One Way To Remember Where My Car Is

AND I ALWAYS DO THIS .... after parking my car, I snap a picture of the nearest pillar with the details....

I experienced not remembering where I parked my car and had a hard time rewinding and retracing the steps, wasting time looking high and low, last resort was to seek the help of the poor security guard who hunted down the car using his motorbike.  

It did not happen in Ipoh, the malls here are small compared to those in Klang valley and Penang.  Each time I go to One U, the first time after getting down from the car is to take a picture... now play smart, eh... rather than depending on my "hard disk" which is rather obsolete nowadays... 

Another way is to remember the entrance we go into from the car park... and that too, sometimes I cannot remember!  I better play more mahjong, someone used to tell me... I don't mind playing provided there is enough "kakis" (players) ... unfortunately, I do not have another three partners who are keen in playing.  Anyway, mahjong is not my craving type of table game, I prefer Gin Rummy anytime.

Life nowadays has taken a turn... since my favorite girlfriend has left me, I do not go out on a eating spree much.  I am now taking care of a cute baby, from second month onwards and now going on four months.  Yes, I have become a temporary nanny.... LOL... For now, I enjoy the blissful days of feeding, changing "kaya greenish paste" diapers, bathing her, cooing.. singing... and laughing at her cute expressions.  That is my life for now..... 

How about you?  Any changes?

 

What To Do On This Day

ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE DAYS...

Today I have nothing much to write, I scrolled up my photo album a few times, up, down, up down and couldn't find anything to put up and talk about.  So I guess ... this will be a boring post... LOL.... 

Firstly, with the new restrictions in Malaysia whether it is MCO or CMCO,  traveling interstate is forbidden throughout.  Nothing much to do at home except for watching Netflix and going online to browse here and there.  Share market is also very volatile, nothing to buy nor sell, not that I am a big player also... I don't know much about shares and it is quite boring to look at them when I am not an active player.

So what shall I do?  I love to sing and this apps called wesing is one of my passing time gadget to play.  Sing into the earphone attached to the iPad and the voice comes out with echo and very professional-like.  LOL... Too bad (or is it a relief) that I could not attach the link here for public listening.  

I am very free now.... perhaps I will do some singing since my neighbours are not around at this time of the day... LOL... Sing from the diaphragm, so to speak... wonder how that could be done...  and to take quick breaths in between the lines... and I hope I won't end up going to the toilet right after I do that!  LOL... 

My latest picture in my album... 

Let it bloom, Let it Bloommm... 

Have a Blooming day, Readers!

Should I Stop Blogging?

MY 12TH YEAR OF BLOGGING!!  And... I'm losing it....

I started blogging in 2008, initiated by my son who had his own blog in 2007, however, his lasted only one year.  LOL... As for his mom here, she went on blogging and blogging without fail, almost daily, I can say for the past 11 years and only lately, she has slacked tremendously in her writing.  Reason?  Reasons... aplenty!

I began to feel the "laziness" since the day I retire from work in 2015.  I admit I was more diligent in my blogging while I was working than now at home.  Maybe blogging helped me to relax while I was still working, at least distracted me for an hour or two off the workload.  Well, that was when I was in the office, now that I am fully retired and staying at home (sometimes) I admit I am neglecting my blog.

Is Blogging still a trend?  It definitely was during the earlier years... I have made some friends through blogging, we even met up a couple of times.  That was maybe ten years back or so... and gradually, we do not catch up with each other anymore, each of us are busy with our own lives.  A few have become "famous"... but most of us have stopped blogging totally.  I guess blogging is just not an IN thing anymore these days.  My opinion... cos maybe I, myself have become "inactive" since...

However, I will not give up on my blog!!!  Through these years of blogging, I have learn so much, knowing new friends, capturing knowledge and of course, earning some extra pocket money to buy snacks.  Those were the days, really! 

Well, to sum it all.... I will not leave blogging as yet, one day perhaps... at the same time, I won't be blogging daily so that I won't feel it as a chore.  I will do it at my own pace and time, writing my heart out when I have the mood to do so and keeping silent when I am glued to the TV.

This is my longest post since many moons ago.... LOL...

Well, now I say I would not blogging daily... don't be surprised that tomorrow, the day after or the next, I might end up posting non-stop... LOL...

How about you guys?  How long have you been on your blog?  Are you still as enthusiastic as before?  Or even more so?

