It’s the rainy season again and this means that I’m faced with the problem of getting all our wet laundry dried on time. When I say ‘on time’, it means that the five or six loads of laundry (yes, you read it right!) that I do every day need to be dried on the same day coz the next day I have another five to six loads of laundry to settle again. Every single day, clock work cycle, except during the lockdowns when everyone stayed home.
So it’s during this time of the year or when there are guests staying with us that I have to crank up the otherwise under-utilized clothes dryer.
After the dryer ended its cycle today, I opened the door and lo and behold, the door felt jammed up and then the metal hinge snapped and broke into a few pieces. And the entire door came off! Luckily it didn’t land on my feet!
I couldn’t believe my eyes. How could this happen to an almost brand new, hardly ever used clothes dryer?
Great, what a perfect timing for the door to fall off! Now with no dryer to use, there are clothes hanging every where in our house 😐. And it’s been raining the entire day. The weather forecast says that it’s going to be wet and chilly until February next year.
Gifts from my youngest SIL who arrived from Hawaii early this morning and is staying with us…
My favorite Nama chocolates from Royce. She bought these and other snacks from an airport in Japan during transit.Sweet corn puffs.Matcha almond chocolates from Royce. Another favorite chocolate of mine.Some matcha cakes.Pocky Shinshu Kyoho flavor, a new flavor which I’ve not seen yet in Malaysia. The coating on the biscuit sticks is made with the juice of Kyoho grapes grown in Nagano.
With another visiting SIL in KL, there will be more food, snacks, cakes and celebrations for the next 10 days 😜.
Today is an anticipated public holiday announced by our new PM to celebrate a new government. The eldest SIL treated all of us to a sumptuous lunch before her flight back to HK the next day and then to the UK.
SIL gave Sherilyn the liberty to choose a restaurant of her choice and she chose Tamaruya Honten Teppanyaki at The Gardens Mall. The restaurant is within Isetan.
Tamaruya Malaysia Sdn Bhd is operated by an established brand, Wasabi Tamaruya Honten Japan which has a long history in Shizuoka, Japan.
Our starters:
Toasted foccacia with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.Tamaruya Platter ~ consists of Tamaruya style pie tee and filo prawns with our choice of dipping @ RM36.Mushroom soup (RM20) and Tamaruya seafood chowder soup (RM24).Tebasaki platter ~ consists of fried drummets and wings coated with Japanese dark sauce served with wasabi creamy sauce @ RM29
On the teppan selection:
Sherilyn and I both ordered Teppan Barramundi fillet served with mashed potato and teppan assorted shrooms @ RM54.
Alycia, hubs and his aunt each ordered teppan beef. I didn’t take note of which is what but they ordered pure Angus ribeye (RM129) and sirloin steak.
After our hearty meal that costs almost RM1k, the girls went Christmas shopping with their koo ma — for Nike shoes! Each of them got a pair of Nike shoes that costs more than my most expensive Nike shoes ever. Lucky girls. Wish I had someone to splurge on me too 😜
Cass and I spent our Sunday today at Pavillion Bukit Jalil again. While she went for figure skating class, I had lunch alone at Sushi Zanmai.
After lunch, I sauntered around the mall aimlessly, with nothing in mind to buy. Most of my purchases are now made online, which are cheaper. I recently started shopping for clothes online at Shein and am now hooked 😬. Shein is a reputable fast fashion company based in China and is the world’s largest fashion retailer. I received my first order of clothes from Shein last week, was very pleased with the quality and have just made another order yesterday 😊
When I go shopping at the mall now, I can’t help but compare the prices of clothes, shoes and bags with Shein’s and other online shopping platforms which I usually shop at. The price difference is often vast, which is why I hardly buy from a physical shopping mall anymore, except for shoes. I am very finicky with my shoes as I want to try them on and make sure that they’re comfortable and fit my feet well before purchasing.
After Cass’ class was over, we ambled around the mall’s Centre Court (where the Spanish Steps and the Golden Rooster are). Pavilion Bukit Jalil has launched an exciting Disney-themed festive celebration titled “From Our Family To Yours” until 26 December 2022. There will be ample of photo opportunities for visitors with all the Disney-themed displays inspired by the enchanting worlds of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.
Cass was so excited when she found out that Malaysia’s Olympic figure skater Julian Yee will be performing at the Festive Ice Skating Show at the Blue Ice Snow Park on Christmas Eve at 2.30pm followed by a meet-and-greet at 3pm. If we’re in KL on 24th December and have nothing to do, we’ll bring her to meet the awe-inspiring Julian Yee.
My delightful low-carb lunch of grilled Teriyaki saba and chuka wakame salad. My refreshing avocado + banana smoothie from JUICY, Korea’s no.1 juice brand
After a week of being cooped up at home battling Covid, the four Coviders are now negative and well again 💪.
I’m so happy that my sense of taste and smell have slowly returned. Though not 100% functional yet, I am still happy that I could partially smell and taste my food. I was so relieved when I could taste the Portugese egg tarts and Unagi rice that the eldest SIL bought for us yesterday.
