Cass’s Exam Week

This week marks the start of Cass's final exams, a two-week period filled with intense focus and long study sessions. She is in Senior High 1 (equivalent to Form 4) in the Economics & Accounting stream. Each night, she studies late, and every morning, she’s up bright and early, ready to dive back into her books. To keep her energy levels up, she has a hearty breakfast of reheated leftovers from the night before and strong coffee to stay alert before heading to school. She’s convinced that a full stomach helps her concentrate better on exam questions—a solid strategy that’s fueling her focus.

Even amidst the stress of exams, Cass still makes time for her daily exercise routine at night, finding a way to keep her body active and her mind relaxed. Twice a week, she heads to the skating rink for class and training. For her, this is more than just practice; it’s a way to unwind and shake off the stress of exams. The rink is where she can channel her energy, and I think it’s fantastic she’s managed to strike this balance.

Now, there’s a bit of a twist during these exam weeks when Cass is home studying in the mornings: my radio time gets the mute treatment! If you’ve read my past posts, you’ll know that music is essential to my day—whether it's upbeat tunes or gentle bedtime sounds, it’s my constant companion. I’ll admit, I miss hearing it echo through the house, but knowing Cass is hard at work makes the silence worth it.

As Cass powers through this final stretch of exams, I’m glad she manages the pressure and still makes time for what she loves. And as soon as she’s done, you can bet the music will be back on, filling our home with my favorite songs!

Lunner for Cass on one of the days this week with all her favorite dishes. 

Low-carb meal for Cass.  She cooked the pesto omelet herself. Wrapped within the omelet is homemade pesto with cheese.

Unwelcomed Surprises: A Week in the Life of a Mom

This week has been another whirlwind of unexpected events for our family. It started with Alycia’s unplanned visit to SJMC to see her hand and microsurgery doctor. She had developed a cluster of blisters on her post-operated finger, though thankfully, they weren’t on the operated part of her finger but rather on the lower part. After examining the finger, the doctor referred her to a dermatologist, who reassured her that the issue wasn’t serious. She was prescribed a topical cream, and the cost of the bill was RM203, which, unfortunately, isn’t claimable from insurance.

Just when I thought we could put Alycia’s finger issue behind us, Sherilyn had a sudden allergic reaction after eating prawns. Sherilyn’s strange allergy to prawns has always puzzled us. Most of the time, she’s perfectly fine after eating them, but once in a while, she develops hives, as she did this week. We suspect she’s allergic to the chemicals used in certain prawns, as this reaction doesn’t always happen. 

That night, her dad had to rush her to the Accident & Emergency department at our neighborhood hospital, past midnight, to get anti-allergy medication and steroids intravenously. She now has to take oral steroids for a week, but being the resilient girl she is, Sherilyn went right back to university the next day.

Last year Sherilyn was warded in the same hospital for a night to treat a severe allergy after eating prawns.  After the latest hives incident, I told Sherilyn that she should steer clear of eating prawns to avoid another unwanted allergy flareup.

Reflecting on this year, it seems like life has been filled with one unwelcome surprise after another. From Alycia’s freak kitchen accident in June to these health scares, it feels like we’ve been on a rollercoaster. Yet, I’m grateful that nothing major has happened—aside from Alycia’s accident, which we’ve slowly overcome.

As the year draws to a close, I’m hopeful for smoother, more peaceful days ahead. The unpredictability of life has tested us, but it’s also made us stronger. 

Mutton rendang, mixed veggies, and Ayam Masak Merah from Catermate for our lunch and dinner on one of the days earlier this week.

Thai fish cakes and mutton rendang.

Nasi Minyak with fried shallots.

The All-Nighters of an Architecture Student

Sherilyn pulled yet another all-nighter yesterday, this time to finish several sketches of buildings for her architecture course. It amazes me how much drawing and crafting is required in this program—it’s almost as if she’s pursuing an art degree! Last night, she sat in darkness at the dining table, meticulously working on her LED light drawing board, sketching away until the early morning hours. When I woke up and turned the lights on, she moved to the wet kitchen, continuing to draw in the dark, relying on the soft glow of her LED board.

Again, with her eyes fixed on her sketching, her phone played continuous streams of Trevor Noah’s standup comedy shows, giving her a much-needed dose of entertainment and laughs to get through the grueling hours. 