The Tongue Is Sharper Than A Sword

As I grow older, I realize I am changed... my character changed...

Patience...
I am no more a patient woman....I could feel my heart pumping fast and blood shoots up in my brain when I am impatient... especially when I am waiting for someone who takes her/his own sweet time not to bother... once he/she goes into my car, I would burst out..."Hey, don't play with my time, OK?"  And once the words came out from my mouth, I could feel myself cooling down BUT in a matter of minutes, I would regret what I have said....

Misunderstanding...
during my younger days, I didn't care... I never othered to explain myself.... I kept my cool cos I was a very patient lady... *younger days means 20s, 30s and 40s*

Now?  If anyone misunderstands my intentions, I "explode" and "burst" into pieces... literally....

I will rant out in terms of emails or whatsapp... or whatever that connects... I cannot keep to myself...
BUT in a matter of minutes too, I will regret again...."What have I done?"  Too late... my outburst has done the damage...

In situations like these, I realize that I really need to keep my cool... quick temper is not good... I must learn how to breathe....

Deep breath.... then release...

Deep breath and then release... 

Deep breath... and release...

This helps....
Don't be impatient like me...

Laughter is still the Best Medicine....

As in Neil Sedaka's song..

Laughter in the rain, walking hand in hand..

But in this case..
Laughter in the sunshine...

The Mystery Disappearance Of Mother's Day Gift

Yesterday morning I received a call from Andy... my heart nearly skipped a beat... normally he will not call me at such an hour... unless.... Mothers are always the worried kind, right? I guess he must be in the office for I could not hear properly what he wanted to say and I quickly walked to a more quiet environment to hear what he said.  At first I misheard that he wanted to resign... I guess I need to go to get my ears checked!

Actual fact - both brothers have ordered a gift hamper for me through Eu Yan Sang online website on 11th May, 2014. They wanted to surprise me with the gift but unfortunately, I did not get the surprise at all.  I did not receive any gift from EYS.  He tracked down the order through online and was shocked that it showed "Failed" though payment has been made. Since he is not in Malaysia, he told me to call up their customer service and followed up with them.

I called up EYS customer service... lady said she would check it out... waited few hours, I called again, she said still checking... I called again in the afternoon, still checking again ...that was when my patience ran out, I asked why they needed 11 days to check out the delivery and why it failed to show even when payment has been made?  Wasn't meant to be sarcastic but I thought I should be given a logic explanation.... By then, I wrote them an email and commented in their FB as well with all the details....

At around 4.30pm, I received a call and was told that the goods would be delivered in the evening... Finally!  Yes, the goods managed to arrive....  I didn't want to ask why the delay.... I guess he would not know what to say....

Two paper bags... three boxes.... 

What can I say but Thank You...
Mama here really  need these supplements, Sons...
LOL...
Despite the delay, I am touched by both of you...

*Tor Chey Sai*

Now. I am wondering...

IF we did not follow up with the calls and email, will the Gift ever arrive?

My Retirement Plans

So what are my plans when I retire?   Alright... here goes my reasons...

It all starts with MY..... 

Sleeping pattern.... NO more jerking up at the sound of my shrieking alarm!
Annual leave.... NO more "begging" people to do my job when I am on leave...
Work.... NO more stress and heart beating fast when the work load is heavy....
Strain.... NO more straining of my poor eyes cos my work involves the computer almost the whole day long....

Well, the above have "pushed" me to go for early retirement... strong reasons or not, I think I have made the right decision...

Now come to think of it, when I retire, I might end up doing these....

Take a stroll drive whenever I feel like it...

Go places with my Old Faithful Babe... 

(that's my car!)

 Have an unhealthy breakfast if I feel like it.... 

Or a healthy one when the fish mode arises....

 

And on days when I cannot afford a nice meal, 

I will cook my own porridge...

Take my furry member for a walk whenever I feel "heavy".... 

(illustration picture only)

WHAT I REALLY DREAD IS THIS PILE OF MESS!!

Cleaning up house is really not my cup of tea... sigh...

 No, I am not a grandmother yet....

My retiring has nothing to do with babysitting..

(Thanks Lynn.. for "lending" me your baby)

  

Definitely "dogsitting"is more like it... 

 So much for retiring!  

LOL...

