Friday, 9 June 2023 ~ Random Updates

In the past couple of weeks, my world has been a whirlwind of responsibilities, health issues, and the absence of my part-time helper, Maria. It's been quite a ride, to say the least. 

Maria, my part-time helper, recently went back to Indonesia for a two-week break. With her absence, the burden of managing all the housework fell on my shoulders. From cooking and cleaning to chauffeuring, it has been a constant juggling act. Balancing work, parenting, and household chores has tested my multitasking skills and pushed me to my limits.

On top of this, I was hit by a stubborn and irritating cough that has plagued me for the past seven nights. Sleepless nights, a ticklish throat, and a congested chest have become my constant companions. Despite trying three different types of cough syrup, none have provided relief. If this persists, I have decided to see a doctor on Monday. 

The lack of or rather the absence of deep and uninterrupted sleep has taken its toll on my overall well-being. The persistent cough and lack of shuteye have left me with a nagging headache, constant fatigue, bouts of dizziness and aches in my ribs (from the constant coughing). I'm physically and mentally drained. This feels so much worse than getting Covid!  However, I remain hopeful that tomorrow will bring a better day and that I'll find the energy to tackle life's hurdles head-on.

The best piece of news I got this week is Sherilyn’s SPM results.  I didn’t set high expectations for Sherilyn to excel in her SPM. She had spent too much time dancing, baking, cooking, participating in endless competitions in and out of school, and on other stuff, thus didn’t put 100% effort into preparation for her exam. Thus, I didn’t expect much from her.  I thought to myself that as long as she passes the SPM and is eligible to get into college and uni, I’ll be happy.  But this girl surprised me with her results.  She did score several As, and even an A for Math, the subject that I thought was her weakest. And she got a B for Physics, the subject that she once failed in school.  

All glory to God. 

This Miss Ambitious has now decided to pursue A-Levels at MCKL and then a BA of Science in Architecture, followed by a Master's of Architecture.  I kept telling her to reconsider her decision as it's going to take at least 7 years of studies and several years of experience as an architect including fulfilling specific requirements and qualifications governed by Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia (LAM) before she becomes a registered architect and gets a prefix, "Ar" before her name.  This will entail a lot of hard work, not to mention money to fund her tertiary education.  Our Miss Ambitious has remained steadfast in her decision and told me that she will continue working part-time to partially fund her uni fees. 😮

Sherilyn made a big batch of blueberry pie and tarts as blueberries are in season and on sale now.  She made so many that we've been savoring the luscious blueberry tarts and pie every day for the past week.

Yummiest blueberry tart ever with the perfect pie crust and a generous filling of fresh blueberries and blueberry compote. She made the compote herself and it's pretty easy and fast to prep it.

Blueberry tarts for her colleagues in Front Room Cafe.

The eldest SIL from England came to visit and stayed with us for 5 days.  She commissioned Sherilyn to bake a blueberry tart for her to bring to a friends' meetup.

With a part-time job from Monday through Saturday, Sherilyn didn't have much time to bake the tart. She spaced out the baking steps over several days and managed to complete the tart in the morning on the day of my SIL's meetup with her friends, just before leaving for work.