I went for my first brisk walk in 12 days this morning. I walked to the shops to get roast chicken, while I got to soak in the glorious morning sun.
I hope Alycia, hubs and Haru will be spared from the nasty virus. Haru seemed to know that I wasn’t feeling well. She was very clingy to me the past few nights – she kept swiping me with her paws and jumped up to sit with me on my chair. Haru is not a clingy cat nor does she like hugs and cuddles. She seems to be very aware of things that are going on in the house. She’s like a little human stuck in a cat’s body.
The worst part of having Covid was the extremely parched throat for the first three days, the nose block which made it hard for me to sleep at night and subsequently loss of smell and taste. I had Covid about four months after my second booster jab. This is how long the protection lasts. With this infection, I may have have immunity for another 3-4 months. Hopefully there will be no second time for me and the rest of us.
Breakfast by chef S ~ pan-toast Jalapeno & cheese bread, fried wallet egg, sweet potatoes, salad and cumin cheese.
We voted on 19 November 2022 and fulfilled our responsibilities as a dutiful citizen. Alycia also voted for the very first time. However, till today there is still no decision made on a new government and it looks like there is a protracted political impasse 🥱
Powerboat racing is a popular sport that involves competition in races. The mark consists of different classes; athletes compete from all over the world. The sport has grown in popularity. Multi-athlete racing teams are formed. Many leagues and organizations govern the sport. These organizations are usually affiliated with the powerboat association of the country.
Races
Powerboat racing involves ocean-going boats competing against one another. There are various powerboat races, including point-to-point and offshore racing. Typically, offshore racing is point-to-point. Offshore powerboat racing is famous for amateurs and professional boaters like Hugh D. Fuller.
Powerboat racing has been around for several centuries. Historically, the sport was popular in Europe during the inter-war years. In Europe, powerboat racing was popular in rivers and lakes. During this time, hydroplanes were powered by Evinrude outboard engines, while later, Johnson, Lockwood, and Elto outboards were used. In the 1960s, powerboat racing became more competitive. As a result, the navigator’s position became increasingly important.
Today, powerboat racing is an international sport with many leagues and competitions. Athletes compete individually or as teams in these competitions. A multi-athlete squad, for example, competes in the F1H2O UIM World Championship. Powerboat racing has a variety of rules and regulations, but the basic principles of the sport are the same.
Classes
Powerboat racing is a water-based motor sport in which boats reach speeds of up to 225 kph. They compete to complete a set course in a timed, competitive manner. While some races focus on speed, others are primarily endurance events. Powerboat racing is a dangerous sport. It is divided into two categories: circuit racing and inshore racing.
There are different rules for each class and other requirements for boats competing in them. For example, ships can only go faster than the speed bracketed for that class. If a vessel is caught breaking the speed bracket, it will be given last-place points and will start the next race in the outside lane. In addition, every boat must be equipped with GPS units to ensure safety.
Costs
Knowing that the costs can add up quickly is essential if you’re planning on competing in powerboat races. For example, boats that compete in the Sarasota 500 are huge and require two trucks to pull them. In addition, the boats typically reach speeds of up to 185 mph. As a result, the cost of the boat, engine, trailer, crew, and entry fees can add up quickly.
A boat can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $750,000, depending on the cockpit type and horsepower. In addition to the boat, you’ll need a high-quality pit crew and good audio equipment. Despite the high initial investment, many powerboat racing teams rely on sponsors to help cover expenses. So spare parts and equipment costs can add up even if you only want to compete in one or two races. Propellers, for example, can cost up to $30,000 each.
Where to watch
If you want to watch powerboat racing, there are many places you can find it. Many teams from across the country compete in multiple racing classes during a two-day series. Many of these races are televised nationally, with some televised. You can also watch the live streaming from the P1 Offshore website.
The Sarasota Boat Races are famous, attracting as many as 50,000 spectators along the beach. However, they’re popular with die-hard fans, who can show up early and take a spot to watch the action. The beach is also packed with picnic tables, colorful umbrellas, and BBQ grills, so protecting the races from an excellent vantage point is easy.
The four Covid virgins in our household finally lost our Covidginity 🤪.
Me, Cass, the mil and Sherilyn have been down with Covid.
I was out at Pavillion Bukit Jalil with Cass on Sunday and felt unusually enervated after walking around the mall for 2 hours. The shopping queen in me usually have no issues walking for hours on end at the mall without feeling tired. I once shopped for 10 hours with my youngest SIL at One Utama and didn’t feel achy or tired a wee bit. But this time, I felt different. By evening after we came back from the mall, all I wanted to do was to shower and sleep.
The next day I woke up with a scratchy throat, mild cough, throbbing head and pain in the eye balls. I knew that I was about to get a flu with fever. I had a hunch that I had Covid. Whenever I have a bad flu, my eye balls would hurt. I did a self-test (nasal swab) and the result turned out negative. Two days later I did another nasal swab test and this time it’s positive.
Your self-test kit could still be negative when you’re actually Covid-positive. This could be due to a low viral load at the onset of the infection. If you have persistent symptoms, do continue performing a self test.
