The Impossible Affair

16 November 2016, Wednesday

7:20pm. My mobile rings. It’s A2, asking where I was. … What transpired was so endearingly typical of A2 and so amusing I just had to WhatsApp S about it.

Musings

It’s impossible to have an affair when you have four kids that can check up on you anytime, anywhere!

Then again, it’s a privilege to have close relationship with one’s teens, pre-teen and learner-teen.

Earlier on, after school & stayback

4pm+. The kids’ friends I and H visited for a short impromptu playdate. Cos I offered to take them with me when I took A4 to English tuition at LitPlus, and walk them home (nearby) from there. This would give YY a bit of peace and quiet at home, without anymore send-&-pick duties.

The plan for after the playdate was to just send I and H home, and head home right away. So the boys’ pleas to continue their playdate at I and H’s flat were overridden by YY (I and H’s mom) and me. YY’s rationale that there was school the next day stopped all arguments.

So A2 decided to turn back home, instead of walking with us to the busstop. A3 came with us, and then decided to join me on the entire journey. I did phone A2 to let him know the change of plans, but he still preferred to stay home.

~7:18pm. (I remember it was around 7:15-7:18pm only cos we were looking for the 3rd-night super moon, and A3 figured it was too early to spot the moon) It was after all these drop-offs, after the bus ride home, as A3 and I were walking the last stretch home that A2 phoned.

I Can Run, But Cannot Hide

6 August 2016, Saturday

My herd is already between seven and almost-15 years old. Yet, I continue to not have toilet privacy. Within the five to 10 minutes that I was holed up, I’ve been paid not one but two visits. And by the two oldest too!

A1 wanted to know if the hair salon was opened today for her to cut her hair. “Yes. But, this being a Saturday, it may be crowded.”

A2 wanted to know when he could have his escape room-style outing with best friends JQ, J and JW (and maybe another new friend from school) for his belated birthday celebration. “I dunno. Maybe next Saturday? You go arrange and confirm with your friends when they can make it.”

In that short time, two “major” tasks were achieved. The throne’s the best place to make decisions from.

Every Day is an Anniversary

11 April 2015, Saturday

Turned off the laptop after working late. About to turn in for the night. Decided to post something I noticed about the upgraded range of emojis. That’s when I saw this! … A pleasant surprise from WordPress.com, reminding me it’s been a year since I created my account.  

 

To come to think of it though, whether we notice it or not, we have at least one (If not more) new experience everyday. … And that makes everyday an anniversary to be celebrate!

Back to my WordPress.com account. I’ve enjoyed myself so much (Free reign to talk as much as I want) posting so many thoughts (I think I have posted lots) that it feels like I have had my WordPress account for several years already!

Stand Behind the Yellow Line

6 December 2014, Saturday

When you give instructions, better be sure to cover all perspectives!

The Context

Back in the days when Singapore MRT stations’ train platforms did not have glass walls for safety, the automated announcement would ask people to “Please stand behind the yellow line” whenever a train is about to pull into the station? Today, with the glass walls erected, they’ve done away with the announcement, but the yellow lines remain.

The Story Trigger

9:03am. Buona Vista MRT Station. Waiting for train, taking A2 and A3 to a one-off Scuba Diving for Kids workshop.

My Mr Smarty Pants A3 tells me with a straight face, “Stand behind the yellow line.”

Blur mommy didn’t catch the drift. So, A3 repeated it several times, facing me with a serious look.


The Punchline

For those who still don’t catch the drift … Which side of the yellow line is behind?

Talks Even When Sleepibg

3 October 2014, Friday

Wee hours. I had showered and was unable to sleep then. So I continued working.

Around 1am+ (I think) rustling sounds were heard coming from the floor, off the edge of the bed on S’s side. It was A4, shifting about while asleep. Something was said then, but I couldn’t make out what it was. (I think this episode was after I showered for the night. Can’t recall for sure)

She quietened soon after. I thought I had peace for the night now.

But then, after some time, the next voice from behind me. A3. He was sleeping in our bed, on my side, which was right behind me as I worked at my laptop. He was so loud I thought he had woken up.

“Ann, Ann, Ann …
… Ann, wait …
Wait, Ann, wait …”

Wonder what his dream was.

It was I think 1:29am then.

Sweet Meat Up in Smoke

16 September 2014, Tuesday

6:37am. I was about to bite into a succulent slice of bak kwa (BBQed sweet meat) when I was rudely yanked from the tantalising moment.

A2 had barged into our bedroom, exclaiming, “Mom, urgent! I don’t have any PE T-shirt to wear to school today!”

Apparently, a bit of a shoulder seam had come loose on A2’s second PE T-shirt, and it had been put aside for Mom to sew at a later date. And his other one is in the wash.

Bye bye fattening dream, hello another day of helter skelter!

Postscript:

If you have not guessed by now, I was about to bite into that slice of bak kwa … In my dream!

And in the end, the easiest solution to A2’s problem was to have him wear one of A3’s two PE T-shirts. Never mind the wrong-coloured name tag, never mind the wrong name!


