varicella

I had chicken pox 4 weeks ago. I had blisters on my face, chest and back. Thankfully, I didn't have any in my arms and legs. We went on holiday a week after. Within a week of sand, sea and a few hours of sun (it was mostly gloomy) Zak's pox spots came out and so we packed up and returned home.

We have printed our holiday snaps. Fun but my face looks more ghastly than it already is!

let them in!

let them in!, originally uploaded by Greenz.

resurrected

whew! i've been away for ages, i know, but isn't it nice to be back again? i sure have a lot to post about but for now, i'm gonna compose my head for a bit before settling down to letting my fingers do the talking. this is just to remind you that yes, i'm still alive, and no, i didn't just disappear. i was just around, hovering in the background, yet too busy (or ill?) to write anything.

I dreamed of Christmas in February

the snowmen in the garden

view from the lounge overlooking the frozen dam

early morning from the bedroom window

Interfering

You know when you think what best things you could give to your children when they grow up? You say you make sure that your child has all the options in life, like which university to go to, what degree, opportunities to travel, etc.

I think along those lines as well, plus more.

I want to make sure that I know what's going on in their lovelife as well, without being too interfering, if I can help it.

Because as I keep on saying, Zak is only 4 years old, ok? But he has this classmate he calls his girlfriend. I don't blame him. The girl is cute, long lovely blond hair, charming. She acted as Mary during their nativity play. (Zak was the sheep.) Then, during lunch today, Zak declared that when he sees her again, he's going to kiss her, give her flowers, and dance with her.

So I said, 'No way! Not her!'

And the reason? Because I met the girl's mother a couple of times. We both helped out during the school christmas party. She came up to me to ask if I'd like a drink, enunciating every word, like I was deaf or behind a glass wall. If I was in a bad mood at that moment, I would have answered her in the same manner, but I let it go and asked for tea please, with milk and one sugar. She came back with the blackest coffee I've ever seen, without sugar.

Then, her daughter and Zak were invited to a birthday party. I stood there, keeping an eye on Zak in the play area and I noticed her and her equally ignoramus friend giggling while looking at me.

Now, that's not the kind of kumare I would like to have.

So I said, if the boys want to marry/live with somebody (boy or girl) who is of different cultural background, I would make sure that that person is educated/open-minded and doesn't have a mother who gives black coffee instead of tea!

When everything else becomes irrelevant

I went to work today with heavy shoulders and a heavy heart. For 4 straight days, baby Lewis just clung on to me, wingy and moody. His seventh tooth is coming out and no amount of calpol could ever sooth him. Also, Zak had his immunization boosters yesterday so he was a bit feverish this morning. Two poorly boys at the right time when their mummy is scheduled to work overtime.

This afternoon, my parents-in-law stayed over to help look after the boys. Without mum and dad, I wouldn't know what to do or how to cope when work is coupled with family illness. When they left, Zak mused: "I love Nana and Grandad. Yeah, I love my family."