The next day Cass started to show symptoms as well. She did a self test (saliva) and a faint line appeared. It does not matter whether the line on the T’ window is faint or dark. As long as there are double lines on the test kit, you’re positive.
On the same day, the mil started to cough. She was the least suspicious of being infected with Covid as she was feeling well, except for an itchy throat. The next day just as she was about to go swimming, I told her to do a self test first. And the test turned out positive too! From getting ready to go swimming one moment, she ended up swallowing Paxlovid several hours later as she’s a high-risk individual with comorbidities.
Paxlovid is the latest COVID-19 treatment that’s been all over the news. The drug was granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2021 for anyone ages 12 and older who weighs at least 88 pounds, and is at high risk for severe disease.
Paxlovid is an oral antiviral pill that can be taken at home to help keep high-risk patients from getting so sick that they need to be hospitalized.
Paxlovid is only available at selected government and private healthcare facilities. The hubs managed to get Paxlovid from BP Specialist Centre @ Taman Megah, PJ. The drugs are given free by the government, however, hubs had to pay for doctor fees as he got it from a private hospital.
Paxlovid must be taken within five days of developing symptoms (6 tablets a day). Like all antivirals, Paxlovid works best early in the course of an illness—in this case, within the first five days of symptom onset. And for this reason, hubs had to drop everything that he was doing to rush to the hospital to grab hold of Paxlovid.
And finally, five days later, the darn virus got the better of Sherilyn. Sherilyn who has an on-going SPM Trials to sit for will have to skip school next week. There’s another classmate who is also down with Covid. She and this classmate would have to sit for the remaining papers on other dates when they are well enough to return to school.
Today is my 7th day and I lost my olfaction partially 😩. Everything that I eat is tasteless and I could barely smell anything, except for strong smelling things like essential oils. Besides, I also had quite a bad throat on the first two days, blocked nose for three days, chills and a low-grade fever for 1.5 days. It’s not as bad as I had thought but would never want to get Covid again. What I really want right now is my sense of smell and taste again 🙏
On the same day that I tested positive for Covid, my papa in Ipoh also tested positive! My poor mum who has weak lungs and asthma has to take care of papa while fearing that she would also get infected.
Covid is far from being over and removed from the surfaced of the earth. It’s getting even more forceful with continuous mutations and new variants. Very soon, if you’re the rare one who hasn’t gotten Covid before, you’ll be labeled as someone who lives in a cave, far away from civilization 😬
Alycia’s bosses who are ever so generous with their staff gifted us a loaf of lemon thyme cake and Jalapeno cheese loaf from their cafe to cheer us up when Alycia told her bosses that we’re down with Covid. I super love the lemon thyme cake as it’s rich in flavors and most importantly, not overly sweet.
Cass’ final exam for 2022 was finally over yesterday after 2 long weeks. The next day we went to the skating rink at Sunway Pyramid to get her new figure skates.
I thought that the skates only cost RM850 but they’re actually RM950 and they’re the cheapest pair. And it didn’t stop at the skates. She had to get a pair of blades protector and fluffy skates covers which cost RM55 per accessory. The total damage was over RM1,000!
The skates can only be worn up to a certain level and Cass would need more advanced skates that costs over RM2,000 a pair for competitive skating! 😲
And if Cass is into competitive figure skating, she would need costumes and more accessories. The costliest part would be the skating lessons and time on ice. It would cost at least RM1k a month if she took the competitive skating route and Cass is 100% certain that this is the route that she wants to take 😵.
I am definitely not in agreement with Cass’ decision, mainly because of the cost and also the time that she would need to spend at the skating rink. For a beginner competitive skater, she needs to attend a minimum of two hourly lessons twice a week and another minimum 2 hours of self practise per week at the skating rink.
I cannot imagine myself sending Cass to Pavillion Bukit Jalil or Sunway Pyramid twice – thrice a week after she comes home from school at 4 pm. By the time we reach home, it would be way past my bedtime.
Sangeetha, a Malaysian competitive figure skater who’s 14 (Cass’ age) starts her day at 4am thrice a week. Her dad sends her to Sunway Pyramid to practise at 6am after which she goes to school. She’s currently ranked 8th in Asia.
I am definitely not ready to be doing this. NO way! 🤪
Trying out her new skates @ Sunway PyramidCostly figure skates on display at the skates shop.
While Cass had a 2-hour skating session, I walked around Sunway Pyramid, trying to find Wok Hey to get take-out for dinner. We tried the fried rice and fried ramen from Wok Hey once when Alycia bought them for us and everyone liked it.
Wok Hey is a fast-casual, quick, takeaway kiosk concept inspired by Cantonese-style cooking and traditional stir-fry staples in a box that was introduced as Singapore’s finest Asian stir-fry cuisine. With the title of “Singapore’s Best Fried Rice”, Wok Hey has earned the hearts of Singaporeans and now Malaysians.
