheeled into the labor room with my husband by my side.

Scared and at the same time feeling excited, I try to follow the instruction given by the doctor in order to have a safe and easy delivery although it is not as simple as it seems.

My first contraction came at 11.00am. It was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt in my life and with an interval of two hours, the pain comes on again.

As the morning stretched into noon, the interval of the pain becomes shorter and I was beginning to feel exhausted. 

By this time, the doctor told me that if the baby does not come by 5.00pm, he will have to do a cesarean on me.

More panic feelings sets in.

There is no way I am going to go through that as I have always wanted to have a natural birth and I am determine to do it.

Taking in another deep breath, I apply the breathing techniques of pushing again, push.....heave...ho..arrrrg... for another 2 agonizing hours without realizing that I was grasping my husband fingers so tightly until he does not feel his own hands anymore. I have to give credit to him for going through the pain with me.

Finally the baby arrived at 7.35pm and my husband was with me to witness the birth of our baby.  It was the most emotional moments of my life when I feel her coming out of me.

Her first whimpers, her first cries will always be imprinted in my brain.

Those tiny fingers curling around my own makes my heart cries out in joy.

We name our little precious gift Kar Mun and she is born on this special leap day of  29th February 2000.

Today she is 12 years old and she has filled our lives with so many happy days with her countless little ways.

No words can describe the warm memories, the pride and the gratitude that comes from having a daughter.

Happy Birthday .. my princess...

February 2012 is ending soon.

It is only just like yesterday that we have celebrated Chinese New Year.

I still have cookies and mandarin orange in the house to remind me of Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year has always been an exciting festival for me although we celebrate it with the same people every year.

It is an occasion for bonding with loved ones. I have always enjoyed visiting relatives and tasting all the different cookies and attending open house.

On the eve of Chinese New Year, our reunion dinner has always been shared with my sister-in-law and their families. Each of us will cook one or two of our signature dish and we will take turn to held the dinner in different house every year.

On day one of Chinese New Year, it is like marathon visiting all my sister-in-law again even though we have just bid goodnight a couple of hours ago after reunion dinner. And the day is never complete without our favorite CNY black jack gambling.

On day two is a busy day for me. It is my turn to have open house for everybody and it has been a yearly tradition. Despite all the preparation and madness of cooking, I have always enjoyed the festive atmosphere in our quiet house.

I will normally have the entire third day of Chinese New Year to myself. This is the only available day that I get to spend with my siblings and mom. It is also one of the days where we will be keeping ourselves undated about everyone and everything. Plainly speaking, gossiping...

Although I have been celebrating Chinese New Year for 50 years, it still excites and thrill me each time. The nostalgic memories of childhood, new clothes, angpows and all the goodies that we are blessed with.

I will treasure this happy occasion that I get to share with all this wonderful people and look forward to many more happy years to come.

A STORMY START TO THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON 2012

School re-opens on the 4th of January this year.

Life goes back to routine. Daughter goes back to school and husband goes back to work and I goes back to my housewifely and motherly duties.

Like jinx would have it, the year of the dragon starts off stormy for me and my husband.

We were at logger head over the most trivial matter and all hell broke loose. Emotions fly and tempers flare uncontrollably.  A lot of tears were shed.

When the storm subsides, we had a heart to heart talk about our feelings. We were openly straightforward and direct without reserve and secretiveness with what we want from each other. It took us the whole night to sort out our differences and feelings and I am glad that we love each other enough to settle these issues.

We have both learned a lesson that no matter how busy or caught up we are in the art of making a living, we must not take each other for granted.

We must not neglects to let each other know that we are always appreciated and loved and it is a two way street required by both partners.

Although the starting of the year of the dragon may be stormy for us, but it is a blessing that we have done some soul searching and have forgiven each other and renewed our love for each other.

Welcome 2012...

A MEMORABLE YEAR - 2011

The famous Everland in Korea..

The last month of 2011 for me was really a busy and exciting one.

My daughter and I went on a 6 days tour to Korea and of course we were sad that my husband is unable to join us due to work commitment.

Photo session in traditional Korean costume.

But the feeling of sadness was soon forgotten once we landed in Korea with about 30 wonderful people in our group.

Warm food for the winter...

We visited a lot of historical places and had Korean barbecue and steamboat most of the time.

Temple visit...

As it is winter time in Korea, we spent a day in the ski-resort learning how to ski and this is best part of the trip for me.

Feeling the snow falling on my face is really magical and I would like to do it again although the temperature was below 0 degree.

Feeling the snow...

At the end of the 6th day, it is time to said goodbye to our new found friends.

Santa and his little helper..

Flower power...

Farewell to our guide and Korea....

We were so happy to be greeted by my husband again at 6am in the morning at the airport.

Upon arrival home, my brother-in-law and his family from Australia was already in our house.

They arrived a day earlier in Kuala Lumpur before we got back from Korea and were staying in our

house to attend a niece wedding to be held in Kuala Lumpur and Penang respectively.

After a few hours of resting, I have to get myself ready for the wedding dinner to be held on the same day.  Phew, how exhausting and exciting..

The Wedding ...

The three Lim,s.....

Talking about jet-setting, off I go again after settling down for two days from my Korea trip and this time to Vietnam with my daughter, brother-in-law and family.

The Norther dam Church of Vietnam..

Sadness sinks in again, without my husband...


Vietnam has a different kind of excitement in store for us.

Chu Chi Tunnels..

It is more of going down sad memory lane visiting historical places of past war happening.

The War Museum...a grim reminder of war

The food was great, the people were friendly and after 4 days of fun and food, I left Vietnam feeling sad that war really strip off all humanity from human and I am glad that it is over for them and they are still re-building their life.

The historical post office of Vietnam...

God bless all...

After settling down from our Vietnam trip, it is time to take a drive down to the north to Penang Island to attend the wedding of the year.

Back to basic...

This is the happiest trip for me and my daughter because this time we are travelling as a family. My husband is joining us and I felt love and warmth.

One of the many interesting Chinese temples in Vietnam...

The wedding was great and it is always an emotional occasion for me as I will imagine me giving my daughter away in probably 15 years to come..when she gets married.

Down the Mekong River...

We spend 3 busy and crazy days in Penang. The traffic was frenzy due to Christmas but we manage to comes out of it alive.

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The streets of Vietnam....

The last week of December were spent on dining and more dining before my brother-in-law and his family return back to Australia.

December 2011 is definitely a meaningful and exciting month for me and I am thankful for being blessed with so many wonderful people around me.

Goodbye 2011...