I Quit On April Fool's Day

When I tendered in my resignation yesterday, yes on April's Fool's day, I could feel a heavy load off my shoulders... the moment I signed my own letter, I felt a sigh of relief... well, I guess I must be making a right decision.... hopefully.... 

It has been haunting my mind for the past one year, to go or not to go... I received a lot of feedback, most of them discouraging me from quitting my job.  And I hesitated and put it on hold till lately, I was seriously thinking about resigning again... and this time I made my own decision.

Come to think of it, I have been working for more than 35 years... isn't it time to call it a day?

 

What A Bloody Morning!

Started off the first day of the week by being careless and seeing red!

Early morning I was in the pantry wanting to cut a grapefruit when I suddenly cut my little finger instead.  How it actually happened, I was still blur but I know I was being careless.  Maybe my mind was on something else... well, I guess the word "accident" comes from situations like this.. In a split second, it happened without one realizing it.

Though it was only a slight cut, I was taken aback by the endless red liquid that oozed out from my little finger.   I quickly washed it under the running tap water, just in case the knife is not that clean?   Took out lots of tissue to stop the blood but it kept on draining out... (ok, I exaggerated a bit here :)

After "dapping" it with tissues, I held my little finger up like this... but that didn't stop the blood flowing....

Is that my blood??

Looks like my lipstick colour...

Just imagine, a small cut can cause the blood oozing out so much...

What if the cut is longer and deeper?

I shudder at the thought.... 

After taking some pictures, I remember I have "gamat" in the office drawer..

I applied some on it and the blood stopped  almost immediately...

phew.....

Google Apps, I Am "App-less" Now!

Really Helpless!  Google Apps has been "confusing" me for the past two weeks.  Have anyone of you experienced this before?

July 24th, Google Apps sent email to remind that my domain is going to expire soon and to update my credit card particulars so that they can renew my blog domain.

On the same day, I updated my billing information as requested and a payment of $10usd has been debited in my credit card statement... so ... to me, it has been settled.. I could happily use my domain for another year..... Period.

Unfortunately come July 30th, they sent another email citing that payment has failed...

Our records indicate that the payment for registering your domain clairereana.com was unsuccessful.

Payment failures happen for a variety of reasons (such as insufficient funds or an expired card). You can update your payment information to resolve the issue.

Please log in to your account and update your payment information. If you take no action, your domain will not be renewed on .

When I logged in to check my billing info, everything is in order... credit card details are updated and payment has been issued in my statement.   What else do Google Apps want??  I cannot reply to their email, they are all "no-reply" status.... I checked into the forum and a few have the same problem and I am not sure what is really needed when everything is in order on my side...

What should I do now?  Wait for it to expire and "vanish?"  Or should I  "shift" my blog to some other hosting?  Sigh... This is now blog dilemma now cos my blog domain is going to expire real soooooooooooooon..... HELP... HELP!!

Pre-CNY Blues

There is no proper post for today... my body is running a temperature...
Few possibilities...

1) Could it be due to the fall I had here?
2)  It could be due to the virus I contacted during the weekend...
3)  But I suspect it could be due to the "tasting" of cookies we baked last night... After so many years of not baking and now that I did, I am "shot." 

This proves that Baking in front of the oven is not my line....

Time to Rest and Sweat Out... 

Goodnight...

A Nightmare For Computer Addicts

I have three computers at home... one 5 years old desktop, 4 years old netbook and a 3 years old laptop.... and tonight the nightmare began.....

My desktop "retired" a week ago, when I switched it on last week, there was non stop sound coming "tut, tut, tut......" and I have to switch it off... tried many times switching it on and off... no avail... the heartbeat "tut tut" could only be heard....

Then just tonight, my laptop failed to load too... when I switched it on, it could only "breathe" for around 15 seconds, then it turned into blackness again... and again.. and again... Another weak heart case like the desktop....

Sigh... that leaves me the small netbook... gotten free from TM last time... Small screen, got to squint my eyes, cannot upload pictures fast... got to wait for minutes... so might as well, don't upload any tonight....

A time to rest my eyes, I guess...

Is this a "nightmare" for "computer addicts" for those like Yours Truly here?  The answer is in your hands....

I rest my case....

Give Thanks And Humbly I Eat...

The last two days of spending and eating "heavy" meals, I guess it is time for me to slow down once again... I must post up this for my kids to see... hahahaa... the mommy here is tightening up the belt till they come home again....

