August 2020 – HEALTH FREAK MOMMY

Cassandra’s Hospitalization ~ Day 3 (Monday, 31 August 2020)

Today is our country’s 63rd National Day celebration and Cass and I are still cooped up in the pediatric ward of Pantai Hospital. She and I, we seem to be always stuck with each other in the hospital from the moment she breathed her first breath 😧. I always have this hunch that in our previous life, we were twins. We even have telepathy over each other. I actually knew it a few days before she had the latest UTI attack. My right eye lid twitched and vibrated intensely for a few seconds. It’s kind of scary that I seem to be able to sense premonition about her and my other girls. My eye lids never fail to give me forebodings – 9 out of 10 times. Thus when my eye lid twitches (especially the right one), I always pray for help and try to be super duper paranoia and careful.

This is going to be a short post with more photos to do the talking. I have to drag my arse off my chair to the bed soon. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. After dropping off Sherilyn in school in the morning, I have to rush to the hospital to prep for Cass’ discharge. This is going to take the entire morning. It’s going to be a tense day for me as I am still uncertain if our insurer will approve this claim. I’ll know during discharge tomorrow. Wish me luck and do pray for me that this hospital stay will be approved by our insurer. It’s going to be a costly bill that includes several blood works, urine culture, several urine tests, ultrasound scan, Covid-19 swab test, PPE suits, costly antibiotics infusion via drips and oral antibiotics. Damn the antibiotics, something that I try so hard to avoid for my girls and myself but alas I have to give in to it. I also need prayers for Cass to never have another UTI again as each UTI will cause harm to her kidneys. Thus, the moment she felt pain on her right kidney, I stopped home remedies and brought her to the hospital.

On day 1 (Saturday) at Pantai Hospital’s A&E where we spent the entire morning through afternoon there:

Cass got her wish of having a huge Subway sandwich for lunch (grilled chicken breast) – something that I always feel reluctant to buy as I can easily prep this for her at home, except that I can’t find Subway kind of foot long buns.

Blood and urine samples were taken at the A&E too. No need to run to another block this time. Even my credit card was swiped at the A&E vs. at the Admission & Discharge Department in previous times.

Covid rapid antigen nose swab as part of pre admission SOP was done at the A&E too. For this procedure, the long wire-like apparatus that’s shoved into your nostril is enough to make even the burliest of dude to have cold feet but this fella laughed after the 3-second procedure, albeit teary eyed from the discomfort, making the nurse and I laugh too. She’s a real trooper, trained from infant to endure all these pricking and prodding. Cass had a long nasal tube inserted from her nostril into her throat without sedation during her stay at GMC Penang when she was 13 months old. I still shudder each time I have flash back of her going into a shock when the nurse inserted the nasal tube into her nostril.

See the PPE suits that the nurses donned on? The cost of the PPE will be included into our bill. All the doctors, nurses and radiologist who attended to Cass had to don on PPE suits and these will be added to our bill 😭

Our room on the 5th floor:

Though it’s a double bed room, we get to have the entire room to ourselves as there isn’t any other patient occupying that bed. I’m not allowed to sleep on the vacant bed though.

We were given a complimentary toiletry set and brand new fleece blanket in baby blue. We thought that the blanket is the hospital’s but today when Cass dropped a piece of chicken chop on it and I passed it to the nurse to send it to the laundry, I was told that it’s complimentary as well. Very nice! Wait till the bill comes!

Ultrasound scan of her kidneys and urinary tract. Thank God there was no sign of inflammation of the kidneys. What a tensed moment for me waiting for the procedure to be over before I asked the radiologist the condition of Cass’ kidneys. Renal function blood test was done too and it’s A-OK as well. PTL!

With such excellent services, friendly and helpful staff, clean room and toilet and not forgetting the airline-like food that we get to choose from a menu brought to us personally by a staff, I am very certain that the bill will run up to at least RM6k! Dear God, please let our insurer absorb 90% of the hospital bill 🤞🙏

To be continued soon…

No. of times viewed = 65

Cassandra is Hospitalized

Hi all! I just got back from the hospital. Cass has to be hospitalized for UTI. Her pediatrician is extra careful with her whenever she has a UTI attack as she’s got a right duplex kidney and had Grade III Kidney Reflux. He’s very cautious over the bacteria traveling up to her kidneys and scarring them. Thus each time Cass has a UTI with pain on the right kidney, he will order for her to be hospitalized with antibiotics infusion via IV.

