Tournament, test and an assessment.

The one thing I look forward to most each week are the weekends. Weekends in Abu Dhabi starts on Friday and ends on Saturday unlike elsewhere where it is Saturday and Sunday. In Islam, Fridays are considered an Eid day. It is the most auspicious day in the Islamic calendar and most Muslim countries adopts this day as a day to devote themselves to prayers, wind down and rest. Most shops in Abu Dhabi remains close and only opens themselves for business from 4pm till late.
I look forward to Fridays as I would fully utilize it for resting. I wake up late and since everywhere is usually closed, I have no reason at all to get up early. It's my break day from my usual 5am onwards schedule. Absolute bliss.
However, this week I had to fore go my weekend break for the sake of (who else?) the kids. Sarah had insisted on taking part in a tennis tournament scheduled for Friday and which means I had to be there by 8.30am to register her. So having committed myself to my child, my Friday proved to be no respite for me. I woke up at 6am, which was a bad mistake as I ended up rushing everything and everyone in order to be at the courts by 8.30am. Made breakfast that everyone got to eat, except for myself as I had to use that extra minutes to get myself ready after making sure everyone was ready.
The tournament was, well let's just say it was interesting. Big girl had enjoyed herself despite not making it into semi-finals. Her performance wasn't her best but I guess the important thing was that she had loads of fun. I'm glad at least someone was having fun. I spent the time minding my other squabbling duo, M and H. I lost count on how many time outs I had given them. In between time outs and threats, I was also attacked by tennis balls. Must remember to wear a helmet the next time I decide to come to one of these things.
Saturday morning was lost in a haze of screaming, getting the kids out of bed and ready, making breakfast and running around looking for uniforms and belt. Both S and M had their green stripe taekwondo exam today. I am happy to report that both did very well and now the proud owners of a yellow belt with a green stripe. Another level up for them in the world of martial arts. S performed well and did try hard while M, well, I strongly feel that he had earned his stripe from the examiner due to cuteness alone. At least he tried to put a very serious face during the test which magnified his cuteness. IMO, a stripe is a stripe regardless how he earned it.

Now tomorrow, just as I thought of giving a sigh of relief from the hectic weekend, I received that dreaded email summoning little H for an assessment to get into school the following academic year. Baby is a wonderfully happy and sociable child, at least when she wants to be that is. I am worrying myself silly right now. I really don't know what her mood will be tomorrow but I have been consistently training her throughout the weekend about what to expect and what should she do. I am not sure how much of my 'training' is she getting so I decided to throw in bribery as well. If she does well, we will go to Toys r Us and get her a Barbie Dreamhouse. The mention of the dollhouse has made her a very eager recipient of my 'training.' Taught baby to say her name and age when asked. Also told her to throw in a couple of songs to enhance the adorableness factor which hopefully would appeal to the headmistress conducting the assessment. So far, so good. Only thing is whatever she has done correctly is followed by 'You buy Barbie House, okay?' Hope she won't do that during the assessment tomorrow. Last thing I want is to create a bad impression.

Am really nervous about tomorrow but at the same time, I just can't wait to get over and done with it. Desperately in need of good luck!

The Making of a Tropical Garden

I have been very busy these days creating a little garden outside. I think I may have a case of the backyard blitz. Lol.

There are plenty of trees around our house, but most of the trees are fruit trees. It's not that I don't like having fruit trees around me, it's just that it has been planted in such away that I just don't find it aesthetically appealing. The villa comes with a gardener. I have tried being subtle, telling him that we could spruce things up with some grass and flowers but he told me that grass and flowers is a waste of good ground space. Why plant grass when we could plant vegetables? He added grass and flowers are good if we were cows. Yes, I caught then sarcasm. Luckily we are not paying the man a single cent, otherwise he'd be out of a job if it was up to me. So underneath the all the fruit trees, he's planted all sorts of veges, mostly the crawly ones like string beans. Although good for our diet, these plants are visually repulsive. They grow in such a way that they look unkept and wild. Not quite the lovely sanctuary I could envision myself in. I wanted my pretty garden and what I want, I will get!

Fortunately, there is a little piece of area by the side of our house. It is mostly sand and stones. The gardener didnt touch it as he claims it is a lot of work to tend to it. For weeks I have been observing that little plot and noticed that it is actually the one spot that gets the best part of the morning sun but is still well shaded enough to avoid the harsh afternoon sun. That plot definitely had potential. I just had to figure out what to do with it.