I had no idea where Wok Hey is as Sunway Pyramid is very huge, with an old wing and new wing. I didn’t manage to use the electronic directory as there were long queues at every directory. So I Whatsapped Alycia to ask her where the stall is but Alycia was working and only replied me many hours later. By the time she Whatsapped me, I had already found the stall and it’s located just a floor above the skating rink! So near yet so far and I wasted 2 hours walking around the mall looking for it 🤣. But it’s ok, it was a great way to exercise and I chalked up over 10k steps just walking at the mall.
After getting takeout from Wok Hey, we segued into Taco Bell as Cass wanted to try it after reading so much about this famous fast food chain.
Great fried rice and fried ramen at affordable prices. We were never disappointed with the food from Wok Hey.
The next day, I took Cass to Pavillion Bukit Jalil for her figure skating lesson. While she skated for 2 hours, I walked around the mall for 2 hours, with nothing in mind to buy and chalked up another 10k steps just at the mall. I cannot imagine myself doing this every Saturday and Sunday for the next few years 😳
With a big box of old photo albums that hubs carted back from his office, I can’t help but to flip through them. I love going through old photos and videos and reminisce about the thrilling days of yesteryears.
With the advent of better quality phone cameras, I stopped using my Nikon camera and have stopped getting photos printed out at the photo shop. Since I’m paying Google every month, I have more than sufficient space in my Google Photos to store all my photos.
But nothing beats going through physical photos of yesteryears.
For those of you around my age, I’m sure this Smash Hits Yearbook evokes happy memories. This is the book that stans of singers and actors looked forward to get a copy each year. Jam packed with colorful posters, interviews and much more info on our favorite idols, this used to be my favorite book of all times during my teenage years.1989 ~ 16-year old me with Shin Seok Kyo, a Korean hockey player who came to Ipoh for a hockey match. I googled Shin Seok Kyo and found out that he’s now South Korea’s head of hockey coach. WOW, I’m star-struck 😆1989 ~ the best year of my life. It was the year that I went on the most camping trips, including a 10-day Wilderness Adventure Camp (similar to Outward Bound School) in Lumut.Circa 1989 (16yo) ~ camping trip in Pulau Kapas, Terengganu. During this trip, we thought we were going to get abducted by pirates coz the teacher who organized the trip spotted a boat through his binoculars and the boat was coming towards the beach where we were camping. That was around midnight. We all went into hiding and were scared shit. Luckily the boat detoured and we slowly came out of hiding.1989 ~ camping trip in Pulau Kapas with my besties, Jo and Jennifer Tai. Till today, we’re still good friends though we’re living in different continents. They’re both living in the US of States. Top pic – we met Ulrich Keller, a solo camper from Germany in Pulau Kapas and became good friends throughout our camping trip. He even taught us some simple German words. We corresponded by snail mail with each other for a while after the trip and then lost contact with each other forever.Obstacle course during my Wilderness Adventure Camp in Lumut.Circa 2001 (28YO) ~ with my erstwhile boss, some big shot Dato’.
Today I’m going to show you guys the face behind this blog. The face that’s been hiding behind a veil for the past 15 years 😜.
Hubs has been spring-cleaning his office to free up space and lugged back boxes of old photo albums that were kept in his office for decades. I found lots of old photos of myself from my own babyhood through my pre-baby days. Going through those old photos sure brought back lots of happy memories. How I miss those good old days.
Though corporate life was super stressful, but hey I enjoyed the camaraderie with my colleagues. What I really miss the most are those big fat paychecks. Gone are the days when I could buy any of my whims without batting an eyelid.
I bought this Salvatore Ferragamo handbag during my heydays in the early 2000s. I had totally forgotten about this bag until I found it by accident when I was sifting through some old stuff. This bag cost over RM3k at that time. Though the bag is 20 years old now (older than my eldest daughter!), it still looks good. I polished the leather with a dab of Melaleuca’s leather polish and it’s now almost good as new.
20 years old Salvatore Ferragamo bag but still looking good, except for some scratches on the metal buckle.
I also found this LeSportSac tote bag together with the Ferragamo bag.
This LeSportSac bag still looks 99% brand new, though about 15 years old.
Now I have two ‘new’ bags to alternate with the old ones 😬
And now, the moment that some of you have been waiting for, tadaaaa…
Me in my Renong uniform, which we had to wear every Monday. I was about 28 years old then and looking so young, sans the wrinkles, crow’s feet and thinning hair! Back then I was a PA to a Dato’ in the conglomerate. Occasionally, I had to be the relief PA to Tan Sri Halim when he came over to our office to sign documents.In my office. Check out the dino-age desktop PC and the blue Nokia mobile phone 🤭. Also check out the charging Blackberry phone on the topmost photo. In those days, it was swanky to be holding a Blackberry. That phone was provided for by the company while the Nokia was my personal. I also carried a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and an executive brief. Those were the days when I had to carry so many electronic gadgets around, even when I went on leave as my boss would call me to ask me things even during my rest days and holidays.
I can’t remember if hubs ever snored in the past but I could sleep quite soundly next to him. Even if he did snore, it was mild and not nerve wracking. But he started to snore obnoxiously over the past three years – power drill level snoring!