This evening after work, I bought a loaf of wheatmeal bread and a High5 kaya paste... and ... presto!!  

 MY HUMBLE dinner for tonight..... 

 

Bread, butter and kaya...

but I don't really like the taste of this butter...

too butterish for me!

Anyway, don't complain so much...

As long as my stomach is full...

Took Four slices of bread with a mug of hot water...

That was my dinner awhile ago....

Bread and Water..

 

Reminded me of one verse..

That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God....

 

So..... what's cooking for you tonight?

Anything more fancy than mine?

LOL....

Keep GUESS-ing And You GUESS This!

I felt "heartpain" when I opened up the GUESS box and found that the wallet inside has "deteriorated" to such an extent that it couldn't be used anymore...

On the surface it was still very nice... I love it very much... Aaron bought it for me when he was in Italy during his internship training.  Er.... that was...more than two years ago... In fact he bought two handbags and one wallet for me, the GUESS handbag was utilized to the fullest... also Gone Case now... but this wallet was kept inside the drawer till yesterday.....

The problem with me is that I like to keep things... keep till come-what-may... and look what keeping has done to my GUESS... sigh...

 

when I opened the wallet... I was shocked...

 

the leather has worn out....

 

patches of white and it was starting to peel 

when I rubbed on it....

There goes my GUESS wallet...

One lesson learnt... Never ever KEEP material possessions anymore....

They are meant to be Utilized and not Kept to "produce eggs!"

30 Is Not Enough!

Oh dear, I don't seem to have enough "leave" for this year... how nice if I could buy "leave" from my male colleague who always seem to have "abundant!"   My eyes always "drool" when I see his balance of leave.... I wouldn't mind paying RM10 for one day of leave... if only I could buy some days leave.... RM20 per leave also I will grab!!

By the way, why is it called LEAVE?  Leaving the office?  " How much leave do you have left?"   English language is truly amazing!

Coming back to my topic, I think I will have to resort taking "No Pay Leave" in the later part of the year.  One day = RM......$$ .....flying away.....

But when I imagine the cooling weather and sunny skies running through my mind, the "Pay Cut" will be worth every cent deducted.

So... how many days leave do you have annually?  Are they sufficient for you?  From the very first day I started working, I had 7 days only.. (I remember not finishing them in a year)... then 14 days... after that 20 (that was when I got married and the leave was never enough.... )... and now I have 30 days ... and STILL never say Enough!

Gosh... I heard someone telling me to go for 365 days of holidays!!

An Agonising Night And Morning

A body massage with my regular beautician left me almost sleepless last night.  She detected something not right on the part every women seems to fear.... she told me to see a doctor.... that left me thinking of the Capital C the whole evening through....

Early this morning I couldn't wait to go and check it out with a gynae... unfortunately my all-time gynae has retired, he is of a different race from me and and I feel more relaxed with him... (he was handsome... then)  Too bad he is no more working and I felt at a loss who to go to...

Feeling undecided, somehow, I drove all the way to Kinta Medical Hospital but the nurse told me that it was full for the day!  Not wanting to give up, I proceeded to the next hospital along Kampar Road... I was not familiar with the place there but nevertheless I feel the need to get it over with.... I am of an impatient character, I want fast results.....

After waiting for nearly two hours, it was my turn... he is a chinese gynae in his early 40s.  Very friendly and pleasant at least, that is a consolation... first, he checked my blood pressure and to my horror, he told me that it was sky high, 190/100!  Ready to be admitted!

However he consoled me that it might be due to my stress, not to worry, he said..... then, it was time to lie down (the most dreaded part).... Told me to relax, very gently, he did a full private check up from the top to the bottom for me... ultra sound, poke here, poke there... (ladies, I am sure you understand what I am saying here... )

Then finally he told me that everything seems to be fine according to scan, nothing seems to be found, however, if I really want 100% results, he advised me to go for a mammogram... oh oh.... that is what I fear... painful, right?

Anyway, for now, I can relax a bit ... since the gynae said so far, so good... so let it be good!  The mammogram can come later...  oh, by the way, the blood pressure went down to 150/90 after the check up!  Still on the high side.... need to monitor, he said...

Guess I need to go for more "de-stress-ment."  Maybe go for a nice holiday or do something I love ... (singing!) so that the "stress" can disappear.... vanish.... and not haunt me.....

