The Days I Once Wished Away

Every day, my Google Photos on my laptop pops up memories from 1, 2, 3 years ago and beyond. Today, photos of my daughters from May 2020 appeared — right in the middle of the Covid lockdowns.

Looking at those photos made me a little emo. Back then, all I wished for was for the lockdowns to end quickly and for life to return to normal. When my girls were still in school, I also wished they would grow up faster because I was mentally and physically exhausted — juggling school runs, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, and working from home all at once.

And now?

Now that we are apart — the girls mostly living in KL and all grown up (Alycia is 23, Sherilyn 21, and Cass 18), while I am here in Ipoh — I find myself missing those days dearly.

My shoulders may be lighter now, free from many of those responsibilities, but my heart still misses my girls. They each have their own lives, their own routines, and sometimes days pass without us hearing from one another.

But no matter the distance between us, I will always love them, worry about them, and pray that each of them will always be happy, healthy, safe, and well.

Cass when she was in Std 6 at KC2, attending online class.

Sherilyn in Form 3 @ SMKTD, attending online class.

Alycia had to attend school during the MCO / RMCO as it was her SPM year.

A Little Life Update: My Three Girls, My Constant Prayers

It’s been a while since I last shared an update about my three daughters, and so much has happened in their lives — the kind of moments that quietly remind me how fast time flies and how deeply a mother’s heart stretches, no matter the distance.

In just ten days, my eldest, Alycia, will be attending her convocation. It still feels surreal to write this. My parents and I will be making a trip to KL to celebrate her big day — and yes, Haru will be coming along too, as always. This milestone carries so much meaning for me. Pride, gratitude, relief, and a touch of nostalgia all rolled into one.

Sherilyn, my second daughter, is currently in her second year of an architecture course — a field well known for its intense workload, long hours, and relentless demands. Over time, the lack of sleep and rest has taken a toll on her health. She’s been falling sick repeatedly, and as a mother, watching this from afar breaks my heart.

Last week, she called me and we had a long, honest conversation. She shared that she wants to switch to Interior Architecture. Truth be told, I had foreseen this and quietly hoped for it. Architecture consistently ranks among the most challenging university majors, and I’ve seen how much it has drained her physically and emotionally. She is now in the midst of submitting the necessary forms for the switch. I can only hope the transition will be smooth — and that the cost won’t be too heavy.

Then there’s my youngest, Cass.

She attended her high school prom just yesterday. Although I wasn’t physically there to shop for her gown and accessories, she video-called me while she was out shopping. Together, we weighed the pros and cons, laughed, debated, and finally chose a beautiful gown that truly made her look like a princess.

After the prom, she barely had time to rest — waking up early this morning to head straight to the skating rink for her figure skating test. I’m incredibly thankful that she passed. This year will be especially hectic for her. She has signed up for two figure skating competitions and will also be starting her Pre-U/Foundation course in April.

Of all three girls, I worry about Cass the most because of her ongoing urinary tract medical condition. As much as I want to shield her from every hardship, all I can do is place my trust in God and pray daily for His protection over all three of them.

Even though I’m not staying with my daughters, we remain closely connected. We chat on WhatsApp every single day. Distance may separate us physically, but a mother’s heart knows no such boundaries.

Every day, I carry them in my prayers — grateful for who they are, hopeful for who they are becoming, and trusting that they are always watched over.  💛

Life Lately – A Whirlwind of Assignments, Skates, Soul-Searching and My Silent Therapist

Life lately has been… full. Everyone in the family seems to be moving in different directions, each immersed in their own responsibilities, stress, and goals. While the house isn’t as noisy these days, it certainly hasn’t been quiet in my heart and mind.

Alycia has been caught up with her final semester — the last lap of her university life. She’s barely home these days, staying over at her coursemate’s dorm so they can work on group assignments late into the night. Recently, she hurt her hand, possibly from overusing it. We suspect it might be due to the heavy lifting and movements during her part-time gig with Astro’s Xiao Tai Yang road show last month, which took her all over Malaysia. She went for a tit tar treatment last week, and on her dad’s advice, she’s now going for physiotherapy too. I just hope she recovers soon — physically and mentally. Final year stress is no joke.