His snores are so bad that I would be slapping his hands and kicking his legs throughout the night to wake him up to stop the snores. But that would only wake him up momentarily and then he goes kruuuuuuuuuukaaaaaahhhwaaaaaakeeeeeehhhhhh again, the entire night, every single hour.
His snores were killing me. I would wake up to a very grumpy, antsy, angry and unwell self. I was angry with him for snoring, though it’s beyond his control. I told him to see a doctor as he may be suffering from sleep apnea but he’s always too busy.
My sleepless nights and his snores caused us a little tension and he decided that it’s best for him to sleep in the living room. Too bad we don’t have an extra room in the house and he has to sleep on a mattress on the floor. The nights that he slept outside were my best nights as I could sleep like a baby.
After several weeks of sleeping outside, hubs would come in to sleep again as he often complains that sleeping outside is not as cozy as sleeping on a bed in an air-conditioned room. But the whole vicious cycle of his obnoxious snores, followed by me hitting and kicking him and yelling out to him to stop snoring repeats. And out he goes to sleep again. And then he comes in again after a couple of weeks. Clockwork cycle.
I have tried all the possible methods to block out or reduce the sounds of the snores but none really worked. I tried to reposition our sleep positions on the bed up to 4 different positions but I could still hear his snores loud and clear in the still of the night.
I bought anti-noise earplugs from Lazada and those didn’t help at all. My mil gave me her brand new silicon ear putty that she bought from Chiangmai just before the pandemic but that didn’t work for me too. Funnily, sounds are even louder when the earplugs are put on!
Plastic ear buds bought from Lazada and silicone ear putty. Both don’t work for me.
My latest sleep experiment is listening to music which I download. These are deep sleep music, white noise sounds, sounds of nature (waterfall, water flowing, crickets, thunder and rain playing in the background of piano music or jazz), baby lullabies and noise eraser beats into Sherilyn’s Spotify app using her spare phone and played them throughout the night. That managed to help me quite a bit but it annoyed hubs 🤣. Well that’s my intention. To wake him up so that I get to sleep!
When hubs came back to the room to sleep last week, I did not get any shut eye for two days in a row as his power drill level snores were killing me throughout the night. I was enraged. And I fell really unwell after the second night, with a swollen lymph node behind my ear. I felt like I was coming down with a flu and sore throat. I just felt terrible. I drank a sachet of Lian Hua yesterday and lots of coconut water and this managed to put me back to life again.
Hubs went back to the living room to sleep last night and I managed to sleep like a baby again last night. Peace and bliss! 😆
According to Bustle, sleep divorce can actually have a positive impact on a relationship if the couple discusses the specifics of how it can help, how long they intend to maintain this arrangement, and alternate ways of establishing connection and intimacy outside of sharing a bed.
The ideal way to do this is to make sure that both partners have comfortable sleep environments when they decide to sleep separately — otherwise poor sleep and resentment can take over, like in our case.
Sleep divorce tends to work out well for couples who really take the time and thought required to make it a positive arrangement — especially when the intention is to enhance the love and contentment in your partnership. Getting poor quality sleep is linked to more frustration and irritability, less patience, lower attentiveness, more aggression — aka the perfect recipe for conflict.
Does your partner snore? How do you guys counter this issue amicably? Would love to hear from you.
This kind of soothing music lulls me to sleep and drowns hubby’s snores at night. Baby lullabies are excellent for me too 🤭
I also learned something new today. By tapping on Loop (right click), the playlist will repeat continuously.
As Halloween is approaching, the radio station that I usually tune in to is having an airtime on spooky tales where listeners can call in to relate their spooky encounters with the paranormal, ethereal, phantasm and whatnot.
That reminded me of my encounter with an apparition when I was about 3 or 4 years old.
It happened circa mid 1970s. We were still living in our old single-storey house at Moonlight Park, Ipoh. Papa would carry me to my baby cot every night and then he would pull the little orange musical owl hanging above the cot that would continuously play a night time lullaby music until the string goes up again.
One night, just after papa had left the room after putting me into my cot, a white apparition of a middle-aged man wearing glasses appeared at the foot of my baby cot. I stood up and walked to the foot of the cot to see who the uncle was. The apparition, who was very skinny, stood there expressionless and was blurry greyish, whitish. Naively, I called him several times and reached out my hand to try to ‘touch’ him but there was no response and of course I could not feel anything. Tired of getting no response from that uncle, I went back to sleep, sans any perception of fear. I can’t remember if I’d told my parents about the incident the next day but many years later I did tell my mum and she just brushed it off as my imagination. Years later when I related the incident to my mum again, she said that it could be her late father, based on my description 👻😱 .
That was not my solo encounter with the paranormal. I had a brief encounter with a white vision on the third or forth day that my maternal granny passed away. But I shall tell the story another day. It’s time for me to 😴now 🥱.
My brunch with hubs today at Front Room Cafe @ Taman Desa. The food was scrumptious and we were both very pleased with the food and excellent customer service from the boss (who’s Alycia’s boss during the weekends). This is smoked salmon on housed-baked English muffin with perfectly poached egg benedict and a refreshing salad with capers, balsamic and nuts. We literally wiped the plate clean.Crispy waffle with ice-cream.Delectable lemon poppy seed cake.
