Patriotism

With so stories and articles in the papers on the Malaya's road to Independence really made me wonder what patriotism really means to each and everyone of us.

Merdeka Day to me has always been known as a public holiday to me and the day Malaysia achieved Independence. What does it really, really means? We are in the era of a new development, of not knowing the hardship and availability of resources in our parents' generation.

As a kid, I use to think how my parent's and their siblings, together with their own parents, lived through the day by day life during the Japanese occupation, in the presence of Gurkhas in their surrounding areas. I was told many stories about how one big family of 15 (my mum's side), survived on livestocks, planted tapioca and tapioca leaves, farming their own vegetable plots to feed not just the 15 of them, but the workers at my grandfather's bread and biscuit factory in Kluang, Johor.

We are now in the generation where everything seems to be available. And we are spoilt with choices. Do we really understand the true meaning of Merdeka deep down in our hearts? I read with much awe the many write-ups and had always understood that Merdeka for Malaya then was more than an Independence for the country - it's total freedom, complete unity, happiness, hope for a better life, life for a better generation, search of happiness, experiencing the moment which meant history for development of this country.

We are really spoilt with choices. We take things for granted. We complain about not getting enough of this and that... and we forgot the spirit of freedom and living life to the fullest....

Selamat Hari Merdeka to all Malaysians...

Fireworks

A few days ago, we went to the top of a hill at Bandar Puteri, Puchong, to see the fireworks in Putrajaya. After hearing about it from my neighbour and reading about it in the papers, we decided to head up there to see for myself the wonders of the fireworks.

Attempts to plan (ya, just planning alone) to go to Putrajaya was quite a problem when the jam from Puchong heading to the toll towards Putrajaya was just simply crazy.

Hubby got a call from his friend to inform us to not bother heading to Putrajaya and instead told us to meet he and his family up the Bandar Puteri hilltop to see the fireworks.

We could already see so many people waiting for the fireworks to start. The show that night was the fireworks performance from Germany, if I remember it correctly. When it started, everyone was excited - and I meant, everyone - big, small, old, young... The "ooooos" and the "aahhhhs" was really amusing.

Despite seeing the fireworks from afar, we could still feel the wonderful experience of a gathering of people sharing interest in the performance. THAT - reminded me of the thought of what UNITY means. And with Merdeka just one day away, this one unique gathering opened my eyes to how much more UNITY meant on the day we achieved Independence.

Suicide

Gosh! last Saturday, I found out that Eryn's nanny's new maid has hung herself from the bathroom window and has committed suicide!

The nanny takes care of Eryn and another 4 year old boy. That Saturday, the boy was sent to the nanny's place but the nanny had to go out to do get something around 10am and the boy was left alone at home. At about 12noon, the nanny called home and the boy picked up the call.

The nanny asked the boy to call the maid and he went upstairs to call the maid and took sometime before he answered the phone once again. He told the nanny that the maid was "tied-up", not knowing how to describe it. The nanny panicked and called a nearby neighbour who went to the house and saw that the maid's body was already harden.

The police came and the nanny was in a traumatic situation. The maid only started work 5 days before the incident and it was suspected that she could be in a deep depression. The worst thing is the thought of how the nanny and the boy will carry this at the back of their mind.

I took care of Eryn on Monday to give the nanny a break as she had to make a police report. The police has classify the case as a sudden death.

That suicide, happened one day before the ghost month prayer day or something like that...

Brand new house

2 months back, we took the opportunity to bring the kids to JB for a short break as their favourite uncle (my brother & his wife) has just shifted to their new home.

It doesn't matter if that holiday is in JB, or even in KL, as long as they get out and have fun, they're happy enough. There goes the afternoon naps, and the running and jumping around, the snacks and food that seems to be never-ending, and late nights....

I remember that a kid, I too was happy wheneverwe get to go for holidays, even if it's just a one day trip to an aunt's place. For us, it's the fun and joy of the get-together.

The short break was a welcomed, but the "after-effect" is really overwhelming, with the clothes to wash, and the sleep to catch up on.... zzzzzz......

Brendan & pre-school

It's been a wonder how kids just tend to develop so fast at their own pace... I tried to get Brendan down to writing his "A", "B", "C" and all, but he just refuse to budge.

As my mum was getting quite tired with Brendan whining at home, I decided to send Brendan to a pre-school sometime in April this year. And surprisingly, within 2 weeks, he could write A, B, C, etc... and write his own name!! Gosh, either I can't teach, or he picked things up real fast in those 2 weeks.

Now, it's been approximately 5 months, and he could write so many words, read, speak in BM and Mandarin. So naughty, so stubborn, so tiring and yet so smart, so attentive and so full of surprises!

He'll be coming up to KL soon to start his year 5 pre-school next year. I'm now just cracking my head to think of the options available. And speaking of that, it's also the year where I have to register him for primary school! Dilemma dilemma dilemma..... Chinese School? National School? Hmm.....

How Vain am I?

Haiya, Vichelle wants to know how vain am I. Well, I don't really go with the latest fashion, nor do I spend hours and hours dressing up. I don't stare myself at the mirror all the time..

Here's the summary of how vain I am :

You Are 46% Vain

You're a little vain, but more than anything you have a healthy amount of confidence. Thinking the world of yourself is great. Just don't think less of those who aren't as pretty as you!

How Vain Are You?