Sherilyn is just as swamped. Her days are a blur of architectural drawings, model-building and dance rehearsals. Her commitment to both her studies and her passion for dance amazes me. She’ll be heading to Singapore next month for the Finals of a dance competition. I know how much this means to her and I’m praying everything goes smoothly. She's worked so hard for it.

Cass is hunkered down with her books, prepping for her upcoming SPM Trials in early September. At the same time, she’s squeezing in practice at the skating rink to gear up for next year’s Skate Asia. Her plate is full, but she’s handling it with her usual quiet determination. SPM will be held in early November, only 3 months left to D-Day!!

As for me, my mind has been heavy. Lately, I’ve found myself doing a lot of soul-searching, thinking deeply about life and what lies ahead. There are days when the weight of my thoughts feels overwhelming, but I’m grateful I can still talk to my parents, especially my mum.  She will turn 79 in September, and has been my sounding board — my best confidante for as long as I can remember. Her calm, grounded wisdom helps me see things more clearly when everything feels like a storm.

And then there’s my fur baby. She doesn’t say a word, but somehow her presence is healing — a soft reminder that love doesn't always need words.

So that’s us — navigating assignments, dance dreams, exams, self-healing, and everything in between. Life lately may be hectic, uncertain, even emotional at times, but I know we’ll get through it, one step — and one purr — at a time.

This is what happens whenever we eat roast chicken from our usual chicken rice stall. Haru is a big fan of roast chicken breast and she gets her treat almost every day 😸

Random Updates on My Three Girls

Today marks the last three days of Cass' month-long school break, and I must say, I am SO relieved that it’s finally coming to an end! I can’t wait for her to go back to school. This girl can be a little devil at times. When dealing with her, I often have to take deep breaths just to keep my composure. She has a way of pushing my buttons like no one else, and sometimes, I feel like I instantly transform into another being.

I often wonder why children these days are so bold, so fearless, and so ambitious—sometimes without even thinking about the consequences. But perhaps this is something positive, a sign of confidence and resilience. Either way, I’m just grateful that she’s heading to the skating rink today, giving me a much-needed breather at home.

Meanwhile, Sherilyn and I are heading to Mid Valley today to celebrate her 20th birthday! She’s been completely absorbed in yet another assignment over the past few days, and it’s consuming her once again. I really hope she manages to get some rest after she submits this one. I’ll share more details about our birthday lunch in a separate post!

As for Alycia, she’s been pretty busy with her interning work and hanging out with her besties (as usual) lately. 

That’s it for now—off to enjoy a little break before the chaos resumes!

Wrapping Up the Holidays & 2024

As the year winds down, so does Cass’ 4-week long school term break. It’s been a whirlwind of activity, and the skating rink has been her second home this holiday season. For over a month, she’s been tirelessly rehearsing with her team mates for a Christmas show at the Blue Ice Skating Rink in Pavillion Bukit Jalil. No sooner had the show wrapped up than she dove straight into a 4-day skating camp. These intensive sessions ended at 11+ PM each night, leaving her thoroughly exhausted and brimming with passion for her sport.  Cass also had to go back to school twice this holiday to help out in the school’s office, as part of her bursary’s requirements. I had to wake up early to send her to school and fetch her back in the afternoon.

In between her time at the rink, Cass also managed to squeeze in daily outings with her grandma and Aunt Krystal, who was visiting from Hong Kong for two weeks.  School holidays mean that my wallet is in constant use as there are inevitably more outings, more skating sessions, and more expenses! Now, as the holidays draw to a close, I can’t help but feel a big sense of relief.

In just a week, Cass will return to school as a Senior High 2 (Form 5) student, embarking on her final year before sitting for the SPM—the most important exam of her high school journey. The thought of her reaching this milestone fills me with pride and a touch of nostalgia.

Sherilyn, meanwhile, has been enjoying a short break from university. It’s heartening to see her finally catching up on much-needed sleep and having meals with us after months of juggling university and dance commitments. She’s even managed to stay awake during meals—a rare sight during her busy semester! However, the break is short-lived, and soon she’ll be back to tackling assignments and preparing for the challenges of her next semester.