It’s the exam season now. This means that I’m not allowed to turn on the radio at home. And I hear someone purging out her memorized lines throughout the day.
Cass who sits next to me asked me today if she could turn off my radio, to which I said OK. Minutes later when I went to our work area, I heard Joe Hisaishi’s music blasting away from her laptop.
Me – I thought you wanted absolute silence so that you could study in peace?
Cass – But mine is music, without lyrics. Music calms my mind. With songs, my head keeps hearing the lyrics and I can’t focus.
Ok Ok, whatever. I shall sacrifice for a week or two without my favorite songs. I’m so glad that Cass is back to school tomorrow after 5 days of Deepavali holiday. When she’s around, she cooks and messes up the kitchen in the mornings. And I’m deprived of my radio. And she messes up her desk and the surroundings and then gets pissed off when I try to clean up her dirty desk. Next, the ants will invade her space and floor and I can’t put anything too poisonous on the floor to rid the ants or risk getting Haru poisoned again😠
Cass made us overnight oats with chia seeds yesterday. She melted a few squares of my Lindt 90% dark chocolate as topping and sprinkled crushed Oat Crunch biscuits, fresh blueberries and strawberries on top. Yummy overnight oat and chia, which tastes like a pudding.A simple overnight oats and chia with gula Melaka, blueberries and strawberries.
Early this week, I received a Whatsapp message from a Ninja Van delivery rider, informing me that he had delivered my parcel. He further sent me a photo of the parcel that he left at our condo lobby. It was 1.11 p.m.
At 4-ish p.m., I drove to the lobby to collect the parcel after fetching Sherilyn and her friend from school. But I couldn’t find my parcel. I asked the security guards at our condo to help me find my parcel and the three of us searched high and low but could not find it.
I suspected that the delivery rider had written the unit number incorrectly (with a marker pen) on the parcel and another resident took my parcel. My unit number is *20 and I suspect that the delivery rider had written *2 on the parcel without the 0.
Finally the chief security guard said that he will review the CCTV recordings. He rewound the video to 1.11 p.m. and watched it for more than half an hour before he found the lady who inadvertently took my parcel. We suspect that the lady is from the other block on unit *2. I asked the guard to retrieve the parcel from the lady and send it to my unit. After an hour of suspense, I finally got my parcel. And my guess was correct. The delivery rider had written my unit number without the number 0, thus the resident from unit *2 took my parcel.
I’m glad that I live in a condo with 24-hour CCTVs to track who goes in and out of the condo; whose parcel arrived and who took them and notification from the guards before anyone is allowed into the lift area. I can even leave my unit for hours without locking my door, though I will only do it when I have no choice, like when I have to fetch Sherilyn back from school and the timing coincides with Cass coming home from school.
If you reside in Melbourne, you are aware of the significance of having a functional air conditioner. The hot summers can be unbearable without one. But air conditioners can be expensive to maintain. Visit the air conditioner service cost Melbourne website right away for more details!
Here are some suggestions to help you cut costs on air conditioning cleaning in Melbourne:
Do it yourself: You don’t need to hire a professional service to clean your air conditioner. Just follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to clean it yourself.
Clean the filters: The filter is one of an air conditioner’s crucial components. If it’s dirty, it might obstruct airflow and make the appliance work harder, which would raise your energy costs. Every month, clean the filter or replace it.
Schedule regular maintenance: Have an expert technician check and service your air conditioner annually. This will help it run more efficiently and catch any potential problems before they become expensive repairs.
Use a programmable thermostat: This will help you save energy by only cooling your home when needed.
Keep your home cool: The cooler your home is, the less work your air conditioner will have to do. Use fans, open windows, and close blinds during the day to keep your home cool.
Following these tips, you can save money on A/C cleaning in Melbourne and keep your air conditioner running longer.
Why You Need Ac Maintenance?
Your air conditioner is one of the essential appliances in your home, and it needs to be properly maintained to function properly. Here are four reasons why you need AC maintenance:
To prevent breakdowns – Regular maintenance can help prevent unexpected breakdowns and prolong the life of your AC unit.
To improve efficiency – A properly maintained air conditioner will operate more effectively, resulting in lower energy costs for you.
To prevent repairs – AC maintenance can help identify potential problems before they become expensive repairs.
To ensure safety – Properly maintained AC units are less likely to pose a safety hazard in your home.
Investing in AC maintenance is an important part of being a responsible homeowner. Contact a reputable AC company to schedule regular maintenance for your unit.
Air Conditioning Cleaning: Split & Ducted Systems
If you have a split or ducted air conditioning system, it’s important to clean it regularly to prevent it from becoming a breeding ground for mould and bacteria. Here’s how to clean your system:
On the switchboard, disconnect the power to your air conditioner.
The air filter should be taken out and cleaned in warm, soapy water. Before reinstalling it in the device, give it a thorough rinse and let it dry completely.
