N70

Dad got himself a new toy on 19/10/2207 - a Nokia N70 with a 1GB memory card which reduced his savings by about RM1400. First, the battery did not charge very well. This new phone was supposed to be charged for at least 7 hours, so the guy at the shop said. But it stopped charging after about 2 hours.

Took the phone and charger back to the shop. "Oh this charger not so good" said the guy at the shop and gave me another charger. Ok the replacement was charging well.

Second, could not connect to PC with USB cable. Colleague, Maidin, helped to connect using his bluetooth. Third, viewed the pictures taken earlier, very poor quality. Expected much considering this phone has a 2 mega-pixel lens camera. Back to the shop again and left the USB cable for them to test. The following day, still no news. Then took the phone to the service outlet at Ampang Park. After much haggling, they replaced the phone but not the cover. That is the last VV Shop will have my patronage. Once bitten, twice shy as they say.

Cheque is Not Money

When we signed up Cheryl for her school outing to Mines Wonderland scheduled for 4/11/2006, there was a fee of RM30 to be paid. So dad wrote out a cheque favouring her school, Midah Kindergarten, for this amount and gave it Cheryl.
Cheryl: "Dad, this is not money. We must pay real money"
Dad: "This is just like money. Remember your school fees, we pay like this"
Cheryl: "But Dad, teacher said must pay money"
Dad: "You give this to the teacher, if cannot, tomorrow we will pay"
In the evening, Cheryl mentioned something about the teacher showing green money which we knew to be the RM8 for the class group photo.
Dad: "So, Cheryl, what about the cheque, did your teacher accept it?"
Cheryl:"I told you it won't work"

The school did accept the cheque.

Exams - Cheryl

It is exam time in most schools and it began with the Form Three PMR examinations last week. The newspapers had also highlighted the issue of whether our society is becoming more exam orientated.

It is no different for Cheryl, who at 5 years old is ending her 1st year in kindergarten. The time table below has been up on our wall two weeks ago. The pressure is on, not Cheryl but Mummy.

Cheryl's Exam Time Table

Church of the Holy Rosary

This morning we attended services at Holy Rosary Church on the occasion of the feast of the Holy Rosary.
Once inside the Church, our house assisstant Sapuna said" Saya suka gereja ini, banyak cantek". Then Cheryl said "I like this Church".
A little while later, Chastan, 2yrs 4 months old, pointing to the sanctuary said "One, two. three, four five Jesus".

Joshua

Last Sunday Joshua Fernandez followed his Aunty Irene to Church. After Mass, he played with Cheryl making her run and laugh. Later in the car,
Cheryl: "I like this Koko"
Mum: "Why do you like him"
Cheryl: "Because he is so funny"
Mum: "Don't you like to play with Jason Koko?"
Cheryl: "No, he small"
Mum: " What about Kevin Koko, he is big"
Cheryl: "I don't like his hair, like porcupine".

Pet Fish

Cheryl has been asking us to get her a fish for a pet and each time she brought up the subject, we would give some excuses like the shop is not open now or we'll go on another day etc. There's a shop somewhere opposite the Cheras police station where the sign board indicates it to be a fish/aquarium shop and each time Cheryl sees it, she will ask to go there and our usual reply is that the fish shop has closed down and the shop is selling cars now and that we will look for another fish shop. Last Friday when Mum and dad returned home from office,
Cheryl: "Daddy Daddy, I know how to go the fish shop".
Dad: "So how do we go there?"
Cheryl: "You go like this way and near the doctor and then turn and go that way and we come to the fish shop"
Dad: "Ok we'll go on Sunday when we take Chastan for his hair cut. You can show us the way" So on Sunday 01/10/2006, on returning home from church and Jusco, she kept pestering us. In the evening when we told her to get ready she said "I am so excited, I am going to get a pet fish, I am so excited".After Chastan's hair cut, we went to the fish shop and picked two pairs of fish that did not require an oxygen pump, so the fishshop man said. In the car on the way home.
Cheryl: "Daddy don't drive so fast"
Dad: "Why?"

Cheryl: "If you drive too fast and when you turn the corner, the fish will get a tummy ache".

Dad: "Oh ok". On reaching home,
Cheryl: "Daddyy can I feed the fish?"
Dad: "Ok but not now"
Cheryl: "So what time daddy?"
Dad: "7.30"
Cheryl: "Is it 7.30 now?"
Dad: "No, I'll tell you when". At 7.30, Cheryl was shown how to feed the fishes.

Next morning, Mummy gave the bad news to Cheryl, "All four fishes died". Cheryl then went to have a look and came back and sat quietly on the bed. Wonder what was going on in her mind.

Hair Cut - Chastan

Chastan had his third hair cut by this barber on Sunday 01/10/2006.
He was very quite all throughout the session but as soon as he was brought down from the chair,
Chastan put both his hands up in the air and yelled "Yeah!".