As for Alycia, she’s gearing up for a new chapter as her internship begins in a couple of weeks. It’s an exciting time for her to gain hands-on experience and apply what she’s learned in her studies.

Looking ahead, Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and in exactly a month, we’ll be back in Ipoh celebrating with my parents and brothers. The thought of family reunions, festive meals, and cherished traditions fills me with joy and anticipation.

Reflecting on this past year, it’s been nothing short of challenging. Life threw its fair share of curveballs, but we made it through, stronger and more resilient. As 2025 approaches, I can’t help but feel hopeful. I pray that the coming year brings smoother sailing for all of us.

Here’s to a fresh start, renewed energy, and a brighter year ahead. May 2025 be kinder to us all!

As soon as she had a little free time, Sherilyn made a big batch of nuts and seeds butter.  We gifted them to my parents, brother from Singapore, and Sherilyn's friend.

Sherilyn's boss from the cafe that she works part-time at calls her a shark as sharks need to swim constantly for respiration 😂.  I still wonder why this daughter of mine is constantly finding things to do and just can't rest! Maybe she's a reflection of me? 😜

Almond, pecan, pumpkin seeds, and pine nuts butter made using the Thermomix. She added a little olive oil to it.

Holiday activity for Cass - helped grandma to gut anchovies that she bought from Pangkor Island.

Lockdown Tales

The prolonged lockdown has turned Sherilyn into an accidental baker and chef and now - hair stylist.  Alycia has been complaining that it’s been super hot lately and her hair is bothering her.   As hair salons are still closed in the Klang Valley and our area is a red zone, Sherilyn offered to cut Alycia's hair.   While Alycia did not have confidence in Sherilyn initially, I convinced Alycia that I was very confident that her sister will do a great job as I was really satisfied with Sherilyn when she cut my hair last year during MCO 1.0.

Alycia agreed. She just wanted her shoulder length hair snipped off and didn't have the patience to wait for hair salons to be reopened.  Our country recorded a record-breaking high of 22,242 Covid cases today - 18 August 2021. It's getting from bad to worse.

It’s not easy to cut Alycia’s thick hair with the limited apparatus that we have, which is a pair of decades-old scissors meant for cutting baby hair and a hair clip.  Instead of the usual 15-20 minutes job done by a professional hair stylist, Sherilyn spent 1.5 hours standing inside the shower stall meticulously and patiently snipping her persnickety older sister’s thick hair with lots of huffing and puffing coming from Alycia, followed by hysterical laughter and shrieks inside the bathroom.  

I am beyond impressed with the outcome – Alycia has a 99% straight and perfect bob hair cut!! I gave Sherilyn a RM5 tip 🤭.

Impressed with Alycia's haircut, the mil and the girls’ grand aunt living a few units below ours  (both are equally finicky on their hair stylists) now wants Sherilyn’s service too! 

Sorry I have no photos to share. I actually stole the pix of them in the shower stall and when they realized it, locked me out of the room.  When they found out that I posted the blurred out images of them on social media, they protested vehemently and screamed blue murder, demanding that I removed the post instantly and even threatened to sue their mother, not realizing that it is their mother who is also their banker.  🤬

See la. Really 'char siu' daughters I have.  I also bemoan to them all the time that I have 3 ungrateful 'char siu' girls. I pray that they will grow up to be filial and loving daughters and not burnt 'char siu' that I have to discard.

That's the reason why at this age, it's best to have a pet at home. I can channel my love to Haru and she even knows how to reciprocate my love.  Now I see why most of my friends who are my age have several dogs and cats at home. Because their 'char siu' just don't know how to reciprocate love 😔

OK, nuff of ranting.  I'm stepping off the soapbox.

 

Missing Haru's baby face so much!

Our lockdown kitten. We fostered her during the lockdown early this year and one of the best things that we've done.