Vacuum the coils on the indoor and outdoor units using a soft brush attachment on your vacuum.
The coils and the inside of the air conditioner’s cabinet should be cleaned with a solution of one part bleach to four parts water.
Before turning the power back on, thoroughly dry the coils and cabinet after giving them a clean water rinse.
In the summer, a split system air conditioner is a fantastic way to keep your house cool. Split system air conditioners are easy to instal and maintain, and they can be used to cool both your home and your office. Split system air conditioners are available in a range of sizes and shapes, so you can pick the one that best suits your needs. Because they can help keep the air in your home clean and free of allergens, split system air conditioners are also a fantastic option for people with allergies or asthma.
Most Common Air Conditioning Cleaning And Repair Problems In Melbourne?
Air conditioning can be a very important part of your home, keeping you comfortable in the summer and trimming in the winter. When it works well, it’s a great appliance to have. But air conditioning can also be tricky. Sometimes something as seemingly minor as a dust mote can cause your AC to stop working. And even if your AC is running slow, there are still things you can do to keep it running energy efficient and without hassle. Here are the top five most common AC cleaning and repair problems:
Dust Mites: One of the biggest reasons your AC might not be efficient is dust mites. These tiny critters love old air conditioners, basements, and any other warm, dry place where they can multiply quickly. When the dust mites start feeding on the condensation on your cooling coils, it creates an unhealthy environment that ruins your system.
Leaking Refrigerant: If your AC isn’t cooling correctly, it could be because it’s leaking refrigerant. This serious problem needs to be fixed immediately, as it can cause your AC unit to freeze and stop working.
Dirty Filters: Another common problem with AC units is dirty filters. When the filters get clogged with dust and dirt, it is harder for the AC unit to circulate quality air properly. This may result in a number of issues, including reduced effectiveness and increased AC unit wear and tear.
Condenser Coils: The condenser coils are responsible for dissipating heat from the refrigerant. If they get dirty, it is harder for the Air con unit to cool the air properly.
Thermostat: The thermostat is responsible for regulating the temperature in your home. If it’s not working correctly, it can make your AC indoor and outdoor units work harder than it needs to, leading to increased wear and tear and decreased efficiency. To test your thermostat, set it to a lower temperature than the current room temperature and see if the AC unit turns on. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to call a qualified technician to come and take a look at it.
If you’re having any of these problems, it’s best to call an air conditioning specialist for help. Check out www.energy.gov to learn more.
The Best Ways To Save Money On Air Conditioning Cleaning Costs
Summer is hot, yeah, but it’s not always comfortable inside. Why not try the best ways to save on air conditioning cleaning costs this season?
Clean your filters – Dust and debris can accumulate on your indoor air conditioning unit’s filters over time, making them less effective and requiring more frequent cleaning. To clean filters regularly, ensure you have the right filter wrench (often included with an AC unit). Then try this simple filter-cleaning method: pour a pot of cold water into the unit and turn it up to full blast; use a stiff brush to sweep the debris off the filters; dump the dirty water and refill with fresh cold water.
Use cool mist humidifiers – Humidifiers dispense cool mist instead of hot air, which can help reduce cooling costs by 10 to 20%. Additionally, most cool mist humidifiers automatically turn off once the desired humidity level is reached, energy efficiency and resources.
Install fans – Regular servicing household fans at your AC unit can help move moisture and heat away from the unit, reducing cooling costs by up to 25%. Fan placement should be considered during installation as improper placement can increase energy bills by up to 10%.
Why should I keep my AC on to save money?
Many people think turning their AC off when it’s not in use is the cheapest way to save energy, but this is not always true. Keeping your AC on during the day can help offset your electricity bill while at work and turn it off when you get home.
How do I make my air con use less electricity?
You can make your air conditioner use less electricity by changing its settings. For example, you can lower the temperature when you’re not using it or turn it off when you leave home.
Is it cheaper to leave your Aircon on all day?
The cheapest way to keep your AC on all day is to run the fan and use energy-saving features like turning off electronics when they’re not in use. Leaving your AC on all day uses more energy, so it’s a little bit more expensive than leaving it on for a few hours.
What temperature should I keep my AC on to save money?
Air Conditioning should not be turned on full blast in the summer months as this increases your electric bill. Optimum cooling is achieved by setting the thermostat between 68 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is the most common AC Repair?
The most common air conditioning repair is repairing air conditioning units.
What are common air conditioning problems?
The most common air conditioning problems include failure to cool room temperature, high energy costs, and noise.
A series of unfortunate events happened to us during the mid of last month, especially to Cass.
Cass was unexpectedly warded at the Institute of Urology & Nephrology last month when she fainted after an MRU procedure. On the day that she was discharged, she twisted her ankle just as she stepped out of the hospital and hurt her foot badly.
You can scroll down to read my September 2022 posts on Cass’ MRU procedure.
On the morning of Cass’ discharge from the hospital, just before I left the house for the hospital, my desktop PC conked out. I had quite a bit of backlog to do on my PC as I was away from home most of the time during the 3 days that Cass was at the hospital. Just as I sat down in front of my PC that morning hoping to check my emails, the PC just wouldn’t start the way it should. I rebooted it but still it wouldn’t cooperate with me.
