Because I was born to you

Last night I came home from work and my daughter, Yuan, came to me apologizing profusely. That meant she had done something wrong. She told me that she had accidentally pulled the curtain rail off the wall. This is not the first time she had done this. So, naturally I wanted to scold her.
Before I could launch into my lecture mode, she said, "Please give me 1 more chance. I promise I will not do it again. If I do it again, you can throw me out of the house."
I was amused, but didn't show it. I said calmly: "I've told you before not to play with the curtains. At night, you go to bed late, and in the morning when you can't wake up for school, you throw temper tantrums. You are also lazy at brushing your teeth. Now tell me 1 good reason why I shouldn't throw you out of the house now."
She looked at me, and thought for a while and then she said, "Because I was born to you."
This girl is just so good with words...
So I told her to explain to Papa what happened when he got back. Papa must be the handyman to fix the railing now.
But I know there will be many, many more chances that I have to give this girl.

Joyride to Cyberjaya at 1am

Sunday night (well, actually Monday morning), 12am I received a frantic call from one of my tenants. He couldn't get into his room, there seemed to be some problem with his key. I asked him if he tried it before he went out, and he said he didn't. It wasn't locked when he moved in, and when he went out he just locked the door.
Then I realized what happened. I had given him the yard door key instead of the master room key. What a blunder! So there was nothing to do but drive all the way to the Domain and get him the right key. Serves me right for being so sure, and not testing the key first before giving it out. J and I had a 1-hour joyride to and fro, and finally got home around 1.30am. One of the lessons learnt as a landlord!

Playing Board Games

Today I learnt that my boss, a successful career woman, also plays games with her kids at home. Board and card games such as Pictionary, Monopoly, Taboo, Boggle etc.
I, too have 3 games that I bought for my kids: Monopoly, Uno and Mastermind. In my often busy schedule, I neglect and dread to play these board games with them. When they ask me to play with them, I always ask them to play by themselves. I am much too impatient and am always busy doing one thing or another, either household chores or on my computer.
But after today, I am changed. I am afraid that one fine day, the kids won't ask me to play anymore. And that day will come very soon, before I know it. I made up my mind to play a game with them once a week. Today I started to play Mastermind - 3 rounds. I taught them about logical thinking and making educated guesses. I didn't even know they actually didn't know how to play the game even though they've often played by themselves.
I think I'll start with Mastermind and Uno. I don't think I can handle Monopoly yet, the game takes too long and I would be too impatient. Monopoly, I'll leave that to their dad. Later, maybe we'll progress on to Scrabble, Taboo and Pictionary. And I hope that I would be remembered as a mom who played board games by my kids when they grow up.
Post-note: 16 Sept 2010, Yuan read this blog and told me: Don't worry Mommy, I would always want to play games with you. I am so touched.

The Handyman Fixed All

I took leave today to go and settle the unfinished business. I went to Cyberjaya a little early to go to TM to settle the internet problem. I was told the same thing, there are not enough ports, and I have to wait, but they don't know how long. I asked to be given information, if they can give me a timeline, say 1-2 months, I could wait; if it's going to be 6 months, I might as well sign up with their fierce competitor, P1 Wimax. The officer said, "Terpulanglah...." (Up to you.) She said she cannot promise because this is the problem to be solved at their technical department, and sometimes they don't respond. So, no luck there. I am disappointed, to say the least.
Then I went to the Domain. As I was early, I went to the 3rd floor to explore the landscaped garden. It actually look quite good, but I would really like more trees.

At almost 3pm, the handyman with whom I had scheduled an appointment arrived. I needed help to fix the clothes hanger.
In less than 30 minutes, the handyman fixed the retractable clothes hanger in the yard with his power drill. Ta-daa!
The clothes hanger is fixed high almost above the door, so that the door can be closed even when there are clothes hanging on it. I tried it afterwards, and it worked. This is the solution to the limited space in the yard for the washing machine and for drying.

Unfinished Business

After slogging for another 4 hours at the apartment today, the mirrors have all been fixed. Mirrors are from Ikea, 4 pieces per pack, and fixed vertically so that each room has a long mirror when joined together. We had to use 5 pieces each.
The curtains at the first bedroom have also been changed to a brown one, also from Ikea, because the earlier light-coloured one was no good at filtering light and heat. In the afternoon, the master room tends to get the strongest sunlight.The fridge has also been cleaned and an odour absorber put into each compartment.
The floor is mopped once more, and J put the finishing touch of a picture of Jackson Square, New Orleans, onto the wall above the dining table, to give the place a little touch of class. I bought the print in New Orleans in 2004, but I have never hung it up anywhere.
Only 2 major things left undone. J could not, despite his best effort, fix the retractable clothes hanger. He said his power drill is not powerful enough, it took him very long but the wall was very hard, he was unable to fix the support hooks which were very big. So 2 holes were left in the wall at the yard, and he gave up trying to fix it. I am looking for a handyman contractor who is able to do jobs like this. Someone with a powerful drill to put in the hooks effortlessly.
Another major thing to chase is the internet subscription for the apartment. Anie helped me apply since last month, but TM said there were not enough ports. And the worse part is, nobody at TM could tell me how long I have to wait! So much for an MSC status city....

Full House at Neocyber Apartment

Following the last viewing today, my apartment rooms are now fully rented out to 3 tenants. All male, all young & all handsome, and all from different countries.
I am just glad that all went well, it took almost 2 weeks to fill the apartment. The 2 most urgent tasks were to buy the last wardrobe and the last mattress and these were accomplished today.
Now, only a few more things left to do, which includes to duplicate keys and fix mirrors in all rooms (by request of all my handsome tenants). But the major headache now is to fix the clothes line in the yard for the tenants to dry their clothing. Although I have bought a retractable metal clothes hanger, J is still puzzling over how to fix it. Not to mention that the length is too long and he has to saw off the 3 metal bars to fit into the yard. It looks like a major task, and we'll have to solve it by tomorrow, as all the tenants are moving in next week.

Thank You

These past months I have been living in a dream. Loss of staff coupled with the busy budget season at my company have caused me to work late hours, and still I am behind time in most projects. I feel tired and burdened and spend so little time with my babies.
But this is a blog that serves to remind me of my blessings. I have a wonderful understanding family which works like clockwork even without my presence. I have a generally contented baby who goes to bed at 9pm and sleeps through the night to 6am. She has been doing that since she was 4 months old, much earlier than her brother and sister. I have a new apartment now, for which I have secured 2 tenants, and now looking for the 3rd tenant.
I am grateful for all the things that I have and glad that everything is going well for me. I am healthy and able to work and I enjoy dealing with my colleagues and my customers, even when sometimes, things look so daunting.
Recounting these blessings makes me grateful and contented, and to think of other less fortunate people who needs my help.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, I am contented and I am blessed.