One morning, I was invited by the mom of one of my big girl's classmate for coffee at her home. It was a very nice morning so we decided to sit outside at the patio. I stepped outside and was absolutely smitten. I swear it was like being back in Malaysia. She had manage to create a tropical sort of garden. Then it came to me, my plot would be perfect for a tropical garden and that got the ball rolling.

I had pestered DH with my idea. He didn't take me seriously. He actually thought I was quite bonkers for wanting to create a garden on what was literally just sand an stones. Had to prove to him that I most definitely have green thumbs and nothing can stop me from having that tropical garden of mine.

I used guilt to get DH to take me to a nursery (I could have gone alone but the idea of lugging pots of plants, bags of soils and fertilizers out of the car seemed better with DH doing it instead of me.)

DH was skeptical all the way but he did seem delighted when he saw the squares of fresh grass. He thought it was better to start with a few pieces first in case it didnt work out. Boy, am I going to prove him wrong. I got myself a frangipani tree, a fan palm, a kanna, five exoras and two hibiscus. It wouldn't be a tropical garden without hibiscus. We bought bags and bags of soil and fertilizers (which stunk the car but hey, no pain, no gain right?). Just to appease hubs, I only got 10 squares of grass. Yup, I paid. Getting my idea through had required sacrifice on my part. Before we left, hubs saw these cute winter flowers that I just couldn't be bothered to learn their names as I knew it wouldn't be able to last till summer and I got those as well just for hubs sake. They didn't fit into my whole tropical garden them but I got 20 of them consoling myself with the fact that they would probably be gone in 6 months. Besides, I too thought that they are kind of pretty.

So we begin planting. My gardener was right, it does take a lot of work but for the sake of my dream, I persevered. It's been a week now and my little garden is starting to look quite good. Hubs quite impressed and eagerly volunteers to water it each day. Had to educate him first on the whole over watering concept first otherwise my tropical garden will end up being a lily pond instead. Lol.

I am falling more in lobe with my garden each passing day and I hope the plants and grasses realize it and reciprocate. Can't wait to start blogging when my garden is fully done and have thrived to it's utmost potential. So far, it does look like my green thumbs are still well and working. Watch out for my next post about my garden. Tropical garden, here we come! :)

My Gym Comeback

I've decided to get back to the gym after my too-long absence. Almost 3 years to be exact. I was actually aiming for 3 times this week but had only managed to go twice. Well, as Woody Allen had said " half of life is showing up", so I am giving myself a pat at the back for making it 2 out of 3 times. I reckon that's better than not showing up at all. My Glass half full justification.

I would have gone the third time, but my aching body was crying out for help. My body had been complacent for so long that once I hit the treadmill, I think I totally shocked it or something. DH told me to give it a rest and to gradually increase the gym frequency.

Judging by my performance at the gym, no one could have guessed that I used to be such a gym junkie. I used to get withdrawal symptoms if I didnt step into a gym at least 5 times a week. Can't wait to lose these fats and regain my long lost, rock hard muscles.

I like this gym I am going to. Reminds me a lot of the old one that I used to go to back in the days. It's much smaller though, but the machines therearee similar. It makes my life a whole lot easier tring to figure out how to work it.


Since Rome wasn't built in a day, I am giving myself 3 months to get myself into the pre pregnancy shape that I had 3 years ago. Dunno if that's possible, but I have always loved a good challenge. Coming back was the hardest part but since I have overcome the beginning, now it's a matter of making it into a routine and sticking to it. Here I come towards having a lean, mean, fat-burning machine!

RIP Little One.

3 weeks ago, we found a little quail wondering around our front yard. Our home is surrounded by 6 foot walls and gate. The only way it could have entered our compound is if it flew in and since quails can't fly, weare still completely dumbfounded by how it could have gotten in.

This bird was quite a docile little creature and wasn't afraid of us. The kids were quickly taken by it and begged us to let it keep it. I am no animal lover, in fact I am not fond of them at all. I have kids and since they are already quite a handful, who needs pets?

But this little bird was different. It was fragile and delicate, I was immediately taken. Thus, it became part of our family.

The kids would feed it every morning and evening. In the evenings, when the kids were outside playing, we would release the little bird out of it's cage and let it stretch it's legs and roam around. The bird never went far and would wonder around as far as an arm's length away from us. After the kids are done playing, they would put it back in it's cage.

After a week, this little bird grew fatter and I swear, it looked happier. Call me crazy, but I just could tell that it had fallen for us as much as we did for it.