It’s 11:10 p.m. now and I’ve got to force myself to my bedroom and force myself to get some sleep, though I’ll be worrying about Cass alone in the hospital by herself. It’s her first time sleeping alone in a foreign place without anyone of us with her. But I trust that she’s in good hands at a 5-star hospital with 5-star service. And I’m praying hard that the fever will break by tomorrow and she can be discharged by Monday. Also praying hard that our insurer will approve this claim, else it’s going to be a BIG OUCH to our hearts and pockets 😭.

To be continued with more stories and photos as soon as I have the time to sit down in front of my PC again.

No. of times viewed = 70

Hosting A Golf Tournament

If you are looking to host an event for charity that includes community involvement, you want to consider doing some type of golf tournament. Many people will take the time to volunteer for it and attend. It’s also something that many people can have fun doing and is fit for all ages. Hosting a tournament allows you to reach out to several people far and wide. Here are a few things you need to prepare for in order to make it a success.

Location

You should find a good spot that allows people from all over to attend. A nice course can get even more interested in attending. If you let the owner know your situation, they may offer you a special rate or give you some discounts that can help with the funds for your charity.

Celebration

The more people that enter, the better flexibility you have with prizes. You can make different levels and sections for people to register in, and you can have various contests for things like the longest drive, longest putt, and closest to the hole. Prizes could include things like golf tournament trophies, cash, or golfing equipment.

Promotion

You should be promoting your event as much as you can. Put ads on the radio, in the newspaper, and on tv. If you can get a popular speaker or celebrity to come, that could really help get the word out too. Try and pick a good time of year to do it. Choosing a weekend that isn’t a holiday is smart so more people will be available to come.

Information

Have plenty of information about the charity you are supporting. People can take pamphlets and cards so they can learn more. You want the event to inspire others to join you in fighting for the cause. The activities are great, but make sure you are flooding the event with resources that show people what it’s really all about.

Hosting a golf tournament for a charity is a great way to raise money. You can help inspire others to join you in your fight while having fun playing the game.

No. of times viewed = 70

7 Modern Updates for Your Home

Your home’s design should spark joy and comfort, as well as offering an easy-to-manage environment that doesn’t get on top of you. Modern design is popular for this reason, as it creates a more open, updated, and manageable space, as well as introducing updated aspects that make everything a little easier than it used to be.

Here are 7 great modern updates you can introduce to your home, any time.

1. Smart Technology
No modern home would be complete without smart technology. Smart tech has fast taken over almost every aspect of the home. Consider:

i. A smart security system, such as cameras or a video doorbell
ii. Smart heating to more easily control your home’s temperature
iii. Smart lighting, to control your home lights from anywhere
iv. Smart voice technology, so you can control your home simply with your voice

2. LED Lighting
Modern and sleek lighting design for your home should include LED options. LEDs are flexible for any room of your home, meaning you can alternate design depending on the room. You may want brighter LED strip lighting for the kitchen or under cabinets, and you may want bright overhead LEDs for your living space. LEDs are versatile lighting options.

3. Open Plan Living
For more open and modern living, try embracing an open plan. If you already have the space to work with, then ensure that your design between kitchen and living space is consistent and works well as a complete picture. If you don’t already have an open plan, you can consider knocking down a wall if you’re able, or else trying to create a more fluid living situation, like switching rooms around so that the living space is directly next to the kitchen (and taking off the door from the frame is always an option).

4. Sleek Kitchen Cabinets
Eliminate any old-fashioned cabinets with period features like antique handles and update your kitchen cabinets to a simple, bright design. You may want to replace old cabinets with soft push-to-open designs to get rid of handles altogether.

5. A More Modern Fireplace
If you enjoy having a fireplace, but want to eliminate the traditional or period design, you can always update to a wall-mounted or inbuilt electric fireplace, to complement the sleek and modern design of your home while still being able to enjoy the warmth of a cozy fire. Companies like stonewoods.co.uk provide a variety of modern fireplace designs, suited for any home.

6. Switch to Minimalism
Avoid outdated clutter altogether and switch to minimalist living, so that you can have a bright and open space which only uses the basics of modern design features so that your home feels clear and fresh.

7. Modern Art
Introduce modern art to your living space to give it that edge. Bold and geometric shapes can add a more modern touch, and think plainer art pieces in black and white rather than extensive and colorful canvases or portraits.

Whether you’ve always been a lover of a more modern design scheme, or whether you would like to switch and try something new, these 7 modern updates are must-haves for your home.