I’m not even sure if she slept at all. Her bed looked neat when I checked, but I suspect she may have snuck in a short nap on the couch—poor girl. The pace of assignments in her course is relentless, notorious for back-to-back submissions, and it seems to push students to the edge of exhaustion. I sometimes wonder how sustainable this is for her health.

As much as I worry about the toll it’s taking on her, I can’t help but notice how it’s affecting me too. After each of these all-nighters, there’s always a mess left behind—pencil shavings, bits of paper, rattan, eraser shavings, and smudges on the tables and floors. While Sherilyn is off rushing to submit her assignments, I find myself cleaning up the aftermath, my hands growing rougher from all the scrubbing.

I truly hope all these sleepless nights don’t harm her health in the long run. The stress, the exhaustion, and the constant rush of deadlines—it’s a heavy load for anyone to carry. But for now, it’s part of her journey, and I’ll continue to support her the best I can, even if it means rougher hands and more cleaning up after her creative storms.

Sitting in the wet kitchen in darkness and the only light comes from the LED lights of her drawing board and the fire from the stove.

The Life of a First-Year Architecture Student

Sherilyn is back to her busy university routine, and it's been a whirlwind since she started her first year of architecture studies. In less than a month, she’s already deep into back-to-back assignments, and this week has been particularly intense. Several all-nighters were pulled to meet deadlines, but Tuesday was a whole new level of commitment—or rather, sleep deprivation.

That day, she sat at our dining table for almost 24 hours straight, working meticulously on a series of models made from rattan and hard cardboard. With her eyes fixed on her craft, her laptop played continuous streams of Josh Johnson’s standup comedy shows, giving her a much-needed distraction to get through the grueling hours. It was fascinating to watch how she balanced concentration on her work with the humor of Josh Johnson playing in the background. 

By the end of those long 24 hours with zero shut eye, Sherilyn finally completed her models and rushed off to university to submit her assignment, leaving behind what I dread the most—the aftermath. Unwashed dishes, a cluttered dining table, and dirty floors were left for me to tackle. But I suppose this is going to be the scene in our house for the next three years, at least until she graduates.

Despite the mess and the sleepless nights, I remind myself that these sacrifices will eventually pay off. Seeing Sherilyn work so hard toward her degree makes me proud, and I know that watching her succeed will make all of this worthwhile. I’ll keep cleaning up after her as long as it means she’s one step closer to reaching her goals and graduating with success.

Intricate designs - the top two models were cut from long strips of rattan sticks and glued together.

Drawing on an LED drawing pad in a dark room; Messy dining table. Everyone at home has to bear with a super messy table almost every day.

The Never-Ending Battle of Picking Up Hair: A Frustrated Mom’s Rant

If you're a mother with daughters, you're probably all too familiar with this infuriating and exasperating task: picking up hair from every corner of the house. No matter how many times I remind my daughters to clean up after themselves, it feels like their "selective forgetfulness" kicks in. Whether it's after brushing their hair or using a hair dryer, there are always strands left behind—on pillows, bedding, the floor, toilet seat, tables, and chairs. It drives me up the wall!

Every day, I find myself with a lint roller in hand, tediously rolling off hair from every surface. The frustration comes when I remind them to pick up their hair, and they nod and say "OK," but nothing changes. The next day, I see the same mess, and their excuse is always the same: "I forgot," or "I had to rush to school." I know it’s selective forgetfulness, and it’s frustrating beyond words.

As a mom who’s on the OCD side, it’s exhausting having to clean up after them constantly. I’m tired of rolling hair off every surface in the house, only to be greeted by the same mess the very next hour. How do other moms deal with this level of irresponsibility in their kids? How do you get them to take simple tasks like cleaning up their hair seriously? 😐

If you’ve figured out how to get your daughters to clean up after their own mess, I’d love to hear your secret. But for now, I’ll keep rolling away, hoping one day it clicks for them!

Why I Now Support My Daughters Getting the HPV Vaccine: A Change of Heart

Yesterday, I received a WhatsApp message from Alycia telling me that some healthcare personnel visited her university, offering free HPV vaccines to female students. Since she hadn't taken the HPV jab before, she decided to get it. Years ago, I advised Alycia and Sherilyn to skip the free HPV vaccines offered at school. At that time, the research I found didn’t convince me that it was necessary, and I felt uneasy about the possible side effects.