Sunday Outing

This afternoon in the car after Church service at the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Health, Kg Pandan and breakfast,
Cheryl: "Is the way to Jusco?"
Dad: "This, the way to go home"
Cheryl: "No, I want to go to Jusco"
Dad: "Ok, I'll drop you off at Jusco and you go alone"
Cheryl: "No, we must go as family"
Dad: "What is family?"
Cheryl: "Family means, daddy, mummy, my brother and kakak. Cannot go alone" and right at this moment another voice was heard.
"I wan go Jusco NOW" yelled Chastan.

Dentist

This afternoon Mummy had a dental visit and Chastan tagged along, his 1st visit to a dentist.
Dr Raj carried Chastan and made him lay on the chair and switched on the light.
Chastan: "Off light" so Dr Raj switched off the light and said: "Open mouth".
Chastan openning mouth: "Aaah".
Dr Raj: "Good, your teeth are clean" and took him down.

Cheryl could not go as she was having a nap in the car.

Game -Soldier

This evening at Amma's house, Cheryl managed to persuade Aunty Rose to buy her an umbrella - a puple one at that.

At home, she was playing a marching game while holding and swinging the umbrella, so Dad said :"Cheryl, no need for the umbrella while marching".
Cheryl: "But Dad, a soldier must have a gun and this is umbrella is a pretend gun". So Dad had to join her in the marching game
.
Then, since Dad could not go for his Hash run, he was working at the pc and Cheryl kept pestering him to join her in the game.
Dad: "Just a minute Cheryl"
Cheryl: "A soldier does not have a minute, Dad". Dad could not argue with that.

While writting about this, Mummy's good friend, Aunty Mee Weng, paid a visit.
Aunty Mee Weng: "Oh, so this a new umbrella?"
Mummy: "Yes, Aunty Rose bought for her this afternoon"
Dad: " I'm just writting about this"
Aunty Mee Weng: "On Benspace?"
Cheryl: " No, on the computer".

Conversations - Cheryl (3)

Last night at home.

Cheryl: "Dad, can I ask you a favour?"
Dad: "Why, yes you can"
Cheryl: "Dad, when I am better, when I take my medicine, when I do my homework, will you buy me ice cream?"
Dad: "Yes, of course, I will"
Cheryl: "Thanks dad"

Then in the car on the way to pick up Mummy.
Cheryl: "Dad, why are you in a hurry?" But dad could not hear what Cheryl was saying.
Dad: "What did you ask?"
Cheryl: "I said, Dad why are you in a hurry, that means, why are you going so fast?"
Dad: "Sorry, I did not hear you clearly. We need to go fast because Mummy is waiting."
Cheryl: "Oh, OK"

Cheryl - to the Doctor

Chery had still not recovered from her flu, so we took her to the doctors again.

Dr Low asked if there was anything that was troubling Cheryl, about what she normally talks about or says. We told the doctor that quite often, whenever she and chastan have an argument (this is put mildly), Cheryl will go into the room and keep quite, seldom crying. While we were saying this to the doctor, Chastan who was seated was kicking Cheryl so Dad said "Chastan stop kicking Cheryl" and immediately Cheryl replied "it's ok dad, I don't mind Chastan kicking me because I want to be a sport". How not to love this girl more.

Proud to be Malaysian

The Govt asks us to fly the flag. The other day an advert in a daily proclaimed 'Proud to be Malaysia'.

I've been flying the flag each Merdeka for a very long time, even when I was in Prang Besar (now Putrajaya) (I believe I was the only one then).

Cheryl came back from school on 30 August 2006 and showed us the flag she had coloured in school and told us that her teacher said "you must take care of the flag and place in a nice place. Don't throw it on the floor".

I am pround to be Malaysian. But are we really treated as Malaysians? Just Malaysians without any reference to citizens of any other country.

How will Cheryl and Chastan be classified? Cheryl's concern is showing in her eyes.

If only this Govt and the UmnoPutras allow us be just Malaysians, not Malaysian Chinese or Malaysian Indian or Malaysian Malay ( do they have such a thing as Malaysian Malay? If not why not?)

Beach Holiday - The Beach

First Cheryl didn't want to leave the hotel room. On seeing the beach, "wow this is great" , she didn't want to leave the beach.

But with the horses and their droppings, you wouldn't want to spend much time on the sand, would you?

Merdeka

Our country celebrates 49 years of independence this month.

I got some minature flags and gave one to Chastan who went running around waving it and shouting "(Ma)laysia (Mal)laysia". Anyone seeing this can be excused for thinking "How patriotic". But this thought came to mind, "if only the Powers that be (read UMNOPutras) allowed us to be so "

Nevertheless,

Happy Merdeka

Beach Holiday - The Hotel

We managed to get a room at the Holiday Inn Resort though not at the beach wing. For Cheryl, it did not matter, as long as it was a hotel room, "this is great dad. I don't want to go to the beach. I want to stay here" she said as soon as we entered the room.