No. of times viewed = 29

How to Avoid Getting Sick

It’s safe to say that no one likes being sick. Being under the weather usually involves missing work or school and having to cancel plans with friends, not to mention all of the nasty symptoms and potential long-term health consequences that accompany various illnesses. Contracting an illness is unavoidable in many cases, but adhering to the following guidelines will increase your chances of staying healthy.

Get Enough Sleep
Studies have shown that the vast majority of adults require seven to nine hours of sleep each night in order to keep our immune systems in optimal condition. Skimping on sleep weakens the body’s natural defense system and makes it more susceptible to infection. Warding off sickness isn’t the only reason to get a healthy amount of sleep: sleep-deprived people have difficulty with concentration and memory, and lack of sleep has been linked to weight gain.

Man sleeping

Stay Away from Sick People
Since many diseases are contagious, a good way to avoid contracting one is to stay away from anyone who admits to feeling sick or shows symptoms. In addition to catching an illness from the respiratory droplets of an infected person, it is also very easy to get sick by touching something that an infected person recently touched. Avoid germ-covered objects for a fighting chance at staying sickness-free.

Eat a Healthy Diet
Food is fuel, and giving your body high-quality fuel is one of the best ways to make sure that it operates efficiently and is unlikely to succumb to any particular sickness. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains are important parts of a well-balanced diet. When in doubt, try to include as many different colors on your plate during any given meal as possible. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the occasional sweet treat, but it is best to keep highly processed and sugary desserts to a minimum.

Fresh & Colorful Fruits and Vegetables Free Stock Photo

Keep Yourself Hydrated
The human body is composed of up to 60% water, and drinking several glasses a day keeps all of the body’s internal processes running smoothly. If you do manage to come into contact with an illness-causing virus or bacteria, you will be able to fight it off much more effectively if your body is well-hydrated. Try carrying a water bottle with you or keeping a full glass of water by your side to make it easy and convenient to drink throughout the day.

Getting sick is never fun, but there are many ways to be proactive and stave off illness. Try to take steps each day to improve both your physical and mental health, and both your body and your mind will thank you in the long run.

No. of times viewed = 30

RMCO Day 76 – 79 (24 – 27 August 2020) ~ Random Updates

I love the colors of sunrise – the cheery scattering colors of apricot, pink, blue, grey and white splashed across the crack of dawn. I know I’ve posted many similar pictures of sunrise in my blogs and I am still going to post more as I can never get enough of it. If I could capture the most beautiful sunrise, only then, will I stop capturing them. Every sunrise gives me a brand new hope of a new beginning and a new ending to bad events and memories.

Sunrise on Wednesday, 26 August 2020 @ 6:55 a.m.

Sunrise on Thursday, 27 August 2020 @ 6:45 a.m.

If you look hard enough, you will see that KL Tower is illuminated in the colours of the Jalur Gemilang (Malaysia flag) in commemoration of our country’s upcoming Independence Day.

Cass is down with a mild UTI attack since Sunday and I’m self-treating her at home. I’m praying very hard that the pesky bacteria will not get a chance to travel up to her kidneys. Thus, Cass has to follow my strict anti-UTI regimen. If she gets high fever with pain on her kidneys, then she has to be hospitalized.

A very meaty lunch on Monday with hubs. Totally not my kind of lunch with an overload of protein, though I’m on a low-carb diet. My perfect kind of meal would be 70% vegetables, 10% carbs and 20% meat. As I get older, I find that my body cannot stomach too much meat or food for that matter. I find that I can still stay healthy with the bare minimum of food and lots of clear fluids.

Our edible garden on a squeezy balcony:

If you’re an avid edible garden planter, you’ll see that we have spring onions, sand ginger, Thai purple basil, stink grass (good for body detox and actually smells great), Malabar purple spinach and Chinese celery. The spring onions are planted from purple onions, Malabar purple spinach from stems and Chinese celery from the root end of the bunch after we ate the top part. So do not discard your vegetable stems and kitchen scraps. They can be regrown into beautiful organic vegetables. Everyday kitchen scraps from vegetables can be turned into new ones very quickly that even apartment-dwellers can do, and it’s a good way to teach kids about where food comes from. We use organic soil and use kitchen scraps (egg shells, fruit peels, unwanted fruits, etc) as organic fertilizer.

No. of times viewed = 21

Importance Of Having Good Kitchen Knives

To dish out a good meal, you need three things: fresh ingredients, cooking techniques, and a few good cooking tools. Having the right equipment helps the cook to execute the job more efficiently. Whether it’s a frying pan, wok or a set of great kitchen knives, great kitchenware makes cooking a joy.