Money Lost In Split Seconds

An event held in the office... and the day I lost RM125 in just a matter of seconds... Before the event started, my colleague asked me to take her picture with her camera... and then all of a sudden, within a split second, while taking out the camera, it slipped out of my hands and dropped onto the carpet flooring.. and that was when my money flew away... LOL....

The camera lens got jammed... it couldn't close at all nor can take any pictures... leaving no choice, we sent it to the service centre and they told us it cost around RM250 for repair.... so who is going to pay?

I am the Biggest Loser!

Eventually my colleague and I shared out the expenses...

I am clumsy..... ain't I?  sigh...

Yesterday When I Was Young...

There are two new things I found out about myself during the past weekend....

One... I cannot drink anything that have the word TEA in them... I thought I was only allergic to Chinese tea but after last Friday stint with the "girls," any type of TEA will not agree with me ....  peach tea ke, ice lemon tea ke, green tea...... etc....   I must remember that!

It is no joke to have a sleepless night.... tossing and turning in bed till my eyes were tired of being "CLOSED!" Now I understand what Insomnia means.... terrible!

Two.... I am confirmed "stamina-less."  Need to confess that my house was left "untouched" for 10 whole days.  So can you imagine... the windows, tables, floor... aiks... it was a BIG relief for me when my guest bloggers did not come into my house...  pheww.....  LOL.....

So... what I did on Sunday left me panting and feeling nausea!  After more than two hours of cleaning and mopping, I nearly wanted to pengsan faint when I reached the kitchen....Immediately I stopped.... I rested.... and I realize that my stamina has long gone...

I finally come to terms that I am not as "young" as I used to be.... anymore.....

Best Of Both Worlds?

How am I coping?

This is the question I am often asked these days.... my answer is "So far, I am still fine..."

Life is slightly different... a month ago, my routine has changed, especially towards the evening.  Nowadays I spend more time facing two "Square Boxes"... one Big and one smaller in size... my two eyes will be facing my faithful laptop and my two ears will be listening to the Chinese drama showing on Astro....

On some evenings, I will take dinner with my siblings and on other days, I eat out with my friends.  I am beginning to feel that it is back to the good old days when I was still "single" but when it comes to weekends, it is totally different... I am a mother again....

Am I having the best of both worlds?  I got to console myself with that.......

Husbands, love your wives...
Wives, submit to your husbands....
Do treasure your time together .....

My Three Pineapples

More than 24 years ago, one boy was created.... 

More than 21 years ago, another boy was created....

More than 17 years ago, a girl was created....

First one is cheerful... 

Second one is humorous... 

Third one is cute....

As years go by, each of them go their separate ways...

One is north, one is south and one in the middle region...

The north and the south will make their way back this weekend...

Both of them will be here this weekend...

The one in the middle region longs to be home too...

But due to some events, she cannot join us...

However... we will get to meet one way or another...

"If the mountain cannot come to us, 

it is always possible for us to go there..."

One Way To Avoid Snatchers

After hearing so many cases of robbery and snatch thieves that is happening around us each day, I myself cannot help feeling paranoid wherever I go.  Even though I clutch my pouch tightly around my hands and fingers, it does not help anything if one has the intention to snatch it away.

Those umpteen years ago, snatch thieves do not use tactics like knocking down the victims with their helmets or pushing them down before snatching the victims' belongings.  During my younger days, snatch thieves were just snatching the handbags off the shoulders or from the hands and that was it....

I had my own experience being a snatch thief victim in the late 70s, I was walking along Cowan Street (now Jalan Raja Ekram) with my friend.  It was around 6 something in the evening and I was holding a long wallet (crocodile skin type) and then all of a sudden, I felt the wallet just snatched off or taken away from my hand.... Just like that.... it was over in less than a two seconds.... didn't know how to scream... just "gawking" after the lone motorcyclist... and that was it..... thank God there was no pushing and knocking heads down those days.....

I was thinking... nowadays... how to avoid being a victim to these snatchers.... is there a way to discourage them?  How to prevent being a fallen victim?

An idea came to my mind... don't know whether it works or not....

Do you think this will help avoid snatchers if I wear shabbily instead of presentable?  Will it be a good idea if I just put on my old Tee, a worn out culottes/knee length shorts without make-up, without handbags and anything attractive? 

IN other words, does it help being a Plain Old Jane Me?  Being that, perhaps I will have a ease of mind walking shabbily around without feeling paranoid..... sigh...