Kids Are Our Blessings

My drama queen is my savior at home. She is the most helpful around the house, especially in the kitchen. On days when we have no part-time helper, she would do the dishes, help to sweep the floor and do other cleaning chores. In the kitchen, she will always be the first to help me. Whenever the hubs comes home late to eat dinner, she will be the one who helps to heat up the dishes for her dad, brings the food to the table and clears the table after that. Just last night, I was so burned out that I knocked out by 9 p.m.  When the hubs got home at 10pm and asked for his dinner,  Drama Queen who wasn't in bed yet helped to heat up the food for her dad.  Thank God for my Drama Queen! She's got her flaws, no doubt and the willful  side of her drives me potty ALL the time. She always stretches my patience till it snaps. I always have to keep my socks on in order not to go to pieces when dealing with her. But the other positive qualities in her manage to balance out the 'dark side' of her to an equilibrium state. She's a fun daughter to have. She's chatty, funny, melodramatic and likes to tell me everything about school and her friends. Drama Queen and Alycia are the polar opposites.

The big girl, on the other hand, is an introvert and an ice maiden of sorts. She does not tell me much about her school and social life. She prefers to do her things in her room. When she tells me things, I am in luck!  She dislikes house work but still helps out and the kitchen is definitely not a place for her to be in. But thankfully, she has inherited my cleanliness OCD and her dad's neat freak DNA 😁 She helps to keep the house neat and tidy everyday, cleans the dining area, arranges our messy shoes neatly, throws the garbage in the refuse room and keeps her room clean. When her two sisters messes up the house, she goes into a fit.  Imagine that if I were to do everything myself, I am certain that I would either end up in Tg. Rambutan or have a pre-matured demise! Thank God for my daughters!

As for the littlest one, I must admit that she is a tad spoilt and pampered. Though she has her fair share of household chores on her plate,  this cheeky rat would try to evade her duties and shirks responsibility as much as she can. This drives everyone berserk, especially her sisters who all have duties and chores of their own. She just wants to read her novels all day and if I would allow it, go crazy playing with her phone or laptop all day. She needs a lot of pushing to do her duties each day.  But this little cheeky one is really good at comforting me with her words whenever I am down and out.  Her nimble hands do a good massage job on my shoulders too. When I have an achy gassy tummy, she would make me lie down on the bed and then fetch my peppermint essential oil to massage my tummy. She even knows how to massage and push the gas out of my tummy! She is very appreciative of my cooking and likes writing little thank you notes to me 💓



Thank you God for these 3 little angles. They are indeed my life's blessings 💗

Homemade Pancakes By The Girls

Someone was craving to eat pancakes since days ago. So she asked Drama Queen if she would like to make some pancakes on Saturday.  Drama Queen couldn't be happier to undertake another masak-masak session in the kitchen!  😋😜  While Drama Queen was at the tuition center in the morning, the someone googled for some fluffy pancake recipes and got ready the ingredients. Once Drama Queen was back home, the 3 sisters started their pancake-making project without further delay coz someone was super duper hungry 😆








The 'head chef' supervising her 2 charges at work...




This time, the girls got the pancakes right. They were fluffy and pillowy and not burnt. They tasted as good as the ones sold at cafes. Good job girls!! 💪




Can you see how pillowy and soft the pancakes are?




Carbo and sugar overload oh gawd!!  Can you see the ice-creams and maple syrup on the table to go with the pancakes? Gawwwwwwd!!!





The girls had great fun and bonding in the kitchen while I sat back and relaxed and surfed the internet on my relaxing Saturday. I can now entrust Drama Queen 80% with supervising her 2 sisters in the kitchen for teeny weeny cooking and baking projects 😉😁

Eve Of Exam - 6 July 2015

They should be revising for their exam. They would have to sit for 3 test papers tomorrow (today) but the girls were having a time of their lives playing with their visiting cousins from New Zealand.

Hopefully with lots of play, their brain would be decluttered from the stress of exam, leaving it more space for what should stay inside.





After an hour of play, we had pizzas and BBQ chicken drummets delivered by Dominoes  - the kids' occasional food, which I'd only order during the exam week (once only during each exam week).





As usual, my pix got photo-bombed by starving kids who just couldn't wait to lay their hands on their once-in-a-blue-moon treat :D

Heart Warming

They fight and argue a lot, every single day, sigh!! Over every little thing... every big issue... every trivial matter... and over everything under the sky.