What I really need in the kitchen to help me dish out a mean meal for my family is a good frying pan/wok and a set of sharp knives. I am very particular with my pairing knife and chef’s knife as I use them daily to cut fruits, chop vegetables and julienne onions, garlic and root vegetables.

Most well equipped kitchens have a handful of knives for different purposes. But if you are just getting started, a good chef’s knife is where you want to begin. For almost every job, a good chef’s knife will nearly always do the trick. A sharp knife does a better job of cutting or slicing food, which is obvious enough, but it also lets you work faster and safer.

If you’re a parent who enjoys cooking healthy meals for your loved ones, you will agree that a good set of kitchen knifes really helps get the job done in a breeze. A good and sharp knife from Tuo Cutlery helps you to slice meat and vegetables into consistent size and thickness effortlessly. It gives you more control over the knife with less slippage. The Fiery Phoenix series of knives from Tuo Cutlery were selected as one of the world’s best kitchen knives by wiki.ezvid.com.

A modern chef’s knife is a multi-purpose knife designed to perform well at many differing kitchen tasks, rather than excelling at any one in particular. It can be used for mincing, slicing, and chopping vegetables, slicing meat, and disjointing large cuts.

Your knife can be made with the best steel in the world, but if the knife isn’t comfortable to hold, you won’t use it. Some knife handles may even cause blisters on the hand. A good knife will feel balanced in your hand and holding the handle will feel comfortable.

If you have been thinking about getting a new set of fine knives, or if you know someone who is in desperate need of a top quality knife, or if there is someone who you would like to have a sharp knife, take advantage of Tuo Cutlery’s discounts off their range of selected fine knives while stock lasts.

No. of times viewed = 56

RMCO Day 76 ~ Monday, 24 August 2020

Today is the last day of the school holidays and Cass has a farewell party to attend at Galactic Laser @ Sunway Pyramid. It’s also 7 more days to her school exam but she is still as cool as a cucumber.

One of Cass’ besties since she was 8 years old, D’s last day at the Chinese primary school is end of August, after which she will be going to an international school to start Year 7. D also invited Miss L, the kids’ favorite class teacher since they were 8 years olds, to the farewell party as it’s also Miss L’s last few days in the school. She will be promoted and transferred to another school.

D’s parents booked the entire floor at Galactic Laser for D and her 14 classmates entirely to themselves to avoid sharing it with other users, for safety reasons during this pandemic that is still far from over. The kids also had frequent breaks where they were sanitized. The laser party started at 10 a.m. and lasted for 3 hours, after which there was lunch. After I dropped off Cass at Galactic Laser and chatted with the other kids’ parents, I joined hubs, mil and Sherilyn at Ippudo for lunch.

After brunch Sherilyn and I walked almost the entire Sunway Pyramid for 2 hours to shop and clocked in over 8k steps before we went back to Galactic Laser to pick up Cass 👍 🏃‍♀️.

Cass with her classmates who grew up with her since they were 7 year olds. Most of them remained in the same class throughout their 6 years at the Chinese primary school. Miss L (on Cass’ right) was their class teacher from Standard 2 through Standard 4. The kids dot on Miss L and are terribly sad that she will be leaving the school. The cute boy in blue tee on the far right is the top student, very bright and a gifted pianist. He shares the same birthday as Cass.

Cass may never see most of her friends again after they graduate from primary school this year end as they will all be going to different schools. Some of them will be going to international schools and many of them have applied to the same Chinese Independent High School as Cass. So if Cass passes the entrance test, she may still see some of her friends, though it’s going to be tough as the school is very, very huge and they may be placed in different classes on different blocks. I wish that these kids will keep in touch with each other via social media and hopefully they will still be friends with each other 40 years later. I still keep in touch with my pre-school friends after over 40 years! 🥰

No. of times viewed = 31

RMCO Day 72 ~ Thursday, 20 August 2020

It’s a public holiday as well as first day of school holidays today. I planned to sloth around at home and not go anywhere because the thought of going to the mall ain’t that exciting anymore. The thought of having to be in my stuffy face mask for the entire time at the mall, having to get my temperature screened, having to check in myself via the MySejahtera app each time I enter a store, choke and chafe the skin on my hands with umpteen rounds of alcohol hand sanitizer just turns me off. And the thought of having to queue up for 15 minutes to enter a store just to get one item and queue for another 10 minutes just to pay puts me off. I rather stay home and be safe! But Sherilyn had a list of stuff to buy for her school’s RBT projects, the marks of which will be included in her final exam. The marks will determine which class she’ll go to next year (Form 4). So the whole jingbang of us tagged along to Mid Valley Megamall at 10 a.m. Fortunately traffic into the mall was a breeze and finding a place to park was quick too.