As we unpacked, I was overjoyed when I noticed the little note on a wire at the table saying 'Internet Access'. Taking out my laptop, I quickly plugged in to test the connection speed. After a few minutes, the Holiday Inn website came on. I had to register??? Read T&C, WHAT ?RM1.90 per minute ? Oh my gosh! With Chastan and Cheryl around, it may cost me RM19.00 just to view all of Holiday Inn Penang's facilities on their website and another RM19.00 just to google Penang attractions. No way I am going to allow myself be robbed.

The buffet breakfast spread was okay. For a change, we did not have to get up in wee hours of the morning and Q for toast, like whats usually happens in Genting.

Chastan (2)

Chastan ran a slight temperature, 38.4, with a runny nose yesterday. When he is ill, he always wants to be carried and walk about, no sitting. He clung on to dad, refusing to go to Mummy or Kakak. But he was understanding and agreed to go to Mummy when I told him I had .to go and have a shower.

Beach Holiday - The Mistakes

Its common to make mistakes planning a trip. Well, so did I make some big ones on this holiday trip.
First, the biggest, I forgot to get information on Sunday Church services and more importantly the whereabouts of Catholic Churches in Penang. Imagine just driving around Georgetown looking for a Church, finding one, you go in to discover its not Catholic. So drive around again till we found the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows. We were late, very late, Offertory that is, but what to do, it was about 10.30am, so better late than never.

Second big mistake, I forgot about getting road maps especially of Penang. But managed to obtain one of Georgetown which assisted in one above.

No maps, no problem there are sometings called road signs, my third mistake, relying on them. Not just relying, but trusting them to be available when needed. It took us 2 hours from Bukit Mertajam to the hotel at Batu Ferringhi. OK OK, must discount the jam at the world class bridge. What else to discount? Missing road signs? - could not find the sign leading to the Plus Highway in Rawang. Misleading road signs? - to touch your nose, you guide your hand around the back of your head and come in front and touch your nose - know what I mean and this is no joke. Wrong turnings? - whose fault?

Beach Holiday - On the Way

We had promised Cheryl a beach trip during the school holidays. So Saturday 18/8/2006, the children were up early without prompting, how we wish it could be this easy on Sundays. All packed and we were on our way, 1st stop at Amma's place in Selayang.
Cheryl: "Why are we going here?"
Mum: "We haven't been to Amma's house for sometime so we stop for a while, OK."
Cheryl: "Short while ok." Then soon, no, sometime later (another post on this), we hit the Plus highway.
Along the way, as I overtook a trailler,
Cheryl: "Wow, dad you cut the truck."
Then we overtook some more slow moving vehicles.
Cheryl: "Cool Dad, this car the fastest. You are the fastest. Cut the red car. Now cut the big truck."
Dad: "These cars are going slow."
Cheryl: "Dad, you are the fastest in the whole world. Cut the car in front"
Dad; "No, we should not go so fast. There is also a speed limit."
Cheryl: "Why."
Dad: "We don't have to go so fast. Its better to be slow and safe." I didn't expect this five year old to understand this but then,
Cheryl: "Dad, slow, slow down don't go so fast."

Just before we reached the Ipoh toll, "Cheryl, look at those mountains."
Cheryl: "Hills, like in my book?"
Dad: "Yes, but mountains are bigger, hills are small."
Cheryl: "Cool, this is so gigantic." Then on reaching, Sg Perak R&R, dad said "We'll stop here."
Cheryl: "Why?"
Mum: "We will take a rest."
Cheryl: " But why, I'm not tired." Can anyone argue with that?
Mum: "Daddy wants to rest".

Sometime later on the way to Bukit Mertajam. Cheryl: "Is this the way to the hotel?"
Dad: "No, we are going to look for St Anne's Church."
Cheryl: "But why?"
Dad: "We'll go and pray. Remember Mummy's operation, we must give thanks."

Soon we were on the way to Penang Island with some more "Are we there yet?" and "Is this the way to the hotel?" from Cheryl.

Trampoline

Cheryl received a trampoline as her birthday present from Aunty Sharon and Uncle Siew Too. Cheryl was so excited that she insisted Dad assembled the trampoline immediately.

Cheryl: "Wow!, Dad can I tell my friend I have a trampoline?"

Dad: "OK, you must also say it is a present"

Cheryl: "Ok dad"

Dad: "Cheryl, remember you must thank Aunty Sharon for this present when you see her the next time"

Cheryl: " OK daddy"

Dad: "So what must say when you see Aunty Sharon?"

Cheryl: "Hi"