This morning, We were running late for school so I told the kids they could feed the bird later. While reversing the car, I glanced at the cage and suddenly had a bad feeling. Upon returning home, I went to the cage and the bird had disappeared. I spent half and hour going around our compound looking for it but I couldn't find it.

Then the gardener told us that he had found it's lifeless body by the cage. The bird was ripped into two. He guessed it was attacked by a cat. The gardener quickly removed it as he knew how the kids adored it and didn't want them to see what had happened to it. He was planning to bury it before the kids get back from school.

I feel sad that it is gone. I feel even sadder when I think of how frightened it must have felt before it dies and how we were not there to protect it. This little bird touched our hearts and our lives and we couldn't be there for it when it needed us the most.

I am sorry little bird. Truly, deeply sorry. You will be missed. Rest in peace little one. :(

Finally made my peace and hired a maid.

"3 kids and no maid? How do you manage?" That is the one, single question I get asked most over and over again. Gosh, some people make it sound like it's the end of the world something.

Truth it, how I've managed without a maid for so long is, I just do what I have to do. It's no easy feat, and yes my home looks like a shipwreck most of the time and yes, I have contemplated running away from home and ditching everything behind MOST of the time but at the end of the day, I am just your average responsible, loving wife and mom. So I do what all loving and responsible mom and wife do, I sacrifice my sanity.

Each day, I tell myself that I feel very empowered to be able to run a one man show managing husband, children and household. I bulldoze my way through the day and by the end of the day, crawl into the bed and wish hard that it would swallow me in. I knew I needed help. I just had to figure out how I was going to make myself ask for it.

The thing is, I feel guilty having someone clean up after me and do the things I knew I could do and felt it was my responsibility to do it and paying them peanuts for it. I say peanuts because judging by my workload I should be receiving a pay bracket similar to those of a CEO of a corporation. I am a full time, stay at home mom after all so I figured its all part of my job description However, how hard I try and push myself, I just couldn't manage to squeeze in laundry and cleaning in between kids home works, after school clubs, cooking daily meals, bedtime stories and even sex! All work and no play made me a very, very grumpy momma indeed.

Getting hired help has crossed my mind a few times but I guess all the horror stories I have been hearing about the cost, the bad help, the end of your privacy and how having a maid would only make your life mor complicated just put it off for me.

So after a few heart palpitations, an anxiety attack and a couple of nervous breakdowns, I had a revelation. These people with the horror stories, they're not living my life. They are not a full time helicopter mom like me. They don't have 3 kids and a husband who simply could not possibly function without me. If a CEO gets an assistant, I deserve one too. Cost wise, I am getting peanuts for what I am doing, why not pay somebody else the peanuts and I can minus the headache. Bad help is better than no help. Privacy? Privacy had ended a long time ago for me when I had kids. Last but not least, the complications, a risk that I am willing to take as what's life without a bit of drama right?

And now ladies and gentleman. I introduce you my maid, R. She has been absolutely wonderful. My frown line has disappeared. My house is clean, neat and tidy. Laundry has simply vanished. I have finally been able to go to the gym ( well, so far only once but heck... I've only had her for less than 2 weeks!) There are more laughter and smiles, mainly from me. The screaming has stopped ( well, on my part anyway) and kids, dad and mom are a more happier bunch.

To be fair, I told R that the kids are off limits, that's my job. Cooking is also me but she can help with prep if she is not busy with other chores and a day off each week. She seems as happy with the deal as I am. I even told the kids and husband that R is meant to help me. Not them. So she is off limits to them too. If they want a cup of water either get it themselves or ask me. Not R. I don't what to pass her the burden of my my kids, that will surely scare her and then I will end up with a runaway maid in my hand.

I am feeling very happy and contented right now. I should have gotten help sooner. Well, as the saying goes, better late than never. :)

Back again.

Here I am again at old, new blog. When I closed my old blog and decided to start this new one, I had promised myself to give it the same amount of dedication and enthusiasm as I did to my old one but I guess some promises are easier made than kept.

Now that I am back again, I've some changes. Well, actually 2 changes to be exact. Changed my blog name and my display name. Decided to go back to my old blog name, adding a little alteration. I really did love my old blog, and I guess the new one didn't feel quite right so I figure, why change a good thing. So here I am...back to 'My Thoughts or Whatever' and adding Abu Dhabi as it is where I am right now.

My new blog now feels like my old one...and it's absolutely perfect. They say third time's a charm..so let's see how this turns out. :))