Brunch was at Canton-I.

Hit by the Korean Wave aka K Culture, Alycia was dressed up in a Korean style checker jacket with a Korean made face mask (made with Aerosilver anti-bacterial fabric) 🤭 I bought the face mask from Shopee and it’s SO comfy!

After brunch, Alycia and I did some shopping together, whilst Cass went to the bookstore with grandma. It’s been years since we last did shopping together, just the both of us. I treated my big baby to all her favorite drinks – Tealive classic milk tea with grass jelly and Yomie’s purple rice yoghurt, both with less sugar. And grandma treated Cass to Dunkin’ Donuts, something that I rarely buy for the girls. Sherilyn had lunch with her classmates and then hunted for their project items together. Have I told you that I’m now hooked on Yomie’s purple rice yoghurt? The chewy and flavorful purple rice seems to blend in so perfectly well with the yoghurt and it’s really addictive too! 😋

No. of times viewed = 44

Trending Shoes For Women in 2020

Whether you’re headed to work, hit the mall or go on a date, stylish footwear will elevate your look and add a unique touch to every outfit. Own a pair of vintage sneakers or statement boots for winter, there’s an assortment of styles to choose from. You will surely have space for a few more pairs of shoes in your shoes closet to match more outfits. Check out below what the trending shoes are for women in 2020:

1. Women’s solid color velvet high heel boots
Add a stunning look to your outfit with these gorgeous wine red velvet high heel boots. Showcase them by wearing black or white shades to make them stand out. This footwear looks excellent with short skirts, dresses and a trench coat or with a midi skirt. No matter how you style them, they’ll look good on every woman.

2. Ornate Heels
Let your feet do the talking with these ornate heels. You can’t go wrong with such pretty statement heels that come adorned with crystal, gold or silver embellishments.

3 Martin Boots
Show everyone that you mean business in a pair of toughie Martin Boots from Shoessee. Whether you’re wearing them for a bike ride or taking a stroll through the city streets, these tough and stylish shoes will tie any outfit together. No matter how you pair these with, you’ll be the coolest girl everywhere you go in a set of these rugged boots.

4 . White Lace Sneakers
White sneakers are in vogue, so why not take sporty chic to a whole new level with white lace sneakers? Whether you’re wearing them because of the trend or just pure comfort, this footwear is a perfect blend of luxury and leisure. Rock it with a long skirt or short skirt, sweatpants, hot pants or jeans, and you’ll be ready to run the world in absolute comfort.

From stunning velvet high heel boots to dress sandals, casual loafers to killer heels, you’ll definitely find a favorite style at Shoessee. Let the world be your runway with these trending shoes for women in 2020!

No. of times viewed = 23

RMCO Day 69 ~ Monday, 17 August 2020

Hubs booked an appointment for me to see his physiotherapist @ BP Specialist Centre, Taman Megah to treat my painful right wrist. Actually, he had to coerce me to see the physiotherapist as I am of the opinion that physio won’t treat my hand 100%. The only cure is to rest my hand and not to overuse it. It would undo all the treatment when chores still have to be done at home. Now I understand why my previous part-time helpers often called in to tell me that they had to take a few days off as they had aches all over their body. These ladies cleaned up to 3 houses in a day, six times a week, thus can you imagine the beat-up state of their body?

My hand is actually healing well. The pain is no longer on my wrist bone but I still have difficulty turning the hand. Thus, hubs thinks that a session of physiotherapy would speed up the healing process.

I was administered Interferential and Ultrasound treatment for a duration of 30 minutes.

I didn’t feel any improvement on my hand until 2 days later. The pain is now 90% gone and I have to be extra cautious not to bend and turn it at certain angles too much to trigger a re-inflammation.