I quickly snapped a photo of the glitch for the hubs to forward it to our computer smart guy at Low Yat Plaza and after he had seen the photo, he told us to bring the CPU over to his shop.
Gone case!
The bad news was an essential part of the CPU had malfunctioned and the not so bad news was it wasn’t very expensive to fix it. The damage to hubby’s wallet was about RM500 😖
Oh yes, on the morning that my PC conked out, I dropped a mirror which broke into a zillion pieces. But I’m not going to believe that breaking a mirror will bring me seven years of bad luck. It’s purely superstition and this dates back to the times of the Romans, who were extremely superstitious people.
Back in the day, Romans believed that mirrors had magical powers and they were a doorway to one’s soul. They also believed that a mirror gives people the power of foreseeing the future and are devices of the “gods.” Thus breaking a mirror would terminate its powers, the soul would go astray from the body and misfortunes would be brought upon the one whose reflection it last held. They also believed that the reflection is actually the soul of the actual person.
Do you think that breaking a mirror would bring you bad luck or just a myth?
After using three Osim portable massage chairs and vowed never to use this cheesy but expensive brand of massage chair again, I bought a cheap portable massager from Lazada. It’s a portable shawl massager that’s rechargeable with pretty strong massage movements. As it’s portable, I can put the massager on any part of my body to soothe the achy parts. I’ve been using it for two weeks now and loving it. It cost me less than RM200 and I hope that it’ll last for at least a year.
My last Osim portable massager only lasted half a year and it cost almost a thousand bucks. It’s the worst brand of massager ever with bad customer service (Mid Valley Megamall outlet). When it conked out, it was still under warranty but it was the MCO then and all the malls were closed. When the lockdown was partially lifted, I went to the Osim shop with the massager but the customer service staff told me that the massager’s warranty was over. I reasoned with them that I couldn’t bring the massager back to the shop for repair as the entire country was under a lockdown but they wouldn’t buy my argument. I was told that the repair would cost RM500, which is half the cost of a brand new massager. I was so pissed with them that I just left that piece of crap at their shop and never returned to bring it home.
Cheap and good. Hopefully this massager can last for at least a year.
Dr S, the urologist at HKL whom Cass has been seeing since she was 6 years old has retired. Dr S was the head of the Urology Department @ HKL. I was really disappointed that Dr S who had been following Cass’ case is no longer around and a younger doctor has been assigned to take over. Nonetheless, in the event a surgery is required after a diagnosis is made, Dr S willl be called back to perform the surgery as Cass’ case is an extremely complicated one and requires the skillful expertise of an experienced surgeon.
The reason we were at HKL today is for the new urologist (Dr F) to review and explain the MRU report to us. Cass underwent a third MRU last month and unfortunately, the MRU images are also not crystal clear. The previous two MRU scans showed vague images of an ectopic ureter going down south. However, the latest MRU report did not mention anything about the ectopic ureter! Thus, Dr F is baffled as to why the latest MRU report contradicts the previous two reports which suggested an ectopic ureter.
SIGH!! 😪
So here we go again, back to square one. The urology team, the team of radiologists and Dr S will be having an ‘X-Ray Conference’ to deliberate on Cass’ extremely mysterious urinary tract disorder. Our next appointment with Dr F will be in early December 2022.
Dr F commented that they will likely not have a repeat MRU done as it’s not getting us anywhere with unclear images. Moreover, Cass fainted after the latest MRU. He suggested doing another Cystoscopy, which means that Cass will be warded and under GA for the procedure, which will be done in an OT 😰. This will be Cass’ third Cystoscopy. The last Cystoscopy was performed two years ago during the lockdown.
I wonder when Cass and I will see light at the end of the tunnel. All these have caused me sleepless nights and nightmares. Thankfully Cass is not overly antsy and is taking things in stride.
Cass is now more mature mentally and during our consultation with Dr F, she kept asking the doctor questions.
The Urology & Nephrology clinics were teeming with patients today. Cass and I had to stand for over 2 hours with heavy bags strapped on our shoulders before we found a seat. Whenever we have an appointment at HKL, we have to be prepared to camp there for at least half a day. Our bags are filled with water tumblers, her school books, power bank, snacks, sweater and a shawl. When I got home, my legs and shoulders were numbed and I conked out by 9pm.
We spent over 4 hours at the hospital today.
Go calculate how long we had to wait. On average, each patient spends 20 – 30 minutes with the doctor.Cass brought along her Biology book to do her homework.
Before we finally got a seat after standing for 2 hours, Cass propped her Bio workbook on the wall and did her homework standing up.
This lady was waiting with her infant, whom I think had a urology issue. Looking at her and her baby made me hark back my days with Cass at hospitals when she was an infant and was just diagnosed with Grade III Kidney Reflux and a Duplex Collecting System. Those dark days were the hardest I had gone through in my life. And we’re still riding out this rough journey together.
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