However, as time passed, and after further conversations with my gynecologist and conducting updated research, my perspective on the HPV vaccine shifted. I became more confident in its importance, particularly in preventing cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases. Earlier this year, Cass took the HPV vaccine, and now Alycia has as well.

What’s even more interesting is the recent change in HPV vaccine guidelines. Previously, the vaccine was administered in three doses, which deterred me initially. However, recent findings led the World Health Organization (WHO) to revise their HPV vaccine recommendations, supporting a single-dose regimen in many cases. The Pan-American Health Organization followed this guidance in September 2023, and by February 2024, 37 countries had adopted this new approach. This means that both Cass and Alycia only need one dose instead of three, a big win in terms of convenience and protection.

Alycia also mentioned that the free vaccines were sponsored by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia. This is a big deal because if we had to get the vaccine outside of this initiative, it could easily cost several thousand ringgit. I’ve also told Sherilyn that if the National Cancer Society visits her university to offer the free vaccine, she should take it too.

I’m grateful that my daughters now have access to this crucial protection without the burden of high costs. I feel more confident about this decision, and I’m relieved that they are on track to be protected against the risks of HPV. If you have daughters and are on the fence like I once was, I encourage you to speak to your healthcare provider and do your own research. The more informed we are, the better we can protect our loved ones.

My Favorite Healthy Dessert: Chia Seed Pudding

One of my go-to healthy desserts is chia seed pudding, which I enjoy every other day. It’s a simple, delicious, and nutritious way to satisfy my sweet tooth. My favorite version is made with coconut milk and palm sugar. With 3 to 4 tablespoons of soaked chia seeds, I mix in a squirt of trim coconut milk and drizzle it with Gula Melaka (palm sugar) syrup. On other days, I switch things up by adding soaked chia seeds to a bowl of skinny yogurt, which is sugar- and additive-free with a squirt of palm sugar syrup. For a creamier texture, I sometimes add a spoonful or two of Greek yogurt to the bowl of skinny yogurt. On days when I am too busy to enjoy my chia seed dessert, I will quickly stir in two tablespoons of soaked chia seeds into my morning beverage of organic almond milk with flax seeds meal.

Why Chia Seeds Are So Healthy

Chia seeds are a true superfood, packed with nutrients despite their tiny size. They are an excellent source of fiber, which helps prevent constipation by promoting regular bowel movements. The fiber also aids digestion and keeps you feeling full for longer, making chia seeds great for weight management. Additionally, chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which support heart health, and they contain important minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, essential for bone health. Plus, they’re a good source of plant-based protein.

This simple chia seed pudding is tasty and provides a powerful health boost, keeping my digestion smooth and my body energized. Whether paired with coconut milk or yogurt or added to my healthy beverage, chia seeds make a versatile and satisfying dessert!

Simple chia seeds pudding - soaked chia seeds with trim coconut milk and Gula Melaka syrup. Mix everything up and enjoy it chilled. This tastes like sago pudding with coconut milk and Gula Melaka syrup.

Sleepless Nights with Haru

Last night was another one of those nights where sleep evaded me, thanks to Haru. Though it doesn’t happen frequently, it does happen. 

In the wee hours of this morning, she persistently meowed outside my bedroom door. I tried to ignore it, but after several minutes of her insistent calls, I eventually caved in and opened the door to let her in.

Once inside, she made herself comfortable by jumping onto my bed. This has happened more than a few times now, and I’m still trying to figure out whether she’s just hungry or if her meowing is her way of checking to ensure I’m still alive and well. 

After settling on the bed, Haru began scratching at my blanket. I stopped her immediately, knowing exactly what she wanted—to crawl under the blanket to be nearer to me. It’s sweet, but I have reasons for being uncomfortable with this. As much as I love Haru, I’m allergic to her fur, and having her nestled under the covers with me would only worsen my allergies.

She seemed a bit disappointed when I didn’t let her under the blanket, but she stayed on the bed for a short while before eventually jumping off and walking out of the room. I felt a little guilty as she left, but I know I have to draw boundaries when it comes to sleep.  She walked away perhaps she was convinced that I was still alive 😺

As a cat owner, I adore Haru’s company and her little quirks, but when it comes to bedtime, I just can’t relax knowing she’s on the bed, especially under the blanket. I’ll always cherish our moments together, but for the sake of a good night’s sleep and my health, I’ll have to keep working on finding a balance!

My soul cat likes to sit on this stool near the bathroom and wait for me to come out.