Image of bak kwa from Bee Cheng Hiang.

Who Needs a Sweater when …

14 September 2014, Sunday

A4’s hair was so badly matted after days of not brushing and letting it loose. It took so long to brush through it all that we were all late for church.

Half hour late. Slipped into back-bencher chairs. Less freezing than our usual spot. But still it got cold there.

At one point, A1, patting her lap, asked A4, “Come, A4, wanna sit on jie jie’s (older sister’s) lap?”

A4 obliged, seemingly thinking it was a loving gesture by her older Sis and loving the attention she’d be getting. I am older and wiser, and knew better.

I turned to face A1 on my right, to give her the eye and to flash her a knowing smile. “You are cold, right?” I asked, frankly and almost rhetorically.

A1 smiled back at me with a caught-in-the-act facial expression.

Yeah, that’s right! Who needs a sweater when you can wear a warm body?!

Pray!

13 September 2014, Saturday

All my kids talk in their sleep. Some more often and more than others. Today, one vocal-in-sleep boy said just one word so singularly profound!

I had been baking belated Teachers’ Day cookies since Friday night. Completed around 2:33am (Saturday now). After showering, I was too awake for sleep. So, I began doing some work on the laptop … until maybe 5am, when I was starting to type nonsense. Time to sleep.

But earlier, before 4am, A2 said something. I couldn’t make out what he said. After some time, at 4:07am, A2 stirred and blurted out the most meaningful word for me in that moment of solitude.

“Pray.”

The Art of MC

12 September 2014, Friday

It must have been about midnight. I had let the kids watch movie in our bedroom, out of my way as I baked belated Teachers’ Day cookies for them to take to their school teachers the following week. They were done before I could finish, and were on to their second movie, that’s why they were still up at this hour. (And it’s school holidays anyway)

I know, A4 shouldn’t be up as she just had a day of fever today, her nose was still runny, and she had early Saturday morning (8:45am) Berries Chinese lesson to make up for the make-up she missed this morning (9:15am) due to fever.

She was well aware that I had let her skip this morning cos she was unwell.

Anyway, so into the kitchen came A4. “Mommy, tomorrow if I am still sick, do I still need to go to Berries?”

“You won’t be. Now, just go to bed and lie down,” I said.

“But what if I am?” A4 pressed on.

“You won’t be.”

“How do you know?”

“Cos your fever subsided long ago.”

“OK, but what if I am sick tomorrow? … Just tell me, what if I am still sick tomorrow?”

Just six years old and she’s already mastered the art of planning to applying for medical leave from “work”!

Definitely male

12 September 2014, Friday

Who cares what message is sent by what is said, how it’s said? As long as it produces the same desired result, the goal is achieved!

How more male can one get than this? A3 is definitely male!

A need quite easily solved

10/11pm. A3 emerges from watching “How to Train Your Dragon” in our bedroom. He comes to me in the kitchen where I am baking belated Teachers’ Day cookies for the kids to take to their various teachers in the coming week. He says, “Mom, remember to wake me up for badminton tomorrow morning.”

I agree, but that doesn’t reassure him as we have been late before, due to my staying up late to get things done and not being able to wake up in the morning.

A complication almost overlooked

Then I remember: A4 has make-up Chinese enrichment class tomorrow. I’d be cutting timing too fine if I took both kids along to drop A3 at school for badminton, and then hop straight onto a bus – perhaps with a transfer – to get A4 to Chinese class.

A (kinda) quick fix

I further recall: Dad has his off-day tomorrow I think.

“A3, go ask Kong Kong (ie Granddad) if he can take you to badminton tomorrow,” says I.

“Why must I? … You ask!” A3 whines.

“Just go ask! You have to learn to open your mouth and ask,” I goad (threatened), hinting at an ultimatum.

A few more exchanges and I hear A3 reluctantly (I sense Mr Mature-&-Independent is shy about asking for help) saying something to his Kong Kong.

The quick-fix takes a small detour

Fortunately, Dad is a little hard of hearing and A3 has to repeat his request a couple more times, so I get to hear what he is actually saying.

A3: Kong Kong, you have to take me to badminton tomorrow morning.

Kong Kong: What?

A3, a bit louder: You have to take me to badminton tomorrow.

Kong Kong: (He says something)

A3 is exasperated, so now more audible: Mommy says you have to take me to badminton tomorrow.

Fixing the distorted quick-fix in a flash

I fly out from the kitchen to explain things from the kitchen doorway.

I to Dad: What A3 mean is can you take him to badminton tomorrow morning? Cos I will be taking A4 to her make-up Berries class in town.

Dad, as usual, is more than happy to help where I am shorthanded.

Reflection

I had asked A3 to ask Kong Kong if he could send him to class. A3 told Kong Kong I said he had to.

Both approaches would have produced the same result, that is Kong Kong taking A3 to class next morning. Only the meanings behind both messages were poles apart!

A cold, demanding and ungrateful monster! That was what A3 almost made me out to be.