So when they are lovey dovey and chummy with each other, it really warms my heart. The bond and love can even melt ice cubes.  That is how warm and strong a sister bond is :)

Chicken Adobo For Dinner Again

Since I still have a pot of leftover sauce for Chicken Adobo (a Filipino chicken dish that uses Apple Cider Vinegar) in the fridge, I made Chicken Adobo again yesterday. This time, I used chicken drumsticks and chicken wings.

Of all the dishes that I had recently cooked, this dish has got to be the girls' top favorite dish.

From the time the dish was placed on the dining table until the time the dish was all polished off in a jiffy, my girls could not stop telling me how delish the dish was!! :D :D

The way to Alycia's heart is definitely through delish food. Her smiles were all over her  and  she was in a very cheery mood during dinner yesterday. And she kept saying "this is the best grub ever!!", "this grub is so delish and awesome!!"  

Cass and Sherilyn followed suit with praises of "mummy, this chicken is REMARKABLE!"  and "this is the BEST EVER!"

Now, being buttered with such flattery compliments from Alycia, my fussiest and most critical daughter, this chicken dish must be damn good! 

Sorry, I did not manage to snap a picture of the dish yesterday as the 3 rascals could not wait to grab their share of chicken the moment the tray of chicken was placed on the dining table. And what was left for moi was only 1 miserable piece of tiny chicken wing!  To look at the brighter side, it is rewarding to have hungry and greedy kids as they eat your share and you don't have to eat that much, thus you remain svelte :D

There is still some sauce left in the fridge and very soon, I'll dish this up again.  This is one of the easiest chicken dish to prepare. I promise you, it is oil-splatter free and mess-free.  Busy me won't cook anything that involves splish splash of oil, lots of preparation and lots of scrubbing.  Go to my other blog to read up the recipe ya!

Birthday Wishes Via Skype

Today is the mil's birthday.  Last week, I told the girls to each make a birthday card to show their grandma via Skype video call.

This morning, Alycia reminded me of the Skype call to grandma. She had since last week prepared the card but this morning, she could not locate it, shiaks! After searching for the card at every nook and corner, she finally found it!  She then logged in to Skype to send her birthday wishes to grandma  in Hong Kong.

One by one, the three musketeers sent  their sweetest birthday wishes to grandma, showed grandma the cards that they made and updated grandma  of all the happenings  for about half an hour.

No-Frills Hair Cut In Ipoh

Our girls have their hair cut at least 4 times a year, during our trips back to Ipoh.  Their hair cuts would be at this village style hair saloon called Orchid located in a village.  They will have their no-frills but very neat hair cut done by the owner of the saloon. My mum has been patronizing this hair saloon for decades.

The total cost for 3 no-frills hair cut was only RM22, which is not even enough for one hair cut for Alycia at a glitzy hair saloon back in KL. Her hair cut normally costs RM36 with NO wash.  Being a school prefect, she is very, very pernickety on the length of her hair as a school prefect has to be exemplary. She gets her hair cut once every 2 months.

Do check out the silai on the left -- she was engrossed playing with Candy Crush on her iPad whilst the hair stylist worked on her hair! These days, everyone seems to be engrossed with Candy Crush. Some people always complain that they have no time for this and that, yet they have time for Candy Crush LOL!  I suppose this game can CRUSH away their STRESS! I don't know, perhaps I will also get obsessed with this online game if I were to try my hands on it.

 


#2 and #3, looking fresh after their hair cut :)
 

HFM's Angels

My 3 angels, cute and playful as they may be... but they can behave so monstrous that I can feel 10 years of my life snatched from  me when they are, well behaving like monsters and not normal kids! I am tired of using the cane and shouting. So I just have to shut off both my ears and eyes to their mischief and nonsense at times when I am too busy. For busy WFHMs with no live-in helper, you will know what I mean.  I just let them be. Afterall they are kids and they are only kids once and before I even realize it, they are already teenagers. And then they will all be somewhere else and the noisy, mad house will then be so quiet that I wish I could turn back the clock. 