After we left the hospital, hubs and I went to Kampar Cafe @ Sea Park PJ where we tucked into time-honoured Kampar noodles, fish balls, fried fish balls, pork balls, beef balls, beef tendon balls, fried fuchuk and taufu, decadent Ipoh-style Kai Si Hor Fun and mouth-watering curry Chee Cheong Fun. What a stomach-satisfying warm meal we had after an hour of freezing cold time spent at the hospital on a wet and cold Monday morning. I washed down my brunch with hot pumpkin barley served in breakable Chinaware mugs and not cheap plastic or Melamine cups 👍. Even their hot food is served in breakable Chinaware bowls. I am super OCD when it comes to the type of tableware that my hot food touches. I cringe at the sight of hot soup put on Melamine and plastic bowls with the paint so faded that I’m convinced that I’d ingested the toxic chemicals 😬

Hubs also tapau a LOT of food from Kampar Cafe for our dinner, enough to last us for lunch, dinner and lunch again the next day 😁. He now knows that I’m happiest when we don’t have to cook. I now take every opportunity to tapau food home whenever we are out so that I can give my hand a respite from washing and moping.

Image may contain: one or more people, people sitting and indoor

Kampar Cafe
44, Jalan 21/19, Sea Park,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Daily, 8am-8pm.
Tel: 03-7496-7309

No. of times viewed = 42

RMCO Day68 ~ Sunday, 16 August 2020

I find it an irony that I had more stories to write in my blogs during the MCO when we were in home quarantine when everyday was a repeat of the previous day. Now that we’re in the recovery MCO and allowed to go out, I find that I have nothing much to update. With the girls back to school and I have lesser time for myself with school and tuition runs (with fewer hours of sleep too), I find that I have not much mood to update my blogs. All that I want to do whenever I have extra time in the day is to pay my sleep debt and get my beauty sleep 🥱 😴. By the time I finish cleaning up after dinner, it’s almost time for bed already! And if I don’t head to my bedroom by 10 p.m., I’ll be doomed tomorrow when my phone alarm buzzes at 4:30 a.m. I need at least 6 hours of sleep to be able to function the next day, or I’ll be a walking dead with a terrible foul mood the whole day with a nagging headache.

With not much updates, I’ll just post some photos taken last week ☺️

Hubby’s client’s corporate event early last week.

Note that the 1 meter social distancing at the tables were strictly adhered to with only 5 pax seated at each table.

Our dinner on Wednesday: mugwort omelette soup, braised Japanese pumpkin with dried shrimps, steamed minced pork with ‘mui choy’, stir-fried stinky beans/petai with minced pork and sauteed winged beans.

After a 5-month hiatus, I am back to driving to downtown KL (nightmare!!) at 5-ish p.m. to fetch Alycia back from school after Math tuition on alternate Thursdays now (used to be every Thursday). The drive to and from school takes an hour as it’s during peak after-office hours. I can’t wait to relinquish this duty when Alycia goes to college next year! But if she decides to remain in the high school to continue UEC (Form 6), then the nightmare continues!

My average step count by 7-ish p.m. each weekday:

No. of times viewed = 31

High School For Cassandra

Our laid back littlest brat whom I thought I’d managed to talk her out of choosing a Chinese Independent High School (same private high school as Alycia) changed her mind when almost three quarter of her classmates applied to get into this school, including her bestie, J. I told the brat that I am not in favor of her choice of high school mainly because of her lackadaisical attitude towards her studies, in particular Chinese language. Moreover her Chinese language is not strong with both parents being yellow bananas. She converses in English with her besties most of the time though she’s in a primary Chinese school. But she has been very steadfast in her decision and not at all funked by the high academic stress, high discipline and intense workload.

In Chinese Independent High Schools, students start learning Physics, Chemistry, Biology and high level Additional Math in Form One (in English and Chinese language) and the difficulty level only gets tougher by the year while students in other schools only start learning all these subjects in Form 4 (for Science stream students). Also, they have to learn almost all the subjects in both Chinese and English and sit for two examinations in both languages.

To be fair to Cass, I told her that I will give her an opportunity to apply to the high school of her choice and I challenged her to submit the online application herself. The brat took my challenge and filled out the tedious online forms herself, including submission of all necessary documents including corresponding with the school via email herself. She didn’t want me to help her at all! Her application has been successfully submitted and acknowledged by the high school. The entrance test will be in October and results will be announced in the same month. I can’t wait to know if she makes it to the high school or otherwise. I’ve been praying fervently to God to ask Him to choose the right high school for Cass. Whether it’s the high school of her choice or my choice, I pray that Cass will be happy throughout her 5 – 6 years in high school and will be blessed with dedicated teachers and good friends who are good kids who will be her forever good friends.

Our Korean lunch on Sunday at Seoul Korea — the best authentic Korean restaurant around and our all-time favorite. We really don’t mind having our once a week treat at Seoul Korea every Sunday! ❤️

Our weekly supply of organic vegetables delivered to our condo by our regular organic vegetables seller:

From top left clockwise: ‘Yeh Heong Fah’ edible flowers aka Chinese Violet Telosma Cordata (the fragrant flowers only bloom at night, thus the moniker), choy sum, winged beans and a special cross breed vegetable between choy sun and kailan.

No. of times viewed = 91

RMCO Day 58 ~ Thursday, 6 August 2020

Thursdays are my busy days as my Grab Mom duty starts from 7 a.m. and only ends at 9:45 p.m.. Now that Maria our part-time helper only comes in on Wednesdays and Saturdays, I have to keep Thursdays a non-cooking day. That is why for today, a super busy day for me with back to back school and tuition runs and a bunch of articles to write for my boss, I told the mil not to cook dinner. Post-dinner aftermath is too time-consuming to clean up and the girls can’t help as they will be at the tuition center and attending online tuition from home. Dinner for us tonight is takeaway Yong Tau Foo from my favorite shop.

Lunch is from hubby’s shop — beef lasagna and Ayam Percik, which I asked hubs to prepare extra for us when my friend ordered. His chef made extra lasagna for us which is enough for 2 more lunches for the girls next week.

The lasagna this time is bursting with ground beef, capsicum and carrots and very cheesy. The girls love it!

Delish Ayam Percik with curried roasted peanut sauce:

If you’d like to savor Malay and Western cuisines from Catermate, you can Whatsapp my hubby, Alan at 019-266 4297. Of course you can order anything that you fancy besides Malay and Western cuisine, just give him a call or drop him a Whatsapp to inquire.

Just before we left the house for the tuition center, Alycia told me that she felt hot and nauseous. These days, if any of the girls feels feverish, I can’t take it lightly anymore. I told her to stay home and gave her a packet of Izumio hydrogen water to gulp down right away with 2 capsules of Esberitox. She knocked off at 8 p.m. and woke up at 6 a.m. feeling right as rain again, phew! This is the consequence of staying up late to cram for exams recently. Now that Alycia only needs to go to school twice a week, she’s been sleeping way past midnight on most nights. And she finally admitted that it’s the late nights and lack of sleep that’s causing her to feel off-color. Alycia and Sherilyn are night owls and I’ve been having a hard time getting them to sleep by 10 p.m.

Here’s something very enlightening to me as a mom that I found from the internet! Studies have found that many teens have trouble falling asleep early. It’s not because they don’t want to sleep. It’s because their brains naturally work on later schedules and aren’t ready for bed.

During adolescence, the body’s circadian rhythm (an internal biological clock) is reset, telling a teen to fall asleep later at night and wake up later in the morning. This change in the circadian rhythm seems to be due to the fact that the brain hormone melatonin is produced later at night in teens than it is for kids and adults. So, teenagers have a harder time falling asleep.

Sometimes this delay in the sleep–wake cycle is so severe that it affects a teen’s daily activities. In those cases it’s called delayed sleep phase syndrome, also known as “night owl” syndrome. And if your sleep-deprived teen brings mobile devices into bed, surfing or texting late into the night, the light exposure could also disrupt circadian rhythm and make it harder to sleep.

So if you’re facing this problem with your teens, fret not as you’re not alone. But sometimes don’t you just wish that your teens were still toddlers or pre-schoolers who would listen to everything that you say including lights out by 9 p.m.?

No. of times viewed = 41

RMCO Day 53 ~ Saturday, 1 August 2020

I love Saturdays simply because Maria comes in on Saturdays. Maria has been our part-time helper for the last 8 years. She used to come in 5-6 times a week but because we’re on an austerity drive now, a consequence of the MCO and RMCO (and possibly another MCO/restriction order if Malaysians don’t behave and don’t adhere to Covid-19 SOPs), we have to prune off unnecessary expenses. Part-time helper is one on the list. When the pandemic eases off and hubby’s business rebounds to how it used to be, our helper can come in 5-6 times a week once again. For now, I’ll have to soldier on. Oh. My. Poor. Hands.😓