Sometimes when they make me feel like walking out of the home, I ask  God why he has given me such misbehaved kids and then suddenly I will come to my senses.  All of a sudden, I remember the year 2002 and 2003, the 2 years where my life was in a roller coaster ride... all because I wanted to have a baby. My hubs would always use that dark time that we went through to remind me to be thankful for them. And then I thank God for these 3 monsters and ask forgiveness from God for all the harsh words and thoughts I had on them.

My 3 Earnest Helpers

These are not child laborers but very earnest child helpers. The moment they saw the stack of courier consignment notes and bags at the door step, they could not wait to help me 'process' them by first tearing the consignment notes and then sticking the plastic pockets onto the courier bags. With 3 helpers spending over an hour working, I don't need to spend half  my day on them, bliss!!  Best of all, they did not even ask for a reward!

Subway Craze

A trip to Tesco for shopping will never be complete if daddy does not stop at Subway to grab a sandwich. This foodie daddy seems to have an affinity with Subway, just like he does with those branded franchise doughnuts and colorful cup cakes @@ DAMN F-A-T@@!  Did I tell you that my hubs has the letters F, A, T (in this order some more!) in his Chinese name? :D

Here the girls were having a light supper of Subway sandwich after shopping at Tesco. And just about an hour ago, we all had dinner at one of those restaurants in Tesco! What makes my man happy is FOOD and having his loved ones eat and enjoy the food with him! This, I always tai chi the job to the 3 angels, who will gladly accompany daddy  and all 4 of them will stuff themselves full haha!

We Are Back From Ipoh!

We're back in KL and here's a picture of part of the goodies from Ipoh!


8 pomeloes, 10 packs of Gunung Rapat Heong Pneah, mooncakes, fruits, 6 bottles of divine homemade  kaya which my parents made (which the girls and I are hooked on), homemade strawberry jam, perishables from the wet market,  etc, etc...



My mil and I spent the whole afternoon and evening unpacking, storing stuff, washing bathrooms and cleaning the house. The girls helped with the laundry - keeping the laundry, hanging out the laundry, folding clothes, keeping clothes and Alycia helped to clean her room. Laundry washing continues tomorrow with a few more loads!

Happy Girls

The girls with their favorite koo por (grand aunt) who lives just a few floors below our unit. We have dinner together almost everyday and the girls dot on her. Koo Por is such a sport to have worn this bright green clown's wig with a matching pair of ginormous clown's spectacles and even sportier to have agreed to have this pic published in my blog.








Here's wishing everyone a very good week ahead. The 1-week school holiday has ended today. It's back to the grind for everyone starting tomorrow. And it's back to waking up at 5:30am for me again.

A Day Of Fun At Mega Kidz @ Mid Valley Megamall

Today is the 3rd day in a row this week that we had spent at the shopping mall. We were at Mega Kidz @ Mid Valley Megamall to attend my friend's daughter's 6th birthday bash. Mega Kidz is a place every kid would dream to go.


When Baby saw Barney, I thought my Barney-crazed girl would open her mouth to watch in awe her favorite cartoon hero but her reaction was the exact opposite as I had expected. She was terrified of the purple dino, whose face looked out of shape and very un-Barney except for the body... and she clung on to me and daddy like a koala bear while screaming in fear...

Baby jumping on the Air Bouncer. This is pretty fun and she jumped so much till her pants almost dropped muahahahahahaha!!

Alycia and Sherilyn with M the birthday girl, my classmate's 6yo girl who is the same age as Sherilyn. They also attend the same ballet school.

Baby going down the slide, which is almost 2-storey high with her nervous Alycia jie jie waiting to catch her beloved baby sister...

Alycia, the bestest jie jie in the www helping Baby cross the suspension bridge which is about a storey above ground...

Hubs and I also climbed up the play equipment and crawled through those kid-size tunnels. I tell yer, if you'd tried this, gawd, this is back breaking and bone cracking. I felt slightly nauseous and dizzy when I came down after climbing up, crawling through and contorting my body into those 2-3 storey high tunnels to reach to the top of the slides! Good exercise to burn off the calories that I had piled up these few days!

Cool Girls With Cool Grandparents

Check out the girls with koong koong and granny! All in sunnies and cap and ready to go for their morning walk during the school holidays.