I first heard of the term “austerity drive” when I worked in the bank some 20 years ago, when the bank I worked in had to implement some austerity measures to cut costs due to recession. That was circa 1997 or 1998. So I learned a few tips and tricks to cut costs from the bank and from my parents, who also had to invoke a host of harsh cost cutting measures during the recession in the mid 1980s when my dad lost his job. I can splurge when times are good and I am also able to ride out a humble lifestyle with no luxuries. I am resilient and so are our girls. I’ve always been drilling into their heads to be thrifty and to always always have as much savings as they can for rainy days like this darn pandemic. Because it sucks and rips your entire dignity off your soul to have to borrow money from friends and relatives. This is something I wish I never have to do but if this pandemic and MCO never ends, I’m not too sure about it. Well, maybe half the world population would be dead by then 😪

As Maria is around to help us clean up, we could cook up a storm! 🤭 I dug out the packet of rack of lamb that hubs bought about a month ago and told our baking queen the menu of the day. She’s always more than happy to cook, especially new recipes. She spent almost the entire afternoon in the kitchen — first with making Taiwanese sweet potato dessert and then seared the rack of lamb.

Pistachio crusted grilled rack of lamb:

My house rule is: if you want to eat, you have to help out. And I roped in the littlest brat to make mashed potato.

Alycia the ‘tai siew jie’ (big princess) with royal fingers who doesn’t like kitchen work was roped in to cut a big cantaloupe. With an inflamed wrist, I have to delegate all the heavy duty chores to the girls whilst I stand, supervise and do spot cleaning 😁. OCD me will freak out at any crumb, juice, sauce and food remnants on the floor. The ants in our house seem to have bionic sensors as they would come and feast on even the tiniest piece of food crumbs within 5 minutes of dropping it on the floor!

Midas touch – this girl seems to have magic in her hands. Everything that she dishes out is delish!

Pan seared + oven grilled pistachio crusted rack of lamb with sides of mash and grilled carrots, celery and garlic.

Hubby’s friend went to Seremban and gifted us a famous Lucky King chicken curry bun. Gawd, it’s humongous! One bun is enough for 3-4 eaters with ravenous appetite. The chicken curry is such a delight and very flavorful. We had this for dinner as well. Yummsss!

A very pregnant bun with a huge packet of chicken curry within.

But mil and I were not too comfortable eating something that’s cooked with aluminum foil and plastic. The chicken curry is wrapped in a plastic bag and a layer of aluminum foil is then wrapped over before the bun is baked 🥶 😱. Imagine the chemicals leached out into the food!

Someone couldn’t wait to mop the curry sauce with the bun:

Photobombed by the hangry brat:

No. of times viewed = 42

The Top Reasons to Work and Grow Your Faith

According to Apostle Paul, those who follow Christ should walk by faith rather than by sight. Anyone who is a follower of Jesus knows that faith is a crucial component of their beliefs.

During the time Jesus ministered on earth, faith was something He actively searched for, and it was something that moved Him. Throughout the scriptures, though, faith wasn’t something that Christ just searched for, it was something He expected from those who followed him.

Faith is something everyone needs and that they should actively develop. Unfortunately, many followers of Christ are living by sight rather than faith, as the Bible intends. By default, they are experiencing very little of the life that Jesus worked to bring them. If you are wondering why reading the Bible and using resources like The Way International is essential, find out below.

What Does Selah Mean in the Bible?

You Will Have Issues in the World

The truth is that life is full of issues and trouble. In some situations, things just go wrong. If you do not have a strong belief that God is truly in control and that He has a plan, you may find that you slip into feelings of doubt, confusion, and discouragement.

Many people give up on building their faith because everything seems to be going wrong in their life and their world. Having faith that God uses everything happening to you for your good is a great way to achieve a balance in your life.

You Will Need to Move in a New Direction

Life is full of turns, twists, bumps, and dead ends. You may find you have to move in a new direction to end a relationship, take a new job, start a business, invest more time into your children, or even become a leader in your church. In some situations, life will move in a new direction without your consent. For example, a spouse may leave you, you plan to go to college, someone becomes pregnant, or your employer fires you. Having a strong faith in God is going to provide you with the courage to move in a new direction and take on new challenges.

Remember That Fear Is Real

Faith is needed because of fear. Fear can be paralyzing. It can and will prevent you from living a life that God created for you. There are many types of fear, including the fear of disappointing others, fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of not adequately measuring up, and more. That is probably one reason that “do not fear” is used as a command more than any other in the Bible. You must have a very strong faith to overcome all the fears you encounter in your life.

Are You Building and Growing Your Faith?

When it comes to building and growing faith, there are several reasons you should take an active role in doing this. As you can see from above, having faith provides benefits and can help you live a life that is happier and more fulfilling.

No. of times viewed = 28